Where Two Worlds Meet

Arthur Findlay
DEDICATED to JOHN CAMPBELL SLOAN
who, for fifty years, has given to mankind, without thought of
reward or of his own convenience, the use of his body to supply the
substance necessary to enable those who have died to vibrate our
atmosphere with their voices and so speak to us.

FOREWORD

DURING the Second World War, Mr. John Campbell Sloan kindly gave
his services from time to time, without charge, at the houses of
different people, so that they and their friends might obtain the
phenomenon known as the Direct Voice. Miss Jean Logan Dearie,
who lives at 16 Atholl Gardens, Glasgow, W2, attended some of
these meetings and took verbatim shorthand records of all that took
place.

She accumulated twenty-four records of that number of séances,

and in December 1950 she wrote to me to ask if I thought anything
could be done to make the contents of these documents known to
the public. I asked her to send them on to me, and,
after reading them through, I realised that they formed a valuable
addition to the records of the séances I had already published in my
book On the Edge of the Etheric. When everything was satisfactorily
arranged between us, I set about putting them into shape for
publication as a book.

Miss Dearie is an expert stenographer, and is employed as private

secretary to one of the principals of one of the leading business
concerns in Scotland. Her ability and integrity are undoubted, and I
am satisfied, after careful enquiry, that the records given in this
book are accurate. Fortunately, this can be checked, because she
had sent, at her own expense,
and after the lapse of only a few days, a carbon copy of her record
of what took place at each seance to each person who was present.
I therefore wrote to seven of the regular sitters to ask them if I could

announce in this book that they were satisfied that everything she
recorded was accurate, and that nothing had been omitted or added
which did not happen.

To this request I received not only the testimonials I wished, but,

besides these, each one expressed his or her appreciation of Miss
Dearie in warm and affectionate terms, her kindness, her
unselfishness and her willingness to help on all occasions being
stressed. Moreover, they asked me to record that each and all were
completely satisfied that they had spoken to
those who claimed to be the persons they had known on earth by
the names they gave. Nothing will ever change this opinion, and I
have their authority for making it public in this book.

As to the correctness of Miss Dearie's verbatim shorthand reports,

this is what they wrote to me:

MR. G. H. MORITZ, LATE HEAD OFFICE MANAGER,

UNION BANK OF SCOTLAND, GLASGOW.

"Miss Dearie's records are accurate in every way, as I read them

over after each sitting."

MRS. MORITZ.

"I consider that Miss Dearie's records are word perfect'."

MR. ALEX. HART, M.A. GLASGOW UNIVERSITY,

FORMERLY SCHOOLMASTER AT PORT GLASGOW AND DEPUTY
HEADMASTER AT GREENOCK, NOW RETIRED.

"Miss Dearie's excellency made me give uptaking notes."

MISS MCROBBIE, SCHOOLTEACHER, PERCY STREET

SPECIAL SCHOOL, MARYHILL, GLASGOW.

"Miss Dearie's notes were well arranged and singularly clear. She
never omitted anything. My own notes which I took were almost
identical with those she sent me. She is a woman of great integrity."
MISS COLQUHOUN, 265 KENMURE STREET,
POLLOKSHIELDS, GLASGOW, S.I.

"I sat at most seances when Miss Dearie was present taking notes.
She sent me all the records, which I read over, and I found her to be
so accurate as to be word perfect."

MRS. BOWES, 107 ST. ANDREW'S DRIVE, MAXWELL

PARK, GLASGOW, S.I.

"It gives me much pleasure to add my testimony as to the

excellence of Miss Dearie's recordings of the sittings with Mr. Sloan."

MISS ELIZABETH DUFF, RETIRED HOSPITAL NURSE,

I2 CLEVELAND GARDENS, GLASGOW, W.2.

"I wish to state that Miss Dearie's records of Mr. Sloan's séances are
accurate in every detail, and were taken down by Miss Dearie
exactly as they came through from the other side."

I much regret not being able to give Mrs. Lang's testimony, but she
has passed on. She and her husband were regular attendees at
Sloan's circles when, between 1918 and 1924, I was also a regular
sitter. For them both I had a high regard and they were held in much
esteem by everyone. She joined her husband and son in 1948.

it is very gratifying that these tributes have been paid to Miss

Dearie, as she did a remarkable piece of work, the importance of
which she did not realise at the time. She made twenty-four
complete records of the Direct Voice covering the years 1942 to
1945, and I doubt if this wonderful phenomenon has ever before
been so carefully and accurately recorded over such a long period.
Other stenographers have made records in the dark of what the
voices said, as in the case of Miss Millar, who acted as my note-
taker when I was investigating the phenomena produced in Mr.
Sloan's presence, but I know of no other whose notes run into nearly
150,000 words as do these twenty-four records made by Miss
Dearie.

How she did it is best explained by herself :

"I started off with a new notebook for each seance, which I held on
my knee, and put my thumb (left hand) at the beginning of the top
line before the light was turned out. When I reached the end of a
line, I moved my thumb down a space, and continued doing this
until I felt I was at the foot of the page, when I turned over and just
guessed where a line started on the next page. I was not always on
the line, but my notes were fairly straight and regular, and the
writing always legible. I never looked down at
my notebook while I was writing, but looked about me just like the
other sitters, and so was able to see all the spirit lights and
phenomena that occurred. I never felt it tiresome taking the notes,
and have no doubt I received help from the other side with that
work."

10

In the evenings, after each seance, she transcribed her notes on her
typewriter, but they were on thin wartime paper, single spaced, and
not easily grasped. No differentiation in type or colour was made
between those who spoke on earth and those who spoke from the
other side. Every page, therefore, had to be gone through carefully,
paragraphed and re-typed to make
this quite clear, so that the printer could put what each side said in
different type. This exacting work took me and my secretary over
three months to complete, and only then was it possible to realise
the value of these documents.

These recorded conversations could now be so easily read and

understood that they were suitable for printing in book form. Then I
had to get confirmation from the sitters that everything said to them
was correct and understood. This was gladly given and in every case
their replies confirmed that what was said was correct. After that,
numerous notes and explanations had to be added to the text to
explain what took place. Only when all this was done was I able to
set about writing the Introduction, making my comments at the end
of each chapter, and writing the summary which comprises the last
chapter.

Miss Dearie, as I have said, made a verbatim record of every sitting

she had with Sloan, twenty-four in all, but here I give only nineteen,
because it would have made the book both long and expensive to
have included them all. Those omitted were just
as evidential and interesting as the ones here published, but I had
to draw the line somewhere and these nineteen chosen are
representative of them all. Another point I wish to emphasise is that
all the

11

thirty-four different people who attended the Meetings at various

times were really present, as is shown at the beginning of each
chapter, and their home addresses are known. Consequently the
names given are those of real live people, and I am grateful to
them for allowing their names to be published and their private
family matters to be made public. Finally, this book gives an exact
copy of what Miss Dearie transcribed. The text of what was said,
both on this side and from the other, has been scrupulously adhered
to, and only on a few occasions have I had to leave out something
said from the other side. This has been done by request, because
the remarks made were of such a personal and private nature, but,
on every occasion, I have made a note to say that an omission has
been made by request. Otherwise, I repeat that what was said on
both sides is exactly as it is set down in Miss Dearie's original
records.

I wish to express my thanks to all who have helped me in the

preparation of this book and answered my many questions, but
especially to Miss Dearie, Mr. Hart, Mr. Moritz, my brother, Mr. John
Findlay, and my wife for reading over the printer's proofs. Mrs.
Calvert, my Secretary, has been so accurate and expeditious in
typing out Miss Dearie's records, that
to her also a special word of thanks is due.

May I conclude this Foreword with a personal remark? It was in 1931

that I published On the Edge of the Etheric, and during these past
twenty years I have written over two million words on Spiritualism,
its evidence, its philosophy, its history and its teaching. This number
of words would have filled thirty average sized books, and I have
expended the necessary

12

time and energy only to spread the truth and increase knowledge. I
have made no money from this work, as my books have never been
sold above the cost of printing, binding, selling and advertising
them.

I have made arrangements for them always to be kept in print.

ARTHUR FINDLAY
Stansted Hall,Essex.
July 1951
13

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
MR. JOHN S L O A N is a unique man, an individual which nature
seldom produces, and all his life supernormal occurrences have
taken place in his presence. When he is present in a dark room with
other people, voices speak which claim to be those of individuals
who have once lived on earth and who were known by the names
they give. When Sloan is not present these voices are not heard. He
is called a Medium, because he supplies unknowingly something
from his body which unseen people can use to make themselves
heard on earth. This something is the nexus between this world and
Etheria, usually known as the Spirit World.
This substance is called Ectoplasm, and will be explained later, but,
besides having this to a much greater degree than have ordinary
people, he can see men, women and children who are unseen to the
majority of people. This is called Clairvoyance. Besides this, he is
clairaudient, because he can hear them speak when other people
beside him do not. In the seances recorded in this book everyone
heard what the voices said, they were objective, and this
phenomenon is known as the Direct Voice. When only the Medium
hears voices it is called Clairaudience.
But that is not all, because he can become entranced, a condition
similar to a person being under
15

an anesthetic, and in this state he is unconscious of his

surroundings. Then he cannot see or feel anything, but he can be
used by an unseen intelligence to say what that invisible person
wishes him to say. When he becomes normal he is unaware of what
he has said or done during his period of trance. Moreover, he has
other abnormal faculties, because, when he is present, objects can
be moved without apparent touch, and have been seen floating
about the room without any physical contact. This is called
Telekinesis, or the movement of objects without physical contact,
and finally, what are called apports have been brought into a room
where he is.
Apports may be anything one can handle, and these objects are put,
by someone unseen, into the hands of the person present or placed
on his lap. On one occasion a lighted cigar was put between the
fingers of a visitor when he was talking to Sloan in his house.
Amazed, he looked about and finally went outside, to find the owner
of the cigar looking for it everywhere on the pavement.
On one occasion I left a gold match-box, having my initials on it, in
my overcoat ticket-pocket. I said nothing about this to anyone, hung
up my coat in the entrance passage, entered the seance room,
locked the door, put the key in my pocket, put a mat up against the
bottom of the door and took my seat with the others sitting around
in a circle for the seance about to begin. Two trumpets were in the
middle of the circle for the voices to speak through, and it was not
long after the light was put out when a trumpet came in front of my
face and a metallic object was rattled inside it. A voice said: "Please
put out
16

your hand," when something was heard to slide down the inside of
the trumpet into my hand. It was the same gold match-box that I
had put into the ticket pocket of my overcoat. When the seance was
over I found the window still tightly shuttered, the mat was at the
door as I had placed it, and the door was still locked. That is what is
called an apport.
Finally, Sloan is unique because these gifts, if they may be called so,
do not interest him. He has never exploited them for money; in fact,
he is quite indifferent about money. Consequently, he has given
seance after seance over the past fifty years, and never received a
penny. He was paid nothing for attending the Meetings recorded in
the pages which follow. Instead of gaining anything from them he
put himself to both trouble and expense to be present. He has
received gifts from grateful sitters from time to time, but he never
asks for anything and never expects a reward for his services.
Sloan's home town is Dalbeattie in Kirkcudbrightshire, and when
quite a youth he went to sea, to return to take up drapery, and later
tailoring. Then he went to Glasgow, to return home to Dalbeattie,
and there he married. His wife, whom he had known since
childhood, was a clerkess in the Post Office at Edinburgh. After that,
he settled down in Glasgow to follow different occupations. He was
employed for several years in various departments of the Post
Office, then as a packer in a warehouse, and in middle life he again
went to sea for some years, returning to Glasgow to open a small
newsagent's shop. This was followed by other forms of employment,
and then lie settled down in a cottage at West Kilbride in

17

Ayrshire, where lie spent the happiest years of his life until his wife
passed on.
Later on I shall have an opportunity of referring to the fine character
of Mrs. Sloan. In his early days she called him Jack, when the
children came he became Daddy to her, and finally she always
called him "My old man," a name which he loved so well to hear
from her. It was the name she called him with her last gleam of
consciousness before she passed on, and now she returns and uses
the same name in the same affectionate way as she did on earth.
All his life Sloan has worked honestly and well for his living, which
was never more than that obtained by an average working man. In
character he is modest, humble and retiring, straightforward,
upright, and has high principles, though he himself admits that
sometimes he grumbles and can be somewhat stubborn and dour.
Never a whisper has been uttered detracting from his uprightness
and honesty of purpose. He has a quiet manner, is of slight build,
has read very little because of poor eyesight and has rather a
dreamy expression. His kindness and unselfishness can be seen by
his willingness to sit at these séances, because he knew the comfort
and upliftment they meant to his many friends, and the friends they
brought with them. No one was ever unwelcome if he was a genuine
enquirer into the life beyond.
So much for Sloan, the Medium, but how is it that these voices,
which this book records, are produced, and heard though the
speakers are unseen? As we proceed it will be told how it is they
speak to us, but we must accept what they have to tell us
18

because we have no means of proving this for ourselves. Before we

can understand what they tell us it is necessary to comprehend
something of the real world in which we live, and only then are we
able to appreciate this wonderful phenomenon. We must, first of all,
know something about the laws pertaining to matter, the substance
which makes up this world of ours. Secondly, we must know
something of our own make-up, what the human being really is,
what life is, and what the difference is between a thing that is alive
and one that is dead. When we come to understand these two
problems, much of the mystery hitherto surrounding mediumship
disappears and knowledge takes the place of ignorance.
From our birth until our death we live in what is called a physical
world, which is composed of substance vibrating within certain fixed
limits, to which we give the name "matter." From the time we are
born into it we accept it as if it comprised everything. Yet how
different things are from what they seem to be. Matter which looks
so solid is in reality not solid at all. What we see when we look at a
table or a chair, for instance, are the vibrations of a certain number
of electrons, which are revolving at immense speed around a centre
known as the nucleus. Matter is made up of atoms, and these atoms
are in turn composed of electrons and protons.
According to the number of electrons in an atom so is the
substance, but the weight is conditioned by the number of protons.
This then is physical matter, which is in reality an open network of
electrons and protons, and the distance between the electrons and
the protons in an individual atom, in relation to its size, is immense.
If we consider the nucleus as commanding the same position in an
atom as the sun does in our solar system, then the relative distance
the electrons are apart from one another and from the protons
might be taken as equivalent to the distance the planets are from
each other and from the sun. If we consider an atom as something
the size of a large cinema, a pinhead would represent the relative
size of one of the electrons of which it is composed.
These protons and electrons in the atom are thus far asunder,
moving at enormous speed, and they are linked together by the
invisible ether which occupies much the greater space within the
atom. Matter is made up of minute electric charges, both positive
and negative, not moving haphazardly, but freely and orderly, and
connected together by the invisible ether, which may be the basic
substance of the Universe.
This invisible substance is the medium between things material and
our senses, but physical matter is now considered to be this same
ether in certain fixed states of vibration. The electrons in the atom
are particles of negative electricity and the protons are certainly
electric in their nature. Both are etheric, and matter is only ether in
a certain condition. All ether is potentially matter and all matter
potentially ether. Physical matter, which appeals to our senses, is
only that section of the ether which happens to be vibrating within
certain fixed limits.
So it seems as if the ether of space can now be taken as the one
great unifying link between the world of matter and that which we
term etheric, as it is the substance common to both worlds. Both are
contained within this substance, both are part of it, and both are
formed out of it. This world and Etheria are part of the same
Universe, and life in both is conditioned by it. Here, in this world of
matter on which we function, we are only conscious of a lower scale
of vibrations, whereas in the etheric world, where life also functions,
consciousness exists on a higher scale of vibrations.
The ether is as much to other life in the Universe as it is to us. Their
surroundings are just as substantial and real to them as ours are to
us. Life functions in etheric substance, and it is just as much able to
do so when free of physical matter as it is when clothed in matter; in
fact, a fuller, larger life can be imagined when the physical body is
discarded. Only the ignorant affirm that just what we sense is real,
and that beyond this range of sense nothing exists. Our range of
sense, our sight, our touch, our smell and hearing are limited to the
last degree. We know that the spectrum of the Spectroscope proves
the very limited range of our ordinary vision, and that further ranges
of vibrations of what would be colour, could we see them, extend on
either side. It has been said that the perceived vibrations, as
compared with the unperceived, are much less than is an inch to a
mile.
It is evident that there lies an enormous region for other life to
inhabit around and within this world of ours, a region quite beyond
our normal sense perceptions. Until we clearly understand that our
senses here respond only to a very limited range of vibrations,
namely those we term physical matter, that outside these there is a
Universe full of life, which responds to a higher range of vibrations,
unreal to us, but more real to it than physical matter, we cannot
grasp or understand in all its fullness the phenomena which develop
through mediumship.

What is the cause of a tree in full bloom retaining its shape and its
leaves, while another, which is called "dead," breaks in pieces at a
touch and crumbles away into dust ? There must be a something, to
which we give the term "life," which animates the living organism,
and is absent in the dead organism. That something has the power
to give the substance form and expression, whereas, when the
something is absent, form and expression go, and the substance
which was previously animated returns to form part of the earth.
Evidently there is something we cannot see or handle, which is
nevertheless real and powerful, besides having this faculty of
creating forms out of inanimate earth. I say it must be powerful,
because it is capable of raising matter against the force of gravity,
and retaining matter in an erect position, as, when it leaves the
substance, the force of gravity again assumes control and the
substance in question is affected by all the forces of nature.
A man, an animal, a tree, can stand erect when this life force
permeates them, but when it does not they fall to the ground. Life,
therefore, is an organising force which can counteract the tendency
in matter to disorganise itself. Life is a formative, thinking force,
entering matter and arranging it, whereas matter without it is inert
and devoid of personality. Life, therefore, cannot be a part of matter
any more than the potter can be a part of the clay he uses in his
moulds, and, besides this, it has personality. Every living thing has
personality, because every thing alive is different from every other
living thing. This life force, by this process of arguing, has powers
quite beyond the powers attributed to matter. It is more powerful
than matter, it can organise matter, and therefore thinks. Besides
that it has individuality.
Consequently we can safely take a further step forward, and say
that this organising force is influenced by mind and that what we
call Mind must be the living, active, dominating, controlling force in
the Universe. Mind controls life and life controls matter. Death can
therefore be described as a severance of mind from its association
with matter, and it would be illogical to conclude that mind and its
life-expressing vehicle, the etheric body, which have such power
over matter, cease to exist when we lose sight of their organising
powers.
Though we do not see mind at work, it is logical and reasonable to
assume that what can control matter cannot be destroyed. This
general argument, had we not direct evidence, might never lead us
to anything tangible. We might always be right in assuming the
indestructibility of mind, and its expression, life, but had psychic
phenomena not come to our aid we would have been only half-way
to our goal. The goal, however, has now been reached, and the path
has been prepared for the human mind to travel the whole road.
Logically, it is a reasonable assumption that mind should continue to
exist after death apart from its association with matter, but now we
have the proof from psychic science that this does happen and that
the etheric body, which survives, is the real body
23

and the one which holds the physical body together during life on
earth. Death, I am told, is as easy and as simple as going to sleep
and then awakening. Our duplicate etheric body, each etheric cell a
duplicate of each physical cell, slips out of the physical body,
carrying the mind with it, and we awake to our new surroundings to
find our friends and relations ready to help and instruct us in our
new life.
Death is simply the severance of this etheric body, or structure,
from the physical body. The physical body returns to earth, and the
etheric body, controlled by the mind, continues to function in
Etheria, which, though within and also without the physical, cannot
be appreciated by us so long as we are inhabitants of the physical
body. Our range of sight and touch is too confined for us to
appreciate these finer vibrations.
Our individuality therefore continues apart from physical matter,
and we still think apart from the physical because the same mind
which functioned, when associated with the physical body, now does
so through the duplicate etheric body. We therefore continue to
exist as separate thinking units in Etheria, much as we do to-day,
but in new surroundings. With the same capacity for expanding
thought as we have here, our minds develop, and seemingly
develop more rapidly apart from physical matter. Our etheric bodies
are similar to our present bodies, cell for cell, and that is the logical
conclusion when we admit what has been said before, namely, that
the etheric holds the physical particles together.
This etheric body, moreover, has weight as well as form, as weight
is only a question of degree. In the etheric world weight, which in
the physical is
24

determined by gravity, is determined by some other force of a like

nature. We shall therefore have weight, solidity, form, individuality
and be the same in mind and body in Etheria as we are now, but
what of our surroundings? As to these, we can accept what we are
told in these communications from the other world, because we can
make certain logical deductions based on our physical surroundings.
We are informed that Etheria is similar to this world. Our world is
composed of individuals, and other living things which are animated
by a force we term "life", controlled by mind. It is therefore not
unreasonable to conclude that this force, combined with mind,
which has the power to act on physical matter, and produce what
we experience in the physical world, has likewise the power to
influence etheric matter.
Therefore it is reasonable to believe that Etheria contains trees,
animals and flowers, being to all intents and purposes similar to this
world, and that when we make the change called death we shall find
ourselves in a world very much like the one we live in today, except
that we will not be encumbered by physical matter. Consequently
our mind will be more active, and our thoughts and movements
quicker.
There is another world, about and around us, interpenetrating this
physical world, into which we pass at death. It has been described
to me by those who have spoken to me from it, but only in language
suited to our finite minds. When asked how best to explain it to
others I was told to compare it to a sea of ether, wherein personal
movement is even more rapid and easy than that of a fish in water.
Let us take, for example, the sea in which is floating a submerged
25

sponge. This can be compared to our earth in space. Surrounding

this sponge is a sea of water which supports life, just as there is a
sea of ether surrounding the earth which supports life.

Etheria can be likened to the water surrounding the sponge, except

for this difference, that the sponge absorbs only some of the water,
whereas Etheria is not only outside our earth but inside as well,
because its substance is of a higher vibrational frequency than is
our earth. "Interpenetrates" is the only word we have to describe
something real occupying the same space as something else which
is real, and it is on the surface of this greater etheric globe we shall
some day live.
Moreover, there are other greater and still greater globes of finer
and finer substance, all interpenetrating each other, on the surfaces
of which we shall some day dwell. We make our start on earth and,
as our vibrations increase, as our mental vehicle, the body,
becomes more and more refined, we climb this ladder through the
spheres, rung by rung. As we reach the first stage after death we
appreciate a new aspect and cease to sense the earth, and so on,
after each change, the previous world becomes only a memory. This
is what Etherians term our progress through the spheres, but where
it all leads to they can only surmise. Nevertheless this increased
knowledge enlarges our vision and increases our effort towards
perfection, while giving everyone a purpose in and a greater
understanding of life on earth.

An etheric man or woman, whom we call a ghost, can go through an

earth wall or door without noticing it, because of the lower
vibrations of things physical.
26

However, as the vibrations of their etheric bodies are of a higher

frequency, they could not penetrate a wall or a door in Etheria
because the frequency of the vibrations of etheric walls and doors
corresponds to the frequency of the vibrations of their bodies. To
look at it the other way round, we cannot go through our walls and
doors, but we do not notice their walls or
doors, though they, and much else, exist which we cannot
appreciate. To our order physical things are solid, and to their order
etheric things are solid, while physical objects by them can be
passed through unnoticed. Nevertheless they can think themselves
back to earth and appreciate it if they wish, but we cannot think
ourselves into Etheria.

In the physical body we are in harmony with physical surroundings.

At death we leave our physical body and function in our etheric
body. We pass into a new environment of more frequent vibrations,
which surrounds us, an environment which
supports life, just as water supports life. We on earth are in this sea
of ether, though we do not realise the fact, and this is so just as
much now as we shall ever be. The difference death makes to us is
not so much a change of location as a change of appreciation.
We now only appreciate the physical, but then we shall appreciate
the etheric.

Only when we desire to do so shall we again get in touch with the

physical, as the physical pertains to physical substance, and the
etheric to etheric substance, each in its own order, the one
difference being that they of the etheric world can come back to
us at Will, see us and appreciate us and our surroundings. We can
but listen to what they tell us and try
27

to imagine. We are like a blind person here on earth as we cannot

normally see these men and women of the etheric world, but
conditions can be produced which enable us to see and hear them,
and from what we are told we can imagine as best we can.

The conditions are produced by us on earth, and they act upon

them. Consequently when we, the sitters, have with us one who has
a superfluity of ectoplasm, they can take this ectoplasm and treat it
chemically with their own chemicals, and produce a
substance which has the power of vibrating our atmosphere. This
ectoplasmic stuff, about which more will be said later, is pressed
into by the etheric speaker and it clings to his vocal organs, so that
when he speaks our atmosphere is vibrated. We hear by means of
the voice vibrating the atmosphere, so consequently when they
speak, when their vocal organs are coated
with ectoplasm, they can make us hear. Ectoplasm is part of our
body, but with the great majority it is not in sufficient quantity to be
used for the purpose of voice production, and consequently the
sitters supply only a comparatively small amount. Mr. Sloan
however, has this ectoplasm in large quantities, and it is because of
this they are able to speak to us in his presence so easily and at
such length.

Our greatest thinkers have not the least conception of the

properties that make up the Universe. Our leaders of present-day
thought, ignoring, as many of them do, the seance room and
mediumship, are missing great opportunities for instruction. The

28

orthodox thought of today holds the opinion that space is empty of

other life. I say it is not, but that it contains life and form and
feature, because I have been told so by those who inhabit it, and
surely they know more of their own country than we do.
Substance, made up of an infinitude of different vibrations, is the
Universe, it makes up the Universe, it is everywhere in the Universe,
there is no place anywhere where it is not, it never had a beginning,
and it will never have an end. It is in constant
movement, evolving or devolving from our point of view.

There is no such thing as empty space. This substance, which in

certain states of motion appeals to us as physical matter, in other
states appeals to Etherians in Etheria just as physical matter
appeals to us. Consequently they have their tangible world on
which things live and progress, just as we have ours. We are only
just discerning the real Universe and its make-up, and the King of
this unlimited region, namely Mind, is only just becoming dimly
appreciated. Truly the search after the ultimate by humanity has
been a long and broken one. Many indeed have been the byways
traversed and the mistakes made before
reaching even our present-day assumptions, but these assertions
have much to justify them, though it is unwise, without further
knowledge, to press too far or too fast.

As Etheria becomes more and more revealed to us, so shall we be

better prepared to grasp the Universe more as a whole, and not look
at it purely from the physical standpoint. This limited outlook will
never explain the Universe. Time and space will for

29

ever baffle us, and only by including the etheric, and mind, will the
Riddle of the Universe ever be explained. Mind is the common factor
between this earth and the other etheric planes of existence.
Physical and etheric substance, governed by mind, thus comprise
the Universe, and so far as is known there is nothing beyond or
above. Wherever mind is, there will be
found physical or etheric substance, and so it becomes impossible
to imagine a limited Universe because it must be as unlimited as is
mind. Mind cannot operate on nothing. Mind and substance must go
together, because, if there is no mind there is no substance, and if
no substance no mind.

Consequently so long and wherever mind exists, there must also be

substance, the Universe being limited only by the bounds of mind.
Each one of us has his share of this universal mind, and its
interaction with physical matter is evidently for the purpose
of training it in mental image-making. Mind, when individualized,
has the peculiar faculty of forming, or moulding itself into, the
images and the movements of its surroundings. These it can
reproduce at will, and, through the medium of physical matter,
cause change and movement here on earth.

In Etheria it has the power of moulding etheric substance in a more

direct fashion, and, by thought, surrounding etheric substance can
be changed into the forms which the mind images. Earth, then, is
the training ground for mind which has become
individualised. Here it is trained in image-making through contact
with earth's grosser surroundings, and, as it develops, it takes more
and more control over its surroundings. When it ceases to function

30

through physical matter it takes ever greater control of its surroundings in Etheria,
until ultimately we, as represented by our minds and our surroundings, become just as
we think. Each individual mind, the highest vibrational frequency we know, is
therefore trained in creative thought through contact with earth, which training
conditions our surroundings here and hereafter. The mind evidently never dies, but
continues developing, and, with its increasing command over its surroundings, both
space and time become of less and less account. My mind is "me" and your mind is
"you." It has been in existence for all eternity, though not so individualised as now.
When it starts its earth experience it enters on a road which enables it to mould its
surroundings more and more as it thinks, and its destiny, my destiny and your destiny,
the destiny of every individualised mind, is to become just as it thinks. Our minds will
ultimately be in complete control of our surroundings, and, as we think, so shall we be
and do. This, I am told by learned Etherians who have spoken to me, is our destiny,
and our first step towards reaching this control over our surroundings, over time and
space, is our time on earth, it being to achieve this end that we, as individualised
minds, pass through our earth experiences.

At a seance we meet those who have gone round the first bend of this road, but they
are able to come back and speak to us for a limited time. The conversations we have
with them, as will be revealed in

the chapters which follow, flow smoothly. What was not

remembered by the sitters at the time was usually remembered
later, but I made particular enquiries so as to be certain that the
sitters were satisfied with what was told them. This I found to be the
case.

When remarks are rather vague it is for a purpose, because

Etherians are careful not to say anything that would be resented.
They know much about our private lives, but they realise that we do
not wish our friends and relations to become aware of all we think
and do. So they are tactful in what they say, though at times they
do say something that the person spoken to would rather keep
private. On these rare occasions, when they give something private
away, I have deleted the remarks and mentioned that I have done
so.

It should also be remembered that these Meetings were not the first
the regular sitters had attended, they had been to others before,
some had sat with Sloan for years, and they were well aware of how
to make the conditions for reception as perfect as
possible. So, when the voices spoke at the séances recorded here,
and some gave only their first names, the sitters knew who they
were and consequently questions were not put to establish identity.
When, however, newcomers speak who have never spoken before,
they have to be identified, and this is done by asking questions
about their lives on earth, which the
speakers must answer correctly if they are to be accepted as the
persons they claim to be.

With most of those who spoke at the Meetings recorded in this book,
this screening process had been
gone through at previous sittings, and this explains
32

why most of those who spoke were accepted without further

questions. Mr. Hart's notebook, which he sent me to look over,
contains the names of some of these regular speakers from Etheria
going back to 1938, and I myself recognise some who spoke when I
sat with Sloan on thirty-nine occasions between 1918 and 1924.

To read about what happened is very different from actually

experiencing the phenomena. Only the comparative few have been
fortunate enough to have this privilege, but, when it is experienced,
one's entire outlook on life is changed, and I can fully
appreciate how it was that the life of the Apostle Paul was changed
by his psychic experience on the road to Damascus. Many other
individuals have come down to us in history who have had similar
experiences, and have had their outlook on life altered, but such
occurrences require to be experienced by each individual before
they can be fully appreciated.

The next best thing to this is to read about what these fortunate
people experienced, and I know of no longer, or more informative
and consecutive, record than the one which is contained between
the covers of this book. This comes from the invention of shorthand,
which enabled a continuous and correct account of all that
happened to be recorded. This record
is now set up in book form for those who wish to read it.

In times past similar supernormal voices spoke, but, if anyone wrote

an account of what was said, it was probably short and eventually
lost and forgotten. When few could read or write, when books, as we
know them, did not exist, and when quick note-taking

33

was unknown, few became aware of what the etheric voices said,
and all that we know about them is the report, which occurs so often
in ancient literature, that voices spoke out of the void. Consequently
organised dogmatic credal religion flourished, and
ignorant humanity were told by the priests what they were to
believe, or suffer the consequences of thinking for themselves.

This book is none other than a tale of discovery, and most people
can be thrilled by such a story. The country discovered is not
imaginary but real, not one you will never see, but one which
everyone will reach within a comparatively short time from now,
within the next sixty or seventy years for some, and for others much
less. This book is the story of what has been told by some of this
country's inhabitants to the people to whom you will shortly be
introduced. It has been told by their own voices in clear audible
English, and now we know what their land is like, where it is, how
they got there, how they feel, what they look like, and how we
should live on earth to become adjusted quickly to the more intense
conditions we shall there experience. There we must be able, if we
wish to be happy and contented, to adjust ourselves to a new
society of high ideals, and the foreknowledge they give us puts us in
a privileged position, because, to the vast majority of mankind, it is
quite unknown.

To make this book more easily read and understood I have had
printed what comes from Etheria in different type, and this
distinction makes the conversations simple to follow. This use of
different type, and the understanding of what this introductory
chapter

34

contains, will make what follows more readily understood, but

further explanations will be given at the end of each chapter.

Consequently I shall now take you over to the little gathering which
has assembled in a small room in the house of Mrs. Bowes on 11th
April, 1942, along with the medium Mr. John Sloan. They take their
seats, which have been placed in a circle, and on
the floor are two upright aluminum trumpets about two feet in
length. When everyone is settled, the light is put out, and the room
is in complete darkness because the window blind is down and the
heavy curtains are drawn.

So we shall now commence the next chapter and read Miss Dearie's
report of what took place.

35

CHAPTER II
MEETING AT MRS. BOWES' HOUSE,
MAXWELL PARK, GLASGOW
Saturday, 11 th April, 1942

Present: Mrs. CRISSIE LANG, MR. ALEXANDER HART,

MR. GEORGE MORITZ, MRS. HILDA MORITZ,
MISS JEAN DEARIE, MISS CRISSIE COLQUHOUN,
MR. JOHN SLOAN.

W E opened the Meeting with the hymn, Nearer, my God, to Thee,

and, after we had finished singing, Mrs. Moritz remarked that she
was sure a voice from the other side had joined in along with us, a
very fine voice, and she asked Mr. Sloan if he had been singing.
Mr. Sloan replied: "No, I cannot sing at all, so it wasn't me, but I did
not notice anything special in the singing. Perhaps you will sing
again, friend, if you did sing."

A man's voice replied :

"I will not satisfy you again, Sloan, with my singing, you do
not appreciate it," and he then turned to Mrs. Moritz:

"This is the only connoisseur in the place, but I congratulate

you, Mr. Hart, on your nice singing.

" We then started talking about rations, and how difficult it was to
get things in the shops, how people with a large family got coupons
even for infants and were not able to use them all. A child's voice
chimed in here and said

36

"But Mummies could use them."

We laughed and said: "Yes, dear, that is so,

Mummies can use them all right."

A man's voice then spoke, saying:

"Just leave the rations alone for a while. You needna

grumble, John Sloan, you'll maybe get much less yet."

We laughed and asked who was speaking, and the reply was:

"Well, I'm no Jock Tamson's bairn anyway."

From this we gathered that it was not Mr. Lamont who had spoken,
as he usually uses this old saying. "We are all Jock Tamson's bairns"
(children) is a Scottish expression meaning that one person is as
good as another.

Miss Dearie then remarked: "I was just going to suggest that we sing
something bright," when the voice replied:

"Hear, hear, but tak' care of yourself, Sloan. I did not mean
what I said the noo-no, no. I didna mean it, I just wanted to
get you off the ration business."
We sang O God of Betbel, by Whose hand, and a voice from the
other side sang along with us. While singing this we saw lights
moving about; one about the size of a pencil was extremely bright,
and others more cloudy.
One of us then started to tell what had been in the newspapers
about a poltergeist who had done damage at a country mansion,
flinging things about, and setting rooms on fire, and how the
Insurance Company had paid up on the grounds that the fires had
been caused through unknown forces. A voice from the other side
said at this point

37

"There is a chance for you to burn up the old stuff, Sloan."

Mr. Sloan replied: "Na, na, I'll stick to my old things. They will dae
me fine, but you should be ashamed of yourself making a remark
like that."
The reply came:

"Well, you cannot expect to find me an angel all at once."

We asked him to tell us who he was, and he replied

"No, faith, I'll no dae that."

Mr. Sloan remarked, "Well, you have come to a fine house anyway,"
and received the reply

"It is nae bother for me to get into any house."

To this Mr. Sloan remarked: "Well, you cannot hide your nationality
anyway. Everyone kens (knows) you are Scotch, as I am."

The voice said:

"Are you ashamed of your country or have you forgotten

that you are a German ?"

Mr. Sloan replied: "You are mistaken, my friend I am certainly no

German," and the reply came

"You had better look at your birth certificate."

Mr. Sloan said: "Well, I ken my Father was Scotch and my Mother
was a Campbell and spoke the Gaelic, so there is not much German
about that."

The unknown voice left off baiting Sloan and went on:

"And you, Miss Colquhoun, your name sounds very like

Cowen or Cohen, and the latter is Jewish - but you don't
claim Cohen, do you, Miss Colquhoun ?"

Miss Colquhoun said: "My name does sound like Cohen, but it is
Colquhoun (pronounced "Cuhoon") all right."
38

The voice said :

"Of course it is Colquhoun ; you are surely not ashamed of

the Clan,"
and to this she replied: "No, I am not ashamed of it but I am afraid I
don't know very much about it."
To this the reply came:

"Don't you know the history of your own Clan ?Well, well,
well; I did not think that of you."

(We may take it that the communicating voice was trying to be

amusing, or, more probably, an attempt was being made to break
the tenseness amongst the sitters, which retards the phenomena.)

The trumpet then touched Miss Dearie and patted her all over the
head and face. She asked who it was, and a voice said

"I am your dearie-it is James."

Miss Dearie said: "But I am afraid I do not know who James is."

The voice said:

"That is a wee white lie. You know me."

Mr. Sloan then said: "Miss Dearie, had you not a James connected
with you in early life? You will have to go back to your school days
or earlier."

Miss Dearie said: "I may have, but I cannot recall any close
connection of that name. If he would tell me his second name that
might help."

Mr. Moritz remarked: "Yes, or where he came from; that would help
you to place him."

We got no reply to that, but the trumpet again caressed Miss Dearie
all over her head and face. She said: "Thank you, James, whoever
you are. I will try to remember you later."

Mr. Sloan remarked: "I have often been like that

39

myself-not able to place someone who spoke to me, and then later
on it has all come back who the person was."
Someone said that James could be a surname, or even a middle
name, but this drew no response from the other side.

A man's voice then said:

"Hello, are you all out, Sloan ? You are much more particular
today. I don't know what is the matter with you." (Then, as if
speaking to someone else on his side, he said): "Come in," (as if he
was inviting someone into the room).

He then asked:

"Do you know William Crosher ? Well, it is much to my regret

I have to admit I met him here." This facetious individual
continued:

"Don't get too serious-keep bright, as it helps us."

Mr. Moritz remarked that he was sure he had seen the name of
Crosher in the obituary notices a short time ago, but no one knew
Mr. Crosher or anything about him.

So we started talking about Mr. Peter Galloway, on earth a

prominent Glasgow Spiritualist, when a voice from the other side
remarked :
"He had a dominant style too."

Mr. Sloan replied that he was a very fine fellow, and Mrs. Galloway's
name was mentioned, when a man's voice said

"I knew Mrs. Galloway. She was a super-woman, or lady, I

should say. Would go out of her way to help others at any
time as far as her conscience would allow."

40

A man's voice then spoke to Mr. Moritz, saying:

"How are you, Mr. Moritz ?"

Mr. Moritz asked who he was, and got the reply:

"I have met you many times at Mrs. Lang's since I came over
here, and I knew you well while I was in the body. I
remember all my earth life-ah yes-it is not a very nice
record. It could have been better."

Mr. Moritz asked: "But cannot you tell me who you are?", and
received the reply:
"Oh yes, I am very happy to do that. I am Robin Howat."

Mr. Moritz replied: "Bob Howat - how pleased I am to hear you

speaking!"

Mr. Howat's reply was:

"You know it is human for everyone to slip a little in the

earth life. I did my best although it was not a very good
best."

Mrs. Moritz then remarked to us in the circle "I got the impression
that it was Robin Howat even before he told us his name. Isn't that
strange?-I don't know what made me think of him."
Mr. Howat said:

"I came to give you good news. I have seen your son and he
is well. I went down to the coast with a friend. You know
how I liked the sea. I did not live at the sea but I was always
interested in seafaring men. I just asked to be put in the
way of finding somebody (on earth) that I knew, so I went a
long journey and visited a ship; not a very large ship.

I saw your son. They (my friends in Etheria) pointed him out to
me and said : `There is a young gentleman whose father and
mother you will be speaking to today.

41

You are to deliver this message to them from him : "All is

well." 'That is why you got the impression, Mrs. Howat, that
it was I."

Of course, he should have said "Mrs. Moritz", but this mistake was
cleared up later. Continuing, Mr. Howat said:

"I wanted to let you know that he is all right. It will satisfy
you to know, Mr. and Mrs. Moritz, that this faith which you
have embraced yourselves, and which you have talked about
with your boy, has been a great help to him in trouble and
hardship,
and it will also please you to hear that he is passing this
knowledge on to others whenever he has the opportunity.
He has benefited very much from the tuition you have given
him in this certainty of the continuity of life."

Mrs. Moritz remarked that her son had told her he had heard some
of the boys at sea discussing the subject, and one of them had said
that he accepted it because of his Mother's experiences.
A new voice then said:

"I cannot help hearing what you are saying just now, Mrs.
Moritz-`from his Mother's experiences'. You know how a
Mother's word goes with a boy. We may go against the old
man sometimes, but never against Mother. There are times
when we are all
prone to think of serious things, and I know that you are
thinking about me at present, Mother dear. It is Arthur."
(Arthur Lang, who was killed in the First World War.)

Mrs. Lang replied: "I was just thinking, Arthur, about your birthday
and wishing you were still with me."
42

Arthur went on:

"If I had been with you, Mother dear, I would be getting an

old man by now. I would have been fifty this week."

Mrs. Lang replied: "No, dear, next week-the 16th -I could not forget
that date, you know, Arthur."
To this his reply came:

"I have lost count of time but I know it was the 16th. It was
'92 ; was it not ?-the 16th of April,1892."

His Mother replied: "Yes, that is the date," and then Arthur said:

"Do you know, Mother, I don't look fifty now. You know that
photo you have of me, Mother ?- well, I am just as youthful-
looking as that now, but minus the regalia, of course."
(Referring to his uniform.) "I see you looking at it sometimes,
dearest Mother, and I kiss you, but you do not know."

We then heard him saying to his friends on his side:

"Yes, this is my Mother."

Mrs. Moritz said: "Have you brought someone with you, Arthur?",
and he replied

"No, I am just telling the little company here that this is my

Mother; the best, the truest and the noblest."

Mrs. Lang said: "Arthur, you would have been such a stand-by had
you still been with me," and to this he answered:
"Yes, dearest, but I am ever standing by you, and I know you
are aware of that fact."

Mrs. Lang said: "Oh, yes, I know that."

Arthur then remarked:

43

"And how are you, Miss Colquhoun ? just tell the company I
do not want my talk to upset you at all, but it gives me great
pleasure to speak to Mother and to those present. Did I
know you in earth life, Mrs. Moritz ?"

Mrs. Moritz said: "No, Arthur, not then," and he continued:

"But I know you now-I know all present."

Miss Dearie remarked: "Mr. Lang, I know a friend of yours-Dr. Mavor-

he speaks of you in his book. I think you were at the University with
him-or School?"

Arthur said:

"Yes, I knew him. I was a great favourite and pet of his

Mother- Mrs. Mavor-but I thought she made too much of me
sometimes. I never did like `butter', I am afraid I had a
pretty blunt way with me."

Mr. Sloan said: "Well, Arthur, I dinna ken (know) about too much
butter, but I canna even get margarine the noo."

Arthur replied:

"It is not that kind I mean, and I will tell you what I think of
you when I get you over on this side, my boy. You won't
want butter either. When you come over here there is a
great joy and satisfaction in meeting with friends whom you
have known in the stony path of life, who have stumbled
perhaps and gone a little under, but who have always pulled
up again and tried to march steadily onwards until the old
tenement of clay is left behind, and the spirit, the real man
and real woman, emerges to live a nobler, higher and more
perfect life."
44

Mrs. Sloan (or Mammy Sloan, as she called herself), who passed on
in January 1940, next spoke to Miss Colquhoun and to Dad (Mr.
Sloan). She said:
"You always get a beautiful vibration from Arthur, don't
you ? I often think about you all in these terrible times ; I
came through it all. (1914-1918 War.) Dear Bob (Bob Howat)
has been a splendid help to me since I came here. He is one
of the best, Dad. Don't you worry about him; he is all right,
and the beautiful testimonial he gave me is much more than
I deserve."

Mrs. Moritz here said: "You must all be very busy just now with so
many coming over due to the war,"and Mr. Howat replied, saying:

"Yes, we are all in the midst of it, Mrs. Moritz. Wherever

there is help needed a call goes forth, and if your friends do
not come (to these seances) be sure they are otherwise
engaged. I think you understand what I mean. You would not
have it otherwise."

Mr. Sloan said: "I wonder, Bob, if you could tell me if you ever see
wee Tommy."

Mr. Howat replied:

"I see him often. Although I was not a sailor, it is people

from the sea whom I like most to help. I had trouble before I
got a vibration today, but now I have it all right. I will speak
in terms understandable to all. You know what the wireless
is ? Well, if you go just the slightest degree off the station,
there is a blur and you do not get the message. We are
working on a theory like that. We must get the exact
vibration before we can get a message through."

45

A lady on the other side then spoke to Bob Howat so that we all
could hear, and said:

"What did you mean, Bob, by calling Mrs. Moritz, Mrs.

Howat, a short time ago ?"

Mr. Howat replied:

"Just a slip-you were not hearing properly," and she replied:

"Of course I hear all right-I am Myra."

Mr. Sloan then exclaimed: "Myra, my, but I'm real glad to hear you
speaking! You were an awfu' bonny lassie, Myra; nae wonder Bob
wanted to get over to your world to be beside you; aye, you were
awfu' bonny!"
Myra replied:

"You are too flattering to me, Mr. Sloan."

We laughed at this, and expected Myra to continue, but nothing

more was said. We sat in silence for a few minutes, when another
voice said:

"You are not to get too serious, you people. This will never
do at all, you know. You are not in any melodrama. You have
not lost your friends at all, and we want to keep you happy,
and when you smile we are happy too."

We asked who he was, and the reply came:

"Well, I was a Paisley man, but not Jock Tamson's bairn."

Miss Dearie said: "My father was a Paisley man too."

The voice replied:

"My name is Lang too, Mrs. Lang."

Mrs. Lang asked if he had been Provost Lang.

He replied:

"No, but I am his father, and I tell him I was a better man
than ever he was."
46

A voice then exclaimed:

"I cannot keep away from Albert Drive. I am William

Crosher."

We asked if he knew anyone here, and he replied:

"No."

We were remarking that it was rather a strange name, when he took

us up:

"There is nothing wrong with the name, surely ? I hope I

bore it with dignity."

We said: "Certainly, we are sorry, but we were just remarking that it

is rather an uncommon name."
Mr. Crosher said:

"I do not know this house, but I saw the light,and was
enabled to come in. Do any of you know Sir John Hunter? I
know he would help me if he could. I feel rather strange. I do
not seem to be able to get away from the vicinity of Albert
Drive."
One of us asked: "Did you live in Albert Drive?", and Mr. Crosher
said:

"Yes, that is my home. I saw this man get off the tramcar,
and followed him here. (Probably Mr. Sloan.) I must go now.
I am afraid I have overstayed my welcome."

We all said: "Oh, no, we are very glad you are able to talk to us,"
and Miss Dearie asked: "Do you wish to get away from Albert
Drive?"

He answered:

"Oh no, I want to find my feet before I go any further."

One of us said: "Well, perhaps if you are able to speak to us here,

that may be a help to you."

To this request Mr. Crosher replied:

"Yes, I am glad you can hear me. They do not seem to hear
me at home. They are so vexed and I cannot talk to them."

47

Miss Colquhoun said: "No, they will not be able to hear you there,"
and then Miss Dearie said: "Do you want any message given to
those at home, Mr. Crosher?", to which he answered:

"No, it would only upset them. They do not know anything

about this subject at all, but I thank you."

The trumpet had fallen once or twice while he was speaking, and
Miss Colquhoun had lifted it up again.

Mr. Crosher went on:

"I thank you very much, Miss Colquhoun, for your kind
assistance. I bow to you, my dear. I was trying to use that
little trumpet, but could not manipulate it properly. I seem
to get on better with the big one."

Miss Colquhoun replied: "Yes, that one is always magnetised."

Being interested in what had been said by Mr. Crosher, Miss Dearie
went to the Glasgow Herald office and looked back the obituary
notices, and found the notice of his death as follows:
"CROSHER. At 350 Albert Drive, Pollokshields, on 30th March, 1942,
William Crosher, Managing Director of Rivet, Bolt and Nut Co. Ltd.
Funeral today (Wednesday) at the Crematorium (Western
Necropolis) at 12 noon."
Another voice then spoke with rather a foreign accent. We asked
who he was, and he replied:

48

"Well, I am not Mr. Crosher. I think you ought to know me, of

course. I am now at a stage which Mr. Crosher will come to
some time-I trust soon. He has the advantage over me,
however, in that he knows your language, which I did not
know for a long time after I came here. I am 'Star of Peace'
(a Red Indian), and I wish that my name would personify
that peace feeling in your poor old world. Our hearts bleed-I
am putting it paradoxically so that you will understand how
we feel-at the sorrow that goes on in all human hearts in the
world today, and we pray that calm may be given to those of
you who are in the midst of it. May the Spirit of all Good
throw his sheltering arms around each one of your dear
ones who are in danger. This is 'Star of Peace'."
"Thank you," we replied, and one of us then said: "I wonder if
anyone can give us a message for Mrs. Bowes, as she is not here
today."

A voice answered, saying:

"Jim (on earth) will get on all right. I am not able to say much,
but it will be nothing serious, I think. Tell my dear wife,
though I think she will know herself by this time, that there
is nothing to be alarmed about. I am not allowed to get close
to him. I am William Bowes." (Jim recovered.)

Mrs. Bowes' Dutch friend then spoke with a foreign accent, saying:

"Boy goot, oh goot, I am helping him ; the boy will be all

good in health. He will be all right in little time. It is so
beautiful to come in contact with you English-Scotch people
and get a little knowledge of your ways and speech. You
understand what I mean thereby. If you hear speech, it is
sound only,

49

if you do not know the understanding of it. Do you know

what I say ? I am ze Dutchman."
Mrs. Lang replied that she remembered meeting him when he was
in Scotland, and he said:

"Yes, I came to a Convention. That is what the Churches

would call `Assembly', but the Church Assembly lacks the
vital knowledge of this truth of communion. They lack the
knowledge of the possibility of heart-to-heart speech such
as this. When you know this is possible, you lose not the
father, the son or brother in death ; you know they are only
a little ahead of you on the road of life."

Mr. Sloan then remarked: "I think you should go now, friend, and let
some of the folks' own freens (friends) come; this is an awfu'
meeting."

The Dutchman replied:

"I am deputed to tell this man in the chair (Mr. Sloan) that
he is an ungrateful man."

Mr. Sloan replied: "I am sorry, friend, I did not mean to say one
disparaging word to you. Only you talked so long, but I did not mean
anything against you."

The Dutch gentleman replied:

"He talks-only I do not think he means it. You are an

ungrateful being."

Mr. Sloan said: "I am really very sorry, Dutchman, accept my

apologies," and to this apology the Dutchman replied:

"In Germany you would be interned for that. Although I have

tolerance I am still unable to like the Germans. They are not
kind to our people, or to any people into whose country they
have penetrated ; and that will be their disaster, both on
your side and when they come to the spirit side of life."
50

Mr. Sloan said: "There are some things in life, Dutchman, that I can
never understand, and what the solution will be perhaps I shall know
by and by in His good time."

The Dutchman replied:

"Yes, I understand-but it is there-what you call 'Solution'.

There are times when travelers on the Road of Life find a
bad road, a crooked road, which makes it difficult to go
ahead, but there is a Light, a shining Light, which is named
`The Love of God'-the Light of Life which never dies, but
burns more brightly, so that you will see better as you come
towards this side, and go to those who throw their light on
you, and who love you. When you come here you will get
spirit eyes which will enable you to see as well in darkness
as in light. You are all quite visible to me just now. You are
all so very beautiful ; your words are so lovely, and your
acceptance of my humble words so gratifying to me. God
bless you."

We then spoke for a little amongst ourselves, and one of us said:

"You knew Queen Alexandra, did you not, Mr. Sloan?"

Mr. Sloan replied: "Yes, I remember the Sitting she had with me, and
oh, she was so bonny (beautiful) and looked so young; you would
have taken her for a young woman in the thirties, and Sir William
Barrett told me she was over seventy years at that time. My, but
she was bonny, and so nice. She told me she was a little deaf and
asked to be allowed to sit on my other side so that she could hear
better "

51

We asked: "Who else was at that Sitting, Mr. Sloan?", and he replied:
"Let me think" (and Mrs. Lang helped him to remember)-"Sir William
Barrett was present; Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Thomas Lipton, Dr.
Abraham Wallace, Marconi, Sir Oliver Lodge, and Mr. Byrd, the
American scientist. Mr. Byrd did not believe in this but came with an
open mind, and I remember his astonishment when a friend of his,
who had passed over, spoke to him, reminding him how they had
been together on Brooklyn Bridge, and repeated some parts of the
conversation they had had there. I mind fine (well remember) that
Mr. Byrd said to his old friend: `That is all true, but how can you
speak to me when you are dead?' "

This interesting conversation was interrupted by a lady's voice

which said:

"An open mind is a stepping-stone in the right direction, if

you continue to keep it open. It is well to keep an open mind
when anything new and strange is brought before you. You
get time to think it out and not reject it without undue
consideration. One with an open mind can take things to
avizandum (private consideration) with advantage. I think
you understand my meaning."

One of us asked: "Are you Mrs. Campbell's friend?", and the voice
replied:
"No, this is Shankschienne." (The name sounded something like
that.)

Mr. Sloan said: "Is it Chassie? (what she was called). My, I am glad
to hear you! You have been my dear one's Guide (Mrs. Sloan's)
since she was a wee lassie, and you are such a nice wee lassie
yourself."
52

Mrs. Sloan then spoke from the other side, saying "She is a lady,
a beautiful lady now, Dad, lovely in her speech and lovely in
her ways."

We asked Mr. Sloan if he knew her nationality, whether she was

Chinese, Japanese or Indian. He replied that he was not sure, but
thought she was Japanese.

Chassie herself then spoke, saying:

"Chassie came over here when quite a little girl. I am really

of Japanese origin, but what of that, we are all brothers and
sisters here. There is no enmity on this side. We all do what
we can to help each other, for all have difficulties and so
each helps the other, and in so doing we are helping
ourselves onwards."

A man's voice then said:

"Death is not the end but the beginning-your friend was

quite correct in what he said, Mr. Moritz. I think it is a
triumphal march when you leave the physical, if your life has
been spent in the way in which you ought to have spent it. If
this is so, it is a triumphal march to the spirit side of life,
which is a path of glory all the way. It is for you I am
speaking and for myself as I was hitherto.

"When you realise before passing on that you have your

duty to do in the earth life, and, provided you do it, you will
pass on to a more bright and glorious way of life. It was like
this I did the triumphal march across the border. I hope that
will be your portion when your time comes. Do you know
there is no balancing of accounts here ? They are all
balanced before you come and also the path is clearly laid
out-the path by which you have come

53

and also the path by which you should have come. I am sorry
to say I did not always walk in the right path, Miss
Colquhoun, but that is for myself only, as I do not wish to
speak of any other."

Miss Colquhoun asked if she might know who was speaking, and he
replied:

"Mr. Moritz should know. I will mention the Central Hotel

and he can take Greenock along with that."

Addressing Mr. Moritz who quite understood:

"You knew my wife and myself-Wink is the name.

Mr. Moritz agreed that that was so, and expressed himself as
delighted to know who was speaking and to have a few words with
him.

Mr. Wink replied:

"At times it was not just a boon to get your words, though
they were always words of wisdom."
Mr. Wink also mentioned the centre of the City, Saint Vincent Street,
and ended by saying:

"J. D. Wink, Union Bank."

(Mr. John D. Wink, who died in June 1936, was the Head Office
Manager of the Union Bank of Scotland, 110 St. Vincent Street,
Glasgow, and succeeded Mr. Moritz, who previously held that
position.)

(Mr. Wink went on, but as his remarks were of a private and
personal nature they have been omitted.) We then started talking
among ourselves about someone on the music halls who claimed to
be a Mind Reader, and what the doctors had said on the
subject, when a voice from the other side said:
54

"Doctors are not infallible ; not even Doctors of Divinity; in

fact they make the most flagrant errors of them all with
their confusing Theology. All will be plain sailing, however, if
you obey the dictates of Jesus. The teaching of the Great
Master is so plain and simple, so charged with love, that, if
you follow where he leads, you will never go astray. Follow
also the intuitions you receive from helpers on the spirit
side of life. I am sure each and every one of you have at
times felt impressions and intuitions, and you can very
readily discern, if you take these to the seat of reason,
whether they come from a right source or not. There is, to
my mind, no trouble in this at all.
"It is not very difficult to read you, Crissie Colquhoun. I know
I used to think sometimes that I had only to look into your
eyes to know exactly what you were thinking about. I am not
speaking in general, my dear; it is Father. I only needed to
look at you, Crissie, when in the old days you wanted
something to be done, and I was always pleased when I
could do it; and you will have this love, dear, right to the
end of the road."

Miss Colquhoun replied: "God bless you, Father darling; is Mother all
right?"

Mr. Colquhoun said:

"Yes, but she is not here today. She is helping elsewhere,

and the others are all busy. I was made their deputy to come
here so that our Crissie would not think there was no one to
speak to her. We are always near you, and will be, every
step of the way. It seems twisted to you sometimes, but we
will stand by you; God bless you, my dear. I am going away
now, but just for a little while. I do not mean to infer by that
that it will only be a little while

55

before you come over here. You are going to have a good
long time, and the world will smile on you yet."

Mrs. Lang then said: "Are you not going to get any of Miss Dearie's
friends to speak to her?", and this was the reply:

"We will see if they are at hand.

"In a very short time a voice said "Will Mother do; will Mother do
?"
and Miss Dearie replied: "Mother, beloved, you will do best of all.
How are you, dear?"

Mrs. Dearie said:

"I am all right, Jeanie. How are the others? Are they all
right ?"

Miss Dearie answered: "Yes, darling, they are all well."

Another voice then spoke, saying "Mary, Mary," and Miss Dearie's
sister spoke to her:
"Jean, I cannot see you."
Miss Dearie said: "I cannot see you either, dear, but I can hear you,"
and this is what her sister said "Where are you, Jean ? I do not
know this house."

Miss Dearie said: "No, you do not know the house, but I am at a
friend's. Are you happy, darling?", to which enquiry Mary replied:

"Yes, Jean, but I just wish I could see you." Then the trumpet
fell on the floor, and Mr. Sloan remarked: "Well, you have knocked
the trumpet ower, lassie, whether you can see or no."

We laughed, and just then Miss Dearie's Father spoke, saying:

"It is Father-how are you, Jean, my dear? I

56

am so glad to have this opportunity of speaking to you. How

are you getting along in these times ?
"Miss Dearie replied: "I am all right, Father, and how are you all?"

Mr. Dearie answered:

"All is well with us here; you have no need to worry about

us. I am looking after Mother and Mary. It is those we love
who are left behind to struggle on alone that we think
about, and we want to give you all the assistance we can."

Miss Dearie followed on, saying: "Thank you, Father dear, but I am
getting along very well. I am quite sure I will be looked after," and to
this her Father answered:

"We are often with you. Cannot you sense our presence at
times ?",

and she replied: "Yes, I can-very often at home," and then her
Father repeated:

"At home-how beautiful that sounds."

Miss Dearie asked: "What are you doing, Father?", and he replied:

"I am learning a great deal over here. In fact, I am attending

what one might term a University, the one where this lady's
son is," and the trumpet went towards Mrs. Lang, Mr. Dearie
continuing:

"As I have just told my daughter, Mrs. Lang, I attend the

College at which your son lectures."
 Miss Dearie asked: "What are you learning, Father?", and he
replied:

"The Way of Life."

Miss Dearie then asked: "Father, have you got a message to send to
Tom?", and he replied:

57

"No, Jean, I do not think so-it would do no good meantime,

as Tom is not accepting this as we thought he would, and
would not accept that the message was really from me."

Miss Dearie replied: "Oh, I think he would love to get a message all
the same, Father," but he repeated his refusal in these words:

"No, Jean, I will not send a message, although he has, of

course, all our love: We have other ways of getting in touch
with him which will perhaps influence him more. We have
ways of working things round and pulling the strings. God
bless you, my dear, and Tom also. My darling, you know we
are always near you-or at least very often, and sometimes I
bring you Mary."

Miss Dearie said: "You sound very young, Father -your voice I
mean," and Mr. Dearie replied:

"Age disappears here. Mother and I are in the heyday of

youth. Did you think I had put the years on since I came here
?"

Miss Dearie answered: "No, dear, quite the reverse. You sound as if
you had taken them off," to which remark he replied:

"Peace and happiness strengthen and renew us." An Irish

voice then spoke, and made a few remarks. When we asked who he
was, he said:

"Faith, and I will sure tell you that. I am the doorkeeper; a

job I have taken on extempore and for the time being only. I
am not very experienced but I do my best. I would rather be
a doorkeeper at a meeting of this kind than in any chapel in
the country. I have come with an open heart to give my
services. I am doorkeeper and must report to my overseer,
and I have to say if all is clear. You understand, scribe-all is
clear."
58
One of us asked what he meant exactly by that, and he replied:

"Sure, now, and I am surprised at you. All clear is quite clear

enough for anybody to understand. It means, my lady, that
when all is clear-well, I am going out and I cannot be
responsible for anybody that comes in hereafter."

We all laughed, and he continued:

"Sure it is quite cheery to hear your laughter. I like to hear

you laugh like that. I will come again to be the door-keeper."

Mrs. Lang remarked that it was also a pleasure to us to hear his nice
Irish brogue, and would he please get someone to come and close
the Meeting, to which he replied:

"Thank you for your beautiful compliment, my lady, and,

sure, if I cannot get someone to close the Meeting, I will do
it myself, but I am not going until I see it closed. I promised
to do so."

Someone then spoke in a foreign language. Then a lady spoke,

repeating some lines of poetry, the first two of which were lost. She
then continued:

"The time will come when we will all meet again in this land
so bright and free from pain. God bless you all. I am Mrs.
Taylor. Please tell Mary and Jean that I was here. I think of
them all the time, and of my beloved boy who is here."

Mr. Sloan said: "Aye, that was Robert Taylor. He was killed."

A voice then spoke as if from very far away, saying:

59

"Not killed ; I am alive and working yet-doing the Will of the

Father-not killed."
Mr. Sloan said: "Thank you for coming, Robert, we had a few nice
words with your Mother."
Robert Taylor continued in a voice which was clear and distinct
"Good afternoon, it is Robert Taylor speaking. I am very glad
that I am nearer now, Mrs. Lang. It is so delightful to be
beside you. It is not every day I get a chance of sending a
message. I am thinking about my beloved friend, Mary
Stope. God bless her for her friendship to me. It is all fresh
to me when I come back and look at you all. I have passed
the way by which all come. You are filing past the
milestones, my friends, Ladies and Gentlemen. I went over
before I had passed many milestones. I have come to such a
wonderful country, and I have got such wonderful work to
do."
Someone then said: "Thank you, Mr. Taylor," and he replied
"Not Mr. Taylor; just Robert Taylor."
He was asked if he ever saw Mrs. Sloan, and to this he replied
"Yes, indeed, we are often together. I try my best to make it
up to her, Mr. Sloan, for all her kindness to me. I am often
with her, and the road, I know, has sometimes been hard for
you since she came here. Don't you worry, Mr. John Sloan, if
you want your dear one to be happy. Come out of it-come
out of it. You are not to stay in a corner talking to the kettle
and the teapot. That is not like you at all. You never think
how wonderfully we work with you. You would have been on
this side
60

before your dear wife had it not been for the attention you
get from your friends on this side."
A voice then said:
"Good tidings for you, Mr. Moritz. I don't know what the
news is, but I see the light above your head. Good news, and
don't worry about your boy. He will be all right." Then,
addressing Mr. Hart, who is a schoolmaster, it continued: "The
earth is a beautiful schoolhouse. You do what you call the
curriculum-is that what you call it, Mr. Teacher? for the
wider life, and, if you pass fairly well, it will be all the better
for you when you come to this side of life. The Peace of the
Great Father be with you now and in the time to come, and
may the Great Master guide your thoughts, each one of you,
so that you will be glad you have pursued the path of duty
and worked for the good, not of yourself only, but for one
and all-your brothers and sisters on the journey."
A woman's voice then said:
"Miss Colquhoun, from your cradle days of life I have been
your Guide, my dear little sister. I am the Indian girl, who
speaks to you now. I have been a sister to you all through
life, watching you in your career, your joys and pains,
helping you when you knew it not, in your trouble and care,
in your trials and your sorrows, and will be with you to the
journey's end. God bless you, from Dewdrop. Have you ever
felt influences when you were going to do something, and
you stood and thought-'I will not do that just now,' and you
afterwards found that that intuition was the correct thing ? I
was behind you there, and I will not disappoint you. 'I will
shelter you in the shadow of my wings.' This is Dewdrop."
61
Miss Colquhoun said she felt what seemed like tiny wings fluttering
through her hair.
A man's voice now spoke, saying:
"That you may all be kept in the straight path and the broad
highway which leads to the light, and the Shining Light
beyond, is the wish of Pathfinder. I am Pathfinder, and I
shall take the responsibility of keeping watch now. I wish
you 'good night', and may God bless you. May you be safe
from all harm, your dreams pleasant, and your rest secure. I
am Pathfinder. May the blessing of the Great White Spirit,
the only true God, keep you in His way of truth and love, all
along your path of life unto the end, which is the beginning."
Another voice then spoke, saying:
"I am so glad to be permitted to speak to you today, friend
John."
Mr. Sloan said: "Who are you, please?", and the answer came:
"Charles Robertson."
Mr. Sloan replied: "Charlie, I'm real glad -to hear your voice again.
Do you mind (remember), Charlie, what happened before you went
away to the Foo Chow Mission?-but I'll no say what it was."
Mr. Robertson said:
"Yes, I remember very well, and you may as well say it out."
Mr. Sloan told us that Mr. Robertson had always liked evening
prayers, and when he had been staying with Sloan's family before
going abroad, he wanted him (John Sloan) to put up the prayers.
Sloan
62

bluntly refused: " 'Deed, I will not; I may read the Bible but I'll no
give a prayer." His father had said to him: "Surely, John, you will do
that to please Charlie?", and he had replied : "'Deed, I will not --
even to please Charlie."
Mr. Robertson then started singing From Greenland's Icy Mountains,
and we all joined in. Then he spoke about Jeanie, his wife.
Mr. Sloan was telling us what a fine man Mr. Robertson was and
what a record he had left behind him, when Mr. Robertson spoke
and said:
"Never mind, John, you also are leaving a record behind you,
a record which has brought joy to many sad hearts ; hope to
many hopeless ones, and not just hope, but the assurance of
eternal life beyond. God bless you all. C. R."
Mr. Sloan now told us that Charlie Robertson was an old school
friend, who had gone into the ministry, and had been out at the Foo
Chow Mission in China for many years ; that he had a son, Dr.
Gladstone Robertson, who was practicing in Newlands, and that he
(Mr. Sloan) had always intended to visit him and tell him about his
old friendship with his Father.
After this was said, Mr. Sloan went into trance for a few moments,
when the trumpet gave him what sounded like good hard knocks on
the head, and then a voice said:
"Wake up, Sloan, wake up."
Mr. Sloan came out of trance with a start, saying: "What's the
matter-what's the matter?", to be told by a voice:
"Close, close."
So we sang the Doxology, and the Meeting ended.
63

You have now been introduced to the Medium, Mr. John Sloan, to the
six sitters who were present at this little Meeting, to the way it was
conducted, and to what took place. The room used was a small one
so as to conserve the ectoplasm, and a hymn started the
proceedings, to vibrate the atmosphere and make everyone feel
comfortable and harmonious, because tension and disharmony
inhibit the phenomena. Anything can be sung, hymns and songs,
but Mr. Sloan preferred hymns, and their well-known words and
tunes made them the most popular.
The sitters had not to wait long. In the midst of their conversation,
after the hymn was sung, a voice broke in, and addressed Mr. Sloan,
and then Mrs. Moritz. The voice, which could be heard by everyone,
was quite loud and natural. Sometimes a voice was recognised as
like the earth voice of the person speaking, or it was recognised
because it had the same sound as had been heard on previous
occasions from the same speaker. Male, female and children's
voices were recognised as such, and the conversations which took
place were quite natural, except for the fact that the Etherians who
spoke could not be seen. On the telephone we can carry on a
conversation without seeing each other. They, however, can see us
but we cannot see them. When speaking, the Etherians do not
hesitate, their speech flows smoothly, and they speak clearly and
distinctly so that all can hear.
At most séances, lights, the size of half-a-crown, float about the
room, the trumpets rattle against each other, and move about at
great speed. A band of luminous paint on them makes it possible to
follow their movements, but, without that, the swish they
64

make when going through the atmosphere is easily heard. They

reach as high as the ceiling and at times beat the time of a tune on
it. No one is ever hurt by them, though they pass very near to the
heads of the people present. Sloan has had many a bang on the
head, which sounds alarming, but he was never hurt. This helps to
relieve any tension.
The sitters in time get used to the materialised hands stroking their
hands and faces. Some of the ectoplasm is used for this purpose,
the same ectoplasm as is used by the men, women and children on
the other side to materialise their vocal organs to enable them to
vibrate our atmosphere. This ectoplasm is mixed by the etheric
chemist present with ingredients of their own and served out to
those allowed to speak. There is no door or wall with them to keep
Etherians away from the seance, but law and order reigns and the
director in charge has the power to reserve the ectoplasm for those
he thinks should speak, especially those whose relations or friends
are sitting in the circle on earth.
Etheria is a place of law and good government. Its inhabitants are
men, women and children like ourselves. They are all as solid as we
are, so to call them spirits seems stupid. I shall, therefore, refer to
them as Etherians and their world as Etheria. When they come to
meet and speak to us at these meetings, which we call the Sloan
circle, they can often impress us before they even speak with the
idea as to who they are. That is the reason a sitter sometimes
mentions a name and immediately afterwards the Etherian speaks.
It may be telepathy or clairaudience on our part, but so it is.
65

It will be noticed that they can keep in touch with distant friends of
ours on earth, and report to us at these Meetings as to how they are
and where they are. During the War this was most helpful and many
were comforted by the news, especially those who had relations and
friends in the East. Many instances of this form of news service
came to my notice during the War, and its accuracy was
remarkable.
Another point that comes out in the seance under review is that
there we grow to maturity but never get old, and, if we die old on
earth, we go back to maturity. This is emphasised by Etherians on
many occasions in the talks which follow.
Affection for those they loved on earth is as strong as it was when
they lived here with us, and their memories bring back earth events,
especially when they get close to this earth's vibrations at these
séances. It seems clear that it gives them as much pleasure to see,
touch and speak to us as it gives us to speak to them.
Here I would refer to what was said about Queen Alexandra being at
one of Sloan's séances, and, if reference is made to the after-war
editions of On the Edge of the Etheric, the reason will be found.
Therein I told of the wonderful evidence received from her husband
by the Controller of her household, whom I took with me to sit with
Sloan. What was more natural than that she also wished to speak to
him who on earth was known as Edward VII, and where better could
she go than to the Sloan circle, where the evidence that he still lived
was so clearly given?
We shall find as we go on that men and women of different
nationalities spoke, and some spoke in their
66

own language, which sometimes could not be understood. The

prominent part played by the American Indians is remarkable, but,
as they were Spiritualists on earth, communication between the two
worlds was not strange to them as it is to those who pass over
ignorant of this great truth. I remember when the Indian Chief,
Whitefeather, could speak only a few words of English. Now we shall
find that his English is nearly perfect, and that he is proud of his
cultural progress.
All the other Indians have learned their English by mixing with
English-speaking people in Etheria, where all earth languages are
spoken. We shall find that Etheria, and its inhabitants, are very
much a replica of earth so far as the planes vibrating just beyond
our physical vibrations are concerned, and, when we realise this,
much of the mystery of life and death, and of the psychic qualities
we all possess in a greater or lesser degree, vanishes. What has
been a mystery is one no longer, and the seeming injustice of life to
some here on earth is rectified when we pass on to the next stage of
existence.
Harmony exists in Etheria between individuals and races much more
than on earth. What is needed and wanted can be obtained much
more easily there by thought than here on earth. That is one reason
for the harmonious state of affairs and their radiant health. Freedom
from pain and illness, and the consequent happiness this brings, are
no doubt other reasons which cause their satisfaction and
contentment with life.
Emphasis is laid by them on the fact that this happiness comes to all
who do their best to live a
67

good and unselfish life on earth. No theological beliefs or

ceremonials are necessary to obtain the position in Etheria which
our character alone justifies. There religion seems to be an
enlightened form of Unitarianism; all the creeds, dogmas and rituals
of earth religions are soon forgotten, and, as we have sown on
earth, so shall we reap in Etheria.
Progress and mental development are encouraged and every man,
woman and child born on earth can progress there and reach to
heights which are beyond our imagination. Schools, colleges and
universities are provided for that purpose, and all of us, if we wish,
will benefit, when our time comes, from the intellectual and cultural
institutions which are provided for minds, ignorant and learned,
simple and wise. In Etheria there is no end to culture, wisdom and
knowledge, and it is open to everyone to progress along the road for
which each mind is best fitted in that land of wider, happier and
more delightful opportunities.
This analysis will follow the record of each seance, and, chapter by
chapter, I shall gather together everything we wish to remember.
Finally I shall bring everything important together in the last
chapter, and then we shall discover that we have amassed much
vital information relating to the way we should live on earth, and
what we may expect when we enter the higher range of vibrations
called Etheria.
68

CHAPTER III
MEETING AT MRS. LANG'S HOUSE, GIFFNOCK, GLASGOW
Wednesday, 20th May, 1942
Present: MRS. CRISSIE LANG, MR. ALEXANDER HART, MRS.
MACFARLANE, MR. ROBERT CRAWFORD, MISS JEAN DEARIE, Miss
ELIZABETH DUFF, MR. DONALD CAMERON, MRS. LILLIAS BOWES,
MISS CRISSIE COLQUHOUN, MR. JOHN SLOAN.
WE opened the Sitting with the hymn, Nearer, my God, to Thee, and
afterwards repeated The Lord's Prayer, a voice from the other side
saying "Amen" along with us.
One of us remarked: "It shows there is someone in the surroundings
at any rate."
Mr. Sloan replied: "Maybe that is a' that will happen the nicht."
A man's voice from the other side said
"Take no heed of him."
Mrs. Sloan from the etheric world then spoke and repeated a verse
of a hymn:
"Not now ; but in the coming years,
It may be in that better land,
We'll read the meaning of our tears,
Some time, some time, we'll understand."
Mr. Sloan, her husband, started to weep, and Mrs. Sloan said to him
69

"Be brave, Daddy, be brave."

