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"I HEARD A VOICE" 
 
 OR 
 
 THE GREAT EXPLORATION 
 
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 I HEARD A VOICE" 
 
 f! 
 
 Or 
 
 The Great Exploration 
 
 By 
 
 A KINGS COUNSEL 
 
 AND DOCTOR OF LAWS 
 
 NEW YORK 
 E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY 
 
 681 FIFTH AVENUE 
 

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 All Rights Reserved 
 
 PRINTED IN THE TOUTED STATES OF AMERICA 
 
TO ALL WHO GRIEVE THE LOSS OF LOVED ONES — 
 "THE DEAD, WHO ARE NOT DEAD BUT LIVING" — 
 AND TO ALL WHO FEAR OR DOUBT THE HEREAFTER 
 
 THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED. 
 
 "There is no death, the dust we tread 
 Shall change beneath the summer showers 
 To golden grain, or mellow fruit, 
 Or rainbow-tinted flowers. 
 And ever near us, though unseen, 
 The dear immortal spirits tread, 
 For all the boundless universe 
 Is life — There are no dead." 
 
 — Lord Lytton. 
 
ijth October j 191 7. 
 
 The following Spirit-poem, received by us (by 
 automatic writing) from a well-known poet of the 
 seventeenth century, was written by him for the 
 purposes, of this book. The spelling, which is in 
 old English style, I have not attempted to alter. 
 
 "I herde a Voyce abuv the noysie worlde 
 Ring oute, triumphant over lande and sea, 
 Amid the whirle of Lyfe and Flaymynge war, 
 I knewe the messenger brawte newes for mee. 
 
 I herde hym saye, sweete Pi tie in hys tones: 
 *I beare a mandayte from the Kynge of kynges; 
 
 The cloudes wylle brayke, the shadowes flee awaye 
 Befor the sunshyne thatte Hys mercie brynges. . 
 
 'O men hoo groane beneath the Hande of War, 
 O wyves and mothers weepynge harde to-day! 
 
 You count them dedde within som lonelie grayve, 
 And curse the God thatte beckon' d them awaye. 
 
 Theyre erthlie forms are crumblynge into duste — 
 
 Dedde thynges thatte once enwrapp'd the human "I," 
 The Soule lyves on, the Soule beluv'd by yu, 
 
 God gave Itte Lyfe: God sayd, " Yu shalle notte die. M 
 
 'Yette more than thys, the Veil thatte hangs betweene 
 Theyre worlde and youres is lifting to the viewe, 
 
 Halfe way they com, theyre armes with luv outstretch' d, 
 And ling'rynge thus, expecktant wayte for yu. 
 
 'Join handes with them, they are the Holie ''Dedde" 
 Who watch your lyves and troolie understande. 
 
 0! chyldren, com, as Providence decrees, 
 And meete youre Kyn withyn the Fromys'd Lande.' ' 
 
I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 When this " Giant War of the Nations' ' is over it 
 will be a very different world from the one we all 
 knew before August, 19 14; and in no respect will 
 the change be more marked than in the view taken 
 of * l death ' ' and the future life. ' ' What becomes of 
 the thousands of young lives daily removed from 
 this earth ?" "Is there any after-life, and, if so, 
 what is its nature?" "Is it true that when life in 
 this world ends there is a sleep for thousands or 
 millions of years, until a Judgment Day arrives ; or 
 is life in this world followed immediately by an 
 active existence in another plane?" 
 
 Such questions as these are frequently in men's 
 minds ; but the difficulties raised by them have, in 
 the main, been solved by persons having the power 
 of communicating with those who have left this life, 
 or who are willing to learn from others possessing 
 such powers. 
 
I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 The experiences in Spirit-intercourse of my 
 family and myself since the beginning of April, 
 19 1 6, have been so striking that I have felt it my 
 duty to give some account of them, which I trust 
 may be of assistance to those seeking after the 
 truth. I am a member of the legal profession, and 
 neither by nature nor by training am I unduly 
 credulous. I had a prejudice against "Spiritual- 
 ism" rather than a leaning in its favour, being 
 disposed to doubt both the genuineness and the 
 utility of Spirit-communication. But the evidence 
 which has been thrust upon me from my personal 
 experiences since April, 191 6, has been so over- 
 whelming that I find it impossible to doubt the 
 power of Spirit-intercourse, or its immense utility, 
 in the highest sense of that term. 
 
 I must point out, as a matter of first importance, 
 that my experiences have not been through any 
 paid or professional medium, but have been entirely 
 through my two daughters, who possess, as I quite 
 unexpectedly discovered, very exceptional psychic 
 gifts. 
 
 It should be mentioned that neither my wife nor 
 I nor any of my children had read any psychic book 
 or studied Occultism in any way, until some time 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 3 
 
 after many of the messages set out below had 
 been received. 
 
 In the early part of the year 19 16 my daughters 
 (then aged fourteen and eleven) not infrequently 
 amused themselves for a short time of an evening 
 with Planchette. They had not, prior to April, 
 19 1 6, regarded it seriously, but rather as a sort of 
 game, and they had not usually obtained much 
 more than "yes" or "no" to questions asked. 
 Early in April, 191 6, however (at which time my 
 children had never heard of "Spiritualism" or 
 ' ' Occultism ' ') serious messages began to be received , 
 and (with one or two breaks during which no mes- 
 sages were received, as mentioned later) they have 
 continued ever since. In the following pages a 
 number of these messages, or extracts from them, 
 have been set out. In most cases I have altered the 
 names and initials. Except where otherwise stated, 
 every message was signed. 
 
 Having regard to the terms of many of the 
 messages, it is material to point out that my wife, 
 and all our relations (except one of my wife's sisters, 
 who lives at some distance, and has had no connec- 
 tion with any of the messages) are members of 
 the Church of England, and the parents of each 
 
I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 of us when on earth were members of that 
 Church. 
 
 It should be observed that all the messages from 
 the 3rd of April to the 21st of August, 191 6, were 
 obtained by my two daughters sitting at Planchette, 
 one on either side. The messages from the 23rd 
 to the 26th of August were received when my elder 
 daughter was sitting alone at Planchette; and all 
 the subsequent messages were obtained by one or 
 other of my daughters sitting with a pencil, without 
 Planchette. In a few cases, when the daughter 
 writing has found her hand becoming tired in 
 transmitting a long message, her sister has taken up 
 the pencil and continued with the same message. 
 
 Where italics occur in the messages set out below, 
 the passage, excepting where otherwise stated, was 
 underlined in the original. 
 
 I may mention that since the first serious messages 
 were received the psychic power of my daughters 
 has (without effort on their part) very greatly 
 increased, and they have both for some time past 
 possessed, not merely great facility in automatic 
 writing, but the power of producing Spirit-drawings 
 and paintings, and also powers of clairvoyance and 
 clair-audience in a very remarkable degree. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 5 
 
 In considering the weight of the evidence con- 
 tained in the following pages I particularly desire 
 to draw attention to the fact that my children^, 
 when exercising their psychic powers, are never in 
 a state of trance, but are always in a perfectly normal 
 condition. 
 
 Spiritualism is repudiated by large numbers of 
 people upon the ground that in some way or other 
 it is in conflict with Religion; and, in particular, 
 the Clergy of the Established Church (with a few 
 distinguished exceptions), and also those of the 
 Church of Rome, have set their face against it. But 
 this attitude is adopted without real investigation, 
 the subject being approached with the settled 
 conviction that Spirit-intercourse is impossible, 
 and that those who purport to practise it are either 
 fools or knaves. 
 
 All this prejudice will disappear at no distant 
 date, the accumulated evidences of the power of 
 Spirit-intercourse being too strong to be brushed 
 aside, and the idea that any conflict exists between 
 Religion and Spiritualism being without founda- 
 tion. In fact, the study of Spirit-intercourse 
 strongly confirms the essential doctrines of religion 
 in general, and of the Christian faith in particular; 
 
6 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 and illustrations of this are contained in many of 
 the messages set out below. Spiritualism is, in 
 reality, the enemy of Atheism and Agnosticism. 
 
 One of the most vital articles of the Christian 
 faith is the belief in a future life, and that such 
 belief is well founded Spirit-intercourse affords con- 
 clusive proof. What a comfort this is can only be 
 realised by those who have doubted and have had 
 their doubts removed. 
 
 The doctrine of Eternal Punishment certainly 
 receives no support from Spiritualism; but this 
 doctrine cannot be called an essential article of 
 Christian faith. Spirit-intercourse teaches us that 
 although punishment, appropriate in character and 
 proportionate to the offence, is met with in the 
 after-life, happiness is in store for all, even the most 
 depraved, although it may be a long time before 
 such happiness is reached. 
 
 A study of Spiritualism, moreover, removes the 
 difficulties usually experienced in believing in the 
 miracles of the Bible. Take, for example, the 
 doctrine of Inspiration. To those who have had 
 experience of Spirit-messages, in whatever form 
 conveyed, there is nothing unreasonable in the 
 belief that the writings of Scripture were inspired. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 7 
 
 Consider, again, the great central miracle of the 
 Resurrection. Those who have been present at the 
 exercise of genuine powers of clairvoyance and. clair- 
 audience can have no real difficulty in believing 
 that, shortly after the Crucifixion, Christ made 
 Himself apparent to His disciples and others, and 
 communed with them; or in believing in the 
 Ascension. 
 
 So, also, to those who have studied Spiritualism 
 there is nothing incredible in the teaching of Scrip- 
 ture that when Our Lord took St. Peter, St. James, 
 and St. John up on to a mountain apart, these 
 Apostles were given the power of seeing Moses and 
 Elias communing with Christ; or in believing that 
 they heard a Voice saying: "This is My Beloved 
 Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him." 
 In like manner, there is no difficulty in believing 
 that when St. Paul was travelling to Damascus he 
 saw a Vision and heard a Voice speaking to him. 
 
 Similar observations apply to the miracles 
 recorded in the Old Testament. Old Testament 
 teaching is based upon the belief that the Jews were 
 a chosen people, and continued for a long period in 
 close touch with God; and, no doubt, divine 
 messages reached them by means of clairvoyant 
 
8 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 and clair-audient powers given to their leaders in 
 those times. 
 
 Take the beautiful story of Samuel and Eli 
 (i Samuel, ch. iii.). We are taught that Samuel 
 heard a voice calling to him which he thought was 
 the voice of Eli, and it was not until he had been 
 to Eli three times that he realised the voice he 
 heard was the voice of God, or of a spirit sent by 
 God. There is nothing extravagant in this to those 
 who have had any experience in Spirit-intercourse. 
 
 Similar reasoning applies to the miracle of 
 Balaam and the ass. Animals are believed to be 
 usually psychic, and are frequently able to see 
 spirits hidden from the eyes of men. There is 
 nothing unreasonable in believing that a spirit stood 
 in Balaam's way and was visible to the ass, although 
 not at first to Balaam, and that on Balaam punish- 
 ing the ass for refusing to proceed he should have 
 heard a voice, which he believed came from the ass, 
 but more probably came from a spirit sent by God. 
 
 A like explanation applies to the Bible record of 
 the great prophet Moses, who, we are taught, was 
 privileged to receive communications from God, by 
 means of which the Ten Commandments and a long 
 series of ordinances were given to the Israelites. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 9 
 
 This creates no difficulty to the minds of those who 
 realise what wonderful clairvoyant and clair- 
 audient powers some persons possess. The question 
 whether the voice from time to time heard by 
 Moses was (as he thought) the voice of God, or 
 of a spirit sent by God, is not, for this purpose, 
 material. 
 
 It is stated not infrequently that communica- 
 tions from the unseen world must proceed from evil 
 spirits, and that any such intercourse must be 
 injurious and demoralising. But this wholesale 
 condemnation appears to rest on nothing more 
 substantial than prejudice and the dislike of having 
 old convictions upset. It is to be observed, more- 
 over, that the contention assumes the power of 
 Spirit-communication ; and except on that assump- 
 tion it has no meaning. The admission that Spirit- 
 communications of any nature take place really 
 gives away the whole case of the anti-Spiritualists. 
 The great bulk of the prosecutions for alleged 
 " fortune-telling' ' (to use the technical phrase of 
 the Police Courts), would have to be dropped, as 
 the magistrates proceed on the footing that Spirit- 
 intercourse is impossible, and that accordingly the 
 supposed medium must be fraudulent. 
 
io I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 It is reasonable to suppose that those who have 
 " passed over" retain, in their spirit form, their 
 interest in those dear to them on earth, and should 
 wish to communicate with them and explain that 
 " Death" is not the dread monster most people 
 imagine it to be. It does not seem very credible 
 that an All-powerful and All-merciful God should 
 confer the power of communicating with those on 
 earth as a special and peculiar privilege upon evil 
 spirits alone (that is, upon those who least deserve 
 it), with the result that poor creatures on earth are 
 deceived. 
 
 Speaking of the personal experiences of my own 
 family, not one single message out of the enormous 
 number we have received has been other than 
 wholesome, and very many of them have been 
 religious, and filled with pure and noble thoughts. 
 In a few cases (see pp. 60, 100, 121) we have been 
 permitted to hear the words of some spirit on a low 
 plane in distress, but in each of these cases we have 
 been allowed shortly afterwards to receive from the 
 same spirit words of sincere repentance, and of deep 
 gratitude, on reaching a somewhat higher plane. 
 I would ask any reader of this volume to judge for 
 himself whether it is a tenable theory that the 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION n 
 
 messages set out below are the production of evil 
 spirits. 
 
 Amongst many other facts that we have learned 
 from direct Spirit-communications — partly written 
 and partly received clair-audiently — the following 
 may be mentioned. 
 
 " Death* ' is followed by a sleep, which may be 
 brief or may be prolonged for several weeks. The 
 passing from this world into the next is assisted by 
 the willing services of sympathetic spirits; and, 
 when the sleep is over, there is often difficulty in 
 making the person who has "died" realise that the 
 life on earth is not still continuing. 
 
 There are various "planes" in the next world, 
 and the one to which a person first goes depends 
 upon his conduct in the earth-life. The lowest 
 plane, according to the messages we have received, 
 is inhabited by those who have passed a very wicked 
 life on earth, particularly persons who have indulged 
 in cruelty and grossness; and its occupants whilst 
 they remain on this plane assume almost an animal 
 appearance. Some of the persons well known to 
 history who have sent us messages have admitted 
 that they remained on this plane for many years 
 after "death." 
 
12 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 The inhabitants of the next plane, although not 
 possessing such a gross form as those in the lowest 
 plane, are in a very unhappy condition. They dwell 
 in dark, cavernous places, surrounded by rocky 
 heights (see pp. 123, 126), and are in a state of 
 misery and wretchedness. 
 
 Next to this there seems to be the dull or grey 
 plane, where, although there is some light, the con- 
 ditions generally are gloomy. Its occupants are 
 not in a state of misery, like those on the two 
 lower planes, but they are certainly not very 
 happy. 
 
 The next plane (which, for purposes of reference, 
 I will call the fourth, although what I have 
 termed the two lowest planes are, perhaps, different 
 parts of the same plane) appears to be the first of 
 the really happy planes. Here there is much light 
 and beauty, and those who dwell there are bright 
 and happy. 
 
 Each plane, apparently, has subdivisions; and 
 beyond the planes I have mentioned there are 
 others far more beautiful. How many, we have not 
 been told; nor does the number seem material. 
 
 The length of time that a person remains on an 
 unhappy plane and the degree of suffering he endures 
 there will depend largely upon the extent of his 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 13 
 
 guilt in the earth-life. But no one is kept on an 
 unhappy plane for all time. There is a constant 
 state of progression, although in some cases it is 
 extremely slow. There is no advance from a low 
 plane to a happier one until disgust is felt at the 
 sinfulness and grossness of the life passed on earth ; 
 and there is no advance from a happy plane to one 
 still higher until a sincere desire arises to move 
 nearer to God. 
 
 Nearly all who pass from this life undergo in the 
 next a certain amount of purgation, varying greatly 
 with different persons in degree and character. 
 Messages we have received, however, indicate that 
 in the case of our soldiers, who in this war make the 
 great sacrifice for their country, there is no 
 purgatory to endure. 
 
 In the fourth plane (referred to above as the first 
 happy plane) life resembles in many respects the life 
 on earth, and the differences are all in favour of the 
 spirit-life. To use the words of the message set out on 
 page 155, they are " living, breathing, sympathising, 
 praying, thinking, talking, wishing, desiring, work- 
 ing; enjoying freedom, happiness, and peace — that 
 peace which the world can neither give nor take 
 away. " 
 
 Those who have " passed over" have bodies 
 
i 4 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 and wear clothes; but the bodies are much lighter 
 than, and have not the coarseness or the weak- 
 nesses of the earth-body, and the clothes corre- 
 spond with the altered nature of the body. 
 
 There is no " getting old" in the after-life. A 
 child who "dies," apparently, grows up in the 
 Spirit-world, although much more slowly than on 
 earth. But those persons who have ceased to be 
 children can assume the appearance of any age 
 they prefer, and most of them naturally prefer to 
 be young, The age they select they retain so long 
 as they please, although they become more refined 
 and spiritual as they advance higher. 
 
 The occupants of this plane live in houses, and 
 very commonly have beautiful gardens. Those 
 who desire it can eat and drink, but they have not 
 the same need for refreshment as in the earth-life. 
 It is an interesting and remarkable fact (which 
 Spirit-messages have taught us) that the need for 
 refreshment is felt when a spirit is engaged in some 
 earthly occupation or amusement. For example, 
 when a game is being played fatigue ensues, as on 
 earth ; but when spiritual work is being carried out 
 no fatigue or exhaustion arises, nor is hunger 
 experienced. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 15 
 
 They have, we are told, churches, lecture-halls, 
 schools and libraries, in the Spirit- world ; and there 
 are also receptions and entertainments, and various 
 other forms of recreation. They are able to enjoy 
 much of our literature, as well as literature not 
 known to people on earth. 
 
 For each spirit there is, it seems, some other 
 spirit of the opposite sex, generally called his "twin- 
 soul, " to whom in course of time he is drawn. The 
 twin-soul will usually be someone known to the 
 other spirit on earth, but this is far from invariably 
 the case. Although where a man has had several 
 wives his twin-soul would generally be one of such 
 wiVes, it would not necessarily be the first, but 
 would be the one for whom he has felt most 
 attraction and sympathy. 
 
 According to messages we have received, each 
 plane for the purposes of government is divided 
 into a number of provinces or districts, over each of 
 which a "Governor" (or sometimes two joint 
 Governors) is placed. The Governors are selected 
 by higher spirits acting under the directions of those 
 of still greater authority. In each district there are 
 Courts, corresponding to our Courts of Law on earth 
 over which the Governor or his deputy presides. 
 
16 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 Another interesting fact we have learned from 
 Spirit-messages is that in each district there are 
 11 Books of Record/ ■ entrusted to the Governor, 
 containing the life story, when on earth, of each 
 person in the district, and showing the future 
 awaiting him. The portion relating to the future is 
 closed, excepting to very high spirits. The portion 
 relating to the past is open, not merely to high 
 spirits, but to the person concerned and to the 
 Governor; not, however, to other parties. 
 
 It is brought out clearly by messages we have 
 received that Spirit-intercourse is a source of 
 pleasure and a benefit on both sides. Those who 
 have passed over enjoy speaking to persons on 
 earth in whom they are interested as much as, if not 
 more than, those who receive their messages. It is 
 part of their duty, moreover, to guide and assist 
 those on earth, and in the absence of direct com- 
 munications such guidance and assistance can only 
 be given by thought-waves and prayers. 
 
 When " Spiritualism " comes to be more generally 
 studied it must have a powerful restraining influence 
 on those who are disposed to evil, or who, although 
 not generally disposed to evil, may be tempted on 
 an occasion to do or say something mean or wrong. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 17 
 
 The knowledge that spirits are always near, watching 
 our movements — usually the spirits of those we 
 loved on earth — would often stay the hand or the 
 tongue before the mischief is committed. I may 
 refer in this connection to the message from the 
 
 young officer, Bertram O (see p. 20): "I 
 
 often work to put good thoughts in your hearts, and 
 it pains me when you do not listen. ' ' This message 
 expresses, no doubt, the attitude of one or more good 
 spirits near each individual, and it will be well for 
 the race when this comes to be generally recognised. 
 In concluding this introductory chapter I may 
 observe that I was personally present when the great 
 majority of the messages set out below were received. 
 The messages form only a fraction of those which 
 (by automatic writing or by clair-audience) have 
 reached us since the beginning of April, 19 16. All 
 the messages in this volume were received by 
 automatic writing.* Most of the original writings 
 of the messages received by automatic writing 
 are still in my possession. 
 
 * Except the message of 2nd December, 1916, and Amra's 
 story (chap, xxiii.), both of which were received by my elder 
 daughter clair-audiently and taken down at her dictation. 
 
i-8 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 yd April, 19 16. 
 " I WHO write this am one who wishes you all the 
 best of good fortune in your present world." 
 
 This was followed by separate messages, 
 addressed individually to my wife, myself, and 
 my two daughters. None of these messages 
 was signed, but we ascertained later that they 
 were written by the spirit " Hector," referred 
 to in subsequent pages of this volume. 
 
 $th April, 1916. 
 "Oh, how I wish I could visit you all in the 
 flesh!" 
 
 My wife, who was present, asked what spirit 
 was writing, and the reply came — 
 
 "Nelly S ." 
 
 This was the maiden name of an elder sister 
 of my wife who died some years before my 
 marriage, and my children were practically 
 unaware that she had ever existed. 
 
 My wife then inquired whether it was wrong 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 19 
 
 to communicate in this way, and the reply 
 came — 
 
 "I love to think you remember; it is such a 
 comfort to me that I can see you all. . . . Darlings, 
 I am fond of you all. Will you remember me in 
 your prayers? 
 
 "Nelly." 
 
 In reply to the question what she was 
 doing — 
 "I am putting thoughts of mercy in a human 
 soul." 
 
 This was followed by a short message from 
 my wife's mother, and upon my wife asking for 
 some sign from which she could be assured it was 
 really her mother, the following was written — 
 
 "Have you still got my brown comb?" 
 
 My wife had a fancy comb of brown colour 
 which belonged to her mother. It had been 
 packed away for many years; my wife had 
 forgotten its existence, and my children and I 
 had never heard of it. Messages from my 
 wife's mother followed; and my wife then 
 inquired whether a young officer friend of ours, 
 
20 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 Bertram O , who had been killed early in 
 
 the war, could speak to us and give a sign by 
 which we could know him. Upon this was 
 written — 
 
 1 ' Do you remember my hoop outside our house ? ■ ' 
 
 My wife and I had stayed at the house of 
 
 Bertram O *s parents, on the wall of which 
 
 his mother had hung on a nail the hoop he used 
 as a boy. My wife and I had entirely forgotten 
 this hoop, and our children had never heard of 
 it. There then followed — 
 
 " I love to communicate with you all. ... I 
 have stood beside you as you slept, and prayed. 
 / often work to put good thoughts in your hearts, and 
 it pains me when you do not listen"* 
 
 "Bertram." 
 Later, on the same day, a message came 
 through for me from my wife's mother, whom 
 I did not know on earth, followed by one from 
 my own mother, which contained the following 
 passage — 
 "We come every night to kiss and bless your 
 pillow. 
 
 * My italics. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 21 
 
 "Be always of good courage. Trust in God : be 
 sure His ways are best. Hope on. Travel through 
 life as if you were on a journey, for you approach a 
 better land. 
 
 "Pra}' well: work well: live well." 
 
 8th April, 1916. 
 A long message was received for my wife 
 from her mother on patience and forgiveness, 
 from which I give a few extracts — 
 11 . . . Patience and mercy are the first duties of 
 a Christian. . . . 
 
 " Forgive, forgive; be never weary of forgiving. 
 You can never err on the side of mercy. Count 
 each forgiveness not as a virtue, but as a duty to 
 
 your fellow-beings 
 
 " Always pardon offences against yourself: do 
 
 not count the sinner too wretched 
 
 1 'Mother." 
 
 gth April, 1916. 
 My wife's mother and both my parents died 
 before I met my wife, and my wife's father 
 died a few years after our marriage. Al- 
 though our parents never met on earth it has 
 been very interesting to us to learn from 
 
22 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 messages received that they have been drawn 
 together in the Spirit- world, and have become 
 close friends. 
 
 On this date a message for me was received 
 from my mother — 
 
 "I have been talking with Miriam S " (my 
 
 wife's mother) , ' ' and she tells me of the message she 
 sent dear Margaret" (my wife) 
 
 "Have faith in God. Pray earnestly. There are 
 few things so beautiful as prayer. . . . 
 
 "God sees, God notes your every action. How 
 much better it is for Him to mark good than 
 evil! 
 
 "Pray always; make your faith a sacred thing, 
 your prayers talks with God 
 
 1 ' Bless you all. ' Mother. 
 
 >> 
 
 On the same day, B— — , a sister of my wife, 
 called and received a message from her mother. 
 
 B at this time was very unsettled in her 
 
 religious views, and had become more or less 
 an Agnostic. But she was so much impressed 
 by this message (in which incidents known to 
 
 B but unknown to my wife and children 
 
 were mentioned), and by a further message 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 23 
 
 received on the following day, that she became 
 a convinced believer in Christianity and in an 
 
 after-life. B 's whole outlook on life was 
 
 changed, and the comfort it has been to her to 
 learn of the power of Spirit-intercourse is 
 beyond words to express. 
 
 10th April, 19 1 6. 
 A message came — 
 11 Your friend L McC is here." 
 
 This was a complete surprise. We had 
 
 known L McC but slightly, and had 
 
 met him for the first time on a steamer going 
 down the Caledonian Canal, when he had been 
 very attracted by my children and had chatted 
 with them most of the journey, especially on 
 historical subjects. We saw an announcement 
 of his death in 191 5. 
 
 The writing proceeded — 
 
 "Do you remember converting me on the boat? 
 You dears tried to convert me over history. I 
 wish you all every possible good fortune. Have 
 trust in God. Bless you all. 
 
 "L McC ." 
 
 There followed on this a message — 
 
24 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "T B C is here. Think of dear 
 
 little Ellen' ' (my elder daughter) "on the pony." 
 
 T B C— — was an uncle of mine 
 
 who died in 1907, and my daughter Ellen had 
 not seen him since she was three and a half 
 years old, when she was taken to see him and 
 was allowed to sit on a pony whilst it walked a 
 few yards in the garden — an incident entirely 
 forgotten by her. 
 
 A beautiful message to all of us was then 
 received. 
 
 nth April, 1916. 
 
 A message came — 
 'T P R is here." 
 
 T P R was a friend of mine 
 
 who had been killed at the Front in 19 15. On 
 our inquiring how he had been killed, the reply 
 came — 
 "By bayonet, in fighting." 
 
 A message followed, signed by him in full, 
 although his Christian names were entirely 
 unknown to my children. 
 
 Upon my asking whether anyone else would 
 write, the following was received — 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 25 
 
 "I am a soldier, John H , and I was killed 
 
 in the Boer war. . . . IwasshotatSpionKop. . . . 
 I must go now to help the other soldiers at Verdun. 
 Remember me always — Bless you all " 
 
 We never knew John H on earth, and 
 
 the Boer war was nearly over before even the 
 elder of my two daughters was born, and 
 neither of them had ever heard of Spion Kop. 
 
26 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 12th April, 19 16. 
 On this date we had a message from a lady we 
 never knew on earth, but whom later messages 
 connect with Brenda and Lucie, two spirits 
 mentioned in later pages of this volume — 
 
 "MaudE will write. . . . 
 
 "I was a lady of good position, but lost all my 
 money and I had to work as a governess to some 
 people in Scotland. . . * 
 
 "I was a Catholic on earth, but I did not pay 
 much real heed to the loveliest thing in life, 
 religion. . . . 
 
 "MaudE ." 
 
 13th April, 1 916. 
 "I wish you all good luck and I counsel you 
 keep on in your present path. .... 
 "God bless you all. 
 
 "R R ." 
 
 R R was husband of my wife's 
 
 sister Clara, and died when my elder daughter 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 27 
 
 was less than a year old. I do not think either 
 of my children had ever heard his Christian 
 
 name. R R and his wife were very 
 
 attached, but she married again some years 
 after his death. Being asked whether he 
 would like to communicate with his wife, 
 R — — R wrote — 
 
 " I do not wish to communicate with dear Clara. 
 I think she would be too distressed. Bless her, and 
 
 bless E " (her second husband) "and my dear, 
 
 dear C " (his daughter). 
 
 On the same evening my children received a 
 message for themselves from my mother — 
 
 "My sweet Children — I love you both well. 
 Keep steadily on in your way. Persevere, Lilian " 
 (my younger daughter) ; "do not, as you love me, 
 be stubborn. Ellen, be strong, be resolute, be sure 
 of yourself. . . . Be painstaking. Work well when 
 you work; play well when you play. God will 
 watch over you. Grand-dad and I bless and pray 
 for you. We only wish we had known you. . . . 
 Tell your governess I watch her work for you. . . . 
 
 "Be honourable, be truthful. God has been 
 good to you mentally and physically; it remains 
 
28 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 for you to cultivate His gifts. Do not be misled 
 by flattery. Be modest, now as ever. 
 
 "Ellen, my sweet, do not pay too much heed to 
 outward things of the world. Lilian, my sweet, 
 you must pay heed to me. Do not be wilful: do 
 not be stubborn: curb your high will. Bear re- 
 bukes patiently. Remember, God loves patience. 
 Do not love your own way too much 
 
 "Be strong: be good children: be good 
 Christians. Hope, trust, pray. 
 
 "Bless you, my sweet darlings. 
 
 "Granny, 
 "E X ." 
 
 18th April, 1916. 
 A message for me was received from 
 my brother Robert, who had died a year 
 before. 
 
 "My dear brother, just this. If you are ever 
 put in the way of showing any kindness to Leonard, 
 do so, I pray you, if only for my sake. 
 
 "Pray for me. I wish I had lived a better life, 
 though God has been very merciful to a poor 
 sinner. Help my poor Leonard if you can: he is 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 29 
 
 a good boy. . . . Remember his conditions. I 
 know you will be kind to my poor boy. Bless you 
 always. "Robert." 
 
 In reference to the above message I may 
 point out that my children had never met 
 Leonard, and were wholly unacquainted with 
 "his conditions." 
 
 25th April, 19 16. 
 My wife's sister Nelly wrote — 
 
 "My dearest Margaret, ... I have been 
 
 with the widows in France, trying to comfort them 
 
 and charm away their tears with whispers of the 
 
 story that always lives, that of the Cross. Ah, the 
 
 tragedy of it all! Poor aching souls, how they 
 
 suffer! What they have endured, brave, brave 
 
 women of France ! 
 
 "Nelly." 
 
 Then followed this message — 
 
 "Bless you all. May you all be happy. Pray 
 much to God and to Our Blessed Lady, who 
 watches you from heaven. 
 
 "+ Jean Olivert, 
 "A Roman Catholic Priest." 
 
3 o I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 We did not know Jean divert on earth. We 
 have ascertained from later messages that he is 
 generally known in the Spirit- world as "the 
 beloved Padre/ ' and that he was on a high 
 plane at the date of this message and is a 
 Governor (see p. 15) on one still higher now. 
 
 For some days after the 25th of April we 
 were unable to obtain any messages, in spite of 
 repeated attempts, and on the 4th of May my 
 mother wrote — 
 "... You must not be disappointed if we can- 
 not often come. We are working out the salvation 
 that takes us higher. 
 
 "Mother." 
 
 5th May, 1916. 
 
 Maud E (see p. 26) wrote, warning us — 
 
 "... Be careful how you approach the spirits. 
 Do not be impatient if they cannot come often, 
 now they have spoken to you. They cannot al- 
 ways find time. Do not agitate when they are 
 unwilling or unable. There will be good reason, 
 do not doubt. We come when we can, but there 
 is our salvation to be procured. 
 
 "MaudE ." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 31 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 After the 5th of May we received no messages 
 until the 19th of July. In the interval my 
 two children frequently sat at Planchette, but 
 without any success. On the 19th of July, 
 however, the messages recommenced, and there 
 has been no substantial break in their flow ever 
 since. 
 
 26th July, 19 1 6. 
 On this date two messages were received for 
 my sister Elsie, who was present and had never 
 before witnessed Spirit-messages ; one from my 
 mother and the other from my brother Robert. 
 The latter message ran— 
 
 ". . . Remember me with affection if you can. 
 I am afraid I misused my life on earth. God 
 forgive me! . . . He is very good. 
 
 "Oh, Elsie, as you love me, remember my poor 
 Leonard, my dear boy. Do not let him be punished 
 for his father's sins. . . . God bless him. Pray 
 for me and please, please help him. 
 
 "Robert." 
 
32 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 $oih July, 1916. 
 Messages were received from my father and 
 mother for my sister Elsie. My father's 
 message said — 
 
 "My dear sweet Girl, . . . Think often of 
 God and heavenly matters, yet do not let that 
 prevent the performance of those worldly duties a 
 Christian must have. Love your friends, yet do 
 not look on a temporary parting with them with 
 
 fear. Pray for us 
 
 "God have you all in His keeping. 
 
 "Pater. 
 
 "Grand-dad." 
 
 Referring to the signature to the above 
 message I may observe that my father when 
 on earth was usually called by his children 
 "Pater," but my children were not aware of 
 this. 
 
 3rd August, 19 1 6. 
 "Robert is here." 
 
