CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
TALE OF TWO SITTINGS
By now we had reached the
stage where our communicators were providing independent evidence of
their identity by speaking elsewhere. This was borne out in the
following account in Psychic News by A. W. Austen:
“The cross-evidence between
Hannen Swaffer’s home I circle and Mrs. Perriman is now complete. The
chief control of each has spoken in the circle of the other. Several
times I have heard at Mrs. Perriman’s séances spirits with whom I have
frequently conversed at Swaffer’s circle. On Monday, Belle, of Mrs.
Perriman’s group, was one of the communicators at Swaffer’s circle.
“Four members of the Swaffer
circle, including the trumpet medium and her husband, were guests of
Mrs. Perriman at a direct voice séance last week. Among the thirty
spirits we heard were White Shadow, the chief guide, Joan, a niece of
the three sitters in the Swaffer circle, and Lottie, Swaffer’s ‘dead’
sister-in-law.
“This was the first time that
our trumpet medium had been able to talk with her guide, White Shadow,
in the direct voice. She always hears him clairaudiently, and White
Shadow has been able to say a few words in his own circle, with the
medium out of trance. But this was the first long conversation he had
had with her through another medium. It was the first time, also, that
she had spoken to Joan or Lottie. She told me afterwards that, at the
Perriman séance, she saw White Shadow, Joan and Lottie clairvoyantly, as
well as Belle and several of the other communicators.
“Then, on Monday, not only
did Belle speak at our circle, but White Shadow and Joan both confirmed
that they had spoken through the Perriman mediumship.
“Remarkably good evidence was
given by Dennis Bradley at the Perriman séance. Addressing a Mrs.
Thompson, he said: ‘I believe you have seen my wife today. Are you going
to keep your promise?’
“‘I hope
so,’ the woman replied.
“‘You know
what I mean?’ Bradley asked. “‘Yes,’ said the woman.
“‘It is strange that we
should meet in this manner.’ went on the spirit. ‘I have never met you
before.’
“‘That is so,’ said Mrs.
Thompson. Then she added, ‘You were with us the other day.’
“‘Yes,’ said Bradley. ‘Why
didn’t you say you saw me? I was leaning over the couch, at the end.’
“‘Yes, I saw you,’ said the
woman. ‘But I did not know whether Mrs. Bradley would believe me.’
“‘Rubbish,’ remarked the
spirit. ‘Stick to the truth,’ urged Bradley as he left. Mrs. Thompson
related after the séance that she had been in the company of Dennis
Bradley’s wife that day.
“Belle greeted all the sitters,
and her spirit light flitted gaily among them. The Rev. Dr. Couhhard had a
confidential talk with his son who was one of the sitters. Flora
Macdonald, whose broad Scots accent is well known, discoursed at length.
“There were little bits of
humour through the séance, but some of it was unintentional, such as, for
example, when a spirit asked for his son, who had failed to attend. ‘I am
disgusted with him, and you can tell him so,’ said the voice gruffly.
“While a spirit mother was
talking to her son, the son remarked, ‘How is Teddy?’ Instantly the voice
changed and Teddy remarked, ‘I can speak for myself'. This happened
several times during the séance, other relatives breaking in much as they
would in an earthly conversation. It was done more quickly than could
happen on the telephone.
"When the next spirit voice
spoke, the sitter, the spirit’s daughter, was obviously trying to get some
proof the spirit was determined not to give. ‘Give your sister my love,’
said the voice. 'I don’t know which one you mean,’ said the sitter.
“‘Now, don’t try that,’ the
spirit replied. 'I told you last time we were talking. Why do you ask me
to repeat, my dear? Just take your memory back.’ Then the mother explained
that she did not want to mention names then, as it might destroy the
evidence when she spoke to the other daughter, who was apparently
sceptical.
“Throughout the sitting, the
voices gave evidence, recognised by the people for whom it was intended,
but un intelligible to the rest of the sitters.” |