Mr. Sloan said: "I am awful sorry, but whenever I hear you speak,
Mammy, I canna help it."
Miss Colquhoun then felt hands on her head and, face, and said:
"Thank you, dear friend-oh, thank you."
One of us asked why Miss Colquhoun seemed to get this more than
any of the others. "Was it because she sits next to Mr. Sloan?"
The answer was:
"Precisely, we cannot extend the power sufficiently to travel
far from the instrument-the Medium."
Mrs. Macfarlane said : "Oh, but I had that experience once and felt
hands on my head and I was not near the Medium."
Miss Dearie said she had also felt them when at some distance from
the Medium, and the reply was:
"Well, that must have been when two of us were working at
it."
Miss Colquhoun said: "Mrs. Lang and I will have to change seats
sometimes and let some of the others get this experience more
often."
The voice said in reply:
"I do not advise that so far as either of you are concerned ;
unless you are tired of this."
Mrs. Bowes asked: "Are you the door-keeper?", and the reply was:
"No, I am not the door-keeper."
Mr. Cameron then remarked: "Well, the voice is familiar; it is
someone who has been here before," and he received the reply:
"I have never been here before."
70

Mrs. Bowes said : "You speak very beautiful English," and the
answer came:
"I have been in America-I am a North American Indian. My
son has been with you many times in the old days."
Mrs. Lang asked: "Who was that? Would you tell us his name?", and
the voice replied:
"I am sure you know his name-Wallaho. I am Wallaho's
father."
Mr. Sloan said : "I remember Wallaho fine-he was the best
Indian I ever had."
The Indian replied:
"Thank you, friend. I have been a long time in the spirit life
mixing with those of your country, and have steadily set my
mind to acquire fluency in your language. I may be taking
undue credit to myself, but I do the best I can."
Mrs. Bowes asked the question : "When we come to your side of life,
are we freed from this lack of memory that we really are so troubled
with in the body? You speak of learning our language. Did you retain
all you learned without any effort? Do we remember everything
when we pass on?"
The reply was:
"Yes, to a certain extent, but things which happened in the
body, and are not to your benefit on the spirit side,
gradually fade away."
Mrs. Bowes explained that what she meant was "If we are wishful to
learn anything new on the spirit side, could we retain the knowledge
received and not forget things as we do in earth life?"
To this she received the interesting reply:
"Forgetting things you have been told, or taught,
71

is purely a physical thing. You do not forget anything you

are taught on the spirit side of life. The Indians talk by
signs, more particularly in our homes -symbols or signs."
Mr. Cameron asked: "Can you explain how thought is turned into
sound?", and this was the reply
"Well, that is physical to a certain extent, or has something
to do with it. Sound is a projection of thought, and it is the
waves on which these thoughts are transferred which makes
it difficult for you sometimes to understand what is meant.
There is one thing I can tell you--if you think fondly of
someone you loved in the earth life who has gone from you-
thought carries here and we get it immediately. I see you
are writing all this down, my dear scribe. You are a
marvelous man, and I see also that you have got an
opponent, the lady with the beautiful name. I am not going
away. I am standing by for a little and I would like you to
sing again."
We sang The Lord is my Shepherd, and a man's voice joined in from
the other side. We thanked him for his singing, and he replied
"Oh, yes, I can do a little bit of singing yet, and I have now
got our friend away for a little without any trouble."
(Mr. Sloan was now in a trance.) Mrs. Bowes said: "Now that you
have got him in trance, I hope you will be able to help him physically
a little. He has not been very well lately."
The reply came:
"Well, you know from your own experience what a loss is.
We come to him sometimes at night;
72

he does not always know it, and we do our best to cheer him
up. He leads a pretty lonely life now, you know."
Mrs. Sloan (called Mammy Sloan), to whose death the above remark
refers, then spoke, saying:
"I do not want to take him away from you yet. I want him to
stay for a little while beside you yet."
Then there was silence, when a man with a very powerful voice said
to Mr. Cameron:
"You are a very thoughtful man, Mr. Cameron. I am very
pleased to speak to you. You weigh everything up and take
it to the seat of reason, allowing room for what the other
man has to say. You put two and two together, and out of
the two you make the whole. I have been listening
interestedly to what you have been discussing. It is very
beautiful to see you all sitting there so happily together."
Mrs. Lang answered : "All in harmony," and he replied
"I am afraid that is a phase which cannot be acquired
completely on your side of life. Here we have complete
harmony which knows no barrier; that love which never dies.
That is one thing God brings into your heart in the earth life,
and, if it is true love, it will never die. It may dwindle a little,
or twinkle like a little star, but at the end of the road, when
you meet again, it will be illuminated once more and bright,
when the trammels of clay have been thrown off, and you
are received bright and beautiful into this glorious land. I
am one of the Indian friends."
A child's voice then broke in saying
73
 "Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are,
Up above the world so high,
Telling us we never die."
A Scottish voice then said:
"I doot (doubt) your clock has lost its voice tonight." (The
clock had just struck but sounded rather faint.) "I wonder at you
keeping a thing like that."
To this rather tactless remark Mrs. Lang said: "Well, it is very
difficult to get these things mended just now."
The voice replied
"Are you no mechanically minded, Mr. Hart ? Could you no
dae something with it ?"
Mr. Hart laughed and said : "Not very, so perhaps I should leave it."
We asked who was speaking, and received the reply
"We're a' Jock Tamson's bairns." (His usual introduction.)
Mrs. Lang said: "Oh, it is you, Mr. Lamont; we are pleased to hear
from you. Tell us what you are doing, and how you are getting on."
Mr. Lamont replied
"Ah weel, ye ken I am dealing with things in the physical the
noo ; you are all looking fine."
We asked: "Can you see us?", and he replied:
"I see you sometimes when you would not want me to see
you."
Wallaho now spoke first to Mr. Lamont on his side, and then to us
74

"That is one thing, Mr. Lamont, which the spirit side has
guarded against; anything done by friends in the earth life
who have erred, if it would hurt those who love them who
have gone before, a veil is thrown across, that they do not
know about it. If it is conducive to their happiness this veil
will be thrown, and they will not be permitted in the
surroundings if it is going to make them sad and hamper
their progress on this side of life. The Great Spirit of all Love
is too far-seeing and too loving to have it otherwise. The
higher ones know all, but they guard such knowledge from
those it would hurt. I am Wallaho. I have just come in
because I got a thought message from my father who has
just left you. It is a long time, I think, as you count time,
since I heard your voice, Mrs. Lang."
Mrs. Lang replied: "Years and years."
Wallaho said:
"It seems such a little space to me here. Yet it must be long
to you, and some of these years were weary and sad ; but
there was something said tonight while I was standing near
you. I listened to my dear little friend repeating these words
: `Then, ah, then, you will understand.' I am just going to
stand by. I am not going away, and may have the chance
tonight of talking to you again. You must pull yourself
together, friend Sloan ; loving friends are watching you
here, and loving friends are watching you on your side as
well. I am sure you will not shirk your duty if we can use
you. Try your best to be patient. Don't wish for the time to
come when you can be over here; it will come by and by
when you hear the Master's voice. I am Wallaho."
75

Mr. Sloan was now out of trance, but before he could reply to this
advice another voice spoke
"I was going to ask you to sing."
So we started singing They are winging, they are winging. During
this hymn, and immediately after, we heard a little bell tinkling;
such a sweet, silvery sound. It was Mr. Hart's little friend, letting us
know she was present.
A man's voice (which turned out to be that of Pathfinder, an
American Indian) then said
"Up above the stars you see, there are other realms of light.
Don't you bother about where the Spirit World is, you will be
there all right when the time comes, the whole lot of you.
What I would like to tell you is to prepare yourself on your
side of life, so that you will be fitted and able to take a
reasonable place and a reasonable responsibility on the
spirit side when you do come over.
"Had I lived a better life in the material I would not have
been so sad when I first came over here. That was a
beautiful illustration of a veil being drawn so that dear ones
on this side do not always know what is going on among
their friends on earth. It is only the grosser things that are
hidden from them. I hope you will understand. I am a very
plain fellow and I am only putting my own thoughts through,
which I have gathered from experience, and which I know to
a great extent to be true on this side.
"We only know to a limited extent what is going on on the
Earth Plane. Those in the high planes-the Ministering Angels
and Shining Ones do, however, know all, and shade certain
things off that would spoil the happiness
76

of those on this side. Certainly this veiling-off helps you in

the earth life ; in your case with regard to the future. If you
had known beforehand the trials you would have to come
through, you would not have had the strength to go on. It is
better that a veil should also be drawn on the material side
of life. Place, therefore, your trust in God, and do the right.
"With regard to what was said about certain things being
veiled off on this side ; you might have a gentle spirit on this
side of life-I am speaking to you all in general-someone you
loved very much and who had always led a very sheltered
life. Well, you would not like her progress here to be barred
by any mistakes you made. Such as these do not know
details of any wrongdoing or sorrow. They, however, sense
immediately when anything goes wrong with you, and will
help you all they can with their thoughts of love and their
prayers ; for we remember here those we love, just as you
do. We know instinctively when you are in a tight corner,
even if we do not know details, and then you are influenced
by our prayers for you.
"Freewill, however, obtains even on this side, and it is left to
yourself whether you are willing to progress or otherwise.
Without that willingness you will not progress very far. I
have progressed somewhat myself; but I am a missionary,
helping my brothers and sisters over the stile all I can."
Mr. Sloan said: "You are doing a noble work, friend."
Someone asked if he worked on the Earth Plane only, and he replied
77

"No, on both sides-on the Earth Plane and also on the lower
planes on this side. I have progressed to a higher plane
myself, but am doing this work for the Master's sake. The
fields are ripe for the harvest, but sometimes the reapers
are few. In God's Garden of Life, however, there are many
helpers and workers in the fields of Paradise who go out to
help their weaker brothers and sisters. It is one of the Indian
friends speaking, I am Pathfinder. I have found a path that
led me to higher heights, more beautiful and glorious
heights, my lovely home, but I thought of those left behind
and prayed that I might be allowed for a little time to act as
pathfinder for my brothers and sisters who need help when
they come to this side of life."
The trumpet then touched Miss Dearie and Pathfinder continued
"I have a message to deliver to you from your Mother. The
lady says: `Tell Jeanie I am watching over her and loving her
all the time.' She says you are her darling daughter, her own
wee girlie. She will keep near you ; helping you over any of
the difficult parts of the road which you may still have to
pass. It is the Indian Chief who delivers this message to you
from your beautiful Mother. I am Pathfinder."
Miss Dearie said: "Oh, thank you, Pathfinder; that is a beautiful
message. Please thank my Mother for sending it to me."
Pathfinder said
"I will do so. Mary is here now, your sister."
Miss Dearie said: "Mary, are you there?-come and speak to me,
dear."
78

Mary said
"Jeanie, Jeanie, I can see you so well-I can see you all ; you
are so beautiful."
Miss Dearie remarked : "I just wish I could see you, Mary-I hope you
are very, very happy, and that you will now get joy for all your past
troubles, darling."
Mary replied
"I have no troubles now. I have left them all behind, and now
I will try to help you, Jeanie."
Miss Dearie said : "Yes, do, dear, and Tom too, won't you?"
Mary said
"Yes- if I could caress you I would love to do so, darling."
Several voices now spoke at the same time and it was very
confusing. A Scottish voice from the other side then said
"We seem to be a bit jumelt(jumbled) together."
Mr. Sloan said: "That is a new one to me-I have never heard that
word before."
The voice replied
"Where were you brought up, Sloan ? That is a good Scotch
word,"
and Mr. Sloan replied : "Well, I am Scotch enough, Guid kens" (God
knows).
The voice retorted
"You are only half a Scotsman-your mother was a Highland
woman."
(Scotland is divided between the northern Kelts and the southern
Anglo-Normans.)
A lady's voice then said
"Yes, I was a Highland woman," and Mr. Sloan's Mother spoke,
saying:
79

"Oh, Johnnie, do you remember the wee song I used to sing

to you at night ?"
Mr. Sloan said : "Aye, Mother dear, I remember it fine; my, but you
were awfu' good to me, Mother." She replied
"You were a good boy, Johnnie. I must go now. Oidche
Mhath." (Good night in Gaelic.)
We were talking about different languages, and Mr. Hart made some
remarks.
When he finished, a voice said:
"I like to hear you talking like that, Mr. Hart. I have a heart
too, but my name is not Hart."
Mr. Cameron said: "And your heart will function all right; it will
beat."
The reply came
"Yes, it functions-all our organs function, but not just as in
the human body. I do not understand very well myself, but I
like to be near when some of the beautiful shining and
advanced ones come to talk to us and teach us. Do you
know, I just plunk down and listen as earnestly as you would
do yourselves."
One of us said: "'Plunk' is a good word," and we laughed.
Then he said
"Did that 'plunk' make you laugh ? Well, I am a Scotchman
and still have the Scotch way of expressing myself; and if
there is anything I like to hear in a little company such as
this, it is your laughter. It is good to know that you can keep
bright, it helps so much to relieve the sorrow and tragedy on
your troubled earth, which is so upsetting to us when we
draw near to your plane. I cannot see the end of it, either,
though I know it will come in a hurry when it does come."
80

Mrs. Bowes said: "When we think of those who are suffering from
oppression and cruelty it makes us very sad; and the boys passing
over in agony and pain."
To this remark he replied
"Yes, that distress is also felt here very acutely, but you
need not worry about those who are passing over. There is
not a battle area on the whole of your plane, either on land
or sea, that has not thousands of Ministering Angels to help
those who suffer. Even those who are very badly mangled
feel no pain. Very gently they are carried over to the other
side by those who are engaged in this merciful work. They
will not be allowed to suffer or sorrow. It is those who are
left behind to mourn for them we are so sorry for, more
particularly for those who have not the bright hope and
knowledge which you have here, who know that dear ones
gone are out of all care and trouble, their struggles over,
and they are home at last, among friends."
We asked who was speaking, and he replied:
"Just an old pioneer-Jock is one of my names. I have never
been here before. Most of the friends who usually speak to
you are otherwise engaged at present, and I have been
honoured by being allowed to step into the breach and do a
little for the Master's sake. God bless you."
Another voice then said
"The regular friends are engaged in other work. I would like
to ask your opinion, friend Cameron. Who is responsible for
the condition in the world today ? I would like your opinion,
and yours too, Mr. Scribe"
81

(referring to Mr. Hart).

Mr. Cameron said: "You want to know who is responsible for the
war?", and back came the question
"I will leave it to you-what is the cause ?"
Mr. Cameron said: "In my opinion we cannot be held responsible.
We are a peace-loving people, and, although we are fighting at
present, it is to protect ourselves and not for material gain."
Mr. Hart differed from this opinion, remarking "I cannot agree with
that. I think we brought it all on ourselves by not being properly
prepared."
Mr. Cameron then said he thought the Church was responsible in so
far that it had failed in its duty to teach the people the truth,
namely, that in the body we are in the schoolroom as it were, the
starting-off point of an eternal journey, that as a man sows so shall
he reap, and that no one can shoulder his responsibilities for him.
To this the reply came from the unseen world
"But you are the Church, each man and each woman."
Mr. Cameron explained : "In speaking of the Church I am speaking
of the men who are supposed to be the custodians of God's truth to
the people, and it is for each and every one of them to do their duty
so far as God has given them light to do so. The question was asked:
`What is the cause of the war?', and my answer is: `Lust for power
and lust for gain, brought about by lack of understanding.' "
The reply came
82

"That is the real cause-lack of understanding. There are

many in the world today who have feet of clay, but they too
some day will understand. God's love overcomes all."
We then heard voices talking together, very low and indistinct, and
the trumpet touched Mr. Crawford. Mr. Crawford asked:
"Thank you, friend, is it someone to speak to me? I will be very glad
to hear you."
A very low voice then said:
"My teacher."
Mr. Crawford then said : "Oh, were you a pupil of mine? Can you tell
me your name, please?" The voice said several times "John-John,"
and something else which we could not make out. He may have
been trying to get through his surname, and to help him Mr.
Crawford said : "Come away, John, if you could just speak a little
louder it would be a great help."
Then we heard faintly
"I want you to help me," and then
"My teacher."
Mr. Crawford said : "Of course I will help you, John, if you will just tell
me who you are. Do you want a message taken?"
"No, no, no, no message."
Mr. Crawford said: "All right, we will not take a message if you do
not wish us to. Try to speak a little louder."
Then came the words
"Libya-crash."
83
"So you have been out in Libya. Did you pass out there?" enquired
Mr. Crawford.
"Yes, yes, Air Force; I, 2, 3, 4-three of us al I away."
We then heard what sounded like a 'plane zooming upwards. This
was repeated three times and then we heard a crash.
Mr. Crawford said: "Is that how it happened? Can you give us any
more information? Give us your names?"
The low voice replied
"Not yet, not yet."
Someone else spoke at this point saying
"It would be better not to press the matter too much. It
would only hurt the friend who has been trying to get
through. Some day he will come back in a better frame of
mind. His heart is still very sore."
Mrs. Bowes remarked : "Dear boys, no wonder. I know exactly how
they feel. All their life was in front of them and to be cut off before
they had the chance to live their lives."
Someone was evidently much touched by this remark and replied
"That is beautiful. Thank you, my dear, you have the heart
of a Mother and understand. Their homes are upset by the
tragedy of their passing. Do give out your love to those dear
ones who are mourning. I know it will help them."
This we all promised to do, and then we heard
"Jim the first fore gunner, John the pilot, Jim the second,"
and here we heard the Morse Code, so took it that Jim, the second,
was the wireless operator.
84

The voice then said

"We are going away now. Good-bye, Ars longa, Vita brevis."
Mr. Sloan said: "What kind of language was that?", and Mr. Hart
replied: "That is Latin." (Art is long, life is short.)
Another voice then spoke in a foreign language, very rapidly.
Mr. Sloan remarked: "What horrid language is that?", when another
voice said:
"That is Dutch, Dutch, and it is not a horrid language ; it is a
good language."
The foreigner who had been the cause of Mr. Sloan's remark then
said
"Me Dutch, no speak English ; two words."
The trumpet then touched Mrs. Bowes all over her face, and a
Dutchman who could speak English now spoke
"You are mein friend, God bless you. I look after the boys for
you-all of them."
Mrs. Bowes replied: "Thank you, dear friend how good of you. I
wonder if you could tell me anything about my old friend. His name
is Mr. Beverslauss. I was just wondering if he was now over beside
you."
The Dutchman replied
"I do not know, but I will try to get in touch."
Mrs. Bowes said: "The last I heard was that he was at Rotterdam,
but he is over eighty, and I just wondered how he had fared."
Shortly afterwards the Dutch gentleman said: "Your friend, I have
tried to get into touch. All is well, we will guard him."
85

Mrs. Bowes said: "He must still be in the body, they have been
enquiring. Thank you, friend." The Dutch speaker replied:
"He is still with you, but many of my countrymen have come
home."
Then another voice spoke
"There is a sweet home where wondrous beauties await you,
that Home is my portion now. I have gone on beyond this ;
excuse me saying so, but it means coming back to get into
your surroundings. There are sheltering arms outstretched
to shield and guard you and those who are dear to you,
bearing them up with supplication and prayer, and we will
do the best we can for you all the way. It is one of the Indian
Chiefs who brings this message to you. You know something
of the power of what you call prayer, but it has a much more
wonderful power than you realise, so you know what to do."
The trumpet then touched Mr. Cameron, and went all over his head.
A lady's voice said
"Don, Don, my darling, I would like to caress you. Don, can
you hear me speaking? If I could use my hands, my beloved,
I would caress you."
Mr. Cameron thanked her, and asked who it was. We thought we
heard the name "Mary" (his wife), but were not sure.
A man then spoke, and Mr. Cameron asked: "Who was that who has
just spoken?", to receive the reply
"I do not know, but a very beautiful spirit at any rate, a
lady."
86

The trumpet then touched Miss Duff, and she asked who it was,
when a voice said:
"Come right in, William, and speak to the friend you want to
speak to."
Miss Duff said: "Is it Willie? I am awfully glad to speak to you. How
are you, Willie?" He replied
"I am very well. If you were just in as good health as I am
now, I would be very happy, my beloved."
Miss Duff replied : "I am so glad about it. Did you think, Willie, that I
might have done more at the time of your passing?", to which he
answered:
"You did super-humanly,"
and then Miss Duff said: "Oh, no, Willie dear, not that," but he
persisted
"Oh yes you did, I know. I have thought of you so often
since."
Miss Duff asked: "Are you all right, Willie? I am so pleased that you
appear to be less shy than you were."
He replied
"Yes, I left that behind, but now, on coming into these
surroundings, I feel my shyness coming back."
Miss Duff said: "You must not let that happen. You do know how
glad I am to hear you speaking to me," his answer being
"I know that, and all your dear friends here are sending out
their loving thoughts to me. God bless you. It is my supreme
delight to hear you. I am often near you at home and
elsewhere, but I hear you speaking better here."
87

Miss Duff said: "Thanks very much for coming," and then enquired :
"Have you seen my Mother, Willie?"
He replied
"I have just left her, she is here beside you. We all hear your
voice, and we bring you all our love, and David's too. Do you
still like me, darling?"
Miss Duff answered : "I do, very much," and to this he replied:
"I am going now, but I shall meet you at the Golden Strand,
and the years will not be long. I shall wait for you, beloved.
God bless you."
He then concluded:
"You are not to cry, darling. Before I go I will tell you I am
very glad I have shaken off my shyness and am able to talk
to you like this. It is a beautiful thing, the passing; to come
to the crucial point, and then be speedily with your loved
ones on this side."
Miss Colquhoun's Mother then spoke to her, and seemed a little
upset.
"Crissie, I am so worried about you."
Miss Colquhoun replied: "Now, Mother dear, you are not to worry
about me. What are you crying for?"
Mrs. Colquhoun answered
"Because you miss me so much and I do not want you to be
left alone. You must have somebody for a companion.
Miss Colquhoun said: "I have lots of friends, Mother dear, and I am
not really lonely. I am sure the neighbors think I am never in."
Mrs. Colquhoun then warned her
88

"You are not to be like Mr. Sloan, and sit by yourself."

Miss Colquhoun replied : "I have rarely had time to sit, dear," and
her Mother concluded: "But you will have more time now." Then
another voice broke in
"Time, time-more time, a beautiful thought. More time now,
you must use your energies in another way. It is not to you
alone, Miss Colquhoun, that I am speaking, but to everyone.
I wonder how many in the world today look for a lonely heart
? Those who look will find plenty, and those who help such
will reap a harvest beyond all earthly joys when they come
to this side. Do you know this hymn, Miss Duff ?
"I sing you a song, a beautiful song,
Of the far-away home of my soul,
Where storms never break on its glorious sands,
And full tides of joy ever roll."
The trumpets at this point fell to the floor, and Miss Colquhoun and
Mrs. Macfarlane tried to pick them up, but they again fell with a
clatter.
Mr. Hart remarked : "There seems to be a free fight going on down
there," when a voice came from one of the trumpets, saying:
"it beats you to catch me."
The trumpet then hit Mr. Sloan on the head several times, and a
voice said
"Wood, Jock, wood."
Voices then spoke through both trumpets at the same time.
Someone was speaking to Mrs. Lang on
89

one side of the room, and someone to Mrs. Bowes on the other side.
It was difficult to follow the conversations, but the one near Mrs.
Lang said:
"David-it's Dave, just trying to speak through this 'phone of
yours."
Mrs. Lang said she was very pleased to hear him, and asked how he
was getting on. He replied
"I am getting on very well. I can see you all."
Mrs. Lang mentioned "Tom", and received the reply
"He is in a much further advanced sphere than I am
meantime."
The name "Letitia" was also mentioned, and then Mrs. Lang's sister-
in-law spoke to her:
"You have altered, Crissie, but you are nearer home, a
beautiful home. I was afraid to go over, Crissie. It is Nellie. I
do not need any stick now."
Mr. Sloan said : "Yes, lassie, when I last saw you, you needed a stick
and I was fine, and now it is me that needs a pair of stilts and you
can dae without your stick."
A man's voice replied to this
"It will be many a long day before that happens, Mr. Sloan.
You have a lot of work to do, and the joy you have given
others will scatter far and wide."
Mr. Sloan enquired who spoke, and got the reply:
"Robert Barr, of Carlung."
Mr. Sloan exclaimed: "Mr. Barr, I am real glad to hear you speak,
though you did not agree with me at all in the old days."
Mr. Barr replied
"We will let that fly stick to the wall."
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Mrs. Bowes then said: "What about the daft Spiritualists now, Mr.
Barr? Yes, that was what you called us."
Mr. Barr replied:
"I was a complete imbecile in those days."
Mrs. Lang could not let that pass and remarked "Oh no, not that, Mr.
Barr," but he maintained
"Well, Crissie, I was stupid. I might have known that sensible
people like you and Bob (Mr. Lang) would not have told me
nonsense."
Another voice on the spirit side then spoke to Mr. Barr, and we
heard him saying
"Just wait a bit, Robson, I will see you later; I am engaged at
present,"
and then Mr. Barr said to us
"That was Robson-one of my own tenants (on earth). How are
you getting on, Crissie ? You ought to get on well because
you know far more than I do about it. I have a lot to learn,
but I am quite willing to learn, and that is why I am getting
on."
Mrs. Lang enquired : "Can you not get into touch with Bob? I know
he would be very pleased to help you."
He replied:
"I get more help from Arthur (Mrs. Lang's son) than from Bob ;
he can get at me easier." Another voice then said
"You are here yet, Sloan. What do you think of Barr ?"
Mr. Sloan replied: "That is an awkward question to ask. I always
thought a lot of him." Mr. Barr then said
91

"Ah, well, you have no ill-will at me; I am glad of that,"

to which Mr. Sloan replied: "None in the least, Mr. Barr."
Another voice then said:
"My latest sun was sinking fast,
My race was nearly run,
The bright and glorious ones, they came
And bore me safely home.
"Once my latest sun was sinking fast, and I thought it was
setting for ever. That is not true-my friends."
Mr. Crawford asked if anyone knew what time it was, as he and Mr.
Hart had a train to catch. A voice from the other side said
"It is exactly 10.15," and this turned out to be correct, as usual.
Mrs. Lang said: "I think we must close now. Will someone close for
us?"
A voice from the other side started the Doxology, which we all sang.
This ended the Sitting.
This Meeting opened with Sloan's well-known remark to the effect
that little would happen. How often I have heard it, or something
like it, during the five years I was investigating his Direct Voice
phenomena.
For some fifty years Sloan has given sittings to his friends and their
friends, each one lasting from two to three hours once or twice a
week. All these years he has taken up an indifferent attitude
92

to all that happened, he has avoided publicity in every possible way,

and he has always refused any payment for his presence. He was
paid nothing for the séances recorded in this book, and, between his
grumbles and grouses, he has declared that his services are given
willingly for the good of humanity and to comfort the bereaved.
Hundreds of different people have received this comfort and
satisfaction during these past fifty years, and now Sloan is an old
man of eighty-two, his memory being so bad that he requires
special care and attention. Throughout the series of Meetings
recorded in this book his memory was declining and, towards the
end, so rapidly that his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Sam Sloan, had to
come with him to these Meetings, to see him safely there and home
again. Nevertheless the phenomena went on as formerly, and it
would still have gone on if he had been deaf, dumb, blind and frail in
health. When he is present the voices speak, when he is not present
there is silence.
It was the ectoplasm in his body, to an unusual degree, that enabled
the etheric men, women and children to materialise their vocal
organs and vibrate our atmosphere. That was all, nothing more or
less, and his mind had nothing whatever to do with what took place.
Only occasionally during these Sittings did he go into trance, and,
when this occurred, mention has been made of the fact. He spoke at
times when the etheric voices were speaking, and took part in the
conversations like the others; in other words he remained normal
like the rest of the sitters, both he and they hearing and seeing all
that happened.
93

There was no hallucination about what took place, what one heard
all heard; in fact this has been proved at other séances, from time
to time, by recording what was said on gramophone records or on
the dictaphone. I remember on one occasion a voice shouted so
loudly that a man living on the other side of the street came across
to ask what was wrong.
The Direct Voice needs no scientist to prove its claims. No Biologist,
Anthropologist, Physicist, Chemist, Astronomer, Psychologist, or
other expert in his own line of research, is needed to tell the people
what is true or false about it. We do not call in these learned men to
find out whether we hear each other speak or not. Likewise we do
not need their help to fathom the mysteries of the Direct Voice,
because there is now no mystery, it has been explained to us by the
Etherians themselves, and we in turn ask them the necessary
questions about what we wish to know, and get satisfactory
answers.
So let the scientists go on sleeping in their own physical
wonderland, believing, as so many do, that nothing but physical
matter exists and telling B.B.C. listeners, most of whom are as
ignorant as they are, that the brain is a physical mechanical
organism and nothing survives the death of the body. The
Anthropologist may know everything there is to know about the
physical body and brain, but his knowledge ends there. When I told
an eminent Anatomist that we have a duplicate etheric body and
brain, which is controlled by an immaterial mind, he ridiculed such
an idea because he is blankly ignorant of a subject about which he
has never gained any experience.
The so-called stupid, credulous and deluded Spiritualists have
adopted the true scientific attitude, which is to explore
94

every avenue of knowledge, to follow up every known fact, and, by

observation and experience, to account for everything, even
although it runs counter to preconceived theories and beliefs. For
adopting this the only scientific attitude, Spiritualists have been
denounced by the theologians and ridiculed by the scientists,
besides being denied the expression of their discoveries by the
British Broadcasting Corporation, which is in the grip of organised
and orthodox science and religion.
The séances under review make clear that our mind, the seat of our
memory, and a duplicate etheric body which we now possess,
survive death, and that memory is as potent a factor in the life to
come as it is here on earth. Likewise Telepathy is much more
developed in Etheria than it is here on earth, and our thoughts reach
our friends in Etheria in a way we cannot understand. The set
prayers of all the orthodox religions have doubtless a soothing and
comforting mental effect, especially in time of trouble, but it is the
daily thoughts and aspirations which reach Etheria, though I am
always doubtful if our Etheric friends can guide and order our lives
as much as they profess to do.
It is unwise to be dogmatic on this question, as who can say why
strange thoughts come into our minds at times which may have far-
reaching effects on our lives? Etherians claim so much about the
help they give us, that the only way to explain this is to try to
understand why it is they feel superior to us, both mentally and
physically. They feel that they are solid and everything about them
is real and tangible,
95
whereas to them we are flimsy ghosts and everything that we
consider solid is intangible which they can pass through without
noticing. It is well to remember that their world is solid to them, just
as our world is solid to us, and that only when we come together in
conditions where the two worlds meet do we get on speaking terms.
Another claim they make is that they live together in much greater
harmony than we do on earth, that peace and contentment reign,
the development of the mind, to the cultured, being their chief
desire. Love, one towards another, seems to be their watchword.
This being so, how far behind we are on earth from achieving their
standard of living which alone brings happiness, peace and
contentment to everyone.
Those who speak to us seem desirous of following, and being guided
by, the wishes of "the higher ones" -those who have advanced to
higher realms. I have never heard, or read anywhere, during the
past thirty-five years, of a religious belief being advocated, always
they stress the importance of the virtues and that as we sow on
earth we reap. We never hear of the need of a belief in a vicarious
sacrifice, of a saviour, or the necessity to believe something before
we can get into Etheria. All theological superstition is passed by in
silence, and stress is always placed on how we live. A few talk of
"the Master," but always rather vaguely, and it will be found that
some say they follow one Master and some another, but those who
spoke at these séances seem to have a common belief in God under
different names.
However, they do not take up the line that we on earth must
prepare to meet our God, as has been the theme of all this world's
96

supernatural religions, but rather that we should live on earth so

that we become good and respected denizens of Etheria. In this
Sitting the advice is given that we fit ourselves on earth "to be able
to take a reasonable place and a reasonable responsibility on the
spirit side when you come over." That seems reasonable and
rational, and quite devoid of the theological beliefs which have both
comforted and hindered mankind throughout the long age of
ignorance in which the great majority still live.
All are free to live in Etheria as they wish to do, and, though
progress is open to everyone, all have freedom to choose to do as
they like so long as there is no interference with the liberty and
happiness of others. If they have not the will or wish to progress,
then mental stagnation persists. Progress consists of mental
unfoldment and, as that continues, Etheria becomes, to the
individual, a place of greater beauty, greater prospects, greater
opportunities and greater joy and happiness.
It is interesting to be told that we each have a heart, and all the
other bodily organs which we have on earth, though they function
rather differently there from the way they do here. This confirms the
information given to us so often about our duplicate etheric body in
which we live after death, and everything just fits in to make the
complete picture of the etheric man, woman and child. We have the
same feelings there as here because we have the same mind, the
common factor between the two worlds. Everything is at a higher
pitch, everything is more vivid and beautiful, which makes life more
real and worth living,
97

the absence of illness and the freedom from pain and discomfort
enabling the vitality of the body to have full play, so that it does not
tire or weary.
Mention should also be made that Etherians, when they come down
to our level of vibrations, can see in our darkness which is no
darkness to them. They can tell the time on our clocks or watches,
and I have never known them to make a mistake. Moreover, they
can touch any part of us with the trumpet or their materialised
hands, and never make a mistake. Often have I asked to be touched
on different places, and it was done at once without hesitation or
fumbling, right on the spot. I have held my hand and fingers in
many different positions, and asked that different fingers be
touched and this was done, all of which shows that intelligent
people were present who could hear me speak and do as they were
asked.
As these séances were held during the Second World War much is
said about the help the Etherians gave to those who passed over
during its tragic years. I remember being told by an informant from
Etheria that some Etherians were always commissioned to follow all
our 'planes crossing the sea, so that their occupants would be easily
found and looked after if they were killed or drowned.
98

CHAPTER IV
MEETING AT MRS. LANG'S HOUSE, GIFFNOCK, GLASGOW
Monday, 1st June, 1942
Present: MRS. CRISSIE LANG, MISS MARY STOVE, MR. ALEXANDER
HART, MISS JEAN DEARIE, MISS ISOBEL MCROBBIE, Miss ELIZABETH
DUFF, MRS. LILLIAS BOWES, MISS CRISSIE COLQUHOUN, MR. JOHN
SLOAN.
WE opened the Sitting with the hymn, Nearer, my God, to Thee, and
then repeated The Lord's Prayer.
Nothing happened for a few minutes, and Mr. Sloan said : "I don't
think anything is going to happen the night-I am just done now."
A Scotch voice suddenly said
"Dinna heed him; he is no done yet. Ye all feel doon at
times, ye ken, and at ither times you feel as if you could
loup (jump) ower a dyke (wall). What kind of cullivant is that
you are using, Mr. Teacher ?" (Mr. Hart.)
We asked him what that word meant, and he said
"A pencil, a pencil ; that is a new kind of pencil for me, Mr.
Dominie (schoolmaster). There is a wee girlie here who wants
tae speak to the schoolteacher lady; come awa in, my dear."
A child's voice then said
"Auntie Isobel."
Miss McRobbie said: "Come away, dear, and speak to me; are you
adopting me as your Auntie? That is nice."
99

The child replied

"You are my Auntie; I am your little girl."
Miss McRobbie said : "Can you tell me your name, dear? What was
your name?"
The child replied
"I have no name on your earth."
Miss McRobbie said: "I quite understand, dear, but whose little girl
are you?" The reply came
"I am Willie's little girl."
Miss McRobbie thought this might be a child of one of her nephews,
and she asked: "Where did Willie stay on the Earth Plane?", and
received the reply:
"It was far away from you-Australia. My daddy is away
helping the soldier men-he is working."
We then heard a puffing sound like an engine starting off.
Miss McRobbie's brother then spoke to her from the other side, and
she asked him who the child was who had just spoken to her.
He replied
"There is such a mixed family now, Isobel, I do not know
them all."
Miss McRobbie said: "Well, she claimed to be one of the family,
Willie's girl, she said." He answered:
"I will make enquiries."
Miss McRobbie said : "Perhaps you are not able to place them all :
there are so many," and her brother replied
"Oh yes, I can place them all on this side, but I
100

have not heard anything about the child. I have just been
with Mother and the two Fathers. I am very happy with both
of them ; we have just had a nice talk together."
Miss McRobbie explains the meaning of the Mother and the two
Fathers. Mrs. McRobbie, her Mother, was married twice, first to Mr.
Thomson and then to Mr. McRobbie. Miss McRobbie was the first girl
of the second marriage. Before Mrs. McRobbie passed on, she and
Miss McRobbie had a Sitting with Mrs. Helen Hughes, the well-known
Medium, when Mr. Thomson, Mrs. McRobbie's first husband, came
through and said that he was going to adopt Miss McRobbie as his
daughter. From that time onwards, whenever Miss McRobbie was in
contact with the other side, she has been addressed by Mr.
Thomson and by her own Father, Mr. McRobbie, who is also in
Etheria, as the one with the two Fathers. Moreover, it seems that
Mrs. McRobbie and her two husbands are on friendly terms, and this
disposes of the old question about a wife in Etheria with more than
one husband and a husband with more than one wife.
The little girl spoke again, saying
"Nobody knows me; they did not think I was there at all. I
am Willie's little girl, and you are my second Aunt Isobel."
Miss McRobbie said: "Of course I am. God bless you, darling. You will
come again to speak to me, won't you? Will you come and see me at
my home?"
The little voice replied
"Oh yes, I will come to your home," and gave some kisses.
The door-keeper with the Scotch voice then said
101

"You will understand about that bairn (child), Miss Duff. Ye

ken (know) how that might happen, She had no earth life at
all, and her parents didna think she ever existed."
Miss Duff replied: "Yes, I understand very well, I was just thinking
about that."
Miss McRobbie explains this incident about the child without known
parents. The Sunday previous to this Meeting she had a Sitting with
Mr. Phoenix, the well-known Direct Voice Medium, and there a
number of young children belonging to some of the sitters came
through and spoke. They adopted as aunts those who were
strangers to them, and presumably the one who came through on
this occasion was one of these.
The Scotsman now turned to Miss McRobbie:
"I got your thoughts. I was just hearing somebody tell me
the day (what you call 'today') to look out when I got into
the surroundings here; it was a man who happens to be your
Father, and he said you would be able to redd (clear) up this
matter of the child. This is not a house to me, ye ken."
Mrs. Bowes remarked : "Well, it is Mrs. Lang's home," and he
replied:
"I hope I am not intruding."
Mrs. Lang said: "Certainly not, we are very pleased to have you with
us."
He answered
"If you could see the house I have !"
Mrs. Lang asked if we knew him, and he replied "Well, I am not
anonymous, you know."
Mr. Sloan did not hear properly, and said : "Did you say your name
was Amos?" We got an indignant:
102

"No, Amos indeed! What a name! I would not claim such a

name as that."
Miss Duff asked: "Will you not give us some further particulars about
yourself?" and he replied:
"Do you know a place called Crieff ? Well, I came from
somewhere near there. Were you brought up in the country,
my dear ?"
Miss Duff replied: "No, but I love the country." He enquired
"Ah well, you will not ken what a `but and ben' is ?"
We all replied: "Oh yes, we all know that" (a room and kitchen), and
he said
"Well, I lived in a but and ben, with an ingle neuk (seat in
fireplace) and a big fireplace that had a swee or swivel for
the muckle pat (big pot). I mind my Mother baking bread in
it, and, my faith, I can tell you it cam' oot a fair treat. Here's
a wrinkle in cooking for you ladies. You put your pot on the
swee wi' a good fire underneath ; turn the lid of the pot
upside down, and pit a fire in the lid-it was peat we used-
and that cooks the top of the loaf for you."
Mrs. Bowes remarked: "This is as good as 'The Kitchen Front' on the
wireless."
The Scotsman continued
"My advice to you all is: 'Keep a calm sough (mind). It would
have been better for me had I kept a calm sough sometimes,
and kept a few things to mysel'. It is good to have self-
restraint and be able to haud (hold) your tongue at the right
time. I don't mean by that you should hiddle (hide) things
and be deceitful, but it does not do to bare your heart to
everybody. Keep your tongue bridled
103

when necessary. There is a place, an allotment, for all

classes when you shuffle off this mortal coil ; it is up to
everyone to make their own Paradise on this side by the life
you live while in the body.
"Your reception, and the place occupied immediately when
you come to this side of life, will be in accordance with the
condition you have built up on earth. There is no limit to
your expansion afterwards, but I love to be near the Earth
Plane as I feel I can help those who are coming over. I let my
supplications arise to the Great Ruler of all the worlds-Who
made them all-that this old earth which I used to inhabit will
soon find peace. Let us link our prayers together ; a chain of
prayer is a good thing, a powerful thing, if you have faith to
believe it. I will say good day now. You all look couthy (kind)
and canty (cheerful) and nice. God bless you."
Miss Stove then felt a hand in hers, and said: "Oh, what a lovely
warm hand : thank you, friend." A voice replied
"It is just the touch of a vanished hand, and this is the sound
of a voice that was stilled. Mary it is John. I tried to hold
your fingers, but I was, not sure whether you felt me or
not."
Miss Stove replied: "Yes, I felt you, my dear. Oh, thank you so much
for coming."
He replied
"I wish I could do more for you but it is beyond my power at
present. I will support you with my spirit thoughts and
energy as far as I can. Pardon me, Ladies and Gentlemen,
encroaching on your time so much."
104

We replied that we were delighted to hear him, and he went on

"You have been so generous and kind to Miss Stove. I would
like to put on record your wonderful kindness. God bless
you. There has been many a dark day. You know what dark
days are, Mary, and I know what dark days are too, but
there is a glorious day to follow, which has already dawned
on me, and which must dawn some time on you also.
Daybreak will shine; brightness will come; be of good cheer,
darling, I will stand by you."
Miss Stove replied: "I know you will, dear, thank you so much for
coming."
He said
"Now I will just stand aside, as I do not like to encroach too
much on your time when other friends are now coming in. I
will keep close to you tonight. You are all so wonderfully
generous in your kindness. May I thank you all ? I was so
happy, Mary, when your Father came and spoke to me. I
wish-well, I will say nothing about it now, but when the long
last comes, which I hope may not be for a long time yet and
that much happiness may still be your lot in the earth life,
but when the time does come, dearest, then at the end of
the road we shall clasp hands again. There will be no more
partings, no more worry, no more care. Hand in hand,
through the aeons of eternity, with spiritual love in our
hearts, we will help others along and find service and joy in
that work. God bless you, darling; no more just now."
The trumpet then touched Miss Dearie, and a man's voice asked
"Miss Dearie, who is Mary, may I ask ?"
105

Miss Dearie said : "She is my sister," and he continued

"Well, Mary wants in. I was bundled in here to act as
temporary door-keeper. I hope I am doing it fairly well."
Miss Dearie said: "Thank you, yes, do let Mary in. Come and speak
to me, Mary."
The door-keeper said
"I do not see her now. Mary was here wanting in, but I do
not know where she has gone. Ah, there she is."
Miss Dearie said: "Mary, dear, where are you? Were you hiding? Do
come and speak to me."
The trumpet then touched Miss Dearie on the face and shoulder,
and Mary exclaimed
"Jean, I am getting on wonderfully. How are you, Jean ?"
Miss Dearie said : "I am all right, dear. How are Mother and Father?
Are they with you?" Mary replied
"Not just now, Jeanie. I am not beside them all the time;
they are much more advanced than I am, but I am allowed to
see them often, and, oh, how happy I am when they are with
me!"
Miss Dearie answered: "I am sure you are, dear, and perhaps you
will be able to be with them altogether soon. May I ask what you are
doing, Mary? Is it a nice place you are in?"
Mary replied:
"Oh, Jean, it is beautiful, and I have such a dear little
cottage to stay in with a beautiful garden. I had never seen
such a lovely garden before with glorious flowers of all
colours, flowers that we never see on earth,
106

and they do not fade. They bloom all the time, and, when
you pick them, others just seem to come in their place. What
beautiful perfumes they have, and, Jean, there is
honeysuckle growing up at each side of my door, masses of
it. I just wish you could see it, it is so lovely, but you will see
it some day, dear. I will show it to you."
Miss Dearie replied: "I am so glad, dearest, that you are in such a
lovely place."
Mary continued
"And now I am going to help you, dear, all I can. Isn't it fine
that we can speak to each other, and that you got to know
about this ?"
Miss Dearie said: "Yes, dear, I have known about it for some time,
but you did not know before you passed over."
Mary replied
"Mother and Father told me, and it was my first earnest
endeavour to find a means of returning to speak to you."
Then Miss Dearie asked: "Give me a wee message of love for Tom,
will you, dear?", to receive the reply:
"Tom knows he has my love. He has always had it. You have
both been in my heart all the time."
Miss Dearie said: "Yes, dear, I know."
Mr. Sloan then remarked : "I see your sister quite plainly-building up
beside you," and Miss Dearie said
"I hope you will be very, very happy, Mary, and that you will get joy
for all your sorrows, dear." Mary concluded
"They are as nothing to me now. I am glad to be away from
it all. I am so happy here. I love you,
107

darling, and will do all I can to help you and keep you
company, for you are lonely sometimes."
Miss Dearie said: "Yes, dear, sometimes, and I know you will help
me all you can."
A man's voice then spoke
"I wonder who amongst you realises what a comfort to each
other two lonely people can be when they meet and can
understand and sympathise with each other."
Mary's voice was then heard in conversation with this man on her
own side of life, and we heard her say to him:
"I know what you mean exactly-you must mean that when
lonely and sad and an understanding friend comes in to see
you, it relieves your weight of sorrow."
He replied to her:
"Thank you, my dear, that was beautifully put, and
expresses what I meant to convey. Miss Dearie, you have a
beautiful sister here ; she is so bright and happy."
"Thank you," said Miss Dearie.
Mr. Sloan then went into trance and was controlled by one of the
Indians. He came over to Miss Stove and took her hands, saying
"Miss Stove, it is the Indian Chief speaking to you. It is Bobo.
I was asked by your friend here to try to help you ; to
stimulate you."
Another voice spoke at the same time to Miss Stove, saying
"Just listen to what he tells you, and do as he tells you."
Bobo went on speaking
108

"I am not able to tell you much, because your friend made
me understand that you were not well, and I find you most
robust. I thought he meant you were not well, and I see
beautiful complexion, good circulation, and strong heart-
beat. You are in quite good health ; many people would be
pleased to have your vitality."
Miss Stove said : "I did not think I was so well as all that; I have been
so worried lately."
Bobo replied
"I am not able to define worry. I had plenty of worry in my
earth life too, you know what I mean from my past record. I
have got over it now, and I am trying to relieve other
people. Could you not shake the worry off ?"
Miss Stove said: "I will try," and Bobo went on to say:
"You must do more than try-try double hard, and put your
faith forth very strong."
Another voice broke into the conversation "I will help you all I
can."
Bobo went on
"Do what the friend behind me impresses you to do and all
will come right. Give me your hand; I know my hand, the
hand of the Medibox (his name for Sloan), is cold, not like
that other man who shook hands with you before. I wish you
God speed ; I wish you well. God bless you, from Bobo."
Miss Stove replied: "Thank you, dear friend, thank you very much."
He then came over to Miss McRobbie, and put his hands on her
head. Miss McRobbie said: "Thank you, Bobo, that is lovely. I have
spoken to you before."
109

He replied
"I know you know Bobo. You are not like the other little lady
I have just been speaking to; you are not so robust."
Someone remarked : "Oh, but she is wiry." He replied
"I do not know that word, but you are not able to stand up to
much. You take it easy. I know by the touch of you that your
physical constitution is not able to stand very much. You are
wiry perhaps -but what wiry means I do not know."
Miss McRobbie said: "Bobo, could you help Mrs. Temple? She is so
very seriously ill; she is the lady I am living with at present."
A new voice broke in
"Tell her John is keeping near and will help her." Miss
McRobbie promised to do so, and then Bobo asked
"Is she able to walk about ?",and Miss McRobbie said: "No, she is
very, very near your side, my friend."
Bobo went on to say:
"I do not want to make what you call flatteries, but I mean
it. You have a firm will, and when you make up your mind to
do anything you will go through with it. You have made a
good change from where you were, you will be better, but
you must feed more. You know what I mean."
Bobo then went over to Mrs. Bowes, and said
"Bobo likes to come to Mrs. Bowes. Your Dutch friend-he tell
me to come."
Mrs. Bowes said : "Thank you, dear friend. Oh, that is lovely."
110

He seemed to be giving her some massage. At the same time as

Bobo was speaking, a voice spoke in a foreign language, and Bobo
said
"That is the Dutchman. He says I am to put my hands on
your head. I do not feel anything wrong with you, except the
vibration from your two hands, when I hold them, tells me
that you have what you call `frayed nerves' ; thinking about
things that will never happen. Trust more in the friends on
my side of life, and the loving eyes that watch over you.
Think of him; it is William, is it not, whom you love so
much ?"
William, Mrs. Bowes' husband, now spoke:
"I will never, never leave you. God bless you, darling."
Miss Duff, who was then spoken to, and taken by the hand, said :
"Thank you, Bobo," and received the reply
"It is not Bobo who touched your hand; it is your Father. I
am working with this lady just now." (Bobo was giving
treatment to Mrs. Bowes.)
Bobo then spoke to Mrs. Bowes
"The Med's (Sloan's) hand is not too fine to touch you, but he
will get the power all the same."
Mrs. Bowes said she felt the power, the vibrations going through
her, and Bobo went on:
"I am very pleased if I can be of any assistance to you, so
that you may feel well and feel the joys of life."
While Bobo was speaking to Mrs. Bowes and holding her hands,
different voices spoke through the trumpets. Miss Duff's father
spoke to her, and, with his materialised hand, held her hand. Miss
Colquhoun was spoken to,
111

and felt hands on her head. She said they felt warm and very
natural. Bobo then spoke to Miss Duff:
"I thought, Miss Duff, when your Father was here that Bobo
would just let him speak himself and give you the intimate
message."
Miss Duff said : "Thank you, Bobo, that was nice of you." He then
seemed to stand in front of Miss Dearie, and said
"I do not know how to address the lady here. It is the name."
Miss Dearie replied : "It is `Dearie'," and Bobo continued
"I know that, but that name is sometimes used in an
affectionate way, and I did not know if I might be allowed to
use it."
Miss Dearie said: "I will be very pleased if you like to use it in that
way too."
He then took Miss Dearie's hand, and said:
"Could you give me your other hand, please ?"
Miss Dearie said that she seemed to feel a sort of vibration or power
coming from him, and she heard a voice which seemed to be
speaking from just behind him, saying
"Jean, dear."
Miss Dearie said: "Oh, is it Mary back again?" But Bobo explained
"It is your Father; he is standing behind me so that
vibrations may pass from him to me, and through me to you,
and you will get our combined vibrations."
Miss Dearie said : "Oh, thank you, Father dear," and she felt hands
on her forehead.
112

Bobo continued
"You are worried, but you should not be."
Miss Dearie said: "I am not aware that I am worrying," and he
replied
"You do not sleep very well-is that not so ?"
Miss Dearie answered : "Yes, that is so-sometimes.I take a long time
to get off to sleep."
Bobo replied:
"That is because you are worrying-subconsciously, perhaps.
You want to do many things you feel you are not able to do,
but do not worry ; everything will work out all right. You
must sleep better, and then you will feel better and
happier."
Bobo then took Miss Dearie's hands, placed them palms together,
and slowly opened them, saying
"Everything will go well with you ; things will open out to
you just like a flower; like this."
Bobo then patted Miss Dearie several times on the hands, and went
away saying
"I must be going now, but I will first get this old Medibox
back into his chair," and we heard him moving about the room,
saying "He will be all right; I can leave him if I get him seated
in his chair."
Someone said: "Bobo, are you not going to say something to Mrs.
Lang?", and he replied:
"Mrs. Lang, you are all right. You have such beautiful friends
who are able to help you on the spirit side of life. When you
are in a quandary they will help you on the instant. Who said
the landlady (Mrs. Lang) had need of Bobo? She is wonderful ;
she would put the lot of you in the shade. The vibration I get
from her is very, very good."
113

Mrs. Lang said: "Thank you, but I have a very sore knee all the
same."
He said "What is the matter with your knee ?"
Mrs. Lang replied: "I think it is a nerve; I have been told so, but,
whatever it is, it is very painful." Bobo suggested
"Could you not get someone to massage it for you ? Could
you not bathe it ?"
Another spirit voice spoke, and Bobo said to him "What do you
want ?"
The voice replied
"I want Mrs. Lang to get that knee cured. I shall get Dr.
Barrie to look at it, or you might get Dr. Laidlaw on your
side; he would be all right."
Bobo replied "When I leave my Medibox I will get into touch
with this Dr. Barrie."
Another voice then spoke "Get Charles Laidlaw, Mrs. Lang, he
was a friend of mine."
Mrs. Lang asked: "Is he in Glasgow?" He replied
"I cannot just place him now. He was in Dumfries Infirmary
the last time I heard."
Bobo spoke again, saying:
"I will now say good-bye to Landlady; Bobo does not want
any doctors. I do not know them. I help with my healing."
We then sang the hymn They are winging, they are winging, and
heard the little bell tinkling very clearly. This ringing went on during
the singing, and for some time afterwards. It was Mr. Hart's small
friend.
114

Another voice then spoke, saying

"It is Robert Taylor. Mrs. Sloan brought me here."
Mr. Sloan, now out of trance, said: "Bob, I am so pleased to hear
you."
He replied
"This sweet little lady brought me. It was she who told me
on the day I was going away (from his last seance with
Sloan) that I would never come back in the earth life again,
and so it was. She told me I would meet my Mother, and I
met her whenever I came over. God bless you, Mr. Sloan. I
wish I could help to cheer you up a bit. It was always the
other way, you know. John Sloan is such a sterling fellow. It
is an awful tragedy, ladies, this terrible war, and it is only
coming to the worst now.
Miss Duff said: "Oh, I hope not," and Miss McRobbie said: "Yes, I
believe that. I think it must come to a climax before it can end."
We asked when it would finish, and he replied
"We are not sure. It must come in the hearts of men on your
side."
Mr. Sloan said to Robert Taylor: "Well, you knew what it was last
time-you went through it all."
Mr. Hart then asked: "Can you help the boys who spoke to us the
other day? They were in the Air Force and crashed in Libya."
He replied "They are all being helped, but I will try and get in
touch with them."
Another voice spoke "My dear friend Sloan."
115

Mr. Sloan said: "Who is that? You have an awful nice voice," and
received the reply
"You do not always have such a high opinion of me ; it is
Whitefeather speaking. John Sloan-you must look after
yourself better. He is just what I would call it, Mrs. Lang, a
little eccentric in his ways. If you ask him to do a thing, that
is the very thing he will not do. He is a little contrary. I am
sorry for him."
Mr. Sloan said: "Now, Whitey, I am not as bad as all that, surely?"
Whitefeather replied:
"I do not say it in disparagement. You have a record which
has gone before you, my brother Sloan, and when life's
journey is over you will surely get your reward."
Mr. Sloan said: "I am not wanting any reward, Whitey. I have done
nothing to get a reward." Whitefeather said
"Every service gets a reward. The reward which I have
received, Mrs. Lang, for what I have tried in my humble way
to do on your side of life is that I have a little more
knowledge of your language, and can talk somewhat in the
way Mrs. Lang's son can talk; not at all in the same way, of
course, but I can now make myself understood better. You
always said that you understood me before, but it was a
difficult thing sometimes to understand my way of talking.
"If I could carry each and every one of your burdens, the
little worries and the big worries and cares that sadden your
hearts today, I would take them all away, and it would be
another jewel in my diadem, another bright jewel in my
girdle, my reward. So call on me at any time,
116

and, if I catch your vibration and can be of any assistance, I

will come to you through the associations here, my
connection with this home, and with my good old friend who
is sitting beside you. Call, and I will answer that call."
Miss Stove said: "I think you come to see me sometimes,
Whitefeather. I have felt that you were near me." Whitefeather
replied
"Often on winter nights on your plane, when the wind is
howling and your heart goes out in loneliness, and you are
seated at the fire which is brightly burning on your hearth,
we are with you, and I say to John : 'She is quite happy.'
Unfortunately you do not know we are there. You will know
by and by. Miss Stove, I am sure in your heart of hearts you
realise that it has mellowed life for you-this knowledge
which you have gained of the communion with the spirit side
of life. It has smoothed the road. The cross is not so heavy
to carry.
"There is a day coming when you will be home at last to
meet all those you love, and to meet those who love you
too. I will return some little time later. I like to come in, Mrs.
Lang. I just wish I could find the right word ; if I was with Mr.
Lang he would give me the proper words to say to you, to
expound my feelings with regard to each individual home
represented here. I do not mean exactly the separate
homes, but in connection with this beautiful communing
together. I have seen tears of sorrow in many of your homes
and the light of joy. I have been near you when partings
came and you have had to say good-bye to those you love,
and I have tried to support you all I could.
117

By your faith and the knowledge you have now gained, you
know that it is not really a parting, it is only just a little step
ahead.
"Some day the veil will be drawn aside, and I hope it will be
drawn aside in a beautiful way, that will usher each of you
into the spirit land beside those you love. May the Peace,
the Joy, which cometh from the great 'I Am,' be in your
hearts and minds, and your souls today, and guard your
steps all through your journey in life, preparing the way to
your beautiful home, and making those on this side rejoice
in your efforts and successes, and give you a joyous entry
into your life on this side."
Someone on the other side then sang
"There is a light in the darkness for you, There is a light in
the Valley, There is a light in the darkness for you, If you
nurture the light that is in you."
We were not sure of the last few words, and asked the singer if he
would repeat them. Whitefeather replied
"That was just extempore, and I do not think we could ask
the friend to repeat it at present."
Mr. Sloan remarked : "I don't know what you are talking about,
Whitey."
Whitefeather replied
"You are so dense, my dear old friend ; you used not to be
so dense, you know, but there is a beauty in your
denseness-God bless you."
Mrs. Lang mentioned that "We twa" (Lord and Lady Aberdeen) had
been speaking to them at a
118

previous sitting, and also some of the Generals from the Boer War,
including Lord Kitchener, and how nicely "Ishbel" (Lady Aberdeen)
had spoken. A gentleman then spoke from the other side, saying:
"Just like yourself, my dear. I like to hear you speak of my
Ishbel like that. I like to dispense with decorations and
titles, prefixes and affixes, and just to be content with 'We
Twa' (or `We Two'). `We Twa' are working jointly to lighten
and alleviate the sorrow and suffering in the world to-day,
to the best of our ability, and trying to impress upon the
hearts of those in authority the right thing to do, so that
this strife may be ended. It will, however, take a little time
yet."
After Lord Aberdeen ceased speaking he was followed by a very
clear, distinct, manly voice:
"I fought for peace in my lifetime-both on the Home Front
and elsewhere. It lies in the hearts of men."
We asked who was speaking, and he replied
"I speak at a distance. It would not be conducive perhaps to
your happiness if you were to say to anybody who had been
speaking to you tonight. They would only laugh at you, most
of them, and say `You fool'."
Mrs. Lang replied: "But we will not say it to those who would be
likely to call us fools, and we would very much like to know who is
speaking.
To this request the reply came
"I am William Ewart Gladstone, and have come along with
`We Twa'."
Miss McRobbie remarked: "A grand old man," and he replied
119

"Thank you very much, that came very spontaneously from

you, but my time was before yours, you cannot have known
that."
Miss McRobbie said : "I have heard my Father speak about you, and
you are known by that name, you know."
More will be said about the return of the Aberdeens and Gladstone
at the end of this chapter.
Miss Colquhoun's Father then said to her
"How are you, Crissie, my dear ? I am keeping near you and
helping all I can. Keep your spirits up; it is Father."
Miss Colquhoun replied : "Thank you, Father dearest. How is
Mother?"
Her Father said : "She is here, standing at your side."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "How are you, darling?", and then her Mother
spoke to her.
"I do not like to see you worried, Crissie."
Miss Colquhoun said : "I am not worried now, dear. I am all right
now. I miss you terribly, darling, but I am so glad you have got
Father." Her Mother replied
"Uncle Cuthbertson was talking to me and we spoke about
Aunt Mary."
"I remember her when they were in Shields Road."
Miss Colquhoun agreed, and then asked : "You are happy, aren't
you, darling?", and her Mother assured her:
"I just wish you were half so well and happy as I am ; all my
worry is to see you worried and nobody with you. I would
not want to be back, Crissie, but I am so glad to come and
talk to you. I would rather
120

stay here, and get everything very nice for your

homecoming."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Mother, have you ever met Aunt Agnes ?"
Her Mother said
"No, but I have spoken to her, just as you would talk to
someone on the phone. It is not the same, but that is the
only way I can describe it. When I get the condition, I am
able to speak to her. She is on beyond me. You will get many
surprises at what happens here."
Another voice then spoke
"I am just an Indian speaking. I am not like my friend,
Whitefeather. I have not got the tuition but I have learned,
by mixing with the people who come from the Higher
Spheres, something of those advanced spheres, where they
live. You know, my friends, in the Spirit World, space is
beyond expression. We cannot measure it or limit it, and
beyond in space are worlds beyond worlds, all peopled by
those who have advanced far beyond us, and we on this side
are only on the fringe of that journey towards those spheres
where they dwell, gorgeous in their light, their beauty and
their love, so that I must fail in my description of it.
"I do not want to go very far on my way until I get the
members of my own family with me. Meantime I understand
that once we pass beyond these spheres in which I have
been for a very long time, we shall at once acquire the
knowledge of a language which everyone knows."
(Communication by telepathy, which requires no words.)
We asked who he was, and he replied:
121

"I cannot say whether you will all know me in this little
company of friends, as it is composed today. It is Blue Moon
who is speaking. I am so delighted because I have learned to
speak in your language, and am able to come to the home
(Mrs. Lang's house) of my dearly beloved friend and brother
(Arthur Lang), with whom I am a co-worker on this side of
life. God bless you, my little hostess, and give you joy. They
are all waiting at the Golden Gate, and when the sun shines
bright on it earth will fade.
"I use the name `Golden Gate' as an expression symbolical,
as the entrance from the physical to the spirit side of life ;
where you shall all meet again and there is no more parting;
where all misunderstandings are cleared away, and the little
pin-pricks prick no more, and every tangled thread is
straightened out for ever; where we are all brothers and
sisters, helping and cheering each other on our eternal
journey through life. This is Blue Moon. It is so true, as I
have said before, that, when it comes to the parting of the
ways, you cannot but have a feeling of sorrow at leaving
friends on earth. As I tried to put it to you before
`One last fond look from the friends who stand, One last
hand-clasp of the parting hand, Ere the barque slips out on
the evening breeze, For the shores of God's Summerland.' "
Another voice then spoke to Miss Stove, saying:
"Miss Stove, it is Faithful speaking. I have been asked by
friends, John number one and John number
122

two, to speak to you, and to accompany you on the way

home when you leave here. This I will have pleasure in
doing. They are all busy, your friends here, not unduly so,
for to be busy on this side is not an irksome job. It is a
beautiful land."
(John 1 is Miss Stove's brother, and John 2 is John Hardman, her
fiancé on earth, who has spoken to her on other occasions in the
presence of Mr. Sloan and the other gifted Glasgow Direct Voice
Medium, Mr. Phoenix. We shall hear more from John Hardman, a
lawyer and author on earth, as this book proceeds.)
Faithful went on without a break
"If I could just take you by the still waters and through the
green pastures, through our lovely gardens, and show you
our hillsides, our mountain ranges, and all the beauties of
this wonderful country. Flowers that bloom in all colours
which you will never know in the earth life, and which never
fade or decay. The beautiful birds that sing in the trees,
without fear. It is a wonderful country, and I worship the
thought of the Mighty Chief who made it all, the Happy
Hunting Ground. I found, when I came to this side, dear
friends, it was not a hunting ground, unless it was hunting
for friends known on earth, and who were as anxiously
seeking for me."
Mr. Sloan said : "You have changed, Faithful. You do not speak as
you used to do."
Faithful replied
"Would you rather that I spoke in the old way ?",
and Mr. Sloan said : "Oh no, not at all, friend. I think you have
improved."
Faithful replied
"You know it is the march of evolution, and such a wonderful
evolution for me to get away
123

from the cares and troubles of the world, for when you feast
your eyes on the Spiritland beauties, earth fades into
insignificance, except for the loved ones left behind. There
is nothing to fear; the only thing I would advise you to do is
to prune your earth plumage by good deeds and actions in a
quiet unassuming way. You will find that not one of these
little actions will be forgotten on this side; gems for your
raiment, diamonds for your home. Everyone is reaping the
labour of love which you have sown on earth life helping
others ; it will all go to your heritage in the land of spirit."
Then came silence. Faithful, in a loud clear voice, without hesitation,
had told us of the beauties and happiness in store for us, but we
were soon to be brought back to everyday present realities by Mrs.
Lang asking if some spirit friend could tell us the time. She
explained that she did not want to have people hurrying away
without tea as they did last time. In a few seconds someone from
the other side said
"It is exactly twenty-five minutes to ten."
A very powerful voice then spoke. He said to Miss Colquhoun
"Now keep of good heart and keep cheerful, Miss Colquhoun.
There are many good friends helping you, and cast your care
and your worries on the spirit side of life."
Then, addressing Mrs. Bowes, he said:
"Think of your big chief - if I may say William, whom you love
so much; he is still anxious and willing to help you. You
cannot load him too hard, it is the price he wishes to pay."
124

To Miss Duff he said:

"The little lady who is always ministering to others who are
in trouble and pain-may you also be of good cheer. You have
changed very much in your life's work, in a new sphere, so
to speak, and I am sure you will fill that with precision. I
wish you luck and I wish you happiness in that sphere." (Miss
Duff was a wartime nurse.)
To Miss McRobbie he said
"The little lady who needs cheering again, that is your
Mother standing beside you, my dear. She is very glad to
know that you have changed from where you were, and have
come to a different place ; she says it will be to your
advantage. John will be all right, and she mentions
Stranraer. I should have said Jim, not John. She has put me
right, and you will understand now."
Miss McRobbie agreed, and then he spoke to Miss Dearie with some
hesitation
"I am in a difficulty about the next name Dearie ; am I
allowed to call you that ?"
Miss Dearie said : "Certainly, I will be very pleased."
"Thank you, my dear; your sister is getting on very nicely on
this side, she is extremely happy. Have you a brother in
earth life ? Your sister seems to be specially interested in
him just now. Tell him to work with care and make his
decisions very carefully at the present time."
Miss Dearie replied that this was quite correct, and then the
nameless speaker addressed Mr. Hart
"I am rather timid about speaking to the schoolmaster. I
might make a slip grammatically."
125

Mr. Hart replied : "That will not matter," to receive in answer

"You are a beautiful writer. You write such beautifully small
letters with a big meaning, and you have a bright mind,
which, if you don't mind my saying so, you can express in
writing better than in words. Well, I would suggest if you are
going to speak, put it down on paper first and then give vent
to it afterwards."
The speaker then said to someone on his own side
"No, I am not going away yet. I am going to speak to some
others here."
Evidently he stood aside for a little, as a different voice now spoke
to Miss Stove, saying
"It is Father speaking to you. How are you, my dear? You
know how hard it pinches me to see what you have come
through. I am so happy that you know we are happy here,
and often with you."
Miss Stove said: "Thank you very much, Father; and Mother-how is
she?"
Her Father said
"Mother sends her love to you. She is away at a distance just
now, working amongst the dear ones who have been
transported from the Earth Plane to this side through the
War. She is a wonderful woman, your Mother-and my
darling."
Miss Stove replied : "Yes, Father dear, she is wonderful. God bless
you."
The previous speaker then spoke to Miss Stove, saying :
"As your Father was beside you, I thought it better to let
him give that message himself, so I
126

took a back seat, Miss Stove, but I join in the sentiments of

what he was saying. I think I must go now."
Someone said : "Are you not going to speak to Mrs. Lang?", and he
replied:
"Mrs. Lang will be quite satisfied to know that Blue Moon
spoke to her. You may take it from me, my dear friend, Mrs.
Lang, the subject which he delivered to you is part and
parcel of the expressions of myself and of your own dear
ones who are often with you ; and, as for my old friend here,
I need not speak to him because he would not believe me."
Mr. Sloan said: "I wouldna say that, but who is talking to me?"
He got the reply:
"You should know who I am. You are glad that I have
progressed ; you know I did not understand many of the
things you used to say, but now I understand all that is said.
I am Pathfinder. My dear friends, I wish I had the power and
that I could direct you all into the path of rest, the path of
joy, and the path of happiness, but unfortunately, during the
earth life you are in, you cannot always take these paths. I
have tried to show you the pathway which leads from the
cares and troubles of the world life, to rest and peace, to
home and friends at last, never more to part again. God
bless you. I am Pathfinder."
Mrs. Lang said: "Thank you, Pathfinder. Will you close the Meeting
for us?", and this he did in these words
"Spirit of Purity in Whom there is no guile, Who knows every
heart and understands every soul, let the blessing of Thy
holy harmony and the blessing
127

of Thy holy love rest upon and remain with them.

