Introduction
Unenlightened spirits often wander aimlessly for many years in the earth sphere, their lack of knowledge of a higher spirit world, which is attained only through understanding, keeping them in a dreary condition of confusion, monotony and suffering; many remain in the scenes of their earth lives, continuing their former activities, while others fall into a state of heavy sleep from which they are with difficulty aroused.
The Case of MINNIE DAY
Pathos and tragedy are often the grim accompaniment of the sufferings of earthbound spirits. The spirit of the following narrative was taken from a patient who was subject to doleful spells of crying and afflicted with intense head pains, all of which ceased after the spirit was removed.
Spirit: MINNIE DAY – Patient: MRS. L. W – Psychic: MRS. WICKLAND
Spirit: (Crying piteously) Oh, my head hurts so badly! I don’t like those needles (electrical treatments given patient), they hurt me so. My head hurts! I am lost, I don’t know where I am at. There were thousands and thousands of needles; I had to cry.
Dr. Where do you live?
Sp. I don’t know.
Dr. Where did your parents live?
Sp. I don’t know. Dr. Aren’t you a little child?
Sp. I am only little, I am Minnie Day.
Dr. Where did you live? How old are you?
Sp. I don’t know. Ask Ma.
Dr. Don’t you know what city you lived in?
Sp. In St. Louis. Oh! my father is coming! He hit me on the head! And there’s Willie.
Dr. Who is Willie?
Sp. He’s my brother. Here’s my father, and I’m afraid! He says to come with him. Oh, Ma, my head hurts! My Ma says for me to go with her ’cause she has a new home for me and Willie.
Dr. You will go to her home in the spirit world.
Sp. What is the spirit world? What does that mean? Dr. That is the invisible world around the earth. Do you know that you are dead?
Sp. What do you mean?
Dr. I mean that you have lost your physical body. What have you been doing recently?
Sp. I have been running all over trying to find somebody. Mama died a long time ago when I was a little girl. After Ma died Papa was so mean to me and Willie, and he hit me so many times. I feel so bad, and my head hurts. I have been to so many places and my Ma is dead, and I don’t know where to go.
Dr. You were in such mental distress that you did not realize your condition. You have lost your physical body and your friends would call you dead.
Sp. Did I die? Sometimes I feel as if I were in a box. We were a big crowd (spirits obsessing the patient) and they Pushed and pushed, and there was one big man and he was so mean to us. He chased us one way, then another, but one day we lost him. (This tormenting spirit had been attracted from the patient two days before. I felt so glad he was lost and I thought I could be quiet, but I got all those needles.
Dr. You were influencing a lady and making her cry.
Sp. What do you mean?
Dr. You are a spirit, and were in the aura of that lady. When she had an electrical treatment you felt it and left her. You are using my wife’s body now. Look at your hands; do they belong to you?
Sp. Oh, look! I have a ring! But that is not mine, and I have not stolen it. (Excitedly) Take it away! I didn’t steal that ring!
Dr. This is not your body, and that is not your ring. It is very likely that you died when your head was hurt. The spirit lives after the body dies.
Sp. But I have been alive.
Dr. You were living, but without a physical body, and came in touch with a sensitive, a lady, who is now in the other house. She acts just as you do, and complains of her head hurting in the same place yours hurts you. She has been acting like an insane person, but it is all due to spirit influence.
Sp. The man was so mean that we had with us, but now he is lost, and we are so glad. We were all seared of him, but we could not run away from him. He was awful mean; he bit and scratched and would fight.
Dr. He was very obstinate. He was controlling this body a short time ago, just as you are now. We have circles like this where spirits may come for help.
Sp. Spirits? I don’t know anything about them. My head hurts me.
Dr. The body you are using belongs to my wife, and she has no pain in her head.
Sp. Those needles hurt me so much.
Dr. When the lady had a treatment today you evidently were able to get away and are now allowed to control this body So that we can help you. A short time ago you said that your father and mother were here; are they here now?
