LIBRARY 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 SANTA BARBARA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 MRS. HENRY FOWLER
 
 _
 
 Sir Oliver Lodge Is Right
 
 SIR OLIVER LODGE 
 IS RIGHT 
 
 Spirit Communication a Fact 
 
 By 
 GRACE GARRETT DURAND 
 
 Pribatrlp 
 
 LAKE FOREST, ILL. 
 1917
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY 
 GRACE GARRETT DURAND 
 
 Press of Rand McNally & Co.
 
 8F 
 
 \ 7, 7 2, ' LIBRARY 
 
 tTNTVT^ T TY OF CALIFORNIA 
 1$ SANTA BARB AHA 
 
 / dedicate this volume to my 
 beloved Sister 
 
 MARY HELEN GARRETT 
 
 who in passing over into the higher 
 life, February 2, 1917, drew aside 
 the veil for me, that I might know 
 the Truth and receive this great 
 revelation of Spirit communication 
 
 G. G. D.
 
 PREFACE 
 
 T N giving out this revelation to the world it 
 is only with the deepest sanctity and rever- 
 ence, and I might add, a reluctance in the fear 
 that this beautiful and wonderful experience 
 may, through necessity of the times, be soiled 
 by public skepticism; but in the belief that 
 in the world today there are millions eagerly 
 awaiting the message, I give it now with a 
 heart full of hope and love. 
 
 Will the world accept it? Or do the words 
 "Crucify Him!" "Crucify Him!" still cling 
 to suffering humanity in their potency and 
 unbelief? 
 
 G. G. D. 
 
 LAKE FOREST, ILL., 
 Nov. i, 1917
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PACK 
 
 Chapter I. Present Day Interest in 
 
 Psychic Phenomena . 13 
 
 Chapter II. Scientific and Literary 
 Notables Who Were Out- 
 spoken Spiritists . . .21 
 
 Chapter III. My Conversations with 
 Abraham Lincoln, Count 
 Tolstoi, and Joan of Arc 27 
 
 Chapter IV. Clergy from Every Church 
 and Creed Acknowledge 
 Spiritism as a Fact . . 37 
 
 Chapter V. The World's Greatest 
 Statesmen, Authors, and 
 Poets Voiced the Truth 
 of Spirit Communication 4 1 
 
 Chapter VI. My Own Awakening to 
 the Truth. Christian 
 Science vs. Spirit Heal- 
 ing, Many Testimonials 44 
 
 Chapter VII. Separating the Tares from 
 the Wheat All Genius 
 is but Inspiration from 
 the Spirit World . .55
 
 Sir Oliver Lodge Ss Right
 
 SIR OLIVER LODGE IS RIGHT 
 
 SPIRIT COMMUNICATION A FACT 
 
 . CHAPTER I 
 
 PRESENT DAY INTEREST IN PSYCHIC 
 PHENOMENA 
 
 TN a recent magazine, Sir Arthur Conan 
 Doyle caps his splendid article on Spiritism 
 with an interrogation, "Is Sir Oliver Lodge 
 Right?" It is my great privilege to affirm, 
 while Sir Conan Doyle begs the question in 
 spite of the proof of his own conviction. 
 
 "Then certain philosophers of the 
 Epicureans, and of the Stoics, en- 
 countered him. And some said, 
 What will this babbler say? other 
 some, He seemeth to be a setter forth 
 of strange gods: .... 
 
 "And they took him and brought 
 him unto Areopagus, saying, May 
 we know what this new doctrine, 
 whereof thou speakest, is? 
 
 13
 
 "For thou bringest certain strange 
 things to our ears: we would know 
 therefore what these things mean. 
 
 "Then Paul stood in the midst of 
 Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, 
 I perceive that in all things ye are too 
 superstitious. 
 
 "For as I passed by, and beheld 
 your devotions, I found an altar with 
 this inscription, To the Unknown 
 God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly 
 worship, him I declare unto you." 
 (Acts 17:18-19-20-22-23.) 
 
 Century after century has passed since Paul 
 uttered these words and yet today as then the 
 same inscription is found over the many altars 
 of church and creed To the Unknown God. 
 
 Like a voice crying in the wilderness, Truth, 
 the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, has been 
 but "sounding brass and tinkling cymbal" so 
 lightly has it penetrated into the heart and 
 soul of the mortal of this earth plane. 
 
 When I can stand today and say openly and 
 fearlessly that I speak directly to those who 
 have passed over to the Life Eternal, or what 
 the world calls Death, the worldly wise, the 
 skeptical, the ignorant, superciliously smile or 
 perchance may pity. Nevertheless it is a fact 
 that it is as natural for me now to speak *to 
 
 14
 
 those on the other side, as we say, as it is to 
 speak to those in the flesh. The voices are 
 as distinct, oftentimes more distinct, than the 
 voices of some human beings. 
 
 In no article on Spiritism in recent current 
 literature has the Voice Medium been men- 
 tioned and yet no means of communication 
 with the Spirit world is as positive or of such 
 absolute proof. Sir Oliver Lodge in the 
 August number of the Bookman describes the 
 different modus operandi of mediumship but 
 does not mention the voice medium, the one 
 complete communication with the Spirit world ; 
 but this is not strange, for so far as is known 
 there are few if any voice mediums in England 
 and not many on the entire earth plane. Jutis 
 Vairi, an occult brother of India in the i8th 
 Century, told me recently from the Spirit 
 world, in speaking of the voice medium, that 
 there are today and always have been voice 
 mediums among the Psychics of India, but 
 that the communication to man in India from 
 the Spirit world is more generally the Voice 
 of God within man, an impression as it were, 
 or conscience thought. 
 
 There is no longer any doubt in the authen- 
 ticity of communication between the Spirit 
 world and the earth plane ; it is an established 
 fact beyond dispute, even though the intel- 
 lectual, scientific and ecclesiastical world may 
 
 15
 
 not yet be ready to accept it. But the world 
 today is blessed with great minds too broad to 
 sneer, too open to refuse to listen and when such 
 men as Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir Arthur Conan 
 Doyle, Maurice Maeterlinck, not only listen 
 but express their views and impressions, the 
 world is beginning to "wonder." 
 
 "Sir Oliver Lodge," as Maurice Maeterlinck 
 speaks of him in the August Bookman, "is one 
 of the most notable scientists of our time. . . 
 He has, in a word, one of the best balanced 
 brains that one could hope to meet; and he is 
 convinced that the dead do not die but are 
 able to communicate with us." 
 
 The public very generally is conversant with 
 Sir Oliver Lodge's book, "Raymond, or Life 
 and Death." I doubt if in recent years any 
 one book has absorbed the reading public as 
 has this volume. In these times of dreadful 
 stress when the flower of manhood has been so 
 ruthlessly cut down, for one to catch even a 
 glimpse of the "beyond" has been life to many 
 an aching heart that has suffered in this world- 
 wide conflict. 
 
 This is perhaps the first time that one has 
 openly given out the life that is beyond the 
 veil and the living words of Raymond, who in 
 his frank boyishness, tells even the minutest 
 details of his spiritual surroundings, is like a 
 cup of cold water to parched lips. But Ray- 
 
 16
 
 mond was a new Spirit in the Spirit world 
 when the communications to his father were 
 given as related in "Raymond, ' ' since which time 
 he has had great spiritual growth and develop- 
 ment and his knowledge and understanding of 
 the Life Eternal is much fuller and plainer to 
 him now. He longs to speak again through 
 his father, to the world to tell of the won- 
 derful and beautiful existence of those who have 
 passed over from the battle fields to assure 
 the weeping fathers and mothers, wives and 
 children, who are grieving for their own in this 
 terrible war.that if they could but know the 
 joy and happiness of their loved ones in the 
 Spirit world, no more tears would be shed; 
 rather songs of thanksgiving be sung and 
 prayers of gratitude be said. 
 