Overshadow them with Thy wings of love, guard them with
Thy Almighty Power, and keep them from all harm and care
until life's journey is done, giving them a final and glorious
entry into Thy glorious Home at last, and to Thee be the
Glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Mr. Greenlees (Mrs. Lang's father) started the Doxology from the
other side, and then said
"Crissie, you can sing it best yourself," which we did and this
ended the Sitting.
When I was having my regular Sittings with John Sloan, away back in
the years 1918 to 1924, I soon learned that it was wiser not to be
too curious and only to ask a few questions at a time. I was told to
take what came, but that if I wished to ask many questions I could
have private sittings for that purpose, when those fitted to answer
me would be present to speak. Moreover, I found that the other
sitters were not anxious to receive the information I wanted, and
that they only wished to talk to their friends on the other side.
So these private Sittings were held, and I took with me my secretary
to make notes of everything said and done. Much of the information
received will be found in On the Edge of the Etheric and the two
books which followed it, The Rock of Truth and The Unfolding
Universe, and, if the reader, as I do, feels that many questions occur
to him in the record of the Sittings reported in this book he is now
reading, the answers will probably be found by referring to these,
my earlier works.
128

Because of war conditions most of the sitters at the Meetings

reported in this book, Where Two Worlds Meet, were women,
anxious to speak to their friends and relations on the other side.
They were familiar with the conditions, having sat at previous
séances, and those matters they had wished to know about had
doubtless been already cleared up. So they sat, listened and spoke
when spoken to from Etheria, and, when everything is added up, it
will be found that they obtained a great amount of valuable
information.
Consequently, in this book, we shall find many homely talks,
interspersed with sermonettes and lecturettes, in each of which
there is something of value to remember. Several of the sitters were
mediumistic to a certain degree, and sensed individual Etherians
who were present and sometimes they referred to them by name
before they spoke.
It is not easy or natural for Etherians to produce the sound of their
earth voices, especially when the vibrations of their vocal organs
have been reduced by absorbing ectoplasm and the other
ingredients they add to it, to bring them down to the level necessary
to vibrate our atmosphere. So only occasionally do we recognize
their earth voices, and the wonder is that we hear them so distinctly
that we can easily distinguish them as the voices of men, women
and children. We can easily tell the sex of the speaker, and
sometimes the men's voices are so loud that the sitters wonder if
neighbors will be disturbed and think a quarrel is going on.
To the novice it is all very strange, and the darkness makes it rather
eerie, but that feeling soon passes oft.
129

General conversation between the sitters, besides the necessary

singing to relieve any tension and keep the atmosphere in
movement, prevents us from concentrating too much on our strange
situation. A relaxed individual is more easily drawn from than one
strung up, as, besides getting the ectoplasm from the Medium, the
sitters are also drawn upon to a certain extent.
The Medium gives his ectoplasm in more abundance, but each one
supplies a quota which is returned to Medium and sitters when the
Sitting comes to an end. Neither the Medium nor the sitters are any
the worse. So we are told not to cross our legs, as to do so prevents
the orifices of our body remaining naturally open, and, from time to
time, a sitter is asked by an Etherian to put his two feet on the floor.
They never make a mistake as they have their own light and can
see everything because our darkness means nothing to them.
Our minds can also be read by them without difficulty, and they can
tell all our thoughts. Each mind produces pictures which we call
thoughts. We picture a horse, or a table, or a house when we think
of them. That is what thinking is, and they can see these pictures as
we see pictures on a cinematograph screen. Thus they can read our
thoughts and tell us what we are thinking about. Not only have they
told me that they can see the pictures made by my mind, but I have
tested them and been told time and again what my thoughts were.
So this makes us understand what the Scotsman meant at the
beginning of the foregoing séance when he said : "I got your
thoughts."
130

Our friends in Etheria tell us repeatedly that our position and

condition, when we reach them, depends on how we live here, and
that as we sow we shall reap. We will not come across angels and
devils when we pass on, but men and women like ourselves in form,
feature and character, both good and bad. Our character will decide
for us with whom we shall live, but all who speak to us seem anxious
to progress and develop mentally.
It is this mental unfoldment which goes on in Etheria, in a much
more marked degree than here on earth, that accounts for the
different planes on which they live. Evidently our thoughts influence
our etheric body in a way we cannot understand here, and its
vibrations are affected by thought. As they think, so do their bodies
vibrate, and, as they vibrate, so Etherians live in a place harmonious
to these vibrations, but, by lowering their vibrations by thought,
they can come right back to earth and take on earth conditions.
Our memory, being part of our mind, goes with us when we die,
because our mind is housed in our etheric body, and it surrounds
and interpenetrates our etheric brain in our etheric head. We notice
that our friends who come back to us remember what took place on
earth, and their affection for us seems as strong as it was before
they left our earth. Much evidential information has been received
from Etherians over the past hundred years, and some of this is
contained in hundreds of different books recording messages from
Etheria. They remember what happened on earth and, when an
Etherian recalls things to our minds which we have forgotten, or
tells us something that happened, about which we know nothing,
and
131

later find to be true, we come to the conclusion that the person

speaking is none other than the one he (she) claims to be.
This conclusion comes to us as we read on, and voice after voice
speaks. Each voice speaks to the right person and has something to
say which interests that person. No systematic attempt is made in
these recorded séances, by the speakers, to remind the sitters
about past events, but, when relations or friends speak from the
other side, they carry on just as if they were part of the circle and
speak to those they know. They know their friends here and their
friends on earth recognise them by what they say, just as happens
on the telephone where one understands the other. Our first name
usually is used when in conversation by telephone with relations, so
perhaps it is not so strange that sometimes their second names are
not always given by our Etherian relations when they speak to us.
Only one conversation between a mother and son, or between a
sister and brother, or between two friends, one here and one in
Etheria, would not convince us, but, when we get them by the
hundred, and everything is understood and natural, we must
conclude that, when added up and brought together, there is an
overwhelming mass of evidence that those who speak are none
other than those they claim to be. Otherwise whose voices are
speaking, whence comes the affection and personality, and who is it
who gives these talks to us about the land they live in, and how best
we should live on earth so that we can join them when we die? It
must all be real and true, because all this undoubtedly has
happened, and still does happen, and all we have read, and will
read, could never have taken place unless men, women and
children, though unseen, had taken part in the conversations
reported.
132

Take, for instance, the return of Lord and Lady Aberdeen and Mr.
Gladstone. How natural it all is when we know what went before.
Lord and Lady Aberdeen were both Spiritualists and I knew them
well. Lady Aberdeen told me that Lord Aberdeen, the first Marquis,
died in his chair while reading On the Edge of the Etheric. Later on
my brother took Lady Aberdeen, who was unknown to Sloan, to a
sitting with the Sloan circle when Lord Aberdeen, Lord Goschen, Mr.
E. Gladstone, Lord Rosebery and Mr. Bonar Law spoke to her. In my
brother's book Reunited he tells how Mr. Gladstone made a number
of correct references to his home, Hawarden, about which only Lady
Aberdeen could have known, as she had stayed there.
Then Lord Aberdeen said to his wife, "Do you remember, Ishbel, the
25th of July? That was a very happy day. Mrs. Gladstone sent you a
picture." This was the day they became engaged to be married, and
on the same day they were driving down Bond Street in London
when they saw Mr. Gladstone on the pavement. They stopped and
told him of their engagement, and that evening a letter of
congratulation, and a small water-colour picture, were received by
her from Mrs. Gladstone. The two families are still friends, and
Gladstone said that he was brought to the séance we are now
considering in this book by "We Twa," the name Lord and Lady
Aberdeen gave themselves from their book of that title recording
their happy married life.
133

CHAPTER V
MEETING AT MRS. LANG'S HOUSE, GIFFNOCK, GLASGOW
Present: MRS. CRISSIE LANG, MR. ALEXANDER HART, MRS. HILDA
MORITZ, MR. GEORGE MORITZ, MISS MILNE, MISS JEAN DEARIE,
MISS ELIZABETH DUFF, MR. DONALD CAMERON, MRS. LILLIAs
BOWES, MISS CRISSIE COLQUHOUN, MR. JOHN SLOAN.
WE opened with the usual hymn, Nearer, my God, to Thee, and then
repeated The Lord's Prayer. A voice from the other side joined in the
"Amen."
We were talking about gardens, and Mr. Sloan asked Miss Dearie if
she had a garden.
Miss Dearie replied: "No, just a small patch at the back which could
hardly be called a garden."
He asked Miss Duff if she had one, and Miss Duff replied
"Oh, it is just a little patch, but I have been trying to grow some
vegetables on it."
A voice from the other side broke in
"You are just a sweet little patch yourself."
We laughed, and Miss Duff said: "Thank you very much, friend."
Miss Milne then said she was getting a lot of names through-both of
places and people, but she did not know who they were for.
134

A voice said
"Well, if you give them out, it might bring some other person
who could explain, my dear."
Miss Milne replied : "Well, I am getting the names Benjie and John,
and someone is saying `the Colonel is here'."
No further explanation was given at this time, so we sang The Lord
is my Shepherd.
After this we heard two spirit voices talking to each other in a
foreign language, and the trumpets touched Mrs. Bowes, who said:
"Oh, thank you, friends. Have you a message for me? How kind of
you. How I wish I could understand what you are saying. Can you
understand what I am saying to you?"
A voice in very broken English then said:
"I am your friend. I Indian."
Mrs. Bowes said: "Oh, thank you, friend. Were you a North American
Indian?"
The voice replied
"No, no, East Indian. I say : `All right-all well with Bill'," who
was abroad in the Forces.
Mrs. Bowes said: "Oh, that is lovely, friend. Thank you very much.
Are you the Indian who is attached to my Bill?"
He replied:
"Lady, I that man. I help Bill all can. India very troubled and I
do all can to help. Good day."
Mrs. Bowes said: "God bless you for what you are doing."
He replied:
"Thanks." (Pronounced "tanks".)
135

Mrs. Bowes said to us: "Bill knows he has an Indian Guide. He is a

little psychic himself, and he understands about this."
The Indian replied
"Bill-much psychic."
Another voice then said:
"Did you make out what was said ? Did you understand ?"
Mr. Sloan replied: "Well, it would be a job to understand some of
your talk sometimes, friend."
Mr. Moritz said: "Oh no, Mr. Sloan, that friend is talking very plainly
indeed: yes, we quite understood, friend."
The voice replied
"Friend Sloan, you are not very complimentary to me."
Mr. Sloan said: "I apologise, freen (friend), I didna mean to
disparage you at all, but some of the foreign freens are awfu'
difficult to understand-222 is a terror."
Mr. Cameron said: "Oh no, 222 is very fine and a beautiful speaker."
Another voice from the other side remarked
"You are just the same old John Sloan, you must get it off
your chest."
Miss Colquhoun here remarked : "It is very wonderful when you
think of all the friends who come to talk to us here. It should make
us all very happy."
To this a voice replied
"Thank you, my dear, that is the proper spirit to come here
with, my dear girl. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Seek-and wait, and you shall see. We must obey; we cannot
hurry anything
136

here, or anyone. If they are not present, well-we cannot help

it."
We sang next, Far, far away, like bells at evening pealing, and a
sweet little bell rang all the time, keeping time to the music. One of
us remarked that this was done by Mr. Hart's little friend and how
nice it was to hear the bell ringing so beautifully.
A reply came from the other side
"When we love someone then nothing is a trouble; nothing is
too much and no work too tedious to bring joy to those we
love. This, however, is not tedious work, but a great joy to
us, getting these little messages through to you."
Then another voice said:
"I am one of these. Oh, how I long to get a message through
to one I love."
Mrs. Lang asked: "Can we send a message, friend? Tell us who is
speaking."
The voice replied:
"I have not been here long, and I do not know any of you,
Ladies and Gentlemen, but, oh, how I long that one I loved
so well should know that I still live, that I am not dead."
Mrs. Lang asked: "Does she know about this?", and received the
reply:
"She does not know. I do not think so. I am afraid not ; I am
afraid not, but, oh, how I long to be able to tell her that I
still live."
Another voice from his own side then spoke to him:
"You must go now. We only brought you in here to see the
possibilities. Do not brood too much, and the door will be
opened to you. You may get in contact later."
137

To this he replied
"God bless you for saying that. I thank you. I am indeed
privileged in being allowed to be a spectator here, and it
gives me joy and lightens my soul that the possibility will
come my way of getting through to the one I love."
The other voice said to him "It will come, my brother," to which he
answered
"I am willing to let my case stand over for a little while until
those who know better than I do think I am more fitted to let
my case come forward again."
Miss Milne said: "He sounds as if he had been a lawyer. His speech
has a legal sound about it."
We then heard what sounded like the name "Robert", and asked if
that was right.
The reply came
"It is Robert. How are you getting on, Mrs. Moritz? Your
responsibilities are growing all the time."
Mrs. Moritz said she understood what was meant by this message. A
voice then spoke to Mr. Sloan, and he asked who was speaking, to
get the reply
"It is just your old friend, and if I were to tell you, you would
just say `Your are an auld nuisance.' It is Downie."
Mr. Sloan said : "I wouldna say that, Mr. Downie, though you were a
bit cranky." Mr. Downie replied
"Cranky-well, what about yourself? We would not be human
if we were not all a bit cranky at times. I do not like anyone
thinking they are so perfect that they are not touchy
sometimes. The
138

little irritations of life irk everyone. We cannot all see

through the same glasses, Mr. Hart. We cannot all enjoy the
same appreciation of the beauties round about us. Some
things appear more beautiful to one than to another, and we
carry that feeling over here until we advance further in this
lovely land towards perfection.
"It is a constant source of wonder to me to understand why I
can speak to you here so that you can hear me. I think I
must be speaking very clearly tonight, because I sometimes
come into your surroundings, not only here but in your
home, and talk to you in the same manner as I am speaking
at present, but you do not appear to hear me. I must give
the credit for you being able to hear me now to our old
friend here."
Mr. Sloan replied : "Well, friend, I do not know whether it is a credit
or an affliction," and to this characteristic remark Mr. Downie
replied:
"It is a most glorious affliction."
The trumpet then touched Mr. Moritz, and a voice said
"How are you, Mr. Moritz, and you, Mrs. Moritz ?" Mr. Moritz
asked who was speaking, and heard in answer:
"You should know who it is. These were the good old days. I
have not managed to change the bank notes yet, Mr. Moritz.
I am giving you a clue, you know, and you are getting pretty
hot, Mr. Hart. You are thinking of Greenock."
Mr. Hart said: "Is it Mr. Wink?", and the reply came
"Precisely."
139

Another voice from the other side then said rather loudly
"You must be brief, friend."
Mr. Wink said
"How are you, Mrs. Moritz ?"
Mrs. Moritz replied that she was very well, and glad to hear him
speaking. One of us asked if the name was Wink or Winks, and got
the reply
"Wink, Wink. I would not carry such a name as Winks."
The trumpet fell suddenly and Miss Colquhoun lifted it up as Mr.
Wink remarked
"Your speaking-tube went away and I could not speak. Thank
you, Miss Colquhoun, for assisting me to get it back."
A voice then broke in:
"It was not the old fellow's trumpet so he need not get riled
at me."
Mr. Sloan said: "It does not matter to me, freen, which trumpet you
are using," and to this the same voice replied
"It was not Mr. Wink who said `the old fellow's trumpet.' It
was me."
One of us asked, "And who is me?", to get the reply
"I am I ; that is all you are going to be told meantime."
Mr. Cameron remarked that he had a dominant voice, and received
as the answer:
"If you were feeling `I am it,' you would have the same voice
yourself, friend Cameron."
Miss Duff passed the remark that he sounded very well pleased with
himself, and he replied:
140

"I discharge my duty to the best of my ability,

Miss Duff. I hope I am not speaking rudely to you."
Miss Duff replied : "Not at all, friend, and I hope you did not take
offence at what I said." To this apology he answered
"Certainly not, but when I give an order I expect it to be
obeyed, and, when I receive an order, I try to obey it as best
I can."
We sang again, They are winging, they are winging, and several
voices sang the hymn along with us. There were at least three spirit
voices singing at the same time, two of which were very clear and
distinct; and besides this a lovely light floated about, keeping time
to the music. After we had sung two or three verses, a lady's voice
said
"Oh, do sing it again, my darlings! I love to hear you sing
and I love to join in these hymns. It brings back the old days
when I was in the body."
Mrs. Lang asked who had spoken, and the reply came back
"Ina."
Mr. Sloan exclaimed: "Ina! I knew Ina very well; what a dear wee
soul she was. I had her husband up seeing me a couple of months
ago, and he was awful cut up when we were speaking about her."
The voice said
"My Jack, my dear Jack."
Another voice then said:
"Now, now, Mr. Sloan, you are not to get upset. I am Billie,
and I am looking after Mother."
Mr. Sloan said : "Wee Billie, are you looking after Ina, your Mother? I
am real glad to hear you speaking. You were just a wee fellow when
you went over.
141

You just hunt up `Mammy' (Mrs. Sloan). She was real fond of you
and will help you to look after your Mother."
Billie replied:
"We were speaking to her not long ago." A voice then said
"Margaret; good evening, friends."
We asked who she was for, and got the reply:
"It is Margaret Cochrane speaking. I bring a message for
Isobel McRobbie. All our love to her. She will know who it is-
James and Margaret Cochrane-and our love to Jim too."
The message was sent to Miss McRobbie, who afterwards mentioned
that James and Margaret Cochrane were brother and sister, and her
close relations, Jim being her eldest brother and still on earth.
A lady then spoke to Mrs. Lang, and said:
"Mrs. Lang, will you give Bessie a message ? This is her
Mother speaking. Tell her I heard her asking for a message,
and please let her understand that I am here tonight. I am
often with her, and in all the turns and twists on the road of
life my hand will guide her. Tell her that from Mother."
Mrs. Lang promised to do so, and received the reply
"Thank you so much. I may be able to do something for you
some day. You spoke to Bessie on the 'phone one day as
well. I tried to chip in but I could not do so. Tell Bessie to
keep her spirits up. Tell her, Mother thinks she has done
nobly. God bless her. She must keep going. None of you will
go away until your duties on earth are completed,
142

and may God give you grace to say to the end `Thy will be
done.' It takes a big heart and a big fortitude, sometimes, to
say `God knows best,' but you will see that this is so when
you come to this side. God bless you.
Mrs. Lang said : "Bessie will get your message, Mrs. Stevenson, as
soon as I can get into touch with her in the morning."
A man's voice then said:
"Well, Mr. Cameron, what do you think of that now ?"
Mr. Cameron replied : "It was very interesting and very nice," and to
this the voice replied
"Was it not very lovely to hear that beautiful message sent
from a mother to a daughter ?"
Mr. Cameron replied : "Very nice indeed," and the voice went on
"As I heard one of the Indians say to you recently `If once
perfect love has flowed in your heart, nothing can eradicate
that love. It will burn through all earth life and through
eternity.' "
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Who is speaking?", and the voice replied:
"You should know who it is, Crissie."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Is it Father?", and he replied
"It is Father. You know my love for you will never die, my
darling. It is stronger than ever. Now bear up, my darling."
Miss Colquhoun said : "Thank you, Father dear, and how is Mother?
Is she not with you as usual?" Mr. Colquhoun said
"No, Crissie, she is doing other work tonight,"
143

and to this Miss Colquhoun asked: "Is she getting on, Father?", his
reply being
"Splendidly."
He then placed materialised hands on his daughter's head as
though blessing her, and then clasped her hand. Mr. Cameron asked
a question about this, and then he too felt hands on his head.
Mr. Colquhoun asked:
"Can you feel my fingers, Sir ?"
and Mr. Cameron replied : "Yes, I do, Sir, and quite strongly too."
Mr. Colquhoun said
"You know the saying-'Oh, for the touch of a vanished hand.'
Well, you have got that tonight."
Mr. Cameron replied : "Thank you, my friend."
Mr. Cameron remarked that he wondered why there was often a sad
condition brought along when friends were speaking to us, and
received the reply:
"We are not sad. Some day we may make the meaning clear
and you will understand."
Mr. Cameron said : "I was asking a very natural question just now: is
it that you take on something of the Medium's condition when you
appear sad at times?"
A new voice replied
"We are not sad-quite the reverse ; it is only when we see
and feel the unhappiness of others on contacting this plane
that we take on a kindred feeling. You would not be human
if you did not feel sad and sorrowful for others at times. We
would not be brothers and sisters to each other if we did not
get this mutual sorrow, and this applies not only to your
own friends, but to all those ministering angels who watch
over you. They have kindred feelings with you, and enter
144

into all your sorrows and all your joys, and try to help you at
all times. You know in your heart. I am an Indian speaking to
you.
"Each individual heart in this little gathering today has some
little care and worry at times that you cannot talk about to
anyone. Then the flight of memory goes out and you think of
one you have loved very much, and you say-'Oh, if I had only
Jeanie, James, Mary, or John here, I could tell them all about
it,' and probably the one you are thinking of is standing
beside you at that time, trying to help you and sending out
love to you. God bless you all."
We heard another voice speaking apparently to the Indian who had
just spoken:
"That was fine-good for you."
Then came a strange noise through one of the trumpets, like a
rocket going up, to be followed by tapping like a morse code
message. Then came the word
"Poona."
This was repeated twice and then stopped. We were not told what it
meant, and Mrs. Moritz could not catch the morse message-if it was
morse.
We sang the hymn Count your Blessings, and after singing it a voice
said very gently
"Count your many blessings, count them every one, and it
will surprise you what the good God hath done. I am Walter
Howell."
Mr. Sloan said: "Mr. Howell. I am so glad to hear you speaking. I was
always so fond of Mr. Howell. He was always so kind and gentle. A
good man."
145

Mr. Howell replied

"Thank you, my friend. May I return the compliment, brother
Sloan ?"
Mrs. Lang enquired for Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, and Mr. Howell
replied that they were engaged in some other work and could not
come tonight.
Mr. Howell then asked:
"How is my friend, Mr. Thomson? Do you know ?"
Mrs. Lang replied : "Oh, well, he is getting on in years like the rest of
us, but I think he is all right. I see his daughter sometimes."
Mr. Sloan added : "I am glad you remember us all," and he replied
"Yes, I remember very well. I could not forget old friends. I
am just waiting to see you all when you come over. I
remember with joy many incidents in my earth life but God
has given me a great blessing, Ladies and Gentlemen. He
has given me eyesight that I may see and render a little
service and succour to many of my fellow brothers and
sisters in earth life when they come over here. I hope I did
my little best while in earth life. It was very little but I did
the best I could.
"To all here I would say, in the troublous times you live in,
when you seem up against it, leave all your troubles and
cares entrusted in the love of God. Victory will come if you
persevere. Count your many blessings. If you just take a
retrospective view, any one of you, I am sure in your inmost
souls you will say-'I have come past many a tight corner and
I must count my blessings for the guidance received'. God
will enable you to find a solution for all life's troubles.
146

I have found it, and all of you will experience these good
things if by faith you cling to the good old way."
The trumpet then touched Mr. Cameron and a voice said:
Jim.
Mr. Cameron said : "Yes, I know Jim, come away.
The voice said
"What have you got to say to me ?"
Mr. Cameron replied : "I am very interested in you, Jim, and I am
very pleased to contact you here. You are Jim Black, are you not?"
The voice answered
"Yes, and John is here also. We are both beside you."
Mr. Cameron replied: "John, I am delighted you have come. How are
you getting on?" John said
"Throw out your thoughts to us sometimes, and if you are in
trouble. I don't want trouble to come to you but, if it does,
don't be above letting a little message go out to us. It would
make us so happy to be allowed to help you in any way."
Mr. Cameron remarked : "Thank you. Would that be helpful to you?",
and received the reply
"It would be beneficial to both sides."
Another voice addressed Mrs. Lang:
"You know, sweet lady, there are so many in trouble today
on your side of life. I tread the path of your earth way at
times and my heart is sad. I know you are wondering at me
saying `My heart is sad', but I take on the feelings of
sadness, distress
147

and sorrow which are around, and I just wish I could lift
them all away. I just wish all in the Earth Plane could get
into harmony with divine love and leave their cares and
sorrows behind them. Yes, friend Sloan, I see you sitting
there moping. I know you would not listen to me if you knew
who was talking."
Mr. Sloan replied: "Oh yes, friend, I am always pleased enough to
listen, and I suppose if you are talking I will have to listen to you
whether I want to or not, but I will not promise to do what you tell
me."
A girl's voice then broke in:
"Daddy, my own dear Daddy!"
Mrs. Lang asked: "Is it Nessie or Peggy who is speaking?", and the
voice answered:
"I did not know my Daddy well in the earth life, but, oh, how
I love him now. It is Nessie, Daddy. I saw you looking at the
only photograph you have of what was my little frame."
Mr. Sloan said: "God bless you, my wee girl. I was just looking at it
yesterday."
Miss Dearie asked Mr. Sloan how old Nessie was when she passed
over, and he replied : "One year and a day."
Mr. Sloan continued: "I was looking at a lot of photos the other day,
and that one I have of Mr. Lang. It is not very clear, Mrs. Lang "
A voice interrupted what he was going to say:
"You lost the negative and it was taken off an old photo."
Mr. Sloan replied : "I dinna mind (I don't remember) losing any
negative," but the voice insisted
"Yes, you lost the negative and it had to be taken off an old
photograph."
148

Mrs. Lang exclaimed : "Yes, that is right, Mr. Sloan. I remember you
lost the negative and hunted all over for it. Who is it that knows all
about the photos? It must be someone who knows me very well."
Miss Colquhoun said: "Yes, and he is a very clear speaker."
The unknown voice replied:
"Thank you, my dear. It is very difficult to tune in to your
conditions just now. The vibrations around you are so
difficult to manage, and more energy is taken from our
reserves to try and ease the pathway, to show the light, to
open the way to those who are making the crossing through
this War, and that is a beautiful duty-to feel that we can
bring comfort to someone, to convince them that they are
no longer the tenants of their earth body.
"The most surprising thing to many is to find that they are
just the same and that they are not in Heaven and they are
not in Hell. They are just where the good God has meant
them to be for the time being. It is a beautiful world. Those
they have left behind are their chief anxiety, and their
greatest desire is to get into contact with them and let them
know that they are still alive. That desire will be granted in
time when they get a little rest and have recovered from
their crossing.
"I wish I could portray to you the startled look on some of
the faces of those who have made the change and find they
are standing, firmly grounded. We try to explain to them
that they have passed from the earth life into the Spirit
World. As one
149

young man, a young soldier, said to me: `But I am myself; it

is amazing-look-this is my hand; these are my legs; I am
myself; I still have my body.' Then it dawns upon them, and
immediately their thought is of those left behind whom they
love. It may be a mother, sister, brother, wife or sweetheart.
How to get into touch with them and let them know that
everything is all right; that they still live. Their chief plaint
is: `Oh, that I could tell them.' We explain that this may be
possible later on and then things are much better.
"No one is left alone on coming over here; not one passes
the border-line without some ministering one receiving
them, and they are the more favoured who get their own
friends. Many of those who are coming over at the present
time are not conscious of their passing. They had given
little, if any, thought to the spiritual side of life while on the
Earth Plane, and they are very confused. They had not been
schooled in the way of life that you, my friends, have been.
You know what to expect in a general way, but they had not
that knowledge."
The trumpet then touched Miss Dearie, and a voice said
"And how are you, my ain kind Dearie oh ?"
Miss Dearie replied : "I am very well, thank you. Who is speaking?"
He replied
"It is Jim-James, you know."
Miss Dearie said: "Thank you, James, but I am afraid I do not know
who you are yet. I would like to know what your second name is."
He laughed, and said
150
young man, a young soldier, said to me: `But I am myself; it
is amazing-look-this is my hand; these are my legs; I am
myself; I still have my body.' Then it dawns upon them, and
immediately their thought is of those left behind whom they
love. It may be a mother, sister, brother, wife or sweetheart.
How to get into touch with them and let them know that
everything is all right; that they still live. Their chief plaint
is: `Oh, that I could tell them.' We explain that this may be
possible later on and then things are much better.
"No one is left alone on coming over here; not one passes
the border-line without some ministering one receiving
them, and they are the more favoured who get their own
friends. Many of those who are coming over at the present
time are not conscious of their passing. They had given
little, if any, thought to the spiritual side of life while on the
Earth Plane, and they are very confused. They had not been
schooled in the way of life that you, my friends, have been.
You know what to expect in a general way, but they had not
that knowledge."
The trumpet then touched Miss Dearie, and a voice said
"And how are you, my ain kind Dearie oh ?"
Miss Dearie replied : "I am very well, thank you. Who is speaking?"
He replied
"It is Jim-James, you know."
Miss Dearie said: "Thank you, James, but I am afraid I do not know
who you are yet. I would like to know what your second name is."
He laughed, and said
150

"I am not going to tell you, my dear. I am going to keep you

guessing."
Miss Dearie said: "Well, I have not guessed yet." The trumpet patted
her on the knee several times, but nothing more was said.
Then another voice exclaimed
"Bob, Bob, Bob."
We asked who it was and got the reply:
"It's Bobbie. Where is Mother? I used to speak quite often to
you, John Sloan. It's Bobbie Humble."
Mrs. Lang said: "Bobbie, I am delighted to hear you speaking," and
he replied
"Yes, I got the sensation that I should come to you, Mrs.
Lang. When you see Mother, tell her that Bobbie is still
Bobbie, with all his mischievous ways, the same laughing
ways that she loved so well. Tell her I am waiting but not
worrying, until the sands of time run out and she joins me
here."
Mrs. Lang promised to do so. Then someone remarked that there
was no message for Miss Stove to-night.
Mrs. Lang said she had had a letter from Miss Stove and that she
had got her affairs settled very well and was quite happy again.
A voice from the other side said she was Miss Stove's mother.
"I am sure I told her all would come well, Mrs. Lang. Just to
have patience, and I know she trusted my word. Everything
will workout well by and by."
Another voice said
"It is a peculiar thing-the web of life ; different for each one,
and still it must be woven correctly.
151

You are all weaving the web of life for yourself. You are all
weaving personality and character on earth. You are living a
life that will go with you when you pass the barrier, and fit
you into the condition on this side that you have prepared
for yourself here on earth. This is an Indian not known to
you who is speaking."
We asked: "Do you know anyone here?", and received the reply
"I am not known to anyone in your immediate association. It
is a doorway where I saw the light and came in. I call it a
doorway; there is no door; I saw the doorway, Ladies and
Gentlemen. I know you will understand what I mean by that ;
a beautiful doorway where I can step through and be in the
presence of kindred spirits. We love to mix with the old
fellowships which on earth used to be ours, and we strive
and yearn to be of some comfort."
Miss Milne said: "Don't you know me, friend?"
He replied
"I have been with you many times. I have been attached to
you for some time, and when I saw that I could get into
contact with you here, I came. It is difficult for me to speak
in a language which you may be able to follow. I am Blue
Mist."
Miss Milne said that "Blue Mist is what his name signifies. He used to
talk to my Mother and me. He had to go away for a time but he said
he would come back, and that I would develop but I was not to let
myself go until I saw Blue Mist in front of me."
Blue Mist said
"I wonder if you realise what a beautiful word that is you
used just now-'Mother'-'My Mother'
152

it is beautiful. I am sure there is not one of you here who

can speak these words and not think that there was nobody
like that Mother to you. You know how much emphasis can
be put on the `My'. I am speaking, lady, now to you." (Mrs.
Bowes.)
Mrs. Bowes said : "Oh, thank you, dear friend. How nice of you to
speak to me."
He replied
"You are so gentle and kind, as you always were."
Mrs. Bowes remarked : "I do not remember my own Mother very
well. She passed when I was very little."
A lady's voice then said
"Mother never forgets. I watched you while you grew up,
studied your little life and your little ways. I am your
Mother. I have opened my arms and I hold you. God bless
you, darling. What I can do, for you, I will. All will be done
for you to the very utmost. I was present at one or two
tragic episodes in your life and I held on to you, especially at
one time when you were very low down."
Mrs. Bowes replied: "God bless you, my own darling Mother," and
received the reply:
"My child."
Mrs. Bowes then said: "Mother, could you pass on my love, dear, to
the one who tried to take your place?", and she received the
answer:
"I will do so. It is easy to pass on love. There is no thought of
jealousy now. It is only love we can give. We could not
convey anything other than love. There could be no message
conveyed to anyone on this side if it was not a message of
love. God bless you."
153

Another voice spoke, and we heard the name " Winnie". Mr. Moritz
said this would be his sister. She spoke again though not very
clearly, and Mr. Moritz asked if she could not speak a little louder as
she had managed to do last time. We heard her reply:
"I had the help of such a fine friend last time, but I cannot
get into touch with him just now."
Mr. Moritz said : " Winnie, I have written to Fred about this in my
letter, and gave him your message."
Someone in the company asked if he (Fred) accepted this truth, and
Mr. Moritz replied : "Well, he is interested and said he had an open
mind on the subject."
Here Winnie exclaimed
"Dear Fred, but it would need a great demonstration to
make him believe it."
A man's voice then said:
"It will be opened up to him, we shall see to that. Is it Geo. ?
Forgive me for calling you that, but I have heard them here
speaking about Geo. so often. I only know you, Mr. Moritz,
by 'Geo.'."
Mr. Moritz replied : "I am well known by that name amongst my
friends," and to this came the reply:
"I am pleased to hear that you do not take offence at me
using it. Love seems to emanate from the one here who uses
the word 'Geo.'; she is a beautiful lady with lovely hair, and,
above all, she has a beautiful soul. She passed in Los
Angeles, I think-if I am not mistaken, your beloved sister,
Mr. Moritz."
"That is true," remarked Mr. Moritz.
Then we heard what we took to be the name "Edward", but the
voice repeated more distinctly:
154

"It is Edwin. I have longed so much to speak to you, Mrs.

Lang."
Mrs. Lang replied: "I am very glad to hear you speaking, Mr. Foster."
He asked
"Are they still in the same place ?"
Mrs. Lang said : "They moved away to Devonshire,
you know, Mr. Foster. Do you see Harold?" He replied
"Just sometimes. We are at different work altogether, but I
do see him frequently. We send our thoughts to those we
love best on earth and I think they get them."
Mrs. Lang enquired : "Do you see your son-in-law sometimes?"
He replied
"I have never seen him. I know where he is. I think you will
understand that for yourself. You can read between the
lines. There are different stages of progress here. I hear of
him but no further than that. I cannot say I have seen him as
you see each other. I am more interested in the ones I loved
so well."
Mrs. Lang asked: "How is Harold getting on?", and he replied:
"Harold is doing fine. It is very difficult for me to send a
message to Ruth. You know I mean it is difficult for me to
send a message from Harold, to put it in phrases which she
would understand, except that he is getting on well, and is
always thinking of them. The difficulty is to get the contact.
That is the best we can do."
Mrs. Lang said : "The message will be conveyed," and he replied:
155

"Thank you, you were always so kind. I am sure the duties

and obligations that you take upon yourself must be very
difficult to fulfill, Mrs. Lang."
Mrs. Lang said that it was a pleasure for her to do so. A rather high-
pitched voice then said:
"Hello, how are you living: how are you living ?"
Mrs. Bowes replied: "That is a happy voice you have got. Who is
speaking, dear?", and received the reply
"Just myself. I am Bunty. Mr. Hart, just you put it down as
Bunty, and you, lady, scribbling here, just you write it down
as Bunty," and the trumpet jumped about on Miss Dearie's
knee.
She said: "All right, Bunty, but what is your other name? Bunty
what?"
Bunty replied
"Just Bunty, Bunty. I have not got speaking before. Can you
hear me ? Bunty likes this gentleman over here. He is such a
nice man. I love you."
We asked if it was Mr. Hart she meant, and she replied
"No, it is you, you, you, and Mrs. Moritz loves you too."
Mr. Moritz replied : "Thank you very much. Do we know you, Bunty?
Are you a little girl?" She replied
"No, I am grown up but my tongue is not good at your
words."
Mr. Moritz said: "Where did you live in the Earth Plane?" and she
replied:
"California."
Mr. Moritz said: "Do you know Winnie?", and Bunty said
156

"Yes. I have been speaking to Winnie."

Mr. Moritz said: "Well, will you help her, Bunty?", and she replied:
"No, no, I have to help myself first ; I have just discovered
today, tonight, tomorrow, how to speak. I speak to you
before but you did not hear Bunty. I know Whitey
(Whitefeather). He is fine. May I come yet ?"
We heard another voice speaking to her, saying:
"That is not what you should say. You ought to say : `May I
come again, Mrs. Lang
So Bunty repeated
"May I come again, Mrs. Lang ?"
and Mrs. Lang replied: "Certainly, Bunty, you may come as often as
you like. We will be glad to hear you.
She replied:
"Bunty will not forget."
She then said to Miss Milne
"Hello, little lady, always keep laughing like Bunty. Bunty
can cry too but I laugh through my tears."
Someone on the other side spoke to her again, and she replied to
him:
"I do not want to tell them all my troubles at all. I am not
going to tell them all my worries. Bunty is not going away."
She then said
"I like you, Mr. Cameron. You smile so much. I love you. Yes.
I love you all, all. I look around and I try to catch the
beautiful thoughts that come from you, from the house on
your tops (our heads), and sometimes it is not so full of
knowledge as you think."
157
Someone now remarked : "Well, we are getting it straight from the
shoulder," and Bunty replied
"No, you are getting it from my lips."
Miss Milne asked her if she was a squaw, and Bunty replied
"I was a papoose (a native North American Indian child), not a
squaw."
Miss Milne said: "You had not got that length. You were not married
then."
Bunty replied:
"It is not the beginning and the end of everything to be
married. It is sometimes the beginning of trouble for you,
and you never know where that trouble will end."
One of us then asked : "Where did you get your knowledge from,
Bunty?", and she replied:
"All knowledge comes from the Great White Chief of all ; I
have got you to smile and laugh, but Bunty would do
anything for any of you. Bunty is going to help. There are
many sad hearts in your world. Bunty sighs and cries with
the weary ones who do not know what to think and what to
do. I know there are some of you who have got friends who
are far away and Bunty will try to look after them. I like you,
Moritz, Chief," and at this point we heard a man's voice from
the other side saying
"Just a minute, Bunty," and she replied
"Whitefeather, I love you." He answered her
"I know that very well, Bunty. These are all my friends of the
old days, and I want you to be very
158

careful what you say. You are so very outrageous in some of

your remarks and you do not fully understand, but I know
you need not worry because they will understand you when I
have told them about you.
He then said to us on earth:
"She will do you no harm. It is Whitefeather speaking."
Mrs. Lang interposed: "We are so glad to hear you, Whitefeather,
and you sent Bunty to make us laugh."
Whitefeather replied
"There is not much laughter in your world today, and I have
not much comfort or cheer to send you. We just await the
Will of the Great Chief that all may be well, but it is not the
making of the Spirit World that you are in this condition
today. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is made on your side, and
there is a limit to what Whitey and the others who work with
me can do to help. Just thus far and no further, Mr.
Cameron. You understand, I know."
Mr. Cameron replied : "I understand very well," and Whitefeather
continued:
"I am so pleased just for a few brief moments to be with
you, and hope you will still remember me as the Whitey of
old-just passed through a little stage of progression, for
which I owe thanks to many friends on my side; particularly
to your beloved son, Mrs. Lang. It is still the old
Whitefeather's heart which throbs and beats for anyone in
trouble, and, if there is anything I can do to cheer you and
comfort you at any time, I will do so. I am Whitefeather."
159

Mrs. Bowes now enquired: "Whitefeather, I notice you said `all may
be well' and not `all will be well', as you usually do. Had you any
special reason for saying that?"
Whitefeather explained
"It cannot be `All well' for everyone ; if it comes `All well' for
certain on this side of your plane, it cannot be `all well' for
the others. There would be no unification, but I am indebted
to someone for giving me that word. I do not know what it
means myself but perhaps what I was going to say will
explain the matter. There will be no unification of the
peoples of the world until they all reach this plane of life,
where no enmity, no jealousy or hatred to anyone can
intervene. That is what I meant by unification, and then all
will be well for all, but until that time be up and doing, by
prayerful thoughts and kindly deeds, to help to bring
comfort and cheer to the lonely ones. Good day."
A long weird Indian call then came through and 222 spoke:
"I regret I have not been able to come to you at an earlier
stage of your gathering ; other things prevented me but my
thoughts were with you. I hope you hear me, friends, and I
also got the thoughts that were coming through your minds
tonight, or what you call tonight-this space, I call it. Time
does not count with us here. I have sensed your feelings,
your desires, your thoughts and aspirations, and you, little
lady (Miss Milne), I have also got a strong impression to say
to you--'Walk warily'-I think you understand what I mean.
There is something, but don't decide too quickly. I will leave
it
160

at that. Take it to the seat of reason first and wait with

patience for that spirit help which the Great Father God will
send your way. God bless you. My dear friends, I know in the
fleeting time of earth life one has many duties to perform,
and I do not wish to detain you. I will come some other
night. I find the power is going down and dwindling away,
but I feel the love that is in your hearts."
Mrs. Lang asked if he would start the Doxology for us, and he
replied
"You do me an honour, but I am not a singer, and I am afraid
my voice would not be very musical; someone else might do
it. And now-May the Peace which Thou alone, O Great White
Spirit, can give, come down and rest upon these Thy loved
ones and give them peace. Amen. God bless you all."
He then gave again his weird Indian cry, and went away, to be
followed by a voice which shouted:
"Alexander will have to hurry or he will be left."
This referred to Mr. Hart, so Mrs. Lang started the Doxology, and the
Sitting ended.
At the close of the last chapter I said that this book must be judged
as a whole, and not only by the evidence of survival given by
individual speakers. When judged as a series of nineteen separate
dramas, the evidence for their supernormal origin is overwhelming,
so much so that no other conclusion can be reached than that they
were staged and produced in an unseen world by unseen men,
women and children who played their parts remarkably well. That
these parts
161

were not played by one or more individuals on earth is certain,

because to have done so would have been quite impossible.
Let us suppose someone attempted to stage a similar production to
last for two to three hours, the time occupied by an average Sloan
Circle séance. What would he need to do to produce effects similar
to what occurred at the Sloan Circle? First of all he would have to
engage a script writer. Between them, they would have to think out
each week a new performance, showing an intimate knowledge of
the lives and ancestors of forty or so different individuals who
attended the Circle at irregular intervals, but who provided an
audience of six to eight people each week.
These people change week by week, and those who are coming are
only known on the day of the Meeting. Consequently the producer
and script writer must continually be finding out fresh information
about their possible audience, past incidents in their lives, their
dead friends and relations, the pet names they used, and all the
intricate family relationships of the living and the dead. Not until six
or eight out of the forty are actually seated in the Circle will the
producer know who is to be present and the script must have been
written for these sitters only. Many hundreds of different people
have attended the Sloan Circle over the past fifty years for weekly
sittings, large numbers coming anonymously with regular sitters,
and few have ever been disappointed.
When the script is finished, and everything is ready for rehearsal,
the actors and actresses would assemble in considerable numbers,
as on an average forty separate voices speak at each séance.
Moreover,
162
the private house where the séance is being held is decided on at
short notice. No one would be able to visit it prior to the
performance and they can bring nothing with them. They would be
given their parts to learn which they must memorise, and then
would come the final rehearsal, but their parts would vary according
to the sitters who are to be present. Everything on the night of the
séance would take place in the dark, and there must be no fumbling
or hesitation. Bells must ring, and other weird noises be produced,
without any appliances to make these noises, and for fifty years this
must go on without the performers being seen, or any neighbour
being interested or surprised, or discovering that secret enquiries
were proceeding all the time about different people. Moreover, the
cost of this imaginary production would come to at least a hundred
pounds a week, but no member of the audience who attends is ever
asked to pay anything.
Can anyone imagine that all this is possible?
But in the Sloan Circle much more happens than merely the
conversations between the living and the dead. So our producer
must also arrange for two trumpets to fly round the room, without
knocking into each other, but frequently touching the ceiling and
beating on it, the movement being at a great speed, without wires,
attachments or any visible contrivances. Never must they touch
anyone to hurt, but they must touch, stroke or caress the sitters,
and at other times hit Sloan on the head without hurting him, or
beat in time on the floor. Fingers are to be passed through the hair
of the sitters and over their faces. Lights, which cannot be felt or
163

caught, are to dance about the room, and any part of the body must
be touched on request. Moreover, a sitter has only to ask the time
to have it correctly told. All this is accompanied by a regular flow, of
intimate conversation and takes place in the dark, where nobody
can even see the person sitting next to him.
Finally, the actors and actresses must be present in the room
whenever the light is put out, and disappear from the room just
before the light is put on again. How they would manage to do this it
is impossible to imagine, as in a small room, with the Sitters
present, movement is difficult. However, all this shows the absurdity
of attempting to explain the phenomena as if it were produced by
material beings. This can be definitely ruled out, and every time we
come back to the fact that what happened was not produced by any
individual living on this earth.
There can be only one explanation of all these various supernormal
phenomena, namely that unseen intelligent individuals are at work
at the Sloan Circle. Anyone who believes that these occurrences can
be produced by ventriloquism, conjuring, faking or any such
fraudulent means, must either have a warped mentality or be an
irrational thinker. That is why I say this book must be judged as a
whole, and, as its contents rule out a normal explanation, a
supernormal one is all that is left. So read on to the end, keeping
the foregoing considerations in mind, and you will, I am sure, come
to the same conclusion, when a new world will have been revealed
to you, one in which you will some day dwell.
Nevertheless, when we reach that world, we shall get many
surprises. When we were born into this
164

world our minds had just begun to develop. So we accepted

everything and, as we had no previous experience, we acquiesced
in life without question and slowly accustomed ourselves to the
wonders around us. A baby has no surprises and everything is taken
for granted.
At death, however, if we pass over after early childhood, we are
more mentally developed and we shall find much that is different
from what we have been accustomed to here, and yet much will be
similar. What has been told us by our friends in Etheria will be of
great help to us, not only for the remainder of our life here on earth,
but also when we get to the other side. This educational side
receives much prominence in the lecturettes and sermonettes given
in this book, and, if we remember the facts they contain, these will
be of help to us both here and hereafter.
One surprise for some will be to find children who claim them as
their parents. These children were either stillborn or had been
conceived and then miscarried. Many holding orthodox religious
opinions will perhaps get the greatest surprise of all, to find those
they considered unbelievers still in their midst, or to have
progressed beyond them, and that all the priest-made beliefs, to
which they attached such importance on earth, are treated as of no
consequence in Etheria. Equally surprised will be those who never
gave a thought to anything beyond the material, and those who
believed that death ends all.
Another surprise will be to awaken as from a dreamlike sleep to find
everything real, objective and solid. It will be a great surprise to look
at your new
165

body and realise that it is perfect, and the same in every respect as
the old one from which you have just parted. For those who were
blind to see again, for the deaf to hear again, for those who have
lost arms and legs, or were infirm, helpless, maimed and diseased
to find themselves strong and well with active minds and perfect
healthy bodies, in no way misshapen, will be a great and wonderful
satisfaction. It will be noticed that throughout these Meetings the
Etherians mention nearly every part of their body, their hands,
fingers, face, lips, mouth, tongue, throat, legs, arms, feet, heart,
head, hair, eyes, tears and internal organs, thus confirming that the
etheric body is a duplicate of the physical body.
To find everything real and objective, to look about and see friends
and relations as they were in their prime of life, living a life much as
was lived on earth, visiting each other, living in houses, and going
out and about just as we do here on earth, must be a great surprise
and pleasure. To find that our neighbours are neither angels nor
devils, that there is no judgment, and that each individual judges
himself justly and finds his right place, will be a great relief to
everyone. To discover the absence of money, that it is unnecessary
to earn it and that our needs and desires are free to all, will be a
great satisfaction to many. To be able to live in a delightful climate
and look upon the rich verdure of the countryside, the beautiful
mountains, hills and valleys, to see and bathe in sparkling rivers,
lakes and seas, and be surrounded by beautiful birds, trees,
animals, and exquisite flowers, which bloom, dematerialise but
never decay: to be able to move from place to place
166

with speed and the utmost freedom, to be able to eat and drink and
enjoy life to the full, must be welcome and surprising.
Equally surprising must it be to see stately buildings, comfortable
homely houses to live in, garden cities, to be able to continue those
things which were of interest to us in earth life, to have pet animals
like the ones on earth, to be able to ride horses, enjoy all kinds of
games, sports and amusements, and experience the pleasures that
science, art, music and literature can give, besides being able to
cultivate and enjoy a garden producing fruit, vegetables and
flowers.
This life of harmony and happiness will come to all who are not
overburdened with the memory of a life of selfishness or wickedness
on earth. For these latter, whose evil deeds on earth have fitted
them for something very different, the outlook is gloomy but not
hopeless, as even the worst can progress and work his way into the
company of the good. After much mental suffering, contentment
and happiness can be attained.
However, for all who live honest, decent, upright lives we shall
discover, as we read on, that happiness is in store for them. Why,
indeed, should we not be the inheritors of a great and glorious
heritage after the trials of earth life, which are for the purpose of
fitting us for this happier and more harmonious life we shall some
day experience?
For some inscrutable reason a part of the Universal Mind became
associated with physical vibrations and, for a time, was conscious of
them only. Consequently, as it developed individuality and produced
individuals, we human beings have been blinded to this intenser
land of greater delight.
167

Uncertain faith has helped us, though it came largely from instinct
and seldom from reasoned proof.
Why we are unable to see the other world around us during our
physical life, is because we live within a range of vibrations which
confines our senses to material things, and these make up our
earthly life. In consequence much of reality, truth and beauty are
withheld from us during our life on earth, and none can deny that
this book reveals a new and enlarged vista of what will be ours
some day. The wonder of wonders it reveals has been denied to
mankind during his earth life, and moreover, nature has misled us
into thinking that death was the end of conscious thought, We have
been cut off from the joys and beauties in store for us by our limited
range of sight, and the majority of us and our ancestors have lived
under a pall of doubt and uncertainty.
Today these doubts have been cleared away, a new world around us
has been discovered, and we can take heart in the knowledge that
one of life's great certainties is the fact that life and consciousness
do not end at death. Far otherwise, because we are ushered into a
new world, much more beautiful and much easier to live in than we
experience here on earth.
168

CHAPTER VI
MEETING AT MRS. LANG'S HOUSE, GIFFNOCK, GLASGOW
Wednesday, 26th August, 1942
present: MRS. CRISSIE LANG, MR. ALEXANDER HART, MISS JEAN
DEARIE, MR. DONALD CAMERON, Miss ELIZABETH DUFF, MRS.
LILLIAS BOWES, MISS CRISSIE COLQUHOUN, MR. JOHN SLOAN.
WE opened the Sitting with the hymn, Nearer, my God, to Thee, and
then repeated The Lord's Prayer. A voice from the other side joined
in the "Amen".
We were talking about Barrie's plays, and one of us said he must
have understood this truth or he could never have written such
plays as Mary Rose, The well-remembered Voice, The Boy David,
etc., when a voice from the other side said
"Did Barrie write them, or was it McConachie ?" (Barrie's
name for his unseen guide.)
Mrs. Lang remarked that she thought most people had a
"McConachie" somewhere, and Mr. Sloan said "I never could
understand this McConachie business at all."
A voice from the other side said
"It would be difficult to find the double of you in some ways,
anyway."
We then sang O God, our help in ages past, and, when we finished,
a voice from the other side remarked:
169

"That is someone for you, Mrs. Bowes."

The trumpet came right on to Mrs. Bowes' lap, between her hands,
and a voice said
"Take hold of it, and see how you get on."
Mrs. Bowes replied : "Oh, thank you, dear friend, have I to hold the
trumpet?", and a lady's voice answered
"Hold it for a little while."
A child's voice then said:
"I am thinking about you, Mother. It is Bobbie."
Mrs. Bowes said: "Yes, darling, you want me to give that message to
someone else." Another voice replied
"That is Bobbie. He came along to see if his Mother was
here. It is Bobbie Potter."
Mrs. Bowes answered: "We will give Mother your message, dear."
Mrs. Bowes then said she felt as though she was being charged with
some electric current through the trumpet.
A voice concurred
"I am giving you vibrations so that you can pass it on to Jim.
I was always very fond of Jim; it is Gladys. I have been with
him sometimes lately, and he will come all right. One of our
spirit friends is standing by him."
Mrs. Bowes said : "My love to you, Gladdy darling; I know you
always loved Jim, and he also loves you very much," to which Gladys
replied:
"You may lay the trumpet down now, dear."
Another voice then said:
"God bless you, Alex (Mr. Hart). I said Mr. Hart to you several
times, but you did not hear me. Excuse me calling you Alex."
170

It was Mrs. Sloan who was speaking. A lovely light floated about
while Mrs. Sloan spoke, and one of us asked : "Is that your light we
are seeing, Mrs. Sloan?"
She replied
"I did not know whether you could see it or not; it is my
light. I try to make Daddy see it at home, but I cannot
manage it. Sometimes I manage to show it better than at
others."
Mr. Sloan answered : "I cannot see the light at all, Mammy, but I
hear your voice and that is enough." Mrs. Sloan continued
"You are not tired of me, are you, Daddy God bless you."
Mr. Sloan replied: "Tired of you, my dearie? Never, never," and then
he started to weep. Mrs. Sloan went on
"I am so sorry, Daddy. I did not mean to hurt you," and she
gave him some kisses.
Mr. Sloan said : "You would not hurt me, Mammy, whatever you
said; it's all right."
Mrs. Sloan then spoke to us all:
"Daddy calls his home his `Internment Camp' -where he lives
just now, I mean."
Mrs. Lang started to tell us about Mrs. Culme Seymour (an old
friend) who was coming to a Sitting shortly, and spoke about her
daughter, Marjorie, who had been drowned at Fairlie in 1934.
Miss Colquhoun remarked that the people she had been staying with
must have felt it very much, when a voice from the other side said
"It is all right now, they were not to blame, you know; it is
Marjorie speaking.
171

I hear you arranging, Mrs. Lang, about my darling Mother

coming. Oh I do hope I will be permitted to come also."
Mrs. Lang replied : "I am sure you will be allowed to do that," to
which Marjorie replied:
"We are very, very busy at present on this side, you know.
They are coming over in thousands and thousands, and we
have great difficulty sometimes in getting them to realise
that they are actually out of the body. Mrs. Bowes-I got your
name and I know you are interested in what my beloved
Mother is interested in also. (Red Cross work.) Your dear boys
will be looked after from this side. God guard and keep them
for you ; and your dear boy at home. I trust he will make a
speedy recovery. I will pray for him."
Mrs. Bowes thanked her, and Mr. Sloan remarked: "I do not
remember hearing anyone on that side say before that they would
pray for anyone."
Marjorie answered:
"Mr. Sloan, don't you think we pray? I have prayed for you
many a time."
Mr. Sloan said: "Thank you very much, my dear," and she replied
"How could I do otherwise, when you have brought so much
comfort to my darling, darling Mother ?"
Mrs. Culme Seymour writes to say that it is quite correct that her
daughter, Marjorie, has spoken to her on many occasions, and that
the knowledge of her survival has been a great comfort to her. "I
have had the most wonderful sittings with Mr. Sloan," she writes.
She has also seen her daughter materialised
172

on various occasions. Since Marjorie's return at the Seance here

recorded, communication between mother and daughter has been
frequent.
Then a new voice said
"George,
and Mrs. Lang replied : "Come away, friend, come away. We are
very pleased to have you." The voice went on to say
"God bless you all. My son, George."
(Prince George, Duke of Kent, killed in a flying accident on previous
day, 25th August, 1942.)
"God support him. Oh, Father God, support him now,
support them all. Pray for my dear son George, dear friends,
and all those with him in that accident."
We replied : " `We will send out our thoughts to him and to the
others also." King George V replied
"It is not my son only. There are thousands and thousands of
my People who are passing at the present time. Send out
your loving thoughts to them all. There is a sweet hallowed
influence I find in your presence here. I see you understand
the sense of sorrow I feel for the manner of the passing of
my beloved son, and for those dear ones left behind. I know
there are none of you but sense the pathos of the hurt they
have sustained. Pray that they may be comforted. Although
your physical eyes cannot see them, ministering hands are
helping and will hold you up until life's journey is over and a
wider vista of God's love is exposed to your gaze. Good
night. God guard you and bless you and all my beloved
people. I was George the Fifth.
173

Mr. Sloan asked: "Who was that speaking?" and was very surprised
when he was told it was King George V.
We were speaking amongst ourselves, saying what a good king the
late King George had been, and what a good man our present King
is and how well he worked for his country, when a voice from the
other side said
"That is quite right and as it should be. It would not do to sit
and let others do the work for you. You want to do a little bit
of service while in the world no matter what station the
great Spirit God may have placed you in. Each one should be
willing to help those around in need of assistance and not
allow it to fall on one shoulder only. Also, you must not
allow anyone to impose on you too much ; just see that they
take their share of responsibility. It is a good lesson to each
one of you to accept your share of responsibility and it helps
to prepare you for the journey here, enabling you to take
your proper place in the fuller life which awaits you. I am
just one of the stragglers who has come through it, and I
wish I had done my duty better in the earth life."
Mrs. Lang asked if we knew him, and if he had spoken to us before.
He replied
"I have never had the honour of being in your company, this
beautiful company, before tonight. I have been in the
vicinity of such a Meeting but have never spoken. Tonight,
however, the light was so bright and the conditions so
favourable, that I took the responsibility of asking the door-
keeper if I might come in. He told me I might do so but I was
174

to watch his hand and, if I went beyond what I should say or

do, he would signal to me."
Miss Colquhoun remarked : "But you have not seen the signal yet,
have you, friend?"
He replied
"I do not require to see the signal ; I would feel it. There are
so many things on this side of life which you cannot
understand yet. Of course you cannot, because I could not
understand them myself when I first came over. It is a
gradual unfoldment. While in earth life I used to wonder
what kind of life this would be, and what clothes I would
have on the spirit side of life. In fact, I used to wonder if
there was a spirit side at all ; I hoped for it but was not at all
certain.
"The day I passed out of the body I felt very much alone. I
knew I was out of the body and I felt afraid. I looked down at
myself and found I was nude, and then a voice out of the
haze said to me: `Come hither, my brother, and be not
afraid.' I approached the light, and immediately I drew near
to the light I was instantly clothed. I have progressed since
then, and now I am able to return to the surroundings of
earth life and be clothed in apparel like what I used to wear.
"The clothes change. I cannot tell you how, but, as we draw
near the physical, the clothes change, there is no doubt
about it. Perhaps I have not put it very clearly to you, but,
when I draw near to the Earth Plane, I find myself standing
in the surroundings where I used to stand, with similar
garments to those I used to wear in earth life, and the robes
I wear on the other side of life - the Summerland
175

side-change, imperceptibly to me, when I cross the border

through the mist. Of course, there are others who can come,
more advanced than I am, and they always come in their
spirit robes. I wish you could see them-they are very
beautiful."
Miss Duff asked: "Can you see us, friend?", and he replied
"I can see you all. I can see you just as you are sitting in that
chair and apparelled, just as I had clothes in earth life. I see
your hair has a beautiful curl and you have a nice
complexion."
Mr. Sloan said : "I am afraid you are a bit of a flatterer, friend," but
Miss Duff did not agree. "Oh, no, Mr. Sloan, I am sure he means no
flattery; he is just trying to describe to us how we appear to him."
The voice then said to Mr. Hart:
"I see you, my worthy friend. I am rather timorous of saying
what I think of you. I hope you will not think I am flattering.
You will understand, my brother, but your disposition, as I
see it just now, is so full of that beautiful composition-that
description of a boy in earth life who wants to help
everybody. You seem to be moving among many people. I do
not know how you are fixed in earth life, but you always find
an excuse for everyone's failings. You must be coming up
against some who do not work just according to your liking,
but you have an excuse for every wayfarer."
Mrs. Bowes said: "What a beautiful description, and that is just like
Mr. Hart."
A new voice then said
"Services rendered to each other. Just talk together for a
little while, while we get the conditions right.
176

And how is McConachie tonight, Mrs. Lang ? I think Miss

Colquhoun has a McConachie as well. What you call an
impression or thought sometimes comes your way, Miss
Colquhoun, and alters your decision. That is McConachie; he
may not be a relative, but McConachie will be your stalwart
friend ; never serious, perhaps, but just to give you a spirit
of hilarity to lift you out of the dumps. He will never do you
any harm. I had a few myself in earth life, in fact they were
a bit of a nuisance to me-the McConachies which I had with
me and around me-but they were also a great help to me. I
have been credited with much that McConachie actually did
for me. God bless you all. I am James Barrie. It is not
McConachie who is talking to you now. I am speaking from
my soul's self to you, whatever man I may be."
One of us said The Little Minister, and he replied
"I was very pleased with that."
Miss Colquhoun then remarked : "All that you wrote was lovely," and
he replied
"Not I, but my beautiful Inspirer who wrote through me. I
was simply a human channel to convey those magnificent
thoughts ; inspirational thoughts through a human
instrument, and I think sometimes they have done good to
the world. If you cannot make the pathway trod in earth life
brighter for those who follow, you have failed much in your
duty. You have all something to give, and I am sure you will
endeavour to give of your best that those who follow after
may say : `She did it well,' or 'He did it well.' Do so, my
friends. Do so, my dearest friends. What a record to carry
with you. God bless you."
177

Miss Duff asked if she might sing four lines of a hymn, and Sir James
Barrie replied:
"Yes, sing, my dear, and I will join in-that's old McConachie
again."
Miss Duff then sang a verse of the following hymn
"Then day today along life's way,
The seeds of promise cast,
And ripened grain from hill and plain,
Be gathered home at last."
He then said
"God bless you, my dear,"
and the trumpet came and tapped Miss Dearie all over. She thought
this was meant for Miss Duff in answer to her singing, and said:
"Who is it? Is that meant for Miss Duff?", when a voice replied in
broken English
"It is for you, my little lady. Be not afraid. I will be with you
all the way; all the way. Though the way may be dark, and
the road may be twisted at times, I will never leave you. I
will support you. I will guard you to the best of my ability,
little dear. I have been with you helping you for a long space
now."
Miss Dearie acknowledged this by saying : "Oh, thank you, friend.
How nice of you. Where did you live on the earth plane?"
He replied
"I am African."
Miss Dearie enquired: "Can you tell. me your name?", and he
replied:
178

"My name is Koroo, and your name-it is Dear, is it not ?"

Miss Dearie said : "My name is Dearie-Jean Dearie."
He said
"You are Dearie altogether-your name and all of you. When I
say Dear-I mean exactly you. You Scotch. The English they
are good people but Scotch better."
Mr. Sloan said : "I am afraid you are flattering us, friend, and just
saying that," to which he replied:
"I mean it. There is more love in heart generally in the
Scotch people. I come into a vibration easier here than in
the south. You are more psychic, and your hills, your
beautiful land, appeals to me. It pleases me much. You are
more willing to help others not so fortunate as yourselves.
Your willing hands never withhold that help from anyone.
God bless you, my little Dear, and may the Great White Chief
bless you each and all at the end of the day, when life's
journey on your plane is terminated and you step forth a
free soul into the glory ahead. God bless you. Hallelujah.
Amen."
A girl's voice then spoke, saying
"That is a very beautiful spirit-he who has just spoken to
you. It is Nell speaking."
Mrs. Lang said : "Nell, how pleased we are to have you. Have you
come with your perfumes? Ah, yes, here it is."
Nell said:
"Mrs. Lang, I cannot do any more tonight. I cannot stay. I
will come back again and give you all perfumes. The world
you are in at present makes so
179

many calls on us, and we here are all so busy. I think about
you very often, and I love you still. I love you all. Tell my
dear old Chief I would like to stay but I cannot."
Mrs. Lang said : "The perfume is not so strong as it sometimes is,"
and Nell replied
"It is not the liquid. You will get it by and by when I have got
time."
A lovely light floated about the room and then seemed to spread
out.
A voice exclaimed
"Can you not see what that is meant for ? It is the `V' for
Victory. I hope it will come soon."
Mrs. Bowes inquired : "Can you tell us, friend, when it will come?",
and received the reply:
"I wish I could tell you, but keep your hearts up. Keep
smiling."
At this point Mr. Cameron had to leave the Sitting because of an
urgent business telephone call, and Mrs. Lang remarked : "I hope
Mr. Cameron has some kind friend with him."
A voice replied
"I know the meaning of the vacant chair. The gentleman who
occupied it has been accompanied by a helper who will do
what he can."
The trumpet then touched Miss Duff, and a lady spoke, saying
"My darling, it is Mother. I got a good vibration tonight, and
I am speaking a good deal clearer, am I not ?"
Miss Duff replied : "You are speaking very clearly, Mother darling. I
was just thinking about you." Her mother said
180

"I get all your thoughts. I get them very, very often."
Miss Duff continued: "You know how much I love you, darling," and
her Mother replied:
"I know, and you have all my love in return." A man's voice
then said
"And I am thinking a lot about you too. It is Grandfather
speaking, Grandfather Dodds."
Miss Duff replied : "It is very funny to hear you say that, because I
was thinking about you yesterday, Grandfather."
He answered in broad Scotch:
"I ken (know) that because I was gie (very) near you. You
have some ticklish jobs to do sometimes. I am nae doctor,
you ken, but I try to help you. I get the inspiration here to
pass on to you, and your wee nimble fingers are gie willing
to tak' it up. I am no' deid (dead), ye ken--there are nane
(none) of us deid. We have just reached the land of light
supernal that gleams so bright afar. We have reached our
home eternal. We have met our loved ones there. Now,
ladies, and you too, friend-but I should have said gentlemen,
there are two of you."
Mr. Sloan replied: "You dinna need to mind me, my boy."
Mr. Dodds replied
"My boy ! That is good ; that is a compliment you have paid
me, sir."
Miss Duff said: "I am very glad to hear you speaking to me,
Grandfather. You know I have not spoken to you very often before,"
to which he correctly answered:
"I have spoken to you exactly four times, my dear.
181

I hope you will get a wee bit inspiration from me. It will not
be muckle (much), but it will help."
Miss Duff replied: "Thank you very much, Grandfather," and then he
said
"I know how hard the little worries pinch at times. There are
some worries which are met with on life's road that are gie
(very) difficult to deal with, but, remember, the corner is not
far away. Take it from me, you cannot see round and it is a
case of contemplating what is round the corner: what is
round the corner will be very bright for you, my lassie. I
must watch you with the greatest of care, but I am afraid I
am taking up too much time. The atmosphere in this home
tonight is very congenial to me."
Mrs. Lang then assured him: "You are not to think you are taking up
our time. We are very pleased to hear you," and Miss Duff
remarked: "My dear, I am very glad indeed to hear you speaking to
me."
He replied
"I would like just to say to you all you are very dear to me
and dear to others in the spirit side of life, because you help
us, when we come to the borderline, to get into touch with
those whom we love. Without your help that wee (small)
door would remain steekit (shut) and unopened. You ken
what I mean. It is the blending of the thoughts, the
sympathy received, that lifts the latch and enables us to get
through to you and let you know that we still live-still love
you. God bless you."
Miss Duff said: "I have never heard my Grandfather speak at such
length to me before. As he told you, I have only spoken to him four
times and he had to wait seventy long years
182
before he could get a contact to enable him to speak to anyone on
this side." Her Grandfather replied:
"I am laughing at you, my dear, hearing you talk about
seventy long years. It is only a span ; just a wink on this
side. It seems no time since you were a wee bit birkie (smart
kind) of a lassie running around with your wee short skirts. I
feel very happy that I have managed to get the conditions
which are present here tonight. I heard about the vacant
chair. I do not know the worthy gentleman who left, but
friends have been sent to look after him and all is well."
A lady then spoke to Mrs. Bowes, saying:
"My dear, I want to talk to you about dear Jim. Don't let his
spirits get down. Don't let him get down. He will be all right
again. It's Granny speaking."
Mrs. Bowes replied : "Thank you, Granny dear. Jim always loved you
so much."
Granny replied
"Jim was always my boy. It is such a delicate question-you
understand what I mean, my dear. I hope, friends, you will
forgive me for speaking to you as I am doing because it does
not appeal to you, but I know it appeals so much to you, my
dear. God bless you. What I can do I will do to help you. Give
dear Jim my love. He was my boy. They were all my boys,
you know, but Jim especially. My dear, it is so difficult. I will
say no more. Keep a good heart. We will help to smooth
things out for you, and I thank you all for making the
conditions so that I can speak to my lassie."
183

Mrs. Bowes agreed with everything and said she was very grateful.
Then the trumpet touched Miss Colquhoun on the head and a voice
said
"Pardon me, I hope I did not hurt you."
Miss Colquhoun replied : "Oh no, you did not hurt me at all, friend; I
like to feel you touch me." A man's voice replied
"I will do it again, then, but more gently."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "May I ask who is speaking?", and he replied:
"It is only a voice from the other shore towards which you
are all traveling, but you are more fortunate than some of
us. We made the journey in bygone days without your
knowledge and understanding. Nearly all of you have some
understanding of life on this side. I do not mean those
present, but people in general do know more positively that
there is something beyond the terminus. To me it was a
problem. I did not disbelieve it, but I could not fully grasp it.
Oh joy of joys, when the time came when I reached the end
of the road, little lady ! I had no doubts, no dubiety, about
the other side of life then.
"That shining light which greeted me as I left the old
tenement of clay dispelled all doubts, and that lovely face
which I had loved so long, long ago, was the first to smile on
me. I saw the light from the other shore while in the body. I
was hoping for it, but I had no certainty. I was hoping and
dared to think that my hopes would be realised, and, oh joy
of joys, just the one I wanted most was the one dear face
that through the mists looked down on me."
The Etherian in control then said to the one who had just spoken:
184

"That will do now, friend." and he replied

"I am coming; I am coming."
The controller's voice, now speaking to us, continued
"I am not averse to his speaking, but he is not ready for
staying any longer, you will understand." Again the voice said
to him
"You must go now,"
and the man who had spoken to us answered him: "Oh, thank you,
thank you, my brother, for permitting me to speak."
Another voice now spoke
"I thought I would hear some sweet music when I came in
here. You know I love to hear you singing. I never was much
of a singer myself but I like to hear you."
Mrs. Lang asked: "What would you like us to sing?", and he replied:
"Do just what McConachie tells you." He then started to
sing:
"O God, our help in ages past,"
to an old psalm tune, and we all joined in.
Mrs. Lang asked who he was, and received the reply
"You didn't think I could sing, but you heard a sample of it
the noo (now). Did you like it ? It's John Lamont speaking.
We're aw' (all) JockTamson's bairns, ye ken."
Mrs. Lang said: "John Lamont, I am delighted to hear you again. I
like to hear my old friends speaking,
Mr. Lamont replied
185

"Thank you, Mrs. Lang. It is a joy to me to hear you say that.