Sp. Don’t you see Mama? She’s standing right there.
Dr. Wouldn’t you like to go with your mother?
Sp. But she’s dead.
Dr. You are “dead” also. There is no “death” really. We only lose our physical bodies. Spirit is invisible.
Sp. Oh, take me away! Take me away! My father is coming, and I’m afraid! He’ll strike me again! Take me away!
Dr. Your father probably comes for forgiveness. You understand, he cannot progress in the spirit world until you forgive him. Ask him what he has to say to you. Sp. He doesn’t say anything; he’s crying. He comes up to Mama now.
Dr. Doesn’t he look sorry?
Sp. He says he is so sorry for what he did. The child spirit was removed and the distressed father took control of the psychic. Crying in anguish he fell on his knees, with his arms outstretched.
Spirit: William Day
Spirit: Forgive me! Forgive me! I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t mean to kill you, Minnie. I was very nervous and the children made such a noise. I was so sad because my wife had died. Give me a chance! Just give me one more chance! I, too, have suffered. If I had only lived! I have been in the dark so long and cannot be helped, and I cannot come near my child, she is so afraid of me. I have tried to reach her to ask for forgiveness, but she is so scared when I come near her that I cannot reach her.
Don’t any of you ever strike a child, else you will suffer for years and years. I did not mean to hurt her; I loved her, but I killed her. If there is a God, lift this trouble and sorrow away from me! Give me some light and comfort, in my suffering! I cannot rest I have no peace. I can only see my work that I did in anger. Try to control yourself if you get angry, else you, will suffer as I have. God help me! Oh, God! Give me one more chance-just one!
Dr. Do you realize that you are dead?
Sp. No; I ran away when I killed my child. Somebody got after me and ran very hard, then something hit me in the neck, and I fell down. (Evidently killed.) I got right up and ran, and I have been running so long it seems years. Many times I have seen my wife, accusing me for killing my child. I did kill her, God help me! I have tried to find just a little comfort and light.
Dr. You cannot find light until you have understanding.
Sp. God give me light and understanding! All I see is that poor child’s head, split open where I struck her. I tried to ask Minnie for forgiveness, but she shrank from me and I could not get near her, and there was my wife, always accusing me for what I had done.
Dr. She will not accuse you any more.
Sp. Will she forgive me?
Dr. Yes. What is your name?
Sp. William Day.
Dr. Can you recall what year it is?
Sp. My brain is in such a turmoil. I have been running and running for so long, trying to get away from that crowd of people that were after me. Everybody I saw, I ran from, knowing that they too would accuse me for killing Minnie. At nights my wife has stood by me accusing me, and then there was the child, with her head all split open, and the blood pouring out. I have had hell. It could not be worse. Is there no help for me? I prayed and prayed, but it did no good.
Dr. Do you know that you are in California?
Sp. California? When did I get here? Did I run all the way from St. Louis to California?
Dr. Do you understand that you are a spirit controlling the body of a mortal?
Sp. Do you mean that I am dead?
Dr. You have lost your physical body.
Sp. Won’t I have to stay in the grave until the dead rise?
Dr. You are here now; how did you get out of the grave?
Sp. I have had no rest for I don’t know how long.
Dr. There is no such thing as “death.” When you pass out of your physical body you lose your five physical sense organs, and unless you have understanding of the spirit life, you are in the dark, and can only see when coming in touch with some mortal.
Sp. The people are hounding me until I am tired out.
Dr. Now you must try to become reconciled with your wife and child.
Sp. Do you think they will ever forgive me? Please, forgive me, wife! I was not worthy of you. You were an angel and I was such a brute. Will you please forgive me? If you will only give me just one chance, I will try so hard. I have suffered so much. Carrie, Carrie! Is it really true that you will forgive me? Is it true? You were such a patient woman and tried so hard to help me, but I was no good. I loved my children, but I had such a bad temper. I really killed my wife by letting her sew just to keep the family together. I made good money, but there were always men around, telling me to come with them, and I did not know anything until my wages were all gone, and I went home feeling like a devil.
