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was that although many spirits exercised this power of control, the voice which spoke was always
different; and in the case of those spirits which controlled regularly we came to know perfectly well
which intelligence was communicating, by the tone of the voice and the method of enunciation.
So far, in this enumeration of the various phenomena, I have spoken generally of the manifestations
which usually occurred at most of our sittings, but in conclusion I will give two particular instances, one
of direct writing, and one of identity, both of which I think are interesting, and which certainly impressed
me considerably. On one occasion we were told to cease for a time and resume the séance later on. I
asked the communicating intelligences if they would during the interval give me a sample of direct writing
under test conditions. Having received an affirmative reply, I procured a piece of my own note-paper,
and, unknown to the other members of the circle, I dated and initialled it, and also put a private mark in
a corner of the sheet. The others having retired from the dining to the drawing room, I placed my piece
of paper with a pencil under a table in the study, and having thoroughly searched the room, I barred the
shutters, bolted and locked the door, and put the key in my pocket. I did not lose sight of the door until I
re-entered, when to my great satisfaction I found a message clearly written on the paper. As we had not
been sitting in the study, and as I can positively aver that no one entered the room after I had left it until I
myself unlocked the door, I have always considered this particular instance of direct spirit writing as a
most satisfactory and conclusive test. The other occurrence which I consider specially worthy of mention
took place as follows. We were sitting one night as usual, and I had in front of me, with my hand resting
upon it, a piece of note-paper, with a pencil close by. Suddenly Stainton Moses, who was sitting exactly
opposite me, exclaimed,  There is a very bright column of light behind you. Soon afterwards he said
that the column of light had developed into a spirit-form. I asked him if the face was familiar to him, and
he replied in the negative, at the same time describing the head and features. When the séance was
concluded I examined my sheet of paper, which my hand had never left, and found written on it a
message and signature. The name was that of a distinguished musician who died in the early part of the
present century. I purposely refrain from specifying him, as the use of great names very frequently leads
to results quite different from those intended. However, now comes the most extraordinary part of the
affair. I asked Stainton Moses without, of course, showing him the written message whether he
thought he could recognise the spirit he saw behind my chair if he saw a portrait of him. He said he
thought he could, so I gave him several albums, containing likenesses of friends dead and alive, and also
portraits of various celebrities. On coming to the photograph of the composer in question he at once
said, without hesitation,  That is the face of the spirit I saw behind you. Then, for the first time, I
showed him the message and signature. I regarded the whole incident as a very fair proof of spirit-
identity, and I think that most people would, at any rate, consider the occurrence one of interest.
 15 
Biography of W. STAINTON MOSES
During the time of Stainton Moses s active mediumship, he was often busily engaged in assisting in the
formation of various societies, whose primary object was the investigation of Spiritualism and other
occult, though kindred, subjects. He took part in the establishment of the British National Association of
Spiritualists in 1873. He was also connected with the Psychological Society of Great Britain, which was
inaugurated in April 1875, and of the Council of that Society he was one of the original members. In
1882 Stainton Moses took an active interest in the formation of the Society for Psychical Research; and
in 1884 he established  The London Spiritualist Alliance, and became its first President, which post he
filled up to the time of his death. For the last few years of his life, he added to his other duties the
editorship of Light, and though his active mediumship, as regards physical phenomena, had then almost
entirely ceased, yet his power of automatic writing remained with him to the end. For the last three or
four years of his life he suffered from failing health, and many successive attacks of influenza gradually
undermined a constitution which had never been conspicuously robust. Though he gradually became
worse, he was never supposed to be in any real danger, and when the end came, on September 5th,
1892, it was a terrible shock to all those who knew him, and who realised what a loss to themselves
personally, and to the cause of Spiritualism generally, his death would prove.
Far more interesting to those who knew him intimately was Stainton Moses s personality than his life.
The latter, as all who read this brief sketch will readily see for themselves, was, with the exception of the
wonderful spiritual experiences so indissolubly linked with it, unmomentous and uneventful. But his
individuality and force of character were immense; his ability was quite out of the common; and more [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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