CHAPTER VI.

MEDIUMSHIP (continued): WRITING VISION

A

S an answer to the question "How is vision pro

duced?' a drawing had been made in which the seer is represented as lying back with the eyes shut and receiving a current of 'spiritual fluid' from the two hands of a spirit. The current from the left hand enters the right eye, and reissuing from the left eye of the seer, joins the right hand fingers of the spirit again. Quite unexpectedly to me, the words In,' and 'Out,' were written by the eyes, thus indicating a kind of circle. These first explanatory notes and illustrations will hereafter, doubtless, appear as rude and imperfect as the first guesses of the alchemists at the simple elements are seen to be by the analytical chemists of our own time.

I next asked how the character of the vision was determined, and was told, 'Whatever the spirit thinks, the medium sees.'

The following instances of vision are transcribed nearly verbatim from notes taken during their occurrence. They were as little expected or understood by

the mediums as by myself, and the seers being either intimate friends or members of my own family, were of course unpaid.

On one of those occasions on which a circle of friends had assembled for experiments, a vision was seen, which is well worthy of notice, both because it was preceded by the sensible mesmerising of the seer, and on account of its own beautiful imagery and meaning.

,

There had been a slight movement of the table, which soon however became steady, and the hand of a young man present was moved to write 'Join hands round the table.' After a time, Mrs. D a lady of high intellectual power, declared that she could not keep her eyes open. We begged her not to combat the influence. Her hands were then drawn away from those of the rest of the party, who sat quietly watching her. She did not sleep, but could not open her eyes, and she said she felt a sensation like cool fanning over her face and brow. This lasted some minutes, and from its distinctness seemed to surprise her very much. She said that it was a most delightful feeling, but she could not guess whence it was, nor what it was for, though she felt as if some one were very near her. At length she exclaimed, 'Now I see!' and described the vision, which was written from her own words.

'I see a church of emeralds. An altar, over which is a beautiful bright light, and a steeple, illuminated. The pavement is inlaid and of the richest colours. A

great deal of purple, but no black. The deepest colour, that which would have been black, is blue. The ends of the pews are arched, and all of precious stones.

'Now I see a number of people coming. There is so much purple about them. They have loose robes of purple. They appear to have formed ranks on each side, and a number of beautiful children are come, all in white, with wreaths held up over their heads. They pass up the church and are kneeling before the illuminated part, which is a tower rather than an altar.

'Now I see a beautiful altar, not a crescent. The top is inlaid with marble of beautiful colours, highly polished. The windows are purple and gold. In the centre of each window is a large precious stone; it is as large as a dinner-plate. The first is bright gold, the second is ruby or carbuncle, the third is bright blue. Now I see them (the people) all going up the immense tower. What a height! It makes me giddy to look at it! Now they have wings, and I see them all in the air. There is a bright circle, and they have passed through it. They are all gone into heaven.

'Everything is dissolving, and a bright light coming again. Where the illuminated tower stood, I see the cross of Christ, and beside it stands our Saviour. Oh ! how beautiful He looks! pointing upwards towards His cross!'

The seer said that the church appeared to be more than a mile in length. She was impressed to believe

that the figures in purple were those who had suffered for the faith of Christ, and the young ones in white, the purified spirits of those who went to heaven by His means.

We then asked for a fuller explanation, and obtained the following in writing, by the hand of the young man who had first written :

Q. What do the emeralds mean?'

Ans. New. It is the New Church that is fast coming. Watch the course of events throughout the world.'

Q. What is meant by the wreaths that the young ones held?'

Ans. 'Innocence. Never cease watching the course of God's providence.'

Q. Who are you who give us this information?'

Ans. F. The name of the older spirit who had spoken to me at Mrs. Hayden's, and who has been described as delighting, in his life on earth, in anticipations of the fulfilment of prophecy, and the establishment of the Saviour's kingdom.

After this, Mrs. D's eyes continuing tightly shut, we asked for directions how to open them. It was written, Just touch her forehead between the eyes, and they will open.' I did so, and the lids

6

Then it was written, Touch her eyelids.'

immediately.

began to rise.

They opened

'The scenes of the vision,' Mrs. D— said, 'came

one after another like dissolving views.'

Both she and the young man by whose hand the explanation was written were of a character, and possessed of a cerebral organisation, which well fitted them to receive and appreciate such communications. Mrs. D soon had experience of a different character from that described. One instance of this afforded a means of recognising the spirit seen. The lady had become partially entranced, having her eyes close shut, but in no other way showing that she was under influence, when she began to describe scenes through which she seemed to be passing. I give

as nearly as I can her own words;

'These green slopes are very lovely, with their patches of flowers, and ferns, and brushwood. This young girl is Ellen; quite herself, so fresh, and fair and young. She is looking at me with her bright smile from behind a rosebush; she seems to be just pushing aside the branches to let me see her face. Now I see that with the other hand she holds the hand of a noble-looking old man whom she calls,' (mentioning the relation and describing the face, features, and manner of the older spirit whom Mrs. D had never seen in life, but who was the one mentioned as having given her the vision of the church, and as having a mind much in harmony with her own).

'Ask him,' I said, 'to take some means of identifying himself for me, if possible?' She waited a minute, then said;