 'I thank you for your thought of my dear boy. 
 . . . God bless him. God keep him a little while 
 longer on your earth, that he may do his work and 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 33 
 
 win him a way to heaven. Write to him; he is 
 lonely, though I am with him often. 
 "Good-bye, my dear brother. 
 
 "Robert." 
 
 "My dear, dear Children — You have not 
 forgotten it is grand-dad's birthday. 
 
 "Ah well, to think of those old happy days 
 together at . . . Thank God, we are happier 
 here, though. 
 
 "Good-bye, my darlings 
 
 "Granny." 
 
 6th August, 1 9 16. 
 Several messages were received for my 
 sister Elsie, who was present — 
 
 "Turn your thoughts on God, and search after 
 Him in your deeds. Keep the lamp alight for 
 when the Bridegroom comes. 
 
 "David Athelston." 
 
 David Athelston was a friend of my sister 
 who had died about a year previously, and it is 
 worthy of notice that my children did not 
 know him or even his name. 
 
34 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 My sister asked whether an officer, Fred 
 Watson, who had been killed in Gallipoli, 
 could write, whereupon came — 
 
 "He is with the troops on the Somme front/' 
 
 Then followed a message from my mother — 
 
 "My dear, dear Girl — I stand beside you 
 whispering my fond thoughts and dropping kisses 
 on your dear mouth, the mouth whose sweet smile 
 gladdened my eyes in the old happy days on earth. 
 God in His tender love be with ye. Mary, our 
 Blessed Lady, aid you by her intercession at the 
 Throne of God. Amen. 
 
 "E X . 
 
 "Mother." 
 
 After this came a message from my mother 
 to my wife — 
 
 "... I murmur my love and my devoted faith 
 in God, in Our Lord Jesus, in the Holy Ghost, in 
 the Blessed Mother. 
 
 "Think often of her; Christ, Our Saviour, heeds 
 the intercession of His Divine Mother. Pray much 
 to her, the Mystic Rose ; the Tower of David ; the 
 Refuge of the Afflicted; the Morning Star; the 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 35 
 
 Gate of Heaven; the Health of the Sick; the 
 Daughter of David; Mary the Queen of Heaven 
 and the Mother of Jesus. 
 
 11 Farewell! Trust in Heaven. Seek God. 
 
 " Mother. 
 "E X ." 
 
 Referring to the above message, I may 
 mention that my mother was a strict member 
 of the Church of England. And it is material 
 I should also point out that the expressions 
 applied to the Virgin Mary in the last para- 
 graph (excepting that of "the Mother of 
 Jesus"), were unknown to my children, and 
 also to my wife and sister, who were the 
 only persons present when the message was 
 written. 
 
 yth August, 19 1 6. 
 The mother of Fred Watson (see p. 34) was 
 present, and desired to obtain a message from 
 her son; whereupon the following was 
 received — 
 "Yes, my dear mother, God be with you. . . . 
 "Ah, my dear mother, do not be distressed that 
 I am gone from the physical world. I am far 
 
36 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 happier than I ever was, for which I thank the 
 Ever Blessed God. 
 
 "Fred." 
 
 This was followed by messages for Mrs. 
 Watson from another son and a daughter who 
 had died many years ago. The daughter's 
 message contained the following passage — 
 
 "For one brief moment I may write, my dear, 
 dear mother, then I must go on with Fred. My 
 work is to help the noble nurses who aid the 
 wounded at the Front." 
 
 And the son's message commenced as 
 follows — 
 
 "Mother, my own dear mother, is there any tie 
 so lovely in all the world as that which unites a 
 mother and her child!" 
 
 8th August, 1916. 
 We conversed for a short time on some points 
 of difference between the Church of England 
 and the Church of Rome, after which my 
 mother wrote — 
 
 "My dears, your faith is a matter for you to 
 ponder over a great deal. Judge according to the 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 37 
 
 dictates of your soul. Do not let worldly things 
 stand in competition with your religion. . . . Let 
 each soul have perfect liberty to judge. You see, 
 it is a matter of the first and greatest importance, 
 and no one must interfere. God be with you in 
 your resolution. Farewell. 
 
 "E X ." 
 
 In reply to a further question — 
 
 "Yes, a message from 'the dead/ the dead who 
 are not dead but living.' * 
 
 nth August, 1916. 
 My mother wrote — 
 
 "Only a word, my dears. We in the Spirit- 
 world have much to do, and we cannot always 
 talk to those on earth, however dear. 
 
 "Now I am here I once more assure you of the 
 old, old fact that dates back to my days with my 
 little brood of children, when I wondered about 
 their futures; with my dim but loving eyes — the 
 eyes of a fond mother — I strove to pierce the dis- 
 tant clouds and read their fate for the coming 
 years; the old, old fact, my dears, the fact of my 
 undying love. Weary not of listening to this, but 
 
38 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 bear with me. I love you very well, but I shall 
 not always be able to come. 
 
 41 Bless you, my children. I may be a foolish 
 mother, but, believe me, dears, I am a fond one. 
 
 4 ' Ever your devoted 
 4 'Mother. 
 "Granny." 
 
 A little later we received our first introduc- 
 tion to a most entertaining and lovable spirit 
 signing by the name "Jack," who has since 
 been with us a great deal. We have learned 
 that Jack and Hector (see p. 18) were close 
 friends on earth, and are inseparable com- 
 panions in the Spirit- world. Both of them do 
 an immense deal of good amongst those who 
 have passed over, as well as amongst those still 
 on earth. One of their important duties in the 
 Spirit-world is to help less fortunate spirits on 
 lower planes, and in this work their cheery way 
 and extraordinary tact enable them to meet 
 with great success. On earth their chief work 
 appears to be to encourage the disheartened, 
 and, in particular at this time, to cheer our 
 soldiers at the Front under their most trying 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 39 
 
 conditions, and to help the dying in their 
 passage from this world into the next. 
 
 After certain messages, upon asking for 
 further writing — 
 
 "Gone, my good friends." 
 
 Asked who was writing — 
 
 "Jack, at your service 
 
 "God bless you all. I have led a gay life and a 
 frivolous, but not altogether a wicked one. I 
 make those I am with merry." 
 
4 o I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 12th August, 1916. 
 From my wife's sister (see p. 18) — 
 
 ". . . Be mirthful; mirth of a holy kind is far 
 more acceptable to your Father in Heaven than 
 the gloom and sourness that are but too prevalent 
 on your plane. 
 
 "God wishes His children to be happy, and not 
 ever contemplating the miseries and trials of 
 existence. Too often such conditions are self- 
 made. 
 
 " Good-bye, my dears, my dears. 
 
 "Your sister, 
 "Nell/' 
 
 14th August, 1916. 
 My sister was present, and asked my chil- 
 dren to try and obtain a message for the widow 
 of David Athelston (see p. 33), who had been 
 very depressed since her husband's death. No 
 message was received from her husband on this 
 occasion, but the following from her mother — 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 41 
 
 "My dear, dear Beatrice, 
 
 "Thank God we are able to communicate. 
 . . . Remember you have in you a spark of the 
 Divine Father. It is the duty of a Christian to 
 bring out — to develop — that spark, and to crush 
 all tendency to things other than Godlike. 
 
 "My heart bleeds for you now, but do not for- 
 get, Beatrice, that you are as much a daughter of 
 God in sorrow as in joy. Remember, David and I 
 are far happier here than ever on earth. 
 
 1 ' God bless you all. Do not mourn for us. You 
 will hinder our advancing higher. 
 
 " Mother.' ' 
 
 It is to be observed with reference to the 
 above message that at the time it was written 
 neither of my children were aware of Mrs. 
 Athelston's Christian name. 
 
 A message then came from my brother 
 Robert for my sister — 
 
 "Elsie, you love me still? Forgive me all my 
 faults. God has been very good; thank His Grace 
 for allowing me to be with my mother and 
 father. 
 
42 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "Oh, my Leonard, remember him. . . . My 
 
 dear son, how shall I forgive myself? 
 
 "Your very loving 
 "Robert." 
 
 Later, Mrs. Watson (see p. 36) was present, 
 and desired to obtain a message from her hus- 
 band. No message was obtained from her 
 husband on this occasion, but a signed message 
 came from her deceased brother. It is to be 
 noted that my children had never heard of 
 this brother, nor had my wife or sister. 
 
 i6ih August j 1 91 6. 
 Mrs. Athelston was present, and on asking 
 for a message from her husband, the following 
 was received — 
 "Beatrice, my dear, darling Beatrice, God have 
 you in His tender keeping. 
 
 "From where He has placed me in the realms of 
 that death, which is not death but the real living life 
 of ego* — of the soul — from here I watch over thee, 
 blessing thy way, praying the Lord Jesus to have 
 mercy on you, to guide you through the weary 
 physical world to the Harbour of God. 
 
 * My italics. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 43 
 
 "My sweet, pray for me, but mourn not, for it 
 may hinder my salvation* 
 
 11 God help me ; God help us all. 
 "I am very happy. 
 
 11 David." 
 
 Mrs. Athelston asked for a further message 
 from her husband, but instead the following 
 was received from an unknown spirit — 
 "You are not forgotten, you are not forlorn! 
 God w^atches over lonely children. . . . Gaze on 
 the starlit skies, and gazing think that he whom 
 you love is at work in distant spaces ; soon, may- 
 hap, he will rest in the Bosom of God. He works, 
 your husband, whether in distant climes or at 
 home in his native land. But rest: God wills ye 
 to be in peace. 
 
 "A Stranger, but One who has 
 
 SUFFERED AS YOU." 
 
 21st August, 19 1 6. 
 My wife's sister wrote — 
 "Prayer is the staircase by which angel-thoughts 
 ascend to the throne of your Father which is on 
 High. "Nelly." 
 
 * My italics. 
 
44 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 23rd August, 1916. 
 On this date, when, as stated before (p. 4), 
 my elder daughter was sitting alone at Plan- 
 chette, the following messages were received, 
 the pencil moving so rapidly that she had 
 difficulty in keeping her hand on the board — 
 
 "Even as the dew of evening-tide droppeth upon 
 the fainting flower, even so cometh the word of the 
 Lord unto every soul that hungereth after Him. 
 
 "E X . 
 
 11 Granny." 
 
 "Have faith, O ye sons of men! Verily, verily, 
 I say, prepare, for the day cometh like a thief in 
 the night. 
 
 "In the morning, say the children of men, 'Lo! 
 it behoves us to do such a thing by the morrow,' 
 and behold, when the evening cometh, their 
 bodies are cold in death, and God hath called 
 them unto His Kingdom. 
 
 • • . • • 
 
 "O sad world; O world where there is so much 
 that crieth aloud and is answered not ! O busy, 
 thoughtless, wonderful world, wherefore fritter 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 45 
 
 away the hours? For lo! they come like the foam 
 on the waters, and even as the foam they are gone. 
 
 "Have faith, ye that walk towards your Eternal 
 Home. . . . Say not unto your soul — which is 
 starved, mayhap, and crieth for heavenly food — 
 say not, 'Have peace, my soul; live the earth-life 
 while we may; there is much time yet for the 
 study of God, and God His things/ Nay, child 
 of earth, . . . the time cometh soon or late, to- 
 day or to-morrow — even as decreeth His inscrut- 
 able Will — the time cometh when }^e join those ye 
 love who have gone before. 
 
 11 Clothe your soul with the garments of Faith 
 and Hope and Holy Love, so that it goeth not 
 naked into the Presence of God Almighty. 
 
 "I go — they call! they call! Farewell, ye 
 children of men. I will work in my sphere for you 
 and yours.' ' 
 
 On our asking that the message might be 
 signed the following was written — 
 
 "A Spirit who walketh through Lower 
 Spheres, but returns from whence He hath 
 come. 
 
 "Pax Vobiscum." 
 
46 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 The above message (as we subsequently 
 ascertained) came from Danby's friend (a high 
 spirit), referred to by him in his message of the 
 6th of November, 1916 (p. 127). 
 
 There followed a message (some extracts 
 from which are set out below) from another high 
 spirit we have since learned to be the mother 
 of Geoffrey and Daisy (see pp. 135, 137) — 
 
 " Be at peace, O ye sons of men. . . . Quell the 
 fires in your heart that are fed with things ungodly. 
 
 "Sink down, O ye stormy seas! Be still, ye 
 panting heart ! Fold your pinions, O ye little bird 
 of the air ! Behold, the storm is too heavy for such 
 a little thing. . . . Sail gently on, frail bark, on 
 troubled waters! God your Father holdeth the 
 waves as a drop of water in His Hand : He keepeth 
 them so that ye shall pass them untouched. . . . 
 
 "O men! O men! Why wish ye to linger on 
 in your world? Wherefore? Hath not God pre- 
 pared for them that love Him things that the eye 
 hath not seen nor the ear heard? Will ye to be 
 long parted from the Father, from whom ye hath 
 birth and life? 
 
 "What is this world of yours that ye love so 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 47 
 
 much ye could wish to be never absent from it? 
 If there are things lovely, things beautiful on your 
 plane, are there not ten thousand times more wonder- 
 ful things near unto the Throne of Awful Grace? 
 
 "Ah! Jesus, beautiful Son of God, . . Jesus, 
 I come." 
 
 We asked for a signature, but the following 
 was written — 
 "Ask not for that; I am a spirit come from a 
 higher plane." 
 
 24th August, 19 1 6. 
 
 A message came from a highly-placed spirit. 
 
 It was unsigned, but we have since ascertained 
 
 it was written by Jack's mother, Marian — 
 
 "Purge ye of vain desires; purge ye of fleshly 
 
 longings; purge ye, O sons of mankind, of all that 
 
 hindereth your advance towards God 
 
 "Pray well, O mortals who would pass the 
 Golden Gate, which, when once ye have entered, 
 ye shall stay to witness the glory of the Father. 
 Prune yourselves of those things that cause ye to 
 dread departure from your plane. 
 
 "I say not this as a warning to bid you prepare; 
 nay, God has work for you to do ; ye must prepare 
 verily, but your day is not yet. 
 
48 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 " Nothing evil can enter into the Presence of the 
 Holy One. Therefore, I bid ye, my earthly 
 brothers, cleanse your hearts in the Sacred Blood 
 that hath redeemed the world 
 
 "Your little world! What is it? Shall ye not 
 be happy in the Presence of God Almighty? 
 Rejoice, children of earth; you work, and then ye 
 shall be called away to rest in the Blessed Bosom 
 of your Saviour Christ 
 
 "Farewell! I go! Jesus, I come, I come." 
 
 On our requesting a signature the following 
 was written — 
 
 "A Spirit from a Better World Who goeth 
 back to Her Plane. 
 
 "Benedicite! 
 
 "Ah! Ecce Agnus Dei! 
 
 "Behold the Lamb of God!" 
 
 "The Cross of Jesus. Amen/ 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 49 
 
 There followed on this — 
 
 "Dominus tecum, the Lord be with thee. 
 Maria, Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis peccatoribus 
 nunc et hora nobis mortis. Amen. 
 
 "Mater." 
 
 My mother when on earth was frequently- 
 called " Mater' 9 by her children, but my 
 daughters were not aware of this. It is to be 
 observed, moreover, that my elder daughter 
 (who was alone sitting at Planchette) had no 
 knowledge whatever at this time of Latin, or 
 of Latin prayers. 
 
5o 
 
 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 2nd September, 191 6. 
 As stated (p. 4), Planchette was not used after 
 the 26th of August. On the 2nd of September 
 we returned from the country to London. 
 
 About 9 p.m. my daughter Ellen, at our 
 suggestion, took up a pencil to see if anyone 
 would write; but instead of writing the pencil 
 began to draw. 
 
 At first none of us could make out what was 
 being drawn, but as it proceeded we found it 
 represented a Zeppelin dropping bombs. The 
 sketch below is a copy — 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 51 
 
 We asked whether this drawing was by Jack, 
 to which came the reply "Yes"; and on our 
 requesting further writing the word " Can't' ' 
 was written. About three hours later we were 
 aroused by anti-aircraft guns, and saw the 
 flare from the falling Zeppelin destroyed on 
 that occasion. 
 
 3rd September , 19 16. 
 Jack (through my daughter) drew several 
 clever and amusing sketches of us when 
 aroused by the guns on the previous night — 
 sketches that my daughter of herself was 
 incapable of executing. 
 
 5th September, 1916. 
 This being my wife's birthday a number of 
 messages came through for her. After several 
 of these had been received she asked whether 
 Jack had not a message, whereupon the fol- 
 lowing was written — 
 
 "Of course I am waiting! 
 
 11 Dear lady, please let me wish you many, many 
 hundreds of happy returns of the day. (I don't 
 believe in Reincarnation!) But I do mean really 
 for you to have my humble blessing (whatever 
 
5 2 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 that's worth!) and I sincerely wish you all good 
 things on your world, and all happiness in ours. . . . 
 
 "I am often with the 'Tommies': they must be 
 kept merry, poor beggars. See what they have to 
 go through! I saw a poor chap in one of our 
 regiments at the Front to-day. His legs were 
 blown off: he was suffering the most — O God! — 
 the most dire agony, and all around him were the 
 bodies of his comrades — somebody's husband, 
 brother, or son. Poor souls, poor souls! Well, 
 there is a lot for you to be thankful for. ...... 
 
 " I am an idle fellow, but God be thanked, I have 
 great love of Him and gratitude for His mercies. 
 
 11 Greetings and Peace. Amen. 
 
 "Jack." 
 
 This was followed by a message from my 
 wife's mother — 
 
 "i 
 
 1 1 have been at the field hospitals to-day in 
 France. Oh, my dear, what horrors there! I will 
 not describe them — you will feel too much. 
 
 1 'They are so young, poor lads, so brave! Who 
 can help loving them, if only for their dear, dear 
 happy faces? God loves them very well ; mayhap 
 He wants them to be with Him sooner than others. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 53 
 
 " Their sacrifice wipes out many, many sins. 
 There will be no purgatory for them:* 'Greater love 
 than any man have those that lay down their lives 
 for their friends.' 
 
 "My dear, whenever in your power, help and 
 comfort those poor souls less fortunate than your- 
 selves — whether they be the actual sufferers or the 
 mourners. Think of the empty void, the lonely 
 hearty that hungers after a husband gone, the poor 
 desolate homes, the stricken soul that crieth out in 
 its despairing ignorance: 'I have endured too 
 much! Can God be dead?' Alas, poor things! 
 life for them is hard; what is there to live for? 
 Where is their interest in this world? And their 
 joy cut off in its prime. Sad, terribly sad! 
 
 "It is a fearful tragedy, this giant War of the 
 Nations 
 
 " Farewell, my dears. 
 
 "Your own Mother. 
 "Granny." 
 
 * My italics. 
 
54 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 21 st September, 191 6. 
 We received a long, interesting message from 
 Jack, giving some account of his life on earth, 
 part of which is set out below, the rest being 
 omitted from publication at Jack's request — 
 
 ". . . It is the anniversary of my death. I was 
 very sorry to go, but there you are, que voulez-vous? 
 We've all got to go some time or another, and 
 that's a fact everyone should get hold of! 
 
 "Oh, I wish you had known my dear mother! 
 She was so pretty : she had nice fluffy golden hair, 
 though when I more clearly remember her the dear 
 gold was touched with grey, and the dear eyes were 
 dimmer, and the sweet little mouth that kissed me 
 in my baby days was a little drooping. 
 
 "This sounds like your Marjorie Bowen, but it's 
 quite true. . . . She was not grey because of age, 
 but because of trouble. . . . My father was not all 
 he should have been to my dear, dear Mummy. 
 
 "I found it hard to forgive, although she bid me 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 55 
 
 to. It seemed so hard it was he who put those lines 
 in her blessed face and that silver in her hair ! 
 
 "She was married when she was only seventeen. 
 Poor girl! she was mistaken in her choice, but she 
 loved him very well at the time. He was hand- 
 some, tall, and clever, but he was an unbeliever, 
 and I fear me there were few of those qualities 
 which could make him a good, steady helpmate. 
 
 "Sorrow is the order of the day, it seems to me: 
 there's a deal of suffering in this world. I came 
 across a fair share of it, although my life was 
 merry, in its shallow sort of way. I think it was 
 because I thought too little of my God and spirit- 
 ual things that I was unwilling to meet Death 
 when he came. 
 
 " I remember one night when I came home . . . 
 and found no one at home but my mother ('my 
 Queen,' as I called her). Dear little Mummy! she 
 looked a sad little thing as she sat over the fire 
 weeping to her poor lone self. I heard her murmur 
 a prayer: 'O Jesus, my Jesus, sweet, sweet Jesus 
 of the Sacred Heart, oh, help me, Jesus, help me! 
 Give me strength! O God, I am so unhappy! 
 God, what shall I do? What shall I do?' 
 
 "I came in and bent over her and tried to kiss 
 
56 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 away her tears. I would rather have shed a drop 
 of my heart's blood for every drop of my mother's 
 tears. They were sacred to me; they were like 
 the tears of an angel. 
 
 • • • • • 
 
 " Ah well, we never met again in this world, my 
 father and I 
 
 "She was a saint. I have never seen such an 
 angel in womankind. 
 
 "Well, after that she gradually wept herself into 
 her grave. . . . When she died, I cared no more 
 for anything else. ... I went on the stage, and 
 lived a thoughtless sort of life, sometimes with 
 money and sometimes without — more often with- 
 out. I liked the stage well enough, but there were 
 times when I felt terribly lonely 
 
 " I got careless about religion ; I did not go often 
 to church. It seemed so cold, so hard. It was so 
 difficult, all the religious teaching, so hard to 
 follow. God seemed very mighty, but so far away. 
 Now it is different. I know He cares for us all, 
 each one individually. 
 
 "Well, I seldom said my prayers — I mean 
 prayers in the real sense, not stereotyped sort of 
 petitions to the Almighty. One day, when things 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 57 
 
 seemed even greyer than usual, I found myself 
 saying: 'O God! why did you take her away? 
 Couldn't you have spared her? I want her so 
 badly/ 
 
 4 'Well, suddenly, as I thought of her, I saw her. 
 She saved me. I thank God I was never the same 
 since. 
 
 "She bid me love Him and believe in Him 
 faithfully, and say my prayers and read the Bible 
 she gave me on my confirmation. 
 
 11 1 remember the writing on the first page: 
 
 "'To my darling boy Jack, with love from his 
 own Mother/ 
 
 "Well, I died, and I got here. It was awfully 
 strange at first, and I didn't like it at all! But it 
 got all right at last." 
 
 We asked whether he had seen his mother 
 when he passed over, to which he replied — 
 
 "No, but she came on a visit some time later. 
 She was glorified, but I knew her and she knew me, 
 and she helped me; and many ' spirits ' did, 
 including Mrs. Carney" (my wife's sister Nelly), 
 "Mrs. X " (my mother), "and Mrs. S " 
 
58 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 (my wife's mother) . "I like them all ; they are so 
 kind, and they bid me always 'look up.' I do 
 look up, and I see my dear Queen waiting for me — 
 so I shall try and go further with the aid of thought- 
 waves and prayers.* 
 
 • . • • • 
 
 "This must read a crude but thoroughly 'human' 
 document — merely the life-story of a poor actor. 
 
 "At your service, 
 
 "Jack." 
 
 22nd September, 1916. 
 Jack came again — 
 
 "Well, how are you kiddies getting on with 
 those lessons of yours? I remember how I used to 
 hate them myself 
 
 "We had a nice room for study. . . . There was 
 a large bookcase facing the door, which you two 
 would have loved. There were many nice volumes 
 there: Dickens and Scott, and Shakespeare and 
 Spenser, Cervantes, Dryden, Lovelace, Dante, 
 Clarendon's 'History,' and 'Histoire des Giron- 
 dins,' Defoe and Addison and Jonathan Swift. . . . 
 
 "There was a bed in the garden called 'Mother's 
 
 * My italics. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 59 
 
 land,' and in it she planted all her favourite 
 flowers. ... In this bed there was a bush — a sort 
 of flowering thing — that she and my father had 
 planted the day they had first come to the Manor. 
 It withered the day they parted, curiously enough, 
 and it never flourished again. 
 
 1 Good-bye, my dear friends. 
 
 * Yours, 
 "Jack." 
 
 Referring to the above message I may ob- 
 serve that some of the authors referred to in 
 it were unknown at the time to my children, 
 and also to my wife and myself. 
 
 23rd September, 19 16. 
 On this date, when my daughter Ellen 
 took up a pencil, we had a most remarkable 
 and interesting experience. As the writing 
 proceeded it became clear that two beings in 
 the Spirit-world were communing — one a 
 highly-placed spirit and the other a spirit on 
 a low plane and in unhappy conditions. It 
 also became apparent that what was being 
 written was in the nature of a conversation 
 
60 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 between them, which God in His wisdom and 
 for His own reasons thought fit to allow us to 
 overhear. For convenience I will put "M" 
 against the sentences of the high spirit and 
 "B" against those of the unhappy spirit — 
 
 M. " Confide ye in Jesus." 
 
 This was written in clear and neat writing; 
 
 but immediately afterwards the pencil moved 
 
 in an agitated way, and the following was 
 
 written in large letters several inches high — 
 
 B. "There is no God, nought but Hell. There 
 
 is no God, nought but Hell and Damnation." 
 
 This somewhat alarmed us, and our first 
 
 inclination was to get my daughter to drop 
 
 the pencil for the time being. But at my wife's 
 
 suggestion we endeavoured by our words to 
 
 calm the poor soul thus sunk in despair, and 
 
 expressed belief he would rise higher before 
 
 long. The next sentence was written to us. 
 
 M. "Ye have no cause to fear. Yes, he will." 
 
 B. "God— God, where is God? O God, leave 
 
 me not alone, nor hide Thy face entirely from me. 
 
 "Help me, raise me! O Jesus, where art Thou 
 
 that Thou canst so forsake a child of Thine?" 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 61 
 
 M. "He is here." 
 
 B. "Here? How so? Would He so desert 
 me? Oh no, no, no ! I am sore distressed. I long 
 for light. Where is the light? 
 
 1 ' I struggle to leave the gloom. I wander through 
 weary spaces. I long for my Eternal Home. Oh, is 
 God dead? Can He so leave His own?" 
 
 M. "For shame, thou Erring Child of Man — 
 for shame ! Who art thou to question the Divine 
 Wisdom?" 
 
 B. "I am His child; have I not a right to ask 
 what he purposeth to do with me?" 
 
 M. "Peace, peace, ye poor earth-creature! 
 Consider thine own nothingness and His immortal 
 glory. O Trinity of Love and Power, aid Thy 
 creatures through the merits of the Passion of Jesus. ' ' 
 
 B. "Pray for me, pray indeed, O thou high 
 Angel of God! Thou who walkest in mighty 
 places, leave me not alone! I wander through a 
 desert wilderness: there is so little light, so little 
 to give Hope." 
 
 M. "Yet believe, for in Belief rests thy Hope 
 of Eternal Salvation. 
 
 "Man, man, work, pray, believe God is the God 
 whose Name is Love. Thinkest thou He leavest 
 
62 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 His creatures to perish everlastingly? For shame! 
 Doubt not! Hope on- " 
 
 B. "Ah, but see how lone am I!" 
 
 M. "Lone? But is not your Father there? 
 Pause, disobedient child! Pause in your way. 
 Turn aside while there is time! Repent, repent/' 
 
 B. "O Mary, Clement Mother, to thee do I cry 
 in my sorrow! Mary, most Pure, most Prudent, 
 most Admirable Mother of God, hearken to me! 
 Thou wast once on earth. Thou knowest its 
 temptations.' * 
 
 M. "Pour out thy prayers to Jesus. He is 
 all merciful. He will heed you as tenderly as His 
 Mother. Therefore, I bid ye pray." 
 
 B. "I pray. . . . 
 
 " In Thy name, O Most Beautiful Son of God, do 
 I kneel and implore the mercy and forgiveness of 
 God the Father. Hear me, I beseech ye ! O Jesus, 
 Jesus, Jesus, Merciful Jesus, who in Thy perfect Love 
 laid down Thy Blessed Life to save mankind ! Save 
 me! save me from fiery wastes, from the terrors 
 
. OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 63 
 
 that haunt those who have not believed ! Save me ! 
 Save me! Jesus, I clasp at Thy Knees, I drag 
 Thee down from Thy Almighty Throne, Thy Pin- 
 nacle of Greatness, to heed mine agony. Save 
 me, O Jesus, my Jesus, merciful Son of God!" 
 
 M. " He will hearken, He will heed. Fear not ! 
 Have peace ! Let no more terrors trouble thee. 
 
 "Man createst his Hell: thou shalt create thy 
 Heaven. Farewell, farewell. I leave thee. Doubt 
 no more! God will raise thee up." 
 
 B. "Ah, Jesus! Mary , Clement Mother ! Holy 
 Hosts ! ye who enjoy in the Presence of God your 
 Father ! . . . Will ye not smile on me, poor sinner 
 that I am? Ah God, my God, I believe; help 
 Thou mine unbelief. I will look up. Please God, 
 I will find the Light. Amen." 
 
 After a few moments' interval the dialogue 
 was resumed — 
 
 B. "Art thou there? O Marian, thou angel- 
 one whom I didst so revile! Marian, thou 
 
64 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 saintly spirit, thou forgivest, thou wilt say all is 
 forgotten ?" 
 
 M. " Poor soul, poor soul ! I have not remem- 
 bered the misery of bygone years. No, I have 
 forgotten. Let not that trouble thee, O thou who 
 wast my husband! I bear thee no malice: my 
 heart is sorrowful for thee." 
 
 B. " Marian, angel-wife, what can I say? I 
 kiss thy pure garments in beseeching Love. Thou 
 wilt forget?" 
 
 M. " O my husband, dost thou doubt my pity? 
 I forgive! there was so little to forgive. What is 
 our earth-life compared to this Eternity? Can we 
 nourish old loves that are unlawful, old hates that 
 are vile, contemptible, ungodlike?" 
 
 B. "I adore thee, thou soul of lily whiteness!" 
 
 M. "Nay, adore only the Father — to Him look 
 up." 
 
 B. "Look up, look up; I am so much more 
 content, O Marian, thou injured one!" 
 
 M. "Nay, forget, forget!" 
 
 B. "God with us!" 
 
 M. "Jesus His Grace be with you, my comrade 
 in the earth-life. My husband, my husband, God 
 raise thee further; God preserve thine immortal 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 65 
 
 soul — thou who wast nearest to me in the morning 
 of my days." 
 
 B. "O Marian, how I doubted, how I scoffed 
 at God and God His things !" 
 
 M. "Ah, dear soul, dost thou not recollect my 
 words: 'Thou wilt find my wisdom one day'?" 
 
 B. "I recollect indeed." 
 
 M. "I must go — we must both to work. I 
 will entreat the Father to spare me to aid you on, 
 you and the other ones for whom I cared, for whom 
 I often visit this world here. I will help you both 
 — you all, please God Our Heavenly Father, please 
 God!" 
 
 Then, suddenly, in a different hand, the 
 following words, which evidently came from 
 Jack, were written — 
 
 "My Queen, my Queen, I have found you, my 
 Queen!" 
 
 M. " My dear one — my twin-soul ! Ah, thank 
 God!" 
 
 Upon this we asked whether it was between 
 Jack's father and mother that the above 
 dialogue had taken place, to which came — 
 
66 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 " Yes, and their son." 
 
 Then came — 
 
 "I believe. 
 
 "Marian's Husband." 
 
 "God bless them all. 
 
 "Marian." 
 
 We inquired whether Marian had been to us 
 before, to which came — 
 
 "Yes, I have come to you." 
 
 My wife asked whether Marian wrote the 
 unsigned message of the 24th of August (see 
 pp. 47, 48), to which the following reply was 
 made — 
 
 "Yes, dear earth-friend, I did. 
 
 "Care for my boys: I will care for yours. ... 
 
 "Ah, my dear friends, now am I indeed almost 
 in sublimest happiness. I wait for them; I have 
 only them now to help on. I am so content, thank 
 God, thank God again and again! 
 
 "Dear lady, help my dear ones; you are so kind, 
 I know you will. 
 
 "I will come whenever I can, believe me." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 67 
 
 We inquired whether Marian knew our 
 people in the Spirit-world, to which she 
 replied — 
 
 "I have seen them at prayer. God bless them 
 and you, and my dear ones, and my dear sons in 
 particular. . . . They were such splendid sons. . . . 
 
 "I am a soul in perfect happiness, I think. 
 
 "Marian." 
 
68 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 24th September, 1916. 
 On the night of the 23rd-24th of September there 
 was an air-raid on the outskirts of London. 
 On the evening of the 24th a message was 
 received from an unknown spirit — 
 
 " From behind the Veil.' 9 
 
 "Dear Friends of this Earth-life, 
 
 " Thank God very devoutly, and with real 
 faith and gratefulness, that He spared you from 
 the swift judgment He meted out to some poor 
 souls last night. 
 
 "Why should not God have called you as soon 
 as they? Bow the knee; thankfully pour out 
 your soul to Him; think to yourself how unpre- 
 pared the Call would have found you had you 
 been taken. 
 
 "Take this, out of the kindness of your heart, 
 as a friendly message from a passing spirit. 
 
 "I pray your merciful Father in Heaven to 
 preserve you and yours. God bless every poor 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 69 
 
 soul in this world and in yours : God bring every- 
 one finally to His Bosom, in which we shall have 
 Peace. 
 
 "Amen." 
 
 On our asking for a signature — 
 
 "Yours, wishing you well. 
 
 "One who Keeps the Vigil of God." 
 
 Later, on the same evening, Hector (see p. 
 38) drew a number of sketches of public men 
 and others. They were such as my daughter, 
 through whom they were executed, could not 
 have done of herself. 
 