 I have had several splendid talks with Ray- 
 mond, and the conversation is the same as 
 I would have with any bright, pure-minded, 
 noble young man in the flesh. Raymond 
 naturally is very much interested in the war 
 and war conditions, and in a conversation with 
 him a few days ago he spoke of our own Ameri- 
 can boys getting ready to go the front, or of 
 those who are already there, and said, "Mrs. 
 Durand, I love to look at them, they are such 
 a fine lot of fellows." 
 
 I have not as yet written Sir Oliver Lodge 
 in regard to these talks with Raymond, 
 
 17
 
 although I had meant to do so, but Raymond 
 laughingly said the other day, "Father gets 
 thousands of letters about his book, so your 
 letter might never reach his eye; better still, 
 write an article for a magazine and send him 
 the magazine; he will get that." 
 
 The same thought was given me by one of 
 America's richest young men, who passed over 
 the border a short time ago and who left a 
 beautiful young widow. When I asked him if 
 I should write her of our conversations, he 
 quickly replied, "Goodness, no, Mrs. Durand, 
 she would think you crazy! But can't you 
 write an article for a magazine and send her 
 that first ? The interest displayed in ' Patience 
 Worth' and 'Raymond' shows that people are 
 beginning to think and it is the psychological 
 moment, I believe, for you to tell the world 
 what you are experiencing." 
 
 This young man was no doubt envied by 
 half the world for his great wealth inherited 
 from his grandfather, yet it was of no avail 
 when he seemed needlessly taken so early 
 in life, and his worldly possession was of 
 naught, but the fine, beautiful Spirit that 
 comes to me and reveals himself as a true son 
 of God is the greatest wealth he could possess. 
 Noble, clear-minded, sweet, full of love, in- 
 deed a rare personality that the earth plane 
 missed. God grant that he may from the 
 18
 
 Spirit world be of greater value to struggling 
 humanity than the exercise of his earthly pos- 
 sessions ever could have been through him 
 had he been spared. 
 
 In the summer of 1913 Mrs. John H. Curran 
 of St. Louis, Missouri, sat with a ouiji board on 
 her knees, when the words "Patience Worth" 
 were spelled out, with the declaration that she 
 was a Spirit in the Spirit world and now had 
 come to speak again to the world through the 
 mediumship of Mrs. Curran. From that time 
 on communications of all kinds, "conversa- 
 tional, literary, including hundreds of poems, 
 numerous parables, allegories, short stories, a 
 drama and two novels" have been given over 
 the ouiji board by Patience Worth. The 
 world loves a "Psychic Mystery" and the fact 
 of not knowing exactly who Patience Worth is, 
 keys the imaginative mind to a high degree. 
 There is no doubt but that the rare beauty of 
 the literature, the exquisite diction and un- 
 usual phraseology is without parallel. Words 
 are used found only in the plays of Shakespeare, 
 and the quick wit and repartee is delicious. 
 "A Sorry Tale" has just been published and 
 will rank with the novels of any time. 
 
 So much for what is known by the public. 
 For what is not known by the public, my 
 mother in the Spirit world has given me: 
 "Patience Worth is a peculiar, unusual Spirit, 
 
 19
 
 most beautiful to look upon and wonderfully 
 developed spiritually. For years she had 
 hoped to find one on the earth plane whom 
 she could use as a medium, and through an 
 instrument particularly adapted for her use. 
 This she found in Mrs. Curran and the ouiji 
 board." As for the direct voice, she will have 
 none of it, when I asked if she would speak to 
 me, preferring her own way of communication 
 exclusively through Mrs. Curran and the ouiji 
 board, and my brother in the Spirit world 
 laughingly remarked, "No use to urge her to 
 speak to you. Patience Worth has a mind and 
 a will of her own and we had better let it 
 alone." 
 
 From this particular communication the re- 
 sults are charming and interesting. The only 
 misfortune is in the universal use of the ouiji 
 board by the public, which the doings of 
 Patience Worth has inspired. Mr. Stead in 
 speaking of it to me from the Spirit world, 
 recently said, "It is most unfortunate, for the 
 ouiji board is so unreliable in the hands of the 
 public, it proves a dangerous instrument." In 
 other words, one's own conscious or subcon- 
 scious thought may be the "Spirit" the indi- 
 vidual thinks is speaking. 
 
 20
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 SCIENTIFIC AND LITERARY NOTABLES WHO 
 WERE OUTSPOKEN SPIRITISTS 
 
 . STEAD is the late William T. Stead, 
 former Editor of the Review of Reviews in 
 London and a man whose name, like Glad- 
 stone's, was a household word in England, and 
 one might say also, in America. Mr. Stead 
 was not only one of the foremost literary men 
 of England but a man known in every path 
 of life, and a keen investigator of Spirit com- 
 munication. Associated with Mr. Stead are 
 the following scientists, some of whom com- 
 prise the English Society for Psychical Re- 
 search, and all of whom have openly acknowl- 
 edged Spirit communication as a fact beyond 
 dispute. 
 
 Sir William Crookes, F. R. S., editor of the 
 London Quarterly Journal of Science, inventor 
 of the Crookes vacuum tube which made pos- 
 sible the X-ray, and author of "Researches in 
 the Phenomena of Spiritualism, ' ' says : ' ' That 
 certain physical phenomena, such as the move- 
 ment of material substances, and the produc- 
 tion of sounds resembling electric discharges 
 
 21
 
 occur under circumstances in which they can- 
 not be explained by any physical law at present 
 known, is a fact of which I am as certain as I 
 am of the most elementary facts in chemistry." 
 
 Professor A. R. Wallace of England (the 
 great naturalist and member of many scientific 
 societies, who shares the honor with Charles 
 Darwin of being the discoverer of the principles 
 of evolution) , writes : ' ' We are justified in tak- 
 ing the facts of Modern Spiritualism (and with 
 them the only tenable one) as being fully es- 
 tablished. Its whole course and history pro- 
 claim it to be neither imposture nor delusion, 
 nor survival of beliefs of savages, but a great 
 and important truth." Again he says: "My 
 position, therefore, is that the phenomena of 
 Spiritualism in their entirety do not require 
 further confirmation. They are proved in 
 other sciences, and it is not denial or quibbling 
 that can disprove any of them." 
 
 F. W. H. Myers, poet and essayist, late head 
 of the English Society for Psychic Research, 
 and a great personal friend of Sir Oliver Lodge, 
 the present President of the Society, said: 
 "The records of the Society for Psychical Re- 
 search have actually proved to my mind, first, 
 survival pure and simple, the persistence of 
 the spirit's life, as a structural law of the uni- 
 verse; second, that between the spiritual and 
 the material worlds an avenue of communica- 
 
 22
 
 tion does in fact exist; third, that the surviv- 
 ing spirit retains, at least in some measure, the 
 memories and loves of the earth." 
 
 Prof. Richard Hodgson, M. A. LL. D., mem- 
 ber of the British Society for Psychical Re- 
 search, and secretary of the American Psy- 
 chical Research Society, testifies as follows: 
 " For a period of twelve years I have had com- 
 munication with the spirits of those long dead, 
 through the mediumship of Mrs. Piper. To- 
 day I am prepared to say that I am a believer 
 in the possibility of messages being received 
 from what people call the Spirit land." 
 
 Herbert Mayo, F. R. S., M. D. f Professor 
 of Anatomy and Psychology in King's Col- 
 lege, London, England, is quoted as follows: 
 "Twenty-five years ago I was a hard-headed 
 unbeliever. Spiritual phenomena, however, 
 suddenly and quite unexpectedly were soon 
 after developed in my family. This led me to 
 inquire and to try numerous experiments in 
 such a way as to preclude the possibility of 
 trickery and self-deception. That the phe- 
 nomena occur there is overwhelming evidence, 
 and it is too late now to deny their existence." 
 And Dr. Robert Chambers, F. R. S., LL. D., 
 author of the Cyclopedia of English Literature, 
 etc., declares: " I have for many years known 
 that these phenomena are real, as distinguished 
 from imposture, and when fully accepted will 
 
 23
 
 revolutionize the whole frame of human opinion 
 on many important matters." 
 