You have been very dear to me, and so also are the friends I
have met either in this or any other house connected with it.
Mrs. Lang, many of those I have met in the past in your
home are over here now, and when I meet them they speak
of the happy times they had when I used to come and talk to
them. Some of them say they were never very sure if it was
really me who was speaking, but now that they are over
here they find to their joyful surprise that it is all true."
Miss Colquhoun's Mother then spoke to her, saying
"Crissie, we leave all our doubts behind when we come here.
How are you, dear? You know I love you."
Miss Colquhoun replied: "And you know I love you too, Mother."
Her Mother replied
"Don't I know that."
Miss Colquhoun said : "Take my love to Father also," and her Mother
said
"Yes, Crissie, I will do that, dear. I am so pleased to get a
look at you."
Miss Colquhoun said: "I wish I could see you, darling."
A man's voice then said
"You will get a beautiful surprise when you come over to our
side and see your Mother."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Has she regained so much of her youth?"
and he replied:
"She is-no, I cannot say this to you. I cannot say it."
186

Miss Colquhoun said: "Oh, please do, friend-say whatever you like."
So he rather timidly remarked
"I was just going to say she is much nicer-looking than you
are. I mean much more youthful-looking. You would not
believe what a beautiful straight form she has now."
Miss Colquhoun agreed: "I am sure she has and I am delighted to
hear that, friend. How I wish I could see her!"
Her Mother continued
"I have my little girl now and I can look right down into your
heart. I just put my arms around you and I love you so much,
my darling, but you have nobody now. You are alone with no
one to help you."
Miss Colquhoun said: "Oh yes, dear, I have lots of good friends,
though I miss you very much, my darling," and to this her Mother
replied
"You have lots of things but you have not me" ;
and then she said to Mr. Sloan
"You are just as bad, Mr. Sloan. You feel alone too."
Mr. Sloan replied : "The world came to an end for me when I lost
Mammy."
A man's voice then spoke
"The world is just beginning for you, my dear old friend. A
beautiful world is just beginning. Though your friends are
lost to sight, they are just starting afresh in a new and
glorious experience of life. You will all have that experience
by and by. Don't worry, don't faint by the way. Take up all
the little crosses you meet on your journey. Shoulder them
nobly. They are the stepping-stones to the brighter day and
the brighter
187
world beyond, when, duty achieved, labour done, you come
home at last. God bless you. I am Pathfinder."
Mrs. Lang said: "Thank you, Pathfinder. Could you tell us the time or
get someone to do so, as Mr. Hart has to catch a train?"
Pathfinder replied
"I hear someone making a request to Pathfinder," to which
Mrs. Lang said: "It was just to tell us the time."
Pathfinder answered:
"I am going to look at a clock."
Mrs. Lang suggested: "Not the one in here-the clock outside."
In a moment or two, Pathfinder said
"Is it the big one ? Is it correct ?"
Mrs. Lang answered: "Yes, it is correct." Pathfinder explained
"Well, you know where the hands go round, the quarter
round, to the bottom, and then three-quarters round. Well,
the big hand is there, and the little hand almost under it."
From this we gathered it was a quarter to nine, which proved to be
correct.
Pathfinder concluded
"We have had difficulty in getting the right one to look after
your door today. Not that there is any need, but we have to
guard the portal-that is all."
The voice of a Red Indian then said
"This is what you would call a minor duty. Lady of the house,
the open door has to be guarded, you know, and I am not
just proficient in the duties thereof unless I see some
guiding light to help me.
188

I hope, however, to enjoy again the sweet felicity of the

beautiful presence of those here tonight for the little space
for which you come together, and get the joy that has
flowed to me in my brief association with you.
"May this joy be equally received by each and every one of
you, and may the Great Father of all, who understands and
knows every thought and aspiration of each individual
present, grant the desires of your hearts in so far as they
are in accordance with His Holy Mind and purpose. May you,
to the last, be able to say, `Nevertheless, not my will, Great
Father, but Thine be done.' God bless you all. Good night.
Before I go, if I might be permitted, I would like to leave you
in the terms of my supplication before the Great Father God.
"0 Thou, Prince of Peace, loving Eternal Father, look on Thy
faithful children to-day, and from each heart before you, oh,
accept the desires and wishes that are shown therein, and
those which are in accordance with Thy holy purpose, grant
unto us the fulfilment thereof. Bless those in sorrow and let
them not sorrow as those without hope, knowing that those
they love have just passed from the scene of time into the
happy land of those who have gone before. Be with us to-
night and grant us Thy evening blessing, and to Thee shall
be all the Glory and Praise for ever and ever. Amen.
"Peace be on thee, dear comrades. God bless you. Good
night."
When the Red Indian concluded Mr. Sloan remarked : "The longer I
live, the more lonely the road gets. I think I must be a grumblin' auld
crater
189

(creature), Miss Colquhoun, but when I think about Mammy, I want

to get beside her, and then I think about you all and the losses you
have had, and all the good friends I have still got, and I know I
shouldna complain. I think of Mr. Lang-what a good friend he was to
me, and I know he is my good friend still. I will never forget him-
never, never."
A voice from the other side then cheerily remarked:
"You have been a good friend to us here. Yes, that is right,
John Sloan. I know."
Mrs. Lang then asked: "Is that you, Bob?", and her husband replied
"Yes, it is Bob."
Mrs. Lang said: "Oh, Bob, my dear. It is a long time since you have
spoken to me." He replied:
"It is not so long, my dear. Sometimes I cannot get through.
I have so much to do, but I am all right. I left you with a
charge--'Just to carry on and you have done so very
faithfully, Crissie. God bless you."
Mr. Lang then turned to Mr. Hart and said
"God bless you, Alex,"
and Mr. Hart replied : "Thank you, Uncle," to which Mr. Lang replied
"I am at home again,"meaning that this Meeting was being held
in his wife's house.
His son Arthur Lang then spoke
"My Mother, we are both beside you, sweet p Mother, Father
and I. I have stood in silence listening to the beautiful
heartfelt words that friend-that Indian friend-spoke just-
now, and I felt my heart
190

rejoice that my labours on this side have been of some use

because he is one of my pupils. Oh, that I could draw the
curtain aside and portray the beautiful picture to you of
what is to come! We are not able to do so. There are certain
things you are not allowed to know until you join us here. It
is an amazing time we are living in, dear friends, just now.
Mother dear, I am just looking at you."
Mrs. Lang asked: "Yes, dear, and do you see a difference?"
Arthur replied
"I do."
Then he said in an aside
"Please watch what you are doing with that trumpet. There
is someone going round about you. Don't do that any more.
"Mother, darling, I could stay with you for such a long, long
time, but I know you have all got so far to go, and you, Alex,
have got the furthest. Someone will go with you, and you
will feel your heart sing all the way. Goodnight."
Mrs. Sloan, in her clear cheerful voice, then spoke to Miss
Colquhoun:
"You have been such a wonderful friend to me, and from the
Summerland I greet you once again. God in His mercy bless
you."
To Mr. Sloan she said
"You see I just pass you, my dear old man. I am not going to
talk to you again to-night for it will just upset you. I will just
say good night to you before I go away. God bless you, Mrs.
Lang. I wish I could just make you think I was sitting among
you tonight as I used to do."
191

Mrs. Lang replied: "I can just think of you sitting in that vacant chair,
Mammy. It was just there you used to sit."
Mrs. Sloan replied
"I have looked at it also. I have had some vacant chairs too."
Mr. Sloan said: "Your old chair is not vacant very often, Mammy, for I
sit in it a lot, my dearie." Another voice then said
"Mrs. Lang, is Mother coming here (to this house) soon ? It is
Roy Richardson. I heard you speaking tonight about some
old friends coming soon."
Mrs. Lang said: "Your mother is not here, Roy, but I will tell her you
were speaking. How are you?" Roy replied
"Thank you, I am very well and very busy."
Mr. Sloan remarked: "Roy is not speaking so clearly as usual."
Roy replied
"My dear old friend, you must remember that the power is
used up pretty well now, but I am still Roy. Also, I have not
my special lodestone here drawing power for me-I mean my
Mother. I know she is picking up nicely. What a Mother!"
Miss Colquhoun interjected: "What a son!", and he replied
"Yes, she has that as well but she certainly is a great
Mother, and God bless you too for your sympathy, kind
thoughts, and kind words. I pray that peace may soon come
again into your troubled world. When you see Mother, Mrs.
Lang, just give her Roy's undying love, and any sad thought
or any little care she has at times, tell her just to think of
Roy, and
192
that will ease the tension ; the lever will be used at once. I
have such a strong lever when I come to work for Mother.
Good night."
A new voice broke in:
"It is only a step over here, and you will have no difficulty in
finding the door. We will be watching, and loving hands will
welcome you on the shore. You know we love you and will
always stand by you."
We asked who was speaking, and he replied:
"I am not permitted to say. I think you will understand ;
heart talks to heart."
A voice from the other side then started the Doxology, but it was far
too high for us, so Mrs. Lang re-started it on a lower key. A lovely
light floated about while we were singing, and then a voice said
"God bless you all. It is Pathfinder wishing you good night
and shining his light on you. May the path be a shining road
to you, all the way as you travel on straight and true to
journey's end, and you reach home at last. I am Pathfinder."
A voice with a Scotch accent then said to Mr. Hart
"You from Sugaropolis (Greenock), I think you go a wee bit
further than Sugaropolis. You will need to put a spur to your
steed, sonny."
(Mr. Hart lives at Gourock, a few miles beyond Greenock.)
This ended the sitting.
We were born into, and live in, what is termed the physical world
made up of matter which we can see and touch. That makes it real
and tangible to us, and
193

the reason is that our body is likewise physical and in tune with the
earth and the physical universe. Besides our physical body we have
a duplicate etheric body which is unseen on earth, and this invisible,
intangible body is guided by our immaterial mind. This trinity of
three in one, these three parts which constitute the individual on
earth, are all necessary for our earth life, but nature has so ordained
things that a time comes when a separation takes place and the
mind and the etheric body leave the physical body and function
elsewhere.
To us, with our physical senses, this is difficult to grasp. What we
cannot see we find difficult to understand, and what is not
understood we term mysterious and relegate it to an aspect of
thought apart from our every day practical life. The unknown and
the mysterious in life we put away in a special section of our mind
under the label Religion, and with it is associated Mysticism and
kindred beliefs. Many have been helped and comforted in life by
what are called religious beliefs, ritual and ceremonial. On the other
hand others are quite indifferent and largely ignore that aspect of
thought, and live as if nothing exists beyond our sense perceptions.
Since sub-man became primitive man, to develop into the human
being we now know, religion has greatly influenced the life of most
individuals, and anthropologists have only occasionally found a tribe
entirely wanting in religious feelings. Until modern times mankind in
general has believed that he was guided by the gods, the saints or
the spirits of the dead, and nothing could be done without
consulting them by means of oracles, priests, divination or
194

prayer. Man has often inwardly felt that he was something more
than a material being, and his psychic sense has flickered, and
sometimes flared to guide him onwards on a road which was dark
and difficult to walk upon without stumbling.
Nowadays the road is smoother, the light guiding us is brighter, and
the knowledge we have gained by the revelations of physical and
psychic science makes much that was hitherto mysterious no longer
so. Physics, by its discovery of the atom and the electron, and by its
discovery of radiation, has reduced matter to nothing more than
vibration of the ether, that something which pervades all space. All
space, including physical substance, is vibration, but we only sense
that small portion which vibrates in harmony with the physical body.
That which is beyond, or is of a greater frequency than the material
universe, Spiritualists term the Etheric, which contains unseen
worlds around and interpenetrating this planet, and probably
elsewhere in space.
The one next in vibrational activity to our earth we call Etheria, and
there lives, or from it has passed onwards, everyone who has died
on earth and slipped out of his or her physical body. They live,
guided by the same immaterial mind which was theirs on earth,
each with an etheric body (unseen but interpenetrating the body
when on earth) which is in harmony with the higher range of
vibrations. So the etheric body feels solid and real to those who
have made the change, and consequently their surrounding
conditions feel solid and real because they are made up of
substance vibrating at the same frequency as the etheric body.
195

We on earth have not the power to increase the frequency of the

vibrations which make up our physical body. If we had we could visit
the etheric world at will. Etherians can reduce their vibrations and
come back to earth, and see and hear what is going on. They can
cause their bodies, by thought, to reduce their frequency, and come
through their own surface to the earth's surface. There is a constant
coming and going between the two surfaces, but only by clothing
their vocal organs with ectoplasm, and the other ingredients they
mix with it, can they be heard by us on earth. By changing the
ingredients they can make themselves seen by us, and this is called
materialisation.
The reason they can come back to earth is because of memory.
Their memory of earth, and those they love here, enables each mind
to lower its body vibrations and make contact with earth. But their
bodies still vibrate at a higher frequency than physical matter, and,
this being so, walls and doors mean no more to them than do
etheric walls and doors to us. But the physical order, and the etheric
order, can communicate conversationally with each other when
ectoplasm is provided by someone on earth, and, after they have
treated it, they can use it to enable them to speak to us. As to their
seeing and hearing things on earth, that seems to be possible
without the aid of a Medium. Normally we cannot see or hear them,
but they can see and hear us and, at a séance, they tell us what we
have said and done elsewhere if they were present at the time.
Certain of their vibrations have healing powers. They can
impregnate a handkerchief held by a medium
196

which, when put on the human body, helps to heal what is wrong.
The Apostle Paul was a healing medium, and we read in The Acts
that he held handkerchiefs which were then applied to the sick. So,
when Mrs. Bowes said in the foregoing séance that she felt that she
was being charged with some electric current through the trumpet,
she was told that she was getting vibrations to pass on to her son,
Jim, who was suffering from a mastoid.
We pass into the Etheric World naked and are met by friends who
welcome us sometimes before we are clothed, which is rather
embarrassing. Our memory makes us think of clothes, and in Etheria
the vibratory power of the mind can mould substance in conformity
with our thoughts. So Etherians clothe themselves by thought. As
we progress, our earth-like clothes change to beautiful robes, but,
when we return to earth, our robes again become like earth clothes.
That is why so many ghosts are seen in clothes similar to those
worn in the period in which they lived on earth. This matter of dress
was clearly told by an Etherian in this chapter.
Etherians always claim that they help and guide us, and this will be
found repeated in their conversations recorded in this book. Certain
psychically endowed people of the past have acknowledged this
guidance, Socrates always emphasising that the voices he heard
never misled him. Joan of Arc followed the guidance of the voices
she heard, but her tragic end was not due to their misguidance. If
she had retired from public life after she had seen her king crowned,
she would have accomplished her mission, and we have no
evidence that her voices urged her to go to
197

Compiegne, where she made no effort to escape capture. Psychic

influence is real to some, and imaginary to others, and the ordinary
individual would be well advised to remain always natural and
rational. Use the reason with which you have been endowed and
make your own decisions. Otherwise you are in danger of being like
a ship without a rudder, blown and tossed by every wind. Always
remain sane and practical.
Since ancient times it has been believed that the gods can foretell
the future, and through seers the people on earth were guided what
to do. This idea has no scientific evidence behind it, because as
many of their prophecies are wrong as right. The gods, or Etherians,
can tell you to expect a letter because they have seen it being
written and posted. They can tell of some incident, such as a death,
before you receive notice that it has taken place, and things like
that, but some, who were bold enough to prophesy, were right and
some wrong about peace or war in 1939. We will notice that in the
séances given in this book they could not tell when the second
world war would end, and no attempt was made to do so. This
makes us feel that the sitters were speaking to sensible people who
spoke only about things they knew.
We shall now pass on to the record of the next Meeting.
198

CHAPTER VII MEETING AT MRS. LANG'S HOUSE,

GIFFNOCK, GLASGOW
15th November, 1942
Present: MRS. CRISsIE LANG, MR. ALEXANDER HART, MISS ISOBEL
McROBBIE, Miss LOTTIE ANDERSON, MISS MARJORY MILLAR, MRS.
ELEANOR POTTER, MISS JEAN DEARIE, MR. DONALD CAMERON, MISS
ELIZABETH DUFF, MRS. LILLIAS BOWES, MISS CRISSIE COLQUHOUN,
MR. JOHN SLOAN.
SHORTLY after entering the room, and before the Sitting actually
commenced, a voice from the other side said:
"Hello, friends."
We then opened with the hymn Nearer, my God, to Thee, and
afterwards repeated The Lord's Prayer. A man's voice from the other
side joined in the "Amen" very fervently.
One of us remarked that it was nice to know there were people in
our surroundings, when a voice said
"Have we got an open invitation to come in ?"
Mr. Sloan said : "What are you chipping in for?", and the voice
replied
"I am waiting for my invitation."
Mrs. Lang said: "We are very pleased indeed, friend, to have you
with us," and the voice enquired
199

"Miss Millar, do you know a Ralph in your surroundings, or it

may be `Alf' ? It sounds like that. He is not here. He is a
good way off, but I get the vibration from either Ralph or
Alf, and he wants me to convey to you that he is here."
Miss Millar was pleased and thanked him.
We were speaking together about the church bells ringing that
morning, and one of us said it was a bit premature, another saying it
was in thanksgiving for deliverance from the evil we had overcome.
A voice from the other side broke in with the question
"But are you delivered from the evil so far? There is a lot to
do yet before you can say you are delivered from the evil."
Mr. Sloan remarked: "I think you are a bit out of date, whoever you
are."
We laughed, and Miss Colquhoun said: "It is a good thing they
understand you on the other side, Mr. Sloan."
The voice replied
"I understand him all right."
We then heard the name "Peter, Peter," but could not place it.
So we sang The Lord is my Shepherd, and a man from the spirit side
with a fine deep voice joined in and sang it along with us, while a
lovely light floated about and seemed to keep time to the music. We
all seemed to see the light except Mr. Sloan, and he remarked: "I
canna see ony light; I don't see nothing at all."
A voice from the other side asked:
"How can you see nothing ? It must have been
200

something. You must have extra good sight if you can see
nothing."
We all laughed, including Mr. Sloan.
Mr. Cameron remarked : "That was a very fine voice which joined in
the singing along with us," and Mr. Sloan said
"I didna hear it. It couldna have been much of a voice.
Miss Millar disagreed : "Oh yes, Mr. Sloan, it had a fine bell-like
tone."
The voice replied
"Thank you, my dear."
Miss Colquhoun started to tell us about a house in Clydebank where
continuous knocking was heard which no one could account for, and
that no one would live in it.
Mr. Sloan remarked : "I often hear knocking in my internment camp
(his room), but I just let them knock away and tak' no notice of
them."
While we were speaking knocks started to sound all over the room,
on the walls and under the chairs. Miss Dearie heard knocks under
the chair she was sitting on, and so did most of the others present.
Miss Colquhoun remarked: "It must be someone wanting help. Can
you speak, dear friend? Can we help you in any way?"
A voice replied
"It is my own fault. I did not want to go away. I was trying to
get near them."
Mrs. Bowes asked: "Do you mean those you left behind? Can you
not make them hear you?" He replied
"I have been near them but nothing can be done
201

now. I am often there but they don't know. It is Clydebank. I

lived there."
Miss Colquhoun said : "And are you trying to attract the attention of
those at home?" He replied
"I know I am done with it all now-aye, I understand."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Is it your Mother or your Wife you want to
speak to?", and the voice replied
"It is a cauld (cold) world for the auld (old) folks. No one can
look after them like me. I was their all."
Miss Colquhoun enquired: "He must mean his Mother," and he
replied
"I am looking after her but she does not know. She was my
all in all."
Another voice then spoke to him, saying
"You must come away now; come away."
After a short silence Mr. Sloan remarked : "I knew nothing would
happen the day. This is an awfu' flat meeting."
Mrs. Lang was more hopeful: "Now, now, Mr. Sloan, that is not right.
I am quite sure Whitefeather and some of the others will be coming
shortly to speak to you."
Miss Colquhoun added : "We will need to get Bobo to come and cure
your cough."
Mr. Sloan replied : "I'm sure nane (none) of them are near me.
Whitey hasna been near me for long enough, and, even if he does
come, he is naethin' like the auld Whitey."
Whitefeather then spoke, saying
202

"I have never been away from you for many nights now, my
brother. It is Whitefeather speaking. I know you, and
understand you better now than I ever knew you before. I
hope I understand you all a little better, and I thank you for
your kind consideration in bearing with me in the old days.
May the God of peace be with you all. May the shadows of
life go past thy dwelling and may the Angel of Love
overshadow you during the dark times you are passing
through at present. Trust in the God of all might, and leave
your loved ones in His keeping. Nevertheless, not our will
but Thine, 0 Father, must be done. It is Whitefeather."
Miss Duff then sang a verse of a lovely hymn: He doth Understand,
and a voice from the other side said
"How true. If you could just realise that in the midst of all
your trials and your cares and troubles `He cloth
understand' ; that those you love most and who have passed
into the beyond are still near you in every moment of life,
trying at all times to help you to understand the way of life,
how much happier life would be. You cannot but have your
ups and downs during earth's journey, but fight on bravely.
In His strength you will find a never-failing power. I will not,
however, detain you further."
Mrs. Lang asked who was speaking, and he replied
"222."
Mrs. Lang said: "Oh, 222, we are very pleased to hear you. We
would like to have heard your `Peace call', but perhaps we may hear
it at the end."
Mr. Sloan was coughing a lot, and Miss Duff
203

remarked : "Poor Mr. Sloan," when a voice from the other side said
"With such a heritage, such a great gift, how can you say
`poor' ?"
Miss Duff explained: "I did not mean it in that way, friend. I said
`poor' because I was sorry he had such a bad cold."
Mr. Cameron remarked that he had heard it said that people with
psychic gifts, like Mr. Sloan, were used in a similar manner on the
other side, but the voice did not agree.
"I do not follow you, friend Cameron."
Mr. Cameron said: "My question was-does that great gift which the
Medium has follow him to the other side of life? Can he be used on
your side as he is used here?"
The voice replied
"I have not heard of that. Oh no, oh no, he may be able to
impress others from this side to take up the mantle that he
left behind but it is not needed here ; that is a physical
qualification."
Mr. Cameron replied : "Quite so," and the voice went on
"We cannot come back and go through the same again. Any
time I come to you in these surroundings I am dependent on
the human element-the friend whom you call John Sloan.
Without him, or one equally gifted, we could not make you
hear us, but although you do not hear us unless he is
present, we do come back and watch over you from time to
time. He is just the vehicle for the transmission of sound. I
could not speak to you if I could not draw from you
collectively. I am not Whitefeather."
204

Mr. Cameron remarked: "I do not think you quite got my meaning,
friend, but that does not matter." The voice replied
"Well, let me have it again and I will try my best."
Mr. Cameron said: "An individual when he develops the power or gift
of Mr. Sloan, if he proves himself a worthy instrument here, would
he be used in the next condition of things in the same way?"
The voice asked:
"To come and function in the Earth Plane again ?"
Mr. Cameron said: "No, but I understood that in some of the earlier
planes you use the same kind of communication to contact those on
higher planes."
The voice replied:
"I have not found that to be the case so far as I am
concerned. It is not needed here. We use our own thought
vibrations to reach the higher planes, but it may have been
explained to you in that way to let you understand, or to
clarify to some extent the method of communication which
is used here. I, however, have not heard of it. You know
there are planes and planes on our side of life that I have
not evolved to yet, and to which I cannot hope to attain for
along time to come, but I have had conversations with, and
the company of, those who live on these planes. They are
able to come to us but we cannot go to them till we evolve a
little higher.
"Those who love you on your side of life and come here
before you, will cling around your plane and will try to pick
you up just as they left you in the old days, and then you
will all progress together. There is nothing lost. It is only a
case of `gone before'
205

for a little while. There is nothing forgotten. There is no

good deed, no little kindness shown, no little good thought
deep in your heart, but is accounted for, and goes to perfect
and beautify that emancipated soul of yours when it passes
out of the physical into the spiritual side of life."
Mr. Sloan remarked : "Weel (well), freen (friend), maybe that's true,
but you are too deep for me. I cannot understand all you mean."
The voice went on
"Mr. Cameron, there are many from the spheres beyond who
can come to my plane, but I cannot go to theirs, and you will
find there are many of your loved ones, who love you well,
who will be on a different sphere from you, and until you
rise to a condition of spirit equal to theirs you cannot be in
constant contact with them, though you may have them
often in your company. You have, in these troublous times
you are passing through " Here he was interrupted by another
voice, saying
"You must come away now," and he replied
"Yes, Sir. Yes, Sir."
The interrupter said
"Come away, you had better not touch on that subject just
now,"
and he replied
"I obey. I obey."
Mr. Sloan then said : "I am sure that Mammy will wait for me. I know
she will," and Mrs. Sloan then spoke:
"That is true, my dear. You know I will wait for you."
206

She then called

"Lottie. How are you, little Lottie ?"
Miss Anderson had no chance to reply as Mrs. Sloan immediately
turned to Miss Colquhoun and went on:
"How are you ? I saw you toddling up the stair, my dear, to
see Daddy."
This remark referred to a visit Miss Colquhoun had recently paid Mr.
Sloan.
A man's voice then made a remark, and Mr. Sloan said: "What do
you want, freen?", and the voice replied
"I want you."
Mr. Sloan said : "Send someone else. Hardly any of you that have
been talking are worth anything at all."
A voice then said
"I would like you to sing again,"
so we sang I to the hills will lift mine eyes, and afterwards the voice
said:
"I would like you to sing again, please. Could you sing something
bright ?",
so we sang Count your blessings.
A voice then said
"I wonder myself when I look back on those whom I loved
and still love who are coming through such trying times, and
I cannot do anything but pray that you may be assisted and
supported through it all, though I know you will be
compensated for it all. There are very few today who have
not their own particular worry or care. I think you know
what I mean, just that little care and heartache that you can
tell to no one but yourself and your spirit friends ;
207

and I, although I have not exactly earned the right to call

you my friends, am eager and willing to help you in every
way I can. I know there are others over me who are ready to
help you.
"The spirit of the evening breeze, the spirit whose ears are
strained to catch the supplications of those whom they love
to answer, to catch the deep call from your heart and
succour you, are ever ready to answer that call. There is
nothing hid, so you need not fear to tell them all, and, if it is
possible, they will help you. We have trod the path before
you, we know its roughness, we know the uphill pull, we
know how the plain-so clear and smiling-can suddenly be
transmuted into a mountain difficult to climb, but be not
dismayed, helping hands, beckoning fingers, are near trying
to guide you and help you onwards and onwards.
"It was in the stillness of the evening, when I was on your
Earth Plane, I used to get into some secluded spot in the
twilight, delighting in the evening breeze, and listening to
the vibrations of those whom I knew were near me
somewhere, although I was not physically conscious of their
presence. I had the intuition that higher beings than myself
were present, and that my immortal soul was being drawn
higher towards Heaven, and messages of love, though not in
an audible sense, were poured into my heart. That attribute
is yours, each and every one of you, so set apart a little time
to commune with those you love, and who love you still,
although just a little way ahead of you on the road of life.
We are all going the same way Home. God bless you."
208

Mrs. Lang asked if we might know who had spoken, and he replied
"You do not know me, and I do not know you personally,
although I am in your surroundings often. Mr. Cameron, you
have a keen sense, my friend, more acute and more keen
than even you understand yourself. Apply it well, my
brother. Listen for the voices which are guiding you in all
crucial matters."
After a silence Mfr. Sloan remarked here : "This is awful. Do you
hear the clock ticking, freens (friends), and there is nothing doing
yet. Can you not bring some of the folks' ain (own) freens?"
To this doleful remark Miss Colquhoun's Father replied
"Can you really understand that man, friends But he does
not really mean it. Don't you get so exalted, my friend, and
think that we are all dependent upon you, but, of course, we
are really the better for having you, you know. You are so
very anxious to shine that unless every minute is occupied
you think there is nothing doing."
Mr. Sloan replied : " I think you are a bit sore on me, freen."
Mr. Colquhoun replied
"The brilliance of your gift has quite overcome you, and,
because you consider it is not so brilliant as it was formerly,
you really have come to the conclusion that you have
nothing further to give. I know you, friend Sloan, but let me
tell you, my dear brother-I mean what I am saying now, and
am no longer joking-you are just beginning to get the cream
of the best of everything to give to those you love about
you. You are reaching a phase of your
209

life where you will come into contact with those who have
been over here for a long, long time, and, of course, with
what we know of your wonderful gift, we are going to do
something for you.
"The messages you will get, although they will not be in the
obscure form of the Indian friends, will be from Indian
friends and others long out of the body, attuned more to the
brightness of spirit where they have attained their
knowledge. After all, have you ever thought that life is a
noble thing ? The possibilities you have in your journey
through life to do good, grasp them with both hands, for
every one of them is accounted for, my brother, and will
assist you when you come to this side.
"Your garments will shine with a greater brilliance and place
you in the 'Advance Guard', girt with the armour of
righteousness, for all you have done to help those stragglers
by the way as you go through life. Those records cannot be
hid when you come to this side. You will bear the imprint of
your actions in earth life, and those which are good will help
you all the better when you come to this side of life-every
one of you. See, then, that you do all the good you can,
while you can. Life is earnest. Life is real and unending. It is
merely a changing scene from one phase to another. How
readily you all could pick up the connection ; the threads of
those that sometimes you thought had gone for ever. Are
you learning, Miss Colquhoun, to pick up these threads ?"
Miss Colquhoun replied: "These few lines you spoke brought back a
memory to me." Mr. Colquhoun agreed:
210

"I know it. I got your thoughts."

Miss Colquhoun said: "I wonder if you could tell me who is
speaking," and he replied:
"It is not permitted just now, my friends. I seem to be in
very close contact with all here, closer than ever before.
Your outlook on life is clearer as you journey on, and I hope I
will be able to help you all the way. I am speaking to all
present, and I bring to you a loving hand. I know what you
are thinking just now, Crissie. It is Father-and Mother is here
with me as well."
A materialised hand was placed on Miss Colquhoun's head : a soft,
warm hand.
Her Mother, Mrs. Colquhoun, now spoke:
"Crissie,"
and she replied: "Is that you, Mother? I am getting on very well, you
know, dear. You are not to be sad." Her Mother replied:
"But you are not so well as I would like to see you, Crissie."
Miss Colquhoun replied: "No, dear, you are not to say that. I am just
doing splendidly." A voice then said
"Jim-Jim," and Mr. Sloan thought this was meant for Lottie
Anderson, but Roy Richardson, after giving his name, now spoke in a
very clear distinct voice.
"How are you, Mrs. Lang ? I heard you speaking about
Mother lately and you said such nice things about her.
Thank you."
Mrs. Lang replied : "Oh, Roy ! I am glad you have come to speak to
us. I have just finished a letter to your Mother."
211

To this Roy answered

"I know. I saw you writing it in the back room ; a room just
behind this sideboard here-is that right ?"
Mrs. Lang said: "That is right, Roy; in other words, `the kitchen'."
This remark much amused Roy, who replied:
"Oh, Mrs. Lang, that you should have sunk so low as to write
in the kitchen."
Mrs. Lang laughed and said: "I am afraid I do more than write in it,
Roy. I live there a good deal now to save coal and light, you know."
Roy replied
"And you are perfectly right, Mrs. Lang. Of course, you know
I was only making fun when I said that."
Mrs. Lang said: "Of course. Have you a message for your Mother,
Roy?", and he replied:
"What would be the best message to send to a Mother ?
Only to say that I love her more dearly than ever. Mother-
there is no more precious name than that."
Turning to Mr. Cameron, he said
"Friend Cameron, I like you."
Then back to Mrs. Lang, he said
"Mrs. Lang, tell Mother I am waiting, but not impatiently, to
give her a royal welcome when she comes here, though I
hope that will not be for a long time yet. She is needed in
the world today. You will never get Mother to think she is
doing too much, you know. Well, some of the Mothers get
the heavier end of the stick to carry than the Fathers, but it
is nice when they can both pull together. Life
212

is easier then. Have you your letter sent away, my dear ?"
Mrs. Lang said : "I don't think it is posted yet. I will open it, Roy, and
give your Mother your message."
Roy replied
"Thank you, Mrs. Lang, that will make Mother very happy.
She is a cheery soul, you know. And how are you, Miss
Colquhoun ? You are a cheery soul too, and you speak to the
point when you do speak. I must congratulate you, Mr.
Cameron, on the lucid way in which you explained to me and
to my friends on our side, things that you know better than
we do. I understood you very well, but I will not disturb you
further tonight."
(This refers to a subject discussed at a previous seance but not
included in this series.)
Mr. Sloan remarked that he had been looking over a lot of photos
and had seen one of Roy, and that he often looked at Mammy's
photos when he was alone.
This remark brought Mrs. Sloan back:
"Now, Daddy, you are not to do that. It just vexes you."
Addressing Miss Anderson she said
"Lottie, dear, you are very quiet."
Lottie replied: "I am just enjoying myself,
Mammy."
Mrs. Sloan then addressed Mrs. Potter:
"Mammy Potter-I see you have Marjory with you. Do you
remember me, my dear ?"
Marjory Millar replied: "I remember you very well, Mammy," and
Mrs. Sloan went on:
213

"Mrs. Potter, my heart is full when I remember all your

kindnesses to my old man, but I will make it up to you."
A voice said
"Jim, Jim," and the trumpet touched Miss Anderson.
Mr. Sloan said: "I am sure, Lottie, that is Jim."
Lottie asked: "Is it the same Jim as I am thinking about?", and the
voice replied:
"I am Jimmy. It is so nice to see you. So nice to hear you say
we will meet again. There are no jealousies here. We all love
one another and help each other-both here and on your
plane-and I will help you all I can."
Miss McRobbie's brother then spoke to her, saying
"Isobel, I have not had the chance of speaking to you for a
long time. Do not be setting your heart too much on
something which you are considering at the present time.
Do your best and I think it will come out all right. It will not
be through any lack of effort on our side to help you, though
I regret you did not think of the matter sooner, you know,
my dear."
Miss McRobbie replied: "Yes, I know that. I should have thought of it
sooner. It is all right."
Her brother continued, but before going on to what he said an
explanation is needed. Miss MacRobbie's father passed on in 1912
and her mother passed on in 1938. While her brother was speaking,
her father was beside her tapping her all over with the other
trumpet and making his presence known to her. Her mother was
present also, but was standing
214
by her brother who was speaking to us. This explains what her
brother meant by saying "Father is still with you," meaning "beside
you," "and Mother is with me."
"Father is still with you, and Mother is with me. You know
what I mean. It is a double conjunction. We are all pulling
the same way. Jim is getting on fine, and yes, I have Roy
here. We are very seldom separate now. Did you think it
would be otherwise ?"
Miss McRobbie replied: "No, I did not think it would be otherwise. I
took it for granted." Her brother said
"These are things that are all smoothed out on this side and
no hitch at all exists here. Bless you good night."
(This was something understood by brother and sister but too
private for others to know about.)
Mr. Sloan now said : "Little Miss Millar, do you know anyone of the
name of Willie? I can see him standing just beside you."
Miss Millar was not sure she could place him. A girl then spoke to us,
saying
"I am Gertrude. I know you are all very nice.'
A man's voice then said
"I thought I would just let her in to see you thinking it would
cheer her up a little. I picked her up just outside your little
circle, and she asked me to let her come in. I did not know
whether to do so or not."
Mrs. Lang said: "We are very pleased to have her Come away,
Gertrude. Have you anything nice to say to us?"
215

Gertrude replied
"There is nothing I can say nice to you. No I cannot say
anything nice, except that you are all so kind."
Mrs. Lang replied : "Well, I think you have said a very nice thing just
now in saying that."
One of us asked: "Are you a little girl, Gertrude?,, and she replied
"I am not just little, and I am not just big. It is beautiful to
see the light that shines around you all. It was that which
drew me close to you. I want to find my Mother."
One of us said: "Have you been looking for her, Gertrude? Where is
your Mother?" She replied:
"I do not know. I have often looked in at different people's
homes, but I could not get them to hear me, and I do not
understand how you can hear me now. Where am I ? What is
the name of this place ?"
Mr. Cameron said : "We are in the town of Glasgow at present,
Gertrude. Did you know it at all?"
She replied:
"I have a faint memory of hearing of Glasgow when I was in
school. I do not belong to Scotland. I have been a good long
time on my side, but I did not live in England."
Mr. Cameron said: "Can you not sense any of your people,
Gertrude?", and she replied:
"I can sense them but not just here, though I can sense that
you are all friends here. I can always sense immediately
whether I am accepted as a friend."
Miss Dearie said: "I hope you will be very happy Gertrude," and she
replied
216

"Thank You. I shall come back here again. You see, I am

looking for my Mother. She is not on my side. She lived in
California."
Someone named Walker then spoke-a relative of Mrs. Sloan, and
asked about his brother on our side.
Mr. Sloan replied: `He is just the same as ever he was. He will land
on your side in a pretty helpless state. He has a lot to learn."
Mrs. Sloan said:
"That is not just nice of you, Daddy, to say that."
Mr. Sloan answered : "Well, I am just speaking the truth, ma dearie.
He has nae use for the other side, but he will just have to go there
like the rest of us, though I bear him nae ill will, I am sure."
Mrs. Sloan was pleased with this.
"That is more like yourself, Daddy-to be kind."
One of us asked: "Are you still there, Gertrude? Do you know
Mammy Sloan?"
Gertrude said
"Oh yes, and Daddy Sloan. I have heard much about him. He
is a very notorious man. There are many people here who
know about him."
Mrs. Bowes remarked that "notable man" might be more
appropriate as the word "notorious" had a sting in it.
Gertrude said
"When I said 'notorious' I did not mean that. He is the door-
entry and holds the key which can fit the door where little
ones like me can get through."
Mr. Potter, the husband of Eleanor Potter, now spoke
"Yes, you opened the door, my dear old friend
217

Sloan, to Eleanor and me. We were treading a lonely way,

Eleanor-you know the time when we were up against a stone
wall, so to speak, and the dear old friends (Mr. and Mrs.
Sloan) came down and we heard Bobbie speak. I will never
forget that night. God bless you. Do you see Mrs. Motion
now ?"
Mrs. Potter replied: "She has been staying at Largs for some time."
Mrs. Lang remarked : "I did not know Mrs. Motion was at Largs. We
must have her up at a Sitting some time."
Mr. Potter continued
"That is very nice of you, Mrs. Lang. I am sure she would like
to come."
Mrs. Potter went on: "She has not been keeping at all well lately,"
and Mr. Potter then addressed Miss Millar
"Marjory, and when is it coming your turn, my dear ? They
are all around you. Jimmie-James, are you there ? Come and
speak to your daughter."
James Millar then said
"Are you there, dear ? It is Father speaking. Can you hear
my voice now ? I am trying to get it to sound more like my
own."
Marjory replied: "Yes, Father, have you a message for Mummy?-but
it is not like Father's voice."
Another voice then said to her Father:
"Speak up, Jim ; don't try to force it. Speak up properly,"
and Marjory said: "Come away, Daddy, and speak to me."
Her Father said:
218

"What kind of message would you like? I am trying to get

into touch with Bob, so that he will give you a bit of help. It
is James Millar-that is all. I regret all my mistakes. We have
many of them as we go through life, Mrs. Potter. We all
make blunders, but I find myself in a very happy condition
here. I am only anxious about those I left behind. I just
thank Mummy and you all, my dear."
Marjory said: "Thanks, Daddy. We are getting on all right."
He replied:
"Yes, but you could be better. You could be better if you
could hear me speaking right to you and helping you."
After a silence of a few minutes Mr. Sloan remarked : "It has been a
hopeless meeting this time." A voice from the other side said
"Just go back a little in your lives. Just throw your minds
back and remember all the different scenes and vicissitudes
through which you have followed this stubborn man's
career, and you will find there have been bright gems now
and again which have come through to you. God bless you,
Crissie (Miss Colquhoun). No, it is not Father this time. It is
Willie. We are all busy just now."
Willie was recognised and then another voice said
"It is not going to be possible to do very much more today, I
am afraid. It is not that we are averse to help you in every
kind of way, but I think you will understand, Ladies and
Gentlemen, the conditions on your side of life at this time
make it a difficult matter for us to hold the vibrations, and I
think you are all quite anxious that we should do our share
in helping
219
those who are coming over in such numbers through the
war, without coming here, when we are needed so much
elsewhere.
"Your friends are all thinking of you. They bear you up, and
those of you who have dear ones far away, they are looking
after them for you, and they will care for you in every stage
of life. It is particularly those who are distant from their
home surroundings that I am referring to. There is an ever-
watchful eye, in keeping with your prayerful thoughts that
crosses space, conveying a loving word, a thought
expression, which brings back the sense of home, and
comforts them in their lonely times. God bless you.
"Mr. Cameron, do you know Harold? You have to travel back
a good way in life to find him. He is connected with Mrs.
Cameron's side of the house. I am not referring to your wife
but your Mother. Ask her about him when she comes
through to speak to you."
Mr. Cameron replied : "Thank you, but I do not think I have yet
spoken to my Mother through a contact such as this. She was one of
these shy, retiring souls."
A lady's voice then spoke
"There is nothing that would make me too retiring to speak
to you, my son. It is out of the fullness of a heart that loves
you that I am enabled to see you and speak to you across
the border. God bless you, my boy."
Mr. Cameron replied : "Thank you, dear." Another voice said
"Nothing much further can be done tonight,
220

friends. I am not the Indian friend, but I have been asked to

guard the door, and I am now called away, so I will say good
day to you. It makes me very happy that I have been in
contact with you, and I hope to come again because there
are so many, many messages that have got to come through
which have been waylaid, so to speak, on the way. I cannot
explain to you, but I know the conditions and the difficulty
of communicating while the ether waves are so confused.
"I think some of you will understand and you will have
patience with us. We are trying to do our best. We
remember you and love you, and we know you will
remember us. If you think of us, you can have our presence
at any time. God bless you, Hercules (evidently meant in fun for
Mr. Sloan). I don't want this opportunity to pass, however,
without wishing you all good day, and saying to each
individually: `God bless you.' You have been very patient
with us."
We then heard what sounded like a verse of poetry repeated in a
foreign language. Someone called Barrett then spoke to Mrs. Potter ;
Syd. Barrett and Harry Barrett were also mentioned ; also the Irish
friend of Mrs. Potter, called Brian, spoke to her.
We then sang the Doxology, and afterwards a man with a very nice
voice spoke the following Blessing
"May the Peace of the Great Father God, and the blessed
love and fellowship we have with one another, keep you and
guard you now and for evermore. Amen. God bless you."
This ended the Sitting.
221

The basic substance needed for the production of the Direct Voice is
Ectoplasm. It might be called the connecting link between the
physical and the etheric, as it is the substance supplied by our body
which, when mixed with etheric ingredients, can be handled by
Etherians. It is the thing which is half-way between physical and
etheric substance, and it acts as a bridge between the two worlds.
Those rare men and women, called Direct Voice mediums, have this
ectoplasm in much greater abundance than the rest of us, as we all
have it in a lesser degree, and this being so their presence is
necessary before the Direct Voice can be produced from Etheria.
So intrigued was J. Gilbert E. Wright, an American research chemist,
with this elusive stuff, that he set about making a study of it, to end
in setting down ninety-six different observations on its effects and
behaviour, but only the most important will here be mentioned.
When under the influence of Etheric chemists, the medium's body is
used as a supply basis for the ectoplasm, and they take what they
can from the sitters, but under normal conditions it cannot be seen
or tasted and it gives off no smell.
This stuff seems to diffuse through the tissues of the body like a
gas, and emerges through the orifices because it passes more freely
through mucous membrane than through the skin, to become, by
treatment from etheric chemists, an amorphous (shapeless), viscous
(sticky) liquid which can be seen at times in red light. It has now
some of the properties of matter, as it occupies space and can be
seen. Its weight is difficult to determine, but, if the medium and
222

sitters sit on weighing machines during the séance, their weight will
decrease, especially that of the medium, to become normal when
the sitting is over. This has been proved by experiment.
In my book, On the Edge of the Etheric, I tell what was told to me by
the Etherians present at the seances I had with Mr. Sloan, for the
purpose of learning something about Etheria, and the means its
inhabitants adopt to speak to us on earth. When I asked how it was
that they could speak to us I was told by Greentree, a Red Indian
chief on earth, a cultivated gentleman, from whom we shall be
hearing before this book ends, the methods they adopted, and I
cannot do better than give the explanation in his own words which
were taken down in shorthand by my secretary, who was present
when he spoke to me
"I shall do my best to make you understand how this is done, but
remember you cannot get a proper grasp of the difficulties we are
faced with until you yourself come across to our side. However, I
shall explain our methods as clearly as possible. From the medium,
and those present, a chemist in the etheric world withdraws certain
ingredients which, for the want of a better name, is called
ectoplasm. To this the chemist adds ingredients of his own making.
When these are mixed together a substance is formed which
enables the chemist to materialise his hands. He then, with his
materialised hands, constructs a mask resembling the mouth and
tongue. The spirit wishing to speak places his face into this mask
and finds it clings to him, it gathers round his mouth, tongue and
throat. At first, difficulty is experienced in moving this heavier
material, but by
223

practice this becomes easy. The etheric organs have once again
become clothed in matter resembling physical matter, and, by the
passage of air through them, your atmosphere can be vibrated, and
you hear the speaker's voice."
When the supply of ectoplasm is abundant an Etherian can
materialise part, or the whole, of his (her) body, which can be seen
in red light, and touched. This is called a full materialisation, but for
the Direct Voice a partial materialisation is sufficient, namely the
materialisation of the vocal organs, and they use either the floor to
build up on, or the large opening of the trumpet which is supported
from the floor by one or more ectoplasmic-etheric rods. Both the
mask and the rods have been photographed in infra-red light, and I
and others have seen the rods occasionally. What seems to us to be
cold breezes are often felt by the sitters, and this may be the effect
of the removal of ectoplasm from their bodies.
No natural laws are violated, and what is taken from our physical
bodies is used by the Etherians and then returned to us, but this
must take place in darkness as our light waves, above the infra red,
break up the ectoplasm so that it cannot be used by the chemists
on the other side. Much more could be told about this elusive, yet
very real, stuff, but sufficient has been said to give an idea of what
takes place, unseen to us, at a Direct Voice séance. We on earth are
the passive suppliers of ectoplasm, while they on their side do all
the process work to make speech with us possible.
Many people believe in Reincarnation, but in all my many talks with
Etherians I have never found one
224

who knew anything about it. What they talk about is progress, but
never about returning to earth to take up a new physical habitation.
Anyone who knows anything about genetics will realise the
absurdity of the idea, and why this Eastern belief has such a hold on
many people in the West is difficult to understand. In the séance
given in this chapter we notice that Mr. Cameron was told: "We
cannot come back and go through the same again."
Finally, let me draw attention to the fact that in Etheria it seems
possible to live and love without the jealousies caused on earth.
Affection in Etheria seems more general and less individual, men
and women there seeming to have this devotion in greater
abundance than we have on earth, and consequently greater
happiness follows when there is love devoid of possession and
selfishness. Jimmy, who spoke to Miss Anderson, made this quite
clear.
225

CHAPTER VIII
MEETING AT MRS. LANG'S HOUSE, GIFFNOCK, GLASGOW
19th December, 1942
Present: MRS. CRISSIE LANG, MR. ALEXANDER HART, Miss LOTTIE
ANDERSON, MISS ISOBEL MCROBBIE, MISS JEAN DEARIE, MR.
DONALD CAMERON, MRS. ELEANOR POTTER, MISS ELIZABETH DUFF,
MRS. LILLIAS BOWES, MRS. ELIZABETH CAMPBELL, MISS CRISSIE
COLQUHOUN, MR. JOHN SLOAN.
WE opened the Sitting with the hymn, Nearer, my God, to Thee, and
afterwards repeated The Lord's Prayer. A lady's voice from the spirit
side joined in the "Amen". We then heard spirit voices talking to
each other, and asked who was speaking.
A man's voice answered
"I am just visiting Miss McRobbie."
Miss McRobbie asked who was speaking, and the voice answered:
"It is all right, you know, my dear."
We then heard a strange sound through the trumpet, almost like a
bird whistling. This went on for some considerable time, and
sounded all around the room. Mr. Sloan remarked that he had had
trouble in getting up the road today, and a voice said
"You all have trouble with your feet, you folk.
226

If you would take mair (more) exercise, you would not be

bothered so much with sair (sore) feet. Mr. Hart, you were
hireling (limping) a bit, too, when you were coming in. I saw
you. None of you take enough rest. You go to bed tired and
you rise tired, but that is the strain of the strenuous times
you are living in at present. Yes, yes, yes, if you just seek a
'quiet harbour,' it will all come right for you, have courage
and patience and it will all come right. I have come through
it all and I know what it is."
Mrs. Lang asked if we knew him, and he replied
"I did not know any of you in my earth life. I have not very
much to say, though I feel that you are doing a service in
some way when you are all gathered together here. I am
afraid my speech is not up to much. I 'do not know any of
you here or any in your vicinity at all. I was by myself-just
strolling about looking at all the beauties which are around
me here, when I saw the light and came to it. I will continue
my walk now. Good day."
We then sang The Lord is my Shepherd, and voices from the other
side joined in and sang with us. One of these voices sang different,
but very beautiful words, to the same tune that we were singing.
A voice then said
"John. John Cameron."
Mr. Cameron said: "Is that for me? Are you my brother John?", and
the voice replied:
"It is your brother. How did you know it was me who was
speaking ?"
Mr. Cameron said: "I heard you say `John,' and thought it would be
you."
The voice inquired
227

"Are you well ? Where is William ? Where is he?"

Mr. Cameron replied : "I think he is all right. He is in Alexandria."
John replied:
"I have been looking for him. Is he in the Forces ?"
Mr. Cameron said: "Oh no, John, he is past that, you know. He was
through the last War." John then said:
"Mary."
Mr. Cameron replied : "Mary is on your side," and he agreed
"I know, I know. She is here now-quite close to you."
But nothing further was said.
Arthur Lang, who was killed in the First World War, next spoke to his
Mother, recalling the first time he had spoken to her after his
passing. He said:
"It was a wonderful meeting, Mother. You did not
understand then just how near I was to you."
Mrs. Lang replied: "Yes, Arthur, it was wonderful. I remember it
well."
Arthur continued
"You know what a difference it made to Father. He is with
,me now and has had wonderful experiences here and has
seen many things. Some day he may show you."
Mrs. Lang replied : "Yes, Arthur dear, and every day brings that
nearer."
Arthur said
"Now you must not think of that, Mother darling. You have a
lot to do yet, but our love is
228
still the same. It seems such a long while when I look back
to my toddling days."
Mrs. Lang replied : "I have been thinking of these days a lot, Arthur.
You have been much in my thoughts as you were then."
Arthur replied
"I was impressing you to think about that, and I want to
thank you, Mother dear, for your kindness to me all through
life. I was erratic in my manner sometimes, but I know,
Mother, you realised I was sincere. God bless you all,
friends. You don't mind me speaking to my Mother. She is so
precious to me, more precious now as the years slip past.
My Mother, I am watching over you."
Mrs. Lang said : "And what about Daisy (on earth). Have you been
near her too?" Arthur replied
"I have been with her often. They are beginning to think a
little more about this, you know. It is not far away now. Do
you remember the happy times we had, dear ? -You were
always so good to me and to all my chums. Nothing was a
trouble to you."
Mrs. Lang replied: "No, dear, it was always a joy -those happy times
when we were all young."
Arthur replied
"We will all be young again, my Mother. All traces of age will
be gone when I meet you. I am in my prime now and so will
you be. I may not perhaps be just as you knew me, but you
will know me all right."
Mrs. Lang replied : "Yes, Arthur, I will surely know you, and how are
all your chums who went over with you?')
229

Arthur replied
"They are all specially engaged. I just got away to-day as I
had not spoken to you for some time, and now I will just say
good night, Mother darling.
Another voice then said very loudly and clearly:
"Hang on, Arthur, hang on."
Mrs. Lang said: "Is that you, John Inch?", and he replied
"Yes, Mrs. Lang, but how did you know it was me ?"
Mrs. Lang replied : "I knew your fine, clear voice. How are you
getting on, John?" John replied
"Very well, Mrs. Lang, and very busy, and how are you, Miss
Colquhoun ? I seem to know you of old. You are one of the
stalwarts who used to come here."
Miss Colquhoun replied : "Oh yes, Mr. Inch, but I do not think I ever
really met you in the flesh." He replied
"No, but I heard of you when I used to come about Cowglen
House, and who is this doing some writing over here ? Well,
I am afraid we are not giving you much that you can put
down in your record."
Miss Dearie said: "Do please give me a little message to put down,
Mr. Inch. I would like that very much."
He replied
"Well, my dear, I would like to say something nice to a lady
at any time, you know, but I hardly know what to say. I do
not see anyone who is closely connected with you in the
surroundings meantime."
230

Miss Dearie replied: "If you do see them, Mr. Inch, please give them
my love."
A voice then said:
"Jenny, it is Jenny speaking. Oh, where is he ? I have been
looking for you, Alex."
This was for Mr. Hart, and then another voice said
"You have been such a wonderful help to me, Alex. You are
my comfort on this side. It is Mother speaking. I think you
sensed the feeling, Alex, that I was not far away from you."
Mr. Hart replied : "Thank you, Mother," and she continued
"I spoke to you before, Alex, but you did not hear me. I do
not think I had got the right vibration."
A man's voice then said
"That is so. When we speak to you the right conditions are
required. I find the weather has a lot to do with the
conditions. I am never so able to contact in this way if it is
very stormy."
Mrs. Lang said: "Well, we hear you very well at present. Will you
please tell us who is speaking?"
He replied
"I did not think you were hearing me at all clearly. I know
you by coming to these Meetings occasionally. Sometimes I
act as your door-keeper, if I get promoted to that position."
Mrs. Lang asked: "Are you our door-keeper to-day?"
He replied
"Oh no, I just came in like the wind of the morning. I just
blew in, and how are you, my dear ? (addressing Miss
Colquhoun). "You are not walking
231

very well. It is just a good job, you know, I am an old Scotch

fellow, that it is not a little nearer Christmas or I would have
been saying that the ginger wine was too strong for you.
Never mind, there is a day coming, a happy day coming,
when all the turmoil, sadness, tragedy and sorrow will pass.
You will soon rejoice, and out of chaos, out of turmoil, out of
sadness, there will arise a new world, wherein, we pray,
peace and purity may abide."
Pathfinder, a North American Indian, now spoke:
"I am one of the Indians. Let your hearts go out to the
myriads of sorrowing ones, suffering ones, who have not the
solace of the joy that all here have in their souls. The joy of
knowing that there is no death. That those who loved are
alive for ever more and very near to you. It is such a
wonderful thought that the great Prince of Peace should
have made it possible that we, the creatures of creation, can
aspire to a position and a portion of His magnitude and His
greatness.
"As the evening of days draws near in your short division of
time-I do not mean any of you in a particular age of time, I
mean the season of the year -may you step forward with a
newness of courage and perfect hope, which will not be
denied you, that in the New Year, just before you,
brightness will evolve. This is Pathfinder."
Mr. Sloan said : "I wouldna' have known that was Pathfinder. He has
changed in all his ways since the old days-still, he is no such a
disappointment as Whitey."
Mrs. Lang said : "Now, now, Mr. Sloan, they have
232

advanced. I am sure I don't know why Whitey keeps near you at all.
The things you say about him."
Mr. Sloan replied : "I didna mean ony disparagement, I am sure, but
they have changed. However, I do think Whitey has been near me
for the last week or two. I seem to know he is here."
Whitefeather then spoke, saying:
"Oh yes, I was with you, my brother. I saw you when you
were polishing up the little figure which Mrs. Bowes sent
you, brother Sloan."
Mr. Sloan said : "That is right, but I was only dusting it, Whitey. I
wasna polishing it."
Whitey said
"You say that is right, and yet you say I am not near you.
Where did you get the other figure? Oh yes, there is another
one which I did not understand very well from the other
side."
Mr. Sloan said : "Oh yes, that is the wee man with the heid (head)
that comes off. I don't know where Mammy got that yin (one)."
We laughed, and Whitey said
"I think you should try and sing a little."
He then remarked to someone on the other side
"You cannot come in here just now. You will get in some
other time. Just be patient and wait a little."
We then sang the hymn, Count your blessings, and afterwards Miss
Duff said : "I have been thinking so much about a little Indian friend
who passed over a short time ago with her baby. She was such a
lovely young girl, and she and the little baby passed over. I was
hoping that she might get some help."
A girl's voice then said to Miss Duff:
233

"I am here with my baby. It is Salva Singh speaking. Thank

you, oh, thank you, for all your kindness and love to me."
Miss Duff said: "Bless you, my child." The Indian girl said
"Salva will pray for you. Salva Singh will always love you."
A man's voice then said
"Lottie, Lottie,"
and Miss Anderson asked: "Who is speaking, please?" The voice
answered
"You are not very well just now, are you ? You must look
after yourself."
Miss Anderson said : "I do not know your voice." He replied:
"But there are voices which you do not know, which still
know you, and this voice could not perhaps do very much for
you when in earth life, but can do a little more now to help
you, to give you advice which I hope you will take, to look
after yourself. I mean you-you need not worry about the
other one, she will be better than she ever was. It is you,
Lottie Anderson. Take time by the forelock and see about
that right away. You know, madame, it is always right to
take things in time. Can't you see me, Mr. Sloan ? I am
standing right beside you."
Mr. Sloan said: "I cannot see any of you just now. I used to be able
to see you standing about, but I cannot see you just now."
John Campbell, a well-known Glasgow business man, then broke in
and spoke to his wife, Mrs. Campbell:
234

"I wish I had understood this better when I was amongst

you. I realise now that I missed a lot. Had I taken the
opportunity of mixing with these nice friends of yours when
I was in earth life, I would have understood more when I
came over to this side. I wonder if you can hear me. John is
speaking to you, my dear."
Mrs. Campbell replied : "I did not recognise your voice, John," and
her husband went on
"But you see, my dear, I am speaking through a strange
channel."
Mrs. Campbell asked: "Is it difficult for you?", and he replied
"It is very pleasant for me. I have no difficulties now.
Mrs. Campbell said: "The difficulty was in your passing," and he
replied:
"It is all over now, my dear. I am not going to talk about that
now. I am perfectly happy and not at all mixed. I am not
worrying about the boys. I know they are quite safe, but all
is not well with you, my dear. That is what I am-worrying
about."
Mrs. Campbell replied : "There is nothing much the matter with me,
dear. I am all right. Are you happy?"
A lady's voice then spoke to Mrs. Campbell:
"Don't you worry about John. He will be all right. It is his
Mother speaking. I am with him at present. He is rather
excited at times."
Mr. Campbell then said:
"That is right, my dear. I feel it when I am speaking to you, but don't
worry about the boys. We will look after them, and there are many
on this side who will help in that way also."
235

His Mother spoke again to Mrs. Campbell:

"I just wish to thank you, dear, for all the care you gave me,
and for the care you took of John, and all the happiness he
got through your love and care."
Mrs. Campbell thanked her, and another voice then said to Mr.
Nisbet on the other side
"Hello. How did you get in, Nisbet ?"
He replied
"Never mind how I got in. I am here, and we are all right."
Mrs. Lang asked: "Is Willie all right, Mr. Nisbet?", and he replied
"There are plenty of friends to look after him here, you
know. He is quite all right and quite happy. The only thing
is, he cannot find a way of communicating with you in the
way I am. There are a lot of people here just looking around
and trying to get into touch with you."
A girl's voice then said
"Miss Dearie, Robert is here. My name is Rosa."
Miss Dearie said: "Thank you, Rosa. Can you tell me who Robert is?
What is his other name? Is it my Uncle Bob?"
Rosa replied:
"I do not know. I just got the name `Robert' to give to you.
My name is Rosemary, and I want you to tell the old man."
Mr. Sloan exclaimed: "What old man are you talking aboot? There
are nae (no) auld men here." Rosemary said:
"I certainly mean him, but I did not mean to annoy him. I
know he is not really old. He is so
236

full of the energy to do good. I want to tell the old man to

send a nice message to Mary Stove from John Hardman. I
was with him before I came here. He took me for a beautiful
walk in my country, which he told me he had not believed
existed before he came here to this side of life. When he
came to our side of life he found a world which he had not
known was there, and I told him all about it. So he said
`Well, you will be my guide and take me some days for
walks, and now I believe in this side of life.' "
One of us asked if she was the same Rosemary who was Guide to a
musician, Dr. Wood, in the North of England. She said
"That is a different Rosemary, but do you mean the singing
man ? I know him quite well, but the old man here did not
like him."
The Etherian, Rosemary, was quite correct, and the earth inquirer
was wrong. Dr. Wood's Rosemary is the name of the medium he sits
with, and consequently she is not his guide. Nona is the name of the
control of Rosemary, Dr. Wood's medium.
Strange sounds were again heard through the trumpets, this time
like chords of music, bugle or trumpet calls. These sounds went on
for some time and moved all over the room.
A lady's voice then spoke to Mrs. Lang
"I wonder if you know me any better now. I am Nona. I was
not able to speak to you that evening with Dr. Wood and
Rosemary. I could not get into touch with them just at that
particular time, but it is so beautiful to know they
understand that I am here."
Mrs. Lang said: "The Lady Nona-I am so
237

pleased to hear you. Are you going to tell us anything? Can you give
us any information?" Lady Nona replied
"I am not inclined for that to-night-to give any musical
information, I mean. Some other time I may have the
opportunity to do so."
Mr. Colquhoun now spoke
"I know Miss Stove, and I know that she sits in the window-
seat. It is drawing near the time when she will need all the
support she can get. It is coming to the anniversary of the
time of her friend's passing. There is always a sadness at
such a time, even when you know this truth, but if you could
just understand the beauty of our anniversaries you would
not be sad about us.
"You are also coming to the sad time of the year for you,
Crissie Colquhoun. I am sorry about your ankle but it will
come all right. You are right in what you are thinking. It is
Father. Your Mother is all right, you know, and just you
think this when you are sad and mournful-it will react on
Mother and she wants you to be happy and cheerful. Never
you mind, dear, you know the happy day will come to all of
you, to everyone in this beautiful room to-night, when you
will step over the border-line, and then you will understand
more about all this."
Miss Colquhoun said: "Mother is happy now, isn't she, Father?"
Her Mother then spoke and said:
"Quite happy, Crissie. I am quite happy. We are both
together, your Father and I, but not all the time. I would not
wish that, as I could not just go into all the pursuits that
Father likes and joins in, but
238

I have found many friends here, people whom I did not know
in earth life, but who claim kinship with me. We are all more
intimate with one another on this side."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Mother, do you ever see Aunt Agnes?"
Her Mother replied
"I have met her often. She is in a different place, but is
happy, and we are often together."
Miss Colquhoun said: "And the boys? How are they?"
Her Father replied to this question, saying:
"All pulling their weight, my dear."
One of Miss Colquhoun's relations in Etheria then asked
"Who is to give a message to Aunt May? (on earth). We are all
here, you know."
Miss Colquhoun said: "Any of you-it does not matter."
Her Father replied
"But which one would she like best to get a message from ?"
and Miss Colquhoun replied : "I think she would like a message from
her husband best."
So this is what her husband said
"Willie is speaking-her Willie. I was speaking to you before
to-night, but I do not think you heard me, Crissie. Tell May I
am dwelling on the memories of all the love and wonderful
times she gave me. These are memories which will never
fade and will never pass away. We often go long walks-it is a
beautiful country. I wish I could explain to you the scenes
beyond scenes which open to one's view,
239

friend Cameron. I like you. You are a thoughtful man. Well,

Sir, the vistas and scenes on this side of life-I cannot call
them anything other than different worlds-are so vast ;
worlds and worlds beyond worlds, and all vibrating at
different rates of movement, higher and higher vibrations,
but all is happiness and joy complete. Sometimes we radiate
in the surroundings of those whom we have known for a
long time but who have gone on, and spend a beautiful time
with them-just as you would do in earth life when going to
visit friends, and then we come back to our associations
again."
Mr. Cameron said : "When you go to live in these finer vibrations, I
understand you pass through what might be termed another death
and waken up to find yourself in a higher condition?"
To this Willie replied
"Oh no, I am speaking about visiting these places, but we
always return. It is all done by radiation, by vibration, and
when we go on a visit we cannot go by ourselves, we have
not the power, but friends from these spheres come for us
and lend, or put forth, some of their own power to enable us
to attain these higher levels for a short period only. We
could not stay until we have attained that degree of
spirituality which would enable us to live there without
discomfort. We enjoy these brief visits. They are so edifying,
so beautiful, but I am always glad to get back to my own
surroundings where I live amongst friends more attuned to
my own condition."
Mr. Cameron asked: "You do, of course, move about in a body
similar to the one you had here?", and received the reply
240

"Certainly-similar in many ways, though not exactly the

same. We walk, but there is another phase of it which I
would like to explain to you. If we are tired-well, we do not
tire here as you do but if we feel we would like to go to a
different place at a great distance, we just concentrate on
that place and we are there instantly. There is a force
whereby we can project ourselves to the desired
destination, and visit these different colonies."
Miss Dearie remarked : "But you will actually be there in your spirit
body?", and he replied
"Yes, we are actually there in the body. When we have
evolved sufficiently to live altogether on a higher plane, it is
just a transition. When we acquire that power we go quite
readily."
Mr. Cameron asked: " I understand you always make that change in
what is like a sleep condition. You make the change without being
aware of it."
The reply came
"That may be so. What I will ultimately attain to I do not
know, but I am quite content to remain where I am at
present, and to progress slowly from time to time and feel
the vision which is opening up to me so wonderfully. When
we traverse the spaces with these brighter ones and
communicate with those who have gone on, we get glimpses
of the glories to come. I would not, however, be content
there. I want to get back to my own associates and to the
places where I am established at the present time, and wait
for the loved ones who are still on your side of life."
A lady's voice then spoke just in front of Miss Dearie, and said:
241

"Mother."
Miss Dearie said : "Is it my little Mother?" She replied
"Jeanie-it's just Mother. How are you getting on ?"
Miss Dearie replied : "I am all right, darling. How are you, dear? Tell
me something about yourself. Are you living in a nice home over
there?"
Her Mother said
"Yes, but I have not seen much of my own home recently. I
have been on a round of visits-staying with different people-
sometimes for such a long time that I hope I do not overstay
my welcome."
Miss Dearie said: "I am sure you will never do that, dear."
Her Mother replied
"I do not seem to, for they are all so glad to see me. I have
met many people here I knew long ago and had almost
forgotten about, but they all knew me and are so anxious to
have me with them. I have a wonderful body now, Jeanie. I
am not aged now, you know, and can enjoy going about."
Miss Dearie said: "I am sure you do, dear. Are you often with
Grandmother Hunter?"
Her Mother replied
"I just left her before coming here to speak to you. I see her
often."
Miss Dearie inquired : "Do you ever see Uncle John, Mother?"
Her Mother said
"Oh, John Hunter. Yes, I see him, but he is just a nuisance
sometimes. I don't mean anything against him when I say
that, but you know what he
242

is like, and I was always outspoken and said what I thought

about things, and I am still the same. I have also made many
friends here whom I never met until I came here-such as
Mrs. McRobbie and others I have met through coming into
contact with them at these Meetings. But, oh, darling, I do
miss you very much."
Miss Dearie quite understood her Mother, and replied : "And I miss
you, my dearest-my own Mother. Have you a message for Tom,
dear?"
Her Mother replied:
"Tom is not too well just now. He is worried about different
things, and one thing in particular you know what I mean,
Jeanie, but we will help him. Give him our love."
Miss Dearie said : "Yes, dear, I will." Her Mother continued
"Jean, do you often meet our old friends, the Smiths and the
Palmers and others who used to come ?"
Miss Dearie said: "Yes, dear, I see them quite often and I will tell
them that you were asking about them."
Her Mother agreed:
"Yes, do, Jeanie, and give them my love."
Miss Dearie then asked : "And how are Father and Mary getting on?
Give them my love, Mother." A voice broke in and said:
"I am here, Jeanie-it's Mary,"
Land she gave such a happy little laugh.
Miss Dearie said: "You sound happy, darling. Are you very happy?"
A man's voice said
243

"And why shouldn't she be ? Do you know who is speaking to

you now, Jean ?"
Miss Dearie said: "Is it Father?", and he replied "Of course it is
Father. How are you getting on, my dear ?"
Miss Dearie replied: "I am very happy, Father, and getting on quite
well."
He said
"I mean in your daily life. Are you managing to get along all
right by yourself ?"
Miss Dearie replied : "Yes, dear. Of course, I am lonely sometimes,
but I am managing all right, and really quite happy."
Her Father went on:
"We know you are lonely and we are trying to help you all
we can. We are often beside you, and beside Tom too. As
you heard Mother say-Tom is worried about something just
now, but we are helping, and you tell him everything will
work out all right, not to worry, he will be looked after."
Miss Dearie said: "Father, have you ever met Mr. Wellington?"
Her Father replied
"I have seen Sam (correct) once or twice and have spoken to
him, but not often. God bless you, dear lass. Good night."
A voice then called out
"Eleanor, are you there ?" (to Mrs. Potter), and then another
voice said
"Mother, it's Bobbie. You were thinking about me very much
this morning, dear, and you were wondering what is going
to happen to ..."
(The information which was given is of such a
244

private and personal nature that it has been omitted by request.