 We asked Hector if he thought the war 
 would last long — 
 
 "I am afraid so. I see a good deal, you know, 
 from this Astral Plane, as you call it. 
 
 "How's Leadbeater — and Annie, Ellen ?" 
 
 My daughter had been speaking about Mr. 
 Leadbeater and Mrs. Besant earlier in the 
 day. 
 
 "I share Jack's belief in 'Karma/ rather dis- 
 
7 o I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 belief! No, no reincarnation for me! One life is 
 quite enough. 
 
 "When I was extra sad on earth I always 
 thought, or tried to think, that although I was un- 
 happy there were countless others in a far worse 
 state. . . . Think of the soldiers at the Front. 
 Think what a very little they find to cheer them. 
 Our greatest discomfort is nothing to theirs, 
 is it? . . . 
 
 "Oh, the War of the Nations ; it is awful ! Poor 
 lads — poor maimed men — poor wounded heroes — 
 poor women! I can realise what they suffer, too. 
 Think of it : imagine what you would suffer in like 
 case — husband, son, friends, menfolk, all gone! 
 Yes, and they want to go, too, poor wretches! — but 
 God wishes them to live it through. Some have 
 found the barrier dividing two worlds is not impass- 
 able except at death: some find consolation that way. 
 . . . I mean, many folk have found out the barrier 
 hitherto represented as impassable except at death is 
 not impassable, but is open to all who are privileged 
 to enter and who go forward ivith faith"* 
 
 * My italics. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 71 
 
 $oih September, 191 6. 
 
 Jack came and drew some excellent sketches, 
 including one of his mother, Marian, and one 
 of his father, Basil. He gave the full Christian 
 names of himself, his father and mother, his 
 little sister (who had died in early childhood), 
 and his brother, who had also died. 
 
 Then came — 
 
 "I greet you most humbly, I hardly dare to ask 
 forbearance. 
 
 11 Blessings on my boys, and her, the angel-one 
 who came to lighten my darkness. 
 
 "Basil/ 1 
 
 Later Jack wrote — 
 
 "I will try and come again when I'm more 
 serious. I've been loading myself up with gaiety 
 to go to the Tommies at the Front.' ' 
 
 1st October, 1916. 
 Jack's father came again, and wrote — 
 
 ". . • I live in hope of seeing soon again my 
 angel-one. Pray God to send her soon. I feel 
 her; may I only see her, please God. . . . God is 
 very good, bless His Holy Name." 
 
72 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 Basil then proceeded to give a fuller account 
 of his life on earth than that given to us by 
 Jack on the 21st of September; it was very 
 interesting, but was not intended for publication. 
 
 I may mention that we have learned from 
 messages from time to time received that 
 Jack's father has been advanced to a much 
 higher plane than the one he occupied at the 
 date of the interview of the 22nd of September, 
 recorded above, and is now living under very 
 happy conditions; and although he is not 
 nearly so high as his wife Marian, he is not 
 infrequently in her company. 
 
 3rd October, 19 16. 
 On our inquiring of Jack how it was we were 
 able to communicate so much with him and 
 were unable for the time being to communicate 
 with our own people, he wrote — 
 
 "I want to come to you because I love you, also 
 because my duty is partly with you. God knows 
 why, but I am 'told off* from the hosts of this 
 other world who keep the Vigil of God to cheer and 
 solace folk on the earth-side, and if any need my 
 humble help to give it them." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 73 
 
 After further conversation, Jack wrote the 
 following prayer — 
 
 "O my Lord God, God of Gods, Creator, 
 Saviour, and Redeemer of all mankind, I do be- 
 seech Thee in Thy loving care to guard all those I 
 love, to have mercy on me and on all men, and to 
 bring us when our Day cometh to Eternal Light. 
 
 "God, my Heavenly Father, in Thy pitying 
 love have mercy on the dying; grant them Thy 
 Grace, and courage with faith to face the Passing 
 Hour. 
 
 "Bring the Souls of our Departed Brothers to 
 Thy Bosom; spare us, O Thou Most Holy and 
 Most Righteous God. Be not angered with Thy 
 People, neither turn Thy Face away from them. 
 
 "Help the living; help the dead. Help the 
 distressed in body and in mind. 
 
 "Raise the fallen, encourage the faint-hearted, 
 grant Thy Heavenly Manna to despairing Souls. 
 
 " Banish evil thoughts, defeat evil purpo- 
 
74 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 prosper Thine appointed Servants, and grant 
 success to Holy Works. 
 
 "God, my Father, I most humbly and grate- 
 fully thank Thee for all Thy Blessings to me and 
 all mankind. 
 
 "Continue them, I beseech Thee, as without 
 Thy Countenance we are as dust. 
 
 "Lord, remember me. Mary, Clement Mother, 
 thou most Holy of Women, grant us thy prayers. 
 
 11 Holy Souls in peace and rest, intercede for 
 us all at the Throne of Heavenly Grace. 
 
 "Amen. 
 
 "I am not good at composition or grammar, but 
 I only tried on the spur of the moment to put some 
 of my thoughts into feeble, halting words. ..." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 75 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 dfit October, 191 6. 
 Jack and his father Basil both came. In a message 
 from Basil the following passages occurred — 
 
 11 1 think of all the instincts in human hearts, 
 next to Love, Pity is the most near unto God. I do 
 abhor the sort of cold doctrine, inculcated by some 
 creeds, of a stern, harsh — well, I must express 
 myself forcibly — a sort of Uhlan God, standing in 
 judgment over helpless, cringing mortals. . . . 
 
 " I do think there is not enough pity and Godlike 
 Love taught in religious doctrines. 
 
 " Good-bye, my dear friends; I leave you in 
 
 Jesus' Bosom. 
 
 "Basil." 
 
 5th October, 19 16. 
 In answer to a question whether people have 
 the same appearance in the Spirit-world as on 
 earth, Jack said — 
 
 " Yes, only they get more refined, more heavenly, 
 as they advance/ ' 
 
76 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 6th October, 1916. 
 In reply to a question, Jack wrote — 
 "I caught a glimpse, as I sped on my rounds, of 
 
 dear Mrs. X " (my mother) "hand in hand 
 
 with Mrs. S " (my wife's mother), "each of 
 
 them at hospital work. They stood by the 
 wounded soldiers, comforting, cheering, solacing. 
 . . . They just gave me a 'God-speed/ We only 
 interchanged the password, 'God with us/ then I 
 went on." 
 
 7th October, 19 16. 
 Jack wrote — 
 
 "I go nearly every night to France. I saw Mrs. 
 Carney with the Red Cross nurses ; also Mrs. X — — , 
 praying side by side with the nuns in France." 
 
 In reply to a question whether the Spirit- 
 world was not disgusted with the Germans — 
 
 "Yes; they have only praying for them (in my 
 experience) spirits of departed God-fearing country- 
 men who implore the mercy of the Father on their 
 poor wicked souls — also praying for the mitigation, 
 the softening of the hard Doom they fear is coming 
 on Germany as a nation." 
 
 On our referring to what had been said on 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 77 
 
 that afternoon by a curate in our house against 
 having a crucifix in a church, he proceeded — 
 
 "That sort of thing disgusts me. I have seen 
 such a tremendous ' broadening ' after Death that 
 I hold it is far better to be broad in one's views 
 before one passes. 
 
 " I always prayed to Our Lady: my father never 
 minded my praying to Her." 
 
 After this, Jack's father wrote — 
 
 "I have hard work. ... I try to bring to poor 
 misguided souls a glimmer of the beautiful Light 
 that cometh from the Lord. 
 
 "You see, I myself did not believe, and I am now 
 in sympathy with all those who sin as I did. But 
 God will not nourish anger against them." 
 
 After a few more sentences the pencil be- 
 came agitated, and in large letters the following 
 was written — 
 
 "Marian, Marian, you are here! Oh, Marian, 
 you are come again, beloved of my heart!" 
 
 Then, in a small, neat hand, the following 
 sentence was written, and the subjoined 
 conversation ensued — 
 
78 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 M. " Yes, dear, dear soul, I am here/' 
 
 B. "O Marian, say you love me! Just let me 
 hear once again your dear voice. O Marian, 
 beautiful white-spirit, speak!" 
 
 M. "Yes, my beloved, I do indeed remember 
 you with tenderness." 
 
 B. "Thank God! He is very good. 
 
 "O Marian, do you know it was you and my 
 friends on the physical plane that brought me to 
 salvation?" 
 
 M. "Ah, my dear, I besought our loving 
 Father, as He had guided me to Him, to bring my 
 loved ones also Home." 
 
 B. " Dear soul ! O Marian, I am indeed at the 
 knees of the Lord Jesus!" 
 
 M. "I know it and I rejoice. I told you when 
 in despair if you lifted up your voice to God He 
 would bring the wanderer to His Breast." 
 
 B. "You will come again?" 
 
 M. "Yes, I will visit you again. O my dear, 
 I have prayed so long, so hard, here and during 
 the earth-life, for Him to bring us together again — 
 and see, the husband and wife are one: their souls 
 link up in perfect love." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 79 
 
 B. "Yea, one. . . . 
 
 " Marian, I am triumphant ! Sin flees — darkness 
 fades — the way shortens before my longing sight." 
 
 M. "My dear, dear soul, I must go." 
 B. "Leave me? O Marian, must you go?" 
 M. "My beloved, I am called; I go, but I will 
 come again." 
 
 B. "Farewell, till next we meet." 
 M. "Until we meet." 
 
 "In Jesus His Bosom. 
 
 "In the Shadow of the Cross. Amen." 
 
 A little later Marian sent us this message — 
 
 "Dear Souls on Earth — Look not on me 
 with fear. I am your friend. I pray for you : I 
 
80 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 intercede with high angels that they carry unto 
 the Father my entreaties for your welfare. 
 "God bless you all." 
 
 Marian then wrote out a beautiful prayer, 
 which I have still in my possession. 
 
 A little later Jack came, and on our asking 
 whether he considered there was any truth in 
 the suggestion that by Spirit-communication a 
 person may fall under a spirit's control, he 
 wrote — 
 
 " Not under my control. I love you all too well 
 to harm you. The great thing is to go forward 
 with faith and courage. 
 
 "Pray well: pray that God will keep you and 
 yours from all evil of any kind; especially evil 
 from the Spirit- world. 
 
 "You see, the Spirit-world is like yours in some 
 ways. There is a mixed population — good, evil, 
 and ordinary. Pray, that's the great thing — 
 
 PRAY 
 
 "You want to devote those few minutes of soul- 
 culture to pure communion with Him. Therefore, 
 though your thoughts stray — all mortal minds are 
 difficult to concentrate on God and God's things — 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 81 
 
 God is so merciful He takes your petitions in the 
 spirit in which you offer them 
 
 "Be charitable in thoughts as you are in deeds. 
 Thoughts are so important. . . .* 
 
 " Pause always before you speak. Reflect 
 whether what you are going to say will hurt any- 
 one. Will it make them suffer mentally? Will 
 they be wounded? It is so unnecessary to give 
 pain through a mere word. 
 
 11 It is not strange, when one considers all things, 
 that the Bible dwells so much on the evil that can 
 be done by an unkind or thoughtless tongue. . . . 
 
 "I must depart on my work. Good-bye, dears. 
 God bless you. . . . 
 
 " + I commend you unto Christ the Lord. 
 
 " Jack — your own Jack." 
 
 ; My italics. 
 
82 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 gth October, 1916. 
 Jack's father, Basil, came, and in the course of a 
 conversation about the earth-life of his wife, 
 sons, and daughter, said — 
 
 ''Jack was ' psychic,' as you call it. . . . 
 
 "I remember when he was only six or seven he 
 was nervy about the dark. His mother said: 
 'For shame, my dear child; make the sign of the 
 Cross, my darling, and Jesus will be there.' After 
 this he was able to go alone into a room in the pitch 
 darkness, and his mother said : ' I don't want you 
 to go in there on purpose, if you are nervous,' but 
 he replied: 'No, mother, my Queen' (as he called 
 her), 'I'm not a bit frightened now. You see, 
 
 Aunt C is there and says: "Courage, Jack, 
 
 dear, Our Lady smiles on you."' 
 
 "Even I myself had a vague sort of feeling about 
 'spirits' and 'ghosts,' as you call it. . . . 
 
 "Well, my dears, good-bye. . . . 
 
 "Basil." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 83 
 
 It may be mentioned that Jack's Aunt C 
 
 had died about two years before the period 
 referred to in the above message. 
 
 nth October, 191 6. 
 Jean Olivert, "the Beloved Padre' ' (see 
 PP- 2 9» 3°)> wrote a message of which some 
 extracts are set out below — 
 
 u - 
 
 1 My dear Children — I am glad to have been 
 able to come to you again 
 
 "Pray much to the Blessed Mother of Jesus. 
 Mary, Mary, O thou most Holy Mother of God! 
 pray for me; pray for us all 
 
 " I am nearing a higher plane; I expect to go on 
 nearer towards God 
 
 "I will try and come again. . . . 
 
 14 + Jean Olivert. 
 "Padre." 
 
 In reply to our inquiry whether he knew 
 Jack, the Padre said — 
 
 "Oh yes, I know Jack, your Jack. 
 "I try and help him to the best of my humble 
 power. He is fond of me, I think, and calls me 
 
84 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 1 Padre* — dear lad! He is so wise in his views, 
 so moderate. ."..." 
 
 12th October, 191 6. 
 Jack gave us a further history of some 
 members of his family, particularly of his 
 
 father's sister B and of his mother's sister 
 
 C (referred to on p. 82). 
 
 Referring to his Aunt B , he said — 
 
 "She is a highly-placed spirit. She dwells in 
 
 happiness with mother, Aunt C , and her own 
 
 dear boy, who is growing up with her. . . .* 
 . . . • « 
 "Well, I will make place for my Aunt B ." 
 
 Then followed a message from Jack's Aunt 
 B , which commenced — 
 
 4 In Jesus Christ I greet you, Children of Earth." 
 
 The message was a beautiful one, and con- 
 cluded with the following passage — 
 
 * My italics. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 85 
 
 "Dear souls, I am inclined unto you by your 
 
 charity to those I love. Therefore, I pray you, look 
 
 up to God, and acclaim Him as your Father. His 
 
 Blessings, His Infinite Grace, His Heavenly Hope 
 
 be upon you all. In whom ye shall find Rest. 
 
 " + Amen. So be it. 
 
 "B . A Friend." 
 
 This was followed by a message from Jack's 
 Aunt C , 
 
 "Greetings in Jesus the Lord. . . . 
 
 "Let no man put a limit to the loving-kindness 
 of the God which is in Heaven. It is vain pre- 
 sumption in us, His creatures, the things He made 
 from dust, that we should circumscribe His 
 Greatness, and confine His wondrous Love. . . . 
 
 "I love you, for you love my dear ones. 
 
 " + In Jesus the Saviour. 
 
 " + In Mary, to whom we may fly when 
 trouble comes and no man can comfort us. 
 
 "Amen. So be it. 
 
 "C . A Friend." 
 
86 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 October 12th, 191 6. 
 Jack told us a tale of his early childhood which 
 followed on one he had told us three days 
 previously. Both these tales are set out to- 
 gether below — 
 
 "Oh, I was sweet! I used to have a grubby 
 little dirty 'white' (?) teddy-bear which I always 
 carried about with me when I was four or five, and 
 told mother it represented St. Peter, or my guardian- 
 angel. I don't know why I thought that, but I did. 
 
 "Mother's favourite saint was St. Peter (and St. 
 John), and so perhaps that put me in mind of him. 
 This teddy-bear had one leg off from a fight a 
 friend and I had over it. He said he wanted St. 
 Peter, and I said as it was my guardian-angel it 
 couldn't leave me! 
 
 "Poor Mummy, she did laugh! . . . 
 
 "Mother one day missed her keys. They were 
 the keys of her writing-desk, drawers, jewellery- 
 case, etc. She hunted all over the house; every- 
 one looked everywhere with no success. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 87 
 
 "At last, seeing her really distressed (having 
 said ten Aves, Ellen!), I called her to me, and said, 
 'Mummy, dear, if a very holy person, say a saint 
 p'r'aps, wanted something that someone else had 
 given him, and you wanted it too, would you give 
 it up to him?' She laughed, kissed my dirty little 
 face, and said: 'Bless you, my dear babe, if it 
 belonged to him, of course I would.' I then said 
 triumphantly: 'Well, Mummy, I've got your keys, 
 but they belong to St. Peter. He was given the 
 Keys of Heaven. So as they're his, you can't 
 take 'em away!' 
 
 "Oh, dear, she laughed. You see, she had read 
 to me the Bible story of St. Peter's charge, and I 
 had become quite obsessed with the idea that my 
 St. Peter without keys was no St. Peter at all." 
 
 October 14th, 1916. 
 
 When Jack visited us on this date we referred 
 to the statement made by many soldiers of 
 having seen angels at Mons. 
 
 Jack said he quite believed it, and 
 proceeded — 
 
 "I see so often beautiful angel- visions myself 
 that I can quite believe it. 
 
88 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 " If you could go with me and see the White 
 Spirits, the Angels, who receive their poor fainting 
 bodies, and comfort their sorrowing, anxious, 
 seething minds 
 
 "O God! it is a strange experience. Young 
 soldiers often tell me: 'Look! there is a lovely- 
 White Lady standing by me!' 
 
 " I hear and understand. Once there was a dear 
 lad — a fine boy, clean, holy, pure within and 
 without; nothing to shame the Saviour. He was 
 mortally wounded. He lay there, though alone, 
 yet not alone. For out of the mists there came a 
 white radiance, a soft, beautiful light. 
 
 "He saw his mother with him. I could appre- 
 ciate the glory of that first meeting since 'death.' 
 She received his soul when it passed over. They 
 were inexpressibly happy." 
 
 We had been told in messages that people 
 frequently travel to the Astral Plane in their 
 sleep. At the conclusion of the message set 
 out above we asked Jack how it was that we 
 were unable to recollect in the morning what 
 we had seen on the Astral Plane during sleep. 
 He said he thought we retained a "muddled 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 89 
 
 impression" of the Astral World; and then, 
 referring to myself, he went on — 
 
 11 I have met you once — going past. . . . I went 
 
 quickly by. ... I said 'God with us!' and I 
 
 blessed you and yours, making the sign of the 
 Cross." 
 
 We asked whether people ever remembered 
 what they had seen on the Astral Plane, and 
 he replied — 
 
 "Yes, oh yes, very psychic people 
 
 "I am afraid I must go now, must indeed, dears. 
 
 So sorry to leave you 
 
 "Jack, your own Jack." 
 
 15th October, 19 16. 
 In the course of a conversation, Jack said — 
 
 "I am surprised people should still believe in 
 the awful doctrine of Eternal Damnation." 
 
 16th October, 1916. 
 On our asking for a message, the following 
 was written in a childish hand — 
 
 "No one is here to write now. 
 
 11 + One who Passes." 
 
90 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 We inquired who was writing — 
 "A child — I am with Mummy." 
 
 On our asking the name and age — 
 
 " Constant. I used to be seven when I 'died.' 
 They say it is dying, but it isn't. I had a nasty 
 cold. Mummy was very sad, and she cried many 
 tears, and she said she wanted to go too, as she 
 had lost Daddy, and she was going to lose me. 
 
 "She was very lonely, she says, when I was 
 called. But you needn't be sorry now, as we're 
 both quite happy. My father was a very nice 
 man, and he had a moostache [sic] and he was tall. 
 Mother loved him very much. She cried as many 
 tears when he went, too." 
 
 In reply to a question — 
 
 "I am a boy-child. She" (referring to his 
 mother) "has seen you. She came one day and 
 wrote, sining [sic] her name 'A passing Soul,' I 
 think. I will come again to you." 
 
 He then proceeded to give in full his own 
 Christian names and those of his father and 
 mother; and went on — 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 91 
 
 "God is awfully kind to us all. We are in 
 unisson [sic] Daddy says." 
 
 Asked when he died — 
 
 " Oh, IVe been l living ' really four years. Daddy 
 died 1910, and Mummy came to me and Daddy 1914. 
 
 "Good-bye, dears. . . . Mother sends me her 
 wish to come back to her. She thinks I might not 
 be safe away from her. So I am going, dears. 
 But to-night I'll bring her with me, and then I 
 can stay a long time. 
 
 " + In the Children's Jesus, 
 
 "In everybody's Jesus, the Saviour of all who 
 love Him and repent, 
 
 "Constant." 
 
 A few moments later Constant's mother, 
 
 Mary A , came, referred to the visit of her 
 
 boy, and said she would come again and tell us 
 something of her earth-life. 
 
 In the evening she came again — 
 
 "May I greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus? 
 I am glad to come and communicate. Perhaps you 
 will allow me to tell you some of my life-story. . . . 
 
92 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "I know Mrs. Carney' ' (my wife's sister), "who 
 was ' introduced ' to me by Jack." 
 
 Mary A then commenced her life-story. 
 
 17th October, 191 6. 
 
 Mary A came again and completed her 
 
 life-story, which was very interesting. She 
 told, in pathetic language, of her extreme 
 sadness and loneliness after her husband and 
 child had both "died," and explained how she 
 learned from a friend of the power of Spirit- 
 intercourse; and proceeded — 
 
 "This made a vast difference to me. I no 
 longer despaired. I hoped. I found for myself 
 the truths of the Spiritual Science. The pencil 
 brought me tender messages of love, of joy, of 
 
 faith, from F " (her husband), "and from my 
 
 little Constant. ' Mummy/ he wrote, 'why are 
 you so often crying? I saw you in church the other 
 day, and you looked so sad — as sad as the pictures 
 of Our Lady at the Crucifixion. Don't cry, 
 Mummy, darling; we shall all be together soon.' 
 
 "I 'died' quite suddenly. ... I had a warning 
 from Constant. 'Mummy,' he said, 'it will be 
 strange if the same angel takes you as took me, 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 93 
 
 won't it, Mummy, darling? ' I asked what it 
 meant: it seemed too good to be true. * Well,' he 
 wrote, 'you are getting very near the end.' . . . 
 
 "That night I passed. Constant and F 
 
 were there to help me through. We have been 
 together ever since, very, very happy, thank God I" 
 
 igth October, 1916. 
 My mother came, and I asked whether I 
 ever visited her during sleep — 
 
 "Oftentimes. . . . Yes, oh yes. And you, my 
 dear Margaret. I have frequently met your dear 
 spirit out on the wonderful spaces where patrol the 
 Sentinels of God". . .* 
 
 On our asking whether she and my wife's 
 mother, although they had not met on earth, 
 were not very attached, my mother wrote — 
 
 "Ah, my dears, that is another thing among the 
 countless things for which I have to thank God. 
 She is my very dear and tender friend. . . . We 
 were drawn together by the love of our young 
 people: we have never since been parted." 
 
 * My italics. 
 
94 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 Referring to Jack, my mother said — 
 
 " i 
 
 'I love his dear heart. He is so happy — 
 especially when his beautiful mother comes." 
 
 She then proceeded to speak of love — 
 
 "There is nothing, in all the boundlessness of 
 Heaven and Earth and Space, as Love. God 
 Himself is Love. . . . 
 
 "I think in all the world there is somewhere a 
 mate for everyone. No heart will be lonely, without 
 love ; if not in this life, then in the Greater Beyond. 
 
 "I love Our Lady so. It pains me so when 
 people slight her. She is so beautiful, so pure. 
 How can people treat with such scant respect, such 
 indifference, the Holy Mother of God Himself, the 
 very best of women? . . . 
 
 11 E -X . 
 
 " Mother. Granny." 
 
 My father then came, and conversed with us. 
 Referring to my mother, he said — 
 
 "My own selfish fear is for her to go and leave 
 poor me behind! Still, they tell me she won't go 
 until I do, as her love for me pulls her back to 
 help me on." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 95 
 
 My wife's mother then sent a message, which 
 contained the following passage — 
 
 "... I am sure God hath His chosen among the 
 
 gallant fighting men. ... I found E " (my 
 
 mother) "bitterly grieving; her heart was sore for 
 some young lad, carried into a field hospital in 
 mortal agony. Oh, I must not talk of it ! All this 
 fearful stench of blood ! 
 
 " + 1Tn tbe SSosom of Jesus tbere ts no 
 purgatory for tbem, 
 
 "They have deserved well of us — of you — those 
 dear, brave fighting men. God bless them all!" 
 
 20th October y 19 16. 
 My father came, and after conversing with 
 us for some time, said — 
 
 "My dears, I should like to go on chatting all 
 night, but I can't. I must go. I must not be 
 unwilling to keep the Vigil of God. He has been 
 so good to us all. I am so grateful, and bless His 
 Holy Name. 
 
 "+ In the Blessed Bosom of Our Saviour 
 Christ. 
 
96 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "In the Power and Glory of the Holy Trinity. 
 
 "In the Comforting Aroma which proceedeth 
 from the Holy Mother — Our Blessed Lady of 
 Sorrows. Pray to Her. She is so great, so good. 
 
 "I love to think of Her — first as the 'lowly 
 maid/ suffering all to give Christ to the world; 
 then as the Perfect Woman assumed into Heaven 
 in the Arms of Her Blessed Son. She is happy 
 now, the Glorious Queen of Angels. 
 
 "W X . 
 
 "Pater. Grandad." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 97 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 22nd October, 1916. 
 The Padre (see pp. 29, 83) visited us, and on our 
 referring to the subject of Spirit-communica- 
 tion, he said — 
 
 "Ah, my dears, I realise now I was mistaken in 
 discountenancing this Great Science on earth. I 
 did it for the best, Us I thought; indeed I did. I 
 thought it would only harm the flock of the Good 
 Shepherd, and God Himself was against such 
 communications. I was wrong. I was mistaken, 
 with many others; and I realise my error " 
 
 Upon my saying that the theory of Rein- 
 carnation did not commend itself to my 
 common sense — 
 
 "My dear son, I myself heard the Reincarnation 
 theory with a strange mixture of credence and 
 disbelief. But the more I see and hear the more I 
 doubt it. It seems like putting back into earth 
 gold that hath been purified. 
 
98 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "So many clever men and women have placed 
 their faith in it. . . . You would come across 
 them in these planes. 
 
 "Still, every man to his way of thinking. That 
 is one thing I would alter in Religion — one blemish 
 that seems to sully the fairness of my beloved 
 Church. Ah, how I love it! It is a beautiful 
 Mother, this Church of ours." 
 
 After some further observations — 
 
 "This war is a fearful thing. I hate it tho- 
 roughly — but the innocent, as usual, suffer for the 
 guilty. Still, God is merciful. They (referring 
 to our soldiers dying in the war) have no purgatory 
 to endure.*" 
 
 "I love you well, and you are not too prejudiced 
 to listen to a padre!" 
 
 We asked where his work chiefly lay — 
 
 "Among the priests and the Catholic soldiery 
 more especially, though I have been among the 
 'heretics' as well. ... If you had seen what we 
 see! They" (the soldiers) "have rosaries; they 
 pray to Our Lady, they have saint-relics, blessed 
 
 * My italics. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 99 
 
 palm — any thing given them by a padre. . . . I have 
 heard them — these men who were Low Church, 
 Agnostics, or Dissenters — 'Mother of God,' they 
 say, 'you are so beautiful; won't you help a poor 
 lad in peril? Mary, most tender Lady, I love you, 
 I honour you. Hear me ! Mary, Mother of Jesus, 
 I want so much to go back again safely, and see 
 again my wife and bairns.' Poor lads! 
 
 "I am of French extraction myself, but I flatter 
 myself I am English too, quite 'ally.' . . . 
 
 41 Prance, dear France! Glorious France! Mar- 
 tyred France! She will benefit tremendously by 
 her Purgatory of Suffering. The magnificent en- 
 thusiasm of France — the buoyant heart that has 
 borne her through such ages of suffering ! 
 
 "Splendid France! I love her so well. My 
 ancestors were fine Frenchmen, thank God ! They 
 were soldiers from time immemorial, though they 
 rigidly kept to the custom of sending one younger 
 son into the Bosom of Mother Church. I went, 
 you see, out of my little lot! . . . 
 
 41 Good-bye, my dear children. 
 
 "Jean Olivert. 
 1 ' Padre — Your Friend. ' ' 
 
ioo I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 2$th October, 1916. 
 When the pencil was taken up the following 
 was written in a large scrawling hand — 
 
 "I don't know and I don't care." 
 
 On our asking who was writing — 
 
 "No one to do with you." 
 
 Warned by previous experience (see p. 60), 
 we spoke words of encouragement — 
 
 "No one can help me, I think. Ah, you don't 
 know my life of sin! Oh, I think God must be 
 cruel! Why doesn't Our Lady— as they call that 
 happy Woman — why doesn't She help me? She is 
 tender-hearted, they say; surely she will have pity 
 on a miserable sin-loaded woman? . . . 
 
 "Why did God make me, to condemn me to this 
 torment of soul? I was young once, and beautiful, 
 men said 
 
 "Why does God turn His Face away from me? 
 Why is there so much darkness? There are storms 
 and many troubles, and the air is very clouded. 
 The Sun is entirely hidden. Ah, God ! Why was I 
 ever born? Why was I not killed when yet a 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 101 
 
 sinless child — but was I ever sinless? Oh, guilty, 
 sin-loaded soul! Oh, heavy, heavy weight! 
 
 "God help me — if there is a God to help such 
 miserable creatures as myself. Such evil things 
 must wither His Sight. . . . 
 
 "I will come back to-night and tell you some- 
 thing of my history. 
 
 "Lucie." 
 
 Later, a number of messages came through 
 
 for one of my daughters, whose birthday it was. 
 
 Little Constant (see p. 90) wrote in a large 
 
 childish hand — 
 
 "I hope you will have many, many happy 
 
 birfdais [sic]. Mummy says you are a 'dear 
 
 family,' so God must love you, and I'm sure He 
 
 will hear my prayers and bless you all. 
 
 "I hope you will all be happy now and always. 
 
 Amen. 
 
 "Constant." 
 
 Beneath this was written in a different hand — 
 
 ("My own little darling. 
 
 "Mary A .") 
 
 After further messages Lucie came again, 
 
 and wrote — 
 
 "May I also wish you a happy birthday? . . . 
 
io2 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 I knew so well what unhappiness, was that I wish 
 you better fortune, with all my poor miserable heart. 
 
 "Lucie." 
 She then proceeded to give p, short history 
 of her life. It is still in my possession. 
 
 Her parents were cold and unsympathetic, 
 and her mother was an atheist. Her first 
 governess (who, we afterwards found, was the 
 Maud E — ■- referred to above, p. 26), was dis- 
 missed because she included religion in her 
 teaching. When Lucie grew up she married 
 according to her parents' directions. The 
 marriage was not a happy one, although she 
 was fond of her husband, and after a few years 
 she left him, and died not long afterwards. 
 
 Lucie's story was told partly on the 25th 
 and partly on the 26th of October. In the 
 course of her interview on the 25th she thanked 
 my wife, and said — 
 "It is so long since I heard such words of sym- 
 pathy from human lips. . . . 
 
 "I know there's a God. I don't know why I 
 ever doubted. They tell me He will raise me soon. 
 I want to be happy so much. Jack comforts me 
 and I am content to-night. ... 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 103 
 
 "Mrs. S " (my wife's mother) "and Mrs. 
 
 X " (my mother) "have promised to help me. 
 
 ... I am so much happier. 
 
 "God bless you all. 
 
 "Lucie." 
 
 26th October, 191 6. 
 
 We had a remarkable experience. On put- 
 ting the pencil to paper the following was 
 written in the characters set out below. The 
 original is still in my possession — 
 
 
 C^ -w %>7i 
 
 We asked who wrote this message, and the 
 reply came — 
 
 "0. fc&JL. L Ifwj- 
 
 We asked the name — 
 
104 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 i JH #<. ^rr ; < 
 
 *0 
 
 28th October, 1916. 
 Two days later, upon my elder daughter 
 taking up the pencil, it moved across the paper 
 in an unusual manner. We asked whether it 
 
 was "P " writing, and the reply came — 
 
 1 ' Yes. ' ' We then asked who he was on earth — 
 
 U/m- fjjffceU Off F„fi 
 
 * The name signed was a very peculiar one and we ascertained 
 later (see p. 107) that although his wife called him by this name 
 it was not his real name. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 105 
 
 We inquired whether he believed, when on 
 earth, in God and Jesus Christ — 
 
 '%' 1 sUfr 
 
 *S£ So 
 
 We then requested him to repeat after us the 
 following prayer, and he thereupon wrote it 
 out, with the sign of the Cross. 
 
 <c ■ » 
 
 11 1 do Believe 
 
 "My Jesus mercy! 
 "Mary help!" 
 
 We told him Christ died for him and all 
 men — 
 
 *J}t dtedf+'R M f 
 
 tu * 
 
 We asked whether his mother had passed 
 from this life before him — 
 
106 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 1 M/#i Sie rs /(f;„ 
 
 SJU f/aJ tap fa 2 7fa>{~. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 107 
 
 The words, " You're like my mother, you," 
 were addressed to my wife, and the pencil was 
 moved and tapped her on the hand. 
 
 Later on the same day Lucie came again, and 
 completed her story. Towards the end of the 
 story she gave the name of her husband — 
 
 "His name was G W . I called him 
 
 'P— /" 
 
 She mentioned the reason why she so called 
 him. 
 
 Upon this we told her that someone signing 
 
 himself "W " and "P " had been to 
 
 us, and appeared very distressed, and as if he 
 were mad. 
 