Dr. Perhaps the trouble was not all yours, for you might have been obsessed. When you leave here with your wife, you will find a wonderful spirit world.
Sp. I am not worthy to go with my wife, but I will try to do good. I don’t want you to go away from me any more, Carrie! (Crying) Minnie, can you forgive your Papa? My dear child, I killed you, but I did not mean to. Forgive your Papa. Will I wake up after a while and find myself in darkness again? Am I asleep or dreaming? Minnie, don’t go away from Papa! Please, forgive me!
Dr. You are neither asleep nor dreaming, but are beginning to realize your condition.
Sp. Did they kill me when they hit me in my neck and head? They shot me.
Dr. We can’t say certainly, but they probably did.
Sp. If I can just have one more chance I will do my level best to keep my family together.
Dr. There is something else you can do, also, after you acquire understanding-it will be your duty to help poor, unfortunate spirits who are obsessing mortals, making devils of some of them. When you had your own body you may have been obsessed by some spirits.
Sp. I did not care for drink; I hated the very sight of it. But when once I got just a smell of it, something took hold of me and made me feel like a devil and I could not resist it. I could not do anything with myself. God help me and give me just a little comfort.
Dr. When you leave here you will be reunited with your family.
Sp. Are you sure about that?
Dr. Positive; but you must do as the advanced spirits instruct you.
Sp. If there is anything I can do to help you, I will do it, because you have reunited me with my family. I came home drunk and you don’t know how I felt when I realized that my wife was dying. I was so drunk that I did not fully realize things until the next morning when I woke up, and there was my wife-dead! I could not understand it. What was I to do? What could I do with the children? My wife dead!
My wife and Minnie say they will both forgive me, and now I have my wife and two children, and I am going to start all over again. God bless you all for what you have done for me and my family.
The confusion and mental suffering existing on the earth plane is vividly portrayed by the spirits who are brought to our circle for help.
The Case of W.Y.
Spirit: W. Y. – Psychic: MRS. WICKLAND.
Spirit: Well Dad, I’m here again. The spirit friends gave me the privilege of coming and talking first. Dad, it’s queer that I should go so quickly, but my time had come. I am glad the door is not shut for me. I have seen many heartbroken spirits who go to their relatives and friends, and the door is closed in their faces. (Through skepticism and unconsciousness of the presence of spirits.)
It’s hard for them. I have much to be thankful for, because Grandpa B. and Uncle C. stood right beside me when I woke up from the sleep of death. It was queer. It was like an electric shock going through my body.
Life is queer. If each one of you could see the experiences gone through by those who go into the sleep of death!
Dad, I had a little knowledge of the next life, not much, but a little, and it helped. could realize that the change of death had taken place. I recognized my relatives and friends.
Uncle F. says I should tell you that I was much better off than he was when he passed to the other side, and that now his work is to help the unfortunate ones who do not understand the real life.
Dad, wasn’t it queer that I should wake up to the new birth of life on my earthly birthday? Now I have my spiritual birthday on the same day as my earthly birthday.
Dad, it’s glorious! Tell E. so, and B. and mother; tell all of them that I am happy in the thought that I can come to them and that the door is not closed to me. Tell my little son that I am not dead; that I am not in the grave but am with him, and I will learn the laws governing so that I can guide him through life. Let him have an understanding that I am there with him and that I have more strength and power to help him than before.
Thank God that I also had understanding so that I did not come too close to my dear wife; otherwise, I would have gotten into her magnetic aura and might have caused trouble. My dear little wife, -I am glad that I did not make trouble for us both.
I have seen much of the work done among those who have passed out and do not realize it. They go home to their relatives and friends, and want to stay there rather than go on.