Everything said was correct.) Bobbie continued
"You are coming to the time that makes you think a bit,
Mother. Now you are not to have sad thoughts. Take the old
man's advice here to be bright and happy."
Mr. Sloan said: "What auld man are you talking aboot?"
Bobbie replied:
"Well, I just want Mother to think in the same way about me
and about Father as you think about the dear little lady who
has gone on, and be glad for us that we are over here. We
are not dead, you know."
Mrs. Potter replied: "I know that, Bobbie dear," and he continued
"Yes, but don't ever think of us as lying up in West Kilbride
behind the dyke yonder. I have never been there, Mother
dear. I am living in your heart and in your memory, and,
when the shadows have departed and the mists have rolled
away, then we will greet you here. I have so much to show
you, so much to tell you, dear Mother."
Mrs. Potter said: "Yes, dear, and I hope it will be soon."
Bobbie replied
"Not yet, Mother-not for a long time yet."
(Bobbie again gave her some private and personal information
which has been omitted by request. Everything said was correct.)
A new voice giving the name John Scott continued the conversation
245

"Tell her to keep her mind occupied. Everyone is better

when they are working."
Mr. Sloan remarked : "I am no sure about that. You can get too
much of the working business."
Mr. Scott replied
"Oh, but you are a lazy old fellow."
Mrs. Sloan spoke then and said
"But you have worked well in your day, Daddy. Take your
hands out of your pockets, Daddy."
The room was in complete darkness. Mr. Sloan laughed, and said: "I
was sitting with my hands in my trousers pockets."
Mrs. Sloan then turned to Miss Duff:
"I am looking at you, my dear. I am so glad to see you.
Sometimes you had it pretty hard, you know. You have a
loving heart, and there are many loving hearts here who will
help and support you in your work for the suffering. You
always were so kind and thoughtful for others."
Miss Duff said: "Thank you, -Tammy dear. Please accept my love in
return."
Mrs. Sloan went on
"Mammy Potter, do you hear me speaking to you ? I often
think of the happy days we had in the past,"
to be interrupted by Bobbie Potter, who spoke to his Mother in a
loud, clear voice
"Mammy Sloan wants to tell you, Mother, that when she
thinks of all the happy days at the little cottage, she just
wants to thank you for all your love. She says it is beyond
her to understand how you used to go through the snow.
She says it is wonderful
246

how you managed through the snow, and she wants to

thank you for all you did."
Mrs. Potter said: "It was no trouble to me-always a joy to do
anything I could for my old friends."
Mr. Sloan remarked : "I remember these happy days so well and
what good company Mr. Potter was. How he would sing when he
used to come down on Saturday nights. My, but he was a happy
man."
Mr. Potter then spoke to us
"There is no show without Punch. We will all be happy again
some time in the sweet by and by. Are you there, Eleanor?
Can you hear me now? Well, I just wish to say a few words in
case I don't get the opportunity of speaking again to-night. I
wish you all the joys that life can give you at this coming
festive Season, and I send my love to . . ."
(Four names were correctly mentioned, but they have been omitted
by request.)
"God bless you, Daddy Sloan. My God, you opened the way
of life to me completely. If it had not been for you, I would
never have known this truth. I will never forget the night
when Bobbie first spoke to us. Do you remember, Eleanor ?"
Mrs. Potter replied : "Yes, dear, I remember, but you have him
beside you now."
Mr. Potter continued
"Yes. I am beside him now, but it was my dear old friend
here who changed my outlook on life, and made God real to
me."
Mr. Cameron said: "Are there many on your side, Mr. Potter, who do
not know of this?" Mr. Potter replied
247

"I beg your pardon, Sir, I do not think I knew you before.
What is your name ?"
Mr. Cameron answered: " My name is Cameron," and Mr. Potter
went on
"Mr. Cameron, there are myriads here who do not know
about this means of communication at all. I did not know
much about it for a time on your side until I lost my boy, and
my boy, Eleanor, you know what he meant to me, and that
day at Mrs. Motion's, when I first heard my boy speaking to
me, the world opened afresh. For all that I owe thanks to my
dear old friend, Daddy Sloan." (Correct.)
Another voice then said:
"Are you there, Lottie dear ? Will you tell Mother that Charlie
is here and spoke to you ? How is George ?"
Lottie Anderson said: "George is in the army," and Charlie replied
"I know. He was home recently and I know you gave him a
great reception in your house. You two girls were so very
kind to him. I have been sitting beside Jean and she is
getting on all right, you know. Tell Jean I was with her often
since she went into that medical place, and when she gets
out she will be in better health than ever she was in her life
before. Good night, Charlotte Pegott Anderson. Good night."
Miss Anderson agreed that the foregoing statements are correct,
and then another voice spoke to her, calling her "Lottie".
He said
"I am Willie--your Father knows I am living. He understands
a lot more about this subject since
248

he has been reading all the books. My, he is fairly 'chowing

(absorbing) them up wholesale.' Yes, tell him I said that. It
will amuse him. Mind you, Ladies and Gentlemen, it has
been an awful help to him. It has been a revelation to him.
God bless you, my wee lassie. Do you remember me ?"
Lottie said: "Yes, I remember you, Uncle," and he continued
"But faintly; well, my dear, I met an old friend of yours-a
very dear friend of yours ; you ken (know) Jimmie ; I have
made his acquaintance and he is keeping fine and always
thinking about you. By and by, when the course is run with
you all, it is then you will pick up all your old friends you
knew in the old days, and all faults, all follies, and
forgetfulness will be wiped out, and you will all be happy
together. Now, good night, and be happy, my dear."
Mrs. Sloan then spoke to Lottie
"God bless you, dear. Do try to be happy. I have to thank
you so much, and your dear Father and Mother, for being so
kind to my dear old man. God bless you. Never mind, I will
have a home-a beautiful cottage ; perhaps a better cottage
than the old one, and I will invite you all in when you come
to this side. We will have a happy reunion on the spirit side
of life. Your wonderful care and kindness to my dear old
man, every one of you, makes me very happy. Mr. Hart, God
bless you, and Mr. Cameron, I like you very much. Miss
Colquhoun, God bless you, and Mrs. Campbell-I have not
only seen your dear husband but I have spoken to him many
a time."
Mrs. Campbell said: "Thank you, Mammy, tell him he is to be very
happy," and Mammy replied:
249

"He is happy and cheerful and wants you to try to be happy

too. There are many friends here who are interested in you,
and they want you to know that though they do not speak to
you they are close, and will all be looking after you."
Mrs. Campbell said: "Looking after all three?" and Mammy
answered:
"The whole three."
Mrs. Campbell asked: "Is no one coming to speak to Mrs. Bowes?
She has had no one speaking to her yet."
Mrs. Bowes replied: "Oh, that is all right. I am quite content," and a
voice said
"The day is not done yet. Hello, my dear, because I have not
made myself heard before, you are not to think I have not
spoken. I have been speaking to you but you have not been
getting it."
Mrs. Bowes said : "Well, I hear you now. Is that you, dear?"
He replied
"It is Willie (Mr. Bowes). You are not to be anxious about Bill.
I am just trying to get a message through for you, my dear.
You have not heard for a little while, have you ?"
Mrs. Bowes said: "If you can get me first-hand news of him that will
just be lovely."
In a moment or two Mr. Bowes said
"I am not able to contact him yet. Was he on land or sea ?
They cannot locate him."
Mrs. Bowes said: "On land, definitely. He was in Ceylon, unless he
has been moved."
Mr. Bowes said:
"Did he go to Shanghai or Yokohama ?"
250

Mrs. Bowes replied : "I don't think so, but that is just what I have
been dreading."
Another voice with a foreign accent said
"It is Foo Choo speaking, Mrs. Bowes. Cheer up, dear lady.
Yes, yes, all is well, letter following. He is not in Shanghai,
but is there not someone else you know about there-a friend
of your brother Jim ?"
Mrs. Bowes said : "Yes, Foo Choo, a friend of my brother is there
with his wife. If you could get near them, it might help them."
Foo Choo said
"I have been deputed to look after them as they are friends
of yours and of your brother Jim. They are prisoners, and in
their loneliness they talk about the old times. Foo Choo will
ring off now."
Another voice then spoke
"We hope we have been able to bring you a little further
knowledge of life on our side and a little blessing to
yourselves as well. We are not in a position to do unto you
all that we would wish, but we are in a position to open up
the path a little ahead of you, and our wish is that in every
day of your earth life you may progress in the knowledge of
truth-the knowledge that beyond these passing scenes there
is the Eternal Reality, because, as you all know, you will
come to the passing, the demarcation line, when you will
say good-bye to earthly things and pass to the more
beautiful, lasting, and abiding things of the world which lies
beyond, where all you love and are dreaming of will be there
at the end of the road.
"I often think of that which is supposed to be a comedian's
song;
251

it is one of the most beautiful expressions I have heard. Of

course, it was not the friend who sings the song who made
it. It was composed for him, and the meaning behind it
expresses a beautiful thought. The road may be rough and
hard and stony, but at the end-all those you have loved, and
who love you, will be there `at the end of the road'. I will be
there. I will be there."
Mrs. Lang asked who was speaking, and he replied:
"John Hardman (Miss Stove's friend). There have been many
letters which you have written, my friend Sloan, and many
letters have been written to you, tributes which will live
long beyond your passing from the earth side of life. Yes, I
know, Mr. John C. Sloan, and now that I am over here I know
what a difference it would have been to me had I just been a
little less sceptical in earth life. You see, I did not believe in
anything of that kind at all. Hardman speaking. I had to alter
all my views when I came here. It is a hopeless life to live on
earth with no hope, no prospect of any life beyond. Still, I
struggled through, but what I missed in that struggle. Yes, I
have got into the light which never fades.
"Will you please tell Mary I was here to-night, and that I
came specially? Well, perhaps it is not very gallant of me to
say it, but I came specially with the hope that I could send a
message to her. If there is anything I can do for any of you
at any time, it is done. I had a pleasant conversation with
her Father the other day-what you call it, but I call it
`space'. Tell Mary that he is going to make a special
252

effort to try and let her know that he is in her presence at

the passing of the year-she will come out of her troubles all
right. Things are pretty secure now.
"Is it you, dear lady (Mrs. Lang), who is going to write to Mary
? Tell her I am very sure things will pan out much better
than she thought. There is no need to worry unduly-all will
be well. Of course, there is the lack of someone to support
her. Still, it brings out character and it will shine all the
clearer afterwards. She has done very well. Tell Mary that
her Father is pleased with the valiant fight she put up when
things were so black, and I am also proud of her."
Mrs. Lang promised to send on the message to Mary Stove.
Another voice then spoke
"Good night, everyone. I am the door-keeper, and I am
called away."
Mrs. Lang asked if he wished to close, and he said:
"I am just letting you know I am going and I cannot be
responsible now for anything, but you are in good keeping-
all should be well. I am not an Indian. I am looking round you
just now."
Mrs. Lang asked: "And are you pleased with us?" He replied
"I am charmed. I hope that is better than `pleased.' I mean it
to be. I am not able to articulate your language very well,
but is 'charmed' not better than the word 'pleased' ? Well, I
am charmed to have been in your surroundings, and I hope
that the writing which you have been doing on that paper,
my dear, will give joy to all who read it."
253

Miss Dearie replied: "Thank you, dear friend, I think I am able to

make it all out. Will you please help me to remember bits which I
may forget?"
He replied
"Before you retire tonight, if you think of me, I will come and
try to impress you with any incidents which you may have
forgotten. I often stand beside you when you are writing and
try to help you. Do you not sense my presence ?"
Miss Dearie replied : "I cannot say I do, dear friend, but I am sure
you are there helping me and I thank you very much. Can you give
me your name? Tell me who I am to think of tonight," and he replied
"Just think of 'Scribe', and I will come."
Miss Dearie said: "Thank you." He then said to Mr. Hart
"What has happened to the scribe over here ? Are you not
writing to-night ? Are you tired, poor old man ? I hope you
understand I am just joking when I say that."
Another voice spoke to Mr. Hart
"How are you, Alex? It is your Uncle Willie speaking. Did you
know you had an Uncle Willie ?"
Mr. Hart said: "No, I never knew that, but I am very glad to speak to
you all the same." His Uncle Willie said
"I came like a flash in the sunshine, and went again. Out of
the vistas of the past I contact you to-night, and, when I
look into your eyes, I trace the kinship. Through all the
vicissitudes of life, and there have been many which you
have passed
254

through, my helping hand has always been held out to you,

my dear friend and brother."
Mr. Hart replied : "Thank you very much." His Uncle spoke again,
saying:
"In the day of doubt, in the day of anxiety, if you think of the
one who passed out as a flash in the morning light, I will
come to you and try to bring succour; just call for me in any
time of stress or need. God bless you. Peace be unto you all.
William."
Mrs. Lang told her nephew Mr. Hart that there had been twins in the
family, one of whom had died at birth, and that this would be the
William who had spoken. That is what he meant by coming and
going in a flash.
A man's voice with a very bad stutter spoke next. We could not
make up our minds whether this was meant as a joke, or if he was
someone who had really stuttered in earth life and now stuttered so
that he could be recognised. Mr. Sloan said he remembered a man
with a stutter a long time ago.
Mr. Sloan thought it was time to end the Meeting, saying: "Noo,
freens, it has been very poor the night," to hear in reply someone
say from the other side
"I will just say-can any of you find the solution of this man's
grumbles, or rather, I should say, his capacity of reasoning ?
I have the satisfaction of knowing, however, that you all
know him and understand his eccentricities. I could not call
it anything other than `eccentricity,' but I suppose he has
done his best."
Mr. Sloan said : "Are you now trying to pull my leg?"
Another voice then repeated the following lines
255

"The day is done, its hours have run,

And evening shadows fall.
O Father, in this evening hour,
Come bless us one and all."
"Spirit of Love and Peace Divine,
Draw near--and from Thy Holy Shrine
Bless these our friends who toil below,
And lead them safely evermore to our bright shore."
"Amen, from `Indian Chief'."
We then sang Praise God from whom all blessings flow, and this
ended a very evidential Sitting.
This Meeting must have given much satisfaction to those who were
present, as it contains interesting information and good evidence of
survival. Several points arise which will be briefly noted. First of all,
both middle-aged and elderly people will be pleased to read what
Arthur Lang said to his Mother about all traces of age going when
they reach Etheria. He died young and is now, and will remain, in his
prime. Older people, when they go over there, come back to their
prime and will remain at that, but this will not keep us from being
recognised. Our character and individuality remain and we shall all
feel young again.
Another point is worth mentioning, namely the statement of an
Indian chief that it was so sad that the people of earth had so little
knowledge of the life to come. John Hardman, who died without
hope, also told us how much happier his earth life would have
256

been had he known what awaited him. The Indian spoke about:
"The joy of knowing that there is no death, and that those you loved
are alive for evermore and very near to you."
He went on to say what a wonderful future was before mankind, and
yet how few give the subject intelligent thought, largely because of
ignorance.
Organised and orthodox religions the world over have very hazy
beliefs about the other world, their Bibles are contradictory and
unsatisfying, the Christian sacred book for instance declaring in one
place (Ecclesiastes ix, 5) that life ends at death, and in The
Revelation that believers reach a fantastic Heaven and are for ever
singing praises and playing musical instruments to the glory of God.
But for the great majority, the world over, of all creeds, races and
languages, their belief can best be expressed by the short line so
common in every Christian churchyard "Rest in Peace."
Even that would be better than the realisation of the theological
beliefs which priestly minds have wound round the mysterious
subject of death. The doctrines of the long wait of the body in the
grave, its reanimation at some future uncertain date, the Judgment,
when a few are destined for Heaven and the majority for Hell, and
last, but worst of all, the damnation of all unbaptised infants whose
"bones pave the streets of Hell" are all revolting and contemptible.
Orthodox religious beliefs have certainly comforted many, but, on
the other hand, the firm idea of Hell for unbelievers has caused
much unnecessary fear and misery, the intolerance this has
257

brought about having been the cause of countless wars, family

disunity and much needless sorrow.
Each religion claims to be the only true revelation from Heaven, but
it is no revelation and no more than theological speculation. It was
due to the curse of ignorance, and only after death did believers
find how far astray they had been led by those who claimed to
represent God on earth. So both believers and unbelievers have
been surprised to awaken in Etheria, to find themselves in a world
much like this one, but more beautiful, and that their place there
was not determined by their theological beliefs, but by how they
had lived on earth and had behaved towards their fellow men.
Instead of living our life in the mist of hope, or in the fear of the
unknown, we now know the facts of life and death. The revelation
has now come from those who have gone before, who tell us that
there is no need to fear, that life is something well worth living,
something grand and glorious even to the poor, the sick and the
helpless. This is so because this earth is but the nursery of
humanity, who, if they will, can progress and develop without
seeming end, their trials and suffering here being but temporary,
each one being destined for a future so happy and bright that we on
earth cannot imagine all that is in store for us.
Unfortunately, the curse of ignorance still abounds, and ignorance
and vested interests are responsible for placing every obstacle in
the way of knowledge. Had the Christian priests, for the sake of
their own position, not dismissed the Medium from the early
Christian Church, what a different world we would
258

be living in to-day. If, instead of adopting creeds and dogmas,

ceremonials and eucharists, it had followed the example of the
Greeks and protected Mediums, instead of destroying them, how
much happier would the Christian era have been.
Instead of this, Jerome, in the fourth century, with priestly support,
influenced Pope Damasus to cast out the Mediums from taking any
part in Church services, and those who had been called the "Oracles
of God" became known, up to our own times, as the "Servants of the
Devil." Jerome's anger towards these oracles of God came about
from the criticism he received from Etherians at séances, who
blamed him for his mistranslation of the Scriptures, a work he had
just completed, which, as they knew and we now know, was full of
inaccuracies and in support of the Pagan doctrines the Christian
Church had adopted from the other prevailing religions of his time.
Rosemary's talk about a walk with John Hardman in beautiful
country, which he never knew existed when on earth, opens up
great vistas for the imagination. Throughout these records we
realise how natural is life in Etheria, and how social contacts
continue. They visit each other, stay in each other's houses, sit on
beautiful lawns, and are surrounded by gardens of exquisite flowers,
such as we cannot imagine on earth. Their scenery is magnificent,
made up of mountains, lakes, seas and rivers, while birds of
beautiful plumage enhance the picture they paint for us in words, of
"scenes beyond scenes which open to one's view .. . so vast ;
worlds and worlds beyond worlds, and all vibrating at
different rates of movement, higher and
259

higher vibrations, but all is happiness and joy complete."

Their bodies in Etheria are similar in many ways, though not exactly
the same, as they were on earth, and they can either walk, or move
them by thought where they will, without becoming tired as we so
often do on earth. Etherians get glimpses of the further glories
which in time await them, and those who speak to us impress us
with the idea that they live in a land of beauty, of happiness and
harmony. Progress by mental development is their aim and object in
life, though some are content to remain where they are until their
loved ones on earth join them, when they all will be reunited. Then,
as the ties with earth are broken, one by one, they journey on from
one plane of thought to another.
It is all a question of vibrations, the mind developing and in turn
attuning the body to harmonise with vibrations of substance of
greater frequency. If we can imagine this greater world as one of an
immense range of vibrations, all can be understood. Etheria is a vast
range of ever intensified vibrations, just as this earth is likewise a
range of vibrations but at a lower level. So we are not being misled
by fairy tales, because all we are told comes within the orbit of
natural law which applies in the unseen as in this seen, world of
matter.
260

CHAPTER IX
MEETING AT MRS. LANG'S HOUSE,
GIFFNOCK, GLASGOW
Saturday, l0th February, 1943
Present: MRS. CRISSIE LANG, MR. ALEXANDER HART, MISS ISOBEL
McROBBIE, MISS MARJORY MILLAR, MRS. ELEANOR POTTER, MISS
JEAN DEARIE, Miss ELIZABETH DUFF, MR. DONALD CAMERON, MISS
CRISSIE COLQUHOUN, MR. JOHN SLOAN.
WE opened the Sitting with the hymn Nearer, my God, to Thee, and
while we sang it a little bell tinkled, keeping time to the music. We
then repeated The Lord's Prayer, in which a voice from the other
side joined in and repeated it with us. Another voice accompanied
us in saying "Amen."
The trumpets were heard flying around the room, and one of us
remarked: "The trumpets are busy early to-day."
A voice from the other side said
"If the trumpets are busy, what about the people behind
them ?"
Mr. Sloan remarked : "It's time you were doing something, anyway."
We sang The Lord is my Shepherd, and voices from he other side
again sang with us. A man's voice then said
261

"Good evening, all. I was trying to sing."

Mr. Sloan said : "I didn't hear you sing. I didn't hear nothing."
The voice said:
"It is impossible to hear nothing, friend Sloan."
Mr. Cameron asked: "Do you sing these psalms on your side?"
The voice replied
"Of course we do-often. I joined in that one because it was
the last song that I ever sang in the body. Do you remember
that, Eleanor ?"
(Mr. Potter was speaking to his wife, but what he went on to say was
private and personal. So it has been omitted by request. Everything
he said was correct.)
Mr. Potter continued
"Do you hear me, Eleanor? Are you keeping better now? You
are not to think of joining me yet, you know. You see that
doctor. He was a wonderful help, and I know he would say
`Take it easy for a little.' He will make you all right. Just take
things easy, that's a good lassie."
Another voice said to Mr. Cameron
"Are you a `down hamer' (a London Scot) too, Sir ? Do you
come from London ?"
Mr. Cameron replied : "No, Sir, my home is in Glasgow, but I go
down to London quite frequently. I am going there next Saturday."
The voice replied
"You will have a tough job."
Mr. Cameron said: "I do not exactly follow that, Mr. Potter."
He received the reply
"I am not Mr. Potter. What I meant was-you
262

will have a tough job in getting anything there. What you

are after, I mean. You will not get it."
Mr. Cameron said : "But I am not getting. I am giving."
The voice replied
"Blessed are the merciful, those who giveth, for they shall
have it returned a thousandfold."
Mr. Cameron replied: "You have not quite got my meaning, friend. I
am selling. I am going on business, you know."
Mr. Sloan remarked: "I canna hear what you are all talking about,"
and the voice replied:
"We would rather you did not hear me at all. We want to get
you away." (In trance.)
Mr. Sloan replied: "Oh, dae ye? Well, I am no going away. I wish you
would hurry up and get on wi' the business."
The voice replied
"If you think you can do any better, friend Sloan, just do so."
Mr. Sloan said: "I apologise, freens, no disparagement meant, but I
think you should tak' (take) a back seat and let somebody come in
who can do something."
One of us remarked: "It is all right, Mr. Sloan. Perhaps they are
gathering power." (All this inconsequential preliminary talk is to help
to get things going.)
Mr. Sloan was still not satisfied, and said : "Well, they are takin' a
long time to dae it." He, however, remained normal and did not go
into trance.
The trumpet came over to Miss Dearie, and patted her hands, and a
very pleasant voice said:
263

"Have you got your pencil ready ?"

One of us remarked : "The two trumpets are still going around,
anyway," and received the reply
"Number 1 is. Number 2 is in use."
We then heard sounds like a bird whistling, and this went on for
some time. The room was in complete darkness, but to our surprise
a very bright light appeared on one of the walls of the room. It was
like sunshine shining through a grating or venetian blind. It
remained there during most of the Sitting, though at times it
dimmed or disappeared, but always came back again.
We started singing the hymn They are winging, they are winging,
and Mr. Sloan went suddenly into trance. He rose from his chair. It
was one of the Indians who controlled him, one who could not speak
English very well, and it was difficult to make out what he said. He
seemed to be a healer, and came round the circle, shaking our
hands. We asked his name, and he said something like "Matouche"
and "your bruder".
When he reached Miss Duff he said to her:
"You heal, me heal, you got one, two, three patients in
charge, one very bad, me help you."
Miss Duff said that was so, and thanked him. After he had spoken to
Miss Dearie and to Mrs. Potter, who was sitting next to her, he
suddenly said
"Bruder must go. Cannot hold him too long. Get back to
seat."
Miss Colquhoun helped Mr. Sloan into his seat, and then he came
out of trance and asked: "What is the matter? What has happened?"
Miss Colquhoun said: "It is all right, Mr. Sloan. You have just been
asleep for a little while, that is all."
264

A lady's voice said to Mrs. Potter:

"My dear Eleanor, do you hear me ? Tell ..."
(Correct name given but it and the message, which was understood,
are omitted by request.)
A man's voice said to Mr. Hart
"Hello, Sandy. Is it like my voice ? It is Father. How are you,
Crissie ?" (to Mrs. Lang).
Mrs. Lang said : "Is that Uncle Hart speaking? I am very pleased you
have come to speak to Alex (Sandy). He gets so few friends to speak
to him.
Mr. Hart, Senr., replied
"That is why I made an effort to get through to him to-night.
It is, however, not an effort on my part. It is merely the
effort to get a condition whereby I can speak to you. And
how are you getting on, Sandy? What I mean is-how is the
world treating you to-day ?"
His son replied : "Oh, quite well, Father, thank you.
Mr. Hart, Senr., said
"Surely you are not satisfied with life at the present time
under present conditions."
His son replied : "Well, we have just got to make the best of it."
Mr. Hart, Senr., went on
"It won't be long now until you are all right again. The
tragedy of it is that there will be so much sacrifice before
that. We look on with bleeding hearts at the happenings in
your world to-day. Well, you know what I mean, Sandy. I
cannot explain it at all why this should be."
Another voice said
"Hello, Sandy, Jimmie is speaking."
265

Mr. Hart said: "What is your second name? I know a lot of Jimmies."
The voice replied
"James, Jimmie Fergie. I was in your class."
The trumpet then touched Miss Dearie, and Jimmie Fergie, being
rather out of his natural element, spoke at random:
"You are writing. Just tell the people how much I love them,
if they like to look at your copy."
Mr. Sloan said: "This is terrible-just a lot of blethers (nonsense). Can
you no bring through someone we know?"
A man's voice replied
"What can you make of him at all ? He is the most impatient
man I know."
Miss Duff asked: "Might I ask if there is someone standing in the
middle of the room? I get the impression of a presence there, very
peaceful and soothing.
A man's voice replied
"Thank you so much for giving me the thought. I try to bring
peace, harmony and love to all people, and I get the
vibration much better when I come into the middle of your
surroundings. Mr. Cameron, your brother Jim is here wanting
to speak to you."
Mr. Cameron replied : "I have not got a brother Jim. My wife's
brother was called Jim."
The voice replied:
"He will be your brother too, although he is your wife's
brother."
but things were not straightened out, the vibrations were not right,
and then a lady's voice said:
"My dear friend, Miss Dearie. I am so glad to see you."
266

Miss Dearie asked who was speaking, and she replied

"Mammy, Mammy Sloan. Everybody knows me here. You
have got my photo now."
Miss Dearie said: "Yes, dear Mammy, I have, and I am so glad to
have it. I will take great care of it." Mrs. Sloan replied:
"Thank you. I know you will."
Mr. Sloan said: "Can you not shake them up a bit, hammy? Things
are going awfu' slow the day." Mammy replied
"I would rather shake you, Daddy, dear. You must not be so
impatient, but he is. not keeping well, Miss Colquhoun, and I
am not wanting him over here just yet."
Miss Colquhoun said: "He is neglecting himself, Mammy; not taking
his food."
Mrs. Sloan replied
"That is all right. It will not do him any harm so long as he is
not hungry. Thank you so much for looking after him. You
are a good friend, and you too, Mrs. Lang,"
and Mammy gave some kisses.
Someone remarked : "If you were back in your cottage, Mammy,
you could look after him." She replied
"The cottage does not appeal to me now, nor the district. It
is all changed. There is nothing of interest there now,
nothing in the orchards, and I am never at the cemetery, so
don't let Daddy go there. I never go there, except when you
are there, Mrs. Potter."
Mrs. Potter said: "It is just the Garden of Remembrance."
267

(What followed is too private and personal to publish. Everything

said was correct, but is omitted by request.) A relation of Mrs. Potter
then made a humorous remark about what had just been said. Mr.
Cameron laughed and said : "Your sense of humour is still good,
Sir."
He replied
"Thank you, Sir. Yes, I had, and have yet, a good sense of
humour."
Another voice said
"Faith, and it was not half so good as mine, you know. It is
Brian speaking."
Brian is a friend of Mrs. Potter, but he evidently lost contact and
could not continue to vibrate the earth's atmosphere.
Another voice then got through and said
"Tom is speaking-and how are you, Crissie ?"
(Mrs. Lang).
Her brother was the speaker, and he addressed Mr. Sloan
"Well, friend Sloan, the last time I spoke to you was on the
gangway-well, I mean the stair, leading down to the saloon
on the 'Letitia.' "
Mrs. Lang said : "They both came home on the Letitia from
America."
"Do you remember I shared my drink with you, but perhaps
you did not think it was very good ?"
Mr. Sloan replied : "It was very, very nice," and Mrs. Lang said
"How are things going with you, Tom?" He replied
"Beautifully. If all is well at home, we will be all right."
268
Mrs. Lang said: "Do you know Leslie (a prisoner of war) has got
released?"
He agreed
"Yes, I know, because I gave him a little help there."
Mrs. Lang said : "It is a good thing because he was not at all well.
However, he is all right now and is posted at home here in
Glasgow."
Tom, her brother, replied
"I am glad of that. Tell them I spoke and sent my love."
A man with a loud, clear voice started singing:
" 'Sailing, sailing, over the bounding waves,' " and sang right
through a verse and chorus. We laughed, and Miss Colquhoun
asked: "Is that you, Father?", and he replied
"Just who it is, Crissie,"
and started singing again:
" 'Sailing, sailing, over the bounding waves,' but I cannot
sing."
We all joined in and sang the song along with him, and when we
finished another voice exclaimed
"Hello, Sandy. Hello, how are you, Sandy ?"
Mr. Hart asked who was speaking, but got no answer.
Mr. Sloan said : "Go ahead, and do something." Mrs. Sloan spoke,
and said:
"It is difficult to get through to-day. There are so many
anxious souls trying to get in to speak to you. You know
what I mean."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Is there no door-keeper to-day, Mrs. Sloan,
to let in only our friends and relations?", and to this she replied:
269

"I do not see anybody just now."

Miss Duff started to sing There are lonely souls to cherish, as the
days go by, and afterwards we all sang 0 send Thy Light forth and
Thy Truth. The little bell that we had heard earlier kept time to the
music all the time we were singing.
A man's voice now spoke
"I am working on your behalf, friend Sloan, far more than
you realise. We have all much to be thankful for, very much
more to be thankful for, both on the physical plane, and
when you get over here. You will recognise then that all I am
saying is true."
Mr. Sloan replied : "I would be thankful enough if you would dae (do)
something. That is all I ask." The voice replied:
"But you don't ask it in a very nice tone of voice."
Mr. Sloan said: "Well, freen, I detest Meetings that drag on, and drag
on, and nothing happens."
The voice said very mildly:
"Is there anyone complaining, friend Sloan ?", and Mr. Sloan
replied : "Well, I am."
Mrs. Lang said: "He is too impatient. You should give him a lecture."
The voice replied
"Well, I could give him a very strong lecture, but I don't
think it would do any good. It would, as you say here, simply
go in at one ear and out at the other. He is so anxious for
things to happen that he has no patience at all. You
understand what I mean, Ladies and Gentlemen. I don't need
to say to you `take no heed of him,' but I say 'just let him go
on.
270

A lady's voice spoke to Miss Colquhoun, saying

"Can you hear me, Crissie ? It is Mother speaking. My
darling, how are you ? I am standing beside Mr. Sloan and
am so happy to be near you. I will get Father to come and
speak to you."
Miss Colquhoun's Father then said
"Hello, Chris. How are you ? I was singing `A sailor's life is
full and free.' Did you hear me all right ?"
Miss Colquhoun said: "Yes, indeed, Father, we all heard you very
clearly."
Another voice said
"Archie is speaking."
Miss Colquhoun said to her brother: "Why,Archie, this is a family
reunion," and he replied
"Why should it not be a reunion ? I would like to give you all
a reunion if I had the power to do so." A new voice then said
"I am Bob Telfer."
We asked if he knew anyone in the company, and he replied
"No, I do not know any of you here."
Mr. Sloan said: "If you don't know us, what are you coming in for?"
He replied
"My friend, I am not coming in. I am in. Mr. Cameron, I do
not know you, but I heard you speak and the others call you
Mr. Cameron. I thought I would like to have a talk with you."
Mr. Cameron replied : "Very pleased indeed, Sir. Tell us something
about yourself."
Mr. Telfer replied
"I will do nothing of the kind."
271

We laughed, and Mr. Cameron said: "Well, tell us something about

your surroundings. I understand there is no limit to your
surroundings."
Mr. Telfer replied
"You have struck the key, Sir, according to what I am
learning over here. Of course, I have not advanced very far
as yet and have not had much experience.
Mr. Cameron said: "Well, tell us exactly as far as you can go, what it
is like over there?" He replied
"Well, it was a disappointment to me when I came over,
because I was a long time on the spirit side of life before I
realised I was actually out of the body. The surroundings
were so similar to earth surroundings, and I had not been
taught to expect that. Then I thought I would be with my old
friends that I had liked so much, and I was not. The most
remarkable thing was that there were some people whom I
had not cared for much in earth life who were my best
friends on this side. You know, I wanted to get beside my
darling old Mother, but discovered that I had a long way to
travel before I could do so. She came and spoke to me. She
was the first to greet me when I came here, but I could not
go with her."
Mr. Cameron said : "I do not quite follow you there, Sir. I understood
you could be with those you loved immediately you passed over,
provided you had lived a worthy life on this side."
He replied
"That was not my experience. I am telling you, of course, of
my earliest experiences on this side of
272

life. I have progressed much since then and I am now often

with my Mother, though I have not advanced sufficiently to
be with her always. I am much with my Father also. It is a
beautiful country I am now living in."
Evidently he would have said more, but he lost contact with our
atmosphere.
Then a lady's voice spoke
"Jeanie, it's Jeanie Dearie,"
and the trumpet came on top of Miss Dearie's head and patted her
all over her head and face. She asked: "Is that you, Mary?", but all
the voice said was
"I am looking for my sister."
Miss Dearie was quite sure that it was Mary, her sister, although the
message was a bit confused. A man's voice then said
"Robert Dearie,"
and the trumpet touched Miss Dearie again. She asked: "Who is it?",
and he replied:
"Grandfather."
She said: "Oh, are you my Grandfather?", and he replied
"No, not your Grandfather, my dear, your Father's
Grandfather. I have travelled far in the spheres of spirit
life."
Miss Dearie said: "I am very pleased that you have come to speak to
me. Have you met my Father, and are you ever with him?"
He replied
"Certainly; I see him frequently, though we are not living in
the same country as it were. We are on different planes."
Miss Dearie said: "I understand that, Grandfather. You will be much
more advanced than Father is now."
273

He replied
"I may be more advanced now, but I was further back than
he was to start with. We are both in beautiful surroundings,
but they are different. I have much to thank God for,
especially those who helped me when I first came over,
because I was not sure, friends, Ladies and Gentlemen,
where I was going. It is a lovely land I am living in.
"Most people who come to the spirit side of life expect to be
in the same surroundings all the time as the ones they loved
on earth. That certainly is so in many instances. It all
depends on how spiritually you are akin to each other, but
often those we have loved dearly are too far advanced for us
to reach them. They can be with us certainly, but cannot
take us with them. We have just to wait a little until we
attain the condition whereby we can travel and understand
the surroundings where we are going. God bless you."
Another voice said
"This is Jimmie speaking -- Jimmie Cameron." Mr. Cameron
asked: "Are you a relation of mine?", and Miss Millar said
" I know a Jimmie Cameron-a friend of my Father."
The voice said
"Of course, I am a friend of Jimmie Millar. I have just come to
say `My love to you, my dear'."
A lady then spoke to Miss Colquhoun, and said: "Crissie, I do not
like to see your hair getting grey. What did you do with that
painting of me ?"
274

Miss Colquhoun said: "Why, it is Grandma. The painting is on the

wall of my sitting-room, dear." Her Grandma replied:
"I did not see it, and I was wanting to show some of my
friends here what a beautiful painting you had done of me. I
am getting nearer you every day, Crissie. Now, Ladies and
Gentlemen, I will not take up any more of your time."
A page or so back the record was given of what was said by Bob
Telfer. He evidently had more to say, as he came back and spoke to
Mrs. Lang in a clear and distinct voice.
"Good evening, Mrs. Lang. I have added much to my
knowledge of the spirit side of life through the valuable
teaching I have received from your dear boy. I often go up to
hear him speaking when he is lecturing. Am I making myself
plain, Mr. Hart? I do not know how I could have understood
things so well if I had not heard someone like Mr. Arthur,
and such as he, explaining matters to me when I first came
over, and, goodness knows, you will all need help yourselves
when you come over here, though, with the knowledge you
already have, you will understand it far better than I did.
"When I came here, it was not what I expected. I thought I
was going right into the Kingdom of Heaven right away, and
was disappointed, but I did find I was in the Kingdom of
Friends right away. I am only speaking of my own
experience, remember. I was just an ordinary fellow in my
earth life, and did not think much at all of the life to come,
and when I did get here I expected to have all those I had
loved beside me always, but that did not happen.
275

"I would fain have you see the beautiful home where I dwell,
far superior to anything I knew in earth life, Mr. Cameron. I
was in a humble position in my earth life, but the Good
Father, as I was told, had prepared this place for me, which I
attained to in a short time. I listened patiently to all the big
teachers had to say in the Auditorium, and I found the way,
the pathway that led to my beautiful home on the spirit side
of life. It is just the place I would have desired had I chosen
it for myself."
Mr. Cameron said: "I understand you build your home by deeds
done in the body?"
Mr. Telfer replied
"Yes, I was trying to explain that to you. Any little good I
had done in earth life which had been a bit of a sacrifice to
me, made my home, my beautiful home, more beautiful, and
any kind thought I had, any kind action I did, all went to the
beautification of my Paradise of Peace, my home, my
garden, in all its beauty, and the flowers I love tending as I
used to do in earth life. They grow from the little plants to
the full fruition of all their beauty and fragrance, and then
they just vanish and others grow in their place. There is no
decay; no toil in gardening. I have such a wonderful home
and I just came in to tell you about my house and my
garden."
Mr. Cameron said : "I understand you can be with the friends you
love immediately you arrive those you loved here can be with you
always?"
Mr. Telfer answered, and continued his interesting talk with these
words
"Yes, if you are in the same vibration spiritually that is so. If
not, they can be often with you, but
276

you cannot live in their surroundings. There is what we term

here a 'classification.' You are among the friends you are
worthy of being with immediately. If you have lived a good
and worthy life on earth, you immediately go into a
condition consistent with the life you have led. You would
not be happy if you were in a condition you were not
attuned to. You can move to a different home in the old
world, according to your tastes and position, but a different
method obtains here, where you can only go to the place
and condition you have attained spiritually.
"When you come here, you find yourself possessed of a
body-almost a replica of what you left behind, only younger-
looking, though not immediately. I was resting, as I was
told, for a considerable time when I first came over, and,
when this rest period was over, I found I had regained my
lost youth, but, as I have already said, what troubled me
was that I could not immediately go away with those I
loved."
Mr. Cameron said : "Yes, I can quite understand that," and Mr.
Telfer, remembering what he said in his first talk earlier in the
séance, pointedly took up Mr. Cameron and reminded him of his
inconsistency.
"But you told me earlier that you did not follow me. We are
always willing to help you, brother Cameron, but everyone
cannot step into the surroundings of those ahead of them.
You will, of course, understand it all better when you come
over."
Mr. Cameron asked who was speaking, and Mrs. Lang asked: "Is it
still Mr. Telfer who is speaking?"
277

He replied
"Yes, it is Telfer."
Mrs. Lang asked: "Are you long over in the spirit world?"
He replied
"I could not exactly tell you. It is difficult to reckon time
here, but it was before your time. I lived in Montrose. Mr.
Cameron, I think there is good news coming for all in the
world before long. Of course, there will be sad hearts before
it does come, but it will come speedily now. What saddens
us here so much is to see the young, the noble, and the
good, ushered into this side of life just when they would
have been of so much help to humanity. You know what I
mean. They will, however, still react and affect you from this
side when they come here. I am going now, good day."
Miss Duff started to sing: There comes to my heart the one sweet
strain-Sweet Peace-the gift of God's Love.
A lady's voice then said
"Mary (Miss Duff's Mother), my beloved girl; it's Mother. My
beloved girl, can you hear me ?"
Miss Duff replied: "My beloved Mother, I can hear you very well. I
have not heard you for a long time, darling."
Her Mother said
"I often speak to you but you do not hear me. It is all right. I
will show you my light."
A beautiful light shone in front of Miss Duff, and she said : "Oh,
Mother dear, I can see it. Oh, thank you very, very much."
A man's voice then said to Miss Duff:
"Have you left the old house ? It is Grandfather.
278

Yes, yes, yes, I am here. It is Grandfather Duff and nae other

body, and I am no such a duffer as you would think. They
said I was a bit eccentric, and maybe I was. You would hear
your Mother speaking ?"
Miss Duff replied: "Oh yes, and I saw her light, and I am so glad."
During the silence which followed Miss Duff remarked to us: "I did
not recognise Grandfather's voice: that is just the second time he
has spoken to me."
Her Grandfather spoke again, saying
"And how did you think I should speak, my dear? I was aye
gie (always very) broad in the speech, but you can be broad
and refined at the same time. Good day, my dear."
The light on the wall behind us, already mentioned, became very
bright and we asked if anyone could tell us what it meant. It was like
sunshine shining through venetian blinds.
A voice said
"We are just looking through these spaces at you all here.
There are many in the surroundings, and I brought them up
to look at you, and see if they could find any friends in the
little company sitting here."
One of us remarked : "It is as though we were looking at a lovely
sunset," and received as answer:
"That is just so. Our light was softened to suit your eyes
until you become accustomed to the surroundings which we
are in."
The trumpet came on to Miss Dearie's lap, and then patted her head
and face all over, a voice saying
279

"Can I forget ?-ah no,

For memory's loving chain,
Has bound my heart to the one below,
Until we meet and kiss again."
"These words are for you, Miss Dearie. I live in the light of
God's love; His lightness touches my brow; my heart binds
itself in love to your heart. It is the Indian girl speaking to
Dearie. I be in spirit life long time, but I still have some
friends in happy world land whom I love."
"Maybe I can forget ?-ah no, For memory's golden chain,
Hath bound our hearts with a bond of love,
Until we meet and kiss again."
Miss McRobbie's Mother spoke next, and said
"Isobel-Mamma is speaking. You know all my friends.
Remember me to them all, Isobel, and all my love to you,
darling."
Miss McRobbie promised to do so, and thanked her Mother, who
could say no more as a man's voice remarked
"I am looking for somebody,"
and the trumpet touched Miss Duff. She asked who was speaking,
and he replied
"I am just beside friends here. I was a house surgeon. Do
you remember me ?"
Miss Duff asked : "At Rotten Row?", and he replied
"Yes. How are you getting along there ?" Miss Duff answered: "We
are very, very busy,
280

friend. Thank you very much for coming. Will you help us?"
He replied
"That was my object in coming to speak to you here. We do
the best we can for you. I know how difficult it is with
conditions such as you are working under at present, and I
know how difficult it is to--well, what shall I say ?-take it all
without grumbling."
Miss Duff asked: "Is it possible for me to know your name or would
that not help?"
The speaker lost the right vibration and she got no reply, but
another voice said
"David,"
and Miss Duff asked: "Is that you, Father?" He replied
"It is Father speaking. That will always be your Father's
name. I was just a wee bit cranky and crotchety in the old
days."
Miss Duff said : "Oh no, Father dear," and he replied
"Well, though I did not always see eye to eye with you, I
used to enjoy having differences of opinion."
Miss Duff remarked: "You do know I love you, Father," and he
replied
"I never doubted that, my dear daughter."
A new voice broke into the conversation
"Love is something which is branded on the heart of
humanity and can never be eradicated. It lives through all
eternity, it never dies, the love which is in the heart for each
other grows brighter all the time. Indian Chief is speaking to
you as he can explain it."
281
Miss Millar remarked : "That was a very beautiful message," and the
Indian said
"What did you say, little lady? It is so satisfactory for me to
hear you speaking to Indian Chief in that manner. Indian
Chief would like to put this little message so lucidly before
your understanding that you would know and understand all
that I mean. There is one little episode in your life to which
you cling with a fervent clinging, a thought which you would
like to mature. Indian Chief tells you that if you do have
patience all will be well. You know what I mean. It has been
a dark road to walk but you are nearer the goal where you
shall acquire the object of your desire which will bring you
much joy."
Miss Duff asked : "Are you still there, Indian Chief? Will you please
give my love to my little Indian friend and her baby?"
The Indian answered
"It will be recorded for you. God bless you all for giving me
your ear, the hearing ear of understanding, and Indian Chief
would like to say to landlady (Mrs. Lang), there is a message
which it will give you pleasure to pass on to the lady-Mrs.
Bowes-'All is well'. All we can say in the meantime is-all will
be looked after for her. I mean the boys."
Mrs. Lang thanked him and promised to pass on the message.
John Campbell, speaking from the other side, had also news which
he wished to have passed on to his wife
"It is John Campbell speaking, Mrs. Lang. I am so happy, so
glad that I can, with clear perception, tell you that I know
what I am speaking about. Both
282

the boys are well. Tell my wife she will be hearing from
Ralph before long, and Peter is well too. You know, Mrs.
Lang, it did not take much to please me. I was always a
contented chap."
These names of Mrs. Campbell's sons are correct, and Mrs. Lang
promised to deliver his message.
Then one of us on earth asked when did Mr. Campbell pass over, to
be immediately answered by Mr. Campbell himself
"I think it was on 21st October, 1942." A man's voice now
asked:
"Have you any special photograph in your pocket just now,
Mr. Cameron ?"
Mr. Cameron replied : "Yes, I have." The voice asked
"Why did you put it in that particular position ? Has the
result been achieved ? Have you got satisfaction ?"
Mr. Cameron replied : "I hardly follow you, Sir. It is simply a
photograph of my wife and my grandchild which has been in my
pocket-book for some time."
The voice said
"Yes, I checked you over for that photograph and looked into
your pocket-book."
A lady's voice then exclaimed
"Donald, Donald, it is Mary. Can you hear me ?" Mr. Cameron
replied : "Yes, dear." Mrs. Cameron assured him:
"You are sweeter to me than ever,"
and Mr. Cameron replied : "And you are equally so." Mrs. Cameron
went on:
"I know, Don. We are twin souls in many things. You know
what I mean, and the great
283

mystery of life is-I had to leave you sooner than I would

have liked. You have been so brave, Donald, and you have
been so good to your charges left in your care. There have
been some little things that have worried you, but I am
always helping you, Donald. Good day. At the end of the
road, my dear, when the good Spirit God will call you home,
Mary will be waiting there."
Mr. Cameron replied: "Thank you, my darling." (Mr. Cameron joined
his wife about two years later.)
A man with a marked American accent then spoke in a very loud
voice
"It is John B. Arrol speaking. John Benjamin Arrol."
We asked if he knew anybody here, and he replied:
"No, but I saw the light, and came in. I just wanted to speak
to you. How are you getting on ? I have not been with you
for a long time."
Mrs. Lang asked: "Were you ever here before?", and he replied
"Sure, but not for some time. Well, what are you laughing
about, young lady ?" (to Miss Millar).
Miss Millar replied: "It was just the difference in the voice-the
difference between your American voice and the others."
He replied:
"I have an American voice, but I am not an American, and I
still say `Keep clear of New York. It is not a good place. Keep
away from Coney City, my dear."
Mr. Sloan said : "There is nothin' wrong with Coney City. I have been
there and it is just a showground."
284

He replied
"Sure now, and you have struck it right away-a
showground."
Mr. Sloan inquired: "What did you come in here for if you don't know
anybody?"
Mrs. Potter remarked : "I wonder if he is any relation of the Arrols in
this country. My husband knew Sir William Arrol."
He replied:
"I am a brother of Sir William Arrol. Sure, that is how it is. I
am John Benjamin Arrol, and I went to the States and spent
most of my life there. We are working together now-the two
brothers."
Later inquiries confirmed all that Arrol had said.
An American Indian now spoke
"It is all right, Mrs. Lang. I know what you are thinking; that
the night is far on. Well, as far as I can make out from your
clock outside, it is ten minutes to six, but I am not sure. I
was also an American, though I did not speak in the way
that other American has spoken. I was a North American
Indian Chief."
Mr. Sloan said : "I wonder where all the Indians are who used to
come and speak. Whitey has deserted me; at least he comes
sometimes but he is not the same as the old Whitey."
Mrs. Lang said : "But he has advanced, Mr. Sloan."
Whitefeather, who must have been in the neighbourhood, now
justified his increased culture:
"My brother Sloan, you surely do not desire that
Whitefeather should maintain the same old circumscribed
existence which I had when I came to you in
285

the old days ? I went to study a little so that I could increase

my knowledge and be able to converse more like your
friends here, and like some I knew in earth life.
"I have learned a little and I pay that tribute most heartily to
your beloved son, Mrs. Lang, who educated me to the
language which I now speak and in the tone in which I now
speak, but I am still Whitefeather, the old Whitefeather in
heart. Only I have gained a little further knowledge and
have progressed a little in the life on our side. God bless
you, says Whitefeather."
(Arthur Lang was born in 1892 and killed in action in 1916. He was
medallist in Mathematics and Classics in 1909. Took First Class
Honours in Classics and received his M.A. in 1913, and was
Honorary Exhibitioner New College, Oxford, 1913-1914. He left
behind many beautiful poems and was undoubtedly destined for the
academic sphere, where his mind, given over not merely to cultural
learning, but to the happiness of his fellows, would have been able
to develop its latent power of teaching others. "That boy has a
Master mind" was the expression of the padre of his regiment, the
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.)
Mrs. Lang said : "Thank you, Whitefeather. Perhaps you will close
the Meeting for us," but the choice was made by the other side, as a
loud voice called out
"Mr. Greenless; now is your chance,"
and he (Mrs. Lang's Father in Etheria) started the Doxology, in which
we all joined. Someone on the other side then gave the following
blessing
286

"Bring Peace in Thy good time, O Great Father. Look down in

pity, in mercy, and in love, on these Thy children in the body
living in such distressing times, in such distressed days, and
bring to an end this terrible, terrible conflict on the Earth
Plane, in a way according to Thy Holy Will, and to Thee be
Honour, Power, and Glory evermore. Amen."
All who study the absorbing and all-embracing subject, called
Spiritualism, come to the conclusion that there are worlds of
different density surrounding and interpenetrating our globe. Each
one is much larger than this earth, but we have no idea of their size
or how far apart is each surface. When thinking in terms of
vibrations we enter a region beyond our three dimensional world,
where size and distance have no comparative meaning. These
greater worlds, one beyond the other, evidently reach far out into
space, and yet each one interpenetrates the other and this earth, to
form a vast range of vibrations, of which those which make up our
world might be taken as an inch in comparison to a mile.
Within this immense gamut live myriads of men and women who
once lived on earth, to die and start their climb onwards and
upwards on this ladder, each rung of which is made up of another
world, and each world is composed of vibrations of ever greater
frequency. This vast population is forever moving up and down
between the surfaces of these different worlds on which they live,
and those living on surfaces nearest to this earth, who retain their
earth memories,
287

are our constant but unseen visitors, who still take an interest in us
and keep in touch with what we do and think. This subject is made
clear by diagrams in my book, The Unfolding Universe.
From early historical times these visitors were known as gods and
goddesses, to whom was credited the management of this earth
and the heavens. Nothing, it was believed, could happen without
their sanction, and the phenomena of nature, when pleasing to us,
were attributed to the good gods and that which was harmful to
mankind to the evil gods. From what transpires at the séances
recorded in this book it is evident that Etherians are subject to
natural laws, just as we are, and that they are not its masters as has
hitherto been thought.
"I cannot explain it at all why this should be,"
was the reply Mr. Hart received from his Father who was speaking to
him about all the suffering and tragedy caused by the war. To me,
the obvious answer is mankind's ignorance of the right way to live.
War seems to be confined to this earth, and the power of the mind
in Etheria over etheric substance seems to be the reason why this is
so. When it is possible to obtain our desires by thought, when, by
thought, we can get what we want, when, by thought, we can be
where we wish to be, and move freely between our own surface
down through lower surfaces back to earth, organised regimented
fighting seems impossible. Moreover, a higher ethical standard, and
ample space for everyone to move about in at will, are two other
factors making for peace and harmony.
There, mental development plays a much greater
288

part in their lives than here on earth. To do something here, to go

somewhere, and to make something is a task which brings our
hands and legs into action, but there substance can be moulded by
thought. The more powerful and the more developed the mind is,
the more can be accomplished there, whereas here we require
machines, tools, instruments and all kinds of gadgets before we can
change physical matter into the forms we desire.
This power of the mind in Etheria over etheric substance is one of
the most remarkable facts which has been told us by our
communicators from the other side, and we have nothing on earth
to correspond to this power of mind over substance. We, however,
get an inkling of the influence of mind over substance when we
remember the recent discoveries made by the youngest of our
sciences, known as Psychokinesis, or P.K. for short. Dr. Robert H.
Thouless, Reader in Educational Psychology at Cambridge, recently
told me that after having made 16,232 experiments with dice, he is
convinced that the mind of man, by thought alone, can influence
their fall and also the movement of a spinning coin. This confirms
the claims made by Professor Rhine and his colleagues of Duke
University, U.S.A.
Our mind, this picture-making substance, vibrating with a much
greater frequency than our etheric body, normally influences
substance on earth through our physical body, and, in turn, it is
influenced by physical substance. In Etheria the process is more
direct and less laborious, the result being that life there is easier
than it is on earth, and money is not necessary. To be able to think
oneself well, to be as you think, and
289

produce what you want by thought, is a vastly intriguing idea, but

this, and all else this book relates, is no more difficult to believe or
envisage than the astronomical figures and discoveries which
astronomers have recently told us about the Universe.
All this being so, we can better understand how people in Etheria
live in different planes of thought. The mind there is so powerful
that it conditions our place of abode. Minds at the same stage of
development live together because they are in harmony with each
other's thoughts. Etherians cannot rise to a higher plane of thought
than they are fitted for mentally, but they can come back to lower
planes and visit their friends, just as we can enter the schoolroom or
the nursery and be happy with the children. We can enjoy their way
of life for a time, but we return to our own environment after our
visit. Here on earth we have many grades of culture and mental
development, but both high and low have to mix together because
we all live on one surface. Like others, I have many times been in
the company of people, who, with their inanities, have completely
bored one.
In Etheria the demarcation line is more obvious, and instead of the
advanced and cultured living alongside the lesser developed, they
congregate together on a higher surface where everything is more
in harmony with their thoughts, and in every way more intense.
However, they visit their friends on the lower planes of thought, but
they would be unsatisfied to remain always there. Only by mental
development can the lower reach the higher way of thought, and we
can now understand the reason why
290

Bob Telfer, as related in the foregoing séance, was able to meet his
Mother from time to time, but could not permanently live with her.
Bob Telfer described this grading of Etherians by the word
"classification", and perhaps this is as good a way to describe it as
anything else. Take, for instance, a school, in which are children
being educated from all ages up to, say, eighteen. The children are
divided into classes according to their mental development. Those
in the lower classes are not mentally capable of being educated
alongside of those in the higher classes, but the children in the
higher classes can go down to the lower classes and understand
what the less developed are being taught.
This, however, would only be in the form of a visit as they would not
stay long, but return to the class for which they are mentally fitted.
This classification, under the influence of mental development,
evidently takes place in Etheria, where everyone sorts himself or
herself out according to his or her mental standard. Everyone,
therefore, is fitted for the place occupied, and it is accepted without
question just as children accept their position in school. The children
are happy wherever they are placed, and so are the Etherians, as
happiness does not necessarily come from mental development but
from mental contentment.
It does not, therefore, follow that Etherians on the lower surfaces
are less happy than those further on, the probability being that they
are just as happy, and, in many instances, just as good ethically.
Those on the lower surfaces say that they live in beautiful country,
but that it becomes more and more beautiful as they advance. This
is reasonable, because on earth
291
 the more developed the mind is the more it can appreciate.
Historically this is so, as our ancestors did not appreciate beauty as
the cultured do to-day, and we would not expect a yokel to become
as enthusiastic over a beautiful scene as one with artistic tastes.
Consequently, it comes to this. Those anxious to advance, and reach
higher realms of thought, attend Universities, Colleges and Schools
where come the Masters from the higher spheres to teach them in
the arts, the sciences and about the advanced way of life prevailing
in the realms in which the Masters live. The more developed minds
of the Masters greatly influence their students who, in turn,
influence their companions and neighbours, and, by this means, law
and order is maintained. The influence of the Masters thus reaches
down to the lower spheres, because in each the people are
educated and helped to advance.
A united mental concentration against unrighteousness makes it
difficult to perform an action contrary to the welfare of the
community. Those having a criminal mentality, and those who
disturb the peace and harmony of the people, can be willed out of
their midst, and these backward people consequently congregate
together on a surface in harmony with their mental outlook, to be
visited by missionaries and teachers, who devote their time to their
advancement. As the people and races of the earth are at many
stages of development, and the people of each race are more in
harmony, one with the other, than with other races, Etheria, on the
lower surfaces, is consequently populated much as is this earth, the
people of each race living together, and above in space where dwell
their fellow countrymen on earth.
292

Etheria is therefore a very different place from that envisaged by

the different world's religions. What we sow here we reap there, as
our mind, which is oneself, makes our place there and determines
our happiness. So Bob Telfer was disappointed when he was not
ushered into the Christian Kingdom of Heaven, and only gradually
did he find the way to advance by his own patient and determined
effort.
I shall now close this chapter by making three further observations.
The first is that some of the poetry they write is the other way round
to ours. I quote two lines as an example
"Has bound my heart to the one below Until we meet and
kiss again."
This, of course, is as it should be, and it makes its source clear. It
certainly was not composed by an earth poet.
Secondly, it will be noticed how parents and relations were kept
informed during the war about the condition of their children and
relations who were fighting abroad. Many times did I meet people,
with sons or relations abroad, who received at séances accurate and
reliable news of their health and whereabouts. Etheria had certainly
a very reliable intelligence service, which gave much comfort to
many on earth who were fortunate enough to know how to get in
touch with it.
This service of communication did not commence with the Second
World War as the following two examples will make clear. Mrs.
Bowes has sent me, for inclusion in this book, particulars of two
instances which happened in 1939, and this is what she
experienced:
293

Mrs. Bowes took a trip to Canada in 1939 to see her sister, and her
son Bill and her daughter Margaret accompanied her. At a sitting
with Mr. Sloan some time before she sailed, an Etherian, who gave
his name, spoke to her and said that in earth life he had had a
Sitting with Mr. Sloan. He was often in the surroundings when
Meetings were being held, and had heard the conversations about
Mrs. Bowes' trip to Canada.
Mrs. Bowes had never previously heard of him and knew nothing
about him. He said his wife lived in Canada and gave her name and
address. Mrs. Bowes promised to get in touch with her, and he said
it made him very happy to hear that she would do so.
Mrs. Bowes, as promised, wrote to his wife in Vancouver, to the
name and address given her by her Etherian communicator. She
explained to her how she obtained her name and address and asked
if she would like to arrange a meeting when Mrs. Bowes reached
Vancouver.
The lady in Vancouver was very thrilled by what she read, and
replied she would be delighted u to meet Mrs. Bowes on arrival. This
she did at an hotel in Vancouver, and they spent a very happy day
together. Everything stated by the husband from the other side
proved absolutely correct in every way. Mrs. Bowes thinks it is wiser
not to make public the lady's name and address without her
permission.
294

The other incident happened when her son, Mr. Bill Bowes, was on a
trip round the world just before the Second World War in 1939. On
his world trip Mr. Bowes went via Alexandria to visit Japan, and then
around the Pacific, visiting many places. While he was away, etheric
friends came through to Mrs. Bowes at Mr. Sloan's weekly Meetings,
told her where Bill was on the date of the Sittings, what kind of
weather he was having, what he was doing and the place he was
going to next.
All the information given, including the statements as to where he
was on each date, was confirmed later when letters came to Mrs.
Bowes from her son. Everything was correct.
Lastly, with regard to Bob Telfer's disappointment about not being
received into Heaven as he expected, this reminds me of the first
return of my Mother to earth, a week after she had passed over. She
died an orthodox Christian, and expected to be met at the gates of
Heaven by Jesus the Christ. She came back and gave me and my
brother 188 facts as evidence, every one of which was correct, not
one being known to the Medium, and, besides this, she made the
following interesting remark: "When I woke up here I saw a bright
figure standing beside me, and I thought it was Christ who had
come to welcome me, but soon I realised that it was your Father,
and that made me very happy."
We shall now proceed to receive further enlightenment.
295

CHAPTER X MEETING AT MRS. LANG'S HOUSE,

GIFFNOCK, GLASGOW
20th May, 1943
Present: MRS. CRISSIE LANG, MR. ALEXANDER HART, MRS. HARVEY
(Sen.), MRS. MARY HARVEY (Jun.), MRS. ELEANOR POTTER, MISS
JEAN DEARIE, MR. DONALD CAMERON, MISS ELIZABETH DUFF, MRS.
LILLIAS BOWES, MISS CRISSIE COLQUHOUN, MR. JOHN SLOAN.
WE opened the Meeting by singing the hymn Nearer, my God, to
Thee, and a man with a very fine voice on the other side joined in
and sang along with us. Then we repeated The Lord's Prayer, and
someone from the other side joined in the "Amen." We heard a
voice speaking, and asked who it was. The voice replied:
"Pardon me, I was speaking to friends over here just now."
We sang The Lord is my Shepherd, and again voices from the other
side sang along with us.
An Irish voice then said
"Good evening, Mrs. Potter, I just wanted to tell you that
this is Denny beside me. I am keeping a strict eye on him."
Mrs. Potter asked: "Is that you, Brian? Are you looking after Denny?"
296

Brian replied
"Sure, now, I can say that without doing a lot of blowing.
Any notion of a job, Mr. Hart? There are a lot over here who
could be doing with the eye of a teacher on them, and I
would keep my eye on you.
He laughed heartily, and Mrs. Potter said : "It is nice to hear you
laugh, Brian."
He replied
"Sure, I laugh. Why should I not laugh ? The world is full of
sorrow, but why should those who feel like laughing not
smile ? Always remember that a smile from you may lessen
the sorrow of some weary soul."
Another voice said:
"We have all but a short time on the Earth Plane, and it is up
to you who are there to make the best of your opportunities,
walking that pathway in such a way as to bring satisfaction
to your own soul and joy to those about you, and, in the
everlasting time, rejoicing will be yours, yours when you
reach Paradise at last. May the great good Father bless you
all. I am Pathfinder."
Addressing Mrs. Harvey, Jun., a man's voice said:
"Mary, I am with you. I have difficulty, Mary, after such a
transition. My love, my love. I am never far away but you do
not seem to realise it. You are sometimes sad too. Were you
very happy this morning ?"
Mrs. Harvey replied: "Yes, I was quite happy." Her husband replied
"I know. I saw you. I will always be with you. I am speaking
now from a great distance, but there
297

are times when I can come quite close to you-can touch

you."
Another voice said to Mrs. Harvey, Jun., whose husband had been
killed in a road accident
"My friend, you are not to think of that tragedy at all. It is
over, and all is well. God bless you. The one you love will be
often with you. My work is with the soldiers who come over
here, but I am practically a novice myself: I know I have your
sympathy with that."
A man with a foreign accent then spoke to Mrs. Bowes, and said in
broken English:
"I have just come from Bill. Come to say to you -all is well."
(Bill, her son, was abroad in the Forces.)
Mrs. Bowes replied: "Oh, thank you, dear friend. I wonder if you are
Bill's Indian friend."
He replied
"Not Indian-no, Dane, Danish, Danish."
Mrs. Bowes replied : "Thank you very much, dear friend, and have
you just been with Bill?" He replied
"Bill well, all well. I go again to see him."
A different voice, a man's, said to Miss Duff:
"Good evening. How are you, Miss Duff? You gave me some
trouble to-day, not knowing it, of course, but I have simply
looked in to say to you that I really enjoyed it."
Miss Duff asked: "Where was that?", and he replied
"At Rottenrow."
Miss Duff asked: "Oh, is that you, Doctor?", and he replied
"Yes, of course, I am often with you there. It is
298

so pleasant to get near and help in the work that interested

one in earth life ; also I like to make you laugh and smile a
little. You are far too serious, you know."
Miss Duff then said: "That is good of you, Doctor," and he replied
"Mine is the pleasure, Miss Duff. It is so nice, friends, to
know and realise when you come to this side of life, if you
have not realised it previously, that you can still be in touch
with what interested you in earth life, by getting into
contact with, and speaking to those whom you knew before,
letting them know that life on earth is not the end of your
journey. It is just the beginning of that perfect day which
you find when you come to my side. May God bless, comfort,
and cheer you in these troublous times, may He cheer those
who weary and wait for loved ones they will never see again
in the physical ; many of them without your knowledge of
the bright future awaiting them. It is up to you who know
and understand, who have the Light, to pass it on to others.
God bless you, and good day. A special good day to you,
Miss Duff."
Another voice followed on
"Pardon me, but I think I heard one of you speaking about
the privilege of having your own ideals and ideas. Well, I
would just like to say that it is also good to listen to other
people's opinions and ideas as one walks along the path of
life. Try to see through your brother's spectacles clearly,
and then the world may seem a little different to you, I am
speaking to no one in particular but to all of you, and to
myself. When I was in the body I had
299

no opinion but my own, and I was right, of course. How

foolish that seems to me now.
"I am speaking about my earth life, of course, but now that
has passed away. I am sorry for disturbing you, but I came
in and I like to look at your faces. I can see you all perfectly,
and when I come close to you I see you better. I see the
darkness of shadow around some of you, and the bright
light around others, but I know that the shadow which is
over some of you, and it seems rather overbearing, is
caused by worry over those you love. Do not worry over-
much. Dear lady (to Mrs. Bowes), you worry about your boys,
but they are being looked after, and all worry will be
removed, my dear. God bless you."
Immediately after this a bright light flashed about the room, and we
asked the meaning of it. A voice replied
"We are trying to signal to you by writing, Mr. Cameron. I
was trying to signal `William.' He is outside my sphere and I
am getting it signaled to him that you are here."
We then heard tapping like a Morse Code message. A lady's cheerful
voice then said "Good evening, Mr. Hart." Mr. Hart replied: "Good
evening, Mrs. Sloan." She replied
"It is nice to think you recognised my voice. I often see you
but you don't see me. And this is Mrs. Harvey-I recognised
you, but your daughter-in-law I do not know her, but I know
my dear (to Mrs. Harvey, Junr.), you have come through trials
and troubles. I came through many myself, and I
300

sympathise with you. And how are you, Mrs. Potter ? Thank
you for all your goodness to Daddy. I know he is now in the
care of Isa, but I thank you for all you have done for him. I
have not had an opportunity of speaking to (correct name
given but omitted by request) lately, but just tell her that wee
Mammy is keeping a watchful eye on her."
Mrs. Potter replied : "Thank you, Mammy dear. I always feel that you
are looking after them all." A man's voice said to Mrs. Potter:
"God bless you, my Mother, my darling. Can you see me,
Mother ? How I would like if you could just look and see me
as I am. It is lovely to be able to see you all when I contact
you as I do now. Are you keeping all right, dear ?"
Mrs. Potter replied : "Yes, dear. I am in another house, you know,
Bobbie."
Bobbie, evidently referring to Mrs. Lang's house, remarked
"I am in a beautiful house now, Mother dear, and the best
corner of that house is where I meet with my beloved
Mother."
Mrs. Potter replied : "God bless you, Bobbie. Is Father with you?"
Bobbie replied
"We are both together."
Mrs. Potter's husband then spoke, saying
"The Lord has been my Shepherd. Cheer up, Eleanor, but I
am a wee bit emotional myself. That comes yet, you know,
when we get near you like this."
Mrs. Potter said: "God bless you, Daddy. I know you are doing good
work."
Mr. Potter said no opinion but my own, and I was right, of course.
How foolish that seems to me now.
301

"I am speaking about my earth life, of course, but now that

has passed away. I am sorry for disturbing you, but I came
in and I like to look at your faces. I can see you all perfectly,
and when I come close to you I see you better. I see the
darkness of shadow around some of you, and the bright
light around others, but I know that the shadow which is
over some of you, and it seems rather overbearing, is
caused by worry over those you love. Do not worry over-
much. Dear lady (to Mrs. Bowes), you worry about your boys,
but they are being looked after, and all worry will be
removed, my dear. God bless you."
Immediately after this a bright light flashed about the room, and we
asked the meaning of it. A voice replied:
"We are trying to signal to you by writing, Mr. Cameron. I
was trying to signal `William.' He is outside my sphere and I
am getting it signaled to him that you are here."
We then heard tapping like a Morse Code message. A lady's cheerful
voice then said
"Good evening, Mr. Hart."
Mr. Hart replied : "Good evening, Mrs. Sloan." She replied
"It is nice to think you recognised my voice. I often see you
but you don't see me. And this is Mrs. Harvey-I recognised
you, but your daughter-in-law I do not know her, but I know
my dear (to Mrs. Harvey, Junr.), you have come through trials
and troubles. I came through many myself, and I
300

sympathise with you. And how are you, Mrs. Potter ? Thank
you for all your goodness to Daddy. I know he is now in the
care of Isa, but I thank you for all you have done for him. I
have not had an opportunity of speaking to (correct name
given but omitted by request) lately, but just tell her that wee
Mammy is keeping a watchful eye on her."
Mrs. Potter replied: "Thank you, Mammy dear. I always feel that you
are looking after them all."
A man's voice said to Mrs. Potter:
"God bless you, my Mother, my darling. Can you see me,
Mother ? How I would like if you could just look and see me
as I am. It is lovely to be able to see you all when I contact
you as I do now. Are you keeping all right, dear ?"
Mrs. Potter replied : "Yes, dear. I am in another house, you know,
Bobbie."
Bobbie, evidently referring to Mrs. Lang's house, remarked
"I am in a beautiful house now, Mother dear, and the best
corner of that house is where I meet with my beloved
Mother."
Mrs. Potter replied: "God bless you, Bobbie. Is Father with you?"
Bobbie replied
"We are both together."
Mrs. Potter's husband then spoke, saying
"The Lord has been my Shepherd. Cheer up, Eleanor, but I
am a wee bit emotional myself. That comes yet, you know,
when we get near you like this."
Mrs. Potter said: "God bless you, Daddy. I know you are doing good
work."
Mr. Potter said
301

"Kiss (correct name given but omitted by request) for Grandpa,

will you ?"
A relative of her husband now spoke to Mrs. Potter
"Hello, Eleanor, it is Archie speaking to you. Bob (Mr. Potter)
is a little bit upset to-night. He is so sorry that you cannot
hear as you used to do. Sometimes my hearing was not good
when I was in the body, but I can hear all right now. Do you
remember those fine old days in Pollokshields ? They were
happy days and the recollection of them is with me still.
Happy memories of the past are never forgotten. I am
speaking to all of you now. Happy memories of the past will
compensate, I am sure, Ladies and Gentlemen, for the sad
memories that creep in between. (All correct and understood.)
"It is nice to know that after life's turmoil and trouble, we
can reach this haven of rest, this home of peace, and can
still do what we will to help one another along life's path. I
am looking after some of the dear boys who are coming over
at present who have mothers in the earth life who are sad
about them, wondering how it can be God's will that they
should be taken. We try to impress on them that their boys
can still be very close to them, but my duty does not stop
there.
"I meet those boys and try to comfort them with the
knowledge that they have now done with the earth life and
have entered into a new and fuller life. I refer to those who
do not know. God bless you, Eleanor. When I look at you it
brings back the old days in Glasgow clearly."
Another voice said to Mr. Sloan
302

"You are sitting there cross-legged and that is not polite.