 In our own country the American Society for 
 Psychical Research at Columbia College, New 
 York, is pursuing this investigation under the 
 direction of Prof. James H. Hyslop. 
 
 Among other famous Scientists who accept 
 Spiritism as well established as is astronomy, 
 chemistry or any other science, are the fol- 
 lowing: 
 
 Prof. Robert Hare, Professor of Chemistry 
 in the University of Pennsylvania, Graduate of 
 Yale College and Harvard University, Asso- 
 ciate Member of the Smithsonian Institute. 
 
 Dr. Elliott Coues, member of the National 
 Academy of Sciences, Smithsonian Institute, 
 Washington, D.C., M. A., M. D., Ph. D., Nor- 
 wich University, Johns Hopkins University, a 
 Spiritist and a medium also. Dr. Coues pub- 
 lished an article in the Philadelphia Sunday 
 Express in which he said: "I have myself 
 seen spirits of a good many dead persons. On 
 several occasions I have been aware of the 
 presence of spiritual bodies of deceased per- 
 sons who gave information that was not other- 
 wise obtainable, and who conveyed to my mind 
 a conviction of their identity. . . . Let me 
 tell you that I know that the alleged phenom- 
 ena of Spiritualism are true substantially as 
 alleged." 
 
 24
 
 The late Professor William James, Professor 
 of Psychology, Harvard University. 
 
 Prof. Camille Flammarion, the great astron- 
 omer of France. 
 
 Prof. Cesare Lombroso, Alienist-Professor of 
 Psychiatry, University of Turin, Italy. 
 
 Prof. Cromwell F. Varley, F. R. S., probably 
 one of the greatest living electricians of his 
 time. 
 
 J. Hewat McKenzie, author of "Spirit Inter- 
 course, Its Theory and Practice," which is the 
 latest evidence by an English authority of the 
 continuity of life beyond death. 
 
 Dr. W. F. Barrett, Professor of Experimental 
 Physics and Dean of Faculty in Royal College 
 of Sciences of Ireland, whose book "On the 
 Threshold of the Unseen" has just been given 
 to the public. 
 
 Dr. T. L. Nichols, F. R. S., author of "Eso- 
 teric Anthropology." etc. 
 
 Prof. James Challis, F. R. S., Professor of 
 Astronomy and Philosophy, Cambridge Uni- 
 versity, England. 
 
 Dr. John Elliotson, F. R. S., M. D., Pro- 
 fessor of Medicine in London University, Presi- 
 dent of the Royal Medicine and Chirurgical 
 Society, etc. 
 
 Earl of Crawford and Belcarres, F. R. S., 
 Past President of the Royal Astronomical So- 
 ciety. 
 
 25
 
 Prof. William Gregory, P. R. S., M. D., 
 Professor of Chemistry in Edinburgh Univer- 
 sity, author of "Outlines of Chemistry," etc. 
 
 Prof. Wm. Denton, eminent geologist, au- 
 thor of "Our Planet, Its Past and Future," 
 "Soul of Things," etc. 
 
 Prof. Joseph Rodes of Buchanan, M. D., 
 Professor of Psychology, Electric Medical In- 
 stitute of Cincinnati, author of "Therapeutic 
 Sarcognomy," "Manual of Psychometry," etc. 
 
 Victor Hugo, the great French writer, was a 
 Spiritist. Queen Victoria of England for many 
 years held daily conversations with her spirit 
 husband, through John Brown, a medium, and 
 should I delve deeper into past history, many 
 more personalities that rose above the average 
 in scientific and literary attainment, may be 
 included as out and out believers in Spirit 
 communication. 
 
 26
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 MY CONVERSATIONS WITH ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 
 COUNT TOLSTOI, AND JOAN OF ARC 
 
 PRESIDENT LINCOLN has himself told 
 
 me in many conversations I have had with 
 him from the Spirit world that he was directed 
 in his great work during the Civil War and as 
 President by his mother and others in the 
 Spirit world. Mr. Lincoln, or "Uncle Abe," 
 as he has lovingly asked me to call him, said 
 that had he respected his mother's advice the 
 day of his assassination he would not have 
 gone to the theater the fateful night, as his 
 mother had that day warned him not to go. 
 
 The reader must not think me presumptuous 
 when I say that I hold long and beautiful con- 
 versations with Mr. Lincoln, with Count Tol- 
 stoi, and wonder of wonders, even with Joan 
 of Arc. Rich indeed am I, and privileged be- 
 yond belief when that sweet spirit of renown 
 sees fit to come to one as lowly as I on this 
 earth plane. When first she came the con- 
 versation began in French, but seeing that it 
 was difficult for me to fully understand her she 
 at once changed to English, and at my regret 
 
 27
 
 in not being more conversant with French 
 she replied, "No, it is not necessary, for Eng- 
 lish will in time be the universal language." 
 The same heroic personality is still manifest t 
 as she exultingly tells me of "her brave French 
 soldier boys" and how she is with them, con- 
 stantly urging them forward and onward to a 
 triumphant victory. The tender solicitude and 
 interest displayed in my own little personal 
 affairs by Mr. Lincoln, Joan of Arc, Count 
 Tolstoi and others, personalities I have known 
 only through history, is delightful and touches 
 me deeply. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln is naturally keyed up to a high 
 pitch over the position we have taken in this 
 world war. And for me to have the privilege 
 of discussing the war and our own political 
 affairs with our beloved martyred President is 
 hard for me to realize and harder still for the 
 public to believe. 
 
 In talking over our country's part in this 
 great war early last spring, Mr. Lincoln voiced 
 the importance of the President's appointing 
 a War Board, when war was actually declared, 
 for he felt there should be a central Board, a 
 centralization of all the heads of the war work. 
 The cabinet has quite enough to do with the 
 usual routine of the nation in peace times, and 
 to place upon it the entire burden of the war 
 would not be economic wisdom. However, 
 28
 
 the members of the cabinet should be included 
 in this Board with the President as an advisory 
 head or ex-officio member. Men should be 
 chosen best suited for these positions, irre- 
 spective of party affiliation, and each man be 
 peculiarly fitted for the branch of service of 
 which he is to be the head. One man on Food 
 and the necessities of life for our soldiers, our- 
 selves and our Allies, another for coal and fuel 
 of all kinds, still another for equipment and 
 munitions. One and preferably an experienced 
 railroad man, to take charge of all transporta- 
 tion and shipping. The ablest lawyer to be 
 found on National and international Law 
 should be a member of this Board to decide any 
 legal question that might arise between the 
 Allies and ourselves. Another, active in our 
 Secret Service, to handle the Aliens within our 
 midst, industrial disturbances and strikes. 
 A special committee should be appointed to 
 take charge of all problems directly involving 
 labor, represented by one man as a member of 
 the War Board. This Board to meet at stated 
 intervals and to be a clearing house, as it 
 were, in this great business of war which has 
 been placed upon us "for the freedom of the 
 world for justice and for peace." I then 
 asked Mr. Lincoln if it would not be possible 
 for him and the Spirit world to so impress or 
 inspire our administration that it would bring 
 
 29
 
 about just such a Board, to which he replied, 
 "Wait and see." 
 
 Mr. Lincoln has not failed to voice his anger 
 over the activities of some of our wealthy and 
 influential citizens, who, while making a great 
 parade of their patriotism, were secretly in 
 collusion with the enemy in getting foodstuffs 
 into Germany. "They may say they are not 
 shipping food to Germany, perhaps they are 
 not, but they know that it nevertheless gets 
 there," and again, "Our Government will have 
 to put an embargo on all food, for too much of 
 it is going straight to Germany." He was re- 
 lieved and pleased when Mr. Wilson did take 
 that drastic step in placing an embargo on 
 food exportation. 
 
 In regard to the submarines, Mr. Lincoln 
 regretted that our country did not start the 
 building of submarine destroyers a year or two 
 ago, but he is more than delighted over the 
 rapid progress now being made in building the 
 destroyers. The first week in September Mr. 
 Lincoln told me of a wonderful shell our navy 
 had invented and was using on the submarines, 
 "Six submarines already destroyed by them 
 that shell, Mrs. Durand, is going to finish the 
 submarines." 
 
