CHAPTER TWO
COMING OF THE “VOICE”

We had moved into another house. It was charmingly situated a short distance from the quaint old cathedral city of Llandaff, Glamorgan. The atmosphere was one of intense restfulness and peace, and all our friends remarked on this before they had been inside a couple of minutes. There was a glorious garden, at the end of which ran a canal, and in the distance could be seen the Garth mountain.

There was a pleasant room which I thought would be suitable for our research. I decorated the room in apple green and cream, and arranged it to represent a little chapel. When I had completed the decorations and arrangements, I introduced my curate friend of the church where I was a member to what I called our sanctuary. He was generous in his praises, and asked that I should acquaint him with anything we might experience.

We had not finally completed the arranging of the whole house when we had a surprise visit from a London friend who was on a business visit to Cardiff. He was a consulting engineer and director of a well-known engineering firm in Yorkshire. He too was interested in psychic matters but had not yet met with any result. On previous visits he had joined us in our investigations.

During the evening meal we discussed our investigations. We told him that we had been too busy since moving to have any sittings, but we hoped to resume once we had got straight. Our friend suggested that we had a sitting later that evening. We could not very well carry on with our work while he was with us, so we agreed to hold what would be our first sitting since the break caused by removing.

We retired to the séance room and took our places round a small table. We joined in the singing of a hymn, which was played on the gramophone, after which I offered a prayer, followed by the playing of another hymn. We put out the lights, and with our hands resting on the table sat in silence.

We had been sitting for a little while when the silence was interrupted by distinct rappings coming from underneath the table top. We felt the vibrations. This was something new. To make sure that neither of us was unconsciously rapping the table, I suggested that we linked hands, and sat further away from the table. We did this, and to our amazement the rappings continued. What was more startling, we heard rappings on the walls in different parts of the room.

There was a further surprise in store for us. Following the cessation of the rappings, we placed our hands again on the table. We were discussing the raps, when we felt the table swaying to and fro like a clock pendulum. To satisfy ourselves that we were not responsible, we tried to stop it, but despite our combined physical efforts the table continued to sway. It was only for fear of breaking the table in our efforts to stop it that we eased off. Even then the table continued to rock without our hands touching it! Eventually it stopped of its own accord, but by this time we were alarmed. However, we decided to carry on a little longer to see if anything else happened. It did!

We had placed our hands on the table again, and to our astonishment felt it rising off the floor. Higher and higher it rose until we had to stand in order that our hands could continue to rest on the table. Having gone so far, we decided to check the table’s upward progress by pulling it down. Our exertions were fruitless. The table continued to rise higher and higher. When it had got above our heads, I suggested that we hung on to it. We did, and up we started to go. We were lifted clean off our feet. To say that we were alarmed is to put it mildly. I was scared. We let go and came to the floor with a bump. The table went on its upward course until we heard it touch the ceiling, where it remained for a time.

When the table had come down and taken up its original position, I said that I had had enough for one night. Our combined weight totalled nearly thirty-five stones, yet we were lifted off our feet by some unknown power with such ease that we might not have turned the scale with a feather as the weight. That was our dilemma, and rather a frightening one, too.

While I was expressing my opinion on what had happened, and was about to close the sitting, we heard something fall on the table. We discovered it to be a cushion which had been taken from another part of the room, some distance from where we were. Just as swiftly as the cushion came, so it was taken away.

I got up from my chair to put on the light. As I did so, I felt something brush the side of my face. It was very un canny. I instinctively put up my hand and caught hold of a cushion.

I told my wife and my friend what had happened, and said: “Here’s going. I do not know about you two, but I am not staying a moment longer.”

That was the end of the first sitting after nearly twelve years’ patient investigation at which anything of an unusual nature had happened, and I was glad to see it finish. None of us was looking or feeling our proper selves as we sat down to a meal. We were unnerved, and not ashamed to admit it.

Discussing the strange happenings, I said: “I do not mind or care what I meet in the substance, and I am not afraid to tackle anybody in a tight push. But when something you cannot feel or see is able to lift a table and three human beings, and carry or throw cushions about the place, it rather puts one at a disadvantage. I had the ‘wind up’ just as badly as I did the first night I spent, under shell fire in France.”