Take your one foot off your knee and just remember that I
can see you and it will perhaps make you watch your ways
when you think folks are not looking at you."
Mr. Sloan said: "Dear me, I am in the black books to-night, but I
certainly was sitting cross-legged as he said."
The voice replied
"It is all right, friend. I only wanted to waken you up a bit."
Evidently Sloan was getting too tense, but there may have been
another reason which will be mentioned on another occasion.
A lady then spoke to Miss Colquhoun, saying "How are you,
Crissie, my dear ? It is Mother."
Miss Colquhoun replied : "I am all right, Mother, dear. Did you know
about Annie?"
Mrs. Colquhoun said:
"Yes, I heard about her, but she will be all right. That is
Archie tapping your shoulder. It is not very easy to speak
sometimes. There are so many people here to-night. I find
my voice varying from time to time but I cannot help that. It
is very difficult to-night, and it is all to do with the
vibrations."
A man's voice then said
"Hello, Chris. It is Archie speaking. How are you ?"
Miss Colquhoun answered her brother: "Hello, Archie. I am very well.
I suppose you are busy." He replied
"Well, you know, it always took a good deal to make me
busy, Chris. Yes, I am fully occupied. No
303

spare space at all, except when I come along like this to

have a little talk with you."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Are you happy, Archie?'" and he replied:
"I just wish you could all be as happy as I am."
Another voice said
"Is that Crissie Colquhoun ? It is James Cuthbertson
speaking. Archie has opened the door to let me get in to
speak to you. Just tell Annie that I am still deeply interested
in her, and will do the best I can for her. I think she is round
the corner. There is a lot of work for her to do yet in the
body, you know. You are looking very well, and I would not
be James Cuthbertson if I did not have a loving thought for
Crissie Colquhoun."
All this was correct and then another voice, very guttural and
foreign, spoke to Mrs. Bowes, saying:
"Have seen Will. He is well. Thanking you."
Mrs. Bowes said: "Is that the Danish friend back again?"
The voice replied
"Nodre sie Danish-Kobe. Kobe. You have two boy. Well. Two
well."
Mrs. Bowes replied : "Thank you, friend. Can you tell me what
nationality you are?" He replied
"Afrique. African. Tom-tom,"
and then we heard the sound of tom-tom drums beating. He
continued
"I speak ver' good English. I British. British. British race best
part of the world. I now speak and write like you."
We then heard another voice say to him:
304

'Come away. You have got to go now. I am very sorry Mrs.

Lang, that this African managed to come into your home."
Mrs. Lang replied: "The African was very nice, and we are very glad
to have him."
Pathfinder replied
"I am much obliged to you for that assurance, but you do not
know all the reasons, and the one person present who
should know them (Mr. Sloan) is the one who seemingly
does not know. However, that African has evidently been in
touch with some of your friends. He has been seeing them,
and apparently they are all well.
"It is very difficult to understand, Mr. Cameron, but I have to
keep a watchful eye on some of those who enter through the
doorway. It is for their own good. It does not do for all on
this side of life to be mixed up too quickly with this contact.
They are not ready for it yet, and it may possibly bring
discredit to them. It is one of the Indian friends speaking. I
am Pathfinder.
"I try to find a pathway for the struggling ones of earth life,
which will be a pleasant pathway for them to tread in, and
lead to the glorious day. In the distressed atmosphere in
which you reside, we pray that it may be possible, in God's
good time, to bring, out of chaos and turmoil, sorrow and
sadness, a new era -a better day which shall arise out of the
ashes of despair, a new happiness which will bloom afresh,
and joy will come, and hope, in the morning.
"May you tread the pathway, the pathway that Pathfinder
has trod before you, with great care and diligence, until you
reach the pathway wherein no darkness can abide-when you
come into the glorious
305

light. I was an Indian Chief, friend Cameron, in the old days.

I have now been on the spirit side of life for many years as
you know time, and I am glad to be able to walk with you
along the pathway of the long lanes of life, trying to direct
you in every way I can. I am Pathfinder."
After a short silence Mr. Sloan remarked : "It is awful slow to-night. I
don't know where all the Indians have got to-Whitey and all the rest
of them."
A man's voice then said
"Hello, it is Nicole Cameron speaking. God bless me! Is this
Mrs. Lang's home ? It has altered altogether. It is different
entirely."
Mrs. Lang replied : "You will be thinking about Cowglen House, Mr.
Cameron," and he replied:
"Bless me, yes, is that Mrs. Lang speaking ? I had a long
conversation with Mr. Lang the other day -what you call
`day'. This is Giffnock, isn't it ? Well, where I lived was not
far from here."
(Correct-Nicol Cameron was Provost of Pollokshaws, which is not far
from Giffnock.) His voice was very faint and when we remarked on
that, he said
"Can you expect anything else in the condition the world is
in to-day ? There are cross-currents and we are picking up
words of people who are trying to get through to you, and it
is not possible to catch them up correctly just now."
Several voices now spoke at once, very excitedly. Then one cried
out very loudly:
"Look out! look out!! look out!!!"
and both trumpets fell on the floor with a crash. Mr. Sloan said: "I
don't like that at all. I think we should just close the Meeting."
306
Miss Colquhoun said : "It is all right, Mr. Sloan, f think I know the
meaning of that." A voice from the spirit side said
"That was just describing a big smash on the road,"
and another voice said:
"We had not a second to save ourselves. It is all right now."
As previously stated, Mrs. Harvey Jun.'s husband was killed in a road
accident.
A girl's voice then said to Mrs. Bowes
"I am Molly. I do not belong to anyone here, but I came in to
see you. I like you very much."
Mrs. Bowes replied: "Thank you, Molly dear.
Will you not tell me who you are?"
She got no reply, and a man's voice broke in:
"There is a Stanley Percy wanting to talk to you. I am trying
to contact, but the names are getting mixed up so badly
that I cannot manage it. There is someone called Dearie-
William Dearie, wanting to talk."
The names were recognised, but neither Stanley Percy nor William
Dearie could make contact. Then came the voice of Robert Barr
"I am Robert Barr. Stanley is here and is telling me to come
and speak to you-and how are you, Mrs. Lang ?"
Mrs. Lang replied : "I am very well, Mr. Barr, and glad to hear you
speaking to us again. What do you think of the daft Spiritualists
now?"
He replied
"I remember, I remember. I thought you were far gone. Aye,
there are one or two things that I would like to elucidate-
that is a big word for me, but Arthur told me to say that to
keep up my
307

reputation. Well, I want to say to you that I was not

responsible for putting poor old Sloan out of his house, you
know, but you did not write me that letter after all, Sloan."
(This statement is correct. Sloan had to leave his cottage because it
was required for agricultural workers during the war. It was situated
on Mr. Barr's estate of Carlung at West Kilbride, Ayrshire.)
We then heard Mrs. Sloan speaking to Mr. Barr on their side, and
she now continued the conversation:
"Daddy did not mean to do that. It was just in the heat of
temper he said he would write that letter to you, Mr. Barr."
Mr. Barr replied
"Yes, yes, yes-I know that."
He then said to Mrs. Lang
"You never could convince me that you were on the right
track, Crissie, but it was I, Ladies and Gentlemen, who was
so dense. Mind you, when I began to advance in years, I was
beginning to wonder what was going to happen, and in my
quiet moments, Crissie, I often thought-well, she is not so
far wrong, there is something in it after all."
Mr. Sloan remarked : "You would never give in that there was
something in it, Mr. Barr."
Mr. Barr replied
"Dear me, no, friend Sloan. I thought both you and Mrs.
Motion were daft, but you were the daftest of the two. When
I felt I was drawing near the end of my earthly career,
according to my years, I think I tried everything. You know,
Crissie, I went to the Church pretty regularly, but I realised
that that was not giving me much solution. When the sands
of
308

time were running out, friend Cameron, I tried to get

comfort in many ways. I am, however, all right now, and I
am willing to wait, or do whatever I may be allowed to do on
this side of life, to overcome my failings and my faults.
Crissie, if I had had the intelligence of your Bob, I would
never have made such blunders. John is telling me that Kerr
is here - Findlay Kerr."
All the foregoing is correct and understood. Then came another
voice
"We are not getting anywhere at all to-night. The conditions
are not satisfactory. Sometimes it is difficult to get a clear
and adequate understanding of why that should be, but
conditions are not very good to-night, probably due to the
vibrations coming from your plane at the present time."
Mrs. Sloan spoke again, saying:
"The conditions are very, very difficult to-night. I will try and
get someone for you some other time, Miss Dearie."
Mrs Dearie replied : "Thank you, Mammy. It is quite all right."
Mrs. Sloan continued:
"God bless dear Mrs. Campbell. Perhaps someone will take a
message to her. You know, Mrs. Lang, I find you are always
doing all you can to help us. God bless you, and God bless
you, Mr. Hart. I like to call you Alex. I have the advantage of
you, Alex, because I am a long way ahead of you in this life,
so I will be your teacher instead of you being mine. I never
saw your boy, Mrs. Lang, until not so very long ago. He has
such a lovely way of impressing people. Good night."
309

When this was recorded Mrs. Sloan had been in Etheria for just over
three years. She passed over in 1940. She never knew Arthur Lang
on earth. Mrs. Lang now wondered what time it was, and someone
on the other side said
"According to the clock outside it is a quarter to ten at
present."
This was correct.
So we sang the Doxology, and the Sitting ended.

I wonder why it was that no one amongst the sitters at the Meetings
recorded in this book ever asked how it was Etheria obtained its
light. They were told about its beauties, its fine houses and noble
buildings, its delightful countryside, its garden cities, its exquisite
flowers, its dazzling colours, its wonderful vistas and marvelous
fruits. The sitters heard about its magnificent scenery, its rivers, its
lakes, its seas and its trees, in which lodged birds of striking
plumage. All this is impossible to imagine without light, and, as they
never asked, all that they were told was that there is no darkness in
Etheria.
Etheria is a land of varying light. One surface differs from another.
There is shade and shadow, brightness and dullness, the hills are
brighter than the valleys, and this light comes from an etheric sun,
not our physical sun, but its counterpart, vibrating at a greater
frequency than our sun. The sun, like our world, is made up of
vibrations of ever greater frequency. Its physical vibrations are seen
and felt on earth, and its radiation, of increased frequencies
310

than those we sense on earth, is appreciated by Etherians, each

surface reflecting the radiation with which it is in harmony.
I know this because I asked about it, and that is briefly what I was
told. Those who read my book The Unfolding Universe will find out
how it all happens, and how it is that we can relate everything we
are told about Etheria to our present-day scientific knowledge.
Broadly speaking, the various surfaces of Etheria receive their light
from an etheric sun in much the same way as we receive our light,
and it is because Etherians live in a world vibrating at a greater
frequency than our earth, but in harmony with their sun, that their
colours are more vivid than ours on earth.
From the many answers to my varied questions on the subject of
light I shall quote only one:
"We receive our light emanations from our etheric sun,
concentric with your sun, whence comes light of great
splendour, and this is reflected to our eyes by the vibration
of our substance, just as is your light by the vibration of
earth substance. The reason for our not having darkness is
because the rays of our sun are reflected by our atmosphere
at a greater height than are the rays of your sun."
This light, I was told, is soft, radiant, brilliant, beautiful and blending.
The atmosphere of Etheria is more luminous than is ours on earth,
and consequently the colours are more brilliant and varied than
they are on earth. There is daylight and twilight but no night,
though, as they do not need sleep, they do not miss having no
night. That is why at a séance they are in their own light, though we
are in darkness.
311

Light is radiation, and substance is vibration which reflects the

radiation known as light.
Let me explain in a few words how we see, and how we feel both
heat and cold. When our mind pictures things it is due to vibrations,
as every atom of substance contains electrons moving at immense
and different speed which vibrate the ether of space. A house is
made up of many colours which are just vibrations which appeal to
us as follows. Those of the greatest frequency, or shortest
wavelength, we call violet, and then, in the following order, are
indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. These constitute what
we call light, and, when a substance reflects them all, like a cotton
sheet, we have white light. These are the colours discovered by Sir
Isaac Newton through his instrument, the Spectroscope, based on a
prism, which broke up the light into these, its seven constituent
parts. Colour consists of each of these alone or their blending one
with another.
So, when we look at a house, what happens? Its various parts, made
up of countless vibrating atoms, are vibrating at different
frequencies from violet to red. Light waves from the sun strike
them, and each part reflects the light with which it is in harmony, or
which has the same vibration, the red light vibrations being
reflected by what we term the red brick and so on. The light that
strikes the house is reflected by ether waves to our eyes, and these
numerous vibrations pass through our nerves and brain, to become
a mind picture, made of mind substance. Our mind is like a
technicolor film, ever changing as we look about us, with each
colour in its place, to form the objects seen.
Our mind substance makes pictures of what it
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sees in colour or, to be scientific, it vibrates at different frequencies,

which we call colour, and all these colours together give us a mind
picture of what we call a house. It is not the house but the mind
picture that is real to us. Stop the vibrations by closing our eyes and
the house vanishes. We carry with us to Etheria our picture-making
mind which, through our etheric eyes, pictures the vibrations from
the substance making up Etheria so that the same process goes on
there as it does here on earth. Heat is likewise caused by vibrations
which affect our skin, to be taken up by our nerves, and then carried
to the brain which can make the mind feel in harmony or
disharmony with its surroundings.
It will be seen that colour largely makes up our lives, and what we
do not get from the sun in daylight comes from electricity, gas or oil
which produce the light vibrations. Twilight and dawn are caused by
the rays of the sun being reflected by the numerous minute
particles floating in the atmosphere around our earth. So we receive
light at dawn before the rays of the sun directly strike our earth, and
at twilight when we get the reflection from the sun after it has set.
The atmosphere in Etheria reaches to a greater height and the
reflection is for a longer period, so much so that there is twilight but
no darkness.
This is a vast subject, but I trust that the foregoing will at least make
it sufficiently understandable for those who wonder how all that this
book relates is possible, and how much of it is in accordance with
our present-day scientific knowledge. It is all a question of ether
vibrations at a greater frequency than those that make up this
earth. So I shall now pass on to another
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matter which is exerting a considerable influence on thinking people

to-day, namely, Psychic Healing. Miss Duff's doctor friend told her
that he was often at her hospital, helping with the work that
interested him on earth.
To-day we are discovering that there are many healing mediums in
our midst. They are known as psychic healers whose bodies are
used by etheric doctors to pass through etheric vibrations, or what
are called healing rays. The bodies of these mediums can be likened
to a copper wire which carries electricity, and they are no more than
that. The healing rays are passed through the medium's body by
etheric doctors, who can influence the medium to place his or her
hands on the place to be healed, as it is through the hands that the
rays are directed to the place where they are needed. Etheric
doctors can tell our health from our auras, and diagnose what is
wrong, because they can see through us like an X-ray camera.
These etheric rays affect the etheric body, which, in turn, stimulates
the physical body to again become healthy. Many striking cures
have been effected by these healing rays, which can be so strong
that one has to withdraw his hand if he puts it between the
medium's hand and the part being healed. I myself have felt this,
and, in the presence of a healing medium, my spine has been made
to feel uncomfortably hot, the heat also being felt moving up and
down from the top of my spine to the bottom and then up again.
Psychic healing, just like the Direct Voice, is recorded in the world's
literature since early times. The ancient Greeks knew about it and
practised it at different centres. Jesus, Paul, and Vespasian, the
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Roman Emperor, to mention only three of many, were psychic

healers, and Livy, the Roman historian, gathered together many
accounts of people being healed in miraculous ways by the healing
hand.
In the séance covered by this chapter we find another instance of an
earth disability having come right in Etheria. At a previous Meeting
someone told how he could now see again, and, in this one, Archie,
speaking to Mrs. Potter, says that he can hear again. A man once
spoke to me from Etheria, and was so delighted that he now had
both his arms again, one having been cut off on earth. Our etheric
body cannot be damaged, and whatever we may lose, or have
impaired, of the physical body does not affect the etheric body.
Some who have lost arms or limbs have the feeling on earth that
they still have them, but it is the etheric duplicate that they feel.
One final remark which arises from the Sitting reported in this
chapter. How do the people on the other side know when we are
having a Meeting on this side? The answer is that someone keeps a
watch on Sloan, but this does not mean that the watch is constant
or close. A telepathic system operates, so that the watchman knows
at once. When I was sitting regularly with Sloan, Whitefeather had
this role of watchman, and summoned the director, the chemist, the
door-keeper, the one in charge of the trumpets, and the others he
knew who wanted to be present. When the director saw the earth
people who were present, he sent messages telepathically, or by
other swift means, to their friends in Etheria, and quickly the news
spread that the opportunity had again come to speak to friends on
earth.
315

CHAPTER XI
MEETING AT MRS. LANG'S HOUSE,
GIFFNOCK, GLASGOW
Wednesday, 27th October, 1943
Present: MR. JOHN SLOAN, MRS. CRISSIE LANG, MRS. JANIE
RICHARDSON, MR. ALEXANDER HART, MRS. MURIEL CLARKE, MISS
JEAN DEARIE, MR. DONALD CAMERON, MISS ELIZABETH DUFF, MRS.
MAY DEANS, MISS CRISSIE COLQUHOUN.
A s soon as we were seated in the room, voices from the other side
started speaking through the trumpets before we had sung the
opening hymn. One of us remarked that our friends had come into
our surroundings very quickly, and a voice asked
"Do you want us to go away ?"
Mrs. Lang said: "Oh no, friends. Do stay and talk to us."
We then sang Nearer, my God, to Thee, and afterwards wards
repeated The Lord's Prayer. A voice from the other side said
"Amen" very fervently along with us.
Mr. Cameron remarked that the room was a perfect blackout and
that there was no light showing at all.
A voice replied
"Let the light shine in your souls and you will see the beauty
of all the beauties which are round
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about you. We all make mistakes, but our mistakes purify us

sometimes, at least they purify our outlook. I hope I am not
intruding by putting my thoughts before you."
Mrs. Lang replied: "No, indeed. We are very pleased to listen to you.
Who is speaking?" The voice replied
"You do not know me. I know your son, Mr. Arthur Lang, very
well ; not in earth life, you know, but after coming over. I
had been over for many years before Mr. Lang, but I got to
know him here, and I do like him very well."
Mrs. Lang replied: "That is very interesting. Tell us something more
about yourself, please." He replied
"Thank you. I may stay and look on. I like to hear others
speaking, those that are on my side, as well as those on
your side. I love to hear your voices talking to each other. I
was not an educated man in earth life ; what you would call
an educated man, but I have learned a great deal since
coming over here. I hope you will understand if I put it in my
own phraseology and say : there are many different
spheres, many different stages of existence on the spirit
side of life. I have known John Sloan since his young days,
and if I can be of any help to him it will give me much
pleasure. When the crucial time comes and he needs a little
help, I will get into contact with others who will help him."
Mr. Sloan said : "Well, friend, thank you very much, whoever you
are, and, if you just see my dear wee lassie, tell her I am all right."
Mrs. Lang said: "Are you still there, friend?"
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He replied
"This is an experience which I appreciate very much, Mrs.
Lang. I am watching the various phases which you are going
through now, all of you in this little gathering, much of
which is strange to me. I refer to the beautiful auras
surrounding you. I have traversed a great many spaces since
coming to this side of life, and I thank the great Spirit God
for allowing me to have that great joy and privilege.
"I have now been appointed to operate on your Earth Plane
for some considerable time, trying to alleviate the sadness
and take away the sorrows of those who are on the Earth
Plane needing help. I try to help those who are grieving for
dear ones through this war, and impress upon them that
there are myriads of souls who come to alleviate the
suffering of those who are passing through war to this side
of life. They do so by taking the consciousness away. I will
stand aside now, Ladies and Gentlemen, for a little while,
but with your permission I may come in again later if I get
the opportunity."
Mrs. Lang said: "Perhaps you will help some of our friends to come
through and speak to us."
He replied
"I have not the power to do that, dear lady, but I will try to
contact those who can do so."
After a short silence Mr. Sloan remarked : "I am perfectly hopeless
now. I am nae use at all."
We replied : "Nonsense, Mr. Sloan, we are all very happy."
Mr. Cameron, addressing the speaker, said: "Will you tell us who you
are, Sir? It would be interesting to know."
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The voice replied

"I was not of your country, my friends. I may tell you that. I
have managed to master the language of your tongue by
coming in contact with many who come from the same part
of the sphere on which you rotate."
Miss Duff was coughing, and remarked : "I have just got a lazy cold
which will neither do one thing or another."
The same voice remarked
"I do not sense you demonstrating that fault at all, my dear.
Of all the company, I think, activity is your name. You have
no duty in particular, but, wherever there is need, you are
there. God bless you, sister, and help you."
Miss Duff replied: "Thank you very much, dear friend," and then a
very loud, clear voice spoke to Mrs. Richardson
"Hello, Mother. It is Roy speaking to you, Mother. I have
longed to get a look at you, and I see you better in Mrs.
Lang's than anywhere else. They are coming, Mother. I mean
the grey hairs. Never mind, dear, you are sweeter to me
than ever."
Mrs. Richardson said : "Thank you, Roy. Is Father with you?"
Another lower voice then said
"Hello, my dear, it is Father speaking to you. I have been
near you, my dear, trying to decipher the way in which you
are going. You will be led in an unexpected way, the door
will open and you will get a habitation which will be
conducive to your happiness in every way, my dear."
319

Mrs. Richardson was looking for a house. Then another voice, just in
front of Miss Dearie, said:
"Miss Dearie, the lady beside you, Mrs. Clarke, have you not
another name ? Have you not three names ? Who is Annie ?"
Mrs. Clarke replied : "Annie is my sister." The voice said:
"Yes, well, have you been worrying about your sister on the
earth side ?"
Mrs. Clarke replied : "No, not worrying." The voice asked:
"You have an Annie on the spirit side-a relative. I think it is a
sister of your Mother."
Mrs. Deans here interposed to say she could understand the
message. She thought the message was for her, and that Mrs.
Clarke had been mistaken for her. Probably it was a messenger,
passing on a message for someone else. However, nothing more
was said, and then we heard
"Jim, Jim. It is Jim speaking."
This voice died away and nothing more was said. So we sang They
are winging, they are winging, and a voice from the other side sang
along with us.
Another voice then said
"Hello, we will put him away for a little while," meaning Mr.
Sloan, who then went into trance for a short time.
Roy Richardson spoke again, and said
"I am not away, Mother. It is Roy."
His Mother said: "Yes, Roy dear, have you any message for Nancy? I
think she would like to get one."
His rather cryptic answer was
320

"I have just a little while to wait."

Then a new voice said to Mr. Cameron:
"You will get it elucidated, Sir, that question you were
asking in your mind."
Mr. Richardson then spoke to Mrs. Richardson, saying
"It is James, my dear. Do you not know me James Richardson
? I am surprised you did not know me when I first spoke."
Mrs. Richardson replied: "Oh, James, I am so glad to hear you
speaking."
He answered
"Is it still a pleasure, my dear ? God bless you. I am with you
many times when you don't know it. I am with you in all your
little worries, and so is Roy, helping you all we can to place
you in a condition which will make for your happiness in
every way, but don't be in a hurry. God will open a way for
you."
Mrs. Richardson said : "Thank you, dear. Are you and Roy together?"
He replied:
"Very often, but, of course, we are not together always. You
will find my voice quite different now to what it used to be
in days of old. You will find when you get to this side of life
and can be with the beautiful friends that I have met, you
will take on other accents. You are marching through a
weary world which is coming through a terrible time, and it
is your duty, as far as you can, to live as you know God
would wish you to.
"You will do that, I know, and you will find a home so very
beautiful and wonderful that my tongue cannot describe it. I
was singing with you
321

to-night when you sang that beautiful little hymn you have
just sung. That friend of yours, and of mine, John Sloan,
through whose gift I am enabled to speak to you, I send him
my grateful thanks. My voice may sound different to you,
but I know when I see your face lit up with that recognising
smile that you know who I am. Good night, my dear."
Another voice, a lady's, then said to Mrs. Richardson
"Oh, Janie, my darling, it is Mother. God bless you. This is
the first time I have been able to speak to you."
Mrs. Richardson replied : "Yes, dear, and I am so glad to hear your
voice once more."
Mrs. Lang remarked : "We are very pleased indeed to hear you
speaking, Mrs. Chalmers. Mrs. Chalmers asked
"Is that Mrs. Lang ? God bless you. I have tried to speak at
different times, and I am so pleased that I have managed it
to-night."
Another voice then said
"Willie Chalmers. Can you hear me ? Hello."
Mr. Sloan then came out of trance and said: " I think I have been
asleep for a wee while." Mrs. Deans was then spoken to:
"There is a Robert Smith who wanted to speak to a lady
here. I do not know who it is. Your Mother spoke to you the
other night. I am sent by her to speak to you. The road has
been stony for you sometimes."
Mrs. Deans said that she could follow the message. We next heard
her Father calling for Anne, his wife, on his side
322

`Where is Anne ? Where is she ? Where are you, Anne ?

Then turning to Mrs. Deans
It is Father speaking to you. Where are you, my dear ?"
Mrs. Lang asked: "Is that you, Mr. Nisbet?"
The voice replied
"Yes, I wanted Anne to speak."
But evidently Anne could not get in touch with our atmosphere, and
nothing was heard from her.
Then another voice called out
"Robert Niven,"
and the trumpet touched Miss Colquhoun, who asked if the message
was for her, and he replied
"It is the Colquhoun family I am interested in."
Miss Colquhoun said: "I know of the Nivens, but I never knew Robert
Niven."
The voice replied
"I tell you I am Robert Niven. I lived a long time ago on the
Earth Plane, long before you were there at all. That is where
you got the name Christian from-Christian Niven. I am
speaking of the Christian on this side. We carry the names
over for identification, but we get another name here. How
are they all down at Dumbarton ?"
Miss Colquhoun said : "Oh, are you interested in Dumbarton? Is that
the connection?"
He replied
"Of course I am interested in Dumbarton."
Miss Colquhoun said: "I don't remember hearing them speak of you
there," and he replied
"Oh, but you are just a chicken,"
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Miss Colquhoun laughed and said : "I am afraid I am beginning to

moult."
Her Father then broke into the conversation
"My dear, that is not a nice word to use, and you are getting
to be more beautiful every day. I am not moulted yet, and
you are growing brighter and more beautiful to me every
day. Mother and I hope you will have a very happy time for
the remainder of your earth career, and we will be standing
at the gateway awaiting you when God's good time comes.
God bless you, my beloved lassie. You have had a chequered
life lately, we know. I mean ups and downs, and you are
missing us very much now, me and Mother. You took great
care of Mother, and now I have her here to take care of, and
I think you will understand, my dear, when I say that I think
I understand her even better than you."
Miss Colquhoun replied : "I am sure you do, dear, and I quite
understand, Father. Who was the Robert Niven who spoke to me?"
Her Father replied
"There are so many connections here, Crissie. It would take
too long to go into it all just now, but some time I will try to
trace the family tree for you."
A lady's voice then asked:
"Is that you, Crissie ? It is Mother speaking. I am trying my
best to let you hear me. I don't forget, and I never forget to
come and kiss you every morning before you waken.
Sometimes you feel me and sometimes you don't. God bless
you, my lassie. I was getting to be not much good to you,
Crissie."
Miss Colquhoun said : "Don't say that, dear. Never let me hear you
say that."
324

"Well, you know what I mean, Crissie. We are just in the way
sometimes when we get old. We feel ourselves in the way. I
know, Crissie. Another thing-I know now that it was very
difficult for you when I lost my memory a bit.
"Excuse me, but I see a beautiful light over that friend's
head. You are a very thoughtful man, Mr. Cameron. You go
deep into the study of those things which belong to the
spiritual side of life. It is rather funny, Crissie, for me to be
speaking in this way, but I saw the light and felt I had to say
something."
Again addressing Mr. Cameron she said
"Have you a Janie on this side of life, Mr. Cameron -a Janie
Cameron ?"
Mr. Cameron replied : "I am not sure. My parents died when I was
young, and I do not know the family connection very well."
Mrs. Colquhoun said
"It is on your Mother's side. I am getting the name Janie. I
shall ask help to get a vibration that she may speak to you."
Mr. Cameron thanked her.
Mr. Sloan remarked here : "This is an awfu' slow Meeting. No worth
coming to. I am nae guid (good) at a' (all) now. There is nothing
much I can dae (do) except grumble."
Mrs. Lang said : "Now, Mr. Sloan, that is nonsense. You are better in
health now than you were."
Mr. Sloan said: "I do the best I can but there is nothing much I can
dae noo" (do now). Mr. Sloan's memory was, however, becoming
very poor.
325

Mr. John Hardman then took up the conversation;

"Mrs. Lang, have I your permission to speak ?"
Mrs. Lang replied : "Certainly, we shall be delighted to hear you."
He continued
"It is a long cry from this side to your side, but I call to you
now, and thank you, many of you in the lovely surroundings
of this home, for the comfort you have given to me since
coming to this side of life. I was one of the despondent souls
of earth life who had a very poor outlook for the end of life. I
went out in darkness and fear, but I was brought to the light
of this side of life through the instrumentality of the friends
I met in your surroundings.
"I like the auras which I see surrounding you because I know
from the colours that there is not one present who would
not help where it is needed, and I say to you there is never a
word or a loving thought that goes out to one on our side
but is borne immediately to the soul for whom it is intended
if sent out in the right way. You may think they do not hear,
but they get it immediately.
"I did not believe there was life, conscious life, after
physical death, but I have found a home eternal, and now I
am awaiting the Great Master's time to move forward in His
service. I pray to be allowed to help all those whom I left in
the body who do not know this truth, so that they may not
tread the path that I trod, but that their steps may be led
into the path that will show them the way, as you in this
little Meeting understand it. Then they will pass out to this
side of life with confidence and with joy, and not in fear. I
am John Hardman."
326
(It will be remembered that he was the fiancé of ;Miss Stove, who
was at an earlier Sitting.)
Someone asked Mr. Hardman: "Have you come into contact with Dr.
McNish, Mr. Hardman?", and he replied
"He is not in my sphere at all. He is in a sphere far, far
beyond me. You know I went over in Doubting Street, but I
landed in such a lovely, lovely home, far beyond my deserts,
Mr. Cameron. Is there a James that you are thinking of just
now ? I got the name James in connection with you. I will try
to contact him and perhaps get him to come. I get the name
John also. Is it your brother John ? I will try and do what you
would call in earth life, `broadcast' it. He has been over for
some time, is it not so ?"
Mr. Cameron replied : "He went over in the First World War, twenty-
five years ago."
John Cameron then spoke
"That is so. However, I am speaking. This is the first time I
have spoken across the borderline. It is true. It is true. I live.
I live. God bless you."
Mr. Cameron replied : "Of course you live. Well, you were a good
soul when you were here."
John replied
"Thank you for that. As I look back I know I could have done
more."
Mr. Cameron said: "You had a lovely home and were a good son to
your Mother," and to this he answered
"God bless my Mother. She has been a good friend to me."
A lady's voice then broke in
327

"I could not have been anything else but a good Mother to a
good boy."
A man's voice then said:
"John-he went to Africa, Durban. Hello, Mr. Cameron, old
friends meet again."
Mr. Cameron asked : "Who is speaking? Are you John?"
John had evidently lost touch with the earth's vibrations and a new
voice spoke for him.
"I am speaking for him. I brought him to you, friend. He
passed out in Durban and this is the first contact you have
had with him in this way, is that not so ?"
Mr. Cameron replied: "That is so. Thank you for bringing him
through to speak to me."
John then made contact once more
"Durban does not hold me now, though I have a very dear
interest there still."
Mr. Cameron said: "I am glad to hear you say that, John," to receive
the reply:
"Very, very dear. I am afraid it is only when we part
sometimes that kindred souls beat as one. I am building a
home, a paradise, for the one I love. I was not understood
sometimes in that line, but the knowledge I have gained
here has enlightened me."
Mrs. Sloan now spoke.
"Is that you, Mrs. Lang ? I just want to thank you again for
all your kindness to my dear old man, and God bless you,
Crissie (Miss Colquhoun). I am with your Mother and had such
a lovely walk with her before we came here, through a very
beautiful part of Paradise. Do you know what we were
talking about? Your Mother said to me: 'If Crissie just
328

knew how happy I am, I am sure her heart would be glad and
she would not worry about me.'
"Thank you for all your kindness to my old man because he
is just a difficult old chap to get on with. Yes, I know all
about it, Daddy dear. Please, please remember you have
tried to live a useful life, and I know you have done well, and
I am sure the friends here will bear me out in this. Don't let
it be spoiled by letting your temper get the better of you.
There is an old saying in the dear old Book-'The mills of God
grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small.' Leave the one
who is giving you so much trouble in His hands. God bless
you, Daddy."
The quotation is not from the Bible, but from one of the poems of
Friederich von Glogau, a German monk who lived about 1650,
translated into English by the American poet Longfellow.
Mr. Sloan said: "Can you help me, Mammy? What is going to happen
there?"
Mrs. Sloan answered
"I do not know how it is going to go myself, dear, but try not
to be bitter. He (Mr. Sloan) has always had a great regard for
the purity of this beautiful truth, and it vexes him, Ladies
and Gentlemen, to see it degraded. Many of you have had
the experience of meeting those on your own side who were
instruments in God's hands, of letting you know there is a
life beyond the earthly scene. God bless you, and if a kind
thought for those who go off the line can help them, try to
give them a helping hand.
"We are all human and we are all liable to err, but it is, I
think, the biggest sin to degrade a spiritual gift. To sin and
cloak it over with this beautiful
329

truth that brought me here, is a dreadful thing. We have

need to be charitable with such a case. Dear Daddy, try not
to be bitter about it, and may the peace, the comfort, and
the solace of the Father God and all the spirit side be near
to you through all the journey of your life until we meet in
this happy home."
(Mrs. Sloan was speaking in veiled language about a private matter
known to the family which need not be explained here.) She went on
"God bless you, Mr. Cameron, and you, Miss Duff. I just got
my eyes on you just now. I did not know you were here, my
dear, dear friend. I have just asked the director of this little
Meeting to come and see you, Miss Duff. Your Father and
Mother I have met very often on this side of life, you know,
and I have had many conversations with them. I told them
how I got to know you, and they may be able to talk to you
by and by. Bless you, and strengthen you and keep you well
to the journey's end.
Miss Duff replied : "Thank you very much, dear Mammy."
No voices spoke for a time, so we sang, O think of the friends over
there, and afterwards Mr. Sloan remarked : "You will need to try and
dae (do) something for us, freens. This is terrible."
A voice then said
"Can you hear me, Mrs. Clarke ? You are not going away yet,
are you ? Can you hear me ?"
Mrs. Clarke replied : "I am not going away, and I can hear you very
well.
The voice continued:
330

"There is someone here for you. He is calling from a good

distance away. Alex is the name, and there is a Mary with
him as well. There are two Alexs; that is what is confusing
me. They are both here, and Mary is with them. I have not
seen your Father. It is two younger people, and they are
both Alex. One is not exactly what you call a family friend in
earth life. He is more than a friend in some ways. I hope I
am making it clear to you. One is very near to the family
surroundings, more than the other one. You know what I
mean."
Mrs. Clarke replied that she understood quite well.
The trumpet then touched Mr. Hart, and a voice said
"Are you there, Alex ? I am not drowned. Tell them I am not
drowned."
We then heard a sound like gurgling water, and the voice said again
"I am Donnie, and I am not drowned. You should see me. Let
them know. You have got the right end of the stick, I know
now. I did not think so before. I live, I live, let them know.
Don't be afraid to tell them. Shoulder your responsibility and
let my Father and Mother know I am not dead. I did not
suffer anything. I was away, you know, right on to the
beautiful shore before I knew where I was. All that troubles
me now is the suffering of those left behind. I am all right. I
made a glorious change."
Mr. Hart said: "Have you been in contact with any of your friends
over there?"
Donnie replied
"I am being taken to one now and again as circumstances
permit.
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Do you hear me, Alex ? Don't let them think I suffered,

because I did not. Just a wee splash and it was all over. Alex,
Alex, what a revelation."
Donnie was a Clyde engineer whose ship was torpedoed and he was
drowned. Mr. Hart found this out about him later, and, as he
recognised his voice, he remembered that he had known him.
A man's voice said
"Miss Dearie, you are not getting much to write about. None
of your friends are in the surroundings at the moment, but I
will try to contact them."
Miss Dearie said: "Thank you very much. If you see any of my
friends give them my love, will you, please?"
He replied
"I will see if that message can be passed on."
Another voice spoke.
"There is someone here. I do not know who he is for. I do not
think he knows any of you, but he says his name is Robert
Morrison."
A very high-pitched voice then spoke and said
"I wanted to make my name known in case by any chance
there might be someone here who knew me. I saw your
light, and I thought I might be permitted to look in and say
`How do'."
Addressing Mr. Cameron he went on
"Mr. Cameron, I do not know you, Sir, but I like the aura
which is round about you."
Mr. Cameron said: "Thank you, Sir, tell us something about
yourself."
The voice replied
"I cannot tell you much about myself, because I
332

was not much of a personality on earth. I just know that I

have much to be thankful for by being taken care of by some
dear ones on the spirit side of life, whose duty it is to come
and help those who require it."
Mr. Cameron asked: "Where did you live in earth life?"
He replied
"I told you my name, but I did not live where you are. I
would not have lived in such a place as Glasgow."
Someone asked: "Do you know any of us here?", and he answered
"I know none of you, except by your auras which are round
about you. They are very pleasing auras and indicate that
you would be willing to give a helping hand to anyone who
asked for help."
Mrs. Lang said: "Well, we want to help you if we can, friend," and
this is what he said
"And I want to help you as well. I cannot do much, but I
could try and get into touch with friends of yours who have
passed from what is called the earth sphere, to my side of
life, and get them to come and speak to you."
Miss Duff asked: "Cannot you tell us, friend, where you lived when
you were in the body?" Robert Morrison answered
"Who is that ? You have a beautifully persuasive voice. I am
drawn to you. I do not mean to be rude, you know."
Miss Duff said: "I do not take it as rudeness. I take it as a
compliment."
He replied
333

"What was it you asked of me just now, you of the sweet

voice ?"
Miss Duff again inquired : "Would you please tell us where you
belonged to in earth life? It would help us to fix you in our memories
better."
He replied
"I came from Atalantis, and Robert Morrison is my name; at
least it was the name I was given in your tongue. I was not
of your country."
Mr. Sloan remarked here: "I think you are a bit of a blether
(nonsense talker), freen, just go away now."
Probably Mr. Morrison did not know the meaning of blether, but he
resented the remark in these words
"What a grumbling old man. You will remember what I tell
you. You will find there are things that you cannot very well
remember yourself when you come to this side."
A well-known and much-beloved friend then spoke
"Mrs. Lang, it is Peter Galloway speaking."
Mrs. Lang exclaimed: "Oh, Mr. Galloway, I am so pleased to hear you
again."
Mr. Galloway, a Glasgow master tailor, and prominent Spiritualist
when on earth, replied
"I am not just in rapport with you just now, Mrs. Lang. It is
not my usual way of speaking to you. I am quite cheery and
very happy, but there are vibrations that come between that
make it difficult just to speak to you as I would like to
speak."
Mrs. Lang remarked : "I am very glad to hear your voice, Mr.
Galloway," and he replied:
"And I am glad to be in at the open door, and, as I used to
say, `Now, we'll have a grand Meeting.'
334

I think it is wonderful, considering all the drawbacks in and

around the world to-day. If you were on my side, friends,
you would be aware of all the crosscurrents that are coming
from the earth life to the spirit side of life, the anxious
souls, the anxious thoughts, the anguishing thoughts of
earth people who are wondering what is happening to those
they love.
"It would be a consolation to them if they knew what you
know about the spirit side of life, the life of peace, of
security, as I have found it. I have no desire now for the old
Arcade. I do not need to sit at the window and look out at
the streets of Glasgow. I am free to roam across the great
vast spaces of the spirit land in so far as my progression
permits, this beautiful and wonderful land, dropping in now
and again to give you a little message of love on the earth
sphere. God bless you."
Miss Colquhoun said: "Mr. Galloway, do you think you could help to
find out if there is a boy called Nairn-to find out if he has gone over?
He is missing, and his Mother is in great distress and agony of
mind."
Mr. Sloan remarked : "I ken what that is too."
Mr. Galloway replied
"If I can help, Miss Colquhoun, I will do so. If I can. Bless
you, wait a moment."
Evidently someone who knew about Nairn was in the
neighbourhood, because Mr. Galloway, after a pause, continued
"He is home finally. He is not a prisoner. He is home finally."
Later this was found to be true, and then we heard a tapping sound
like a Morse Code message being sent.
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Another voice said

"You cannot contact him at present."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Do you mean that we could not get into
touch with him?"
The voice replied
"That is precisely so. There are those who are detailed off
for that service, and they will pass on the message."
A clear voice then called out
"Robert, Robert. I am here. I am here. Tell Mother. Mother
does not know about this."
The following names were then called out in a loud clear voice:
Donald Smith James Hislop Tom Browning Anne Browning
William Grant Allenain MacDonald.
Mr. Sloan asked: "What are they blethering (talking nonsense) about
noo? We don't ken (know) any of these folks. If some of the Indian
friends would just come, Whitefeather and some of the others. It's
no (not) like the old days."
A new voice then said:
"Did you ever hear such a grumpy old man ? The Indian
friends in the old days did not satisfy him, and now we are
doing our level best and he is not satisfied yet."
Mrs. Lang asked who was speaking, and the reply came
336

"James Hodgson."
Mr. Sloan said: "Well, tak' this message from me, freen-that you are
letting us down terrible. You might get someone else to come and
help to cheer us up a little. I am sorry, Mrs. Lang, I'll just have to
apologize for them, but maybe we canna blame our spirit freens too
much when we think of the terrible state of the world and they may
have their difficulties in getting through."
Mrs. Lang replied : "There is no need to apologize, Mr. Sloan. You
are the only one who is saying anything. We are all quite satisfied."
A voice then said:
"I am not a doubting Thomas now. Are you there, Mrs.
Lang ? May I be permitted to speak to you ? It is John
Campbell. In the absence of my dear wife, I would just like
to speak to you and thank you for your kindness to my wife."
Mrs. Deans asked : "Did Mr. Campbell, when on earth, never come
in to any of the Sittings, Mrs. Lang?", and Mrs. Lang answered: "No, I
do not think he ever came in."
Mr. Campbell spoke again and said
"I could never brace myself sufficiently to come into a
Meeting. It would have been better for me if I had because I
could have got contact more rapidly when I came to this
side. Tell my dear one not to worry about me. The passing
had no detrimental effects on me at all. I can hardly explain
why I never came into a Sitting. I had a great inclination to
come, but somehow I could not get the force of will to go in.
The boys are both well and doing well, Peter and Ralph."
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Mrs. Deans asked: "How are your Father and Mother, Jack?"
Mr. Campbell replied:
"Who is speaking ?"
and Mrs. Deans said : "May Nisbet" (her maiden name).
Mr. Campbell said
"Oh dear, dear, May Nisbet. May Nisbet in this Meeting."
Mrs. Deans replied: "Well, Jack, I have spoken to you here before,
bless you."
He replied to her:
"Yes, I know, but I did not know you were present just now.
Bless you, my dear. I am very pleased to speak to you. God
bless you, and you also, Mrs. Lang."
Mrs. Lang replied: "Thank you. We will pass on your message."
Then came silence. Mr. Sloan, who as the time passed was getting
more and more bored with the proceedings, and familiarity breeds
contempt, could contain himself no longer. After an interval of
silence he impatiently exclaimed : "This is hopeless. We might as
well close the Meeting."
Mrs. Lang said: "Well, in any case we will have to watch the time to
allow the people to get home. Will someone start the Doxology for
us?" A voice then ran over the scale, and Mrs. Lang said: "Oh, is that
you, Father? Don't start too high."
Mr. Greenlees, her father on the other side, then started to sing
"Praise God from Whom all blessings flow," and we all joined
in.
338

Mrs. Sloan then said

"May the Blessing of God the Father be with all you dear
people, and your dear friends, all your days, guarding you
and guiding you through all trials and tribulations until the
journey ends. Amen. Excuse me speaking again. I just want
to say to Daddy, don't be bitter, dear, and God bless you."
Mr. Sloan replied: "I am just a grumblin' auld cratur (creature),
Mammy, and I canna help it."
Mrs. Sloan thought differently:
"Yes, you can, if you like, my dear. Just do your best."
Another voice called out
"Hello, hello, it is just Roy to say good night to Mother, that
is all. I just squeezed in through the corner of the door here
to say good night to my Mother, and love from Father too. I
am often with you, although you do not know it, Mrs. Lang. I
love this room. I come in the daytime sometimes, and think
of the happy times I have had in these surroundings. I will
find a home for you, Mother. Don't worry."
(Mrs. Richardson was house-hunting.)
This ended the Meeting.
We have now reached about half-way through this book, and I now
wish to discuss a subject which some day will puzzle our
descendants, namely the apathy of official science to all matters
concerning psychic phenomena. Since the discovery in the 17th
century that the Universe is governed by natural law, and
339

not by the gods, science has become ever more materialistic in its
outlook, to reach its climax in our own time when the British
Broadcasting Corporation broadcast in 1950 a series of scientific
talks which made man out to be a highly specialised robot, his
thoughts and memory being no more than electrical impulses.
This pitiful attempt to turn man into a machine, to which no
Spiritualist was allowed to reply, and to which the Church was silent
because of ignorance, had doubtless a depressing effect on the
majority of listeners, who knew as little about man's psychic
makeup as did the professors of anthropology and biology who gave
these talks. This state of ignorance comes from science ignoring the
basis on which it rests, namely observation and experience of all
things in nature, and being turned aside from the search for truth by
prejudice. Unfortunately the discovery of natural law, and the
dethronement of the rule of the gods, ushered in the Materialistic
Age, and the Universe has come to be looked upon as only a
machine, and life as like a flame which is extinguished at death.
Materialism has an answer for everything. Nothing exists apart from
physical matter which is all and in all, omnipresent, omnipotent and
omniscient. Physical matter is the Universe, and nothing exists
beyond what our senses can perceive. Ernest Haeckel, in the 19th
century, pursued the task begun by Darwin, and propounded his
conclusion that the whole cosmos could be expressed in one word:
"Monism", and that man himself is no more than a material unit.
Consequently it is a delusion to believe that the soul in man
340

is a separate entity which dwells for a time in the mortal frame,

leaving it, and living on after death.
With this background we may not be astonished that the professors
of Glasgow University, made famous throughout Europe in the 18th
century by the brilliance of Professor Adam Smith, forgot the basis
of observation and experience on which science rests, and
maintained, without examination, their attitude that everything to
do with psychic phenomena is unworthy of investigation. For fifty
years they ignored the phenomena of the Sloan Circle which took
place within a mile of their imposing edifice.
Consequently, only one professor was interested enough to attend a
lecture I gave in the lecture-room of the Glasgow Philosophical
Society in 1923, my subject being the phenomena that occurred at
Sloan's seances. Only one became a member of the Glasgow
Society for Psychical Research when I founded the society in 1923.
Moreover, when Sir William Barrett, F.R.S., a founder of the London
Society for Psychical Research, came to Glasgow that year, at the
request of the Glasgow Society for Psychical Research, to address a
large audience in the St. Andrew's Hall, at which I presided, the
University life of Glasgow was conspicuous by its absence, though
all its leaders were invited.
The faculties of our other Universities have been likewise
blameworthy, and my book, On the Edge of the Etheric, which has
circulated amongst them, has been ignored. No chair of Psychic
Science has come into being in any British University, and the
British scientific journals, devoted to the different branches of
science, seldom, if ever, mention the
341

subject, it being taboo and not a matter for scientific discussion.

Thousands of books, some by well known men, have been published
on the subject over the past hundred years, millions of different
séances have been held throughout the world, at which
supernormal phenomena have occurred, and yet official science still
maintains its indifference to a subject which upsets its materialistic
conception of the Universe.
That once-enlightened body of opinion, the Society for Psychical
Research, when founded in 1882, had an enthusiastic leadership,
and its official publication contained a great quantity of first-class
matter, the result of careful research. Unfortunately, its founders
were not followed by men of the same calibre, and, when I became
a member, some time about 1920, its Council had become static,
the consequence being that the Society lost one of its greatest
opportunities to further enlighten its members.
Mr. Sloan, early in 1925, came to London on a visit, and Sir William
Barrett and I arranged a number of séances at which our friends
attended. Sir William was highly pleased with what took place, and I
made the proposal to him, to put before the Society for Psychical
Research, that I would pay all Sloan's expenses in London if he
would stay on and give the Society a series of sittings. Sloan agreed
to do so, and Sir William went to the next Council meeting and put
forward my offer.
Much to his disappointment the Council turned it down with neither
an explanation nor an expression of thanks, and, when he told me of
its decision not to investigate Sloan's mediumship, he was not only
342

disappointed but angry. That ended the matter and nothing was
ever done. My reaction was to resign my membership of the
Society, and, since then, I have looked on, during these intervening
years, with regret that its leaders have shown such a lack of
enterprise, confining themselves too much to only one narrow
branch of research, and are so far removed from the true scientific
outlook which animated its founders.
What Spiritualism stands for will not come to the people by the
enterprise of our Universities. Spiritualism some day will become
generally accepted as true, not because of what official science
discovers, but because the people, by their séances, and by their
reading, are educating themselves in one of the world's greatest
discoveries, namely, that we have found our dead, have talked to
them and found them to be very much alive and like ourselves.
Mediumship, and those who write books about it, are educating a
wondering incredulous public, and Spiritualists are carrying their
discovery throughout the world, far and wide, amongst their fellow
men and women.
They only have adopted the true scientific attitude, to observe, to
inquire and to investigate, without preconceived notions as to what
should or should not be. They have laid down a firm foundation of
scientific facts, but future historians, if they keep to what is true, will
give no credit to official science. Instead, its obstructionist negative
attitude towards this all embracing subject will be universally
condemned.
The scientists' excuse is that Spiritualists are dealing with
phenomena which cannot be repeated at will, that what they - the
scientists - are interested in is something which they can prove does
happen at any time of
343

the day or night. That attitude is stupid as, to be truly scientific, we

must take things as Nature gives them to us and adapt our
experiments accordingly. What happened at the Sloan Circle, and
has happened elsewhere on many occasions, can, however, be
repeated. For fifty years Glasgow University could have had one or
more representatives taking a verbatim record of what occurred at
the Sloan Circle and making a careful check on everything said or
done. They could have filled a hundred volumes as large as this
book with their reports, and given to the world much scientific
knowledge which the etheric scientists, including the doctors, would
have been only too glad to give them.
That is what I advised our scientists to do thirty years ago,
particularly the psychologists, the biologists and the anthropologists
of Glasgow University, because they had one of the world's greatest
Direct Voice mediums on their doorstep. It could all have been done
free and for nothing, because Sloan never wished to earn money
from his wonderful gift. They would have discovered ectoplasm,
something that really exists but is unknown to official science which
is as ignorant about this amazing stuff as a new-born baby. They
could have taken hundreds of photographs of ectoplasm by infra-red
light, and seen it billowing out of Sloan's mouth, and from his other
orifices, like a squirming snake. They could have analysed it,
besides doing many other things which would occur to intelligent
people, but they did nothing and remained encamped on
Gilmorehill, wilfully ignorant of the wonderful events which were
taking place in a certain house in the valley below them.
344

Finally, let me draw attention to the things in this chapter which we

would wish to remember. A friend of Arthur Lang, who did not give
his name, emphasised the importance of education, and, may I add,
that to increase our mental development on earth is one of the
wisest things we can do, because we carry over with us all that we
have learned on earth. Another interesting point mentioned by
Robert Niven, speaking from Etheria, is that we carry our earth
names over for identification, but each of us can get another name
there. Perhaps that is why they sometimes give only their first name
and do not couple it with their second name, and this certainly links
up with what John Campbell had to say on the subject of names, as
reported towards the end of Chapter XIV.
Mrs. Sloan made an interesting remark, namely, that she and her
friends were all human and liable to err, and this was emphasised
by a speaker at the beginning of the séance. This fact should be
remembered by those simple people who think that they should
accept guidance from Etherians and not use their own reason.
So far as earth affairs are concerned Etherians make mistakes, just
like the rest of us, and I shall always remember being told on one
occasion by a friend in Etheria that there they are as human as we
are, its inhabitants having all come from this earth. Etheria contains
neither theological angels nor devils, and no non-human beings of
any kind make up its population. The earth is the breeding-ground
for Etheria.
345

CHAPTER XII
MEETING AT MRS. LANG'S HOUSE,
GIFFNOCK, GLASGOW
1st December, 1943
Present: MR. JOHN SLOAN, MRS. CRISSIE LANG, MR. ALEXANDER
HART, MRS. JANIE RICHARDSON, MISS JEAN DEARIE, MR. DONALD
CAMERON, MRS. MARY LONDON, MRS. ELIZABETH CAMPBELL, MRS.
LILLIAS BOWES, MISS CRISSIE COLQUHOUN.
WE opened the Sitting with the hymn Nearer, my God, to Thee, and
afterwards repeated The Lord's Prayer. A voice from the spirit side
joined in the "Amen" along with us. Something dropped on the floor,
and Mr. Sloan said : "Some of our spirit friends have pulled the
pencil out of my pocket and dropped it on the floor."
A voice said
"What are you doing with a pencil, anyway? You can't write
shorthand."
Miss Dearie said: "Perhaps he was keeping it for me in case mine
broke." The voice said
"And can you always see the point, my dear ?" Miss Dearie laughed
and replied : "Oh yes, I think I usually see that."
He replied
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"It would be a pity, my dear, if you did not. We are pretty

natural on this side of life, as you will find out when you
come over here. I find it so, anyhow. Is this not Mrs. London
who is sitting here .
Mrs. Campbell said: "Yes, it is. Do you know her.'
The voice replied
"Well, I know her husband. I have met him on this side."
Mrs. London said: "Have you got a message for me?"
The voice replied:
"There is so little I can say."
Mrs. Campbell said: "Tell her about her husband. I am sure she will
be delighted to hear about him."
The voice replied
"He would be far better to do that himself, you know."
But no further contact was made because another voice broke in.
Mr. London was, however, standing by, as he spoke later to his wife.
"Jim, Jim is speaking."
Mr. Sloan said: "That is not telling us much. Jim is a common five-
eighths name. Anybody could claim a Jim."
Mrs. Lang said: "Well, Jim, we will be very pleased to help you if we
can."
Jim replied
"It is not a case of helping me. I am more inclined to try and
help you. It is my duty, and my work, trying to assimilate
some of the words of your tongue, and help all those I can. I
am not British,
347

though I am British always in heart at all times. We are all

one family."
Mr. Cameron asked: "Is colour absent when you leave the earth
here?"
He meant the colour bar, but his vagueness caused the Etherian
speaking to say
" I do not follow you. What do you mean by `colour' ? We are
all one family, all brothers and sisters, and we acquire the
knowledge that the Great Teacher wants us to obtain. We
must stay in the surroundings we find ourselves in until we
acquire the knowledge necessary to pass to higher planes,
and, having ability to rise, we obtain the counsels of the
great leaders. There are things you cannot know, friend
Cameron, until you come to this side of life, educated as you
are, as you have all become, and as we all must become in
time."
Mr. Cameron remarked: "You seem to have reached a stage of
understanding yourself, friend."
The voice replied
"It comes overwhelmingly upon us when we see
intelligences so far ahead of us, and we desire to follow in
the footsteps of the Great Master Teacher. In method of
progress it means assimilation of the Truth which we must
take unto ourselves, and that we are willing to obey the will
of those above us, and follow in the higher footsteps of
those advanced far beyond us. It is not a theme of a day, as
you call it, a month, or a year. It is of long duration before
some rise to this discernment. Do you see what I mean ? The
urge to rise has no limitation. It remains with us, our desire
to follow in the steps of the great teachers who have gone
ahead."
348

Mrs. Lang asked: "Who is speaking, friend? Have you been here
before?"
He replied
"Jim, Jim, or James. I liked the name and took it for my own. It was
not the name I had in earth life."
Mrs. Lang said: "But you have been here before, have you not,
James?"
He replied
"Many times. I have tried for a long time to find means
whereby I could get the vibrations to speak to you, and
others are helping me. I am not able to speak as you hear
me speaking. I am registering the sound of those who are
above me and showing me the way. I love you all. I am only
the dictator (intermediary) speaking the words which I am
getting handed on to me."
Mr. Cameron said: "I understand your thought is instantly turned
into sound."
He replied
"A thought on the Earth Plane is turned into sound on our
side of life. (Probably he meant our thoughts are sensed
telepathically.) If you are in coequal love and sympathy with
each other, that is a cord which never loosens and never
breaks."
Mr. Cameron asked: "Do you ever receive our thoughts in colour?"
The voice replied
"I receive them in impression first, and then I hear. I seem to
understand you very well. You are very lucid in your
explanation, friend. I love to hear you. I dropped in to your
Meeting and am delighted at the way you have received me.
Sometimes I drop
349

into a Meeting elsewhere and I am not so well received as

you have received me here."
Mrs. Lang said : "We are delighted to have you."
He replied
"This knowledge should be a comfort to all in the body. In
the world you traverse to-day, Sister, when one has
relations and friends one loves and adores, and the Master
in His wisdom takes them home sometimes, how you grieve
and sorrow. You should not do so, you know."
Another very deep voice said
"Very difficult not to do so."
 The first speaker said
"I am speaking to this little lady now. However, her sorrow
is past. It is more mellow now."
Miss Colquhoun asked : "Is it easy for all on your side to get our
thoughts, or is it more difficult for some than others?"
He replied "Very difficult for some."
The trumpets were touching Mrs. Campbell, and a voice said
"Grandfather. It is Grandfather speaking."
Mrs. Campbell said : "Is it my Grandfather who is speaking?"
He replied:
"John's father. I am surprised you did not know me."
Mrs. Campbell said: "And how is Jack? Is he going to speak to me?"
Mr. Campbell, Senior, said
"He will certainly be speaking to you shortly. He sends his
thoughts, and they are reflected through various channels.
350

Many you love are in the surroundings but I cannot get at

them all to-night for you, my dear. It is a happy family."
Another voice then exclaimed
"Margaret, my dear Margaret."
Mrs. Campbell asked who was speaking, but the conversation was
broken into by a new voice which said
"This is another friend speaking-the husband of the lady
beside you."
He then asked:
"Did you find me a difficult subject, Mrs. Campbell ?"
Mrs. Campbell asked who was speaking, and he replied
"I am Norman. You thought I did not understand, that I did
not follow you, I suppose. Did not believe what you were
telling me. I find now that it was all true. Thank you very
much."
Then he addressed his wife, Mrs. London:
"Norman is speaking to you. My dear, how do you do ? I am
away at the other side of the room so that I can amplify my
voice a little better for you. It is not tuned in yet as I would
like it to be. The love which is in our souls, my dear, is still
burning strong, and, as your days run past, I am watching
you. God bless you. I will never be properly happy until we
shake hands and clasp each other when God's good time
comes. In the interval I will guard you to the best of my
ability, as far as the spirit friends who guide me here allow
me to do so."
Mrs. Sloan spoke here, and said
"Mrs. London, I was so pleased to see you here.
351

Do you remember when you came to see me ? It seems a

long time since. You remember, Mrs. Campbell, when Mrs.
London came up to our wee cottage. I am so pleased that
you are still keeping in touch with the dear ones whom you
knew and who are now on our side of life. I promised to try
and help them to get into touch with you from time to time;
that is my work, you know, and it is such a wonderful labour
of love. Your dear ones are often surrounding you, though
you do not know it. Have you got a bad cold, Daddy ?" (to Mr.
Sloan).
Mr. Sloan replied : "It is all right, dearie. I will not have any cold
when I come over to you. Make the time short, dear. When God's
time comes, I will be ready to jump."
Mrs. Sloan replied
"Yes, I know that, dear. I think most people when they reach
your time of life and those they love have gone before them,
are anxious to get away, but you must wait God's good time,
dear, and then we will meet and be the same to each other
as we were in the earth life. God bless you, Mr. Hart. I loved
to see you trotting down the field when you came to the
cottage, and I knew it would be a good Meeting when Mr.
Hart came. We will have another grand meeting by and by.
We will have so much to talk about and tell each other. (A
pause and then came): Don't ask me that, Daddy, because it
would not be right to tell."
Mr. Sloan must have asked a mental question.
Mr. Sloan replied : "I did not ask it, Mammy. I was just thinking it. I
have more sense than ask these things. I was just wondering if it
was so."
352

Another voice, evidently speaking to someone on his own side, said:

"Is that Harry? Are you there, Harry ? Just take your feet out
of the way, my friend."
Mr. Sloan laughed, and said: "I am sorry, friend. I admit I was sitting
with my legs stretched out. I am sorry, friend. I did not mean to get
in your way."
The voice replied:
"Yes, but I am sure I have the sympathy of those on your
side if I say we are working to maintain the conditions which
bring your friends a little nearer to you, and if I tell you to
pull your feet out of the way, you will not be annoyed."
We said: "Of course we are not annoyed. We will keep our feet in."
He replied
"It is not you ladies at all. It is our old friend here. He had
them stuck right out, but I am glad you take it in the way it
was given-just a hint."
Another voice said:
"It is Jim. It is not easy to speak. Do you recognise my
voice ? I tried my best to speak to you before. Keep looking
up, my dear. I am often beside you, and will be so all the
days that remain for you on the earth side of life."
This message was for Mrs. London.
Harry then got through, as a voice said
"It is Harry Wincombe speaking. That was my name."
Mr. Cameron said: "Did you live in Scotland, Mr. Wincombe?"
He replied
353

"No, at least not all the time. I do not know any of you
personally."
Mr. Cameron said : "Tell us something about yourself."
Harry replied
"Well, I am not inclined to do that. I do not like to talk about
myself. This is Glasgow, is it not ? I have been a long time on
the spirit side of life. There are descendants of my family
who are still in England. There is a Dr. Wincombe. Do any of
you know him ?"
One of us asked: "Is he in Glasgow?" He replied
"If I knew that I would not trouble you by asking. I thought I
might learn something about him here. I have been some
time in spirit life, and found it very difficult to be persuaded
that I had finished with the old world. I found it difficult to
realise that I had left the physical body behind when I found
myself possessed of a body as real as the one I had had. One
that I could travel with and could go and see people who
were still in earth life, until I realised that they could not see
me. I thought it was such a funny thing, and at first I found
it difficult to be happy on the spirit side of life. It was a very
hard struggle for me at first, but I ultimately came on
someone who showed me the way whereby I could get into
contact with those left behind, and from that time I made
progress. I have not progressed very far, but I am now on
the right way, and am happy."
Then a man, who turned out to be Thomas Armstrong, addressed
Mrs. Bowes
"It is Thomas speaking now. Do you know me ?
354

Is that Mrs. Bowes ? It is Thomas speaking. I have just been

away getting into touch with your boys, and will do all I can
to look after them for you, and lighten your burden. The
light will shine and you will be happy once more, but the
world is such a tragedy at the present time, we cannot
contact you as we used to do."
Another voice on the other side chimed in and addressed Thomas
before Mrs. Bowes could reply:
"Oh, Thomas, I see you have got someone to talk to to-night.
I am an old school friend of Thomas. I notice the conditions
at the present time are not so good. I think if you would sing
something softly, it would help us to smooth the way a little
for those who may be able to come yet and talk to you."
We sang The Lord is my Shepherd to the tune "Crimond", and
afterwards a very clear voice said
"I was just watching you, Mother dear. It is Roy speaking to
you, Mother. Are you going to Nancy's? Well, I will be there
when you arrive."
Mrs. Richardson said: "Thank you, Roy dear. I am very sorry to go
away from Glasgow. I thought M might spend the winter here."
Roy replied
"Well, there is perhaps a purpose in it, Mother dear. I know
it is a wrench to come away, but you will be happy at
Stratford. It is such a joy to me, friends, to speak to my
Mother like this. When I found I could do so, it was a great
joy to me, and I have tried to help others to get the joy of
speaking to those they love on the Earth Plane. It makes me
very happy to talk to you and try to help you."
355