 Mr. Lincoln has the greatest faith, however, 
 in our aeroplane fleet and feels it will play a 
 most important part in hastening the end of 
 
 30
 
 the war. The new aeroplane engine has in- 
 terested him greatly. One day he informed 
 me triumphantly, "We have twenty-two hun- 
 dred aeroplanes all finished and ready for the 
 new engine," and when the engine was finally 
 demonstrated so successfully Mr. Lincoln was 
 very happy and full of enthusiasm. 
 
 It seemed to me last spring that Mr. Lin- 
 coln was a little uneasy over our lack of war 
 preparation, but the magnificent manner in 
 which our Government placed one hundred 
 thousand men on French soil with such dis- 
 patch and secrecy (I was told how many were 
 on the ocean, how many had landed, how many 
 about to start, where they had sailed from and 
 where they were, and what they were doing. 
 I doubt if another person in the world outside 
 of the official army and navy circles knows as 
 much as I do of our military and naval maneu- 
 vers; however, although a woman, I can keep 
 a secret, particularly when Abraham Lincoln 
 tells me not to tell!), the splendid draft bill, 
 liquor bill, and other legislative steps, together 
 with the rapidity of military and naval train- 
 ing of our men, and the unselfish and self- 
 sacrificing attitude of thousands of men and 
 women from every class of society, the coming 
 forward of so many prominent business men to 
 give their executive ability, experience and 
 time to this great cause, have all impressed 
 
 31
 
 Mr. Lincoln deeply. He knows and loves 
 every soldier and every sailor, every man and 
 every woman and every child who has re- 
 sponded to the Nation's call in this great 
 world conflict, and he manifests the keenest 
 interest in them all and in the great part his 
 own beloved country is taking for never in 
 history, he has said, was a more righteous war 
 waged, "A war not of nation against nation, 
 but Justice, Honor and Godliness against Au- 
 tocracy, Greed and Brutality, in their most 
 hideous and viperous forms." 
 
 After the war what ? A brotherly love and 
 spirituality the world has never before known 
 is the hope of our martyred President, God 
 bless him ! 
 
 And now about Russia. As a young girl the 
 two men who stood out the strongest in all the 
 world for me were John Ruskin of England and 
 Count Tolstoi of Russia. Never was I tired 
 of reading of Count Tolstoi and picturing him 
 in his little garden under the shade of his 
 favorite tree, pondering, pondering over life 
 problems and their solution. For God to 
 make it possible for me to sit in the quiet of 
 my own little room and to hear that great 
 man tell me of Russia, stirs me to such a 
 depth that for hours after I can think of 
 nothing else. Step by step for several months 
 has Count Tolstoi led me with him in Russia 
 
 32
 
 and with Russia's struggle, but always, always 
 the last thing he would say, " Do not worry, 
 Mrs. Durand, Russia will win." 
 
 Ah, how little does Kerensky and those who 
 are giving their very life blood for their be- 
 loved country know that Tolstoi, their own 
 Tolstoi is with them every moment, encourag- 
 ing them, leading them, guarding them. 
 
 It so happened that the day the Czar was 
 exiled that I had the great privilege of a talk 
 with Count Tolstoi. "I am very sad, Mrs. 
 Durand, I am very sad today. I do not wish 
 to see the Czar and his family exiled to Si- 
 beria. The Czar did not mean wrong, he has a 
 good heart, but is weak. I wish it were other- 
 wise and that they would not be sent." 
 
 At the time that the Russian soldiers were 
 fleeing and becoming traitors to the great cause 
 of Russia, and Germany seemed to be getting 
 the upper hand in Russia, upon my great so- 
 licitude and alarm over the situation, Count 
 Tolstoi replied, "No fear, Mrs. Durand, even 
 if for the time being Germany does gain this 
 territory, she cannot hold it. My soldiers 
 weakening has only delayed the end of the war 
 but has not changed the ultimate result." 
 
 Tolstoi I find is the same Tolstoi interesting 
 and interested in all of life's problems and hu- 
 manity's struggles. When I asked what I might 
 say of him in my writings, he quickly replied: 
 
 33
 
 "Say to the world that I am the same, the 
 same Tolstoi they knew before, but with a 
 larger vision and a greater knowledge. As up- 
 on earth I gave out my prophecy, so now do I 
 prophesy that this great conflict is but the 
 necessary weapon to clear the earth of Greed, 
 Hate, and Autocracy. To the children of the 
 earth plane let me say it will be to you a beau- 
 tiful and wonderful blessing, for from out the 
 smoke and noise of battle a new generation 
 shall be born, guided from above, in which a 
 great spiritual awakening will bring righteous- 
 ness, wisdom and love to you all." 
 
 Since writing the above the German inva- 
 sion into Italy has taken place. Count Tolstoi, 
 although not disparaging the attack, did not 
 think it as serious as reported, for he believed 
 the Germans were advancing only to their own 
 destruction and would be hemmed in and perish 
 through mountain-storm and snow. However, 
 he lays great stress upon the importance of aid 
 to Russia from the United States. 
 
 "We do not need your soldiers, ammunition 
 or food but we do need a propaganda to educate, 
 instruct and enlighten the peoples of Russia, 
 to mould them together into one great nation. 
 The Russian peasant of whom I was one, is 
 the real Russian after all and forms the greater 
 part of the Russian nation. They are as they 
 are, for they know no better but are eager for 
 
 34
 
 learning and education and are at heart a mar- 
 velous people. Germany has flooded the coun- 
 try with lies and false reports, particularly 
 among the soldiery but even they need only to 
 be shown the right and they will arise as one 
 man, not alone for their own salvation but for 
 the salvation of the entire world. My people, 
 Mrs. Durand, were never an aggressive people 
 but a simple folk with high spiritual intuition. 
 The peasant, the soldier, even the educated 
 Russian does not know to what extent the 
 United States has entered this world war. 
 Tell them of it, that it may give them the 
 courage they have, to fight their own enemies 
 within and the common enemy without 
 ah ! if Russia would but unite as one man and 
 throw her whole strength against Germany at 
 once ! Alas, my hopes may not be realized 
 the Russian people are still children. 
 
 "My country needs but the leadership of 
 your country, to bring out its best to expel 
 the traitor and spy. The Bolsheviki with 
 Lenine and Trotzky as leaders are only Ger- 
 many's tools, not true Russians and are to 
 Russia what Benedict XV, Austria's tool, is to 
 Italy. The Vatican is absolutely traitorous to 
 Italy and to the Allies' cause, and is betraying 
 them at every turn. Why will not the United 
 States wake up to this fact, and declare war 
 against Austria? I cannot understand it. An 
 
 35
 
 absolute pact was arranged between the Kaiser 
 and the Vatican to move the See at Rome 
 to America and with a certain Roman Cath- 
 olic element in America and the Imperial 
 Germans there, together with a following of 
 Irish Agitators planned to embarrass the 
 administration and if possible take possession 
 of the United States. This reptile with its 
 venomous trickery is the poison that is work- 
 ing into the very vitals of your industrial in- 
 terests even into government channels, the 
 same as in Russia. Unless all avenues for 
 its destruction be opened up at once ex- 
 posed and expurged an industrial war will 
 be upon you that will shake the very founda- 
 tion of civilization and hamper your effective 
 aid to the Allies in the establishment of right- 
 eous freedom, security and peace."
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 CLERGY FROM EVERY CHURCH AND CREED 
 ACKNOWLEDGE SPIRITISM AS A FACT 
 
 Tn glancing through the records compiled 
 by Mr. R. A. Dague, to whom I wish to 
 acknowledge my indebtedness for the many 
 names I have used of the big men of life who 
 recognized the truth of Spirit communication, 
 I see besides those already mentioned, the 
 following : 
 
 The Rev. H. W. Thomas, D. D., the great 
 Methodist who for nearly a quarter of a cen- 
 tury preached every Sunday to thousands of 
 people in one of the famous theaters of Chi- 
 cago. Dr. Thomas said: "I am a Spiritual- 
 ist. I would have to give up the Bible if I de- 
 nied the ministry of spirits. . . . Thirty 
 years ago I was so fortunate as to discover 
 that Spiritualism meant a continuity of life. 
 I found that I was in sympathy with its teach- 
 ings. ... I am a Spiritualist." 
 