 She then proceeded — 
 
 "O God, how awful! O darling! I must go 
 to him! How wonderful the ways of God!" 
 
 My wife said she thought we had been able 
 to help him a little. 
 11 I am sure of it, dear. I know why, oh, why he 
 is mad." 
 
 She then gave a reason, which I do not feel 
 at liberty to disclose. She went on — 
 
io8 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "Ah, he loves me? Do you think he does? I 
 will make him remember. I will try — please God, 
 I will succeed. He must forgive me; I forgive all 
 he did to me. Thank you, my dears 
 
 "I think God will help him and me." 
 
 " My father died a Christian ; mother, poor soul, 
 died in unbelief suddenly. I believe, too, she will 
 come. I hope. Father died soon after I was 
 married, so he is more advanced. . . . 
 "Good-bye, dears. 
 "Amen. + In Jesus. 
 
 "Your loving, grateful friend, 
 "Lucie." 
 
 A little later the following was written — 
 
 "No one else can come, but to rest you take this 
 to your comfort. Lucie and her husband are 
 together, and he recovers apace. Thank God, yes! 
 
 " + In Jesus and Our Lady, Amen. 
 
 "A Passing Soul." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 109 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 28th October, 1916. 
 Lucie's mother came — 
 
 "I have met my daughter, and she tells me she 
 has communicated with you. 
 
 "You know that on earth I did not believe: 
 more than that, I tried to prevent others believing. 
 I have been punished, but the God whom I de- 
 nied hath seen fit to show me the right way after 
 many and great tribulations. . . . 
 
 "Mary A (see p. 91) has had this 'surprise' 
 
 in readiness for Lucie. She has worked so hard 
 to help me, and bring us together. 
 
 "I have been miserable. I was in a set of 
 similarly-thinking people — atheists and non-be- 
 lievers, Agnostics like myself. We had 'parties' 
 where we all entered into brilliant conversation 
 and worldly mockings. When others saw beauti- 
 ful spirits coming down and working in lower 
 planes we saw them not. ■ Oh, the beautiful White 
 Spirit ! ' one would exclaim, and others fall on their 
 knees to hear the words of wisdom and heavenly 
 
no I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 counsel. Some came from such lofty heights — 
 almost in the Presence Itself. And we, what 
 could we do? We saw them not. 
 
 " Bitterly troubled, we scoffed and said: 'The 
 God is no God who sends His angels to those 
 
 who need them not/ Oh, the wicked 
 
 blasphemy surging all around us ! Oh, the ghastly, 
 sordid lot!" 
 
 We asked what happened to change her 
 condition to a happier one. 
 
 "I will tell you in a moment. 
 
 "I went off by myself one day. I did not say 
 where I was going; they would have jeered had 
 they known, poor souls, I was going to a church! 
 
 " I went to an earthly church — the Church of St. 
 Patrick's, Soho. I saw a few devout worshippers 
 kneeling in fervent, heartfelt prayer. 
 
 "I smiled bitterly. 'Poor wretches,' I thought, 
 'if they only knew to what a hell their God and 
 their Holy Mother sent the majority of His children ! ' 
 
 "As if she felt the presence of some unbeliever 
 — some evil thing — a little widow woman in black 
 next to me crossed herself, murmuring: 'O Jesus, 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION in 
 
 sweet Son of God, help those who are departed, 
 both the faithful and the erring. ' 
 
 "Some irresistible impulse drove me to the Shrine 
 of the Sacred Heart. I had been to Our Lady's, 
 too. I stood in wonderment before the marvellous 
 beauty of the Lamb of God. I prayed. 
 
 "I had not done such a thing for many, many 
 years — since my girlish days, when I prayed at my 
 mother's side in our little oratory. I prayed; I 
 saw the Hand move, extended to me. i Daughter,' 
 said the Statue, 'go in peace; thy sins be forgiven 
 thee.' 
 
 "I had suffered chiefly in not being able to 
 repent. I seemed sunk in a fearful morass from 
 which there was no deliverance. I heard nothing 
 but evil and blasphemy, till God took pity upon 
 me, and sent me to that church. 
 
 "Ernest" (her husband) "will come tome soon, 
 they tell me. Ah, how I laughed at his change of 
 faith! But he was right, and I — ah, God! — I was 
 so wrong. I remember what he said: 'Brenda, 
 Brenda, you will repent it. You may not live to 
 repent it, but you will repent it after death.' 
 
ii2 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "I will send you word somehow the first time I 
 see him. . . . 
 
 "Brenda." 
 
 A few moments after this message, the 
 following fragment of a conversation between 
 Brenda and her husband Ernest (who had 
 apparently met for the first time since "death") 
 was permitted to reach us. The two names 
 were written in very large letters — 
 
 "ERNEST!" 
 "BRENDA!" 
 
 "God bless you! Jesus, O sweet Jesus of 
 the Sacred Heart, blessings, and laud, and 
 honour!" 
 
 "Ah! my dear, my dear, and who was 
 right?" 
 
 "Ernest, you were right, and I, I was fearfully 
 wrong " 
 
 Then was written — 
 
 "They are very happy together, so take that 
 to your comfort." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 113 
 
 2>oth October, 19 16. 
 
 Lucie's husband, G W (see p. 107) 
 
 came again. 
 
 ". . ... My wife has been, has she not, to tell you 
 all about our earth-life? We have both had a bad 
 time, but, thank God! I think we have reached 
 harbour at last. I remember such a lot now; 
 not so much my early life, but since marriage. 
 There were faults on both sides, I think 
 
 11 There was a 'White Spirit/ as I thought, 
 guided me here, and I followed blindly. My rea- 
 son came back more, though I was still mad; the 
 glimmerings of a higher intelligence were coming. 
 
 " Perhaps Mary A (see p. 91) sent me; do 
 
 you know? 
 
 " Yours always most gratefully, 
 
 "G W . 
 
 "P ." 
 
 2nd November y 19 16. 
 Mrs. Watson (see p. 36) came and desired 
 to obtain a message from her husband; but 
 instead her son Fred (see p. 34) wrote — 
 
 "A moment — won't you have Fred for one 
 
ii 4 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 moment? Mother, darling, you are glad to talk 
 to me again, aren't you, mother? 
 
 "My own darling Mummy, you must not be 
 nervy about speaking to us — to your own Fred. 
 I love you so well, my own dear, and it's because 
 I know they love you too that I can bare my soul 
 like this. My dear mother, think of me, but not 
 with sadness. Pray for me, but not with regret. 
 We are happy, we soldiers, only instead of being 
 soldiers of King George, we are now the soldiers 
 of Our King Jesus. 
 
 "Good-bye, mother dear, and dear friends. ... 
 
 "Fred." 
 
 3rd November y 19 16. 
 My wife and I, with our two children, called 
 
 on some old friends — Mrs. Y and her 
 
 daughter. Mrs. Y was anxious to obtain 
 
 (through my children) a message from her 
 husband, who "died" years ago. Instead of 
 any such message, however, the following 
 was received from a spirit who had not pre- 
 viously written for us, and whom we did not 
 know on earth — 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 115 
 
 " I am wearing a lovely green dress. It is apple- 
 coloured; don't you see? It is draped up at the 
 right thigh, and caught with a golden ornament 
 with dangling beads; don't you like it? Can't 
 you see me in it? Do I look all right? Green 
 used to be my colour in the old days. It suited 
 my bright-coloured hair. 
 
 "Well, what have you got to say, all of 
 you? You're none of you as pretty as I used to 
 be." 
 
 We asked her name. 
 
 "I don't know. I think they used to call me 
 'Vi.' . . . But I have to go to a party this even- 
 ing: I'm busy. I've got a prettier dress than 
 
 Janet, that's true. I wish you could see 
 
 my smart gown. It's chic." 
 
 We spoke of God, and the writing pro- 
 ceeded — 
 
 "But is He God? Who is the Woman at His 
 Right Hand? Must I pray to Her too? She looks 
 nice; but Janet told me it wasn't wrong for me to 
 go on as I used to do in the old days. She said even 
 1 Our Lady ' on earth must have done Her hair in a 
 
n6 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 pretty way ! Jesus Himself had to look after His 
 appearance; why shouldn't I?" 
 
 We urged her to pray, and she wrote — 
 
 "My Jesus, mercy! Mary, help! Ave Maria! 
 They told me to say that in the old days. But 
 I am — I was — only twenty-seven. I'm Ralph's 
 
 wife, Ralph C . He was so quiet, so reserved. 
 
 He drove me to 'dress' and plays and the 'fashion- 
 able' world. Oh, the fashionable world is hollow! 
 Prick the bubble, and what's left? Why did God 
 make such silly frivolling women?" 
 
 At this point writing in another hand com- 
 menced, which we afterwards discovered was 
 
 that of my mother, E X , and the 
 
 following dialogue took place. There was no 
 difficulty in distinguishing which sentences 
 
 came from Vi and which from E X , 
 
 as after each response a line was drawn — 
 
 E. "Pray to Our Lady, dear ' spirit/ " 
 V. "Ah, but will She listen? Do you think 
 She'll listen?" 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 117 
 
 E. "My dear, think that out of Her agony 
 came the Saviour of the world. 1 ' 
 
 V. "Do you think She loves me?" 
 
 E. "Of course She loves you." 
 
 V. "But don't you see, She's happy in heaven ; 
 She's the Glorious Queen of Angels; She doesn't — 
 She can't care about poor grovelling sinners." 
 
 E. "God loves you, God Himself. Mary, 
 Our Lady, Our Beautiful, Blessed Lady, loves you, 
 prays for you, works for you in Her High Sphere." 
 
 V. "Why should some be perfect and some 
 sinful?" 
 
 E. "Ask God to enlighten your soul. I am 
 only a poor sinful soul myself." 
 
 V. " You sinful? You are beautiful and 
 white!" 
 
 E. "God hath chosen to send me gleams of 
 His Wonderful Radiance. I am so happy, I 
 want others to be happy too." 
 
 V, "But I am happy — quite." 
 
 E. "Oh no, you cannot be. Such a shallow 
 life: God did not mean you for it." 
 
 V. "Oh, but I was young, and I was pretty; 
 and why should God take the young and beautiful 
 and leave the old and ugly?" 
 
n8 1 HEARD A VOICE 
 
 E. "My dear, pause before you speak like that. 
 Because God has been good to some in outward 
 graces why should He keep them longer in the 
 world?" 
 
 V. "I don't know, but it is sad. I loved the 
 world. I am not afraid to say it. I loved the 
 world, the glitter, the roses, the sunshine." 
 , E. "And what of the dross, the thorns, and 
 the rain? Where there is one there is the other; 
 they are not to be separated." 
 
 V. "Some people are made for the sunshine: 
 some are butterflies. Why does God drench 
 their wings with rain?" 
 
 E. "God gives to every man that which he 
 meriteth. If things seem unfair in an earthly life, 
 reflect there is still the heavenly life, the life Here 
 —in which God can smooth down rough places 
 and make all things fair." 
 
 V. "Do you think so? Do you really?" 
 
 E. "Of course I do, and so will you when you 
 have had better surroundings and better chances 
 to gain a higher place." 
 
 V. "God grant it be so! My Jesus, mercy! 
 Mary, help!" 
 
 E. "That is right. Pray well : pray earnestly." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 119 
 
 V. ''Ave Maria! Dominus tecum." 
 
 E. "Pray." 
 
 V. "I will remember. I am so tired of this 
 miserable life. Give me something better, some- 
 thing deeper. God, send me something I can 
 love!" 
 
 E. "Have you never loved?" 
 
 V. "God knows! I was friendless in the 
 midst of ' friends'; alone in the midst of many." 
 
 E. "It is not too late for God to help you. 
 The Holy Mother will help you too." 
 
 V. "Mary, help me! Mary, You were once a 
 woman: You know what it is like. You realised 
 the hollowness, the drabness. Help me! O God, 
 send me light!" 
 
 E. "Pray thus every day. Pray to the Holy 
 Paschal Lamb, whose Precious Blood hath re- 
 deemed all the world." 
 
 V. "All the world? All? Me? Sinful crea- 
 tures like myself?" 
 
 E. "God hates the sin, but loves the sinner." 
 
 V. "J6su! Ayez pitie de moi ! . . . I want to 
 live better. I suppose, after all, dresses are only 
 dresses, and there is nothing stable, nothing sure 
 but God Himself. I will try." 
 
120 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 E. "I must go. Time rolls on, and every 
 moment has to be accounted for to God." 
 
 V. "He will pity me. I have wasted so much 
 time, my whole life one whirl of self. God, 
 God, You will forgive!" 
 
 E. "He will forgive if you pray well. Pray — 
 always pray." 
 
 V. "I will. God reward you for your goodness. 
 Thank God, oh, thank God!" 
 
 E. "God with you." 
 
 V. "In Jesus. Amen." 
 
 E. " + Amen." 
 
 Beneath this, after a few moments, was 
 written — 
 
 "Gone, on the work of the Lord. Amen." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 121 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 4th November, 1916. 
 On this date the first of a series of three interesting 
 messages from a spirit then in very unhappy 
 conditions reached us — 
 
 "Letter L" 
 
 "This is a strange place. I am feeling very 
 lonely, and yet there are many with me. Do you 
 think there can be a God to send us here? I 
 wonder! What were we made for? There is 
 always injustice, though; injustice everywhere. 
 I suppose there always will be while there is God 
 and sinners. 
 
 11 Is God always to live? Are we always to live? 
 Does He mean to keep us here for ever and ever? 
 I don't want it. I am unhappy; there is such a 
 way to go; such a long, long space, a pain-racked 
 space, stretching between me and something I 
 suppose is better than anybody here. 
 
122 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "They used to tell me there was a Merciful 
 Being who watched over all His children. I 
 wonder! They told me that, but they told me 
 many things, many things that I have found to 
 be wrong. 
 
 "Why does He not come to place us higher? 
 Why are my feet like leaden weights and my soul 
 heavy with pain and unbelief? There is no light; 
 nothing to help me. I don't want to live; I want 
 to die. I thought Death would end it all — all that 
 foul sin and vileness that stained my life. But He 
 kept me living that He might feast His eyes on 
 my agony. 
 
 "Why is it i thus? Why should I suffer? 
 Angels — happy angels — see how they gather round 
 a glorious throne! And I and others like me, see 
 how sunk we are in filth and abomination and sin 
 and unending torment! Is it unending? Are we 
 to stay here for all the ages — for all Eternity? Is 
 our life never to be with God? Is there a God? 
 Can there be? Is there Jesus? Is there Our 
 Lady? 
 
 "Oh, I am so weary! Oh, take me, save 
 me from this! My Jesus, mercy! Mary, 
 help!" 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 123 
 
 Then followed in very large letters — 
 
 14 Mercy, have pity, O Lamb of God! You are 
 there? You hear? There is a God, isn't there ?" 
 
 Then in. smaller writing — 
 
 41 Jesus, You came as a man in the flesh? Jesus, 
 end this torment! As there is a God in Heaven, 
 hear my anguish! There is no light! There is 
 filth and all manner of vileness. I would not have 
 treated the most wretched offender on earth as 
 'Our Father' has treated me. 
 
 44 There are dizzy walls and rocky heights; 
 there are foul caverns of devilish vileness. There 
 is blasphemy all around me— surging seas of 
 foul-mouthed wickedness. 
 
 "Where is the shelter of the angels' wings? 
 Where is the sweetness and the aroma that 
 cometh from the breath of Mary, Mother of God? 
 Ah ! but the debt is so heavy : there is so much to 
 pay. O God! God in whom I did not believe — 
 the God I doubt even now, if You are in the Heaven 
 of which I hear, send away the haunting vileness, 
 the unbelief, the Terror that walketh by noonday. 
 
 "But I don't believe: I can't believe. " 
 
i2 4 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 We asked him to pray: "Lord, I believe. 
 Help Thou mine unbelief/ ' and he repeated 
 these words, writing them on the paper, and 
 proceeded — 
 
 11 1 am a miserable sinner, and a soul in the sorest 
 agony." 
 
 After some further words a line was drawn 
 across the page, and then was written — 
 
 "Was that the flutter of an angel's wing? Ah, 
 minister of God, come to me! Come, O Jesus, 
 come; do not pass me by. I am in misery — sunk 
 in a morass of foulness, yet do not shun me! I 
 clutch Thy pure robe in sore need, in the direst 
 agony! 
 
 "Mary — She loves me? You think so? She 
 is the Mother of God — the Holy One of Con- 
 solation?" 
 
 Then the pencil was raised and pointed to 
 a small print of the well-known picture, 
 "Our Lady of Consolation," and the writing 
 proceeded — 
 
 "I am like the sinner in that picture, beautiful 
 spirit ! In the love that you say Jesus has for men 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 125 
 
 — in that precious love hearken to me. I need you 
 
 so! I want you, O God, so badly! 
 
 "You say I am redeemed? Then why doesn't 
 He take me higher? Why? Why am I left here — 
 I and others? ... A soul in pain." 
 We asked his name. 
 "I will give you a name by which to know me, 
 a name they gave me, I suppose, in the earliest 
 days of life, when I was pure and sinless. Me! 
 Yes, and as sinless as the best of you. 
 
 "Danby. 
 11 (One name of mine.) " 
 
 We asked " Danby " to come to us again, and 
 he wrote — 
 "I will come and write another letter soon. . ." 
 
 We told him we were sure he would soon be 
 happier, and asked him to pray to God. 
 
 "I will try. I hope — it is almost too much for 
 me to do, even hoping — I will" (pray), "but they 
 will laugh; they will jeer. . . . Poor souls! . . ." 
 
 Then beneath this was written in another 
 hand — 
 
 "Gone." 
 
126 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 6th November, 1916. 
 Danby came again, and wrote— 
 
 "Letter II." 
 
 "The heights seem a little less impregnable; 
 surely, surely their rocky frown is not quite so 
 terrible as before! I believe — I believe there 
 must really be a God. You think so too, don't 
 you? You don't doubt?" 
 
 We said we had no doubt. 
 
 "Oh, I am glad; I think so too 
 
 "God cannot have made human souls that some 
 may joy in Paradise and the vast majority go 
 evermore into the bottomless abyss of Hell. . . . 
 It is such a long time since I prayed. Once when 
 my mother talked to me as a little child I asked 
 her: 'Mother, is there anything worse than 
 death?' I shall never forget her seriousness as 
 she replied: 'My darling, there is something a 
 great deal worse, and that is the punishment for 
 unbelievers that comes after it.' She was right. 
 
 "Who made God? You think He is both All- 
 powerful and All-good? Yet why is there a God 
 and a sinner? Why the difference, with the 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 127 
 
 Eternity that faces us? They ask me. They say: 
 1 Is He a man or a woman? Does He wear a bonnet 
 or a helmet?' . . . 
 
 11 1 didn't know what to say. I could only laugh 
 with the rest of the crew. . . . Men are so astonish- 
 ingly afraid of the ridicule of 'the world,' so 
 terrified of jeers and scoffing. . . . 
 
 "I had a great friend on earth — a good man 
 and holy without being 'churchy.' He used to 
 warn me of the 'rocks ahead,' but I only laughed. 
 . . . He said : ' Danby, if you don't see now, you 
 will later.' He too was right." 
 
 We asked Danby how it was he came to us. 
 
 "I stumbled upon you; but really I don't 
 believe there is such a thing as ' stumbling ' upon a 
 person, or that there is such a thing as ' accident ' 
 or 'chance.'" 
 
 Danby was in the middle of a further sen- 
 tence when another spirit (who, we afterwards 
 discovered, was a friend of Danby named 
 Caryl) interrupted — 
 
 Caryl. "God? There is no God." 
 Danby. "I believe. I tell you I believe." 
 
128 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 Caryl. "You 'believe'! Scorn on you. Su- 
 perstition: slavery! I wish / could. I will come; 
 I want to know. Is God the loving Father of all 
 men, or only of a favoured portion? You love 
 Him? You reverence Him? He is merciful? 
 Danby, you believe ?" 
 
 Danby. "I do; yes, I do." 
 
 Caryl. "Then you will help me? You will?" 
 
 Danby. "Me? Help you? A poor sinner, a 
 miserable, grovelling wretch? .... Say this, 
 Caryl: 'My Jesus, mercy! Mary, help!'" 
 
 Caryl apparently repeated this prayer, and 
 proceeded — 
 
 Caryl. "I want to see my sister. She died in 
 my arms. It seems ages, weary ages. She was 
 a beautiful soul, if ever there was a beautiful 
 soul." 
 
 Danby. "Brenda sent me. I am her brother. 
 She told me, and I came. ... I saw a light guiding 
 me. They tell me it was Brenda. Ah, we never 
 forgot our lovely mother. I think, of all ties in 
 the world, that of a mother and child is the most 
 beautiful, the most sacred." 
 
 Caryl. "She must be very happy, if there is 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 129 
 
 Our Lady. She did live. She did suffer, didn't 
 She?" 
 
 Danby. "She gave Her only Child to save 
 fellow-beings. She must be the Perfect Woman." 
 
 Danby. "I believe." 
 
 Caryl. ' i I trust in God. I have been yearning 
 so long for God, and pretending I did not know 
 Him. 
 
 "Some spirits came to our part of this mighty 
 world and they told us they had actually had a 
 vision of the Wondrous Beauty of the Saviour and 
 of the Queen who sat at His Right Hand. We did 
 not believe, we were so envious. We scoffed. . . ." 
 
 " + God with us. 
 
 "Danby." 
 
 "+ God with us all. 
 
 "Caryl." 
 
 Under this was written by Jack's mother — 
 
 "They rest under the shadow of angels' wings. 
 
 "Marian." 
 
i 3 o I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 8th November 9 1916* 
 Danby came once more, and wrote — 
 
 "Letter III." 
 
 "I think God has taken pity upon us at last. 
 At last, I say, but I suppose it was not unjust, all 
 that we have suffered. 
 
 "Why did I ever doubt Him? There must be a 
 
 God Men have always seen the need of 
 
 a God — some Superior Being to pray to, to trust, 
 to hope in for Life Eternal. The Romans had 
 their Jupiter, the Greeks their Zeus. . . . 
 
 "Wherever we place Him, on the heights of 
 Olympus, or far away in the vaulted arch of the 
 Heaven above us, wherever He be, men have found 
 it an awful life without God. The dull, empty 
 void of nothingness, the grey, grey drabness, the 
 weariness, the hopelessness, the pain, the bitter 
 scoffing mockery: 'There is no God/ 
 
 "Every day, every hour, men and women are 
 passing over. How many are in real communion 
 with their God? How many really believe? 
 Alas, how much of precious hope ebbs with the 
 fleeting breath! How much terror shadows the 
 soul as it is slipping, slipping away! 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 131 
 
 "I knew the terror of Death. I cried in agony. 
 For the first time in my life I was in abject terror. 
 They had told me Death was but a passing, but I 
 saw Him as a Vengeful Angel that bringeth to 
 every man just retribution. God knows how 
 much cause I had to fear a just retribution ! They 
 had told me of Eternal Damnation — what else had 
 I to expect? 
 
 "Many more would come into the Fold of Christ 
 if they had not been told the Shepherd was also 
 Slaughterer. God hath been slandered, and it is 
 His own creatures who have done it. . . . That 
 a just, All-powerful God, pre-eminently a God of 
 Love, should sit on His Throne in glory, sur- 
 rounded by a few chosen ones, and with calm 
 equanimity contemplate the agony, the unending 
 agony! The doctrine is a blot on Christian 
 teachings. The idea is barbarous. . . . 
 
 "They will never convert mankind while they 
 represent the Christ on the Cross as the triumphant 
 Martinet who arbitrarily disposes of His creatures, 
 some to Heaven, but the vast majority to a never- 
 ending Hell. Christ should be placed before their 
 eyes as the Suffering Christ, the All-loving Christ, 
 the Saviour of Men. Jesus coming down from 
 
132 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 perfect happiness to be the Man of Sorrows will 
 soften the hardest heart; but most of those who 
 are readiest to believe will turn in disgust from the 
 Mighty Avenger, who is not sated but with the 
 Eternal Torment of the children whom He made. 
 
 11 Yours, 
 "Danby." 
 
 8th November, 1917. 
 
 Vi's husband, Ralph C , who had been to 
 
 us once, about a fortnight previously, came 
 again. He told us that Vi was very grateful, 
 
 and that she was sister to G W (see 
 
 p. 107). He drew out a pedigree showing the 
 relationship of a number of those in the Spirit- 
 wqrld who had communicated with us, and 
 after other writing, he proceeded — 
 
 ". . . I have been worried about my wife, 
 having to leave her behind while I got on a little. 
 
 Never mind, we're together now She was 
 
 so sad, my little wife, when the only child she ever 
 had died at birth — a little boy. That is one great 
 incentive to her to strive higher. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 133 
 
 "Time presses. ... I must try and come again 
 soon. She will, too, please God. 
 "+ In Jesus and Our Lady. 
 4 'Amen. 
 
 "Ralph C ." 
 
i 3 4 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 Spirits on a happy plane are often engaged in 
 "rescue" work, which consists in visiting low 
 planes and attempting to awake in the unhappy 
 beings there a real repentance for the sins of 
 their earth-life and a desire to move nearer 
 to God, such desire being a condition to any 
 advance. Those occupied in this work usually 
 go in bands, as they thus have more protec- 
 tion against the evil influences with which 
 they come in contact. 
 
 nth November } 1916. 
 Jack wrote — 
 
 "I have been on a 'rescue party' to the dark 
 kingdom. I have been working hard. . . . We 
 went in a band of forty or fifty. Of these thirty 
 were women. So many men are busy at the Front. ' ' 
 
 He mentioned the names of a number of 
 those who have communicated with us who 
 were members of the party, and proceeded — 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 135 
 
 II Some of them M (the spirits they went to rescue) 
 "poor things, said they saw a vision of St. John 
 the Divine (I believe they really did) while we were 
 there, over and above them, in a glorious radiance." 
 
 He told us that about thirty unfortunate 
 beings had been brought to a happier plane by 
 the rescue party. 
 
 13th November, 191 6. 
 
 A message was received in youthful writing, 
 quite different from any we had had before — 
 
 " There is no one here to speak. Good luck to 
 you all. 
 
 1 ' Geoffrey H . A Schoolboy. ' ' 
 
 We asked his age when he "died," and he 
 said fifteen, and went on — 
 
 II I am here with my sister Daisy, eighteen. We 
 have visits from mother and dad, higher up and 
 onwards. You have heard of Caryl? He had a 
 sister, and she's our mother. After mother's death 
 we went to live with uncle. He was very kind, but 
 of course he did not understand children. . . . 
 
 "Before we went my sister found out the wonderful 
 
1 36 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 use that can be made of Planchette*. . . . She 
 obtained several messages from father and mother. 
 Once mother said: 'My darlings, don't fear 
 Death : there is no Death. You love us, dad and 
 me, just as well as if we were on earth. This 
 brings us near, but Death will bring us nearer still.' 
 "That was only a few nights before Daisy died. 
 She slipped down some steep steps in an outhouse 
 at uncle's country place. . . . She died, but she is 
 happy now. I 'died' as they call it, from scarlet 
 fever — -after her; nine months after, I suppose. 
 
 "Yours, 
 "Geoffrey." 
 
 After this, was written in quite a different 
 hand — 
 
 " Daisy, if you'll have her My brother 
 
 has told you something of our lives? . * . You 
 know, when I first went I didn't want to go at all. 
 Life seemed to hold such a lot of nice things 
 in store for me. I was at the age when you begin 
 to dream of 'golden possibilities.' 
 
 "Picture Geoffrey and me bending over the 
 
 * My italics. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 137 
 
 table and Planchette. How I loved Planchette! 
 She was an angel to me — to us. . . . Uncle' ' 
 (Caryl) "was not a believer in this. . . . He would 
 have stopped us doing it. . . . He never married, 
 but he treated some girl very badly, so that ex- 
 plains all you know about. He never forgave 
 himself for it, though he tried hard to forget. 
 Poor things, both of them! She went from bad 
 to worse, poor wretched girl. . . . 
 
 "Did Danby mention his sister Brenda? I 
 believe their mother died when they were at that 
 important first stage of youth. He married at 
 twenty, I believe. She (Danby's wife) turned out 
 a worthless shrew of a woman, and after leading 
 him a miserable life she went off with another, I 
 think. So Danby went from bad to worse. He 
 fell in with uncle and influenced him. . . . 
 
 "Daisy." 
 
 14^ November, 191 6. 
 A message came from Doris, the girl referred 
 to in Daisy's message as having been treated 
 badly by Caryl — 
 "I am here. I have been unhappy, but I am 
 all right now. I have made it up with Caryl, 
 and we are quite happy — married, in fact. 
 
138 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "I have a dear house here. There is a lovely 
 tree in front. I call it the Weeping Madonna 
 tree. . . . 
 
 " There is a little child I now take care of; 
 
 Caryl and I love it. I think we shall be very 
 
 happy. . . I can't stay. I had to come, though, 
 
 and tell you we were happy Thank you, 
 
 my dears; I am so happy. 
 
 "Yours, 
 
 "Doris/' 
 The following was then written — 
 
 "May I come? Vi. I have brought Ralph, 
 and as he's impatient (like most men!) he will 
 probably interrupt me once or twice. He came to 
 fetch me. Oh, my dears, life is almost too happy 
 — if you know what I mean. 
 
 "We have a lovely place. There is a pond, 
 and lovely roses growing near." 
 
 Ralph then took up the conversation, and, 
 after some observations, told us the following 
 anecdote — 
 
 "If Vi took a fancy into her little head she'd 
 never be happy till she had gratified it. One 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 139 
 
 year she saw a house in the country that she took 
 a fancy to, because 'it was haunted and looked so 
 old-fashioned.' I laughed, and said: 'Take it, 
 my dear, for as long or as short as you like. In 
 three months the damp will be in and you'll spoil 
 your shoes and frocks.' . . . 
 
 " She took the house. Soon there were ominous 
 signs all over the walls. 
 
 "I remember one night, after we'd said good- 
 night to some friends who had been to dinner, and 
 seen them off at the gate, 'Ralph,' said Vi, 'I've 
 left my new tennis racquet out on the lawn.' . . . 
 I said I'd go and fetch it. . . . 
 
 "When I was out I stopped, some mysterious 
 second-sight telling me Vi wanted me. Then I 
 heard a scream. I rushed back, and there stood 
 poor Vi in the hall, cowering for dear life against 
 the tapestry. She shrieked as I came in : 'Ralph, 
 who's the man in white? Ralph, Ralph, I've 
 seen the ghost!' I don't think I'm a coward, but 
 I felt quite 'nervy' when I saw her genuine terror. 
 I saw nothing. 
 
 "She told me all about it afterwards, though I 
 had to tell her she was imagining it. I always 
 
140 
 
 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 had an open mind about ghosts and such things. 
 She had been chatting with a friend (a smart 
 woman, 'Janet') at dinner, who said: 'Vi, don't 
 be frightened if you see the ghost'; and Vi, who 
 'didn't want to look a fool,' as she said later, 
 replied: 'Oh, I don't believe in ghosts: he'd 
 better not come to me. 9 . . . 
 
 "When I left her (to fetch the racquet) she had 
 no thought at all of the ghost, when suddenly she 
 felt a creepy sensation over the head and hair, and 
 absolutely couldn't move. . . . Then she dis- 
 tinctly heard steps in the wall nearest her; a 
 shadowy shape passed right through and stood in 
 front of her. She shrieked as soon as she could 
 find voice. She was in such terror — mortal terror 
 — she could do nothing but gasp and shiver. 
 
 "That night I couldn't get her to go to bed. It 
 would have been sheer cruelty. So we sat up to- 
 gether all night, and I never left her for a minute. 
 
 " I had a revolver in a desk near me, because the 
 neighbourhood was lonely. . . . When I told her 
 of this (I had not mentioned it before for fear of 
 frightening her), she only blanched and said: 'My 
 dear, if "It" can come through a wall a revolver 
 isn't much good.' What could I say? I only 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 141 
 
 laughed it off, or tried to, telling her it was through 
 one of two possible causes — either too much worry- 
 ing about the damp, or too much champagne. " 
 
 17th November, 19 16. 
 For some days in November, 19 16, we had 
 difficulty in communicating with the Spirit- 
 world; but we were to some extent prepared 
 
 for this by receiving from Ralph C (see 
 
 p. 132) the following message — 
 
 "It will be impossible for friends or relations to 
 come for some little time: at least, not more than 
 one or two a day. I don't know why. I can't say. 
 Simply wait; don't worry; don't fret; don't cavil. 
 Have faith. Don't lose that, or we shall never be 
 able to commune properly. I am sorry to be the 
 bearer of this unwelcome news, but God hath chosen 
 me. . . . God must have many reasons for this; 
 and, after all, you have been unusually privileged. 
 
 "Ever your friend, 
 "Ralph C ." 
 
 igth November, 1916. 
 We attended a public lecture on "Spiritu- 
 alism." Most of it was interesting, but we 
 were disappointed at the lecturer approaching 
 
i 4 2 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 the subject from the standpoint of a Rational- 
 ist, On the same evening, after getting back, 
 I wrote to the lecturer (although a stranger 
 to me) pointing out the mistake I thought he 
 made in attacking Christianity. 
 
 Whilst I was writing my letter my daughter 
 Ellen, sitting at another table in the same 
 room, took up a pencil to obtain for us an 
 evening message. Writing came at once, and 
 when it was finished we found the writing 
 came from Jack, and took the form of a letter 
 to the lecturer, some extracts from which are 
 given below. I have omitted the lecturer's 
 name. 
 