Dad, I’m so glad you could come here again, and I’m glad, so glad, that there is no wall between us. Mr. Y. (Father of spirit.) I am glad too, that I had an opportunity of being here again. Sp. I feel now that there is no parting. It is only that I have gone to another country, but I am with you all. I am with you when you are all together and talk about me. I do not feel that I have gone.
Tell mother and my dear little wife not to mourn for me, but to feel glad that I can be with them. It was very hard that we should have to part when everything looked so bright for us in our little home, but it was my time to go, and when our time comes to go from this earth life, we have to go. We do not go away, as people think we do; we are here with our loved ones, only our bodies are not visible.
I wish you could see how Uncle F. works in the dark earth sphere to help and to serve the unfortunate ones there, to prevent them from obsessing any one. He is so anxious to have everybody know the real truth on the other side, and it is a pity that so much dogma and creed are the stumbling blocks. The little time I have been gone I have learned so much.
I thank you, Dad, that you and mother did not force any strong dogma, or religion, or creed, upon my mind. I was free. Thank you for it. Mr. Y. It’s pretty hard, sometimes, to know exactly what to do regarding religion in bringing up children.
Sp. I wish all could have been as free as I was, then there would not be so much sorrow and doubt. Dad, I’m so glad I can come to you again.
The other day, Uncle F., Uncle C. and I went to the earth sphere-not to our home, but to the condition that exists on the lower plane. That is more of a hell than anybody can describe. It’s worse than an insane asylum, where one is crazy in one way, and another in another way. You can’t imagine what a hell it is.
One has one creed, one another, and they are all in the dark. They are all hypnotized in their creeds and beliefs and you can not get any sense whatever into them. You have to put some object lesson before them to attract their attention. At times music will make them realize their condition. If you can attract their attention, you can sometimes reach the real spirit, but dogmas and creeds are so planted in their minds that they cannot see anything.
If you want to realize in part what the condition of the earth sphere is, go to the worst ward in an insane asylum, and you can then have some realization of the condition on the invisible side when they have no knowledge of the next life.
Imagine a spirit of that character coming in contact with a person’s magnetic aura and acting through him, as is often the case. They call that person insane and send him to the insane asylum where there are a lot of other lunatics, both of earth and the spirit side of life. It is terrible to know that such a condition exists and that selfish creeds and dogmas are the cause of it all.
I have to thank you and mother again for not forcing any dogma on me; what little knowledge I had was the real truth of life.
Uncle C. took me, at another time, to different conditions. He said, “Come, we will go,” and we went to some place in spirit life. We came to a place which I cannot describe. I can’t describe my feelings, I can’t describe the conditions, because the music was so sublime, so different from anything I have ever heard. I felt so light; I felt I was lifted up. Such people as were there! I cannot describe them.
Imagine, if you can, a place where there is the most beautiful music, where there is a grand orchestra of masters, all playing in one grand unit of music. Can you imagine what it would be?
I enjoyed it, -but oh I could not realize its full import, because I wanted you and my dear little wife to hear it. I could not enjoy it alone. I wanted to open the door to you all at home, so that you could all listen to it-then I should have felt satisfied.
I thought and thought, and an old gentleman came up to me and patted me on the shoulder, and said: “Young man, I receive your thought. Do not worry. Soon the time will come for which we are all working, when an instrument will be invented on earth, through which all who wish can hear the grand masters in the spirit world. Not yet, but in time.”
Dad, my work is to learn to help others less fortunate than myself, and also to learn to be a help and not a detriment to my dear wife and little boy and to you all. I am learning my lessons, and after knowing them I will come to you.
Don’t think I am not with you all, but think I am there, for I am, and in that way I can be much closer, especially when you have music, because music brings us much closer to those we love.
Goodbye, and tell my dear wife I send her best love.
With exquisite grace and courteous inquiry came the spirit of one, formerly a famous actress, whose friends had tried in vain to waken her from the “sleep of death.”
Excerpt from Thirty Years Among The Dead
See Part II here.