 The Rev. R. Heber Newton (Episcopalian) 
 preached a sermon which was published in 
 the New York World of April 1 1 , 1897, in which 
 he said: "Spiritualism is a truth which is 
 
 37
 
 embodied in the records of the very beginning 
 of our Christian religion." 
 
 Rev. Lyman Abbott, D. D., of Henry Ward 
 Beecher's old church (Congregationalist), said: 
 "I do not believe that those who have died 
 have gone far away from us. I love to 
 think my mother follows me with her eyes as 
 she did when I was a boy. I believe that the 
 strange, subtle, inexplicable and indefinable 
 influence that sometimes comes into my life 
 is from her." 
 
 Henry Ward Beecher, Brooklyn, N. Y., said: 
 "There have been times in which I declare to 
 you heaven was more real than earth; in 
 which my children that were gone spoke more 
 plainly to me than my children that were with 
 me. These glimpses of the future state are a 
 great comfort and consolation to all those who 
 are looking for the development of perfect 
 manhood. It is generally admitted from the 
 very beginning of things that this world has 
 been open to the influence of spirits. That 
 false notions have arisen during all ages con- 
 cerning Spiritualism does not prove its fallacy 
 by any means." 
 
 Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Milburn (Presbyterian) 
 said: "They are forming a sect called Spirit- 
 ualists. You cannot laugh at Spiritualism. On- 
 ly shallow people laugh at Spiritualism. Only 
 ignorant people laugh at Spiritualism. The 
 
 38
 
 thoughtful man no longer laughs at the 
 Spiritualist. That man is reaching for a truth 
 beyond the truth that he can find within the 
 boundaries of the visible church." 
 
 Rt. Rev. Samuel Fallows of Chicago, Bishop 
 of the Reformed Episcopal Church, says: "I 
 believe in apparitions, and think it is possible 
 that there are mediums who have the power of 
 materializing visitors from the Spirit World. 
 Psychic research has opened up a new field, 
 and it is no longer scientific to pooh ! pooh ! at 
 Spiritualism." 
 
 J. Godfrey Raupert of London, who was 
 especially delegated by Pope Pius X. to lecture 
 to Catholic audiences in America on Spirit- 
 ualism and its dangers, said: " It is no longer 
 possible to put the phenomena aside. A few 
 years ago it was the policy of the church to 
 avoid the dangers of spiritism by saying noth- 
 ing about it, but today the scientific men all 
 over the world have recognized spiritism as a 
 definite and real power, and to shelve it is a 
 dangerous policy; consequently the Pope has 
 asked me to tell Catholics just the attitude to 
 take toward this mysterious subject. . . . 
 The Church admits the reality of these phe- 
 nomena." 
 
 Archdeacon Colley of England, rector of 
 Stockton, says : "Spiritualism comes as a god- 
 send to millions who are incapable of believing 
 
 39
 
 the Christian faith without its aid. It teaches 
 that death is the gate of life, hence that there 
 is continuous and immediate and conscious 
 being with no sleeping in the grave." 
 
 "Italia" of Rome, a few years ago said: 
 "Joan of Arc recently appeared to Pope Pius 
 and addressed to him solemn words of encour- 
 agement and exhortation. It was while the 
 Holy Father was indulging in devout prayer 
 and meditation in his private oratory imme- 
 diately after the ceremony of reading the de- 
 cree of beatification that the spirit appeared." 
 
 40
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 THE WORLD'S GREATEST STATESMEN, 
 
 AUTHORS AND POETS VOICED THE 
 
 TRUTH OF SPIRIT 
 
 COMMUNICATION 
 
 A MONO the world's greatest statesmen, 
 authors, and poets, who were outspoken 
 Spiritists, one finds: 
 
 Hon. Arthur Balfour, late Prime Minister of 
 England; Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry W. 
 Longfellow, William Cullen Bryant, John 
 Greenleaf Whittier, Lydia Maria Child, Julia 
 Ward Howe, Lucretia Mott, Ella Wheeler 
 Wilcox, Wm. Lloyd Garrison, Elizabeth 
 Stuart Phelps, and Marie Corelli. 
 
 Harriet Beecher Stowe said she deserved no 
 credit for writing "Uncle Tom's Cabin," as 
 every line of it was spoken to her inner ear by 
 a spirit voice. 
 
 Thomson Jay Hudson, Ph.D., LL.D., au- 
 thor of a work entitled "A Scientific Demon- 
 stration of the Future Life," written twenty- 
 five years ago, said: "The man who denies 
 the phenomena of spiritism today is not en- 
 titled to be a skeptic. He is simply ignorant
 
 and it would be a hopeless task to attempt to 
 enlighten him." 
 
 In mentioning Ralph Waldo Emerson I 
 must not let pass a charming and interesting 
 incident which I had a short time ago with 
 Mr. Emerson. A friend came to take luncheon 
 with me; it so happened to be a day when a 
 well known voice medium was passing the 
 day at my home. After luncheon we three 
 went into my seance room for a visit with 
 our friends in the Spirit world. We were 
 there but a short time when Mr. Emerson 
 announced himself. My friend was much ex- 
 cited and at once exclaimed, "Certainly this 
 cannot be the great Emerson." "Yes, my 
 dear brother," replied Mr. Emerson, "the 
 great Emerson if you so wish to call me, but 
 let me tell you I was only great in being the 
 instrument for God to use to bring some beau- 
 tiful and useful truths to the world." My 
 friend then told Mr. Emerson that upon the 
 day of Mr. Emerson's death, April 27, 1882, 
 he was a student at Harvard College and that 
 during the class recitation in English Litera- 
 ture, Prof. Charles Eliott Norton recited to 
 the class an unpublished poem which he said 
 Mr. Emerson had given him. Professor Nor- 
 ton taught the poem to the class, then ad- 
 monished them never to write it or let it be 
 written or printed. As my friend started to 
 
 42
 
 repeat the poem, Mr. Emerson joined in and 
 finished it with him, then turned to me and 
 said: "Mrs. Durand, I want you to learn that 
 poem sometime and put it in an article on 
 Spiritism and say to the world that I from the 
 Spirit world give you this unpublished poem 
 to print, which I gave to my friend Charles 
 Norton at Cambridge over thirty-five years 
 ago." 
 
 A rare and beautiful phase of my life indeed 
 to have such converse with Mr. Emerson, for 
 as I grew into womanhood, it was seldom that 
 I was without a volume of Emerson near at 
 hand, and together with Epictetus and Seneca, 
 no matter how many times a passage was read 
 from one or the other of them, a new thought 
 was given me which brought greater inspira- 
 tion and courage. 
 
 "Work of his hand 
 He nor commends nor grieves ; 
 Pleads for itself the fact, 
 As unrepenting Nature leaves 
 Her every act." 
 
 43
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 MY OWN AWAKENING TO THE TRUTH. 
 
 CHRISTIAN SCIENCE vs. SPIRIT HEALING, 
 
 MANY TESTIMONIALS 
 
 T N personally laying bare nay own conversion 
 to Spiritism, I have this to say. Up to eight 
 months ago the word Spiritism or Spiritual- 
 ism was to me an unknown quantity, suggest- 
 ing fakes and charlatans. Psychical Research, 
 however, commanded my respect, although 
 with the exception of a superficial interest 
 many years ago in Occult Science, Esoteric 
 Magic and Psychic Phenomena, I was wholly 
 unprepared for this great revelation. 
 
 This came from the passing over of a much 
 beloved sister. 
 