Mrs. Richardson asked: "Do you come across your Father at all,
Roy?"
He replied
"Oh yes, sometimes. You know he is on a different sphere,
but we meet now and again, and are very happy, very joyous
together. We also see James."
Mrs. Richardson asked: "James Chalmers?" He was beside Roy and
now spoke
"James Chalmers is speaking. I met you, Mrs. Lang, in some
other person's house when the Indian was speaking to you. I
did not like them very well, you know. I mean the Indians. I
did not pull with them but I have since discovered that they
are wonderful people."
A new voice continued the conversation:
"We pull together, my friend, my worthy Scotch friend. The
Indian people are always trying to help you as far as we can.
We all pull with a strong pull and a long pull, and all pull
together, and we pray that you and we together may get a
blessing from the one Great Spirit God."
We then heard a voice speak rapidly in a foreign language. A long,
strange cry then came through the trumpet, like "Boo-booo" and a
voice said
"I am able to speak to you now, Sister Colquhoun, in your
own language. I have studied with much assiduity and am
able to perform the duties to your dear soldiers. I am
working with them on your side just as they pass over."
Miss Colquhoun said : "Well, Bo-Bo. I wonder if you could help me to
find out about a boy called
356
Roy Mc--? (Full name given, but omitted by request.) He is missing,
and his Mother is in great distress about him, and I wonder if he has
passed to your side."
Bo-Bo replied
"It is in the hands of the Great Father to find that out. I got
your thoughts and have tried to locate him. He is not a
prisoner of war at all. I fear; I fear for the Mother's sake that
he is with us, but I have not found him. Bo-Bo, working all he
can for you. There is not much hope that he is in the
physical. He is not a prisoner of war, yet I cannot see him. It
was the long time on the water in which we lost trace of
him."
This boy's aeroplane crashed in the sea. Another voice said
"William-William Coltart."
Miss Colquhoun asked if he was any connection of Coltarts, the
drapers, in Queen Street. He replied
"One of the firm. I do not know how long I have been over. I
am not able to speak to you very plainly. I am passing my
thoughts through another channel so that you may get
them. I am passing my words through an intermediary
source to get through to you. It is a great joy to me that,
after having finished my earth life, I have been able to be of
some service to my Maker, and be allowed to put a message
through from this side to you. When you leave the body you
will find, if your life has not been a onesided service for
yourself alone, but of service to God as well as man, not by
lip service but by a conscientious striving to help others, all
will be well
357

with you when you make the crossing. These are the things
that count."
A pause, and then Mrs. Colquhoun spoke to her daughter
"Hello, is that you, Crissie ? A Mother's love is always with
you. I feel so happy, and I have the clear recollection and
memories of all our happy times together. It is coming near
to what has been a trying time for you, my dear. I wish you
were just as happy as I am. When the end of the year comes,
just think it is the opening of a new year, and I will always
be with you to look after you and hold your hand. I have
been with you in your sleep-time.
"It is coming near the anniversary when I know you will be
thinking of me, dear. God bless Archie. He is always so good
to me. He was a good father, you know, and he loved you
too. He had got such a beautiful home for me. Mrs. Lang,
thank you for your kindness to my girl. I cannot see all who
are here, but God bless you all. I know Mrs. Bowes. I know
what it is, Mrs. Bowes, to have an anxious heart for those
you love, and I will remember you in my prayers on this side
of life."
Mrs. Bowes replied : "Thank you very much, dear Mrs. Colquhoun."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Do you remember Nellie McWilliam? I was
asked about her."
Mr. Colquhoun then answered his daughter:
"Of course, I remember her. She was my friend too. Nellie
was always good and kind to me. Well, I suppose you will
forgive me speaking just now. I do not think you will object,
friends, although it has taken a little time up. God bless you,
Crissie.
358

It is Father speaking to you. Here is someone you know

wanting to speak to you."
A very Scotch voice then said to Miss Colquhoun:
"Hoo (how) are you getting on ? Aye (yes), you will no (not)
remember me, lassie, but I used to know you when you
came for holidays to Arran. It is John Cook of Banchory Hill,
Sliddery Coome. I had a look through the farm the other day,
and we were that amazed when we were speaking to them
and they did not hear us. Aye, I thought I would like to have
a bit word with you. I had aye (always) a soft corner in my
heart for you, and lookit forward to the time when you came
down in July and August."
John Cook was a farmer in the Island of Arran, with whom Miss
Colquhoun and her family spent their holidays. Everything said was
correct.
Mr. Colquhoun now spoke to Mrs. Lang:
"It is Archie Colquhoun speaking. I thank you, Mrs. Lang, for
allowing these people to come and talk to my girl."
One of the trumpets fell on the floor and Miss Colquhoun went down
on her knees to lift it up, when it was pulled right out of her hand,
and a voice said
"Take care it doesn't bite, Crissie. Yes, this is my trumpet. I
was working with it down on the floor. I was trying to see if I
could talk through it. Can you hear me quite clearly ?"
Mr. Sloan said : "Oh, we hear you quite plainly, but you are no (not)
saying much that is worth listening to."
A reply to this typically candid remark by Mr. Sloan came from
Thomas Armstrong.
359

"What do you wish me to say ? We are doing the best we

can for you. It is not easy to direct the course of things in
the world to-day, either from our side or your side. It is
difficult to come into contact with those who are passing,
and then go and try to console those who have lost their
dear ones for a little time, for not all have the beautiful
knowledge, and the beautiful understanding that you have
here, that in the body we have no abiding city and will all
pass over in God's good time to The Great Reality.
"There is just such a mass of humanity coming into the spirit
side of life at the present time that it is beyond the
comprehension of your minds to understand it, and we
cannot put it into words, but I might put it in this way : `It is
difficult to get them sorted out.' I think you will understand
what I mean, friend Cameron. Some are willing to listen and
some are just as obstinate and unwilling to be led into the
way that leads upwards and onwards. I say it remains
possible for you in the earth life, who understand, to throw
out your sympathy and your love to those who have passed
over through this war, and to let your kind thoughts go out
to them as comrades and friends because it is wonderful
how quickly on this side of life they come to see what a
foolish, foolish thing they had done to be killing and hating
each other, and the feeling of enmity is soon forgotten.
"Your loving thoughts and prayers can help them to arrive
more quickly at this conclusion. If you could just realise the
condition of chaos in which they come over you would send
all the love possible, but they are immediately put into the
hands of those
360

best fitted to help them. Every loving thought that we give

helps them, and every loving thought coming from those on
the earth side of life is immediately directed to those who
most require it."
Mrs. Bowes asked : "Even when we can give love to our enemy,
what happens to that love?"
She got the reply
"If you give love to your enemy, well, you are giving a love
on both sides where it can be used. Had the nations of the
world had more love for each other, the world would not be
in the state it is in at the present time. God bless you. A
thought of love goes to your credit, dear lady, all the time. I
am Thomas Armstrong."
A new voice then addressed Mrs. Campbell:
"Mrs. Campbell, when were you here last ? It is a good long
time ago. I think your John has come over since then. I don't
forget the old connection. I have been often around the
Square watching how things were going on."
Mrs. Campbell asked : "What did you do on earth?"
The voice replied:
"I was the old dispensing chemist to the Cockburn firm."
(Messrs. Cockburn have chemist shops in Glasgow.) "It is a big
concern now. Did you know Mr. Kelly ?"
Before an answer could be given someone shouted from the other
side
"Has anybody here seen Kelly ?"
Mr. Cameron remarked : "There seems to be a fairly wide open door
here for anyone to come through."
361

Pathfinder then spoke

"You are candid in your opinion, friend Cameron, but I
understand what you mean. You do not have the door-
keeper you used to have. They are all too busy working with
those who are passing suddenly to this side of life to have
time to spend coming here. The time will come when we will
have more time; knowing that the Great Master, in His love,
and the good souls in the world to-day, are working in
harmony with those on the other side of life to bring a
condition of peace, a fraternity of opinion that peace may be
secured, Ladies and Gentlemen, and the world may return to
its normal condition. May God bless you all. I am Pathfinder.
"I would like to make a pathway clear for you, Ladies and
Gentlemen, to tread the devious paths of life, which just
now is a very difficult matter. It comes hard to the human
heart. I am speaking more like one of yourselves to-day. You
understand what Pathfinder means. I am trying hard to
enter into your sorrows and your joys, and to assist the
friends you love who may be passing just a little ahead of
you on the road of life. I try to bear you up in the arms of
love, to bear you up beyond the shadow to the substance
where Pathfinder lives, and where some day you will be co-
partners in the labour of love.
"I will come again when I have time to talk to you. I have
memories, sweet memories, Sister Lang, of some of our
Indian friends-I was one of them when we could speak to
you in a way I would like to now. Pathfinder is much
advanced now, though I know his old friend, Sloan, here
does not seem to care much for his advancement. He loves
him all the
362

same for all that. God bless you. If at any time you are in
difficulty or trouble, or upset, just think of Pathfinder, and I
will try, if I get the condition, to get into touch with you.
"If any of you call me, I shall try and show a little light to let
you know that I am near. I do not say that I shall succeed,
but some day I will. In any case, you will get an impression
that will bear upon you. I will find some way to let you know
it is Pathfinder. I have seen the hand, the beautiful fingers,
writing the words portraying what has been said, on the
paper. Pathfinder is speaking to Miss Dearie now. Pathfinder
watches your labour of love and you will be blessed, my
Sister."
Miss Dearie replied: "Thank you, dear Pathfinder." Another voice
then addressed her:
"Robert Dearie speaking."
Miss Dearie said: "That is not Father, for his name is not Robert."
The voice replied
"No, it is not Father. It is an ancestor, not your Father's
Father, further back still. God bless you. No, Miss Dearie, I
do not know what beautiful name is affixed to that."
Miss Dearie replied: "My name is Jean." He said
"That is a family name. I shall come again. Yes, yes, I hear
the clock in the hall all right, but it does not bother me now.
I am just watching you and I would like to get a message
through to you that you can understand, because you do not
understand half of what is coming through. It is not lucidly
explained to you."
363

How Robert Dearie proposed to enlighten her we know not, as

another voice broke into the conversation:
"Friend Cameron, it is Harry speaking. Don't you know Harry
?"
Mr. Sloan said : "I think Tom, Dick and Harry are getting in here. It is
nae (no) use at all." Harry replied:
"That is too bad of you. I don't like you to say that about
Tom, Dick and Harry."
Mr. Sloan replied: "Sorry, friend, I did not mean to offend you. I did
not mean to say that."
Mrs. Lang said : "No, but you said it all the same." Harry continued
"You would not like us to speak that way to you."
Another voice then broke in
"Did you ever hear the like of that ! What are you worrying
about ? He did not mean it. This is my house."
Mrs. Lang said: "Who are you, friend, if this is your `house' that we
are all in?" He replied:
"I am Moritz's father. This was my son's house."
(Mrs. Lang bought Mr. George Moritz's house in Giffnock after
leaving Cowglen House. His Father may have thought it was still his
son's house.)
Mr. Moritz stopped speaking, and Mrs. Lang said: "Well, friend, I
think for those who have to go home we had better draw to a close."
So we sang the Doxology.
Mrs. Campbell remarked: "One does not like to think of some
landing on the other side in chaos, when one thought all was law
and order."
364

Thomas Armstrong came back to put right a misunderstanding

"I did not say that they landed in chaos. I said there was a
condition of chaos in their passing, those who are coming
over through the war. I will explain that to you some other
night. May the blessing of the Great God, the Father, Who
knoweth the secret of every heart, knoweth the desires and
aspirations of every soul, guide your aspirations, your
desires, and your life, so that all will be well with you when
you come to our side of life and traverse this beautiful land,
and may the Great Father God, whom, not having seen, we
know and revere, and to some extent understand, keep our
hearts and minds in perfect peace, now and for ever more.
Amen."
This ended the Sitting.
One of the most conclusive proofs that the voices heard by the
earth sitters at these séances were those of men and women, with
personalities like our own, was the way they displayed human
feelings just as we do. They showed emotion, affection, humour,
annoyance, memory and so on, but, besides that, they came back
and corrected misstatements if a sitter misquoted them or was
inconsistent in his remarks. For instance, Mr. Cameron, on one
occasion, was corrected because he said one thing to an Etherian
earlier in the Meeting, and, when speaking to the same Etherian on
the same subject later on in the séance, he said the opposite.
So Mr. Cameron's inconsistency was exposed by a thinking unseen
being
365

who remembered correctly what was said, and reminded Mr.

Cameron of his mistake. Here we have an unseen individual
behaving just as we would have acted under similar circumstances,
to show himself to be human like ourselves.
At the end of the Meeting reported in this chapter Mrs. Campbell
misquotes an earlier statement made by Thomas Armstrong, and
this brings him back into the conversation to quote what he had said
earlier in the same séance. Not only was he right and Mrs. Campbell
wrong in what she said, but it will be found that he repeated almost
word for word what he said and so justified himself.
Mrs. Campbell, it will be remembered, said : "One does not like to
think of some landing on the other side in chaos." Armstrong came
back and said: "I did not say that they landed in chaos. I said there
was a condition of chaos in their passing, those who are coming
over through the war." Now, if we turn back and read what
Armstrong did say on this subject, when he was speaking earlier in
the Meeting, we find that his words were: "If you could just realise
the condition of chaos in which they come over." What he meant
was that their minds were in a state of confusion, or greatly
disturbed, but not the world to which they had passed. This proves
Armstrong to have a retentive memory, and, though he was not
seen, he acted throughout like an ordinary human being. Moreover,
it proves that Miss Dearie is a very accurate stenographer.
When I sat regularly with Sloan between 1918 and 1924 I
sometimes thought, when in the darkness of his little parlour, that I
was in the very same position
366

as I would be in if I were blind. If I had taken a blind man with me,

both he and I would have been on the same level, except that he
would not see the lights floating about and I would. Otherwise I had
no faculty that he did not possess, as he heard the voices and felt
the touches just as I did but we could not see the person speaking
to us. When the séance was over, when the light came on again,
and when the Etherians were silent, I would have the advantage
over this blind man because I could see the sitters and he could not.
He could feel us but not see us.
Now, if he had started to argue that because he could only hear the
sitters, and not see them, he was either hypnotised or under some
terrible delusion that we were with him in the room, and that he
really was not hearing what we were saying, we would consider him
insane. No blind man thinks like that of the unseen people he mixes
with, even if he is born blind. All blind people accept the fact that
others like themselves are near to them and speaking to them.
It is quite natural to do so, and, at the Direct Voice séances, we
accept the fact that someone is present when we hear a voice. Like
a blind person we mentally picture what we are told, and, when a
voice gives a name and address, and refers to incidents in his life on
earth, we naturally picture in our minds the person who claims to be
speaking. Even though the invisible speaker misleads us, and he is
really someone else and has read our minds, or heard about us from
someone else to thus delude us, he cannot keep us from knowing
that he is an individual, a personality with memory and the qualities
that make up the human being. He may mislead us because of his
invisibility,
367

but he cannot keep us from knowing that someone is present who

speaks as we do, thinks as we do, and acts as we do.
Hidden memories, or telepathy, cannot produce a voice which is
sometimes recognised and which shows memory, affection and
emotion towards the person the voice is addressing, but that is not
all. At Direct Voice séances it is seldom one can see the speaker,
but at materialisation séances we can see and hear and recognise
the speaker. This is no delusion because we can be photographed
together, and what the materialised Etherian says can be picked up,
as has been done at Direct Voice séances, on a gramophone record
to be repeated at will.
Unfortunately, materialisation mediums are rare, as few people
have the necessary supply and quality of the ectoplasm required.
Direct Voice mediums are rare but more plentiful than
materialisation mediums, because the quantity of ectoplasm
required to materialise the Etherians' vocal organs is not so great as
is required for a full materialisation. Lastly, trance mediums,
clairaudients, and clairvoyants are still more plentiful. In the
presence of them all we get the same statement, namely, that the
speaker once lived on earth, slipped out of his earth body at death,
to live in a beautiful happy world in the duplicate etheric body he
had on earth. Moreover, that we likewise will follow in our turn, and
that as we sow we reap, that only our character counts, and that we
each judge ourselves and go to the place in Etheria for which we are
fitted.
The critic who asserts that everything Spiritualists believe is
moonshine, that their superstitious nonsense
368

is the result of deranged minds, that they suffer from illusions, and
that they have neither proof nor reason for their beliefs, is so
ignorant and prejudiced that it is impossible for him to think
rationally. Equally unbalanced is the religious zealot who thinks that
the Devil has sent his angels, or messengers, to misguide us, and
delude us so as to secure more souls to burn in Hell. All such people
are unworthy of notice, and should be treated with the contempt
they deserve.
At one time, not so long ago, there were many such stupid people,
because of so much ignorance and prejudice. Slowly knowledge is
overcoming ignorance, but the truth will take a long time to
penetrate through the hide of religious orthodoxy and materialism,
as it prevails to-day, supported by both the Church and science. We
have a material body, and we live on a material world, our senses
being adjusted to physical conditions. Only by attending séances,
sitting privately with mediums, or by reading about the subject, can
those who lack the psychic sense appreciate the conditions beyond
our physical environment. Otherwise they cannot imagine anything
to exist apart from what their physical senses perceive.
Spiritualists can understand why it is their opinions receive so little
consideration-the reason is ignorance and prejudice-but that is no
excuse for all the abuse and persecution they have received in the
past. At least they have a right to be heard, and, until they are, they
should not be judged. They have such a very strong case to put
over, but the vested interests in favour of theological and scholastic
ignorance are so strong that neither the B.B.C., nor the Press in
general, will give them a fair hearing.
369

The cry of humanity down the ages has been "If a man die, shall he
live again?" (Job xiv, 14), and when Spiritualists come forward and
say that they have found the answer to this question, it is surely
sensible to examine and discuss their reason for this statement.
Instead of discussion the past history of the injustice meted out to
Spiritualists is deplorable, and until 1951 they were classed as
rogues and vagabonds in the criminal law of Great Britain and
treated accordingly without recourse to a fair trial.
In the Meeting just reported we have another case of mind reading
when Mr. Sloan thought of something. Mrs. Sloan saw this picture-
making taking place in his mind and asked him not to speak about
it. Sloan agreed that she was right in telling him to keep quiet but,
as he said to her: "I was just thinking it." By attending séances like
those recorded in this book psychologists would discover how our
mind works, because, to understand what the mind is, and how it
thinks, they must consult, as I have done, with the Etherian
scientists-who can see it working and who know all about its
behaviour. The mind is immaterial and not to be discovered by
material instruments. The testing of the brain's electrical impulses is
only dealing with the physical effects and not with the primary
cause of these effects.
I hope these few words of advice will be taken seriously in the right
quarters, and that some day, when scientists discover the mind in
the only way it can be discovered, they will make grateful
acknowledgment to the Spiritualists who put them on the right road
to find it.
370

CHAPTER XIII
MEETING AT MISS COLQUHOUN'S HOUSE, POLLOKSHIELDS,
GLASGOW
Tuesday,11th July, 1944
Present: MR. JOHN SLOAN, MRS. LILLIAs BOWES, MRS. JANIE
RICHARDSON, MISS JEAN DEARIE, Miss AILSA DOUGLAS, MISS
WINNIE DOUGLAS, MR. ALEXANDER HART, MRS. MARY (MAY)
CUTHBERTSON, MISS CRISSIE COLQUHOUN.
WE opened the meeting with the usual hymn, Nearer, my God, to
Thee, and, while we were singing it, the trumpet came round to
each of us in turn and gave us gentle pats. We then repeated The
Lord's Prayer, and a voice from the other side joined in the "Amen".
A man's voice then enquired
"Are you still seeing these French boys, Mr. Hart ?"
Mr. Hart replied : "They are all away now." He continued
"There are so many passing over at present, Mr. Hart, and a
great number of them are in a state of bewilderment-yes,
the boys that are being thrown over at present."
Nothing more was said for some minutes, and Mr. Sloan said :
"Nothing will happen to-night. I just thought that before I came, that
nothing would happen, and this might as well be my last time."
Miss Colquhoun rebuked him: "Now, Mr. Sloan,
371
you are not to say that. What would Mammy say to you about that?
We are perfectly happy just to sit and wait awhile."
A voice from the other side then spoke:
"Thank you, Miss Colquhoun. My dear friends, you cannot
command, you know, Ladies and Gentle men. The door is
open, and that is all that we can do. The world is in a
terrible state meantime. Just put out your thoughts, then, to
those who are in a terrible predicament. Put yourselves in
the place of those who have dear ones away and do not
know what has happened to them, and send your prayers,
for these are needed as well."
Miss Dearie remarked that it must be very difficult for those on the
other side to contact us at all at the present time, when they were
so busily engaged helping the boys who were passing through this
war.
A voice replied
"Thank you, Miss Dearie, for that beautiful sentiment,"
and Mr. Sloan remarked: "Fancy, he knows your name."
The voice answered
"Why not? I know your name as well as you know it, John
Campbell Sloan."
Mr. Sloan asked : "Are you the door-keeper?", and the reply came
back at once
" 'It is better to be a door-keeper in the House of God'-oh,
well, you know the rest of it.
"Well, Mrs. Richardson, you were in the Poet's Corner."
Mrs. Richardson inquired: "The Poet's Corner, and he explained
372

"Well, were you not in Shakespeare's birthplace ?"

Mrs. Richardson said : "Oh, yes, I was in Stratford, and it was
beautiful. I was very sorry to come away." Mr. Sloan remarked:
"Who was it that came from there? Was it not one of the poets-was
it Burns?"
A man from the other side was shocked:
"Oh dear, oh dear, I am surprised at your lack of memory,
Sloan. Did you ever hear of Shakespeare -well, that was his
birthplace."
Mr. Sloan replied
`Oh aye, I have heard of Shakespeare all right, but my memory is
awful bad the noo."
Then we heard the following from the other side
"Just wait until you come to my side, and you will
understand what poetry really means. You have no
conception of the loveliness of the country wherein we
dwell. Take the rough places with the smooth, Ladies and
Gentlemen, and do your little bit while you are in the body.
Serve God and help your fellow men and sister women, and
all will be well with you when the parting comes. Just think
of the friends you have known in bygone days, the loved
ones, the specially beloved ones, who will be waiting to say
to you `my darling, come home'."
We asked if we might know who was speaking and he replied
"I am just filling up the time until we see what we can do. I
have never been in the immediate surroundings before, but I
liked the lights which come from your auras
373

"Oh, wad some power the giftie gie us,

To see oursels as ithers see us.
It would frae mony a blunder free us,
And foolish notion."
Miss Dearie remarked that she had not caught the last line, and he
repeated it.
Then he continued his conversation:
"I am afraid, my dear, you do not know your Burns."
We laughed, and he said:
"Ah, that has taken the sombre look from your faces."
We asked: "Were we looking sombre?", and he replied
"You can smile sometimes, especially when someone comes
in that you know. However, you would not be human if you
did not feel a bit sorrowful just now. Even supposing there
are none of your own in danger, others are. However, do try
to keep happy."
We sang: They are winging, they are winging, and afterwards Mrs.
Sloan spoke to us.
"Daddy, dear, try to keep happy."
Miss Colquhoun remarked that the black-out of the room was not
very good, and Mrs. Sloan answered:
"It is not as dark as we used to have it at West Kilbride, but
it is all right, dear. I used to see you coming through the
fields, Mr. Hart, and say to Daddy: `There is Mr. Hart, now
everything will be all right.' We shall all meet again in God's
good time. I twill be a superb reunion. Daddy, I know about
Sam."
Mr. Sloan replied: "I knew it was you who told
374

me to go back, Mammy, and I just went down and Sam came in

immediately afterwards." Mrs. Sloan continued:
"Well, I knew he was coming and I wanted you to be there
when he came. God bless you, Mrs. Bowes."
Mrs. Bowes replied: "God bless you, Mammy, dear."
We sang, The world bath felt a quickening breath, and afterwards
the trumpet touched Miss Dearie, when a voice said
"Well, Miss Dearie, God bless you."
Miss Dearie said: "Thank you, dear friend. Can you tell me who you
are?"
He replied
"You do not know me, but someone told me before you came
that you would be here. A friend of yours told me that Miss
Dearie would be here, and I was to tell you that things are
going to brighten. That does not apply to yourself but to
someone very near to you, and for you, you will have your
reward, my dear, for the work you are doing here. I am
speaking for another. You will get your reward for
everything you have done."
Miss Dearie understood all this and replied : "Thank you very much
indeed."
The trumpet then touched Mrs. Richardson, and her son Roy spoke
to her.
"Hello, Mother, hello, darling, so you were down in Willie's
country."
Mrs. Richardson said: "Is that you, Roy? Yes, I was at Stratford, and
you said you would be there when I was there, that you would get
there before me."
Roy replied
375

"And so I was, Mother dear, and I am with you now. I am

with you many a time when you don't know it, when you are
not thinking about me. I know that you think about me
often, but often, when you are not, I am beside you, helping
you out of difficulties because you have difficulties
sometimes, dear, and you wonder often how things have
smoothed out as they do."
Miss Colquhoun remarked : "You sound very happy, Roy," and he
replied
"Why should I not be, Miss Colquhoun ? I am full of love and
full of joy, and I try to impress it on others -a bit of my joy-
and, by imparting it to others, I get it increasingly back
again. Come away, Mother Colquhoun."
(Addressing Mrs. Colquhoun on his side, and asking her to speak.)
Mrs. Colquhoun then said
"God bless you, Crissie. How are you to-night ?"
Miss Colquhoun replied : "Is that you, Mother? Oh, I am so pleased."
Her mother answered
"I am always pleased to be here with you all, and to say God
bless you."
Miss Colquhoun said: "Do you see who is here, Mother?", and her
Mother answered
"Yes, is that you, May ?"
Mrs. Cuthbertson replied: "Yes, Annie. Are you happy?"
Mrs. Colquhoun replied:
"Don't worry about us. We are so happy, so very, very
happy. Of course, we miss you all and the happy times we
used to have."
376

She then gave a lot of kisses.

Miss Colquhoun asked: "Have you seen ?" (Miss Dearie did not catch
the name.) Mrs. Colquhoun replied:
"I do not see him just now. We are all so busy. Now, Mr.
Hart, you are the mathematician. You will know how many
thousands and thousands of dear boys are coming over, and
it is difficult to get in touch with the right one. We do try to
help them all we can. We are all traveling home. I am
speaking to you all. The people who ordinarily come to you,
Crissie, at Mrs. Lang's home, cannot readily come at
present. They are busy otherwise. I do not forget things
now, Crissie. I am sure I must have been a tremendous
annoyance to you, dear, but I have got my memory now,
Crissie."
Miss Colquhoun replied : "Now, dear, you are not to say that. I never
thought so, but I know you are all right now, dear."
Mrs. Colquhoun replied
"I would just surprise you if you could see me standing
beside you."
Miss Colquhoun said : "Yes, you are the young one now, Mother. Can
you see me to-night, dear?" Her Mother replied
"Not very clearly to-night."
Mrs. Cuthbertson asked: 'Is Archie with you?", and Miss Colquhoun
asked
"Is Father with you, Mother?"
Her Mother replied correctly to the double question
"Not just now. Paton, Willie, and Archie are all working like
the others."
377

Someone else on the other side then said to Mrs. Cuthbertson on

earth:
"It is Davie Johnston, that is who it is. I would not have
thought of finding you in a place like this."
"David Johnston is Miss Colquhoun's grand-uncle. Mrs. Cuthbertson
then said: "Don't be surprised at anything," to receive as answer:
"Well, I'm not now. You are in a grand place."
Mrs. Cuthbertson said: "I see Jessie occasionally." He replied
"What is Jessie doing the noo ? (just now) What's wrang wi'
Jessie ?"
Mrs. Cuthbertson replied : "Nothing, except rheumatics in her feet."
He replied:
"It's no' her feet. It's her engine (heart) that is bothering her.
She was aye (always) inclined to talk too much and the
engine will not stand up to it."
Mrs. Cuthbertson said: "She is getting on, like me," and then
another voice spoke to Miss Colquhoun:
"You will never grow old, my dear, and, when you come
here, time will stand still for you, and you will never be old.
You build the house which you will have on the spirit side of
life by your actions on earth. I am not speaking to you
individually now. I am speaking to you all, and when you
cast aside the trammels of the earth life, and pass over, no
matter how old you are, you come back to your youth again
and your fullest vigour. There will be no forgetful memories
in these days. God bless you, Crissie. I am going away now."
Miss Colquhoun said : "Is it Mother?", and she replied
378

"Just Mother-God bless you both."

Miss Colquhoun said: "Thank you for coming, dear." Miss Colquhoun
spoke again about the blackout not being good enough, and a voice
said
"Have you not got a smaller room, friend ? If so, it would be
easier for us. We try our best to give the messages, but we
cannot always get them through. It is a greater strain when
there is any light."
(A smaller room conserves the ectoplasm.)
A child's voice then said to Mr. Hart
"I am not coming any more with my bell, Mr. Hart. They tell
me I am too big a girl to play with the bell now. It is Mr. Hart
I am speaking to now, and Tinkle Bell will try and tinkle his
own bell at home, and no one will see me doing it."
One of us said : "Will you not tinkle your bell for us now, dear?", and
she replied
"I am not going to. You see, I did not get bringing it."
Miss Dearie said: "Never mind, Tinkle Bell. You are just as nice a
little girl without your bell." She replied
"Thank you very much for that nice message."
A pause followed, so we sang Shall we gather at the river?
When we finished, Mrs. Sloan spoke:
"Daddy, I mind (remember) the first time you took me to see
the hole in the cave."
Mr. Sloan said: "We got permission from Mr. Clark at Douglas Hall.
Aye, many a one I took there."
Mrs. Sloan asked:
"But you do remember the first time you took me there,
Daddy? You got two candles but you forgot the matches. "
379

Then she addressed us all:

"He did not smoke in those days. He was a decent fellow."
Mr. Sloan said: "I canna just mind that, Mammy. Do you forgive me?
I am not very sure." Mrs. Sloan replied:
"My darling, I have nothing to forgive you, dear."
Mr. Sloan said : " My darling, my darling. I just owe everything to
you, dear. Aye, it was called `The Piper's Cave'-I remember that."
Mrs. Sloan asked:
"Do you remember when I played your organ ?"
Mr. Sloan replied : "I remember. God bless you, dear. I wish you
would do it again, but maybe not, for you might frighten the wits out
of the others in the house."
Miss Colquhoun remarked: "I have a feeling that we are all sitting
round a large table," and Mrs. Sloan continued:
"You will sit at a table on my side of life, and we will have a
beautiful spread for you, one that you like best. You will find
no old people here, no bent backs, dim eyes or tired faces,
but a band of loved ones, full of holy love and glorious
youth, welcoming you to our side of life, when God's good
time comes. That is for you all, God bless you. You will
understand when you come here and meet those whom you
love-fathers and mothers, uncles and aunts, sisters and
brothers, some of them in an, advanced state of years when
they left the body You will get a passing glimpse of them as
you knew!
380

them last, and then they will come to you in the buoyancy of
their youth as they are now."
Pathfinder now joined in:
"They will come in the stature and the bloom of manhood,
the beauty of womanhood. This is Pathfinder speaking to
you now. I saw you were rather in difficulties to-night, and I
thought I might be able with my humble words to cheer you
a little."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Is the room too light, Pathfinder? Is that
what is making it difficult?"
Pathfinder replied
"Light detracts a little, but it is not that. It is the troubled
state of your world to-day. I am sure, the way you all have
to go, each and every one of you has your varied worries
and anxieties, but trust to those who have gone before.
They will help you and they will look after those you love
who are away from you. The path which you have to tread
on earth, do so with steadfast steps, firm and true ; an
example to those who falter by the way, remembering
always there may be a weaker brother taking an example
from you, lest you detract from the straight path that leads
to the light. Keep the light ahead, and the course straight,
and the goal will come in sight when all you love so well will
be with you, and eternal peace. Good night. I am
Pathfinder."
Miss Dearie remarked : "That was a beautiful message of
Pathfinder."
The trumpet then touched Miss Dearie, and Pathfinder went on:
"What an understanding mind you have, Miss Dearie. This is
just a message to cheer you. You
381

were very happy before you came in here, and you will
shortly have greater cause for happiness."
Miss Dearie understood and said: "Thank you very much,
Pathfinder."
A new voice now asked us to sing From Greenland's icy mountains.
So we started to sing this hymn, and the man who had spoken sang
with us.
He then said
"Charlie Robertson speaking. God bless you, John, my old
pal."
Mr. Sloan replied: "Yes, you were, Charlie-just my dear old pal."
Mr. Robertson said
"John, you promised time and again on your soul to go and
see my wife."
Mr. Sloan replied : "But I dinna ken where she is, Charlie. Was it no'
your son I promised to go and see, but I have never gone yet? Aye,
folk, I remember Charlie came from the other side, and told me that
he had passed over and left his wife and three little ones, and the
next day there was a cable from China saying that Charlie had
passed out in the Foo-Chow Mission, and left Jeanie and three wee
ones."
Another deep voice then spoke
" `Lead, kindly light, lead Thou me on.' It is Fergus Ferguson
speaking."
He said no more and Mrs. Cuthbertson remarked that Dr. Fergus
Ferguson had been her minister. When Miss Colquhoun's sister
Paton died, they had had a white casket and Dr. Ferguson had
remarked about it in his sermon. Dr. Ferguson spoke again and said:
"Yes, but you did not see the beautiful soul that
382

left the bodily casket, a soul full of purity and love. She
comes back and speaks to you at times."
Miss Colquhoun remarked : "Oh yes, very often."
Paton then spoke herself, and said
"God bless you, Crissie. It is Paton. Yes, you have always
had my presence. I have never been very far away from you.
Some day
'At the dawning of the morning Of that bright and happy
day,
When the mists have all departed And the shadows rolled
away',
we shall meet again, and Mother and you and I shall part no
more. God bless you, dear."
Miss Colquhoun asked : "Do you see Aunt May who is sitting beside
me?"
Paton answered:
"I remember my Aunt May. God bless you, dear," and she
gave a lot of kisses.
Miss Colquhoun asked : "How are Father and the others?"
Paton replied
"They are very busy just now. You will just have to excuse
them meantime, Crissie, because there are so many coming
over here, and I am sure you would never ask us to step
aside."
The trumpets came and patted Miss Dearie all over her head and
face, and a voice said
" 'And the Spirit said unto me, write, and I wrote.' When the
Spirit speaks to you, Miss Dearie, don't hesitate to write."
Miss Dearie replied : "Thank you, dear friend."
383

Miss Colquhoun wondered if that message might be for her, and the
voice said
"Miss Colquhoun, the writing you do will bring you a reward
in the after-life, my dear."
Dr. Ferguson spoke again, and said
"You have not sung my hymn yet, Miss Colquhoun. It is
Fergus Ferguson speaking. You have not sung my hymn
yet,"
and he named an old forgotten one ; evidently his return to earth
brought back old recollections. We tried to sing the one he asked for
but no one knew it or the tune. So that did not last long.
Mrs. Bowes asked: "Is no one there for the Misses Douglas?"
One of them replied: "Oh, it is all right. We are really quite happy
just sitting listening." A voice said
"It is very nice of you to say that, Sister, because, with the
condition in your world to-day, we have not time to come
and cater for everyone."
Miss Colquhoun remarked: "I often wonder if we should have these
Meetings in these times, or do we help by having our Meetings?"
The voice replied
"We are all, every one of us on this side, delighted to come,
but it is a difficult matter to get through under present
conditions. If we cannot speak to you properly at the
present time, we shall try and return at some other time."
The trumpets then touched Mrs. Bowes, and a voice said
"Were you not thinking about Jim just now. Yes, you have a
Jim, and you have a William."
384

May God bless you, my love. You are still my dearest,

dearest one."
Mrs. Bowes said: "Oh, your fingers, dear. I feel them on my head
and on my face." Her husband said
"I did not get saying good-bye to you, but I will say
'Welcome Home' some day."
Mrs. Bowes told us her husband's fingers were all over her lips.
Pathfinder now spoke
"There is no dividing line between the hearts which beat in
harmony and love, and the passing of one from the physical
side to the spiritual side of life does not sever them. This is
Pathfinder. Did the little lady not hear me ? I am sorry. Yes,
there is no dividing line at all. Those that you have loved
best, little lady, those that are nearest to your heart-I mean
your earth life heart-will be the ones who will come very
near to you when you pass over, and you will know them, no
matter how long they have been over."
A voice kept calling
"Jim. Jim."
We asked if he could tell us who he was, and he replied
"I want you to get it for yourselves, and I am sure you will
do so one day."
Another voice repeated:
"Ina. Ina."
Miss Colquhoun said: "Ina is not here to-night." The voice replied
"I know she is not here but I am asking for Ina. It is Uncle
Tom."
385

He said no more, and then another voice spoke.

"Granny Johnston. It is just myself, and it is fine to speak to
you across the border-line. The flowers are just beautiful,
my dear (to Miss Colquhoun), but they are nothing to what
we have on our side. They can beat them altogether. God
bless you, May dear.,,
Mrs. Cuthbertson asked : "Is it Mother?"
Her Mother replied
"It is Mother, and it is just like yesterday since you were a
wee prattling thing running about my feet. God bless you,
my dear. You are toddling down the hill now."
Someone said "Jim," and, on asking who it was, Mrs. Richardson was
spoken to
"If I say James, will you know better ? It is James Richardson.
My darling, I wish I could find adequate words to describe to
you the beautiful country that, in God's love and goodness, I
have been allowed to land in. Across the border-line I am
reunited with you and those whom I loved so well while in
earth life. Be steadfast and true, keep fighting onwards,
never get downhearted. There is a bright day coming. God
bless you, from James."
"Thank you, James," she replied, and then the trumpet touched Mr.
Sloan, when a voice said
"Is that you, John Sloan ? Oh, I know you very well."
Mr. Sloan replied : "I am not wanting your old trumpet-keep it away
from me."
Mr. Sloan got some bangs on the head in reply. Pathfinder spoke
again
386

"Pathfinder would like to do more for you, but the conditions

surrounding your world at present make it very difficult to
get in touch with the friends you wish. There is someone
standing beside the lady over there just now." (Miss Douglas.)
A lady's voice said "Mother, Mother."
The Misses Douglas said: "Come away, Mother, and speak to us,
dear." She seemed to lose the vibration, however, and nothing more
was heard. Pathfinder asked
"Do you remember a picture which faced you just when you
went into a certain room ? Your Father was always very
proud of it."
The Misses Douglas could not remember just which picture was
meant.
A new voice apologised for speaking. What he said was understood
by all the sitters present.
"Excuse me coming in, ladies. I walked a zig-zag course in
life, you know."
One of us replied : "Many do that," and he answered
"But I ought to have known better."
Mrs. Bowes said: "Well, dear friend, you will be able to make up for
it now."
One of us remarked that the voice sounded Irish. He replied
"I am far from being Irish. All glory to them all the same-a
fine old race. I am a Glaswegian."
We asked him if he would tell us who he was, and he replied
"I am afraid if I told you that, you would not listen to me.
Ha-ha-ha."
387

Mr. Sloan remarked : "Well, you are welcome friend."

He replied
"Yes, so long as you don't know who I am. Mr. Hart, I know
your name by hearing it spoken here once or twice, and I
think you may have heard of me."
Mr. Hart replied : "I could not say, I am sure." One of us asked: "Are
you a connection o Mr. Hart?"
He replied
"None whatever, but he may have heard of me. I suppose
you all will have heard of me. I was a notorious party, and I
was a good singer."
Miss Dearie asked if he was J. M. Hamilton, and he replied
"No, no, I did not sing like him at all."
One of us said: "Well, we are very pleased to hear you speaking,"
and he replied:
"Well, you see, I am here whether you welcome me or not.
Have you kept a copy ? Did you buy a copy, Mr. Hart ?"
Mr. Hart said: "Yes, I think I know who you are. I must have bought a
copy, for I have read it." The voice remarked
"You did not like my expressions."
Mr. Hart replied: "They were very original, any way. Won't you tell
the ladies who you are?"
He replied
"I was not just very nice to them, I think, and I liked to be
nice to them, but they did not take it in the right way. Have
you heard of `The Clincher - Petrie, the Barber ?"
388

He was a likeable, well-known character, who paraded the

streets of Glasgow with a sandwichboard, selling his own
composed newspaper The Clincher, which expressed his
personal, rather peculiar views. Petrie, the Barber, was
known by everyone in Glasgow as "The Clincher", and his
reference to his not being nice to the ladies was very apt, as
he was reputed to tell many stories not fit for a drawing-
room.
When he gave his name, Mr. Sloan exclaimed "Good old Clincher. I
ken't you fine."
The Clincher replied:
"There are few who go through the world straight, and many
of the straightlaced ones, when they come to my side of life,
will find that they have also left a zig-zag trail behind."
Miss Colquhoun remarked: "He was a well educated man,
and he spoke very well in public."
Mr. Petrie appreciated the compliment:
"I bow. I bow. I bow. You are the only lady that has
recognised my merits, and I thank you. I walked a crooked
path, but I have got behind that now, and somehow there
were so many friends on this side of life whom I did not
know, but who came to help me when I got here, and have
helped me to get to this stage of discernment.
"I am willing to try and help the boys at the front, the boys
at sea, the boys, wherever they are. My heart bleeds for
them and I am often in homes when the sad news comes,
and I say to the sorrowing ones there-I wonder if they can
hear me-I say to them, 'Cheer up, you can be proud of your
boys,' but I was a wayward character. Apologising for my
intrusion, and my deep gratitude to you, Mr. Hart,
389
for so nobly acknowledging that you knew your humble
servant. From the bottom of a regenerate heart which the
Good Father has given me, I say `God bless you.' "
We replied : "Good night, Mr. Petrie. God bless you."
He spoke again and said
"I appreciate your condescension in recognising me. It is not
the surface, not the outward shell that counts. Many a time
when I went home, well, I called it home, I thought of all the
selfishness of life, and then I got in tune with the beautiful
spirits on the other side of life, and one of them met me and
has taken me by the hand and has enabled me to talk to you
now in this way. Again good night."
Mrs. Sloan spoke again to bid farewell:
"Good night, Mr. Hart. You are not running up the field to-
night, but you must not miss your bus. Good night, Mrs.
Bowes. Don't worry about the boys. They will be looked
after. God bless you."
Mrs. Bowes replied: "God bless you, dear Mammy."
Mrs. Sloan said
"Good night, Miss Colquhoun, I feel my heart full when I
think of the boys and the dangers they are coming through.
Thank you for all your kindness to my dear old man. Good
night, Daddy, dear."
Mr. Sloan replied : "Good night, sweetie." A voice then said
"I trust that after the Meeting you will feel a little happier
and forget your worries and cares. The
390

good Father will look after your dear friends, and all will be
well."
We sang the Doxology, and the Sitting ended.
At the foregoing Meeting several remarks were made as to how the
Etherians conducted a séance from their side. We know by now
what takes place on earth when we wish to get in touch with our
friends in Etheria. We sit in a small room to conserve the ectoplasm,
shut out the light to prevent the ectoplasm being dissipated, and we
have a medium with us who supplies this ectoplasm. The trumpets
help the Etherians to direct the voice to the person spoken to, and
sometimes they use them for building up the ectoplasmic mask
which they enter so as to reduce their vibrations. This is necessary
in order to bring their vibrations down to a point where the
speaker's mouth and larynx can vibrate our atmosphere, which, by
wavelike motions or vibrations of the atmosphere, carries the
spoken word on earth.
Let us now consider the position from their point of view, and this is
only possible by hearing what an Etherian present at a séance has
to tell us. During my many sittings with Sloan I asked what séance
conditions were like on their side, and I have beside me the notes I
made of the answers given to me. We are the passive and they are
the active co-operators with us. One side cannot do without the
other, both sides are necessary, but, after we provide the small dark
room, the medium and trumpets, they do the rest.
That constitutes our part in the proceedings, while the rest is done
by those who are working
391

with us beyond the veil. As my investigations progressed, so was I

impressed by the complications of the procedure in Etheria which is
necessary to produce the conditions to make communication
possible. A group of Etherians, who are expert in the handling of
organic chemical substances, work along with us. Immediately we
assemble they get to work to do their part.
The group consists of a director of operations, one or more
chemists, one who moves the trumpet in the direction an etheric
communicator wishes to speak, and one who gathers the substance
from the medium and the sitters by connecting them up with the
chemist who draws from them the necessary material. This extends
from the medium and the sitters to a central point, and the
substance drawn from them is gathered by the chemist into an
etheric bowl into which he also adds etheric substances of his own.
Another of the group helps etheric newcomers to speak, telling
them what to do; others keep away those whose only interest in the
proceedings is curiosity, and Whitefeather, in my time, considered
himself the most important of all, as he was detailed off to give
warning when a séance was to take place, so that all the operators
might be present and at their posts. When they see who are present
on the earth side, the etheric friends of the sitters are told by some
rapid method in use in Etheria, and they can come from a distance
at great speed.
First of all, we must accept their statement that the etheric body is
in every way a duplicate of the physical body, both as regards all
internal and external organs. In etheric life, communication takes
place in the same
392

way as in earth life. The vocal organs vibrate their atmosphere, the
tongue moves, the lungs draw in and expel the equivalent to our air,
everything proceeds as it proceeds here on earth, the only
difference being that it is all taking place in substance of a much
finer structure and at a much more rapid rate of vibration.
Thus their vocal organs, though they can operate in their etheric
world, cannot do so in our grosser world. Their texture is too fine for
them to have any effect on our atmosphere. New conditions must
be created in which vibrations are slower. To obtain these, absolute
darkness, or subdued red light, is necessary, as the rays of white
light break up and disintegrate those finer forces and substances
with which they work. The best results are obtained when the nights
are clear, and the atmosphere is free from moisture. At the best the
conditions permitting speech are very finely balanced, and, besides
the foregoing, the sitters must be in good health and harmonious
amongst themselves.
Now let us imagine that we are sitting in a circle, the medium being
with us, that by singing we have vibrated the atmosphere for about
five minutes, when suddenly a voice, clear, distinct and away from
the medium, breaks in upon us, and, after giving name and earth
address, engages one of us in conversation. What has actually
happened? It was this question that was always uppermost in my
thoughts after I became accustomed to these strange conditions.
Was it the medium impersonating someone, or an accomplice
among the sitters? For many reasons I became satisfied that this
voice did not proceed from any human being, but that there was a
personality behind it, which was not one of this world, present in the
room.
393

I therefore set myself to find out what actually was the cause behind
this effect, and, by a series of questions and answers, over a period
of time, was told the following, which, for the sake of brevity, I shall
put in my own words.
The chemist, to whom I have already referred, after mixing the
substance he obtains from the medium and sitters with his own
ingredients, takes the finished preparation and with it first
materialises his hands and then forms a rough mask in the likeness
of a mouth, throat and lungs. This, when finished, is placed in the
most suitable part of the room, often in the centre of the circle. The
Etherian wishing to speak then presses into this mask, slow in
vibration, and with it clothes or covers his mouth, throat, tongue
and lungs. These organs then take on a thicker or heavier condition,
the tongue requires more exertion to move, but with a little practice
it all becomes possible. The speaker then, for the time being, has
taken on the necessary conditions to make himself once more such
as we are, so far as his capacity is concerned, to form words which
we can hear.
He is again to this extent an inhabitant of matter, slower in
vibration, so that when he speaks he produces the same effects on
our atmosphere as we do when we speak. He and we are in the
same room, within a few feet of each other, he standing speaking to
us, and we sitting, answering.- He hears us and we hear him. This
condition lasts only for a short time, not often for more than ten
minutes. When dematerialisation begins the material falls away,
and, though his mouth may continue to speak, he
394

is not heard. This, briefly, is what they mean by saying that they
take on earth conditions from our surroundings.
All Direct Voice mediums possess a certain vital force, or substance,
all sitters have it in a lesser degree, and to this is added, by the
etheric chemists, other etheric forces or substances, the
combination of which is a material sufficiently slow in vibration to
vibrate our atmosphere. The only thing we cannot understand is
how the speaker clothes himself with it, or absorbs it. What is the
exact chemical effect which is produced when he presses into it,
and becomes covered with it? Some day we shall doubtless find out
the explanation, but what I write is in substance all that has been
told me, and it is enough to give us an intelligent idea of what takes
place.
Finally, let me emphasise the difficulties Etherians find in getting
down to the level of physical vibrations. The ectoplasm with which
they coat their vocal organs requires adjustment and, if several are
tuning themselves in to our wavelength at the same time, we need
not be surprised at the number of interruptions. They speak and are
not heard and then suddenly they get the right wavelength and are
heard. So they go on talking, sometimes two at a time, but the
previous speaker usually stops, and at times just at a point when
everyone is anxious to hear what he is about to say.
I hope that this explanation makes clear the reason for these
interruptions which occurred from time to time, and which must
have been as disappointing to the Etherian who was interrupted as
they were to the sitters on earth. Our friends and relations are just
as anxious to prove to us that they still live, as we are to know that
they are not dead and that we shall meet again.
395

CHAPTER XIV
MEETING AT MRS. BOWES' HOUSE,
MAXWELL PARK, GLASGOW
Tuesday, 25th July, 1944
Present: MR. JOHN SLOAN, MRS. LILLIAS BOWES, Miss GRACE
MCKINNON, MR. ALEXANDER HART, MR. GEORGE MORITZ, MRS.
HILDA MORITZ, MISS JEAN DEARIE, Miss AILSA DOUGLAS, MISS
WINNIE DOUGLAS, MISS CRISSIE COLQUHOUN.
WHEN we entered the room, one of us remarked that the blackout
Mrs. Bowes had made was perfect.
Mrs. Bowes said : "I was busy at it this afternoon, and wondered if I
had got it right," when a voice from the other side said
"I was helping you,"
Mrs. Bowes replied: "Thank you for your help, dear."
We then opened the Meeting by singing the hymn Nearer, my God,
to Thee, and afterwards repeated The Lord's Prayer. A man's voice
from the other side joined in the "Amen".
Mr. Sloan said : "We will need to watch the time to-night, and finish
up so that Mr. Hart will not be running for his train."
A voice from the other side said:
396
"It is not for you to dictate when we should finish. It is the
hostess of the house who should do that."
Mr. Sloan said: "Weel, freen', I'm sorry. I apologise."
The voice replied
"It is accepted."
Miss Colquhoun remarked that she had received a letter from Mary
Stove, and it would be nice if there was a message for her to-night.
A voice said:
"It is very beautiful at Stromness at the present time. John
Hardman speaking, at your service."
Miss Colquhoun said: "Oh, that is splendid. Have you a message for
Miss Stove?" He replied
"I will have to think a little. I have some sweet things to say.
You understand."
Miss Colquhoun said: "She will be delighted when she hears you
have been here and thinking about her." Mr. Hardman replied
"It is also beautiful to know that you also should think about
her. That is for Mrs. Bowes, and the rest as well. My
gratitude to Mr. Hart, and to Mary's friend, Mrs. Lang. There
is difficulty just now in getting close to this plane. I would
just like to tell you, friend Moritz, that conditions are very
hard at the present time. I think you will understand. I know
you have some friends away, and all of you are thinking
about your own, but you also have a fine regard for the
other fathers and mothers who have boys away.
"At the last meeting you had here, Mrs. Bowes, I could not
get in. You were engaged, and the others
397

who were round you were so strong, I could not get through.
It is all right. I can wait, and Mary can wait. I know she has
patience. Good-bye just now. There are some friends waiting
to get through. I am John Hardman, but I am not just away
yet. Tell Mary, in a note, someone will transcribe it for you
and send it on, tell her that I am waiting at the Golden
Gateway until the day dawns in God's good time when her
little pilgrimage is finished. I will be there with outstretched
hands to meet my Mary. God bless you, Mary, from John
Hardman."
This was a message for Miss Mary Stove, his fiancée.
Mr. Sloan now passed some remark about how long it was since Mr.
Hardman had died.
Mr. Hardman spoke again, and said
"Not dead, John Sloan, but alive, and I was very much in the
land of wonder for some time. I will explain it to you, and I
hope you will forgive me for taking up so much of your time.
You see, I did not believe in the after-life, and when I came
here I was bewildered with the wonder of the knowledge
that it was all true. I did not deserve the kindness showered
upon me by those who came to help me. I knew then that I
had made a mistake. It is all over now, and I will try to help
you, all of you who come here, if the opportunity comes,
now and again.
"I know what it is to be lonely. That is how I felt when I first
came over, until some friends took me in hand and led me
kindly along. Thank you for your kindness and consideration
in listening to me. I will not interrupt you further now. When
I say 'God bless you', it is not lip service. I mean it.
398

May it please the Great Master to safeguard all those whom

you love, and who have been taken from you to a condition
of living that you do not know, and, if He has willed it, bring
them all safely home again. I know what it is, the love of a
Mother. I loved my Mother, and I have her still, more
beautiful than ever she was in earth life. Good-bye, just
now."
A voice now called out
"Hello. Helen," and then a new voice gave the name of John.
Miss McKinnon was getting touches from the trumpets, and a very
Highland voice said : "Hello, my dear, John speaking."
Miss McKinnon asked: "Which John is it?" He replied
"It should be a bit clearer if I mentioned the Mac, my dear.
Do you wear the tartan ? I have to wait until I am allowed to
speak. If I got on to my native tongue, you know, I would
take up your whole evening.
He then spoke fluently in Gaelic for a few moments, and finally said
"Oidche Mhath" (Good night).
Another voice said to Miss McKinnon
"John has been waiting a long time to speak to you. He is
your Grandfather; that is what he has been trying to tell
you. He is not able to enunciate the words very clearly in
your tongue. You have a brother John who was named after
him. Your Mother wanted him to be called John. That is your
Father's father. This is one of the Indians who is trying to
explain to you."
This was all correct.
399

Mr. Moritz then said: "I do not think that is a Red Indian. I think he
must be from India, a Hindu, from the way he speaks."
The voice replied
"Hindu. I greet you, Sir, for recognising me."
He then spoke some words rapidly in a foreign language, and,
touching Mr. Moritz, said:
"I saw you coming from 'Apnaghar.' "
Mr. Moritz agreed and said: "By the way, Ap-naghar is an Indian
name, you know. It means `my own home.' My Father was out in
India for a time, and he said: `If ever I buy a house I shall call it
'Apnaghar,' as it means `my own home,' and he liked it."
A very clear distinct voice said:
"Yes, but it is not your home now, George, my beloved boy."
Mr. Moritz said: "Is that you, Father? Thank you very much. This is
remarkable." His Father replied
"I am very busy looking after one you know your boy. He has
had what one might describe as very close shaves,
remarkable escapes from danger, and I am doing my best to
look after him. The country I love. It is desecrated now,
George."
Mr. Moritz replied: "In the meantime, very much so."
His Father, who was born in Poland, said "We shall hope for
better times by and by." A voice said
"Jim" and Miss McKinnon said the trumpet was touching her. Mrs.
Bowes asked
400

"Which Jim is it ?"

The voice spoke to Miss McKinnon:
"You may call me Hamish (Gaelic for James). I am a brother
of your Mother. Have you finished the letter you were
writing ?"
Miss McKinnon recognised the speaker and replied : "Not yet."
He went on
"Think well before you finish it. That is the implication I am
trying now to bring before you. You must not be afraid to
put your thoughts in execution. We will help you to bring
about what you wish. You have had something worrying you
for a time. We know all about it. You have had a difficult
road to travel but it is clearing now, and the way will be
clear for you before long. All hail, all hail, to the Chief
Eternal. It is a joy to me when I can bring a little of God's
sunshine into any of your lives."
Miss McKinnon expressed her thanks.
Another voice continued the conversation, Mr. Moritz being spoken
to
"It is also a crown of rejoicing to me, my friend of the money
change. I do not know your name, but I know you work with
money. It is necessary to your side. You could not go
through life without it, but, when you come to my side, you
will not require to buy anything. You will have justice
according to what you have done in life and done in love,
according to what God would wish you to do. Good-bye,
good-bye."
We said it was rather an amusing description of a banker, to call Mr.
Moritz a "money changer", and this remark brought the speaker
back:
401
"I want to explain to you that I do not know the definition of
every establishment so well after being a long time away
from earth life. We use the love cord which comes from
those on your side who understand, and try to get a
connection through that. Again good day."
Mrs. Sloan then maintained the conversation:
"He is such a lovely spirit that. Oh, I wish I could get into
touch with him too. God bless you, Mrs. Moritz, I am
speaking across the border-line to you, and God bless your
dear husband as well, and bless all you dear ones. I can do a
little now and again to help you. God bless you, Mrs. Bowes,
my dear, and God bless you, Crissie (Miss Colquhoun). I love
to dwell on that name now. I do not think I called you Crissie
before, but you seem to be nearer to me when I say `Crissie'
instead of Miss Colquhoun."
She gave some kisses, and continued:
"I am often with your dear Mother."
Miss Colquhoun replied: "I love to think of you being together,
Mammy, and I am sure you are both happy."
A man's voice broke in
"There is no doubt about that. Whether you will be in their
condition lies with yourself for your life here. I am speaking
in a general way."
Miss Colquhoun replied : "We try to do our best," and the voice
answered
"If you do your best, that is all that is expected, and the
best can do no better."
A child's voice now spoke
"It is Tinkle Bell. I have not got a bell, but I can speak
sometimes when I get a chance. Hello, Alex
402

(to Mr. Hart). He is my big brother, Alex. Would you like

kisses from me ?" and she gave a lot of kisses.
"I asked them to let me bring my bell, but they say `we shall
think it over.' "
Another voice said to Mr. Moritz
"Harry, could you Wink it, Sir ?"
Mr. Moritz replied : "I knew Wink all right, but not Harry. The name
was John D. Wink." The voice replied:
"Yes, that is right, Sir. You knew my son, Sir."
Mr. Moritz said : "Thank you, Mr. Wink. I am very pleased to hear
you speaking. Do you see your son John often?"
Mr. Wink replied
"I meet him occasionally. He is working on the Earth Plane.
They are all busy just now, but there is a brightness on the
horizon. I am sure of it. That is my opinion from this side."
Mr. Moritz replied: "Thank you, Mr. Wink, that is very nice and
encouraging." (We will remember Mr. John D. Wink speaking on 11th
April, 1942. Both Harry Wink and his son, John D. Wink, were fond of
making jokes about their name, so the above banter by Harry Wink
about his name was quite characteristic of him.)
A voice from the other side said:
"Tommy, where is Tommy ?" Someone said Tommy was
coming to you, but I do not see him just now."
Tommy, however, was there as a very clear voice called out
"Thomas Henry Douglas,"
403

and Mrs. Sloan from the other side said to Mr. Sloan:
"John, John. It is Tommy speaking."
This was a friend of Mr. Sloan. Mr. Sloan exclaimed : "My -Tommy
Douglas, I ken't (knew) him fine!" Nothing further was said by Mr.
Douglas just then, but he returned later.
A new voice then said to Mr. Moritz
"I am Henry, I come from a line away back. Henrique would
be our pronunciation. I am one of your ancestors in many
life stages back. I see and applaud the heroism of your boy.
Many close corners has he come through. God bless you,
Mother Moritz. Keep that beautiful spirit bright and he will
safely return. Guard him with thoughts of prayer and that
the Father of all mercies will keep him safe. We will help as
far as we can. God bless you. We saw you two nights ago in
what we would call the distress of the doldrums, you know
what I mean. We tried to keep near to you and articulate so
that you could hear that all would be well. I apologize for
the awkwardness of my explanation. I go away saying `chins
up,' and I make what you call the Churchill V sign. The day-
star will shine for you all. I am going away now, and leave
my parting blessing with you all, everyone. Good night, and
God bless you."
Mr. Moritz understood all this, and we had not long to wait before we
heard the voice of Pathfinder:
"In all the stress and turmoil of the war, we know your
sorrows, but you are reaching out to the calm sea, to peace,
light, and sunshine, and all will be well. Indian chief,
Pathfinder, talks to his brothers and sisters. All the turmoil
which your old world has
404

come through, the sorrow, the suffering, the grief and the
pain, God grant that the sun may soon shine on each one of
you who listen to the Indian Chief's voice, and the path that
you travel henceforth be in the light of love and the
sunshine of joy, bringing cheer and comfort to your souls.
May it comfort you to know that, although there are
thousands upon thousands coming over at the present time,
there are multitudes of ministering spirits working to help
them into the pathway of peace. Give out your thoughts and
your love, and we will do all we can to help. I am
Pathfinder."
The trumpet now touched Miss Dearie, and a voice said
"Is that Miss Dearie ? I have often admired you for your
painstaking efforts and care in transcribing the thoughts
which come from the spirit side of life. I did not realise at
first how much they are worth. I know they are worth a lot
to all of you, but I did not grasp in full that they are looked
upon as heirlooms by those who will keep them in the
future. God bless you. Things are brightening on the Earth
Plane. I see and feel, by conversing and mixing with dear
ones on this side, that the star of peace will shine for you
all, and I hope and pray most fervently that it shines soon.
God bless you all. Good night."
Mrs. Sloan spoke again, and said:
"My dear Mrs. Bowes, and my dear Crissie, I know what it is
to be separated from dear ones. Never mind about the old
knees, Daddy, they will be better soon."
Mr. Sloan replied : "They are not sore, Mammy, but they are just no
(not) working properly."
405

Mrs. Sloan then spoke to Miss Dearie, and said: "Miss Dearie,
talking about Daddy's weak legs, he told me once, when I was
with him, that he would live till he was a hundred and ten."
Miss Dearie replied : "I am sure he would want to,dear, if you were
here, but not now." Mrs. Sloan said:
"I just wish I could have stayed a little longer with him for
his own sake, but I am quite happy, always ready to do
anything I can for any one of you, every one who comes to
these little gatherings. God bless you, Mr. Hart. You were
always my standby."
Mrs. Bowes said : "Mammy dear, you have not met my friend, Miss
McKinnon, before. This is the first time she has been here."
Mrs. Sloan said to Miss McKinnon
"You will find Daddy all right. Just bear with him a little
sometimes."
Mr. Sloan said: "That is right, Mammy dear, you ken what a crabbed
auld beggar I am." She replied
"I give you my testimony now, my dear old man. You are the
best man that any woman ever had. God bless you."
Mr. Sloan began to cry, and Mammy said:
"I did not mean to vex you, Daddy."
Mr. Sloan said: "You are not vexing me, dearie.
You were just always far too good to me, Mammy dear."
Mrs. Sloan then said:
"Mrs. Bowes and Miss Colquhoun, and my dear friends, Mr. Hart and
Mr. and Mrs. Moritz, I will try and get someone more apt and more
able to work for you than I. May everything which is in your hearts,
406

and which is in accordance with the will of the Father, be granted

unto you, each and every one."
Now a voice called out "Tommy," and Mrs. Sloan said
"Daddy, it is Tommy Douglas."
Tommy Douglas then said
"Hello, John, I have got in touch with you now. Don't you
know me ? Think of Isa."
Mr. Sloan said : "You are Tommy Douglas. Ach, I ken't you fine."
Mr. Douglas replied "I am helping you now all I can."
Mr. Sloan replied: "I know what you mean, Tommy, but don't let that
matter disturb this Meeting."
Mr. Douglas answered "It will give fresh impetus to those
around you."
Then he addressed the Misses Douglas
"I have the same name as you have. There was a namesake
of yours here a short time ago. Oh, he has just come in now.
He has a long white beard. He says he is your Grandfather.
Do you recognise him from my description ?"
This white beard was doubtless put on for recognition purposes.
The Misses Douglas said : "Yes, we have a photograph of him with
the long white beard. Is he going to speak to us?"
Mr. Douglas said
"I am not in a position to say. I am practically a greenhorn
myself at this. All our energy is taken up
407

with the many thousands of souls passing to this side, just

wakening up. I know what it is to waken up on the other side
and it was not through war. However, they are in good
hands now. I am sorry I am not able to say much to you. I am
not a great orator, friend Hart. I have heard that you can
speak with much precision and such convincing opinions
that those who listen to you are bound to attend to what
you say. You can be jocular, and you can be severe. It is
sometimes necessary."
Mrs. Sloan intervened here, and we heard her say to Mr. Douglas on
her own side
"Mr. Hart is just a gentleman, Mr. Douglas, and he was my
stand-by at West Kilbride. When Alex Hart came down the
field, I knew it was all right.
Then she turned and addressed Mr. Sloan.
Dear Daddy, when you took my poor old finished remains to
the cemetery, Mr. Douglas was there. I wished you had not
come, for I was not there at all. Of course, you knew that.
Just pardon us, Mrs. Bowes, for talking about little things in
our hearts that are not of interest to the others present.
Don't cry now, Daddy."
Mr. Sloan said : "I am just a ridiculous old man. I owe everything to
you, Mammy. God bless you, lassie. I see you, and I feel your hand
in mine."
Mrs. Bowes said : "I feel fingers touching me."
Mr. Bowes then spoke from the other side, and said
"I want you to tell Jim that Father is looking after him. It will
not be long now, and we are always doing everything we
can, my dear."
Mrs. Bowes said: "And Margaret, you will look after her too."
408

Mr. Bowes, her husband, replied "Have no fear. She will return
all right. We are watching over her."
Another voice said:
"Many a time I try to talk to you here, my dear. I was
wondering where you got the name of the house, 'Bonhard.'
Mrs. Bowes said: "Well, it belonged to Walter Munro, and I think he
gave it the name."
Mr. Munro now announced himself "Who is speaking of Walter
Munro ? Mrs. Bowes, have you got plenty of coal ?"
Mrs. Bowes said : "Mr. Munro was a coalmine owner, you know."
Mr. Munro broke in: "And a bone-hard one at that."
Mrs. Bowes said: "I thought you a very nice man. I think the house
was called after one of the mines, is that not so, Mr. Munro?"
He replied
"Do you m Bonhard in Fifeshire ? Yes, that is so. I had rather
a disagreeable way of doing a good turn myself, you know,
but I got more than a hundred per cent. interest, Mr. Banker
(Mr. Moritz), for any good I did on earth."
A lady's voice now spoke to Miss Colquhoun
"That is just what you do, lassie. You never let the right
hand know what the left hand doeth. It is just Mother."
Miss Colquhoun exclaimed : "Oh, I am so glad, Mother dear, that you
are able to have a word with me." Then a new voice spoke:
"I am James Bowes, how do you do ?"
409

Mrs. Bowes said: "Which James Bowes is it? and he replied

"It is a good bit back, you know."
Mrs. Bowes asked : "Have I got your photograph?", and he
answered:
"It is an ancient one."
Mrs. Bowes inquired : "You must be my boys' Great-grandfather?",
and he agreed
"Yes, and I am so glad to have got this first word with you. I
shall come again, God willing. Peace be with you all, and all
those who have not got the great privilege of the knowledge
you have. Let the whispering words of truth penetrate their
minds, and say : 'We are not dead, we are alive.' Adieu."
Mrs. Bowes remarked : "That must be my husband's Grandfather. I
was looking at a portrait of him lately."
James Bowes had still more to say
"You did not know him in earth life, and you would get a
great surprise if you could see him now, and compare him
with that old photograph you were speaking about. He is a
much more handsome man now. Are you laughing at my
vanity ? I like to say cheerful things and make you laugh. If I
could not be happy and joyous when I come back to earth
conditions, I would not come at all. Clean joy and clean
pleasure are part of God Himself. Had you been all the time,
what you call years, on this side that I have been, and got
such great help from those who have progressed further,
you would be joyous and glad too. I was never a grumbler,
and, as far as we are doing the Master's Will (keeping within
the law), we can travel about and do what we like."
410

Miss Colquhoun remarked: "That is what I would like to do when I

pass over -to travel about." Mr. Bowes replied
"Well, if you are of that mind, Crissie - I love to say that
name as I do not care so much for Christian - my tongue gets
round Crissie so nicely. I am speaking too much now.
(Addressing Miss Dearie): Are you Miss Dearie ? I thought I
would like to say Dearie to you, but I did not dare."
Miss Dearie replied: "I would not mind if you did," and he answered
"God bless you, but you will make me blush. Well, I will
leave the frivolous just now, and say to you all-'May the
great Father guard you and guide you, and give you the
wish of your heart, the joy of your soul, in so far as it is in
accordance with His Holy Will. Good day."
Mrs. Bowes was then spoken to by her sister-in-law, who said
"Lil, it is Gladys. God bless you, dear. I know the sad heart
you have sometimes. We are all standing by you, and with
God's Holy Will we will bring them all home to you. If you
could just all know how happy my Jim and I are. He was my
husband in earth life, and we are together here. Au revoir
for a little while."
A voice then said
"You will have to watch your time, Mr. Hart. You are a
zealous worker in all you have to do in earth life. You never
leave anything to chance."
Mr. Hart replied: "Thank you, but there is plenty of time yet."
411
A voice then started to sing The Auld Hoose, and sang a great many
verses, mostly of his own composition.
Mr. Sloan said : "That's The Auld Hoose, and he was kinna (kind of)
singing it." The voice replied
"How dare you say 'kinna"-I am singing it
"The auld hoose, the auld hoose, Although its walls were
wee,
There are kind hearts in the auld hoose, That love baith you
and me.
From the new hoose, the new hoose, Which God has given to
me.
I send my love, as do all my friends, To bring you victory."
Another voice said:
"I will take you to Rab's hoose now, and you will find
Rowland Hart written on an ancient book. I am a forebear of
yours, Alexander Hart. Can you descend through the family
tree until you come to Rowland Hart ? I think I am your
great-greatgrandfather."
Mr. Hart said: "Where did you come from?" He replied
"I come from the sphere. Oh, I am not allowed to say what
sphere I come from."
Mr. Hart said : "I did not mean where did you come from now-I
meant in earth life?"
Mr. Sloan remarked : "It was not from this country, brother,
anyway."
The voice replied
412

"What do you know about Scotland ? Are you Scotch yourself

?"
Mr. Sloan replied : "Of course I am."
Mr. Rowland Hart then said to Mr. Hart:
"You will come again some night and tell me you have gone
through the genealogical tree, that extraordinary demi-semi
Encyclopedia, and have found my name. There are no
balance-sheets on this side, Mr. Moritz, the clinking cash will
not buy you anything here. It is amusing to think how some
hang on to it so long, and it worries them even on this side
because they cannot get using it as they want to do.
"The glittering gowd (gold) is no good here, but the
glittering gowd of the heart-duties done in earth life, they
stick to you. Even the smallest acts of kindness count. A pat
on the back, a few words of cheer to a weary traveler on the
way, these cost nothing but mean so much. I am not
speaking now to Mr. Moritz only, but to all of you. God bless
you. I am just an old-timer from the spirit side of life,
looking for the weary wanderers on the plane of earth,
where I did some weary wandering in the old times past,
wishing to give them a pat on the back now and again, and
by doing so I get a blessing myself, Aye, aye."
Mr. Hart asked: "Where did you tread when you were on earth?",
and got the reply
"About the Mull of Kintyre and Ardnamurchan Point. "
Mr. Sloan said : "I would like to know exactly Where you came from,
freen," and he received the blunt reply
413

"Well, you will just have to like away. I will tell you some
other day. There is not a weary soul on our side of life. If
there are weary ones when they first come over, there are
always those who help them and show them the way. It is
just about ten minutes to nine now. Have you the striking
watch, Mr. Moritz ? I think you will find it is just going on
towards nine. I am considering the long journey, which my
descendant, my friend Mr. Hart, has to take. I hear traveling
is difficult at the moment. We can get about with much less
trouble over here. We, what you might say, annihilate space
on this side, those who have advanced to any extent, I
mean. If we are doing our duty, and doing the Master's Will,
by one thought we can transport ourselves from the spirit
side of life, right down into your own homes. That is chiefly
by doing the will of the advanced spirits who are helping us.
We can only come so far, and then they take up the thread
and give us the necessary power. Good night."
The trumpets touched Mrs. Bowes again, and a voice said
"It is Mother speaking. My dear girl, God bless you. Oh, my
darling, it is the first time you have heard my voice. I know
the hard knocks you have had in life. I have a beautiful
home, and William comes and sees me many times. We will
look after them all for you, and I will come some other time.
Thank you, friend, for letting me speak."
This word of thanks was evidently said to someone on her own side.
Mrs. Bowes understood everything her Mother said. This is the first
time Mrs. Bowes had heard her Mother's voice as previously another
had spoken for her.
414

Her Mother spoke again and said

"I have been over fifty-one years and a few months. I have
never lost the sense of time. I have just had a message
about your son Jim -'All is well'. Were you worrying ?"
(Correct. It was fifty-one years and a few months since she passed
over.)
Mrs. Bowes answered her Mother's question about Jim: "Well, you
know, dear, he has a burden to bear."
Her Mother replied
"Tell him to try and take it a little easier."
A man now spoke but did not give his name
"Jim's experience and the knowledge of this truth should be
quite sufficient to let him understand that any message
given to you, Mrs. Bowes, is authentic, and he should try to
act up to it and spare himself a little. The arduous stress of
his duties is getting him down a little bit. We like to look
after them all as far as we can, and your boy, too, Mr. and
Mrs. Moritz, he has come through many dangers. I know all
about it. God willing, we shall see him through them all.
"We have a means of investigating some of these things, Mr.
Moritz, unknown to you or anybody else in earth life. I shall
keep in touch as far as I can, as far as the Director allows
me. I shall keep what you call a `weather eye' on him too. I
always try to impress him. He is one that takes an
impression to heart right away. If you ask him, you will find
that the impressions he gets sometimes are not exactly
415

what he wanted to do himself, and this has saved him from

many a serious thing."
We thanked him for his kindness, and then one of us asked: "Are
there no friends for Miss Dearie and the Misses Douglas?"
A voice replied
"They are all such genial souls themselves, they do not
grudge this opportunity, this really exceptional opportunity,
whereby we have been able to allow past friends to come
and greet you. I presume Miss Dearie and the other ladies
will wait with a little patience and we shall see that they do
not go unrewarded.
"I will say to this lady (one of the Misses Douglas), you got an
impression today to do something, but don't make up your
mind all at once. It is going to be a difficult thing for you.
You know what I mean. You will find it comes that it is a
definite decision you will have to make. It is coming, but
don't worry. Trust to your finer feelings and your intuition
which you will get from the spirit side. Robert is calling just
now-a friend of yours. It is your Uncle Robert."
Then we heard
"I will come again. Uncle Robert."
A lady's voice now spoke to Mrs. Moritz
"Hilda, it is Mother speaking now. I tried to touch you by
putting my hand over your hair. My love to Nan (the name of
Mrs. Moritz' daughter). Tell her that Granny is always looking
after her. George (Mr. Moritz), you are a dear soul. She (Mrs.
Moritz) is laughing, George, but that is what she often says
herself. How much nicer it
416
would be, I am speaking to you all now, if you would open
out while in earth life, and tell those who are around you
how dear they are to you ; just how dear they are to you as
you travel along. We are all one happy family here, where
we help each other in sweet communion in this life of spirit.
"That is a long speech for me to make, Hilda. Well, you see it
just came spontaneously to my lips, George. You will get a
big surprise when, in God's good time, you meet me again.
You will not see a tottering old woman then, but one in the
bloom of brightest youth coming to greet you. The halt, the
maimed, the blind carry none of these infirmities to the land
of spirit, Ladies and Gentlemen. If you are old on passing,
you come back to the bloom of life, and if you are very, very
young on coming to spirit life, you come to maturity, but you
will know us all, and we never forget the dear ones that we
left behind, and do all we can to help you on your journey.
God bless you, dear. Good night."
John Hardman now spoke
"Mrs. Bowes, I am the door-keeper. I am told it is drawing
near the time for our special guest, Mr. Hart, to get ready
for departure. You are two and a half minutes behind, Mr.
Moritz."
Mr. Moritz looked at his luminous watch and agreed with Mr.
Hardman: "Yes, Sir, that is exactly so."
John Hardman continued
"I have been a long time on the spirit side of life, and always
try hard to cheer and comfort you before you go away.
Never be ashamed to say you know there is a higher life, a
God above, a Father,
417

whatever name you may call Him by, who looks after you
and guides you, who expects you to do the right thing, to
take the right course through life. I did not believe in it
myself. You can tell my beloved when you write her that I
have found proof now, and I have come to this little
gathering to talk to you and give you a little cheer and
comfort. I was the door-keeper to-night. It is a London
friend who helped me to talk. I will say `au revoir' now. God
give you that which you desire, in purpose of heart, purpose
of mind. I am John Hardman."
John Campbell, a Glasgow business man, who has spoken often
before, now addressed us
"Good evening, Mr. Moritz. John Campbell speaking. I am so
glad to speak to you, Mr. Moritz. Out of the turmoil of life I
have reached that land which I, in a hazy way, knew existed.
I believed in it, but in a hazy way. I did not realise the reality
of it just so exactly as my beloved partner did, and as she
would have liked me to do. I had not the clear knowledge
that she had, but I know now that it is the right thing. I have
met those I loved so well.
"There is something intrinsically right and superbly precious
in doing one's duty in earth life. You understand what I
mean. Every little faithful duty performed which has been on
one's conscience, or one's mind, will be taken account of. I
recognize, through passing, how much I missed which you
dear people have from time to time been imbued with, the
knowledge of the contact with the spirit side of life."
Mr. Moritz replied : "That is true, Sir." Mr. Campbell said
418

"Not `Sir' to me, Mr. Moritz. I am John to you, and I shall just
say George to you as you will say John to me, when you
come to this side. God bless you, Mrs. Moritz. I am lending a
helping hand to those I love, and will try also to put out a
helping hand to those you love who are in the same
circumstances as mine are. As far as I can manage to help
them, it shall be done. George, when you come to my side of
life, it will be `How are you, George ? How do you do, John ?'
We are feeling exhilarated to-night, because we see on the
horizon brighter days in store for you all."
A voice broke in to say
"Now, dear friend, I must call you to halt." Mr. Campbell
replied
"All right, I am coming, Sir. Good-bye, I am John Campbell. I
am not forgetting Skelmorlie."
This was understood, and a new voice then said:
"Hello, Mr. Moritz. Invermay, Skelmorlie. I am Tom Smith,
and have all the love and affection for the dear old friends in
Glasgow that I used to know."
Mr. Moritz replied : "God bless you, Mr. Smith."
Mr. Smith said
"I am coming again to have a long talk with you some other
time."
Mr. Moritz replied: "We shall be very pleased to have you."
(Mr. Smith, an old friend of Mr. Moritz, was a well-known Glasgow
chartered accountant. He gave his correct home address.)
John Spence now carried on the conversation:
"I am John Spence speaking. The time draws near to close,
as Mr. Campbell has just said, and he
419

has asked me to say a few words of blessing to you before

you depart. Spence is my name. I had a prefix to it in earth
life. They called me The Reverend. Good evening to you all.
It is a little time since I passed to the spirit side of life. Do
you know ? (Place name given but omitted by request.) That is
where I was.
"Accept, 0 God, the thanks of Thy humble servant, and give
unto these, our friends, all the help they need, all the
support and comfort they need to assist them in these
trying times. We have a sure knowledge, a definite
assurance that the day is not far distant when the trouble
will be over and you will smile again. For those who have
lost, or think they have lost, dear ones, may they acquire
knowledge such as you have, of knowing that their dear
ones have just passed the borderline of life, and gone to a
far happier world. God bless you, and now may the peace
and the blessing, the fellowship and communion of those in
spirit life be permitted to come and mingle with those on
earth, cheering them and bearing them up on their way
through life, until they, too, shall pass onwards to better
things, and to Thee, 0 Father, be all the Honour, the Glory,
and the Praise. Amen."
The return to earth vibrations of the Rev. John Spence evidently
brought back to him his clerical way of speech and expression.
When his prayer was finished an old and valued friend then spoke to
us
"This is one of the Indians. This is Greentree speaking. When
you are gathered home to the spirit side of life, we will have
a reunion. I mean all those we have been intimate with. We
are prepared to
420

wait, and all those who have communed with us in bygone

times, and helped the Indian chiefs, as you called us then, to
find our pathway into the inner circle of spirit life, we shall
repay you for your labours, and give you a royal welcome to
the spirit side of life when we all meet again. God bless you.
I am Greentree. I have been very, very busy, and it has been
a work of love for the Master, the Great Chief's cause. I have
tried both in earth life and spirit life to bring joy and cheer
to both sides. You know what I mean, to comfort and soothe
the sorrowful ones. The blessing of the Indian Chief goes
with you all."
A lady's voice then took up the conversation:
"Crissie, it is Mother speaking. God bless you, Crissie, my
own lassie."
Miss Colquhoun replied : "My own dear Mother." Her Mother said:
"Good night to you all. This is Crissie Colquhoun's Mother
speaking to you. It is the first time I have been able to talk
to you all, and I hope it will not be the last-I mean to the
entire company. I am allowed to say that bright days are
coming for you all. Days that will bring you joy. I am telling
you this to bring you a little cheer and comfort. God bless
you all, and God bless you, my own lassie."
Mrs. Colquhoun then gave a lot of kisses.
A man's voice then said
"Good night, Crissie. It is Archie" (her brother). And yet another
of the family came, her sister:
"Good night, my dear, it is Paton. Good night, everyone. We
are all happy and want you to be happy.,,
The last voice to speak ended the Meeting:
421

"Now, that is the finish as far as we are concerned, Mr. Hart.