 11 You doubt. You do not think God is Jesus, 
 and Jesus God? . * . 
 
 " You are a good man : I wish you well. We all 
 do here. Therefore, I say this most solemnly: 
 DOUBT NO MORE. It is neither for your own 
 good, nor for the good of the cause you have at 
 heart 
 
 "Pray to Our Lady. You think that strange? 
 . . . I am no Catholic, but I say this: WORSHIP 
 JESUS AS YOUR GOD, FOR GOD HE IS. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 143 
 
 Pray to Our Lady, for She is His Mother, and the 
 Pure Queen of Angels. I will pray for you and 
 your cause. Do not spread your doubts, even if 
 you are too weak or incredulous to conquer them. 
 Let others joy in the Faith. Let them believe, if 
 
 that is denied to you Be not ashamed 
 
 to pray. You are a good man ; I like you much ; 
 but better men have prayed. 
 
 << < 
 
 'Spiritualism and Religion are twin-sisters. 
 Neither exists perfectly without the other. One 
 supports the other: one explains the other. 
 
 One who keeps the Vigil of Jesus. 
 + In whom there is Peace. 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 "Amen 
 
 a 
 
 Jack." 
 
 After completing this message Jack drew 
 what was intended to represent the outside of 
 an envelope. On p. 144 is set out a copy of 
 this envelope, excepting that I have inserted 
 the letter "Z" in place of the name of the 
 lecturer to whom it was addressed. 
 
144 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 With my letter I enclosed Jack's message 
 (including the envelope), but I asked for its 
 return, and I have it now in my possession. 
 
 'CI 4*&£ M/uyj frJ'ii a*i+ l/w*g fc iX^tJ^ 
 cunei tHa,/u *~&ht»* ^truJ^f". 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 145 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 As already stated (p. 4), both my children have 
 developed powers of clairvoyance and clair- 
 audience. One of the earliest of their clair- 
 audient messages was received by my daughter, 
 Ellen, on the 2nd of December, 1916, and taken 
 down at her dictation. It concluded in the 
 following terms — 
 
 "I must go now, dears. . . . There is a v great 
 Intercessory Service in our Church among those 
 who sympathise with the Allies — with the poor and 
 suffering ones in Roumania, and other invaded 
 countries. We shall be very busy, so don't be 
 disappointed if we can't come. 
 
 1 * This is so important . These three days^, to-day, 
 to-morrow, and Monday, are days of intercession. 
 I believe they are sending down a messenger from 
 the higher planes to take the message right up to 
 the Father. 
 
 "God help the Roumanians: God help us all. 
 
i 4 6 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "It is a great work this, a necessary one, and 
 
 one of mercy. 
 
 "Jack." 
 
 With the exception of the above message 
 and those in chapter xxiii. all of the messages 
 set out in this volume were received by auto- 
 matic writing. 
 
 24th December, 191 6. 
 
 A joint message was received from Jack 
 and Hector — 
 
 "CHRISTMAS EVE 
 
 "Now, good-night, and before we go, just a few 
 words on the wonderful birthday of Christ to- 
 morrow. It is called among many here the ' Mass 
 of Christ/ or the 'Rising' of Jesus, the Sun of 
 Righteousness which shall dispel all Evil. 
 
 "This form of exhortation is much used here, 
 at this period especially — 
 
 "I am the Life, the Truth, and the Way. 
 
 "I am the Door, the Means, and the Path. 
 
 "I am the Pitcher, the Well, and the Manna. 
 
 "I am the Fruit, the Tree, and the Cross. 
 
 "I am the Rock, the Water, and the Land. 
 
 "I am the Soul, the Spirit, and the Essence. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 147 
 
 "I am the Sweet Savour, the Aroma of Goodness, 
 the Odour of Sanctity. 
 
 "I have the fragrance of the Musk Rose, the 
 Depth of the Chasm, and the Clearness of Spring- 
 Water. 
 
 "I have the Softness of Dew, the Brightness of 
 Crystal, and the Ripeness of Sweet Fruits. 
 
 "I have the Strength of the Oak, the Height of 
 the Mountain, and the Grandeur of the Glaciers. 
 
 "I am Cold as Snow, and Breathing Warm as 
 Fire. 
 
 "I am unchanged and unchanging. I am God 
 the All-Mighty, God of your fathers, God of 
 Battles, and God of Peace. 
 
 "lam the God of Yesterday, the God of To- 
 day, and the God of To-morrow. I have endured 
 for all Time, and before all Time was I not made, 
 but did I make. 
 
 "lam for what is now, for what was, and for 
 what will be. 
 
 "I am the Past, the Present, and the Future. 
 
 "I have Strength and Suppleness, and Age and 
 Youth. 
 
 "Yet have I nothing of you. 
 
 "But yet have I all things. 
 
148 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "For you are Mine, and the World is Mine and 
 I made It, and the Worlds above. 
 
 " And you did I make and fashion from dust after 
 My Likeness, and into you did I breathe a Soul. 
 
 "I love you as a Mother loves the Child at her 
 breast. 
 
 "I love you as the Shepherd loves his Sheep. 
 
 "I love you as the Sun loves the Stars, and as 
 the Sky loves the Earth. 
 
 "I am yours, and you are Mine. 
 
 "Nothing can alter Me. I am for ever the 
 same, Immutable, Unchanging. 
 
 "Lo, when men say unto you: 'See, what is 
 there in life, or in this world, or in any world that 
 remaineth ever constantly the same? For see, 
 even the hills are altered by the years, and the 
 mountains we see to-day our children will see 
 differently/ 
 
 "But answer you them: 'God is My God, and 
 Thy God. He is the same One, Indivisible, 
 United, Inseparable, Unfathomable/ 
 
 "I am more to you than the Milk which thy 
 Parent gave thee. 
 
 "I am more precious than gold, more rare than 
 jewels, more hidden than precious stones. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 149 
 
 "Yet I am here, for all Mankind to have. 
 
 "And they will have Me not. 
 
 "I am more valued than all the riches of all the 
 Worlds in one man's keeping. 
 
 "I have given you powers of mind, My children, 
 and you use them against Me. 
 
 "I have given you treasure, you place it in 
 your Shrines instead of Me. 
 
 "I have given you Eyes, if you will open them, 
 and you ask where am I? 
 
 "I have given you Hands to strive with, and 
 you take them into Sin. 
 
 "I have given you Feet to lead you through the 
 World, and they conduct you to Mine enemies. 
 
 " I give you My Name — you slander It. 
 
 "I give you My Prophets — you believe them 
 not. 
 
 "I give you them to be a testimony unto you — 
 and behold you laugh them to scorn. 
 
 "I gave you My Only Son, and you received 
 Him not. 
 
 "But rather did you cast Him away, out of the 
 Vineyard which I have given to others. 
 
 "You scourged Him, who left My Breast to 
 come to you. 
 
i 5 o I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "You crowned Him with thorns, that renounced 
 His Kingly Diadem that He might come to you. 
 
 "You judged Him, who came from Me that He 
 might save you from Judgment. 
 
 "You spat on Him, that was the Godhead, that 
 was the Christ, the Emmanuel, the Messiah I 
 promised you long since. 
 
 "You took Him and Crucified Him, who came 
 to save you from a fate to which crucifixion were 
 no punishment at all. 
 
 "You mocked Him on His Cross of Pain, who 
 came to help you bear your Cross. 
 
 "You pierced His Side, whose Heart was 
 pierced by your Sin. 
 
 "You would have Him not for King of the Jews ; 
 yet see, He was King over all men. 
 
 "Yet He came and died, as some poor slave, 
 upon the Cross of Shame. 
 
 "You slew My Son, and yet how well do I 
 love you ! 
 
 "I have opened unto ye a World of Light and 
 Love, and see! how many are there among you 
 that enter in, and see the beauties there? 
 
 "I gather weary Souls out of the fleshly suffer- 
 ings even unto My Breast, and lo! do not men rail 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 151 
 
 at Me and Mine, and pour dishonour upon My 
 Name? 
 
 "Out of the struggling world I take you, even 
 unto My Kingdom; but My Mercy is repaid with 
 tears, and My Loving-kindness with ingratitude. 
 
 "Revilings give ye unto Me for all I did for 
 you. 
 
 "I that poured forth My Blood to free My 
 Young. 
 
 "And do ye not turn and rend Me? 
 
 "Yet will I not reproach, for My Love is of all 
 Times, and lasted before Time was. 
 
 "Turn unto Me, O Children of My Soul! 
 
 "I am a Fertile Place in a Barren Wilderness, 
 and where all is dark, yet I am a Shining Light. 
 
 "As a Star to the wanderer, a Staff to the 
 pilgrim, a Balm to broken hearts. 
 
 "Such have I been, and shall I be, for all the 
 coming ages. 
 
 "Count each drop of blood that ye have shed 
 for Me but as a gleaming step upon the Path 
 which leads to Me. 
 
 "Count each tear that you have wept for Me 
 but as the Nectar to refresh a fainting Soul. 
 
 "I am the Life, the Truth, and the Way. 
 
iS2 I HEARD A VOICE^ 
 
 "I am more Sure than Certainty, and in Me 
 shall no man be deceived. 
 
 "For I am the Light that lighteth every man 
 that cometh into the World; if he will have Me, 
 I am here. 
 
 "Yours ever and always, 
 "Jack." 
 "Hector, yours too." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 153 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 20th January, 1916. 
 
 Mrs. Watson, who had obtained (through my 
 daughters) a message from her husband some 
 weeks previously to this date, desired to re- 
 ceive from him a further message. The first 
 message received on this occasion was from her 
 son Fred (see pp. 34, 35), and then came one 
 from her husband. The husband's message 
 is not set out below, but Fred wrote as 
 follows — 
 
 "Mother, it's Fred — you said so, didn't you, 
 Mrs. X , dear lady? 
 
 "Oh, mother, dear, sweet little mother, I heard 
 you discussing your plans in there" (pointing with 
 the pencil to the dining-room). ... "I think it 
 would be very nice for you to get into the country. 
 The peace and calm of the country quiets the soul 
 and helps along your spiritual development; it 
 does, indeed. 
 
iS4 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "I like my dear, dear mother to be very happy. 
 It's lonely for you, I am afraid. I think you'd be 
 happier if you could get a Planchette and com- 
 municate with us. I am sure we could come — 
 after just a little time to prepare and calm down 
 —and enter the 'Golden Gates' of Spirit-inter- 
 course. Try you two together first, then my 
 darling mother alone. I am sure you could man- 
 age it, dear." 
 
 Mrs. Watson referred to her son having 
 met his father in the Spirit-world. 
 
 "Isn't it splendid, mother? I think you sort of 
 opened the gates between us, and broke down 
 anything in the way, don't you know." 
 
 His mother spoke of the pleasure of being 
 able to communicate. 
 
 "I am so glad for your sake, mother, dear pet. 
 I know you appreciate so highly the lovely fact of 
 Spirit-intercourse. We are all so happy. You 
 know, mother, dear one, it's no empty talk when 
 I say I'd rather go through ten times more trouble 
 than we went through, to gain the glorious happi- 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 155 
 
 ness of meeting our earth-friends in Spirit- 
 
 communion." 
 
 After Mrs. Watson had expressed regret 
 that more people did not know of the power 
 of Spirit-intercourse, the message proceeded — 
 
 " Yes — if only! ! ! Father says that, too. You 
 know, mother, my own dear, you must look 
 upon us as quite naturally (by all the laws of God 
 and man!) living, breathing, sympathising, pray- 
 ing, thinking, talking, wishing, desiring, working; 
 enjoying freedom, happiness and peace — that 
 Peace which the world can neither give nor take 
 away. Thank God! Yes, thank God! 
 
 " Mother, do you know, I appreciate so much 
 more than ever I did on earth the real significance 
 of those words, 'Whose service is perfect freedom/ 
 Yes, that's it! 
 
 "Ah, mother, why do they look on us as 'dead'? 
 Why do they think we are asleep — even the 
 Churchmen? 
 
 "Why do the materialists look upon us as clods 
 of clay — just bodies; no souls — no spirits — no 
 essence — no divine fire from the Nostrils of God 
 Himself? 
 
156 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "Mother, we are living; we are with you; we 
 love you, oh, so much ! We are happy, contented, 
 peaceful; far more at rest (in 'the Spirit/ I mean) 
 than we ever were on earth!" 
 
 In the course of conversation it had been 
 mentioned to Mrs. Watson that it was pro- 
 posed to bring out a book of the messages we 
 had received, or some of them. After Fred 
 Watson had proceeded in his message up to 
 the point shown above, he went on, a little 
 lower down the page, as set out below — 
 
 "Mrs. X , I just want to say this: Get out 
 
 that Book — Book of your Messages. Mother, 
 don't you agree? . . . And put in personal mes- 
 sages, too. They have about them a 'ring of 
 truth,' and speak with 'the voice of a clarion' 
 from the jaws of Death, and the Gates of the Other 
 World. 
 
 "Mother, dear, don't forget about that book. 
 Call it the 'Book of Easter Messages.' Get 
 it out for Easter — 'Easter' is such an appro- 
 priate name. 'Easter,' the New Dawn, you 
 
 oCc» • • • 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 157 
 
 " Good-bye, darling, darling mother. Why 
 should they think love of our earth-people is dead 
 directly we leave off our earthly casings? Why? 
 Is it not strange? More refined, and thrice 
 purified. 
 
 "Your loving son, 
 "Fred." 
 
 March, 1917. 
 
 In the early months of 191 7 my children 
 did a considerable number of Spirit-drawings 
 and paintings, many of which are still in my 
 possession, and are such as they could not have 
 done of themselves. The sketch below is a 
 facsimile copy of a caricature which one of the 
 spirits who has been to us (not one of those 
 whose messages are set out in this volume) 
 drew through one of my daughters of himself. 
 I was present when it was done, and it only 
 took a few moments. 
 
iS8 
 
 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 159 
 
 Below is a copy of a sketch drawn im- 
 mediately after the above caricature, by the 
 same spirit, of a relative of his. 
 
 4 /<L& 
 
i6o I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 We have learned from messages received that 
 spirits on a fairly high plane are taken oc- 
 casionally to a still higher plane in order that 
 they may enjoy the privilege of seeing what in 
 the Spirit- world is called the vision of "The 
 Sorrowful Visitation/ ' or "The Seven Won- 
 drous Ways." It is stated that in this vision 
 Christ appears in His earth-form, with the 
 wounds of the Cross in His Hands and Feet, 
 and that He walks along followed by His 
 Apostles (also in their earth-forms), and as He 
 moves a drop of blood falls at each step, and 
 instantaneously a flower grows up, and that 
 these flowers remain until just before a further 
 visitation, when they wither and die. 
 
 18th February, 191 7. 
 Jack's mother, Marian, who had heard of 
 the book of Spirit-messages we had intended 
 publishing, wrote — 
 
 "Now, dears, I wonder if I can write anything 
 for your book." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 161 
 
 We asked whether she could tell us anything 
 beyond what we had already been told of 
 "The Sorrowful Visitation." Marian there- 
 fore said she would write, as far as she could 
 recollect it, one of the chants used on those 
 occasions, and she proceeded to write as 
 follows — 
 "one of the chants of the 'sorrowful 
 visitation/ or 'seven wondrous ways' 
 "Come unto the fold of the Faithful Shepherd 
 and unto the Arms of your Loving Lord. 
 
 "For who is there can unto Him compare, 
 and what of joy is there on earth but what is 
 transitory and passing away as a little breath of 
 wind? 
 
 "What happiness holdeth the world but in His 
 smile; and when He frowneth where is there 
 comfort for the weary soul, that wandereth about 
 like a wounded beast in some barren place? 
 
 "Why, O my soul, am I sorrowful; and why is 
 my soul fainting within me? 
 
 "Why is the shadow of death upon me, and the 
 gladness of all things gone? 
 
 "For, my Lord, did I not trust in Thee, and 
 have I not always sought after Thy Word? 
 
1 62 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 11 Yet am I low at heart, and my soul exceeding 
 sorrowful even unto Death. 
 
 "For, my Lord, I had thought I pleased Thee, 
 and that my ways were fashioned after Thine. 
 
 "O Lord, leavest Thou Thy servant, and takest 
 Thou Thy Loving Hand from me? 
 
 "Thou hast sheltered me, dear Lord, from bitter 
 winds, and when the storm came hard, Thou 
 didst deny me not. 
 
 "Wherefore, O my soul, art thou downcast, and 
 lo! why is thy faith gone from thee? 
 
 "Lord, speak, and my soul is healed: touch, 
 and my ill is cured. 
 
 "Jesus, my darling Saviour, be not offended at 
 me. 
 
 "For I am but a sinful man, and mine eyes 
 have not Thy sight. 
 
 "Nor is my way as Thine, nor my thoughts as 
 Thou wouldst have them. 
 
 "Wherefore, I say, O Jesus, spare Thou me, 
 and cease Thy chastening." 
 
 At this point a line was drawn, and the 
 remainder of the chant appears to be in the 
 nature of a Divine response to the above — 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 163 
 
 "My loved one, what say est thou? 
 
 "Thine heart is weary and thy spirit faints. 
 
 "O My son! be not downcast, for after the night- 
 time, lo! there cometh the dawn, and after every 
 temptation withstood the joy of a victory won for 
 Me.* 
 
 "With courage haste ye on; waste not a day, 
 but journey on to Me. 
 
 "If I had faltered on the stony road, lo! where 
 now would My children be? 
 
 "If I had not borne the Cross, and suffered with 
 joy the pangs of Calvary, your Crown would have 
 faded and your Peace delayed. 
 
 "But every Drop of Blood redeemed a million 
 souls, and every Wound that pierced My Flesh 
 paid off the debt of man. 
 
 "Every nail they struck in was building up 
 the Bridge that leads to God. 
 
 "And of My heart ye made a stepping-stone 
 that brought ye to My Father. 
 
 "Reject it not, O children, but give your souls 
 to Me. 
 
 "I value them far above gold or rubies, and to 
 
 * The remainder of this chant, although for convenience set 
 out here, was in fact written at Marian's next visit ( 1 1 th May, 1 9 1 7) . 
 
1 64 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 My Nostrils they scent with the Fragrance of 
 Sweet Flowers. 
 
 " Guilt shall be washed away, and for your tears, 
 lo, I say unto you, they are but as the Dew to 
 refresh the Garden of the Soul. 
 
 "All shall be gathered unto Me: in My Arms 
 will I collect the peoples of the world. 
 
 "Princes and peasants, beggars and kings, 
 slaves and high-born rulers, those of the purple, 
 and those clad in rough garments, all and every 
 one will I save and bless. 
 
 "For am I not the Day spring from on High 
 which has visited you? 
 
 "Through the veil of the flesh, and the mists of 
 bigotry and dogma, My Light and Love shine out to 
 be beheld of all men. 
 
 "Come unto Me, ye weary ones, and coming 
 
 lean on Me. 
 
 "In whom ye may find peace. 
 
 "Amen." 
 
 Beneath this a line was drawn, and then 
 
 was written — 
 
 "To the Glory of God the Father, God the Son, 
 
 and God the Holy Ghost. 
 
 "So be it. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 165 
 
 "Pax Vobiscum. 
 
 "Benedicite. 
 
 "Amen." 
 
 nth May, 1917. 
 Marian came again. At this visit, after 
 referring to a woman who, having lived a gross 
 life when on earth many years ago, had been 
 in an unhappy condition for a long period in 
 the Spirit-world, but had since been raised to 
 a happier plane, Marian wrote — 
 11 People who live that sort of life on earth usually 
 continue in the gratification of the same desires 
 when they reach this world. In this they are abetted 
 by men and women of the same instincts and in- 
 clinations, till the continual practice of this horrid 
 sin brings them to an almost animal state. . . . 
 "When the sin is expiated, and the purging done, 
 the spirit feels an inward sickening, and a repug- 
 nance to the frightful surroundings, and these same 
 sentiments act as an impetus to the reborn and re- 
 juvenated soul, which from that date springs for- 
 ward as a plant towards the Light. Be sure, be 
 absolutely certain that no punishment, chastening, 
 or correction is given in this world in the same 
 imperfect, light, and often incorrect or partial way 
 
166 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 in which 'justice' is administered in your world of 
 'Injustice' — God knows, weighs, adjusts. He is 
 supreme Lord, Ruler, Arbitrator, Judge. 
 
 "Take that as your creed. Nothing that comes 
 from His Hands and into which He has breathed 
 the Breath of Life can ever die. Nor can it be 
 destroyed nor suffer eternally. All He does is 
 just. He Himself is Love. 
 
 "But — be sure 'God is not mocked.' Those who 
 have trespassed suffer: those who have knowingly 
 caused pain, endure pain : those who have cheated 
 and tricked are themselves cheated and tricked by 
 their fellows here. 
 
 "The murderer bathes in blood. The usurper 
 trembles for his possessions: the miser for his 
 hoards. 
 
 "The righteous man gains the reward of rigth- 
 eousness, and he who on earth was a son of God is 
 brought still nearer unto his Father. The man or 
 
 4 
 
 woman or little child who honestly and fearlessly — 
 though falteringly, maybe — tries to win for himself 
 (or herself) a way to Heaven, here finds the Path 
 he (or she) began on earth, opened out in renewed 
 glory. 
 
 "But finally Evil is overcome. God has the 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 167 
 
 victory over sin, and to His loving Bosom He draws 
 His sinners. Weakness is made strong and folly 
 wise — by Him to whom all glory be, now, as was 
 and shall be, world without end. Amen. 
 
 "Marian." 
 
 We thanked Marian for the Spirit-chant 
 which, as stated above (p. 163, note), she 
 completed on the occasion of this visit, and 
 Marian then wrote — 
 
 "... I am glad you like that beautiful 
 ('glorious/ as you say) chant. 
 
 "Would you like me to write down, if I can 
 remember, one of our Spirit-creeds? I'll put it on 
 the next page, if I may, and leave this to be used 
 for ordinary writing like this." 
 
 We said we should greatly appreciate the 
 privilege of being allowed to read a Spirit-creed — 
 
 "I believe in God the Father, who created the 
 worlds and all they contain, the Giver of Life, the 
 Judge of all things, and the Great Spirit. 
 
168 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "I believe in God the Son, Our Blessed Saviour, 
 Christ, the Redeemer of all men, who entered into 
 the womb of Our Blessed Lady, took unto Himself 
 the shape of man, and bore for us the burden of the 
 earthly body. 
 
 "I believe that He is the Second Person of the 
 Holy Trinity, the Son of God, and the Brother of 
 Man: that He preached the Faith of His Father to 
 all men and for all times; that He was betrayed by 
 Judas Iscariot, arraigned before Pontius Pilate, 
 delivered unto His enemies, and scourged, mocked, 
 and reviled by those He came to save. 
 
 "He hung on the Cross at Calvary, and yielded 
 up His soul to God. 
 
 "His earthly body was buried, and in the 
 Spiritual Form He passed into the place of 
 departed Souls to teach the Gospel, revisited the 
 earth, and was witnessed of His disciples, with 
 whom He communed. 
 
 "At His own appointed time He returned to His 
 other world, ascending into Heaven. 
 
 "I believe in the Holy Ghost, Third Person of 
 the Trinity, who descended upon the Christ in the 
 form of a dove, and who came with a message 
 from God at the Pentecost. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 169 
 
 "I believe in the Righteousness and Mightiness 
 of the Trinity, in the boundless power and illimit- 
 able love of the Great Spirit, which no man can 
 circumscribe. 
 
 ''Also, in the Eternal Life, the Immortality of 
 the Soul, and the death of the physical body, which 
 formeth but a covering to the Spirit of man. 
 
 "Also, in the limitatioii of punishment for sins, 
 the Salvation of all men, and the fulness of the 
 saying of Jesus: % if I be lifted up, will draw all 
 men unto Me/ 
 
 "I believe in the Communion of Saints, the 
 Brotherhood of Man, the Infinity of the Spirit, and 
 the powerlessness of 'Death/ It is but a Gate that 
 leads to another world; merely an initiation into 
 the Kingdom of God. 
 
 " And I also believe in the efficacy of prayer, and 
 the intercession of the Holy Mother and the Saints. 
 
 "In whom we find perfect Peace as with all in 
 
 the Bosom of the Father. 
 
 "Amen." 
 
i7o I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 13th May, 191 7. 
 In the afternoon of Sunday, the 13th of May, 1917, 
 I was sitting in my garden with my daughter 
 Ellen. I was looking at a book, whilst my 
 daughter, who was sitting near me, took up a 
 pencil and paper to try and obtain a message. 
 Almost immediately writings came through in 
 what appeared to be ancient characters and 
 in several different languages. Some of the 
 passages were written backwards, commencing 
 at the right-hand corner of the bottom of the 
 page. 
 
 I have not at present been able to obtain a 
 translation of these writings, and accordingly 
 I do not set them out in this volume, although 
 they are still in my possession. 
 
 After this, however, there followed some 
 writing in Greek and Latin, as set out below. 
 To appreciate the importance of this, I ought 
 to mention that my daughter at this time had 
 only just begun to learn Latin, and had not got 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 171 
 
 to the end of the declensions. She had not 
 begun to learn Greek, and indeed had never had 
 a Greek book of any description in her hands. 
 
 The spirit who wrote was apparently an 
 Italian, Lorenzo by name, who had "died" 
 many years ago and had either to a large 
 extent forgotten the Greek he knew on earth, 
 or was unable to write, through my daughter, 
 the Greek words and characters with complete 
 accuracy. He made three attempts at this 
 visit to write what we afterwards discovered 
 to be a sentence from the Greek Testament. 
 
 The first of these writings was as follows — 
 
 "E" 
 
 "Kcu eie<j\d&v dirjpexro . . . " 
 
 Having got thus far, Lorenzo broke off and 
 commenced again— 
 
 "Kai ela\6oi)P dtrjpexTO rrjv epixW nat 18 . . . " 
 
 A line was then drawn and the following 
 sentence was written in Latin — 
 
 " Multi habent cruces, perpauci habent coronas. " 
 
 My daughter, I need hardly say, could not 
 have written this sentence herself, and, indeed, 
 
172 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 she had never heard of such a word as "per- 
 paucus." 
 
 Beneath this was then written— 
 
 "Un beir homo di giorni di Lorenzo Magnifico, 
 estate in Milano anno dominini cuindici centi." 
 
 A few minutes later Lorenzo tried once more 
 to write the Greek passage referred to above. 
 Of this attempt a copy is set out below — 
 
 "K E<£ " 
 "EYAITEAION." "2 E19." 
 
 "Kat eiaekO&v dirjpexro ri\v Ieptx^' icat l8ov avrjp dvofxarc 
 KaKcrbfxevos Za/cxcuos /cat auros fy apx — " 
 
 I had so completely forgotten the little Greek 
 I ever knew that I was quite unable to make 
 anything whatever of any of the Greek writings 
 set out above. Some days later, however, 
 with the assistance of other persons acquainted 
 with Greek, I learned that, although there were 
 errors in spelling, the writing formed the com- 
 mencement of the nineteenth chapter of the 
 Gospel of St. Luke. 
 
 It will be observed that Lorenzo's first and 
 second attempts at the Greek were less success- 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 173 
 
 ful than his third and final attempt. The last 
 writing terminates, it will be seen, with the 
 first three letters of a word which will be found 
 from the Greek text to be "apxtreXco^s." 
 The originals of the three Greek writings re- 
 ferred to above are still in my possession. 
 
 There are no doubt mistakes even in the 
 third Greek writing; but small errors in spelling 
 take away nothing from the overwhelming 
 strength of the evidence which the writing 
 affords of the power of Spirit-intercourse. My 
 daughter could not of herself have written one 
 word of the whole passage, or even a single 
 Greek character. 
 
 In the circumstances, moreover, the theory 
 of "thought transference' ' is inadmissible. I 
 was not thinking of Latin when the Latin 
 sentence was written, and I was not thinking 
 of Greek when the Greek sentence was written. 
 I was not looking over my daughter's shoulder 
 as the pencil moved, and was not aware that 
 Latin was being written until the Latin sen- 
 tence was concluded and was then shown to me. 
 And I was not aware that Greek was being 
 written until some of the Greek had been writ- 
 
174 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 ten and was shown to me. Further, I could 
 not have recollected, even if I had tried to do 
 so, any sentence, or part of any sentence, in the 
 whole of the Greek Testament. 
 
 Moreover, as already stated, when the Greek 
 writing was concluded I was wholly unable to 
 interpret it; and as I had forgotten the Greek 
 capital letters I was quite unable to make out 
 what the letters were which formed the 
 heading, " EYAITEAION. " 
 
 I would ask the readers of this volume to 
 examine the last of the above Greek writings, 
 and I would direct attention to the following 
 points — 
 
 (i) The Greek characters formed are such 
 as no child, wholly unacquainted with Greek, 
 could possibly write of herself. 
 
 (2) The marks indicating the aspirate or its 
 absence are correct, and could only be inserted 
 by a person having some knowledge of the 
 language. 
 
 (3) The letters "*€<£" at the top appear 
 also in the Greek text. I had entirely for- 
 gotten what they signified. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 175 
 
 (4) At the side of the number 19, at the 
 top, "SE" is written, and precisely the same 
 occurs in the margin of the nineteenth 
 chapter of St. Luke's Gospel in the copies 
 of the Greek Testament to which I have 
 referred. 
 
 (5} The punctuation at the end of the word 
 "Iipix<o m " should be noted. No one un- 
 acquainted with Greek would have put the 
 stop in the position in which it appears (and 
 appears correctly, according to the Greek text) 
 in the passage set out above. 
 
 2^th May, 1917. 
 Lorenzo came again and endeavoured to 
 write some more Greek. He made two at- 
 tempts. After the first he crossed out the 
 words and wrote beneath — 
 
 "Je ne peux pas le faire avec facility main- 
 tenant, voulez-vous attendre. Mercie, je retour- 
 nerai probablement bient6t." 
 
 We expressed regret that he should be dis- 
 appointed, and he proceeded — , 
 
176 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "Comment? Ce n'est pas assez propre pour 
 moi. J'aime k faire bien. 
 
 "Votre tou jours, 
 
 "Lorenzo." 
 
 He then made a second attempt at the 
 Greek, of which the following is a facsimile 
 copy — 
 
 "Ke<£. 19." "TGN AII02T0AQN" 
 
 "KH' 19." 
 
 "q'ErENTO? Wfrrqi tov AttoXXco llvai KopivOcb IIav\ov 
 biekdovari tcl — " 
 
 I was present when this was written, but I 
 did not look over my daughter as she wrote, 
 and I did not know that Greek was being 
 written until the pencil stopped and the above 
 passage was shown to me. 
 
 Beneath this he wrote — 
 
 "Eh bien! je ne peux pas, mes ch&res. " 
 
 We expressed a hope he would come again. 
 
 "Comment? Oui, bientdt. J'esp&re." 
 
 After referring to the Greek Testament I 
 found that, although there were errors in 
 spelling, the Greek writing set out above 
 formed the commencement of the nineteenth 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 177 
 
 chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. As my 
 daughter knows no Greek whatever, and has 
 never learned to form a single Greek character, 
 the fact that there are some errors in spelling is 
 quite immaterial. 
 
 I would in particular direct attention to 
 the following points — 
 
 (1) The heading "TS2N AII02T0AQN" could 
 not be written by anyone unacquainted with 
 Greek characters. 
 
 (2) The writing at the side, "Ke<t>. 19," is 
 correct. 
 
 (3) The writing, "KH 19," appears in the 
 copies of the Greek Testament to which I have 
 referred. 
 
 (4) In the first word an "E" is omitted, 
 and it will be observed that at the end of the 
 word a "?" is inserted, the writer being 
 evidently conscious that there was some error 
 in spelling. 
 
 (5) The little "q" before the first word of 
 the sentence, relating to some cross-reference 
 in the margin, occurs in different copies of the 
 Greek Testament to which I have had access. 
 
178 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 It would seem that Lorenzo had present to 
 his mind the Greek passage, although im- 
 perfectly; and that one of the things seen by 
 his mental vision was the little "q" at the 
 commencement of the first word. At all 
 events, such a mark could not be imagined by 
 a person who had never seen the Greek text, 
 and had never even had the Greek Testament 
 in her hands. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 179 
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 18th July, 1917. 
 
 Marian (see p. 66) wrote a message on the subject 
 of " Prayer"— 
 
 "Prayer is the great comfort of souls in distress, 
 and souls who are in happier conditions. There- 
 fore, I bid ye all, souls of the earth-plane, never 
 neglect to pray to your Father which is in Heaven. 
 
 "If ye sin, beg forgiveness, and the Father will 
 have compassion on you, seeing as He does that 
 ye are beset with so many and great temptations ; 
 and if ye are sick at heart, then will He that is the 
 Light of the World bring comfort unto your soul. 
 
 "He shall be seen afar off in the planes where 
 never yet have such as I ventured. 
 
 "He shall be seen as a great Luminous Star 
 that increases in brightness as it comes nearer to 
 the eyes of wondering mortals. 
 
 " 'Verily,' said the Lord, ' I that come thus have 
 
180 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 suffered as a man on the earth-plane, as any of 
 
 ye, and then did I count myself one of ye, though 
 
 verily I am the Son of God and am come to call 
 
 the erring to repentance.' 
 
 • • • • • 
 
 4 'And so He rises once more beyond the vision 
 of even the brightest Spirits of gold, into His Own 
 Kingdom. 
 