Our friend stayed a week. On the evening of the day prior to his departure for London, he suggested that we had another sitting. I demurred. I told my friend that I was uncertain of the forces we had contacted, and I did not feel inclined to expose myself needlessly to any physical violence. I still had in mind the physical phenomena we had experienced at the first sitting. I realised that weighty articles could be thrown and I was not anxious to be a target. After a long discussion, I agreed that we should hold another sitting, but I was going prepared for emergency. As we were sitting in the dark, I decided to take a candle and a box of matches, and have them handy in case of the unexpected.

We were on tenterhooks when we entered the séance room. We took our places round the small table. The candlestick and matches I placed alongside my left foot. It was left to me to offer the prayer, but I made a poor job of it because the uneasy state of my mind made me somewhat incoherent. However, I struggled through it as best I could. We placed our hands on the table and waited. Realising the force we had contacted in the first instance had been able to move physical objects, my mind was centred on the candlestick. To make sure the candlestick remained where I put it, I kept tapping it with my foot. I am sure that had the unseen force removed it, I should not be writing these reminiscences, for I should have finished my investigations there and then.

The rappings began soon after we had taken up our positions, both on the table and on different parts of the walls. We had been sitting for about a quarter of an hour when we observed what appeared to be white flecks. Although it was August, I jocularly said, “It looks like snow.” We had no knowledge of ectoplasm in those days. Curious to find out whether what appeared to be blobs of cotton-wool were solid, we tried to get hold of them, but all we grasped was the air.

While we were observing and discussing this phenomenon, a metallic sound was heard on the table. I instantly put my hand where I had heard the sound and felt an object. “There is something here,” I exclaimed. “Wait a moment until I light the candle, and then we will see what it is.”

I lit the candle. On the table we saw a gold cross with a large piece of honeysuckle fastened through the ring by which it was suspended. Our faces were a study. Looking at my wife, I said, “If this is not the cross which we have hanging over the head of our bed, then it is the nearest replica I have seen.” To satisfy our curiosity I left and went to our bed­room. I was astounded to find there was no sign of the cross. I returned to the séance room and told my wife and friend of my discovery. Here, indeed, was a problem. We were mystified as to what power could carry an article from one part of the house to another, but we were more mystified by the appearance of the honeysuckle.

I remembered we had a honeysuckle tree in the garden, but as it was dark I decided to leave my investigations. The following morning I examined the tree and found a newly broken branch. I told my wife and my friend what I had found. I took the piece of honeysuckle which we had found in our room the previous night. When I tried it on the broken branch of the tree it fitted exactly.

Our dilemma was not eased by this latest happening. We were lost for an explanation. We had contacted a power - desirable or undesirable, we had no means of finding out - that was able to produce phenomena that were beyond human agency.

It was impossible for the honeysuckle and cross to be brought into the room through an open door or window as both were fastened. We made a close inspection of the chimney, but failed to find any particles of soot on either of the articles. That matter had passed through matter there was not a shadow of doubt.

After the return to London of our friend, my wife and I decided to continue our research into the mysteries of this intriguing subject.

Our first attempt, when we two were the only sitters, proved to be interesting. After we had put out the light we were amazed to find the room illuminated by psychic lights. The whole of the frieze surrounding the room was a mass of lights. On the ceiling and walls were huge patches of lights twinkling like stars in the heavens. So illumined was the room by means of these lights that it was possible for us to see each other. Almost immediately we placed our hands on the table, rappings were heard. We suggested the use of a code to the power responsible for the rappings in order that we might get a message and to find out who was the operator. However, we failed to get any message.

It was during a period of inactivity of psychic forces, while my wife and myself were engaged in conversation, that another strange happening occurred. We heard a sound as if something had touched the table. As I remarked on this, I felt something being pushed into my hands. It was a framed crucifix. Although we did not actually see the crucifix in transit, it had been taken from the wall in another part of the room from where we were sitting. We did not hear a sound until it actually touched the table.