 I had heard of the book "Raymond," by Sir 
 Oliver Lodge, only a day or two before my 
 sister's death, but did not secure a copy until 
 several days later, and the first intimation I 
 had that I myself was psychic came through 
 automatic writing from my sister. In an in- 
 direct and wandering way I was led later to a 
 medium. I went wholly unknown to the 
 medium and no one knew of my intention of 
 
 44
 
 going. The address of the medium was given 
 me over a public telephone and my name was 
 not mentioned. I received a most accurate 
 and startling "reading" and I returned to my 
 home full of excitement and happiness. A 
 fortnight later a second visit was made with 
 absolute proof of the genuineness of the com- 
 munication and my own conviction of its 
 authenticity. 
 
 The day following I left for California, and 
 learning of a voice medium, arrived at her 
 home wholly unexpected, a few hours after 
 reaching California from the East and only an 
 hour after hearing of her. I did not know 
 what a voice medium meant nor the nature of 
 the "sitting" but when in the very presence 
 of the "beyond" my beloved sister spoke to 
 me in her own sweet voice, the inexpressible 
 joy of knowing that the veil had been torn 
 aside the abyss bridged the last enemy 
 of all destroyed was very great. 
 
 Since that day I have had quick and mar- 
 velous development and have been led tenderly, 
 lovingly step by step through guidance from 
 the Spirit world. 
 
 Having been a Christian Scientist since 1899 
 and having received the very best class in- 
 struction through the late Edward A. Kimball, 
 I can perhaps appreciate more fully than the 
 average person the beauty and marvel of spirit 
 
 45
 
 healing by the physicians in the Spirit world. 
 Mrs. Eddy was herself a medium, and had she 
 permitted her Guides to lead her, would have 
 developed into a remarkable instrument for 
 Spirit communication, but the forces left her 
 for a reason and the book ' ' Science and Health' ' 
 was written, with catches of the Divine, mostly 
 through mortal mind and became a commercial 
 proposition with her. 
 
 To deny the good of Christian Science is not 
 only foolish but wrong, for wonderful results 
 have been obtained through its agency and the 
 getting away from the old dogma and narrow 
 creed of the orthodox church is a great step 
 forward. Christian Science is a beautiful and 
 sweet religion and has healed many a sorrow- 
 ing heart but it is not all Truth and to deny the 
 existence of matter or the physical body is to 
 deny God, for our life here in 'the flesh is a part 
 of the Life Eternal. It is all the same the 
 one beautiful life and this body created by 
 God, given us by God, should be honored, 
 cared for and acknowledged. To abuse, to 
 ignore, to deny our physical body one might as 
 well deny life itself. And for Mrs. Eddy to 
 have taught her students to wage war, as it 
 were, on Spiritism, is nothing short of sacrilege 
 and I am convinced that she herself knew bet- 
 ter even when in the act of decrying it. It 
 was because Mrs. Eddy listened to her own 
 
 46
 
 voice and not the voice of God that she was 
 estranged from her Guides who would have 
 taught her the Truth, and she was, therefore, 
 denied further communication. 
 
 In another volume I hope to enter more 
 fully into this subject, and may have the privi- 
 lege of Mrs. Eddy herself explaining to me 
 where Christian Science is the truth and where 
 it is not. But I do know that all healing is 
 from above and where demonstrations of heal- 
 ing are made by a Christian Science Practi- 
 tioner, it is not because the Practitioner in 
 denying matter and error receives results 
 from that denial, but it is because the Prac- 
 titioner is so near his or her Guides that the 
 earnestness of prayer and purpose brings the 
 aid asked for. 
 
 I talk to Dr. Nicholas Senn, Dr. John B. 
 Murphy, Dr. Henry B. Favill, as readily 
 and as easily as if they were in the flesh 
 seated in their office chair, and many cases 
 medicinal and surgical have been explained 
 to me. I can attest to a most remarkable 
 diagnosis by Dr. Senn relative to myself. 
 Having for twenty years been a sufferer 
 from acute facial neuralgia, I went to a 
 well-known Chicago Hospital a year ago 
 for a careful examination to ascertain the 
 cause of the pain. A prominent nose and 
 throat specialist saw nothing wrong in my 
 
 47
 
 nose or throat, and in fact none of the special- 
 ists, after making every test and examination, 
 found the cause. However, a dental surgeon in 
 examining an X-ray plate of my teeth an- 
 nounced that four teeth should be extracted, 
 that they in all probability caused my suffer- 
 ing. A second dental surgeon, but of another 
 school, agreed also that four teeth should 
 come out but only one was included in the 
 first four. I finally consented and four per- 
 fectly strong hard teeth were cracked with a 
 hammer and the pieces delicately or indeli- 
 cately picked out, and with only a local an- 
 aesthetic. The result was a week of nervous 
 exhaustion and intense suffering at the hos- 
 pital and five months of severe neuralgic head- 
 ache, so that my "last state was worse than 
 the first." In speaking of this circumstance 
 Dr. Senn indignantly denounced such a brutal 
 treatment and more indignantly denied the 
 necessity of extracting the teeth, for such 
 infection as was seen in the roots or ducts of 
 the teeth could be easily reached and treated 
 and the pus pockets cleansed. And I have 
 since learned that much of my severe illness 
 after the operation, which I presumed came 
 from the infection in the teeth, was in reality 
 due to the harmful effect of the drug and 
 to an infected instrument used in the hypo- 
 dermic at the time of the extraction of the 
 
 48
 
 teeth. For at a later date, in removing a 
 nerve, the dentist again used an infected in- 
 strument and too powerful an anaesthetic 
 which brought about exactly the same serious 
 results I had before experienced. And better 
 than any X-Ray examination, I was told the 
 real cause of my neuralgia: 
 
 "When a child, Mrs. Durand, you had an 
 injury either through a fall or blow upon the 
 nose, which resulted in the mal-position of the 
 Septum, the central bone of your nose, while 
 the bone was soft and easily displaced. This 
 deflection caused a prevention of drainage from 
 the ethmoid and frontal sinuses and has kept 
 up more or less inflammation with a pressure 
 upon the nerve centers producing neuritis of 
 the face. Particularily in damp weather the 
 injured, ill-fed nerves became more inflamed 
 and created greater pain. You have really 
 never breathed through your left nostril and 
 consequently your blood was not receiving all 
 the oxygen it should have received and your 
 whole nervous system has been underfed. This 
 abnormal bone together with a partly atrophied 
 adenoid should be cut out. You have beside 
 this, tonsillar pockets and crypts with infected 
 material in your throat which must also be 
 removed as it is conducive to your neuralgic 
 condition, and the eustachian tubes need 
 to be opened up. Go to Dr. whom I 
 
 49
 
 brought to Chicago and who is absolutely the 
 finest nasal and throat operator today, and 
 have him fix you up, but tell him not to charge 
 you millionaire prices." 
 
 Upon reaching the Surgeon's office I placed 
 face down on his office desk a piece of paper 
 with Dr. Senn's diagnosis written upon it. I 
 did not mention anything, not even my severe 
 headaches, only asked for an examination of 
 my nose and throat. After the examination 
 
 Dr. turned to me and said, "Why, my 
 
 dear woman, your left nostril is entirely closed 
 and always has been." With that he gave 
 me the exact diagnosis of Dr. Senn. I handed 
 him the slip of paper from the table to which 
 he exclaimed, "By George, this is extraor- 
 dinary! It beats anything I ever heard of!" 
 The result was a removal of a bone the size of 
 a green bean seed, and for the first time in my 
 life I breathed freely, and since that day have 
 not had one trace of neuralgic pain. 
 
 Among the many cases I know of bearing 
 testimony of Spirit healing is that of a young 
 woman who through stoppage in the rectum 
 was obliged to undergo the operation of 
 colotomy. With many operations she had 
 been confined in her bed for years and her 
 case considered incurable. Hearing of Spirit 
 healing through a medium, she asked that the 
 Spirit doctors tell her the trouble and if her 
 
 50
 
 case was really hopeless. She was told what op- 
 eration to have done and followed their advice. 
 The opening in her side was closed, the rectum 
 was made to perform its natural function, and 
 she is today a perfectly well and happy woman. 
 