 "And when He hath gone, the Light leaveth the 
 planes that before He came were in darkness, but 
 were lighted to a golden radiance when He came 
 near unto them. And the gladness drops from the 
 hearts of the souls in the Dark Kingdom, the 
 Gladness of Hope that had entered their hearts (as 
 a sunbeam steals through a parting in the curtains 
 of a window) at the approach of the Father. 
 
 "But though they seem to go further from the 
 Light, yet in a brief while, maybe, after a visit 
 from the Father, their souls are raised from the 
 depths into lighter Kingdoms. 
 
 "And knowing these things as ye do, my 
 children, I bid ye have care, lest ye at any time 
 fall into the sins of those who in our world are 
 forbidden from the joyous light of other planes. 
 
 "I bless you, my Children of Earth, and your 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 181 
 
 petitions to the Almighty; may they be heard 
 
 and granted to you. 
 
 "In the Sweet Peace of the Sacred Heart of 
 
 Jesus I leave ye. 
 
 "Marian. 
 
 "(Of Higher Planes)." 
 
 20th July, 191 7. 
 
 We received a message very unusual in 
 
 form and wording. This and the next message 
 
 from the same hand are the only writings we 
 
 have had from any Austrian or German — 
 
 "Ilothe (sic) you all." 
 
 We were a little surprised at this, and said 
 
 that the spirit who was writing might at all 
 
 events spell "loathe" properly. The writing 
 
 went on — 
 
 "I don't think so: no, don't." 
 
 We asked whether it was a man or woman 
 
 writing, to which he replied "man"; and 
 
 after a few more words, proceeded — 
 
 "I am going to the Padre's; you know, Father 
 
 Jean Olivert. . . . 
 
 "Karl." 
 
 Karl stated he was an Austrian, and I may 
 observe we never knew him on earth. 
 
1 82 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 28th July, 1 gi 7. 
 We were at my sister's house. One of my 
 daughters took up a pencil to try and obtain 
 a message from a relation. But instead of 
 this the following was received from "Karl." 
 We did not know who was writing until the 
 message was concluded and signed; although 
 as it proceeded we thought it not unlikely it 
 was from Karl — 
 
 11 Here, where's the other woman? I want her." 
 
 At the time when the writing commenced 
 my daughter and my sister were alone. Con- 
 cluding that my wife was referred to by "the 
 other woman" they fetched her from an 
 adjoining room, and I also went into the room 
 where the writing was taking place. 
 
 We asked who was writing, and Karl went 
 on — 
 
 "I'll tell them. Ach! I will. I hate the lot of 
 you. Your country is in for a bad time. There's 
 a plot a-brewing of ... . and all them chief 
 persons in England as you think is inosent (sic) is 
 not, so the devil tak (sic) the lot of you. theirs 
 (sic) in it, so you may well be alarmed. If I 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 183 
 
 could write in my own language through the instru- 
 ment I hav {sic), I would. But I cannt (sic), and 
 you may be prepared for treachery in the camp. 
 
 is sayf e (sic) as far as intrigues are con- 
 
 cerne (sic), but beware of and Madam Frau. 
 
 She's the one primately (sic). . . . 
 
 " German gold is everywhere — and German 
 powr (sic) every wher (sic). . . . 
 
 "You hav (sic) had a warning from one who 
 hav (sic) been brawte (sic) up and elevate (sic) 
 to hate you, so that is all. 
 
 "Karl." 
 
 We asked whether it was the same "Karl" 
 who had written for us a few days before at 
 our own house, to which he replied "Yes"; 
 and on our asking him to tell us something of 
 himself, he wrote — - 
 
 a - 
 
 'Killed in the war. I was in England befor 
 (sic) the war. Quit (sic) yung" (sic). 
 
 On my wife saying that before the war 
 English people liked and were friendly with 
 the Austrians, who had been dragged into the 
 war by Germany, Karl continued — 
 
1 84 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "My mother was German. She hates Anglishe 
 (sic). God be your help. I don't hate you now. 
 You are 'no so badde' (sic) as my Anglishe (sic) 
 schoolfelow (sic) once said of the Austrians. He 
 died her (sic) oute (sic) figting (sic). He fawte 
 (sic) for France. He was a splendid man as an 
 Anglisher (sic). 
 
 "God curse, say I, those who brawte (sic) about 
 the horible (sic) war. I must go now. I lik (sic) 
 you now — be nice and frendes (sic). After all I 
 only fawte (sic) for my countri (sic) and father- 
 lande (sic). 
 
 "Your frend (sic) though one-time foe, 
 
 "Karl." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 185 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 31st July, 1917. 
 Beatrice Athelstan (see p. 41) called and de- 
 sired to get a further message from her hus- 
 band. She did not obtain, on this occasion, 
 any communication from her husband, but a 
 message came from her mother (Mrs. Godfrey), 
 who told her that a friend, Katie Allen (who 
 had died about six months previously and 
 whose name my children had never heard of) 
 desired her sister Agnes and the other members 
 of her family to be informed that she (Katie 
 Allen) was happy in the Spirit-world and 
 did not wish them to be distressed at her 
 "death." 
 
 Mrs. Athelstan conveyed this message to 
 Agnes Allen, who wrote back expressing doubt 
 of the existence of the power of Spirit-inter- 
 course. Mrs. Athelstan then wrote to us 
 desiring my children to try and obtain a 
 further message from her mother or from 
 Katie Allen. 
 
1 86 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 15th August, 1917. 
 The following message was received from 
 Mrs. Athelstan's mother — 
 
 "Tell my dear Beatrice that I love her un- 
 ceasingly. . . . Tell her I have seen Katie often, 
 and that Katie asks me to beg her for 'auld lang 
 syne' to pass on to Agnes, and all, these few words 
 of comfort. 'Tell them,' said Katie, 'that I love 
 them as much, even more, if that is possible, than 
 I did on earth. I know they miss me very much, 
 and that knowledge worries me. Tell them that I 
 know the conviction they have to fight against, 
 but that I, their own Katie, have learnt myself, 
 oh! such a lot since I went through the trial of 
 physical death. 
 
 " 'Tell them that these things I have learnt, 
 these things I know — 
 
 "" ' (l) There is no death — to the Soul. 
 
 " '(2) In this world — the Spirit-world — there 
 awaits every one (after a proper amount of purga- 
 tion for sins committed in the earth-life) a life of 
 light and love. 
 
 11 ' (3) We spirits work for Jesus; we try our 
 hardest to help and comfort our fellow-beings not 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 187 
 
 yet "dead," as you call it, especially those we 
 love. 
 
 11 '(4) We are allowed, if the opportunity is 
 given us, to communicate and inform them of 
 these great truths. 
 
 " '(5) We love them, pray for them, think of 
 them unceasingly. 
 
 11 '(6) There is a great inner meaning to that 
 lovely clause in the creed: "I believe in the Com- 
 munion of Saints.' ' For, as we know, the word 
 "Saints" in the day when those words were 
 written meant, not a perfect being, as in the 
 modern sense, but merely a simple, humble disciple 
 of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 " ' (7) This "new" teaching of "Spiritualism," 
 or Spirit-intercourse, is really as old as the world, 
 and not only in ancient days, before Christ, but in 
 the times after Him, Intercourse with the Spirits 
 was sanctioned and commonly practised. For 
 who was a greater medium than Our Blessed Lord 
 Himself? Was He not "clairvoyant" and "clair- 
 audient"? . . . What a vast amount have I 
 learned since physical death ! . . . . You would be 
 quite safe in Spirit-intercourse if you put your- 
 selves entirely into the hands of God. . . . 
 
1 88 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 " * (8) Those wonderful words of St. Paul's are 
 true: "There is a physical body and a spiritual 
 body," and he goes on to explain that the first is 
 corruptible (as we all know it is), but that the 
 second is incorruptible (as now you know it is). 
 Our souls are immortal, St. Paul explains, and 
 encased in a spiritual body they live on after the 
 death of the physical and corruptible body. 
 
 " 'Our spiritual body is free from the imperfec- 
 tions and weaknesses of the old fleshly one. We 
 joy here with no illness, no weariness, no pain. 
 After our punishment is passed (for we all commit 
 a certain amount of sins in the earth-life, and our 
 punishment here is in perfect proportion to those 
 sins and takes into account the misfortunes and 
 trials we may have undergone in the old life), after 
 our punishment there is happiness for all. That is 
 a great thing to know. No one God's loving 
 Hands created is to suffer everlastingly; but all, 
 all and everyone are to joy finally in the wonderful 
 glory of His Presence. 
 
 11 'Oh, my dears! Don't refuse me now that I 
 have come to you. Don't shut me out. I am 
 knocking at the door; I have done my best to 
 communicate with you, and you must not let old 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 189 
 
 prejudices stand in the way of our mystical (yet 
 perfectly natural) reunion. I will be with you all 
 as ever. Because you cannot see me, yet don't 
 think I am not with you, that I do not love 
 you, think of you, pray for you as lovingly as 
 ever. 
 
 11 'Oh, my own dears! Don't weep for me any 
 more. Here I am — living, living, living! 
 
 11 'You must try to study the Bible in the light 
 that has lately been cast over it. Read what 
 Beatrice Athelstan has been reading — a book* 
 written by a clergyman of the Established Church 
 of England. He is a splendid man, so often talked 
 about here. He has been given magnificent infor- 
 mation to help him in giving to the world such a 
 fine book. It is full of great truths. It would 
 teach you much. 
 
 " 'I know, my dears, I know all that has to be 
 overcome of old ideas. But those old ideas have 
 really sprung up from a faulty explanation of the 
 truths the Holy Bible contains. 
 
 11 'My tender love to all. . . . Remember me 
 lovingly, but not with tears. You know I was 
 
 * This book, we have ascertained, is one written by the Rev. 
 Arthur Chambers. 
 
igo I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 cheery on earth, and I love cheeriness and bright- 
 ness now. And there is no need for tears: I am 
 not dead but living. I live. There is no 
 death ! ! There are no dead ! V 
 
 " Now, my dear Beatrice, that is the message. . . . 
 Pass it on, my darling. Do the good work and 
 have no fear. . . • 
 
 1 'Your loving mother, 
 " A Godfrey/' 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 191 
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 At various dates, mostly after parts of this book 
 were already in the press, we received messages 
 
 from a spirit, E , who in her earth-life is 
 
 well known to history, although she died in 
 early youth. It appears from these messages 
 
 that E is known in the Spirit-world as 
 
 11 Lily-white. " She has given us a most 
 interesting account of her passage into the 
 Spirit-world and of her early experiences there ; 
 and at the end of most of her messages, " Lily- 
 white' ' has made observations of a very 
 interesting character, although they do not 
 form part of her story. 
 
 The spelling in these messages, which was 
 throughout in Old English style, has been 
 altered, except in the case of the headings or 
 11 catch words" (where these occur), the spelling 
 of which has been left as received. 
 
 It is material to observe that the messages 
 set out in this chapter are the only ones we 
 have received in which the spirit writing has 
 employed a " control.' ' 
 
192 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 FIRST MESSAGE 
 
 " I saw a vision as of great glory, and there came 
 a voice from other worlds, saying: 'Behold! Now 
 art thou initiate into the near Kingdom of God!' 
 And mine ears were filled with sweet sounds of 
 strange music, tender-light as the fairies, and 
 seeming to breathe around me pure fragrance and 
 holy thoughts, fresh from the Mind of Jesus. 
 
 "O Sweetest White Flower of Bethlehem- 
 Sacred Branch of Jesse's Sacred Stem — so may 
 Thou ever be with me, O Thou of the Lily Per- 
 fume ! In life and in death — the higher life — abide 
 with me! 
 
 "And I saw, as it were stretched out before me, 
 all the kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them. 
 And there spake within my soul a voice saying: 
 'Would ye not forgo all these, yea, them all, to be 
 brought nearer unto Me?' And swiftly as flies 
 the eagle to his rocky home did I reply: 'Yea, 
 Lord, all, them all/ 
 
 "And then from a mist of darkness rose a golden 
 light, glorious like the morning in the first break- 
 ing. And a whisper sounded from all creation as 
 of many voices crying aloud: 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 193 
 
 11 'Behold! He is the Lord of all, of Earth and 
 Heaven, and Hades, the place of departed souls. 
 Is He not more powerful far than Death? And 
 hath He not obtained the victory over the 
 grave?' 
 
 " And before my dazzled vision there shone white 
 radiance so that my sight could not bear the bright- 
 ness thereof, and perforce I cried aloud, saying: 
 'Lord, Lord, tell me! Wherefore am I here? 
 What mystery holdest Thou as a little bird nestling 
 in the Palm of Thy Hand? What say these fragrant 
 lilies from Thy garden? What do they know of 
 Death?' 
 
 "And straightway the Light that had shone so 
 glorious sank in the Heavens, like the sun at even- 
 tide, and the soft whisperings merged into one 
 sound as of a sweetly murmuring sea: 'Death! 
 
 Death! There is no Death!' 
 
 "Lily-white. 
 
 "Control, Dorothy Marten. 
 
 "I will finish when I am permitted to come 
 again. 
 
 " + In Jesus and Mary I leave you. For 
 the nonce adieu. Call to me again very soon, O 
 my sisters the other side of 'Death.' " 
 
i 9 4 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 SECOND MESSAGE 
 
 "Gently the soft glimmerings of that Mellow 
 Light shone out over the world, and as the angel- 
 voices swelled into a beauteous harmony, rising 
 and falling in musical cadence, then did my heart 
 leap within for very joy, and my soul sang blithely 
 a paean of thanksgiving. I fell on my knees in the 
 ecstasy of my content, embracing the sweet- 
 breath'd flowers at my feet. 'These, O Lord, are 
 they not the lowly handmaids of Thy Temple, are 
 they not the expression in nature of Thine Own 
 most lovely Thoughts?' 
 
 "As I spake thus there fell on a sudden a great 
 silence, and the Wings of Sleep seemed to close over 
 the busy Life that throbs throughout the worlds, 
 fresh, sweet, and soothing, as though 'twould say, 
 'Rest, rest, be at rest. . . .' 
 
 "In mighty wonderment I long lay pondering, 
 dreaming over the marvels of God's marvellous 
 universe; and in the midst of this 'soft-hued 
 contemplation' there came a voice from out of the 
 pearly-greyness around me, saying: 'Sleep, sleep, 
 O busy Worlds! Sleep, sleep, O thoughtless, 
 heedless, prayerless peoples of the Earth. Sleep, 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 195 
 
 be at rest. O world that God made from His Own 
 Sweet Perfumed Breath; O World for which the 
 Lord Jesus died, in what darkness art thou lying — 
 yea, lost as though in the entrammelling mists of 
 night. Dark when the Light shines out over thee ; 
 tired when the Life of all creation waits to be thy 
 Staff; stumbling when Jesus is there to aid thee; 
 moving swiftly, evilly wilful, towards the great 
 abyss. 
 
 " 'O sinful World! Thinkest thou never of 
 aught but thine own concerns? Petty concerns, 
 petty cares, petty blessings, in comparison with 
 God! O World God made! hast thou never a 
 thought for thy Father? When darkness closes 
 over thee, dost thou not reflect on the mightiness 
 of God? 
 
 " 'Thou art the most beautiful, and verily the 
 most hideous. Thou art the most pure, yet verily 
 the most foul. Thou wert made for Sunshine and 
 thou courtest Darkness. Thou wert made for 
 Spirit, and the Flesh alone holdeth thee. Are there 
 no ties to attract thee, O Babylon, but carnal ones, 
 no union to be made but the wedding of Vice? 
 
 " 'Fall, fall, then from thine high estate! Fall, 
 fall, fall! Drop, drop, wither, die! In thee the 
 
196 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 Good is lost and Evil alone survives. Virtue 
 succumbs, Vice is Queen of all. Empire of wicked- 
 ness! Home of Sin, Plague-Spot in Creation! 
 O Sore, that disfigures the Dazzling Body of the 
 Godhead! Heaven cannot be thy Goal; Hell, to 
 my thoughts, would close her gates against thee! 
 
 " 'Thou comest warm from the Heart of Jesus, 
 and see how thou turnest from Him. Yea, rather 
 wouldst thou lie in the Arms of Evil, tempting thy 
 betters with thy comeliness, like a wanton woman 
 with her evil beauty/ 
 
 "So poured forth these wondrous words hot from 
 a bosom teeming with tumultuous thoughts. I 
 looked around me and to my sight there appeared a 
 vision as of a Spirit in radiance, standing afar off, 
 on a great height, looking over the world. 
 
 " 'Spirit from God!' I said, casting myself in 
 wondering humility before him; 'think not so 
 evil of the world; all is not wicked, and Hope is 
 far from lost !' 
 
 "He looked on me and his eyes pierced me with 
 a curious light. 
 
 " 'Call me " Brother, " ' he said; 'be not afeard 
 of me. I come from higher spheres, and in my 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 197 
 
 Light you see a dull reflection of the Glorious 
 Brightness upon the Fringe of God His Throne. 
 . . . You marvel I find in my soul such bitterness 
 against the world? Alas, I was one of those who 
 succumbed to the charms of beauteous Babylon. O 
 loveliness incomparable! O ripe charms! O 
 delightfulness knowing so evilly well how to tempt 
 all that will not at once surrender! 
 
 " *I fell. They dragged me down; my whiteness 
 was bespattered with the foulness that pervades 
 the Earth. My beauty withered, hope sank, life 
 became dulled, heart and soul broke in the struggle 
 to redeem my fallen virtue.' 
 
 "He paused, as once more he looked out over 
 the world. 
 
 11 *0 Enchantress!' he said, sighing gently as he 
 gazed. 'O Siren, that lures a Soul into perdition, 
 that wiles It into danger, that hushes It to fatal 
 sleep. Sleep of the Soul! Alas, how numbed It 
 grows! How soon the consciousness of Good and 
 Evil grows dull; Light that God lit from His 
 Kingdom among the stars, alas! how soon It 
 flickers beneath thy balmy breath F 
 
 "Entranced, I waited, and gently he drew me 
 towards him, softly speaking the while. 
 
i 9 8 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 " 'Lean on me, O child of God! Lean on 
 me, and bear with my repinings a short span 
 longer. . . .' 
 
 "For the nonce, dear ones, we must part. Call 
 me again soon — this noontide an you will. Till then 
 adieu. 
 
 " + In Jesus and Mary, the Blessed Flowers of 
 Palestine, 
 
 "Yours always lovingly, 
 "Lily-white. 
 "Dorothy Marten, 
 "Control." 
 
 THIRD MESSAGE 
 
 " 'See,' he continued, 'the glory of God's 
 wonderful World. . . . Yet look at the mists that 
 cling around her, enveloping, enwrapping, fast en- 
 closing. . . . Look at the darkness hanging over 
 her, like a velvet pall over Heaven's lovely Bride. 
 Hark to the cataracts of Evil that sweep over her 
 in one wild, impulsive rush/ 
 
 "Thus did he speak, one arm about me the 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 199 
 
 while, the other outstretched towards the darkling 
 world. 
 
 11 'Ah, but see/ spake I very gently unto him; 
 ' see the gleams of light that illuminate the dark- 
 ness, shining like stars out on to a lonely sea. 
 Hark to the soft fall of soul-refreshing waters, 
 somewhere in that great world. Hark to the 
 silvery sound, how it strikes the ear, like the notes 
 of a sweet-tongued bell/ 
 
 "He smiled as his gaze wandered sadly over the 
 vast universe once more. 
 
 11 'Those little gleams/ he said, 'are they not 
 lost, poor, feeble guides in the all-pervading gloom? 
 ... In that mighty Ocean of Life, who stops to 
 heed those flickering monitors? Nay, the proud 
 vessels of wilful souls spread gleaming sail, and 
 boldly unheeding, pass along/ 
 
 " 'If some ships wander away from the houses of 
 guidance/ quoth I, 'are there not yet a few that 
 safely reach their goa.?' 
 
 " 'Aye/ he answered me gravely, but with a 
 mellowing sweetness, 'some there are, or the Mis- 
 sion of Jesus would have been in vain. Yet in 
 the Marshes of Life how many sink, dragged un- 
 resisting down into the foul depths; how many 
 
200 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 thoughtless ones, erring from weakness, are be- 
 guiled away into the dangerous swamps by flitting 
 glories, earthly will-o'-the-wisps! 
 
 " 'Doth not even glory's crown wither away? 
 True glory alone can be found in the Sweet Bosom 
 of the Christ-One, and in such things as He smiles 
 upon/ . . . 
 
 " 'If those poor souls falter and fail, is there 
 not Jesus to lean upon? There is no place for 
 despair in all God's wide universe,' quoth 
 I. 'Through the Spiritual Eyes, Christ is 
 always to be seen, the same, unchanging, and 
 unchanged.' 
 
 "He answered me not, but lifted his face to the 
 pure and cloudless Heavens, raising his arms in 
 invocation to their limpid heights. 
 
 " 'Twin-Soul of Jesus,' he said, 'Spirit of yon 
 sweet-tinted skies! Look down on us here, and 
 grant unto our wondering souls a gleam of the 
 Sunshine that cometh from God!' 
 
 "And even as he spoke a beam of Light rent the 
 crystal-clearness of the Heavens, spreading around 
 us a holy beauty. 
 
 " 'How different is Thy loveliness, O Spirit of 
 the Skies, to the wanton beauty of the Earth! 
 
 : 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 201 
 
 How greatly dost thou ennoble, how greatly cheer, 
 and lighten, and give heart!' " 
 
 " + My dears, call me again to-morrow. I 
 will come. 
 
 "I wish you all good fortune, and sweet con- 
 tentment, and spiritual and earthly blessings. 
 
 " Your sister in Jesus, 
 " Lily-white. 
 "Control, Dorothy Marten.' ' 
 
 FOURTH MESSAGE 
 
 " 'What wouldst thou tell me, beautiful Twin- 
 Soul of Jesus, by the gentle radiance thou dost 
 disperse around? All on a sudden does it. break 
 upon our vision like a glance direct from the Eyes 
 of God/ 
 
 "There fell a silence, and out of the mighty 
 quietness, as from a deep well, arose a soft voice, 
 speaking words of holy wisdom. 
 
 11 'Look towards the Earth, 'gainst whom thou 
 dost hold such bitterness in thine heart. Dost 
 see yon Lines of Light that bind her fast to us?' 
 
 "Silent, we gazed over the vast expanse of 
 
202 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 darkling worlds, and to our delighted vision there 
 appeared numberless jets of brightness, now con- 
 tracting, now expanding, but always thrown from 
 out of the gloom in a constant line of light. The 
 hues thereof were glorious — sweet pinks and blues, 
 soft lilacs, yellows bright as the primrose dawn, 
 reds and purples, and tender greens. 
 
 "Yet all were blended in a manner incom- 
 prehensible, so that none did dazzle the eye nor 
 outshine, nor spoil each other, but all united in 
 sweet agreement. 
 
 "Sometimes one would pale, flicker, and mo- 
 mentarily appear to die away, but at next view the 
 sight was proved deceived, for the Light shone out 
 as glorious as ever, like a Sentinel of God's. 
 
 11 'Brother,' I asked, 'what do yon signals 
 mean? Do our brethren of Earth desire that we 
 should better survey their glamour? Tell me, I 
 pray thee, what all the mystery means!' 
 
 "He smiled on me. 'Child,' he said, 'there is 
 no mystery here; those bright hues you behold are 
 the spirit expression of the bright-hued thoughts 
 and words and deeds of God's holy children yonder. 
 Seest thou that soul that passes by, gliding along 
 the height of the mountains like a great white bird 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 203 
 
 from the joyful nature-choir of God? He takes 
 flight for Earth. Dost note the perfect harmony 
 of all his thoughts in a golden halo around him? 
 11 'Watch how swiftly he journeys through the 
 gloom, spreading on all sides an atmosphere of 
 sweet contentment and of Love. Watch how he 
 parts the clouds to let his radiance through ; they 
 are but the curtains that keep God's full glory 
 from the sight of man. Watch him, O child of the 
 Lily! Watch how he sings to the starlight, com- 
 muning with the Restful Spirit of the Night. . . . 
 Someone he loves bides for a short span longer 
 upon the earth-plane, and devotedly he speeds to 
 watch over them, creating love-images as he goes — 
 yea, verily like a representation of himself.' 
 
 " + Dear ones, I have been allowed to come to 
 you and write just that little piece more. You will 
 understand I know that the conditions are difficult. 
 'Beppo' is my control, the control acting for me 
 to-day, and a change of control is always at first 
 more difficult. 
 
 "Dear ones, I have loved coming to you. 
 'Beppo' loves you too. He is a fine Spirit, so 
 have no fear." 
 
204 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "Put yourself with perfect faith into the Hands 
 of God, and be sure no evil can come. Above all, 
 keep perfect faith. The more faith you have, the 
 more blessings will you receive. God loves to give 
 to those who worthily appreciate His wonderful 
 gifts. . . . They are not, unhappily, to be enjoyed 
 of all men. Alas! only few there are to under- 
 stand — to be 'initiate into His Kingdom' — but 
 there are many more entering now therein: they 
 have been passed through 'The Golden Gates of 
 Spirit-intercourse.' . . . 
 
 "All you have been given you may take with 
 faith, for if 'God is not mocked,' neither are His 
 children when they rest their belief on Him." 
 
 After some further observations, she said, 
 referring to the spirits of those who have 
 passed over — 
 
 "But we all advance; we all progress. Here 
 there is no falling back, no decay. We all climb 
 higher along that winding white path that leads 
 to God. 
 
 "We are as tender towards our loved ones — nay, 
 far more so, indeed, than ever we were on earth — 
 and I do say emphatically after many years' 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 205 
 
 experience of the 'Spirit-life/ emphatically I say, 
 communion with earth is desirable; more than 
 desirable, it is most assuredly necessary. 
 
 "My father, in the worldly life, was a devotedly 
 attached son of the English Church, and now I do 
 not think there is anyone who prays more soul- 
 fully for a true * communion of saints,' for a real 
 union of the Church Militant and the Church 
 Expectant. 
 
 "If the wise and learned clergy and priesthood 
 of the present day but realised the needs of their 
 flocks, ah, how different would life be, how altered 
 the whole standpoint from which we overlook the 
 great problems of the world! Atheism, Agnosti- 
 cism, Unbelief, those hydra-headed enemies of the 
 Church of Jesus, would vanish at the sweet ap- 
 proach of this rising 'young' science — the oldest 
 in the world. And so fatal would be the Hercu- 
 lanean sword, that no more should they flourish 
 to threaten the existence of religion. 
 
 "Immorality, meanness, cruelty, excesses of all 
 kinds, how are they to be combated? In vain do 
 the priests of God puzzle bewildered heads over 
 these great obstacles to the one-ness with Christ 
 that should be the desire of all. 
 
206 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "What can be done to end this evil, to cure the 
 loathsome disease? Ought the sore to be cut 
 away to save the wholesome parts from con- 
 tamination? Ought the physicians to handle the 
 illness with a tender hand? 
 
 "No rantings of Hell, no threatenings of eternal 
 punishment will make the erring lend an ear. ' If 
 such a tyrant be your God/ say they, 'well have 
 no God at all/ No god but their own desires, no 
 ruler but their own evil passions. 
 
 "Tell them in clear and manly terms, O shrink- 
 ing priests, O pastors who quail before the storm 
 of vice! Tell them of the doctrines inculcated by 
 a close study of Spiritualism. Bring them ten- 
 derly, carefully, towards the Inner Light; lead 
 them gently; educate, enlighten. 
 
 "Silence the quibbles of unbelief by the mag- 
 nificent replies this study so liberally affords. Give 
 it but a just opportunity to work out its results, 
 and oh ! what would the happiness be in this world 
 and in yours! Comfort and consolation, relief 
 and help. 
 
 "A broken heart cannot be mended by the cold 
 talk of life in Heaven (or 'Hell'!) at some far- 
 distant period. 'Tis the living, ever-present, 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 207 
 
 throbbing true reality of life after ' death ' for which 
 the sufferer yearns. He longs to know if the ' lost ' 
 one still thinks of him, still gives him his loving 
 prayers and thoughts. 
 
 11 'What will I care to meet my dead son in the 
 Golden Streets of Heaven thousands, or, maybe, 
 millions of years to come? I want him now. God 
 has taken him; God has killed him, and I hate 
 God!' And so the yearning goes on, and the 
 empty void remains unfilled, and every fresh 
 glance at the old corner by the fireside, at the 
 lonely armchair by the window, every casual re- 
 minder, every chance reference, all bring a blow 
 to the heart, and leave an angry smarting there. 
 
 "And so God, in lieu of the Preserver of Souls 
 and the Saviour of mankind, is presented to the 
 eyes of the scoffing multitudes as the ' Destroyer/ 
 the 'Bogey,' with which 'artful priests' menace 
 their frightened flocks. The 'Great Impostor' is 
 substituted for the sweet title that He took Him- 
 self, glorying in its simplicity — 'God is Love.' 
 Yes, God is love, and in His all-wise and all- 
 mighty love He draws His children nearer unto 
 Him. That is all 'Death' means. The actual 
 'passing over,' minus the physical suffering and 
 
208 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 fear which unhappily usually accompany it, is no 
 more than a being brought nearer unto Him. . . . 
 
 "It is said here, sometimes, that St. John, 
 the divine, 'died' at the Last Supper, when he 
 pillowed his head on the Sacred Bosom of 
 Jesus, and thus was brought ' nearer unto 
 Him.' 
 
 "Those who lead a worthy life, struggling to 
 the best of their weak power to climb further 
 along that 'White Road to God/ and whose route 
 is broidered with sweet flower-heads and tender 
 plants — such, I say, need never fear 'Death/ 
 Even for the wicked, after their purgation is over, 
 there is peace; for they are 'home at last.' 
 
 "My dears, for the nonce farewell. . . . Call 
 me again to-morrow. . , . God bless you all. 
 " In Jesus and Mary, sweet Flowers of Palestine. 
 
 "Lily-white. 
 
 "+E .* 
 
 "Control, 'Beppo.' " 
 
 *This was the first message signed by "Lily- white's" earth 
 name, and until its receipt we did not know either her name or 
 who she was on earth. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 209 
 
 FIFTH MESSAGE 
 
 "Towards Earth is he bound on the wings of 
 the starlit night, shedding around him, as he goes, 
 sweet influences even like a rose that drops her 
 fragrant petals around her. 
 
 " 'Celestial Voice,' I asked, gazing upwards, 
 'tell me, does God then permit — nay, even 
 sanction — intercourse with Earth?' 
 
 " 'Even so He thinketh best, Child of the Lily, 
 and we are sad because the earth-people have for- 
 got so soon and so entirely the lore of the ancients, 
 and of the Great Light of all Ages, Jesus Christ 
 Himself, Was not all He said and did, and were 
 not all His noble thoughts, a confirmation of the 
 teaching of an existence after physical death, that 
 is, active, thinking, working, yet hallowed by a 
 Perfect Peace? 
 
 11 'Spite of all, there is Unbelief upon the world, 
 that walks abroad like a gaunt Spectre to menace 
 all the priests of God's Holy Church and to tempt 
 them who find their Refuge in the Cross. . . .' 
 
 "Thus the Sweet Voice from the silence an- 
 swered me, and, entranced, I listened till naught 
 disturbed the stillness that hung around. 
 
210 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "Then again I spake, saying: 'Speak to us 
 once more, O Being of Heavenly Brightness! 
 Let us hear still more of thy soul-refreshing 
 wisdom!' 
 
 " 'Daughter of the Moonbeams!' It spoke. 
 'O little Child of the Virgin-snow! From my 
 heart do I love thee, and if in my words thou 
 findest pleasure, pleasure dost thou return unto 
 me. 
 
 " 'Yea, in good sooth do I say Unbelief is the 
 Child of Despair, and Despair is fed at the breast 
 of Pear — fear of " Death' ' and what comes after 
 it; fear of the "Unseen" (which to all eyes is 
 visible), and of the "Soundless" (which by all 
 ears is to be heard). 
 
 " 'O Lily-white! dost thou not realise how 
 greatly a knowledge of the Infinite would act on 
 the Finite that lies in Man? 
 
 " 'Every child of God's Bosom has some flame 
 of goodness burning upon the Altar of his Soul, 
 though in one case the flame languisheth for want 
 of spiritual fuel, and in others 'tis choked by 
 materials for which it hath no need. Yet in every 
 flower in the garden there is some fragrance, however 
 faint, and would not a firm belief in the "Spiritual " 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 211 
 
 and the "Deathless " strengthen all that is spiritual 
 in the Heart of Man?' 
 
 "Then spake the Spirit whom I called my 
 brother: 'Man gropes as in a bewildering mist/ 
 he said. 'The more doubts he would resolve the 
 more he findeth ; the more he pries into questions 
 too great for him, the more he opens up for him- 
 self. ... At times upon my first passing-over 
 was I tempted to say: "Man is the only blot 
 upon creation !" and again: "Man is God's 
 splendid failure !" 
 
 " 'Chide me, an thou wilt, Sweet Voice from 
 Heaven ; mine own better soul telleth me to quell 
 the bitterness with which I look upon the Earth. 
 Yet is it too hard for me, unworthy that' I am to 
 be a Sentinel of GodF 
 
 " 'Nay/ quoth I, gently interposing, 'there are 
 none unworthy here. The world has dealt hardly 
 by thee, and for the very virtue of which mankind 
 did rob thee thou feelest a vague regret.' 
 
 "' 'Tis as in a dream/ he answered me, 'that I 
 look back upon my life. How many leaves in that 
 Book imperishable would I fain have blotted out! 
 Fain would I have all the volume sweet and fair, 
 but upon the whiteness of the pages are there 
 
212 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 many stains, and many defilements marring its 
 purity. 
 