The bringing of the crucifix had the effect of easing my mind respecting the forces we were contacting. I had no desire to dabble with a power which was harmful or undesirable. Having no other means of letting me know, I assumed that the force operating, to put my mind at ease, had brought the cross and the crucifix. This was confirmed at a later period. Nothing of importance happened for the remainder of the sitting which lasted an hour.

We continued, twice a week, to hold sittings of one hour’s duration before we got the “voice.”

Among the many interesting happenings were the following. We had no reason to close the sittings. When we had sat the allotted hour, the table was levitated. When we put on the light, we found the table by the window, with the cloth on it and the bowl of flowers which we always kept in the room. We had flowers brought into the room. Where they came from, we never knew. There were occasions when the flowers that came were not of British cultivation, and could not be bought in this country. Sometimes we had most fragrant perfumes. On one occasion, the perfume was sprayed over us, our hair and faces being saturated.

We had a letter from our London friend to say that he was coming to Cardiff on business, and that his wife was accompanying him. As the amount of business needing his attention would take at least a fortnight, we arranged for them to stay with us.

Just over two months had elapsed since we had experienced our first phenomena. I had kept my friends posted with the phenomena we had experienced. During the whole of the time we had not received a message on which we could place any reliance. Every attempt to get a message by means of raps was a disjointed affair. However, there was one point of interest. Several times, during each sitting, we got the name Belle spelt out. We were unable to place it.

The second night after our friends’ arrival we held a sitting, the first occasion on which the four of us had sat together. Taking our places round the table, the sitting was opened in the usual way by prayer and the singing of hymns. Rappings on the table began almost before we had finished singing, but, try as we could, we were unable to get a tangible message, which annoyed us. Suddenly my friend’s wife exclaimed, “Someone is touching me.”

“Who is it?” we asked. The next moment, my wife said, “I am being touched, too.” In turn, my friend and myself were touched as well. It was an uncanny experience at the time. Giving our views of the sensation we experienced, we all agreed that it was just like a warm hand caressing and stroking our heads.

While we were discussing this latest phenomenon my friend’s wife said, “My glasses have been taken off.” At the end of the sitting we found the glasses resting on the mantelpiece. My wife then called out that her necklace had been removed from her neck. The necklace was placed on the table. My friend was the next victim. He exclaimed, “Someone is fiddling about in my hip-pocket.” Next, all his loose change, which he carried in that pocket, was dropped on the table.

Naturally, I wondered what was in store for me. Anyway, I had a brilliant idea. I had a ring on one finger which had got uncomfortably tight. I was unable to remove it, and had decided to have it filed off to save the finger from any injury that might result from continued pressure. I thereupon said, “Well, whoever is doing the removals, you can do me a favour by taking the ring from my finger which I am unable to remove.”

I was confident that my request was an impossible one. But I was soon to be disillusioned. I felt what appeared to me to be warm fingers stroking my hand. These then held the finger on which was the ring. In a twinkling of an eye, the ring was taken off and placed on the table.

At the next sitting we got our first definite message rapped out. This was, “Please get a trumpet, and we will try to speak.” To make sure that we had got the message right, we asked that it might be repeated. This was done.

We bought a trumpet, and looked forward with expectation to the next sitting. We placed the small trumpet on the table. We had plenty of rappings, but our interest was centred on the trumpet and what was going to happen. We had been sitting for about twenty minutes when we saw the trumpet rise above our heads. It circled round, dipping and rising, as an airship might do. This went on for a little while, and then the trumpet gently tapped our heads. It eventually became stationary about three to four feet above our heads, and as near in the centre of the circle as possible.

Nothing untoward happened for a little while, but suddenly we heard a hissing noise, not unlike that produced by escaping steam. The hissing continued for some time, then it changed to a gurgling sort of noise. It sounded very like someone gargling his throat. We listened with intense interest, and at long last a very squeaky “voice” was heard coming from the trumpet. We had the greatest difficulty in understanding what was being said.

We almost gave it up in despair. Although still squeaky and decidedly incoherent, the “voice” did at last make itself understood. It said, “Hello, hello; will try to speak better another time.” A very short message, you may remark, but it made a profound impression on our minds