 Another case, that comes to my mind, is 
 that of a five-year-old child badly poisoned 
 with measles. She became so infected she 
 could not be recognized. After a consultation 
 of three physicians had decided she could not 
 live the night through, a friend at the same 
 apartment house, who was particularly fond 
 of the little girl, in desperation rang up a 
 medium and asked for help. The medium 
 at once went into her seance room and re- 
 mained all night that the Spirit doctors might 
 draw strength from her for the child. About 
 four o'clock she was told a change had come 
 and she might retire. Exhausted and half 
 asleep, she thought the Spirit physicians 
 meant the child had passed over into the Spirit 
 world. But early next morning the friend tel- 
 ephoned her that a miracle had been performed, 
 for the child had just opened her eyes and had 
 recognized her father and would live. The 
 child did live and is a strong, active little girl 
 today. 
 
 One of the most remarkable cases of Spirit 
 healing and it is difficult to know wnere to 
 stop where there are so many to relate was 
 
 51
 
 that of a young man who caught a severe cold 
 that went to his lungs. He looked as though 
 he were dying, and every one, including his 
 physician, expected him to die. He was taken 
 to the County Hospital, but hearing of spirit 
 healing through a medium, he asked if she 
 might be with him at the hospital during the 
 examination by the hospital surgeons. The 
 medium told the physicians that the young 
 man had an abscess on his lung and that they 
 should operate to relieve the pus, but they 
 only smilingly informed her she was mistaken. 
 However, when the young man was about to 
 die, as a last resort an operation was performed 
 and over a cup of pus removed, and today he 
 is as well and vigorous as ever. 
 
 I could go on through many pages relating 
 just such incidents as these for the blind are 
 made to see, the lame to walk, and every known 
 malady, whether medicinal or surgical, healed 
 through guidance and care. But that does 
 not mean a denial of the disease or the letting 
 alone of the "claim," as the Christian Scientists 
 call it, for the correct diagnosis is given by the 
 Spirit world and one is directed to the proper 
 surgeon or physician for treatment or in some 
 cases simple remedies, change of diet and liv- 
 ing is advised. Again steam baths, electric or 
 medicinal, are advocated. Dr. Nicholas Senn 
 told me one day that about ninety per cent of 
 
 52
 
 the present day diagnoses, even among our 
 most reputable physicians and surgeons, is 
 really guess work; and according to Dr. John 
 B. Murphy, in surgery it is all a matter of who 
 is the most fearless "butcher." "Why, I was 
 just as bad as the rest of them Mrs. Durand. 
 I only achieved my great reputation as a sur- 
 geon, because I happened to be a little bigger 
 butcher, sometimes I hit it right, some- 
 times I didn't." This is not written dispar- 
 agingly of the physician or surgeon, for often- 
 times they can not really know the trouble 
 until an operation is performed. I recall Dr. 
 Murphy's explaining this to me in the case of 
 gall stones and appendicitis. A surgeon may 
 operate for one, when it is the other, for an 
 X-Ray does not always locate the gall stone, 
 and not seeing a stone the appendix is decided 
 upon as the guilty destroyer whereas it may 
 be wholly innocent. The symptoms are very 
 similar, Dr. Murphy says vomiting in both 
 cases. However, there will always run a tem- 
 perature with an infected appendix and not so 
 frequent or at all, if I remember him correctly, 
 with a gall stone. 
 
 A physician or surgeon should go to a good 
 voice or trance medium, but only to one of 
 high Spirituality, reliable and morally above 
 reproach and not be ashamed to go, talk 
 to the physicians in the Spirit world, many 
 
 53
 
 of whom are old friends, get the proper 
 diagnosis and advice before operating, or treat 
 the case as may be and follow out the in- 
 structions given by the Spirit world in the 
 matter of proper diet and proper living for 
 the human race much suffering and disease 
 would thus be prevented. And in communi- 
 cating with those who have passed over, but 
 who are much the same as when in the 
 flesh retaining their own individuality the 
 fear of disease and the sting of death would 
 be lifted from trembling and suffering human- 
 ity. Man then could live in peace of mind, 
 seeking only the greater knowledge for his 
 Spiritual growth and betterment. 
 
 54
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 SEPARATING THE TARES FROM THE WHEAT 
 
 ALL GENIUS is BUT INSPIRATION 
 
 FROM THE SPIRIT WORLD 
 
 T N giving out this experience and knowledge 
 of Spirit communication I do not stand for 
 all who may call themselves mediums or even 
 Spiritualists, nor do I represent any Spirit- 
 ualists' League or Church. As in all things, 
 "Prove all things, hold fast to that which is 
 good," for there are false as well as true proph- 
 ets, and sad indeed, there is the unworthy 
 medium who traffics in her God-given gift 
 seeking the material substance it brings rather 
 than the spiritual unfoldment of those who 
 come to her. And sadder still, is the un- 
 scrupulous medium surrounded by invisible 
 entities of the evil forces who prey upon a 
 victim as a vulture, gratifying their own 
 vicious desires in the cloak of "beings from 
 above" the passing over from the flesh to 
 the Spirit condition does not at once make 
 perfect. Life is progression. Like attracts 
 like, and a medium unless absolutely pure, 
 good, honest, will attract about her those 
 
 55
 
 from the Spirit world that are the same 
 and these evil Spirits oft-times will personate 
 good Spirits and even the loved ones of those 
 who come for communication, in order to 
 gain their own selfish aims or the demands 
 of their medium. But the time is coming, I 
 know, when Spiritism, respected and revered 
 will be placed where it should have been placed 
 for the past 2000 years above all reproach 
 and criticism. It is the Truth the Great 
 Master brought that is so misunderstood, so 
 misapplied in the many sects and creeds. 
 
 The Constitution of the United States gives 
 individual religious freedom, and many of the 
 States are now making laws for the protection 
 of legitimate Spiritism and the expulsion of the 
 faker and charlatan. The great difficulty, 
 however, in sifting the fraudulent from the 
 true, lies in the public or laymen not being 
 able to judge properly, and, as has been the 
 case, a fine medium may be branded by the 
 police or press as an imposter whereas in re- 
 ality she is a beautiful handmaiden of God 
 giving solace to the afflicted and distressed. 
 
 In time, I am convinced, a greater under- 
 standing and interest will bring about a de- 
 sired reform in the setting forth of this reli- 
 gion, for it is the only true religion, not merely 
 a religion of faith or hope but actual fact, and 
 should be protected and presented in a dig- 
 
 56
 
 nified, reverent manner and only in beautiful 
 and proper surroundings. One asks right here, 
 if Spiritism is knowledge, and the only true 
 religion, why then has it not been experienced 
 and practiced more generally these past 2000 
 years? I answer with another question. Be- 
 cause a child in the first grade at school can 
 not grasp Euclid, should Euclid, who collected 
 and systematized all the fundamental princi- 
 ples of pure mathematics which had been de- 
 livered down by Thales, Pythagoras, Eudoxas 
 and other mathematicians before him, be de- 
 clared false? 
 
 The world for the past 2000 years has never 
 gone beyond the first grade, but God grant 
 that this awful fire the world is now passing 
 through may be the means of raising it to a 
 higher plane of knowledge and understanding. 
 For, from every path of the earth life, legal 
 and the church physicians and surgeons, 
 authors, statesmen, men of affairs, of art, of 
 music, each in his particular "calling" is 
 now, from the Spirit world, directing condi- 
 tions on this earth plane as tirelessly and as 
 faithfully as when in the flesh and 2000 
 years in Eternity is but as a day. 
 
 Worthy exponents of many religions and 
 creeds when on earth, even from the Far 
 East, teach now from above the one Truth 
 the one Life the one Love the one God; 
 
 57
 
 and Spirits from the higher spheres come to 
 those who are ready to receive them, giving 
 the higher truths of the Life Eternal. 
 