 14 'There are few who can be satisfied with their 
 earth-lives. Who has not some circumstances he 
 would forget, some words — rash, hasty, unkind 
 words — he would fain blot out? . . . 'Tishardto 
 realise how important are the thoughts that a man 
 thinks and the words that rise to his tongue. Little 
 things, but how greatly do they weigh in the scales 
 of the after-life! They are as irrevocable as evil 
 deeds — and what power they exercise in the world 
 few souls realise. 
 
 " 'Kind thoughts, kind words, spread like 
 influences. 
 
 " * Ye can picture, Child of God, the harm that 
 wicked thoughts and words may do — in sooth, 
 thoughts and words with a truly evil intention, I 
 mean; not the light and frivolous kind that a man 
 may think or say, without any noxious result.' 
 
 14 1 pondered over what he said. There was in it 
 much that was new; and it seemed to my wonder- 
 ing fancy as though he had just ope' to mine 
 astonished eyes a book of holy wisdom. 
 
 " 'Canst thou imagine the Christ-One with an 
 unkind word on His Lips, or an unkind thought in 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 213 
 
 His Mind? Christians are zealous to imitate the 
 Master in His Holy Deeds, but how oft does all 
 memory of how He thought, and how He spoke, 
 slip from their minds? 
 
 11 'The halo that surrounded the saints in the 
 midst of their earth-pilgrimage was the spirit- 
 expression of their holy thoughts. 
 
 " 'They travelled through life, knowing they 
 were on a journey from the Spirit through matter 
 to the Spirit again. Life is a stage in the Infinite. 
 *Tis a milestone on the Great Road that leadeth 
 to God. On that mighty Highway there are many 
 things that puzzle and bewilder the mind of man. 
 'Tis a finite mind that he owneth, and such a mind 
 cannot altogether understand the Infinite. Some 
 mysteries must entirely repose on the knees of 
 God, until such time as He chooseth to unveil 
 them, that they may be seen of all men.* " 
 
 SIXTH MESSAGE 
 
 " 'In the Governor's temple upon the hills 
 yonder/ he continued, 'there is placed a wonderful 
 Statue of Faith. 'Tis a living masterpiece; the 
 handiwork of a mighty sculptor of past days still 
 
214 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 imbued with a tender devotion to his craft. Many, 
 many years ago he went through the ordeal of 
 Physical Death; his spirit, encased in a Spirit- 
 body, soared light and free to the Kingdom here, 
 and straightway he recommenced his earth-occu- 
 pation, devoting all his skill to the service of the 
 God who gave it him. So much he loves his work, 
 that his whole soul seems enwrapped within it ; the 
 graven hands appear to move in ecstasy and 
 prayer, the lips to part in supplication, the very 
 breast to rise and fall in gentle breathing. Of such a 
 kind is the marvellous statue of which I have told 
 you. It crowns the summit of yonder hill, looking 
 down over the broad sweep of spirit-loveliness.' 
 
 " 'Tell me, I prithee,' quoth I, 'more nicely still 
 anent the sculpture. What form hath the master 
 chosen to depict his subject?' 
 
 " 'Faith is represented,' he slowly replied, 'look- 
 ing straight before her towards a small Light 
 which, as a beacon-fire, is placed on a height far 
 above her. In one arm she bears a small mirror 
 with a thin covering over it. This conveys the idea 
 of the unknown Future and of the Perfect Faith 
 which striveth not to draw aside the veil, needing 
 no assurance as to what lies before. The other hand 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 215 
 
 she rests on the foot of a mighty Cross, upon which 
 the Sacred Body of the Christ is mystically dis- 
 played. From this attitude we read in allegory 
 the fact that Faith leans entirely upon the Cross, 
 and further, that our Blessed Saviour, crucified 
 upon His Cross of Glorious Shame, formeth the 
 signpost to the Beacon of Eternal Life ; yea, even 
 the very key to the Kingdom of God. Pilgrims 
 from far and wide offer their prayers and devotions 
 at the foot of the beautiful Statue; always the 
 solitary Beacon is kept alight, like the Fire of Vesta 
 on the Sacred Hearth of Roman times. Only the 
 Eye of the true Believer can clearly see the 
 Mystical Body traced upon the Cross. 'Tis said 
 that when the Statue was first graven there was 
 only one thing the sculptor left undone, and that 
 was the Sacred Figure nailed to the Awful Tree. 
 'Tor that, O Lord, I dare not do !" Thus he prayed, 
 and in answer to his appeal for spiritual inspira- 
 tion, 'tis related in the Governor's Book, there 
 came a flood of brightness, illumining dark places 
 with a wondrous Light, and for a brief moment the 
 Wings of a shining angel closed over the Cross. 
 . . . When the sculptor's dazzled eyes regained 
 their normal vision, the brightness was fading 
 
216 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 swiftly, but as the Celestial Messenger was vanish- 
 ing away he said to the astonished spirit: "I 
 have breathed upon the Cross, and there will 
 you behold the Mystic Body of the Lord. . . ." 
 With these words he disappeared from view.' 
 
 " 'Ah me!' said I, 'what a lovely tale! And 
 what a magnificent representation of Faith !' 
 
 11 'Aye,' returned my 'brother,' 'without Faith 
 a man can do nothing. 'Tis the most precious 
 thing in all the world, the most wonderful, the most 
 to be treasured, yea, guarded with jealous care/ 
 
 " ' How wretched must be a soul without Faith, ' 
 I replied sadly. 'How benighted, how desolate 
 and cold!' 
 
 " 'Yet some there are, O Child of the Lily, to 
 whom Faith is an unknown thing. There are 
 souls with no faith in virtue, in a disinterested 
 motive, in a kind deed, in a soft word. There 
 are souls with no faith in others, because they 
 have no faith in themselves. Souls with no faith 
 in a Higher Being, in an After-life, in a great ideal, 
 in a striving after the good. ' 'Tis unattainable/ 
 they cry, and throwing themselves into the frothy 
 whirlpool of life, they heedless pass along. But 
 what joy is there in aiming for what we know we 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 217 
 
 can easily attain? 'Tis that curious feeling of mad 
 desire, that bitter-sweet thirst for the longed-for 
 prize— '-far, oh, far above us — that act as spurs to 
 our steed along the highway of ambition. . . . 
 
 " 'Even so it is with the pilgrimage of the Soul. 
 To reach the Fount of Goodness seems such a 
 weary, weary distance, that some, faint-hearted, 
 attempt it not at all.' 
 
 11 There fell a great silence between us, and 
 gradually a feeling of heavy sleep crept over me. 
 I sank down upon the soft flowers forming a rich 
 carpet at our feet, and as I fell back into the arms 
 of sleep I felt a gentle hand on my forehead which 
 traced the Sign of the Cross, and I heard a familiar 
 voice murmuring, Tn manus tuas Domine,' and 
 then, like a boat slipped from her moorings, my 
 Spirit glided into the Great Waterway of Dreams. " 
 
 SEVENTH MESSAGE 
 "My dreemes. — The awakenynge. — A voyce 
 
 CALLETH UPON ME. — A REUNION. — THAWTES 
 OF THE ERTH-LYFE. 
 
 "In that refreshing slumber my spirit glided 
 light and free, far from the mists that sometimes 
 
218 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 entrammelled it in waking hours. I seemed to be 
 drifting along a pleasant stream, whose tiny ripples 
 hushed my thoughts in peace. 
 
 "Surrounding me on every side were flowers of 
 delightful fragrance, like fairy lanterns lighting me 
 upon my way. Over all hung a mellow brightness. 
 I dreamed much upon mine earth-life, and tender 
 thoughts rushed over me of my mother and sisters, 
 my brethren and friends. 
 
 "A feeling of regret took hold of me, and withal a 
 longing to see the familiar faces once again. In my 
 sleep, I pined for my mother's gentle breast. How 
 often had I been pillowed there ... and for her 
 sweet head bending over me — and in my trouble I 
 cried and wept aloud. . . . Thereon there stole 
 over me a certain calm, and for a while I lay still, as 
 though indeed once more I lay within my mother's 
 sheltering arms. . . . Peace, peace, entire and 
 perfect peace. . . . Peace such as the world doth 
 seldom taste. . . . Peace like unto a union with God. 
 
 ". . . On a sudden my spirit returned to the 
 spirit-body, and once mors I was awake. I reclined 
 upon a bank of flowers, commanding an extensive 
 view, and admiring the loveliness before me I lay 
 still. For the first time since my passing from the 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 219 
 
 world I realised in fulness that I had solved the 
 mystery of ages — Death. Earth and earth-people 
 thought of me as dead: yet how living I was, how 
 real! . . . Here was an after-life mightily different 
 to that the world imagined. How vast the gulf 
 betwixt reality and that other Spirit- world, the 
 theme of poet and theologian, the subject of the 
 disputes of religion! 
 
 11 Thinking such things, I heard a voice calling 
 
 my name, 'E !' ... I rose, and looking round, 
 
 naught could I discover. The tones of the arrest- 
 ing voice still hovered in mine ear : trembling with 
 joy, I dropped upon my knees. 'Father,' I cried, 
 ' speak again to me, dear father of my life on earth ! ' 
 Silence ; and then from near beside me I heard the 
 words: 'Have no fear: doubt not. Child of my 
 love, come here.' In a rush of glad contentment 
 there became apparent to me a Spirit-form in glory, 
 and my heart beat with tumultuous joy as I knew in 
 him my father. I flung myself in his arms. . . . Mine 
 eyes devoured his face, every dear feature, as of old. 
 
 " 'Father/ I said, 'since you passed through 
 "death" hast thou returned to earth and seen our 
 dear ones there?' . . . 
 
220 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 " 'My sweet wife/ he said softly, 'God bless her 
 dear soul! May Jesus watch over her, for her 
 needs are great. And my sons, poor lads, I much 
 fear me there is sorrow for a long time before them. 
 And my other daughters, I pray to God He will 
 protect them, now that an earthly father's shel- 
 tering love is taken from them; and yet,' he added 
 thoughtfully, 'is it not altogether taken from them. 
 I can help them even here. You and I will strive 
 our best for them by thought, spirit-influence, and 
 prayer/ 
 
 " 'Why, yes/ I answered, 'there are many 
 ways . . . whereby we shall be permitted to assist 
 our dear ones left behind. For now we know the 
 gulf of death is not impassable, nay, even that God 
 hath builded a bridge by which we may return/ 
 
 EIGHTH MESSAGE 
 "Wee parte. — Ambrose showes mee sum of 
 
 THE SPIRIT-WORLD. — My FATHER AND HYS 
 ERTH-FRENDES REFERRED TO. — INHABITANTS 
 OF THE PLANE. — THEIR OCCUPATIONS, DESIRES, 
 ETC. — I COME 'HOME.' 
 
 "We passed much sweet time in converse to- 
 gether, then perforce we had to part. My father 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 221 
 
 had some spirit- work on hand, but before he left 
 he confided me to the care of the spirit I had met 
 on first passing over, and whose name I now 
 learned was 'Ambrose/ 
 
 "Said Ambrose unto me: 'Child, wouldst thou 
 now like to see more of the beautiful Spirit- world, 
 so that thou mayst grow more accustomed to thy 
 surroundings here?' I told him 'Yes/ and so we 
 wended our way along the brow of the hill and 
 then down into the valley, he telling me the while 
 of many and wonderful things. 
 
 " 'Where shall I dwell during my sojourn in this 
 
 plane?' I inquired of him, marvelling much at the 
 
 quiet villages and towns and tiny hamlets that ever 
 
 and anon showed from among the trees. 'With 
 
 the being thou didst love best on earth,' he 
 
 answered; 'with thy father, and those of thy 
 
 parents' children who "died" before thee and 
 
 have been growing up in the Spirit-world between 
 
 their "death" and thine.' 
 
 • . • * • 
 
 "I was struck with mighty wonderment. . . . 
 We were passing through a little village as he spoke 
 and in the distance could be heard the quiet sound 
 of a dulcet bell. ' 'Tis the bell of a chapel in the 
 
222 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 woods yonder,' Ambrose said in answer to my 
 thoughts. 'The solitary who lives there was a 
 hermit on earth, and desires to be one still: may- 
 hap in the near future his tastes may change, and 
 he begin to long for the companionship of his 
 fellow-creatures. As yet, however, he retains the 
 bent of mind he cultivated in the old life.' 
 
 "On we went, through the sweet-smelling lanes 
 and smiling fields, my eyes and ears ever and anon 
 saluted with many of the familiar sights and sounds 
 of earth. Here there was a group of merry hus- 
 bandmen; there a scattering of busy gardeners, 
 tending the choicest flowers. In the meadows 
 upon my one hand was a shepherd with his snowy 
 flock, and upon the other I beheld a party of laugh- 
 ing children stripping the hedgerows in quest of 
 the shining berries. 
 
 " 'They have not yet lost their zest for their 
 earth occupations/ remarked Ambrose, with a 
 smile, 'but in time they will turn to higher things.' 
 
 "I marked me, as we passed by, how their faces 
 lighted with pleasure as Ambrose murmured a 
 kindly greeting, and how those few words of his, 
 and his influence, seemed to bring out all that was 
 best in them. A faint, luminous glow emanated 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 223 
 
 from them; and afterwards I learned that it was 
 the spiritual in them which responded to the 
 spiritual enshrined in him, 
 
 "My soul sang blithely within me, for all around 
 was the beauty of the beautiful world ten thousand 
 times intensified, and from every soul nigh to us 
 proceeded happy influences. 
 
 "We passed onwards, ever onwards, but the 
 distance seemed to fly beneath my feet, and I 
 recked naught of space or time. 
 
 "I felt no tiredness, and none of the weakness of 
 my earth-life; on the contrary, I seemed filled with 
 a marvellous strength and freshness, and an exuber- 
 ance of spirits never known until that moment. . . . 
 There was always before mine eyes a stretch of 
 lovely scenery, but there was no sameness about 
 it — no monotony; it charmed the sight with a 
 beautiful variety. . . . 
 
 "At last we reached our destination, the slope 
 of a fine hill, thickly wooded, the undulating sweep 
 at the foot lost in a purple haze. 
 
 "In the midst of the trees stood a large house, 
 built somewhat in the style of an old French 
 chateau, ivy-covered, battlemented, and moss- 
 grown. 
 
224 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 " 'The battlements are for ornament, fair 
 child,' said Ambrose with a smile. 'There is no 
 need of them against an attack in this happy 
 place. . . .' 
 
 " 'And whose dwelling is this, brother?' I asked, 
 lost in admiration of the noble edifice. 
 
 " 'Thine,' he answered me gently, pleased at 
 my approval. ' 'Tis thy Spirit-home.' 
 
 "In deep wonderment I replied: 'Mine! Oh, 
 God is good to bring me home at last!' 
 
 " 'Knowest thou, dear heart,' he said, leading 
 me up the stone terrace towards open doors, 
 'knowest thou that that sleep of thine lasted 
 several weeks, and that during those weeks the 
 Governor of the Province here worked to prepare 
 a meet home for thee?' 
 
 NINTH MESSAGE 
 
 " I AM SHOWNE MY HOME. — I MEET MENIE FRENDES. 
 — MY MOTHER MOURNS UPON ERTHE. OUR 
 VISIT THITHER. 
 
 11 'And did I sleep for several weeks, brother?' 
 I asked. 'During that time I dreamed of many 
 things.' 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 225 
 
 " 'Whilst thou slept, dear child/ he answered, 
 'thy soul took flight from thy Spirit-body and 
 travelled to earth, drawn thither by the bitter 
 grief of thy friends and relations left behind. 
 Dost thou recollect aught of this?' 
 
 " 'Why, yes,' I replied; 'in a manner I do. I 
 remember how I sighed for my mother; how I 
 longed once more to lie in her loving arms, and 
 how my thoughts flew back to the old days on 
 earth when we were all together.' 
 
 "Ambrose conducted me into the house, and 
 there I found several of the old friends I had known 
 and lost on earth, and my parents' children who 
 had 'died' before me. . . . 
 
 "My Spirit-friend left me, telling me he would 
 return on the morrow, and that my father would 
 join me soon. 
 
 "Thus passed my first 'day' in my Spirit-home, 
 though in truth one can scarcely speak of time in 
 this wonderful world. Even now, after the space 
 of over * years, I can candidly say 
 
 my life the while hath slipped by like a gentle 
 
 * This space was not left blank in the original. 
 
226 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 dream, and methinks Eternity itself will be over 
 before one doth know it ! 
 
 "I marvelled much, after my first initiation 
 into the Spirit-world, upon the course of life led 
 by the spirits there who, though happy and of 
 the ' Blessed/ were not of reality extremely 
 'spiritual/ 
 
 "So much was like the earth-life. . . . Sleep 
 and recreation, study for those who loved study on 
 earth, walks and games, food, the wearing of 
 clothes like those of the former life, and the old 
 familiar intercourse. . . . 
 
 "I well recollect one day when my father said 
 tome: ' Thy mother wants me. To earth must I 
 go, though I would sooner rest here: the vibra- 
 tions at present round our dear ones disturb 
 me. . . . But thy mother needs me — prays for 
 me with great longing — and to earth must I go. 
 Last night in sleep her dear soul came to me, and 
 she was weeping and in dire sorrow. Wilt thou 
 not come too?' my father asked. 'No harm shall 
 come to thee. 'Twill be thy first visit to earth in 
 the waking state.' 
 
 " 'They need our help, our loved ones/ I 
 replied, 'and I will come.' 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 227 
 
 "To earth we went, my father and I, and he led 
 me almost blindly, whither as yet I knew not. But 
 there was no hesitancy in him. The love of my 
 mother was calling, calling — yearning for the dear 
 partner of her soul! 
 
 11 'Come to me! Come to me!' said each 
 pulsation of her heart, and all unbeknown those 
 that she mourned as dead were coming at her 
 call. . . . 
 
 "As in a dream I saw and heard again the old 
 familiar sights and sounds of earth. 
 
 "How strange to realise the people hurrying by 
 recked naught of us! Here, though we brushed 
 against them; there, though we whispered in their 
 ear! We were but as dust to them — the 'dead' — 
 those that 'lay asleep/ and to their minds our 
 breath had passed from us, like a tiny zephyr 
 hushed. . . . 
 
 "In a dark and gloomy room we found my 
 mother. An atmosphere of heavy grief was all 
 around her. She was in black, and on her face 
 a hard 'Fortune' had traced many lines of 
 care. • • • 
 
228 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 TENTH MESSAGE 
 
 "I STRYVE TO SPEEKE WITH MY MOTHER. — SHE 
 DOES NOTTE HEEDE. — LAMENTS ON HER MIS- 
 FORTUNES. — My father speaks. — 'Fiat 
 
 VOLUNTAS TUA.' — We RETURNE 'HOME* 
 SORROWYNGE. 
 
 11 'Alas!' sighed my father; 'suffering hath writ 
 plainly upon that beautiful face. It makes a hard 
 schooling, but methinks the most valuable in all 
 the world. „ . . Only by suffering can true virtue 
 be attained. . . / 
 
 " 'Mother!' I cried, weeping somewhat; 
 'Mother! dost thou not hear us? Dost thou not 
 
 know us again? 'Tis E who speaks to thee! 
 
 'Tis thine own E !' But alas! she heeded not. 
 
 She could neither 'see' nor 'hear' nor understand! 
 All, all was a blank to her, a closed book, a door 
 that is shut and nailed up for ever. In vain I knelt 
 at her feet, and seizing her dear little hands 
 imprinted on them a crowd of tender kisses. 
 
 "She only stirred in her chair, shivering sud- 
 denly, then dropped the volume she was reading 
 upon her knee. 'Twas 'Eikon Basilike,' the 
 famous work of Dr. Gauden's. . . . 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 229 
 
 "Into her eyes crept a look of poignant grief, 
 mingled with a latent fire. . . . Then her head 
 drooped upon her bosom, and to my mind she 
 appeared like some little flower beaten down by a 
 storm that had been too heavy for it. . . How I 
 longed for some of her old vivacity . . . the child- 
 like gladness that had made her a sunbeam in the 
 days that were past. . . . Oh, for one flash of her 
 shining eyes, a laugh, a smile, a jest as of old! But 
 all was still, and she sat there crushed and lonely 
 — a frail little craft to breast the rising tide of 
 trouble. 
 
 "My father stood by her side, one hand round 
 her drooping shoulders, a great sorrow in his face, 
 for he could not make her understand; she was 
 blind with the eyes of the soul. 
 
 "Presently she spoke. . . . 'Ah, me! I am 
 aweary. The light of my life is extinguished, the 
 cruel grave hath claimed the very dearest being on 
 earth. . . .' She sighed, and moving from her 
 chair to the windows, she stood quite still, looking 
 out towards the gloomy sky. 
 
 " *E ,' cried my father in a broken voice, 
 
 'thy mother is sore troubled and I cannot help.' . . . 
 
 "He was terribly moved; my soul ached for him. 
 
2 3 o I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 'Father, father,' I said, placing one hand in his; 
 'come away, come away/ 
 
 "But he did not stir, his eyes were fixed with 
 
 pathetic intentness upon my mother. ' ,' he 
 
 cried, 'say, "Thy will be ■ done!" 'Tis the 
 ruling of God, my sweet, and He doth all things 
 best.' 
 
 "No response: all a grim silence in the cold 
 grey room. 
 
 " 'Thy will be done,' my father repeated. 'Put 
 yourself into the Hands of God, resign yourself 
 unto Him entirely. Say after me, "Thy Will be 
 done." ' 
 
 "Unconsciously she caught his sweet Spirit- 
 influence. 'Fiat voluntas tua/ she repeated 
 mechanically almost, like a child reciting a lesson. 
 'The Hand of Jesus is laid heavy upon me, but I 
 must submit, I must submit.' 
 
 "When we reached our Spirit-home we went into 
 the church that crowned the hill above it, and there 
 we offered up our humble prayers to the Almighty. 
 
 "From that day onwards we went frequently to 
 earth." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 231 
 
 ELEVENTH MESSAGE 
 
 " Spirit-occupations. — 'Dethe' of my brother- 
 in-law. — Birth of hys son. — Visit from 
 Ambrose. — The 'Seven Wondrous Wayes.' 
 
 11 . . . 'Poor mother,' my father used to say; 
 'how she must be suffering!' . . . 
 
 "Successfully I strove to forget these unhappy 
 things in Spirit-occupations. I attended 'Rescue 
 Parties' with some of our friends and my little 
 
 sister A , who was much beloved by all who 
 
 knew her. I made pilgrimages to neighbouring 
 places of interest (among them to the 'Statue of 
 Faith'). I visited the Spirit-families near our 
 home, and I studied Spirit-lore. 
 
 "Like this, time passed swiftly by, and our quiet 
 lives were not broken by any event of particular 
 interest to our dears on earth until the death of my 
 
 brother-in-law, . This occurrence left my 
 
 poor sister lonely and broken-hearted; but 'twas — 
 barring her sorrow — no grief to us, for we knew the 
 beautiful life he was entering into. . . . Only a 
 few days after his death his little son was born, 
 destined to carry on his father's name with honour 
 and with credit. 
 
232 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "I had not seen my Spirit-brother, Ambrose, for 
 some little time, till one day he came to me and 
 said: 'Lily-white, wilt thou come with me on a 
 visit to Higher Planes? There is one thing I 
 desire much to show you, which is a great beauty 
 of our Spirit-life/ 
 
 ' 'Marvelling much what it might be, I made 
 ready to go with him. We left our own plane, and 
 made a lovely journey to one greatly higher, the 
 beauty whereof did charm the sight. The scenery 
 round was all too wondrous to describe. 
 
 ' 'Enraptured, I gazed over the vast expanse of 
 Spirit-beauty at my feet. We had come to the 
 Parting of Seven Ways. 
 
 "Ambrose stood silently beside me, and as I 
 heard the soft sounds of a church-bell stealing on 
 the calm air towards us, I felt a strange feeling of 
 spiritual ecstasy such as, perhaps, I had never 
 experienced before. 
 
 "I felt that I stood in the presence of some 
 wonderful phenomenon, and trembling a little, I 
 looked up to Ambrose for him to speak and explain 
 the unaccustomed emotions sweeping over my 
 soul. 
 
 " 'Ambrose/ I said, 'tell me, I pray thee/ 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 233 
 
 "He answered nothing, but with a murmured 
 prayer fell upon his knees as though in adoration. 
 
 "Some strange instinct bade me do the same. 
 As I followed his example came sounds of sweet 
 music, the like of which I had never heard before 
 . . . so much did it ravish the ear. 
 
 " I raised mine eyes, and as in a wondrous dream 
 I saw gathered round about me spirits clad in white 
 and shining with spiritual radiance. In their faces 
 was a look of ecstasy like that of some devotee who 
 sees the Vision Glorious. From the roadway in 
 front of us a strange luminous glow seemed to rise 
 till it shone like a Pathway of Light. In mine 
 ears was a mighty sound, as of great waters, and I 
 heard the rush of angels' wings. 
 
 "On a sudden, above all, there came a voice 
 chanting: 'Blessed is He that cometh in the Name 
 of the Lord!' 
 
 "And as I listened many emotions, deep and 
 new, swept, irresistible, over my soul, so that I 
 cried aloud with great gladness : i Lord ! Thou hast 
 given me sight: Lord, be Thou for ever Blessed!' 
 
 "Then again came the sweet notes of that 
 wondrous Voice, before which all fell silent with a 
 sudden calm : ' Behold the Lamb of God ! ' 
 
234 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "But afeard, I hid my face, not daring to raise 
 mine eyes. 'Look, thou, and fear not,' spake the 
 voice of an angel unto me, 'upon the Beauty of 
 the Lamb.' 
 
 44 And then I looked, and sank amazed at the 
 glory of the Vision before us: along that Mystic 
 Way there passed the Christ Himself in the like- 
 ness of His earth-life, and there followed Him the 
 faithful twelve. Mathias filled the room of Judas 
 Iscariot, and St. John the Evangelist walked very 
 nigh unto the Master, who passed with Bleeding 
 Feet along that Wondrous Way. 
 
 " 'Hail! Thou Christ-one! Hail, Emmanuel! 
 Hail ! Thrice hail ! O Man of Sorrows ! ' 
 
 "Angelic greetings hummed upon the air, and 
 over all was a Soft Shadow, cast from the wings 
 of Divine Messengers. 
 
 14 In an ecstasy of great joy, I fell prostrate before 
 the Mystic Way, breathing mine humble offerings 
 of Worship and of Prayer. Words cannot describe 
 the charm that hung over my soul. I felt as 
 though transported to the Highest Heaven of all. 
 
 44 When the Vision had passed, for a long time 
 I remained in silent adoration. Then rising, with 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 235 
 
 tears of wondering joy, I sought my Spirit- 
 brother. 
 
 11 'Ambrose,' I said, 'this is too marvellous to 
 bear speech. Take me home that I may contem- 
 plate upon the Beauty of the Man of Nazareth/ 
 
 " Gently he bore me thence, while angelic 
 anthems still hung upon the air. 'Thank God,' I 
 cried, 'for His goodness to me. Oh think, men 
 call this Death!' 
 
 " - 'Tis Bodily Death but Spiritual Life/ my 
 brother gravely returned. ' Behold the inscription 
 under that statue yonder. . . . " Who knows if to 
 live is not to die, and to die is not to live? " 'Twas 
 placed there by some lover of classic writers and 
 of the philosophers and thinkers of olden times. 
 What marvellous wisdom is there wrapped in those 
 few words! Troth, the Ancients were in many 
 things far nearer the Reality than the man of 
 to-day.' 
 
 "And communing thus, we passed into our own 
 plane and thus gained home once more 
 
 "And now I must leave you, my dear friends, for 
 I have other calls. . . . 
 
236 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "I commend you all to the tender care of Jesus 
 and Our Blessed Lady, the 'Sweet Flowers of 
 Palestine.' Most lovingly in Christ. 
 
 "Thine ever, 
 
 " + E . 
 
 11 Lily- white/ ' 
 "Control, 
 
 "Also with love, 
 
 "Bbppo." 
 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 237 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 The messages set out in this chapter were re- 
 ceived by my elder daughter clair-audiently 
 and taken down at her dictation — 
 
 15th August, 191 7. 
 "I am Amra, brother of Sheil, and I had my 
 birthplace in the land of Mystery, the Queen of 
 Nations, Egypt, Mother of Civilisation. My 
 mother was the daughter of a sacred line, and my 
 father was a prince among his people. 
 
 "I was bred to the love and service of the gods. 
 From my cradle was I taught to love and reverence 
 the Holy Ones. My mother held converse with 
 the Dead, and from my childhood's earliest days I 
 remember the hallowed hours which that fairest of 
 women spent in communion with those gone before. 
 
 "Near to our home the gods had formed from 
 out of the rocks a wondrous hollow, and had made 
 therein a silver stream. In the ripples of those 
 holy waters could be heard the Voices of the Dead. 
 Thence came wondrous messages, telling of the 
 Life Beyond, and of the secrets which only the lips 
 
238 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 of Death can divulge. Many a time and oft have 
 I wandered there, in the gladsome opening of the 
 year, in the fulness of its maturity, in its sad 
 decline and close. 
 
 " To me, whose ears had been trained in a mystic 
 atmosphere, the very leaves themselves whispered 
 the thoughts of God. ... To me every blossom 
 unfolded a fresh secret, and every sighing wind 
 bore on its wings the Voices of the Spirits gone 
 before. Much had I learnt from this nature-lore, 
 more did my sire impart to me. 
 
 "In those days a well-born child of Egypt 
 gathered much knowledge of the mysteries that 
 now baffle the wondering intellects of civilisation. 
 
 "By nature I was a student, and to me the 
 papyrus rolls were the greatest blessings of the 
 gods. My brother lived for war and fighting, reck- 
 ing naught of writings and the records of the ages. 
 
 "But my mother, the Lily of a race of Kings, 
 shared my tastes, and would have better liked her 
 elder son to have the same. 
 
 "Under the shelter of our beloved home we 
 played and worked, and passed the golden years. 
 How long seem to the wondering mind of a child 
 the span of days that stretch before him, and yet 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 239 
 
 how soon they fly; how soon the Life Record is 
 writ, and naught but the mouldering script remains 
 behind. 
 
 "But such is the attitude of youth, for youth is 
 ever filled with a magnificent confidence in itself, 
 and most often a contempt for all the world besides. 
 
 "Thus when graver heads shake with disap- 
 proval at youth's heedless wish for Time to pass, 
 youth cries 'Out!' on them, and will not be gain- 
 said! 
 
 "And now to other matters. 
 
 "I told thee life sped on with us in one har- 
 monious round. Scarce one discordant note to 
 break the beauteous whole. My father waxed 
 old, and we were now approaching man's estate. 
 
 "One fair morning my mother came to me and 
 said: 'Son, come here, there is weighty matter I 
 would impart to thee.' And answering her, I said : 
 'Thy son heareth thee/ and she spoke again, 
 saying: 'Child of my breast, thou knowest I love 
 thee well ; there is naught I would not do for thee, 
 naught I would not sacrifice, naught I would not 
 endure — yet would I say this unto thee, and verily 
 it is spoke out of the fulness of mine heart: this 
 
2 4 o I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 day have the Souls of the Blessed given unto me 
 a warning as to thine espousals. There cometh 
 soon unto thee a maiden not of thine own people, 
 save on the mother's side. She hath the ways of 
 a stranger about her. The gods have girt her 
 countenance with evidences she cometh from 
 abroad. Fair will she be to look upon, and pleasant 
 to thine eyes — yet the Voices say unto me, 'Her 
 thou must avoid/ for in her eyes is danger unto 
 thee, and on her lips there lurketh poison. Heedest 
 thou, O son, what the dead have imparted unto me? ' 
 
 " 'I hearken unto thy words, O my mother/ I 
 said unto her, 'yet have I no fear; the gods will 
 guide me aright/ 
 
 "She looked upon me with much tenderness, and 
 in her eyes I saw reflection of her soul — greatly 
 troubled was she; all round about her mystery 
 breathed, for in her bosom was the home of many 
 secrets. She answered and said unto me: 'Son, 
 thou hast no wisdom in speaking thus. Thy words 
 cause me much discomfort, for I see in them thou 
 leanest too entirely upon the Holy Ones. Thou 
 art no longer a child, and the gods would fain that 
 thou shouldst learn to walk alone. Place not 
 overmuch reliance on Heavenly Aid, therefore, 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 241 
 
 but in me have faith, and in the Spirits gone before. 
 If thine ears are not stopped up with folly, hearken 
 unto me, and heed well what I say. If thou dost 
 look upon this maid with favour, thy virtue is gone 
 out of thee, and no longer will I retain mine 
 affection for thee as heretofore/ 
 
 "At this, beholding her displeasure, I made my 
 reverenceinallsubmission,entreatingherpermission 
 to withdraw. On which she bade me betake myself 
 to the shrine of the Holy Mother, and ponder over 
 the wisdom she herself had spoken unto me. 
 
 " I went my way with downcast eyes, as though I 
 reflected on her words, but in my heart I made light 
 of them, and recked nextto nothing of her warnings. 
 
 "That eventide the Divine Mother frowned on 
 me from her image at which I worshipped. My 
 mother cried out as she beheld the omen, and with 
 many tears she tore her hair, saying aloud: 'Woe 
 is me! this day has the anger of Isis descended 
 upon our house. Woe is me! Woe is me!' 
 