I am going away now. Good night, all. We commend you to
the care and the keeping of the Great White Spirit. Amen. I
am one of the Indians."
This ended the Sitting.
In my comments in the previous chapter I dealt with what took place
on the other side when we gathered together with a Medium for
some two to three hours to have conversation with our friends in
Etheria. Here I wish to make some observations on the implications
of these conversations, which take place throughout the world. From
them has grown a comprehensive and profound literature which can
be grouped under the names of Psychic Science and Psychic
Geography. The former embraces a wide and esoteric philosophy,
and the latter deals with what is called the Greater World. Here I
shall devote a few pages to the consideration of these etheric
worlds around and interpenetrating this earth.
In the foregoing séance John Sloan asked how long it was since John
Hardman had died, to receive the reply from Hardman himself:
"Not dead, John Sloan, but alive, and I was very much in the
land of wonder for some time.... You see, I did not believe in
the after life, and when I came here I was bewildered with
the wonder of the knowledge that it was all true."
One implication we can draw from these conversations between the
two worlds is that those who took
422

part in them on this side do believe in an after life, and, when they
reach the other side some day, they will not be bewildered and
surprised as was John Hardman. They have heard about Etheria
from the Etherians in their own voices, and, over the past hundred
years, thousands throughout the world have been enlightened.
Besides this, many people who have not themselves sat with a
Medium, have gained their psychic knowledge from reading some of
the vast Spiritualist literature now available.
Few, however, had the opportunity to have such direct clear
conversations as are reported in this book, in which all the
conditions surrounding the conversations have been fully and
faithfully reported, besides all that was said and done on both sides.
Only a few mathematicians have measured the distances between
our earth and the sun, moon and stars, but we believe their
conclusions to be approximately correct. Likewise, those who have
not had the experiences I, and others, have had should accept as
true what we have to say because, like the Astronomers, we are
honest, sane people who make accuracy our first principle just as do
other scientists.
I have had many talks with friends in Etheria about the Greater
World and my books, The Rock of Truth and The Unfolding Universe,
give the subject earnest and comprehensive consideration. This is a
vast subject, but here I shall greatly condense what I have been
told, because I have not the space available to consider the matter
at length. Until we are able to think in terms of vibrations, the
comprehension of worlds within worlds is difficult to understand,
and the enigma cannot be grasped all at once.
423

Only by study and thought can Spiritualism, and all it stands for, be
understood.
To take our own earth to begin with, by a slowing down of vibrations
it has reached a stage to which we give the name "physical", but
that is not out entire world. To physical people, yes; but theirs is a
very limited outlook. In the slowing down of vibrations, and the
forming of the earth, can we not imagine how it all happened?
Imagine a world at one time vastly larger than our globe as we know
it. Imagine this whirling mass of fine substance, let us say ten
thousand times the size of our earth. As it cooled the centre
vibrated with less frequency than the outer circumference, and so
the cooling process went on, a hard material centre forming what
we now call the earth. All around this core are various degrees of
substances which we cannot sense, but still they exist and are as
much a part of the greater world as we are.
The earth is the centre of the Greater World, but much the larger
part extends far out into space, and is quite unsensed by normal
physical beings. Heaven is no fantastic far-off realm, as it has been
painted to us in the legends of the past. It is an astronomical
locality, and, this being so, I give it the name ETHERIA, instead of
the name Spirit World, or Etheric World, which names have been
used in the past to denote the super-physical world.
It is not in some far-off region in space, but is part of our world and
goes round the sun along with this earth. Just as our earth turns on
its axis, so the etheric world turns along with us. It is all part of one
whole. The earth is like the stone in a peach and
424

Etheria is like the fruit surrounding it. Just like the stone, so the
earth is the life-giving seed to Etheria. Another good simile is that of
an onion, which, made up of different skins, makes one connected
whole.
The complete world is made up of an immense scale of vibrations,
but only a small range of these affects our senses. As time goes on
we shall go up the rungs of the ladder, leaving the physical for the
first plane beyond the earth, and so on, always appreciating the
surroundings in tune with our etheric body; but, though we shall
normally appreciate only one range of vibrations, yet, by thought,
we shall be able to lower our vibrations and come back and
appreciate the lower ranges through which we have passed.
To begin with, in the distant past, mind could only enter into contact
with physical matter in a crude state, but gradually the physical was
able to accommodate mind of higher and higher quality, or, in other
words, of finer and finer vibrations. It is logical to believe that we
shall return to the range of vibrations from which our mind originally
came, just as the beings below us will reach the range from which
their mind came. It seems as if part of the universal mind reached
down to the physical and, in each individual, is returning whence it
came, like to like. Thus can be understood the saying, "We are all
the sons of God, we come from God and we return to God." So also
can be understood the reason for all the beliefs, rites, ceremonies
and rituals of all religions.
Thus the action and reaction goes on, mind embedding itself for a
time in the physical and then leaving it, taking with it the etheric
body, which it has shaped
425

and which has been encased in a physical garment. This latter

returns to the physical earth, to produce at some later date the
habitation of other minds. Thus can be seen the true meaning of the
resurrection of the dead body.
Our physical bodies, as we know them, in the shape and form in
which mind constructed them, are not re-animated at some future
date by the return of mind to its former habitation. The particles,
however, which composed the body, in one form or another, may be
re-animated by other minds, and again give physical form to a living
creature. This comes about through plants which give food to animal
life. This food replaces the wastage of the physical bodies of all
animal life, and what was once an animated physical body
decomposes to return to form a part of other physical bodies. The
framework, the etheric body, which holds the physical together,
however, passes from it at death, never to return to it.
This action and reaction goes on day by day, and each one of us is
awaiting our turn to go through the same metamorphosis as has
been experienced by all that lived on earth before us. This interplay
of the two states of motion, to which we give the names mind and
matter, has taken place on earth since the first protoplasm
developed in some stagnant pool. It has gone on by slow degrees
until the mind became sufficiently developed to act independently
apart from the physical, and, by means of the etheric counterpart,
become at death an etheric human being with a seemingly endless
career before him.
With this etheric body the individual is able to develop in a
methodical way, and so reach higher
426

stages of development. Mind and the etheric body are inseparable;

to imagine mind without a body is unthinkable. Shortly after death
the etheric body reaches the level of vibrations to which the mind
can respond through the etheric brain. It reaches a surface vibrating
at the same frequency, and this surface is as real and tangible to
the etheric body as was the physical surface to the physical body
while it lived on earth.
Doubtless this individualisation of mind came slowly, and it was long
before the individuality could be maintained, but the time came
when it could, and then it was that Etheria was man's real home.
Step by step, as the mind became more and more developed, so the
etheric world became inhabited, and we are now told of seven
distinct planes of habitation, real and tangible. Each surrounding
plane is more beautiful, and each in turn is inhabited by minds more
and more advanced in proportion as the surrounding matter is more
refined.
The place we reach immediately following the Earth Plane is of finer
substance than physical matter, but of grosser substance than the
plane beyond it, and so on, each plane being composed of finer and
finer substance. As the mind develops, so it automatically rises to
the place to which it becomes attuned. Our mind must reach a state
of harmony with its surroundings, or otherwise there is no
happiness, and, as in Etheria we can harmonise ourselves with our
surroundings more easily than on earth, so we reach the plane of
our desire quite naturally. Consequently Etheria can be, to all of a
happy and contented disposition, a happier and more contented
427

world to live in than is the physical world. As the mind is, so is our
happiness or unhappiness.
Mind always responds to the vibrations to which it is fitted, from the
physical to the etheric and from the etheric to the super-etheric. We
are told that there are eight known planes comprising the Greater
World, if we include this earth's surface, and that there is, moreover,
a region beyond it, quite apart from this greater world, which we
shall eventually enter. Then this world will cease to be for us, and
we shall cease to move with it. However, when we get thus far, all
earth memories will have faded, and consequently there are none to
return to tell us anything about it.
Wherever life is, all is natural, and so life on the next plane of
thought is a natural and rational one. Just as mind is attuned by its
body to conditions on earth, so it will harmonise with the more
brilliant, the more vivid conditions in the etheric. It is the same
mind, and it naturally attunes itself to the vibrations to which its
body responds. Nature makes all changes slowly, and the change
called death is no exception. It is little noticed by some. Many pass
on and hardly realise at first that a change has occurred, because
the mind at once adjusts itself to the new conditions, and these
conditions, to begin with, are very like those to which we are
accustomed in our earth surroundings,
428

CHAPTER XV MEETING AT MISS COLQUHOUN'S HOUSE,

POLLOKSHIELDS, GLASGOW
Present: MR. JOHN SLOAN, MRS. ELIZABETH CAMPBELL, MRS. MAY
DEANS, Miss ANNE DEANS, MISS MARJORY MILLAR, MR. DONALD
CAMERON, MISS JEAN DEARIE, Miss FLORENCE YEATES, MISS
CRISSIE COLQUHOUN.
WE opened with the usual hymn, Nearer, my God, to Thee, and
afterwards repeated The Lord's Prayer. A voice from the other side
joined in the "Amen."
Miss Colquhoun and Mrs. Campbell had changed seats, so that Miss
Colquhoun could be in her usual place at Mr. Sloan's right. Mrs.
Campbell said that some Mediums insisted on having the same
sitters and that the sitters should always have the same chair in the
circle, as they found better results could be obtained in that way.
Mr. Cameron remarked that it had never been proved scientifically
that that was so, and he disagreed with that view.
A voice from the other side said
"We prove nothing scientifically on this side."
Mrs. Campbell said: "Perhaps you can tell us, friend, if better results
are obtained by sitters always taking the same seats in a circle,"
and received the reply
429

"It is entirely at your own discretion."

Mr. Sloan remarked that as far as he was concerned, it did not
matter one bit where one sat, it "made nae difference."
Then we heard
"Jim, Jim," and Miss Deans got pats from the trumpets.
She asked: "Are you the Jim I was thinking of?" The voice
replied
"Anne, Anne, do you hear me ?"
Miss Deans replied: "Yes, dear, I hear you very well. What do you
want to say to me?"
No reply was given, so we sang They are winging, they are winging,
to raise the vibrations, and Mr. Sloan remarked : "I ken it is no'
going to be any use the night. I am just an auld done man."
A voice from the other side said:
"You are just seventy and so many years young, my friend."
Mr. Sloan replied: "Well, you can forget about the so many."
(Mr. Sloan was born in 1869. He was 75 at the time of this séance
and 82 when he died.)
We then heard a sound like many birds whistling, but nothing was
said. So we sang I to the hills will lift mine eyes.
Mr. Sloan remarked: "I think I had better tak' a back seat. You would
get on far better without me."
A voice from Etheria remarked
"Yes, what marvelous things we would get without you.
What do you think, Miss Colquhoun ?"
Miss Colquhoun replied: "I think, friend, that we would not be able to
do very much without him."
430

A voice replied
"He is the instrument through whom we are able to prove
that we do not cease to exist although we are out of the
physical. Good day, Mr. Cameron, I like the way you express
your opinions. There is an amount of weight behind the
expression which you enforce it with."
Mr. Cameron replied: "Thank you, Sir, we just have the desire here
to get a little further information about life on your side."
The voice replied
"We all have desires on this side as well, you know, but I
may tell you that I do not get all the desires, which I have on
this side, fulfilled or granted. Far from it, and, I have no
doubt, neither will you. I got more than I deserved, all the
same. Had I got my deserts, God knows where I would have
been to-day."
Mr. Cameron replied: "Well, friend, you must have early accepted
the natural law."
The voice replied
"Well, you know, it was taught me on this side of life. I did
not believe or think much about an after-life while I was in
earth life, but dear friends early taught me the way in which
I must go in order to progress here. I do not know any of you
personally. I was drawn here by the auras around you. I like
the aura round about each and every one of you. Good
night."
Miss Deans remarked: " I thought at first that was Grandfather. It
sounded rather like him, but he always used to 'pull my leg', I
remember that."
The voice said
"What was that you said, my dear ?"
431

Miss Deans replied: "I said my Grandfather always used to pull my

leg for a lark." The voice replied
"I am afraid, I am afraid I do not understand you, my dear."
Miss Deans said: "It is just a slang expression," and Mr. Cameron
remarked:
"Used metaphorically, you know."
The voice replied
"I am just a stranger. I saw the lights. They attracted me,
and I came in to see if I could be of any little service to any
one of you, dear friends. I would rejoice if my own dear ones
knew that it was possible for me to contact them and speak
to them, but they know nothing of this. I speak to them
sometimes, but they do not hear me. How wonderful it is
that you hear me. May God the Father lead you to the light
that will keep the door still open for you to pursue this truth
right along your way of life until the journey ends. Do your
level best to keep a clean record and you will have a joyful
entrance into spirit life when your time comes."
Mr. Cameron asked if he was an Englishman, and got the reply:
"No, I am not exactly of your nationality. I have acquired and
learned a little of your language, and try to speak it as best I
can, and as I hear friends of your vibrations talking to you.
There is someone Harry calling. Harry is here for someone. I
am not able to do much for you. I just stepped into the
breach to help you a little."
We asked if he could not give us his name, and received the reply
432

"I am not permitted to say. You will find some funny reasons
when you come to my side, my friends. There is a sort of
censorship, if you understand what I mean, but we are all
brothers and sisters on this side, willing to help each other
in every way possible."
A voice said
"Anne, it is Grand-dad. May, it is Father."
Anne replied : "Hello, Grand-dad." He replied
"You make me out a very old man when you say 'Grand-dad'.
If you saw me now, you would be surprised. I always had a
buoyant outlook. I was always a boy amongst the boys, and,
of course, a boy amongst the girls, amongst my own girls, I
mean."
Mrs. Deans asked: "Is Mother with you, Father?", and he replied
"She is here."
A lady's voice then said:
"My dear, and Anne, it is Granny, bless you. What a lovely
big girl you are."
A man with a very loud voice then said to someone on his own side
"Come along this way, Nisbet, along this way," and another
voice said to Mrs. Deans
"My dear, it is your Grandfather, Hay Nisbet. (Correct.) I am
not so frail as my voice makes me appear. Yes, I thought I
knew a lot before I came here, but I have a lot to learn yet,
friend Cameron. You are a man of pretty good intelligence,
and have assessed fairly well the conditions of earth life,
and also the conditions you expect to find here. You
433
are a scientific sort of man, weighing the pros and cons. You
don't just swallow everything until you can digest it
properly. Well, God bless you all, and God bless you both,
my dears." (To Mrs. Deans and Anne.)
Mrs. May Deans is Grand-daughter and Miss Anne Deans is Great-
grand-daughter of Mr. Hay Nisbet who spoke. He was a Glasgow
publisher, and in 1875 he finished the recording of the well known
book Hafed, Prince of Persia, from the trance utterances of David
Duguid, the famous Medium.)
A lady's voice now said
"Crissie, it is Mother speaking. Bless you, my lassie."
Her voice died away again, and Mr. Sloan said: "Come on, friends, I
ken (know) I am useless, but just come on."
A man's voice said in reply
"I am sure you would not wish us to do your work for you. If
we happen to be able in any way to drop a little word that
would be helpful to you, we are always willing to do so, but
we are not in a position to impress some of you, because
your thoughts are just rather lofty for us. I am speaking for
myself, of course. There are many here far above me, who
could help you in that way. You have to realise that in your
world it is all `cause and effect', and there are certain things
that I cannot explain to you, friend Cameron. That is a real
nice Scotch name."
Mr. Cameron asked: "Can you see us?", and received the reply:
"I should think I can see you. You are a very handsome
man."
434

Mr. Cameron asked: "Can you see us as we are in the physical body,
or is it our auras that you are referring to?"
He replied
"I see you just as you are yourself, but you cannot see me as
I am."
Mr. Cameron inquired: "Can you tell me this? Supposing you went to
a theatre with me, would you see all that was going on, through
seeing the pictures made by my mind?"
The reply was
"Well, I have not studied that point, Mr. Cameron, so I would
not like to say. I have not been in contact with a theatre for
some time, except when I get in touch through this little
lady here. (Miss Deans.) I would like to say to you, Anne, you
have a little bit to go before everything comes out to your
satisfaction. I think you follow me. It has given you a little
trouble for some time, but keep a good heart. I am referring
to what is closest to your heart, you know, the thing that is
uppermost in your mind. It will right itself in the long run.
Just wait a little. You understand what I mean ?"
Miss Deans understood.
Mr. Cameron then said: "I wonder if I might ask a question. How do
you sense that? You are giving this young lady a direction of
thought which will hold her interest, and you are able to say to her
that the ultimate result will be to her satisfaction. How do you arrive
at that?"
The reply came:
"I was close a few evenings ago and heard her and her
Mother conversing together, so just thought I
435

would take a kindly interest and see what I could do to help.

Be of good cheer, little lady, if I can get into touch with you
from time to time, and with your Mother as well, I will help
you both all I can. It will have to be carefully dealt with."
Anne Deans replied: "Thank you very much indeed. Could I have a
name to know you by? Any name will do."
He replied
"Jim Two. Jim was your Father's name, and I have got Jim
One's permission to talk to you and to help you a little if I
can."
Another voice said
"God bless you, Anne. It is Grandfather. Be of good heart,
and all will be well."
After an interval of silence. Miss Colquhoun remarked : "I wish some
of Miss Yeates' friends would come and talk to her."
Miss Yeates replied : "It is all right. I am quite happy just to sit
listening to it all." A voice then said to her
"Thank you for that expression, Madam. If you are helping
others to get through you are doing a noble work."
(She probably was a good supplier of ectoplasm.) The grandmother
of Miss Anne Deans now spoke to her:
"Anne Nisbet is speaking. I did not manage before. Where is
Anne ? I have come back to tell you just to stay a little
longer before you act."
A man's voice joined in and said: "Don't be too impatient, my
dear-take time, take time."
436

Miss Deans asked who was speaking, and received the reply
"You would have to travel back a long way to know who it is.
I find it rather difficult to articulate again after being such a
long time over. I am not the person who is giving that
message. I am only passing on the thoughts conveyed to
me. I do not know your friends."
Mr. Cameron said: "Is it thought transference?", to receive the reply:
"It is generally the passing of messages from one to
another, through channels, communicating cords. It is only
when the person who wishes to speak gets into rapport with
the one to be spoken to that you get the Direct Voice."
Mr. Cameron remarked : "It seems we have a lot to learn yet even
with the knowledge we have acquired."
The voice replied
"And you will be studying for many years yet before you
fully understand. You will never begin to understand
properly until you come to this side yourself."
Mr. Cameron asked if he might know who was speaking, and this is
what he heard
"I am Bob Hannah. I do not know any of you. I was just going
around and thought I would come in when I saw the lights,
the very bright lights, that surround you, to see if I could be
of any help to any of you. I do not say that with any sense of
exaltation, but I can see a wee bit further sometimes. I liked
your auras and the conditions felt so harmonious that I just
thought I would like to come in. I liked the
437

look of all of you. I saw so many lights dancing around you

that I knew there were many friends, advanced friends, who
were throwing their vibrations out to you."
Mr. Cameron said: "Thank you, Mr. Hannah. Now, can you tell me
this? When you passed on, were the conditions you found yourself in
anything like what you thought they. would be?"
Mr. Hannah replied
"I had not thought much about it at all in earth life. I hardly
thought about the after-life at all."
Mr. Cameron said : "What I mean is-what does the place you are in
look like? Are there trees, mountains, rivers, etc.?"
Mr. Hannah replied
"It is just like your own world, and I have never desired to
progress any further until I get some of my own people over
with me. It was a consolation to me to have some of my own
people meeting me, although they did not stay with me, and
I cannot go where they are, but I am quite content meantime
where I am. It is a beautiful place I am in, and I am doing my
little best to help the boys who are coming over, to show
them the best way out of their difficulties.
"Yes, friends, I am still far from where you are spiritually. I
had many stumbles on my way through life, and I fully
confessed my faults when I came here to the Great Ones
above me, and have been placed in a condition which was
much better than I deserved.
"I am now humbly striving by the little I can do to help, to
make up for my faults and failings of earth life, and I get
beautiful friends who come to give me
438
advice, to teach me, and lead me on the way to a higher
sphere. Meantime I am quite content to do my little best
here for the boys who are coming over. I saw the lights, and
knew I was in, or near, the Earth Plane, and thought I might
bring you a little comfort."
Mr. Cameron remarked : "That is how you progress," and he replied
"It is the only way of progression. By helping others we help
ourselves. There are many, many friends who were much
superior to me in their spiritual outlook that I have not
overtaken yet. I have seen them and talked to them as you
are talking to me now, and I am doing the best I can to make
myself fit, to attune myself to their sphere. When I do so I
shall be with them, and it will be a joyous day when it does
come.
"God bless you all, and may the Great Master of all have pity
on the old world to-day, and the sad hearts on it, on the
suffering and all who suffer with them, and may this strife
be speedily brought to an end. Amen. Amen. I do not know
any of you here, but I will say now that I knew your Father,
John Sloan, and he was a better man than you are. I do not
mean any disparagement to Johnny Sloan, but I knew his
Father, and a finer man never walked."
Mr. Sloan replied : "Any good that is in me, I owe to my Father and
my Mother, to their up bringing.
Mrs. Sloan now spoke some words of encouragement to her
husband
"You have opened the door, Daddy, in a way that Granny
and Grandpa could never, have done."
439

That greatly pleased Mr. Sloan, and then a new voice spoke
"It is a great gift, Mr. Cameron, to be able to open the door,
and enable the friends who are around you to exchange
thoughts and opinions which may be beneficial to you and to
your further progress in life. Whenever you put out a
thought, we try to help you in every way we can. You are all
friends whom I have met here from time to time and I have
met a goodly number of people of different outlooks on life,
but they are all very willing to give an open ear to anything
we may say to them, and what we tell seems to be
acceptable. We can assure you it is the truth.
"We are only telling you of our own experiences, which we have had
since coming to spirit life, and which may help you when the time
comes for you to make the crossing to this side of life. That is one
thing that makes me very happy, Mr. Cameron, the thought that
those on earth life are still able to come and talk to us, and enable
us to help you all in the difficult way of life, to help to carry the
burden which is near to your hearts and which you may not care to
tell to anyone."
We then heard voices speaking together, and one said
"It is not permissible just now." A lady's voice then called
"Crissie, Crissie, you know me quite well. I am not allowed to
say anything just now. God bless you,"
and she gave a lot of kisses. A man's voice was then heard to say:
440

"It is all right, Sister. Just come away. I cannot allow it. You
must just come along with me." We heard her reply:
"I am coming," and then she said
"You know me, Crissie. It is Nellie."
Miss Colquhoun said: "Oh, is it Nellie McWilliam? Dear friend (to the
man who had told Nellie not to speak), do help her, please."
Before leaving, Nellie was able to say:
"Oh, Crissie, oh, my dear, it is awful to be alone" (and she
seemed to be crying).
The man's voice again spoke to Nellie
"You cannot speak just now. It is going to vex them. You will
come away with me, my dear, and I will take you to your
friends. You will be all right in a little while. Don't worry any
more, Miss Colquhoun. I am glad you recognized your friend,
and we will take care of her. Yes, here is a William
McWilliam who has just come to meet her now. I sent out my
thoughts for some friends of hers, and this William
McWilliam has come and is taking her away with him."
So ended this little drama, and then another man spoke
"You are doing wonderful work, Miss Dearie. It is quite a
delight to watch you with your pencil again. Some beautiful
messages have been brought through you to someone I love
very well."
Miss Dearie replied: "I believe I know who is speaking. It is Mr.
Hardman, is it not?"
He replied "Thank you, Miss Dearie, for recognising me.
441

I am John Hardman. Will you write and tell my dear one that
I have been speaking to you directly, Miss Dearie, without
any trumpet, just directly to you. Tell my beloved that, and
that I send my love to my Mary. I had difficulty in
remembering your name, but for all your kindness to Mary,
bless you, and accept my thanks."
Miss Dearie replied: "Thank you, Mr. Hardman. I am delighted if I
have given her any pleasure."
Mr. Hardman continued
"I have to thank you also, Miss Colquhoun, for all the love
and kindness you have given my Mary."
Miss Colquhoun replied: "It is just a pleasure to me to do all I can for
her. I had such a lovely letter from her to-day, and she was so
delighted with the beautiful message you sent her from the last
Meeting."
Mr. Hardman said
"Tell her I am now trying to do God's Will as far as I can. I do
not know exactly what the Will of God is. We never fathom
that even on our side, but we reach forward, stage by stage,
doing the Father's Will as far as we can grasp it, doing our
best to follow the pathway which is directed to us by the
Shining Ones above us, knowing that the only road to
progress is by doing the will of the Great Ones.
"Have you ever taken into consideration, my friends; of
course, I cannot go into details about it, but you speak
about the Word of God. When you say that, are you speaking
about the Bible ? If not, I am afraid I have misconstrued your
meaning. The Word of God was far before Bible times. You
must not have your own understanding of God's Will. I am
not speaking about what you believe, it is what
442

you are. (Emphatically said.) May I say this, it is not what the
world thinks you are, not what your friends around you think
you are, it is what you are within yourself.
"Immediately on passing to this side, and friends have got
you really wakened up, you land in a condition suited to
your spiritual development, at the stage which you left on
the Earth Plane. It is up to your own self, and those who are
working with you, how you progress thereafter. For every
one who passes over there are some dear ones waiting to
receive them, but they cannot take them to the condition
which they have not reached. They can only meet them at
the `Gateway,' and then they have got to say good-bye until
those who have just passed reach that condition which they
have attained. It is service that is the lever which lifts us all
up through the spirit planes. The Church is just a symbol of
those who attend it, you know. Of course, it is quite all right.
It does a lot of good."
Mr. Cameron replied: "Yes, for those who cannot think for
themselves."
Mr. Hardman replied
"If all who go would take the advice that they sometimes get
from these churches, it would be better for them in their life
here."
After a pause, a man's voice said
"Mrs. Campbell, is my wife present with you ? It is Swan
speaking."
Mrs. Campbell replied: "No, Lady Swan is not with me to-night. Have
you got a message for her?" He replied
"Someone tells me I am not to send a message. Thank you,
Mrs. Campbell, for all your kindness to her."
443

Mrs. Campbell said : "But have you not a message that I can pass on
to her? I know she would be so delighted to get one."
He replied:
"Let me think now. She is rather unsettled meantime, in her
thoughts, you know, and I hesitate to say anything which
would upset her in any way. She knows about this, of
course. She knows where to go to get the information, and I
do not want to disturb her at present. You know what I
mean. I think it would be wise not to say much about this
subject unless she comes to you herself. I would like her to
take a special interest in it."
Mrs. Campbell said : "She is rather worried at present."
Sir Alexander Swan replied
"Well, we have all to carry our burdens, you know. I had my
cares as well, and so have you, but now you have someone
to help you through, my dear. You also have lost one who
has come to my side, and he is a great help to you. Come
away, John."
Mrs. Campbell's husband then spoke to her
"God bless you, my dear, it is Jack. I am just so pleased to be
near you, and have been especially near to you for a little
time past. It has been given to me to understand that I have
to be a shield to you and keep near you just for a little time
now, and no harm will come to any of ours in the meantime.
I wish you could get my thoughts, my deep gratitude for the
lovely life I spent with you, you know. I
444

think often you did not understand why I stood aloof from
coming to these Meetings. I wanted to go, and yet I felt I
could not sometimes."
Mrs. Campbell asked: "Do you remember all the help you got from
dear Dr. Kahesdi?" Mr. Campbell replied
"I remember, and do you remember, my darling, how happy
we used to be ? Well, I hope our boys' lives will just have the
same brightness as ours have had. If they travel as happy a
road as you, my dear, helped me to travel, I am sure they
will be very, very happy."
Mrs. Campbell asked: "Jack, are you pleased about the delightful
girls they have got?", and he replied:
"Supremely happy. Sometimes I wish, but there are many
things out of my reach now that I am not allowed to touch
on. I hope you understand that I was in sympathy with you
all the time. It is very nice to know that you understand me
in that way. I cannot help these things now. I find it difficult
not to have resentful feelings about the actions of those I
trusted. I meant things to be different. It was not my fault,
my dear, but we will forget about that just now."
And he gave a lot of kisses. All the foregoing was correct and
accepted.
Mr. Campbell continued
"It was a wonderful life we had together, dear. Lots of
people did not understand us, but we understood each
other. It is a difficult matter in life when you find that those
you trusted in, friend Cameron, have failed you."
Mrs. Campbell said: "Don't worry about that now, darling. You are
not to trouble about that. I do not mind at all."
445

Mr. Campbell replied

"But it is you who have had to suffer through it. It has meant
such a difference to you. That is what I am worrying about,
and I am thanking the friend next to you for her beautiful
thoughts. May Nisbet, God bless you."
Mrs. Deans, who before her marriage was May Nisbet, replied : "God
bless you, Jack."
Another voice said to Mrs. Deans
"Well, we do not always do our duty in earth life, but I am
not who you think."
Mrs. Deans asked who he was, and received the reply:
"You know who I am quite well. Life ought to have been
better for you, but I will make it all up to you by and by. I
see you, Anne. God bless you always. That seems funny to
come from my lips, but it comes from my heart now to say
`God bless you both.' That is just how I feel, and I will try to
make reparation. There are things, Miss Dearie, in my life
which I deeply regretted on coming to the spirit side of life,
and I want now to help those whom in my ignorance and
selfish folly I hurt. I am speaking of myself and my career on
earth life. I failed in my duty to those whom I should have
loved best, and I have had to suffer for it too."
(Speaker recognised and everything said was understood.)
Miss Dearie replied : "I expect we shall all have regrets when we
pass to the spirit side because most of us fail in so many ways."
446

He replied
"Thank you so much. I am now trying to do all I can, directly
and indirectly, to those whom I ought to have done more for
in earth life."
Then we sat in silence for a time, and Mr. Sloan remarked : "This is
awfu'. I don't think there is any use going any further. I ken't it
would be nae use."
Miss Colquhoun said : "Now, Mr. Sloan, that is nonsense. It has just
been splendid to-night," and we all agreed.
A voice said
"He will be a grumbler to the end of his tether," and Mr. Sloan
replied : "Well, I am gie (very) near the end of my tether noo."
The voice replied
"You have got a bit of spunk in you yet. There is something
in your old pow (head) yet."
The trumpets touched Miss Dearie all over, and a voice said:
"Nessie, Nessie. It is Nessie."
Miss Dearie asked: "Which Nessie is it?", but Nessie seemed to have
lost the vibration, as she got no reply.
A man's voice then said
"Hello, Ralph. He is a good boy, Ralph. I knew Ralph. Hello,
Bill, come here. I am speaking to Ralph. Will and I do not
want to hear you just now. I am busy. I don't want to discuss
that just now."
Mrs. Campbell asked: "Is it my Ralph, you mean?", and he replied:
"Yes, Ralph Campbell."
Mrs. Campbell said: "Ralph is not here. I am Ralph's Mother. Have
you a message for him? What is your name?"
447

He replied
"Able Seaman 124. Tell Ralph Campbell I was away from the
derricks altogether. Derek was No. 2. I was not there at all."
Ralph was in the Navy, and Derek was his great friend who had
passed over. He could not remember who was Able Seaman 124,
and this was not to be expected.
A lady's voice then said "Nellie, Nellie McWilliam."
This is the same person who was taken away because she became
so emotional. The incident was reported a few pages back, and now
she returned to say to Miss Colquhoun:
"I am feeling a wee bit happier now. It is always nice to hear
your voice, Crissie. God bless you."
The man's voice spoke again, and said:
"It is all right. We will look after her now, and she will be
able to come and speak to you later on."
Another voice now spoke
"It is as far as we can go for the evening, Mr. Cameron. The
power, I am sorry for disappointing any of you, but the
power whereby we can manipulate the force round about
you is going. It is getting exhausted, and anything that
might come to you just now, I would not ask you to put any
confidence in. You see what I mean. It is coming from
different channels, and it has not been, so to speak,
censored. You see what I mean to convey. There are so
many things on your Earth Plane to-day which are pressing
to a crisis, so many cross-currents, that it is difficult
448
for us just to contact you as we would like to do, but that is
drawing to a close, and the world will awaken once more to
the glorious consciousness of `right' and 'wrong.'
"It is not in my power to tell you because it was not given to
me to say, but it is coming very quickly now. That is as far
as I am permitted to go, but, in going round your world to-
day, we feel that that agonizing time is speedily coming to
its termination. I have been a co-worker with those who are
helping, standing by the dear ones who are being thrust into
my side of life. Some of them do not understand anything
about it, and we are trying to help them.
"That is why, just now, we are not able to give to you what
we would like to do. There are so many claims on us. So now
I will say-may all the thoughts and unexpressed desires
which are in your hearts, if these be in accordance with the
Will of the Father, be granted unto you, and the best of
spirit life come to you now, which you know to be Truth and
Justice and Love. God bless you."
We sang the Doxology, and afterwards Pathfinder said:
"May the peace and the blessing which cometh from the
High and Holy Ones round about you, assist and comfort you
now and all through the journey of your life. Amen. And to
our Father God We will give all praise now and for ever
more. I am Pathfinder. I just came to help my old friend out
of 'difficulty. God bless you, Miss Dearie."
Miss Dearie replied : "God - bless you, dear pathfinder," and he went
on
449

"I say to you all, if you have a thought in your heart, a

thought in your mind, or a desire which you wish to carry
into the spirit side of life, Pathfinder will listen. You only
have to think it in your heart, and I will convey it to those on
my side of life. Good night."
Greentree now spoke
"God bless you all, and may you, when the journey is ended,
and the evening shadows fall around you, as they fell on
Greentree in his earth life too, find the beautiful
surroundings of the Spirit World to be just as entrancing to
you as they were to the Indian Chief when he passed over.
This is Greentree speaking.
"I could not speak in your language as I speak it now, and I
say : Oh, I adore you for your kindly thoughts and your
loving dispositions. May the Great White Spirit God, Whom
we all worship, keep you in perfect peace, and grant unto
you the desires of your heart in so far as they are in
accordance with his Holy Will, and unto Thee, 0 Great Spirit
Love, Thou Spirit of Spirits, Thou God, our Father God, we
commend these, our loved friends, to Thy tender care, and
protect all those whom they love who are in danger. May
Thou support them with Thy great blessing, and to Thee
shall be all the Glory, and to Thy Name all Praise. Amen. I
am Greentree speaking."
Pathfinder then concluded by saying
"Dear friends, we are sorry to leave you, but we have our
work to do and our beautiful duties to perform. May you,
too, have joy and comfort, full' ness of life, and fullness of
joy, and may God bless
450

you all. May the paths which you find in life be paths of
blessedness, and all the by-ways bowers of peace wherein
you may rest by the way. God bless you again is the wish of
Pathfinder."
When John Hardman spoke to Miss Colquhoun about the Bible, he
showed himself to be still agnostic about the Will of God. He was
doubtful as to what this is, and Etherians, he tells us, never fathom
this eternal question. They are finite, just as we are, and how wise it
is not to be dogmatic about the Infinite which no finite being can
comprehend. However, Hardman has solved one of his problems,
and this he repeatedly refers to in his many lengthy remarks. On
earth, he tells us that he did not believe in survival after death, but
now he experiences it, and this thoughtful man gives to us on earth
some very wise advice.
Christians have always believed that the Holy Bible contains the
Word of God, a name they give to this old and sacred book. To the
Moslems the Koran takes that position. The Hindus consider sacred
the Vedas and the Bhagavad gita, while to the Buddhists the
Suttantas are the most sacred of all divine literature. The
Zendavesta is the Word of God to the Parsees, while the Chinese
consider that The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean
could not be replaced by man.
These holy books have helped humanity to find a certain amount of
peace and comfort in life, but each religion thought that its own
sacred writings were the Only instructions God had given to
mankind. Nevertheless, as Hardman reminds us
451

"The Word of God was far before Bible times You must not
have your own understanding of Gods Will."
So he passes by the creeds, dogmas and doctrines of all the world's
religions, and says emphatically that what matters on both earth
and in Etheria is what each one of us is
"It is what you are within yourself."
That, he tells us, and that only, determines out place beyond the
veil, and, from that time onwards,
"it is up to your own self how you progress thereafter."
That, simply put, is the teaching of Spiritualism. Its Seven Principles,
which were given from Etheria, embrace the essentials of what has
been said at the séances recorded in this book. Those who call
themselves Spiritualists believe that it can be accepted as true that
(1) The Universe is governed by Mind, commonly called God. That
all we have sensed, do sense, or will sense, is but Mind expressing
itself in some form or another.
(2) The existence and identity of the individual continues after the
change called death.
(3) Communication, under suitable conditions, takes place between
us here on earth and the inhabitants of the etheric world, into which
we shall all pass at death.
On these three fundamental principles, which Spiritualists believe
can be reasonably accepted, the following logical deductions are
naturally drawn from
452

the information which comes to us from those who have passed on

to this larger life.
(4) That our ethical conduct should be guided by the golden rule,
given first to the world by the great Confucius, "Whatsoever you
would that others would do to you, do it also unto them."
(5) That each individual is his own savior, and that he cannot look to
someone else to bear his sins and suffer for his mistakes.
(6) That each individual reaps as he sows, that he makes his
happiness or unhappiness just as he harmonizes with his
surroundings, and that he gravitates naturally to the place in the
etheric world in harmony with his mental development.
(7) And finally, that the path of progress is never closed, and that
there is no known end to the advancement of the individual.
The message of Spiritualism is that we get away from ancient
mythology, that we break down creedalism, intolerance and narrow
nationalism, remove by honest education the curse of ignorance,
encourage friendship amongst nations, abolish poverty and squalor,
set our face against war and all forms of cruelty, raise the standard
of living, encourage the development of wisdom and a greater
understanding of life and its meaning everywhere throughout the
world. Let us get away from the follies and misinterpretations of the
past, and remember that in Egypt, 6000 years ago, and not in
Palestine, we have the earliest record of man's realization of moral
values and that he is destined to be an etheric being.
453

Our Old Testament is but a late echo of the moralising of this

ancient race which has lived so long by the banks of the Nile.
Putting aside its history of the Hebrew people, the contents of the
Old Testament came from either Mesopotamia or Egypt, both
countries in which the Hebrews were captives, and from which they
brought the laws, myths and legends current in the days of their
captivity. The entire Book o f Proverbs was copied from Egypt,
where such ideas and exalted precepts were current for a thousand
years before the Hebrews existed, and where lived a race with a
code of morals far superior to those falsely claimed to come from
Moses.
Civilization in the countries surrounding Palestine existed for
thousands of years before it reached the uncultured, savage
Hebrews, whom Christians erroneously claim to be the first
recipients of the only revelation that ever came from Heaven. It was
in Egypt that the virtues were first practiced, and character and
righteousness elevated above force and might. The moral code of
mankind we now know to be the result of man's own long chequered
social experience, and not the effect of a special privileged
revelation to the Hebrews when they were wandering in the
wilderness under the leadership of Moses.
Out of prehistoric savagery, because he is a developing etheric
being, man emerged. At first might, and might only, was right. That
continued for perhaps half a million years. Only 6000 years ago in
Egypt we find the first trace of the insistence on righteousness. This
developed, and from an acorn grew slowly the tree, the fruits of
which nourished
454

Mesopotamia, Greece, and at a much later date Palestine. The gods,

from being gods of force like Ra and Jehovah, became gods of love
like Bel, Prometheus, Dionysus, Osiris, Horus and Christ, who, taking
pity on the sins of humanity, came to earth to save and cleanse us
erring beings, to conquer evil and give eternal life to all believers.
From force, hitherto the master of the Universe, developed the idea
of love triumphant, told to the ancients in these myths and legends.
These legends we can put aside as we did the fairy stories of our
nursery days, but what is important is the discovery that man came
to realise the difference between right and wrong, selfishness and
unselfishness, force and justice. The more he has recognized the
importance of considering his brother man, the greater has been the
moral and social advance of the human race.
This great discovery we find is but six thousand years old and man,
or his immediate ancestors, have been on this earth at least half a
million years ! While this knowledge gives us great hope for the
future, it also explains how our actions fall so far short of the ideals
we have, but so often fail to practice. The race in its attainment of
the virtues has covered only a few milestones compared with the
long road man has traveled on earth. The fight to conquer the
material world goes far back into pre-history. The attempt to
develop his mind, to conquer himself and discover his social
responsibilities is, in comparison, recent history, while those who
have been the leaders on earth of mental development are now the
Masters, the Great Ones, in Etheria, the advanced ones to whom so
much respect is given.
455

Spiritualism teaches first and foremost that it is character, and what

we are, that counts, that the development of character, of the moral
sense, and the increase of knowledge and wisdom are the all
important things of life. Material wealth, important as it is, is but a
passing possession, the virtues, knowledge and wisdom being
eternal, as they are always ours here and hereafter. Such has been
the theme of the great teachers of the past, and had the Christian
Church preached and practiced that, and that only, down through
the Christian era, how much greater would its prestige be to-day!
We are the heirs of the heritage which first took root in Egypt, a
heritage which emphasized the importance of righteousness, the
fact of survival, and that as we sow here we reap hereafter. The
Egyptian Book of the Dead makes clear how important
righteousness was to the Egyptians, and that as one lived on earth
so one would live hereafter. On this subject of righteous living our
wisdom and knowledge in the intervening centuries have increased,
and been carried over to Etheria, where they are more easily
practiced than on earth. The Egyptians laid the seed, and to-day we
are reaping the harvest, but much is still to be gathered in. Isaiah,
Socrates, Seneca, Cicero, Zeno, Epicurus and Epictetus, to mention
only a few whose opinions have been correctly handed down to us,
were even in their time just echoes of men who lived before them,
of as great wisdom and knowledge, such as Pharaoh Khufu, who
expounded his wisdom some five thousand years ago.
What a great vista we can now look back upon
456

This has now been revealed to us by the excavations in Egypt,

Assyria, and Babylon. What a great vista we as etheric beings can
now look forward to. This mediumship has revealed to us. Not only
can we envisage this earth transformed by the discoveries of
science, but also by the development of man's moral sense. Not
only can we contemplate increasing happiness for the human race
on earth, but happiness, harmony and content throughout our
eternal existence just as we develop in knowledge, wisdom and
righteousness. Evolution proceeds in Etheria and is not only
confined to the earth.
Development is but another word for the history of the race, and it
applies as much to Etheria as to this earth. We look back and see,
as a spiral, steady, continuous progress in man, animal and plant.
We look forward and realise that this must continue as otherwise we
have stagnation or retrogression, which means decay. In spite of
nature's warning, Theology never makes any advance, and holds to
the creeds and dogmas of an ignorant past. The people must free
themselves of these. The Church of the future must free itself of
these ancient crutches and shackles, and, casting aside ancient and
false tradition, tell the people the truth. It must strike out on a new
path or ultimately perish.
Let us strive to follow the life of righteousness and forget the
religion of mystery. Let us follow the way of knowledge and reason,
which will result in the civilisation and mental development of
humanity. Let us preach the gospel of humanity, and that each
should be noble enough to live for all. Let us encourage wisdom
knowledge and truth. Pure
457

thoughts, brave words and generous deeds will never die. A noble
self-denying life increases the mental wealth of the Universe, a life
well spent runs like a vine for all to see, and every pure unselfish act
is like a perfumed flower.
The message of Spiritualism to all who live is this: From the world,
which some day will be our home, come messengers bearing words
of good cheer to all who live on earth. They tell us that we need only
do our best, and if we do that no more is expected. We should,
therefore, cease from wasting our time and wealth on unnecessary
religious observance and ceremony, and apply ourselves to useful
things which will develop our mind and character, and make us
worthy citizens of the country which will some day be our home. We
are not born to live only upon this ball of substance called the earth.
A great and glorious country of vast and endless beauty and variety
awaits us after death. Mind knows no limitation, and each one of us
is mind and nothing more.
When the end of earth life comes, let us not think that we have
reached the twilight, or that for the last time the golden sky is
fading in the west. Let us not think that night has come, but rather
that something wonderful awaits us in a land more beautiful and
happier than is this earth. We must meet death as we meet sleep,
knowing that the morning follows night. Thus should we enter the
dawn called death, which is just a change in the appreciation of our
surroundings.
458

CHAPTER XVI MEETING AT MRS. BOWES' HOUSE,

MAXWELL PARK, GLASGOW
Present: MR. JOHN SLOAN MRS,. LILLIAS BOWES, MR. ALEXANDER
HART, Miss ELIZABETH DUFF, MISS JEAN DEARIE, MR. DONALD
CAMERON, Miss AILSA DOUGLAS, MISS WINNIE DOUGLAS, HISS
CRISSIE COLQUHOUN.
WE opened the Sitting with the usual hymn, Nearer, my God, to
Thee, and afterwards repeated The Lord's Prayer. We afterwards
spoke about the weather, and one of us remarked that snow had
already been seen on the hills.
An Etherian remarked
"There is snow on some hills all the time."
We next spoke about clan tartans, and Mr. Cameron remarked that
the colorings of some of the ancient clan tartans were very
beautiful.
A voice asked: "Are you a Cameron ?" and the trumpet touched
Miss Colquhoun.
She replied : "No, I am a Colquhoun."
The voice then asked Mr. Cameron: "And what clan do you
belong to, Sir ?"
Mr. Cameron replied: "I am a Cameron," and the Etherian remarked
459

"I thought there was something Highland about you, and I

appreciate your beautiful compliment about the tartans,
friend Cameron. I am also a Highlander, but I do not fight
now for any one clan. We are all fighting under the same
banner, for truth and liberty for all men and all women, that
all the world may be free, irrespective of clan, nation, or
color, all one brotherhood of the great 'I Am,' Whom, not
having seen, we love and adore His Majesty, His Purity, and
the wonder of His Love.
"May your souls and your inner selves be refreshed and
renewed by those around you this evening, Brothers and
Sisters. I hope you understand me. I am sorry I cannot make
it any more distinct. You know, I am rather out of touch with
your side of life. I have been in the surroundings of your
Meetings many times, but I had not the opportunity, or the
power, to articulate a sound to you. I thank God that I am
now able to speak to you.
"It was the earnest thoughts of those of you who are
anxious about loved ones who are out of your ken at present
that made me so anxious to speak, and I thought if I could
bring just a little ray of hope, a little ray of comfort, and a
little word of love to you, I would be doing something in the
Master's service. God bless you all. I do not find my voice as
clear as I would like it to be, but, when we come near the
surroundings of the Earth Plane, we have to use the
vibrations which are round about, and it may be impossible
to attune our voices into the tone that you think is
unmistakable.
"It is not my will that you should not understand it, or not
my desire that I should cause you
460

annoyance. I just want to let you know, as I am positive that

all of you on earth know already, that those of your loved
ones who have gone before are often very near you, and,
although you cannot see them, friend Cameron, you sense
the feeling of their presence, the touch of the hand, the
sound of the voice, the loving care of the Mother, and the
kind thought of the Father. God bless you, friends."
We thanked him and Miss Duff started to sing the hymn They are
winging, they are winging, and afterwards Mrs. Sloan spoke
"Are you there, Mrs. Bowes? That was my favorite hymn.
Thank you, Miss Duff. God bless you, my dear."
Miss Duff replied : "Thank you, dear Mammy Sloan."
Mrs. Sloan then said
"And how are you, Daddy ? I know you heard me the other
night when I spoke to you."
Mr. Sloan replied : "Oh aye, Mammy, I heard you all right. You tel't
(told) me to go to Sam's, that they were in trouble, but I had to wait
a bit, Mammy. I could not go then. It was 2.30 in the morning. I went
later and I attended to Sam."
Mrs. Sloan replied:
"I did not mean you to go just then, Daddy, and I know that
you attended to him all right."
A voice just in front of Miss Dearie said:
"I have come to thank you, Miss Dearie, for the beautiful,
beautiful letter you sent to my darling."
Miss Dearie replied : "Thank you, Mr. Hardman." He answered
"I appreciate you recognising me, Miss Dearie."
461

Mr. Sloan remarked : "Oh, I also wrote to Miss Stove and gave her
the message of the last Meeting. I could not remember very much,
but I told her all I could."
Mr. Hardman replied
"It is not necessary, friend Sloan. Of course, I appreciate
your valuable services, that you are able to get these
messages through. God bless every one of you. Peace be
with you, Miss Dearie. Thank you for the comfort and the joy
you have brought to my Mary.
"It will be a beautiful stone, a jewel in the beautiful home
that awaits you on the spirit side of life. All the beautiful
thoughts which you have sent out will be an embellishment
to that home. It is not so far distant when I thought such a
thing would be impossible. I thought there was no after-life,
but oh, I am here, and it is beautiful beyond all imagining.
"God bless you all, and for every little word and thought
which you sent out to me during my stubborn time after
passing, which I know many of you sent me who knew me at
that time, I say thank you. They will be an embellishment in
the homes which the Great Father has prepared for you on
the spirit side of life, and for the love and help which you
have given to my Mary, I thank you all."
Miss Colquhoun said: "I think Miss Stove will be coming down shortly
for a little while."
Mr. Hardman replied
"I have been impressing her to come, but I think the
regulations are against it at the present time." (Orkney, where
she lived, was a closed area during the war.)
462

"I apologise for taking up so much of your time and all on

personal affairs. I am sorry, but I felt it a duty and a
pleasure to ask you to accept my bountiful thanks, Miss
Dearie, for portraying and conveying them to my Mary."
Miss Dearie replied: "Thank you very much indeed, Mr. Hardman."
Another man's voice said
"Mr. Hart, it is up to yourselves, every one of you, to have a
beautiful dwelling on the spirit side of life, a beautiful home.
You are laying the foundations of it while you travel on
earth, each one of you. This is the Indian Chief talking to you
now, not in the usual way I used to talk to you, but with the
same loving heart and kindly interest in every one of you. I
am Pathfinder, and may your path through life be a pleasant
one. Keep the shining clear light of the Father before you as
you travel the devious paths of the earth life, until, in His
good time, He says, `Come hither; and take up your new
duties on the spirit side of life.'
"Then you will find the embellishments of your labor
portrayed in the dwelling which is prepared for you. God
bless you and help you to make a beautiful home. I am so
pleased, Mrs. Bowes, that you are having a little bit of joy in
your home again, and by having that joy it reflects on me
and gives me joy as well. God bless your little girl, and I am
keeping an eye on the two boys in the Forces as far as the
Great Father allows, and I will do my best to make all things
well. I am speaking to you now and delivering that message.
Do you hear me, Mrs. William Bowes, at the request of your
dear husband, who is beside you just now."
463

Mr. Bowes then spoke, and said:

"Lillias, my darling. Gladys is here. We are all together."
Mrs. Bowes replied : "God bless you, darling. You will take care of
Margaret."
Mr. Bowes replied "Of course I will. We shall do all we can" (and
he gave some kisses).
"She is a credit to me, a credit to us both."
Mrs. Bowes said: "And she has not forgotten you, darling?"
He replied
"No, God bless her."
A Scotch voice then said
"Do you ken, Miss Colquhoun, I thought you were laughing
at the gentleman. I will call him my brother in spirit life, and
there was nae need to laugh at him, Mrs. Bowes."
Miss Colquhoun replied : "But we were not laughing at him, dear
friend. We were just happy that Mr. Bowes was speaking to his
wife."
The voice replied
"Forgive me, I am still a grumbling, stumbling old block, but
I am doing my level best to smooth out the road for those
who find it rough, just as I used to do in earth life. I was a
roadman, ye ken, and I am a roadman still, and am trying to
get a chance, across the borderline, to speak to those who
are left behind, to tell them there is a better road ahead,
and to keep on, to keep the shining light before them until
God ends the journey."
Mr. Cameron remarked: "You are doing your best to progress,
friend," and received the reply:
464

"That is right, friend Cameron, and don't think I am against

laughter. I like to see you smiling. Good night."
Mrs. Bowes said : "Oh, speak to us a little longer. We love to have
you."
He replied
"My story is told now. I canna speak with any authority
except to tell you that I am very pleased to be in your
surroundings, and, if I can be of any help at any time, think
of the roadman. I always liked to keep a nice road, with a
bonny bank for the bairns to play on. My own did that, and
some of them are over here now."
One of us remarked that he spoke like a real old Scotsman.
He replied "It is just my ain language."
Mr. Cameron asked if he could tell us what he was doing.
He replied
"When I am not required for the Great Elder Brother's work,
I come to this earth side, and try to help those of my own
kind, not exactly friends, although they are all friends of
mine, but if I can give anyone a helping hand over a stile, I
am rewarded myself a thousand times."
Mr. Cameron remarked : "That is how you progress," and he replied
"It is the only way, but I do not want to progress very far for
a bit. It is my desire to stay here because I have some
friends I want to wait for. Oh, I loved them well. It is given
unto us, if we do what we are told, and behave ourselves,
and all work for the
465

Master and the Elder Brothers, to stay a little while where

we are until they come. God help me, I loved them awful
well.
"Sometimes, friends, those that are left without a father's
care canna keep straight, and I am trying to bring them back
on to the right road again, those who have gone off the
straight a little way. You can overdo the things of earth life,
you know, at times. I think you understand what I mean,
friend Cameron, and it is so very, very easy to step aside."
We afterwards spoke amongst ourselves about healing and Christian
Science.
A voice from the other side said "I do not know the ethics of
Christian Science, but I think I will say `God bless them in
their efforts to do what they think, if their conception of
things is right.' I will leave it at that."
Mr. Cameron said: "What we were trying to convey was-when one is
dealing with the material, one has got to take material means of
remedy into account." The voice replied
"Most emphatically."
One of the trumpets fell and, after it was lifted, a voice said
"Well, Mr. Cameron, do you want to have a try with the
trumpet? Did you believe in spirit friends being able to come
to earth life, Sir ?"
Mr. Cameron replied : "Not until fairly recently, my friend, but it has
been a great source of comfort and companionship to me to
experience it for myself."
The voice said
"When I was in earth life, I could not say I believed it, but I
had the consciousness, Ladies and
466

Gentlemen, in my soul that there were people around me,

talking to me. I seemed to sense their presence and even to
know what they looked like, and, when I came to this side of
life, I knew them quite well when they came and spoke to
me, and they were not relations at all, but they were
friends. A friend is a friend who will always remain a friend if
he is a true friend. Well, there are a lot of friends in that
sentence. Good night, and God bless you."
A voice called "Jim, Jim."
Mrs. Bowes said: "Try to tell us who you are, Jim. Can we help you?"
A faint voice replied
"I do not need help, but I want to help you, friends. In a way
I maybe need help, Sister, but I can help others, just
through you on earth from time to time. I am not a relation,
but I am a true friend. Can you accept me on that footing ?"
Mrs. Bowes replied : "Indeed we do." He answered
"Then I am permitted the joy and the pleasure of rendering
some little service to you when you need it any time. I will
do all I can to help you, and will try to help those you love
also."
Mrs. Bowes replied: "Thank you, dear friend." We were talking of
Mrs. Deans, when a voice said:
 "Did you say I was killed ? I am not dead. It is George Deans
speaking, but I am not permitted to say anything more just
now. I must go."
A voice said to Mr. Hart
"Alex, how are you ? It is Mother. God bless you, my boy.
How I feel at times I would like to be
467

back beside you again and take you by the arm How strongly
I would lead you. A Mother's hands and a Mother's arms are
very supporting and very cheering to a boy, even supposing
she is on this side of time. I am sure, Alex, you will always
be glad to have the support of your Mother."
Mr. Hart replied: "Always, always." His mother remarked
"They are beginning to mix a little, Alex. There are a few
grey ones (referring to his hair), but every one is full of
honour. There is honour in a grey hair."
Mrs. Colquhoun spoke next, and said
"God bless you, Crissie. It is just that my heart is running
over with love for you, my lassie. I want just to tell you that
I am often with you when you don't know, my lovely lassie."
Miss Colquhoun asked: "Mother, were you with me last week?"
Her mother replied
"I was with you at the telephone last night in your own
house."
Miss Colquhoun said: "But were you with me last week, Mother?"
Her mother replied "I was not there, dear."
No more was said, and a new voice spoke: "This is Tom
speaking."
We asked, "Which Tom?" and received the reply:
"I am waiting to see if I can be recognised."
The voice died away as he evidently lost touch with our atmosphere.
Miss Duff was getting touches from the trumpets, and a voice said
468

"It is Mother touching you, and how are you keeping, my

dear ? I hope you did not hurt yourself much. (Miss Duff was
recovering from a bad fall.) Do you not see Father standing
beside you ? He is standing just behind you, and I am
standing at your left side. I just wish I could throw my arms
around you and embrace you properly. It seems a long time
now, not so very long, you know, but it seems a long time to
me. Mr. Hart, I am not so very long over, but still I am
longing to see my daughter."
Miss Duff's Father then continued:
"I wish I could just transport your vision to the great
beauties of the Summerland and show them to you all.
There are no words of mine, I cannot just put it in the way I
would like, that can describe the beauty and the calm
majestic grandeur of the beautiful lands which we visit. Ours
is a beautiful world, it is just gorgeous. The Glasgow
Botanical Gardens are not to be compared with the exquisite
gardens we have here. It is Father speaking."
A man's voice then said to Mrs. Bowes
"Tell Jim (her son) I was asking for him, and say I will do the
best I can to watch over him. It is Jim. (her brother). God bless
you, my dear. Although I am not on your side of life now, I
am working for you more than I ever did in the earth life. I
will help Jim all I can because I love him very much. Excuse
me, Ladies and Gentlemen, for being so personal. You are
being watched over, my dear, and you will never get really
lonely. God bless you."
Her husband, Mr. Bowes, then spoke
"We are doing our best to help you over the difficult times of
life, and, even if you cannot see me,
469

just think that I am not very far away. You have your work to
do yet. You will have them all home again, and you have
your duty to do there also."
(Some very personal and private remarks were now made by Mr.
Bowes to Mrs. Bowes. Everything was correct and understood, but
these remarks have been omitted by request.)
Miss Colquhoun then got touches, and Mr. Bowes said
"William Bowes speaking to you. Thank you for all your
kindness to my dear. It is nice, the mutual affection between
you. I will not say good night. There is no night where I am,
no blackouts here, Mr. Cameron. I see you have a clear
perception of what the other side of life will open to you.
Your life has been very clean and perfect. I do not speak in a
flattering way, you know. I can see that outlook in the aura
round about you. There are many bright forms on the other
side of life waiting to greet you when you come over, all
loving you as I love those I left behind in earth life. You
could not but love when you have such a one as I have to
love."
Mr. Cameron replied : "I sense, in what you say, a depth and
sweetness that is delightful to listen to," and to this Mr. Bowes
remarked :
"Thank you. Look at my boys, look at my girls (his wife and
daughter), there is no one like your own, and still you can
work all the harder and all the better for those around you
when you love in that way. Good night."
The Misses Douglas then got touches from the trumpets, and a
voice said
470

"I saw you sitting there so quietly, my dears. It is Mother."

The Misses Douglas said : "Oh, Mother, do come and speak to us."
She must have lost the vibration, however, because nothing further
was said. Mr. Sloan, however, said he saw her standing beside them
in beautiful white robes, and also described a brother who had
passed over when he was quite young, but had grown up in spirit
life.
A voice then said "Mary, Mary," but we could not find out who this
was for, as no one got touches from the trumpets.
Another voice said to Mr. Hart
"Sandy, have you got a disappointing letter ?"
But contact was difficult, and someone else then said
"Willie is speaking to you, Mr. Cameron. William Cameron.
There was a William Cameron, but it is a good way back."
Another voice said "Annie."
A man's voice then said he was trying to make conditions better:
"I was just trying if I could get them into rapport with you. It
is difficult to tune in sometimes. Give them all your kindly
thoughts as far as you can. Don't throw out a sad thought,
and perhaps it will make it easier. Otherwise we cannot do
much more, you know. It is the best that we can do. It is a
difficult matter to contact all the different vibrations at the
present time. It is a delight and a joy to us to know that you
hear and recognise one who has come
471