 Our own noted and brilliant personalities on 
 the earth plane inventors, writers, poets, 
 musicians, sculptors, painters are in reality 
 but psychics whose achievements come because 
 they are mediums and can retain impressions 
 given them by the Spirit world. Some know 
 this, others do not. 
 
 Take Galli-Curci, for an example her won- 
 derful gift is God-given, through the inspira- 
 tion of Jenny Lind. I have been granted the 
 exceptional favor of hearing Jenny Lind sing 
 four times. Her voice from the Spirit world 
 is Galli-Curci's, or more correctly, Galli-Curci's 
 voice is Jenny Lind's. I doubt if an artist 
 could tell one from the other. And I was 
 told that Jenny Lind, finding in this young 
 Spanish-Italian girl a proper channel or proper 
 mediumistic conditions, inspired her with her 
 own rare gift. 
 
 And Jascha Heifitz, the violinist no such 
 gift as his has been given the world since 
 Paganini. A critic says of him, "A mere 
 youth (but nineteen years old) Heifitz demon- 
 strated in Tschaikowsky's concerto that he has 
 far outstripped the masters of the art. Not 
 Ysaye himself in his best days, not Kriesler nor 
 Elman nor any of their illustrious forbears 
 
 58
 
 have been blest with genius such as that which 
 the young Russian possesses." 
 
 In speaking of Heifitz a concert-goer said, 
 "But it is only that he is a natural violin- 
 ist." Yes, that is the keynote exactly. He is 
 a natural violinist. Why? Because he has 
 brought back his great gift with him from the 
 Spirit world in this reincarnation, or else he 
 is a fine psychic and some Spirit in the Spirit 
 world is giving him the inspiration. It is 
 ever as they say and greater things yet will 
 be. 
 
 I am also told that it is possible when a por- 
 trait or bust is being executed of one who has 
 passed over, for that one to so impress the 
 artist or sculptor with his living likeness that 
 the result at times is startling, or as the world 
 expresses it, "most life-like," and an artist has 
 been known to say, " I really felt his presence." 
 Mr. Lincoln has assured me, however, that he 
 did not impress the sculptor Barnard in the 
 execution of his hideous Lincoln Statue. To 
 quote Mr. Lincoln, who is much displeased 
 with the Barnard effort: 
 
 "The statue that statue of Barnard's 
 why, Mrs. Durand, it is dreadful a carica- 
 ture. I am glad my son Robert has come out 
 so strong against it. It is an outrage. How 
 that man Barnard can put it over anybody, I 
 can't see. I never looked like that, and it is 
 
 59
 
 a disgrace to have any President of the United 
 States look like that, even if I did. No, just 
 tell the people for me I never want that statue 
 placed anywhere except in the junk heap." 
 Mr. Lincoln is very fond of the Augustus St. 
 Gaudens Statue in Lincoln Park, Chicago, and 
 no doubt found the sculptor receptive of in- 
 spiration during its conception. Receiving 
 word one evening last spring that Mr. Lincoln 
 and Judge Sheperd wished me to go at once to 
 a certain professional voice medium in Chicago 
 I hastily caught an early evening train to 
 Chicago from my country home. As I drove 
 up Dearborn Avenue to the Park on my way to 
 her home, a light fall of snow with the new 
 system of lighting brought out the Lincoln 
 Statue in the most unusual and extraordinary 
 effect. It was superb, and the first thing 
 Mr. Lincoln greeted me with was, "Well, Mrs. 
 Durand, my statue looked pretty fine tonight, 
 didn't it?" 
 
 This marvelous "knowing" even of one's 
 thoughts by the Spirit world, as applied to 
 seemingly trivial affairs unnoticed by the hu- 
 man being, is at times startling, nevertheless 
 very beautiful, showing the interest displayed 
 in our behalf. In deference to Mr. Lincoln 
 why not settle the controversy "To be or not 
 to be?" for all time. Act upon his pleasure 
 and consign the Barnard statue to the "junk 
 
 60
 
 heap." If permitted to be placed the dis- 
 cussion would never end. The world or 
 England, to be more specific, wishes to 
 honor Abraham Lincoln with a statue. She 
 may now honor him with his wish and judg- 
 ment. 
 
 It is inspiration from the Spirit world which 
 made possible the telephone, wireless, aero- 
 plane, in fact, all inventors are inspired, be- 
 ing instruments or mediums through which 
 ideas from the Spirit world may be carried out 
 on the earth plane, and the time is coming when 
 an instrument will be used for Spirit com- 
 munication where one may speak to those 
 "on the other side" as readily as now 
 through the telephone from town to town. 
 The human medium will be replaced by a 
 sensitive wave instrument on the principle 
 of the wireless telephone. One speaks of a 
 great genius on earth; he is great only in 
 being a great psychic or medium, and there- 
 by an instrument the Spirit world can use. 
 To explain this a Spirit from one of the 
 higher spheres said, and to quote her exact 
 words: 
 
 "Spirits return earthward to carry their 
 knowledge as a blessing to the inhabitants 
 of earth, and finding some receptive brain 
 breathe on it the fires from off the altar of 
 their own souls, until it kindles to a steady 
 
 61
 
 flame, when the world will startle from its 
 day-dreams by the power of a great painter 
 or a great sculptor or a great poet or a great 
 musician." And to again quote Ralph Waldo 
 Emerson from the Spirit world : 
 
 "I went through my earthly existence with- 
 out realizing the inspiration I got. I thought 
 I was fortunate in being able to do my work, 
 but as I go on I see I was inspired. Even my 
 condition was an inspiration and it seemed to 
 make it easy. I always sought the spiritual 
 part of life and my conditions came easily and 
 I was very happy. I hope the world will study 
 my books with this view and feel the inspira- 
 tion in them." 
 
 Before many years pass, half the world will 
 so develop that it will recognize and under- 
 stand from whence all knowledge and under- 
 standing is given and will lean not on earthly 
 knowledge or mortal thought but on spiritual 
 guidance alone. 
 
 As Count Tolstoi has said, " The Spirit world 
 is able to inspire many these days. You will 
 find in time that human beings will become 
 more sensitive instruments for us; the Spirit 
 voices will be heard everywhere and the Truth 
 shall then be known." 
 
 This scourging of today is really but the 
 passing out of the accumulation of sin that 
 is in the world, Greed, Hate, Godlessness 
 
 62
 
 Autocracy, whether of power or wealth will be 
 levelled, creeds and institutions will pass, and 
 the Victory of Peace and Love will be trium- 
 phant in one great brotherhood of man and 
 nations. 
 
 A great and beautiful Spirituality is to 
 come, governed and guided by the Spirit 
 world, which after all is not far distant but 
 near at hand in reality, a part of our very 
 life and existence. . . and 
 
 From the ashes of today shall arise a more 
 glorified Spirituality tomorrow.
 
 A VISION 
 
 'IT'ODA Y, looking from above, I see before me a vision 
 of great beauty; 
 
 Earth, God's own creation, is green in foliage of deepest 
 hue. 
 
 Across the vast expanse of land, yellow crops wave in lux- 
 uriant wealth; 
 
 Flowers and ferns are heaped in extravagant splendor. 
 
 Crystal waters lie glistening in the clear and brilliant 
 atmosphere; 
 
 Cattle graze on the fertile hills, and sheep nestle by the 
 wayside. 
 
 Birds of gorgeous plumage spread their wings aloof, 
 
 And in every breath of wind the songs of many birds break 
 forth. 
 
 Calm Peaceful with villages of white, 
 
 The lazy smoke from the tiled roof of the home floats up- 
 ward. 
 
 Happy children in joyous laughter romp beneath the 
 spreading branches, 
 
 And man at last has found his own, and is embraced in 
 the arms of his Creator. 
 
 64 
 
 LtBKARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CT/ 
 
 SANTA BARBARA
 
 BF 
 ?,7 
 01, 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 Santa Barbara 
 Goleta, California 
 
 THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE 
 STAMPED BELOW.
 
 A 001 062 299 1