 "When the night-time shrouded the earth, my 
 father sent a message to me, saying : ' Come thou 
 and thy brother Sheil, hasten unto me, for I feel 
 pain, that is the twin-sister of great age, creeping 
 over my fleshly body, and my soul is troubled 
 
2 4 2 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 within me, and mine eyes grow tired, for they are 
 dimmed by the light of another world, and fain 
 would they behold thee and thy brother/ 
 
 "We had not beheld the face of our father for 
 many days — his wife only would he see. Together 
 we wended our way unto his sick-chamber, and our 
 vision lighted on him once more. 'Children,' 
 spake he unto us, ■ O sons of my love, hearken unto 
 my words, for I feel the presage of Death upon me, 
 and the Holy Ones have bid thy mother not to 
 mourn — to weep no more — for though they will 
 gather me into their arms, yet I shall be with ye, 
 and my spirit shall be as great strength and succour 
 unto ye.' 
 
 " 'Speak the words that thou holdest on thy 
 lips, O father,' said we unto him; 'whatsoever thou 
 say est, in that there is wisdom; for over thee hath 
 been spread the blessing of the Divine Ones.' 
 
 16th August. 
 
 "And he answered and said unto us: 'I have 
 heard it by the mouth of the Oracles, and I have 
 seen it writ on the sacred brow of Isis, the gods 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 243 
 
 have declared it unto me, the leaves whisper it. 
 All around breathes the purpose of the Holy Ones. 
 'Tis spoken in the rush of the great waters, yea, I 
 know it. 'Tis a secret that is open for me to read. 
 
 " 'Yet I reck naught of Death, for have not the 
 Souls of the Blessed borne testimony of a Life 
 beyond? Fain would I see thee and thy mother 
 happy and secure in this world, ere I pass from it. 
 
 " 'When I am called into the arms of the gods, 
 ye must submit yourselves unto the wise judgment 
 of the best of women, whom ye can call " mother." 
 She hath warned thee, O Amra, by the sacred fires 
 of the Temple, that there cometh soon unto thee a 
 maiden fair to look upon, and she will be pleasing 
 unto thee. But her thou must not take to wife — 
 bear this engraven on the tablet of thy soul. Heed 
 well thy mother's words. Obey her behests, and 
 place thy faith in her all-powerful love.' 
 
 "Then did he close his lips, and spake no more 
 unto us ; and we parted from him and went our way. 
 
 "Time passed, and a morning came when the 
 prophecies were fulfilled, and the soul of our sire 
 passed into the Higher Li e with the Divine Ones. 
 
 "But few tears shed our mother, for she said 
 unto us: 'We have no cause to sorrow, for the 
 
244 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 dear soul of our loved one is ever with us, and 
 Death hath not parted us in. truth/ 
 
 "In the sweet birth of the day, and towards 
 eventide, we went to the shrine of the gods, and 
 prayed and offered great sacrifice near the burial- 
 place of our father. 
 
 "Yet as time passed on, the first bitterness of 
 grief subsided, and the wounds in our souls healed 
 somewhat. Such is the custom of youth. 
 
 "One day there came a slave unto me, saying: 
 * Master, in the court without there waiteth a man 
 that is a trader. He hath travelled afar, and he 
 beareth with him many and divers goods. He 
 would fain speak with thee to gain favour in thy 
 sight/ 
 
 "I sent him before to announce my coming, 
 then followed in his steps. When I reached the 
 court I found there the trader and his attendants. 
 
 " 'Stranger/ I spake unto him, 'I would fain 
 behold thy wares; spread them before my sight, 
 that perchance if some be pleasing unto me, I may 
 purchase thereof/ 
 
 "In obedience to my words, he showed unto me 
 many and beautiful things, and mine eyes were 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 245 
 
 dazzled with the wonder of them. When I had 
 chosen of that which took my liking, I raised my 
 vision, and it lighted upon the fair face of one of 
 his attendants. 'Stranger/ I said, 'who is this 
 maiden?' 
 
 14 'Lord,' quoth he, 'the maiden is the only 
 daughter of my sister. I have brought her this 
 last voyage with me, for in truth the frown of the 
 gods is upon her. Her father lies stricken of sore 
 fevers, and her mother — a woman as fair as the 
 morning — is demented in mind, and has flung her- 
 self over the funeral pyres, as a willing sacrifice to 
 the gods — for her father liveth abroad. He is not 
 of thee, nor of thy people, but is a stranger, and 
 walketh in different ways.' 
 
 11 'Stranger,' I spake unto him, 'the damsel is 
 lovely in face and form, and findeth favour in my 
 sight.' 
 
 " 'Great lord,' he answered and said unto me, 
 'if thine heart is touched by the sad tale of her 
 life, wouldst thou consider of some ways by which 
 I might find for the maiden a home and sustenance? 
 For my life is a roving one, and not fit for such as 
 her.' 
 
 " 'Of what speak ye?' I answered him. 'A 
 
246 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 home for one so fair should be no hard matter to 
 find. My lady-mother wanteth a tire-maiden, and 
 I will speak to her of this damsel.' 
 
 ' 1 ' The blessings of the gods be thine/ he answered 
 me, 'and much do I thank thee; great is the 
 burden which thy words have lifted from my soul.' 
 
 " 'What matter perplexeth thee, my son?' cried 
 the voice of my mother. ' Speak, traveller, and 
 tell me.' 
 
 " ' fair lady and mighty princess,' he answered 
 her, 'we debated over one matter that troubleth 
 me greatly.' Then he spake up and told her of 
 that which he had told me. 
 
 " 'By the Sacred Beetle of Isis, by the Holy 
 Lotus Flower, by the Eye of Horus, the Spirits 
 have told me of thy coming, and of the coming of 
 the daughter of thy sister. Take up thy wares, 
 trader, and depart ye hence. I will have none of 
 thee. The Blessed Souls have forewarned me: 
 depart ye hence!' 
 
 " 'Nay, my mother,' quoth I, 'thy words are 
 hard, thine anger soundeth unreasoning; my 
 heart is touched by the sufferings of this fair maid, 
 and I have passed my sacred word that she shall 
 find home and sustenance nigh to us.' 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 247 
 
 " 'That placeth the scorpion in my bosom,' 
 cried my mother, and she wept many tears. 
 
 " 'But my word is passed,' I answered her, 'and 
 the word of our house standeth for all time.' 
 
 " 'So be it,' she answered with much sadness. 
 'If thou hast vowed this on the Brow of the Gods, 
 fool that thou art, fool, fool, fool!' 
 
 "Then she sighed again, and turning, bade the 
 trader and his attendants follow the slaves, and 
 they should be refreshed ere they departed once 
 more upon their journey. 
 
 " 'And the daughter of thy sister,' she spake 
 unto him, 'I will keep with me/ 
 
 "Thus we wended our way within. 
 
 21st August. 
 
 "Thereafter the damsel, whose name was called 
 'Lenora,' lived with us as a tire-maiden in my 
 mother's house for the time of many moons. 
 
 " My thoughts carry me to the thanks we yielded 
 the gods, on the garnering of the harvests. So 
 much had the Holy Ones smiled on the golden 
 grain that our hearts overflowed with gratitude, and 
 'twas commanded by the Spirit through the Priests 
 that a sacrifice should be made on the altars through- 
 
248 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 out our land of such of the jewels and rich ornaments 
 that the faithful would offer of their possessions. 
 
 "For this purpose the temple was filled with 
 devotees, who came hurrying to yield a goodly 
 share of their precious store. The offerings were 
 flung into a great cup-like vessel, that was placed 
 near the Shrine of Horus. 
 
 " 'Twas guarded night and day by faithful ser- 
 vants of the gods, and the people in wonderment 
 came oftentimes to feast their eyes on the goodly 
 treasure and on those mysterious guardians who 
 stood beside it, like graven statues of stone. 
 
 "It came to hap that in these days there oc- 
 curred a great theft in the lands about us, and in 
 spite of diligent searchings the author thereof 
 could not be discovered. 
 
 "So shocked were the Priests at the dastardly 
 crime that they forthwith went into the temple, 
 and, sitting in a circle, they called on the Spirits 
 for guidance; upon which one materialised in 
 their midst, and spake directly unto them: 
 
 " 'Ye are to leave open and unguarded the 
 treasure which has been offered unto you by the 
 peoples round about. 
 
 " 4 In the centre thereof will I place a large stone 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 249 
 
 whose surface is clear as the moonbeam, and 
 therein will a sign appear when the hand of the 
 thief is brought near to the treasure. 
 
 " * Do as I bid ye, and all will be well/ 
 
 "Thereupon the Priest inquired of him whether 
 he had aught else to declare, but he said the power 
 which the gods had given him, to become apparent 
 unto them, was failing rapidly, and that he must 
 return from whence he had come. 
 
 4 'Straightway he vanished from their sight, and 
 once more illumining the temple after some counsel 
 together, they turned upon their heel and went 
 their way. 
 
 1 ' Many moons waxed and waned ere the Priests 
 did the bidding of the Spirit sent from the gods, 
 and because of this, said the faithful, the Voice of 
 the Waters in the Mystic Cave was heard no more, 
 nor could be seen upon her Holy Statue the smile 
 or the frown of Isis. Nor yet again came words of 
 wisdom from the Sphinx at the gate of the Temple. 
 
 11 Still the Priests delayed, for, said they: 'How 
 dare we leave unguarded the treasure of the gods? 
 Should a theft be committed thereon, the anger of 
 the gods would of a surety descend upon us. Let 
 us ask for more guidance, for this we dare not do.' 
 
250 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 And still were the mystic voices silent, and in her 
 communications from the Blessed Spirits my mother 
 grew troubled, and feared she knew not what. For 
 she declared to her people, 'If the Priests do not 
 the bidding of the Spirit sent unto them, a plague 
 will descend upon the peoples round about, and all 
 our lands will echo with the cries of those in misery, 
 and the lamentations of the bereaved.' 
 
 "At last the first sign of her warning began to 
 appear, and a pestilence on a sudden attacked one 
 of the Priests who had been foremost in his opposi- 
 tion to the command of the Spirit. Straightway 
 the Priests gathered together, and consulted as to 
 how best appease the gods. 
 
 " Quoth one of them, whose name was Akherez: 
 'At once must we do the will of the Divine Ones, 
 manifested through the Spirit; and to appease the 
 anger of the Evil Powers a sacrifice must be made, 
 and a human sacrifice withal/ 
 
 "Said another: 'AH the peoples round about 
 must be gathered together within this temple, and 
 passed in order before the unguarded treasure, 
 placing one hand upon the vessel as they go. 
 
 " 'At the moment that the hand of the thief 
 resteth there, the sign will appear in the moon-like 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 251 
 
 stone within, and thus shall be known who hath 
 erred.' 
 
 "Said Akherez once more: 'To preserve the 
 life of her father, the daughter of our brother- 
 priest, now lying sick unto death, hath offered to 
 yield herself to the fierce water-gods of the Nile. 
 Perishing thus, she hopes to save him.' 
 
 " There followed more counsel, and then fresh 
 attempts to elicit help and guidance from the 
 Mystic Voices. 
 
 "But it was of no avail; a great silence was 
 over all. 
 
 "The resolutions of the Priests were submitted 
 to the Oracle, and through her medium came the 
 bidding of the gods. 
 
 "The ministers of the temple were commanded 
 to submit the people to the trial ordained by the 
 Spirit, and further, when the culprit was dis- 
 covered by that means, he or she was to be one of 
 the sacrifice to propitiate the restless Spirits of the 
 Nile. 
 
 "To avoid the spreading of the pestilence, one 
 pure and, humanly speaking, without blemish, was 
 also to be offered up ; and to complete the human 
 sacrifice the daughter of the sick Priest had pressed 
 
252 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 upon the Priests her claim, and the Oracle accepted 
 it. 
 
 "The message was concluded by a stern com- 
 mand to the Priests not to delay, and a stinging 
 censure upon them for their hesitancy before. 
 
 5th September. 
 
 "One golden hour came Lenora to me; her face 
 was pale and beautiful with the dusky loveliness 
 of the South. Tears glittered in her eyes, and her 
 dark hair, carelessly braided, hung over her 
 shoulders, shadowing her slim throat. 
 
 " 'What hast thou trembling upon thy lips, O 
 maiden?' I asked of her; 'speak, let me hear thy 
 sorrows.' 
 
 " 'Woe is me, lord!' she answered me; 'mine 
 heart is troubled within me. I am sore disquieted, 
 my soul like a caged bird beats its wings, and 
 yearns for freedom. Yet has my uneasiness naught 
 to interest thee. Thou art a great lord, and I but 
 the tiring-maid of thy lady-mother. O me! of all 
 in the world methinks I am the most wretched.' 
 
 "My soul caught fire, and I answered her 
 eagerly: 'Speak! speak! tell me what troubleth 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 253 
 
 thee in secret ! Too happy shall I be if the Divine 
 One will let me share thy burden. O Lenora, I 
 charge thee keep nothing from me, but yield me 
 thine all-precious confidence/ 
 
 " 'I am lonely/ she said, 'my parents dead, and 
 little have I found of bright or beautiful in life. 
 Yet when I first saw thee, then did I cast all my 
 affections at thy feet, little dreaming of an}' 
 return. I know 'twas folly, presumption, what you 
 will; an ocean flows between us; in difference 
 mightily are we parted. Yet I love thee, I love 
 thee, O my lord! Cast me not away from thee, 
 do not trample upon my heart ! ' 
 
 " So surprised was I that I answered her nothing, 
 and she continued: 
 
 " 'I stand before thee, lord, wretched, defence- 
 less, disgraced. I have done that from which there 
 is no turning back. Not far from here is a great 
 building, the master whereof hath treated me with 
 great kindness. Ye know of the robbery com- 
 mitted in these districts. I declare unto thee 
 that I am at fault. This man of whom I told thee 
 is the culprit in fact, but 'twas I who sinned by 
 instigation. I drove him to do this thing, for he 
 loved me and the charms I had been given, and I 
 
254 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 influenced him by the black arts and by the know- 
 ledge I have learned from Persia and the Eastern 
 lands. I have coveted, I have fallen, I have 
 sinned. This man's guilt will be discovered, and 
 oh! should they find me out, what fate awaits me! 
 Lord, help me! Upon thine honour I cast myself. 
 Thou art mine only friend. Of thee I implore 
 protection.' 
 
 " 'By Osiris!' I cried, 'how greatly dost thy 
 deed astound me! Troth, thy words do pierce 
 my very soul, for in front of thee I see grim danger 
 lurking, and I know not what to do, nor how to 
 help thee, nor what is right.' 
 
 11 'Blame me not entirely,' she answered me; 
 1 'tis not altogether my fault. There is one thing I 
 would tell thee: from mine earliest days an evil 
 influence hath gloomed over my family. One who 
 was skilled in occult wisdom, in necromancy and 
 mysticism, declared unto us that this influence was 
 the restless spirit of a friend of my grand-sire, to 
 whom the latter did some great injury, and who 
 will haunt our family until one of its members 
 marries a stranger out of Egypt. This gloomy 
 spirit spreads around him dark influences, and 
 doubtless urged me on to the commitment of my 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 255 
 
 sin. Have ye no pity on me? For verily am I 
 the most wretched being in all the world!' 
 
 6th September. 
 
 11 l One necessity is clear,' I said unto her. ' Once 
 more must thou journey abroad. The lands about 
 here may see thee no more. If thou wouldst escape, 
 thine only safety lies in swift flight. Thy words 
 have caused me much astonishment, and now will 
 I speak. I return affection for affection, and if 
 thou art of one mind with me, I will aid thy depar- 
 ture hence by mine own presence at thy side, and 
 we will dwell far from here till the matter hath 
 been swept aside by others of still greater import.' 
 
 11 Joy crept into her face, and new life breathed 
 over her. But I continued with these words, 
 saying: 'Yet I think it but just to make some 
 effort to save the unfortunate who will doubtless 
 be discovered by the test ordained by the Spirit. 
 My poor child, thou hast erred, but 'tis not alto- 
 gether of thine own fault. Thou art unfortunate, 
 and I pity thee. I give thee my love if thou wilt 
 accept it. Together, if the gods be willing, shall 
 we dwell many leagues from here.' 
 
 "And I made unto her a proposal that she 
 
2 S 6 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 should cause a message to be written to the Chief 
 Priests of the temple, telling them that the sender 
 thereof had exercised mystic powers over him who 
 committed the crime, and that she begged their 
 pity to be shown unto him, as the evil deed was not 
 from his fault. When they should read this the 
 fair Lenora and I would be on our wanderings 
 together. For the time, at least, 'twould be neces- 
 sary to lie concealed; mayhap at some future 
 date we could return once more to my own home, 
 when the affair had faded somewhat from men's 
 minds, and the power of our family and its wealth 
 might soften the just anger of the Priests. 
 
 "More contented in mind, we parted at last, 
 and with busy thoughts we went our way. 
 
 "When people around were put to the test in the 
 temple the culprit was discovered, for at the very 
 moment his guilty hand touched the sacred vessel 
 a glow of bright crimson overspread the mystic 
 stone, and there appeared therein the face of Isis 
 frowning angrily upon the sinner. 
 
 11 'The sign! The sign!' cried the multitude, 
 and they took him with eager hands and led him 
 away. 
 
 "But then spake one of them: 'How can we 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 257 
 
 kill this man's body? For we have received 
 writings from a stranger who vows that she used 
 over him the powers of the black arts, and who 
 implores us to grant mercy to his mortal body, 
 if we would give ease to her immortal soul.' 
 
 11 'Let us ask counsel/ said the Priests, 'that we 
 may know what the gods will have us do.' 
 
 "Then they gathered in a circle, each man 
 clasping his neighbour's hand, and with a loud 
 voice one of their chiefs spake, saying: 'Spirits! 
 come back from the other world and give us 
 guidance. In the name of the Divine Ones may 
 we not be deceived.' 
 
 "Then he sprinkled holy earth upon a small 
 portion of the stone floor of the temple, and taking 
 his seat, he waited for mystic writing to appear 
 thereupon. 
 
 16th September. 
 
 "And in a while that came which they had ex- 
 pected, and the writing was there for all to see: 
 
 11 'Let this man die, for he hath mocked the 
 gods, and it is meet that he should suffer death.' 
 
 "Then once more was the holy earth sprinkled 
 over all by hands that we all beheld, and the circle 
 
258 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 rose and each member thereof went his own 
 appointed way. 
 
 "So it came to pass that this man died the death 
 as a sacrifice to propitiate divine anger, and in the 
 same manner died the daughter of the sick Priest 
 of her own free will, and a new-born child was also 
 offered up to represent one without blemish, and, 
 humanly speaking, sinless. 
 
 "And while these events trod swiftly, one upon 
 the heel of the other, Lenora and he who speaks 
 these words were journeying swiftly through the 
 land of the ancient Phoenicians towards Araby and 
 the nations far east. Sheltering ourselves from the 
 eyes of men, we hoped to evade the anger of our 
 own people. 
 
 "In these parts Lenora had a friend who 
 cheerfully received us within his dwelling-place. 
 
 "And so the days flew by, till one day the longing 
 came upon me to return home once more. I yearned 
 for the sight of my mother's beautiful face, and for 
 the companionship of all my former friends. 
 
 "When I broached the matter to my wife she 
 wept many tears, saying I was aweary of her, and 
 that I wished to abandon her who had given heart 
 and soul to me. So I spoke no more of it, for I 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 259 
 
 was loth to wound her. But longing for my home 
 returned, in spite of me, and returned with a 
 fierceness that would not be gainsaid. 
 
 "Then once again I spake to Lenora, and told 
 her of my resolution to return on a visit to mine 
 own land. 
 
 "This time she said but little to me, but said 
 she would resign herself to my will according to 
 the duty of a loving wife, though her heart played 
 her rebel and pined to keep me still. 
 
 "Of those things which transpired I will tell you 
 during my next visit. 
 
 "Thine, 
 "Amra, Child of Egypt." 
 
 18th September. 
 
 44 My heart had prompted me to return home- 
 ward and I obeyed the blind impulse. Bidding 
 farewell to Lenora and leaving her in the care of 
 her friend and his sister, I made my way into 
 Egypt. 
 
 "I tried to do in all things the will of my 
 attendant Spirits. 
 
 44 When at last my star brought me to the land 
 
260 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 of my birth, I found therein a great and melancholy 
 change, 
 
 "The mother who had ever been my dearest and 
 most precious friend had died suddenly during my 
 sojourn in foreign parts. They had been unable 
 to find her one fair morning, till at last they 
 hasted to the resting-place of my father's body, 
 and nigh unto that they found my mother. 
 
 "Her spirit had fled, leaving the mortal tene- 
 ment as cold and white and lifeless as the virgin- 
 snow of northern lands. But there was a smile 
 about her lips, for she knew the mysteries of death, 
 and never feared what lay beyond. 
 
 " My brother was absent, engaged in the warfare 
 which he loved, so that our stately home lay empty 
 and desolate. The appearance thereof reminded 
 me of some beautiful body without a soul. 
 
 "So my visit had gained me nothing, and sad 
 and lonely, once more I turned my back upon 
 mine own home and travelled back to Lenora. 
 
 "When once more I beheld her, I told her what 
 had befallen me, saying that my last hope of re- 
 ception into the bosom of my family once more 
 was dead, for my mother was gone before, and my 
 brother Sheil was, from all that I could gather, far 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 261 
 
 too angered with me to accept me back without 
 her tender mediation. 
 
 "She was greatly distressed, saying she had 
 grown old in my absence, and was waiting for good 
 tidings to give her youth once more. 
 
 "And thus the days passed heavily till after 
 some while there came a message from my brother, 
 bidding me journey to a place he named to meet 
 him, that we might renew the fraternal intimacy 
 as of old. Joyously I spoke of this unto Lenora, 
 and she counselled me to go. 
 
 "Accordingly I set forth, saying farewell to her 
 most tenderly, for she was weeping and seemed 
 distraught. 
 
 "Somewhat strange had her manner been for a 
 little while back, but she had denied me when I 
 asked if she was meddling again with the black 
 arts. 
 
 "I met my brother Sheil at the place he had 
 appointed, and he welcomed me with open 
 arms. 
 
 "The next time I will tell thee of those things 
 which came to hap during our reunion. 
 
 "Thine, 
 "+ Amra." 
 
262 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 21st September. 
 
 "Many days we spent together in joy and 
 revelry and feasting, and my brother told me that 
 of late a strange longing to forget and forgive the 
 past had swept over him, and determined him in 
 his project of a reunion once more. 
 
 "I found that the loss of my mother had 
 affected him deeply at the time, although his grief 
 had been partially assuaged by the birth of a male 
 child to his wife, which came to hap after a short 
 while. 
 
 There arrived presently a message from Lenora 
 earnestly entreating us to turn our faces towards 
 our habitation. 
 
 "■I spake unto my brother in this wise: 'Sheil, 
 canst thou so arrange matters that they may spare 
 thee from thy post on a visit to Lenora?' 
 
 "He answered and said: 'By the brow of Isis, 
 gladdened will my vision be to behold the face of 
 thy wife.' 
 
 "Upon which, turning him about, he gave 
 orders, and so disposed of things that he was free 
 to obey the behest of Lenora. 
 
 "When at last we were all of us gathered to- 
 gether, Lenora spake of many things unto Sheil, 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 263 
 
 and amongst these she asked of him particularly 
 as to his wife, and the little son that was his heir. 
 
 "He told her she was at a near distance, and 
 intended to await his return. 
 
 11 'But nay,' answered Lenora, 'bid her come 
 with the boy-child and I will welcome her with 
 smiling face and open arms/ 
 
 4 'At first he dissented, and would have naught 
 of the proposal, though he spake courteously the 
 while, but ever and anon she returned to the attack 
 with gentle insistence, and in a while, though he 
 was strong, yet did his resolution break like the 
 coldness of northern snows, melting beneath the 
 sunshine of her smile. 
 
 " 'When all the members of our family are 
 gathered together once more, then will it seem like 
 home.' Thus did she reason with reluctant Sheil. 
 
 "And so unto the wife of Sheil messages were 
 sent, and presently she arrived within our walls 
 with her little son, and we welcomed her as a 
 long-lost friend. 
 
 "Lenora fell upon her neck and embraced her, 
 calling her 'Sister,' but when her vision lighted upon 
 the child a change crept into her beautiful face, 
 which I marked with wonderment. Yet though a 
 
264 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 strange gleam burnt in her eyes, she received the 
 child with all the tenderness of a mother. 
 
 " During the time of many moons they dwelt 
 among us, and the while unstrained relations 
 existed between us. Lenora appeared to the eye 
 more beautiful than ever, for happiness had reani- 
 mated her, and in the midst of company she ap- 
 peared more content. 
 
 "Paula, the wife of Sheil, fell on a sudden in- 
 disposed, and was confined to her sick-room. 
 Lenora waited upon her assiduously, and cared 
 untiringly for the child. 
 
 "Now as to the child. His health appeared no 
 less robust, but in the spirit within him there was 
 a change. He seemed to lose both memory and 
 will. One by one his faculties grew enfeebled, and 
 he leant entirely upon his aunt. Gradually was 
 she absorbing his soul into herself. 
 
 "For these things and others still more marvel- 
 lous were done in the days of the past; for though 
 our time was called the dawn of civilisation, yet in 
 many things was it the brightest hour of noonday. 
 
 "More of these matters will I tell thee during 
 
 my next visit. 
 
 "Thine, 
 
 " + Amra, Son of Egypt." 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 265 
 
 22nd September. 
 
 "I noted these things with a heavy heart, but 
 I loved Lenora, for she had bound me to her 
 with magic chains and of her I could think no 
 ill. 
 
 "One night there was a feast, and there was 
 music and light and dancing, and it came to pass 
 when the moon was high in the heavens, that the 
 clouds embraced her and hid her shining, and 
 observing this, Lenora sighed and murmured a 
 few mysterious words. 
 
 " Now when we had arisen, and 'twas late in the 
 darkness of the night, we retired to rest. The 
 spirit of sleep deserted me that night, passing me 
 unheeding by, nor did she even brush mine eyelids 
 with her wings. 
 
 'Alert and restless, I wandered out into the 
 night; my thoughts were disturbed, however, and 
 formed but indifferent company. 
 
 "On a sudden some feeling of which I knew 
 nothing led me onwards unto the place of great 
 beauty where the rocks formed an abyss beneath 
 which was the rush of a seething torrent. 
 
 "I pondered much as I stood there upon the 
 brink of this marvellous handiwork of nature, and 
 
266 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 then I lifted up mine eyes as I drank in the glorious 
 beauty of the night. 
 
 (< Ona sudden out of the mouth of the darkness 
 beside me there arose a great wailing, and in such 
 a wise that it arrested the very pulsing of the heart 
 within me, and my blood ran ice-cold within my 
 veins. I called on the gods in mortal fear, for I 
 knew that fearful wailing came not from the world 
 of ordinary sights and sounds. 
 
 " Looking around me, I saw the form of a 
 woman, frantic and in dire pain, flying across the 
 ground towards me. 
 
 "The face was ghastly pale and the eyes mad- 
 dened with fear and hate. In agony I cried aloud, 
 yet could speak nothing, for the face that showed 
 from out of the blackness around me was that of 
 Lenora. 
 
 " Again there rose up to the skies that blood- 
 curdling wail. It seemed as though my brain 
 would break, yet there was no relief, no pause; the 
 livid face beside me was convulsed and furious. 
 
 "The hands that I so admired for their beauty 
 were raised with frenzy above her head, and she 
 appeared to be fighting for very life with something 
 I could not see. 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 267 
 
 " 'Lenora/ I cried, my frozen tongue at last 
 forcing into speech. 'Gods! Speak to me — tell 
 me — explain — be calm, that I may help.' 
 
 "Then she gazed on me with fearsome eye, 
 looking both through and beyond me. Then 
 struggling and choking wildly, with frantic screams 
 and a last despairing wail, she dashed forward 
 resistless, and flung herself into the abyss. 
 
 "Merciful oblivion carried me away, and as I 
 blindly strove to follow her, all on a sudden my 
 body seemed to crumple together, and fell in a 
 swoon of horror. 
 
 "Of what next befell I will inform thee on the 
 morrow. Remember me at the same hour, 
 "Thine always in God, 
 
 " + Amra, Child of Egypt." 
 
 23rd September. 
 
 "After that, when they brought me home, I 
 was overtaken with much sickness, and in delirium 
 I raved of many things which I have now forgot. 
 They nursed me gently through the illness, and 
 when I was recovered somewhat, we made our way 
 towards the coast lands by the sea. 
 
268 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "As I rested there, for the first time did they 
 find me strong enough to bear the recitement of 
 Lenora's sins and sorrows. 
 
 "On that memorable night of horrors of which 
 I have told thee, they had forced an entry into the 
 private study-rooms of Lenora, and much there 
 had they found of interest. 
 
 "The atmosphere was strange and oppressive, 
 filled with weird shadows and shapes and sounds 
 incomprehensible. 
 
 "In this chamber of secrets they had also dis- 
 covered writings in a strange tongue, which were 
 deciphered to read somewhat as follows: 
 
 11 'I, Lenora, the wife of Amra and the daughter 
 of foreign lands, herein declare unto the world the 
 sins and follies that have led me to condign punish- 
 ment. Into the body of the child of Sheil and 
 Paula I strove through my knowledge of the black 
 arts to inject the soul of a wild dog that dwelleth 
 in the lonely places around us. 
 
 " 'To effect this, I had first to suck away from 
 him his own personality, that I might infuse it into 
 the dog. 'Twas an exchange of souls that I con- 
 templated, yet my calculations by the moon had 
 gone astray, and I know now that the maddened 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 269 
 
 soul of the animal will not enter into the offeilceless 
 one, but into me. . . . 
 
 " 'I had liberated this wild thing, and it yearns 
 to enter once more into an earthly body. 
 
 " 'Something seems to guard the child of Sheil. 
 I believe it is the spirit of his mother. 
 
 " ' My doom is closing upon me. . . . There will 
 be a struggle between my soul and its tonight. . . . 
 Yet rather than allow it to inhabit my body I will 
 cast myself over the rock and die miserably and 
 unwept. 
 
 " \ . . Farewell, Amra; thou art in truth the 
 only being whom I ever loved. Forget if thou 
 canst my wretchedness and my sin. . . .' 
 
 "Thou canst well imagine the tumult of my 
 feelings as I reflected on the ruin of this beautiful 
 woman, both body and soul. Great is the power 
 of our kind either for good or evil. 
 
 "In a while we travelled back to Egypt. The 
 
 child had grown himself once more, and was under 
 
 the protection of angelic visitants. As to what 
 
 befell us further than this, I will tell thee anon 
 
 at the same hour. 
 
 "Thine, 
 
 " + Amra, Son of Egypt." 
 
270 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 "Ask for me again soon. Farewell! 
 
 •+■ Amra, 
 'Child of Egypt." 
 
 tl 
 
 24th September. 
 
 "Many pleasant days flowed smoothly by. I 
 met again my old friends and companions of former 
 days. One lady there was of high position and 
 many charms whom my brother Sheil would fain 
 have seen me marry. But though I admired and 
 esteemed her, yet I did not truly love her, and my 
 memory was too fatally entwined with the broken 
 ideal of my youth. 
 
 "Time sped on with golden wings, which left 
 some of their brightness behind them. Every day 
 at high noon Paula, the wife of Sheil, went devoutly 
 to the sanctum where my mother in past days had 
 communed with the spirits. Oftentimes did she 
 feel her presence, and sometimes beheld her, and 
 spake much unto her, for remembrance of my mother 
 was held fresh and sacred by all the household. 
 
 "One day I hied me there myself, and was re- 
 warded by the appearance of my mother. 
 
 " 'Fairest and best of women,' I said, commun- 
 ing with her, ' surely thou must be one of the purest 
 
OR THE GREAT EXPLORATION 271 
 
 blossoms in the garland that Isis wears upon her 
 brow/ 
 
 "Then I heard her voice saying many things of 
 wisdom unto me; and it came to pass that she 
 named an hour at which I was to meet her spirit 
 in the old grotto of our childhood, where the 
 waters spake with the Divine Voice. 
 
 "Greatly wondering, I went my way, but kept 
 my tryst with her at the appointed time. 
 
 "She had with much earnestness charged me to 
 come, saying that when I did so I should become 
 initiate into the greatest mystery of the world. 
 
 "Thus joyfully I sped to her. At the trysting- 
 place I saw her beauteous form all girt about with 
 brightness like a star from Heaven. And hailing 
 her in rapture I fell upon my knees before her. 
 
 "She laid one hand upon my brow, and through 
 the falling of the waters I heard her angel-voice. 
 And then the gentle sound grew fainter in mine 
 ears, and all around was darkness, and a strange 
 pain shot through me and I remember falling 
 prostrate upon the earth . Then the weird blackness 
 closed over me and I seemed like one on the brink 
 of a mighty void — falling, falling, falling. . . . 
 
 11 And when I next remember, I held my mother 
 
272 I HEARD A VOICE 
 
 in mine arms, and everywhere was light and joy, 
 and I felt no pain, nor weariness, but only a great 
 upliftedness, and a sense of glorious freedom I had 
 never known before. And then I understood that 
 I was Spirit now, and that my earthly body was 
 discarded with all its imperfections and its weak- 
 nesses, but that the l I f lived on unchanged. . . . 
 
 "For I was now 'initiate* into the greatest 
 mystery of the world. . . . 
 
 "And the world called it 'Death'! 
 
 11 + In Jesus, and Mary our Lady of Peace, 
 farewell! All blessings be thine. . . Farewell. 
 Farewell. 
 
 "Thine, 
 "Amra, Child of Egypt." 
 
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