< Notes by the Way (continued from page 11-330) >
one of the leaves the cabalistic sign of the interlaced triangles, and requested the Spirits to bring it to me at the circle the following evening. I purposely sat at Mrs. Thayer’s righthand, and held her hands, when suddenly I felt something cool and moist drop upon my hand, and when the candle was lit, found it to be my marked leaf. I went to the greenhouse, and found that the leaf selected by me had actually been broken off.”
I need make no apology for preserving testimony of this nature to the facts of mediumship so remarkable as Mrs. Thayer’s. Colonel Olcott afterwards put her in a bag, and otherwise rendered her helpless in her normal state, but still flowers, peaches, and birds were produced. One point further is worth notice. These flowers were of natural growth. Whence did they come? In a few cases from neighbouring gardens; in most, from an unascertained source. By what means were they severed? Colonel Olcott examined the stalks. “They had been broken off—not short off, but with a thin ribbon of bark at one side; and around the fracture in almost every case was a little ring of black, as though an electrical current had effected some chemical change in the chlorophyl.” This may be significant. I do not know whether any of my readers have examined at any time the flowers which used to come so plentifully through Mrs. Guppy’s mediumship. If so, it would be interesting to know whether they presented a like appearance.
It seems to me that such records as this, so precise, so well attested, and so remarkably conclusive as to the action of independent Spirit agency, are eminently worth preservation, especially when, as in this case, they were contributed to a non-Spiritualist journal. For the last half century such things have been recorded. It would be a worthy and good work to select the best narratives and bring them again within the scope of public attention.
To our Friends and Subscribers
With the present number we complete the first volume of “Light.” A comprehensive index of the contents of the year’s numbers is in course of preparation, and we hope to have it ready—together with a title-page—very shortly, probably next week. Friends who wish to complete their sets should do so at once, as of some numbers we have very few copies now remaining. In looking back on the past we feel that we have not reached our ideal of what “Light” should have been, and of what we hope yet to make it. We trust that our aims will be greatly advanced by the enlargement of the paper, and by the continued assistance of friends in contributing to its pages. “M. A. (Oxon),” to whom during the past year we have been greatly indebted for his invaluable aid, freely given, often at a serious sacrifice to himself, kindly assures us of his continued help. Other gentlemen, whose names will be a guarantee of honour, intelligence, and good faith, also promise to assist, so that we hope not only to maintain the favourable opinion of our present readers, but also to greatly increase the circle of our supporters. Meanwhile, we thank our many friends for their frequent expressions of sympathy and encouragement, and cordially wish them “A Very Happy New Year.”
Instantaneous Communication Between London and Calcutta
Sir,—By last mail I had the pleasure of giving you an account of a marvellous manifestation through the mediumship of Mr. Eglinton, and in my letter I told you that our Spirit friend, “Ernest,” had stated that he would endeavour to give me a still more striking proof of Spirit power. This was done on the evening of Saturday, 26th November last, and for the benefit of those interested I give you an account of it. Mr. Eglinton and I had been to dine with some friends at the Bengal Club, and returned home at about 11 p.m. Mr. Eglinton asked me to sit with him before retiring to bed, and we sat together in the light. Mr. Eglinton took a sheet of paper (which I had just previously marked in one comer with my initials and a private mark for the purpose of identification), placed it in a book, held the book under the table for a few seconds, and then placed the book in my hands. I examined the book very carefully, but the sheet of paper had disappeared. I retained possession of the book, while Mr. Eglinton (in his normal state) described that he saw his spirit leave his body and travel over land and sea until he saw it enter the room of a friend of mine in London, and he minutely described my friend and the surroundings in the room, asserting that the room was flooded with Spirit light. He described “Ernest” as standing by my friend while the letter was being written, and his taking the letter when ready. In a few seconds after this he begged me to open the book (of which I had retained possession the whole time) and there sure enough inside the cover of the book was the self-same sheet of paper, with my initials and private mark upon it, completely filled with a letter in my friend’s handwriting, dated that same evening in London, and commencing with an account of how the room had been suddenly filled with Spirit light, how “Ernest” had brought the sheet of paper marked by me, and how he stood waiting to bear the letter back.
I do not think any more striking manifestation of Spirit power could ever have been granted to any investigator, nor can I see any way of accounting for this extraordinary result other than the Spiritual hypothesis. As I have already stated in my former letter, my friend's handwriting is as familiar to me as my own, and no one but the writer could possibly have been cognisant of the subjects referred to in the letter.
Mr. Eglinton is making many friends here, and convincing many inquirers of the truth of our beautiful philosophy.—Yours for the truth,
Calcutta, December 5th, 1881.
[Of course the value of such a startling communication as the above depends entirely on the trustworthiness of the writer. For the information, therefore, of those who may not know Mr. Meugens, we may say that we have the pleasure of his personal acquaintance, and that, though temporarily resident in Calcutta, he is well-known in London as a gentleman of high intelligence and integrity.— Ed. “Light.”]
<Untitled> (Pandit Shyamaji's literary...)
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Editor's notes
- ↑ To our Friends and Subscribers by unknown author, Light, v. 1, No. 52, December 31, 1881, p. 417
- ↑ Instantaneous Communication Between London and Calcutta by Meugens, J.G., Light, v. 1, No. 52, December 31, 1881, p. 417
- ↑ Pandit Shyamaji's literary... by unknown author, Indian Spectator, The, Decenber 25, 1881
Sources
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Light, v. 1, No. 52, December 31, 1881, p. 417