COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE DRUNKARD, A MISER, WILLIAM GAILARD, WILLIAM LLOYD
GARRISON, WILBERFORCE, TECUMSEH, A SUICIDE.
On May 25, 1882, came the following communication from a spirit, who
declined to give his name, for reasons which he claimed to be prudential
and personal to himself. It is here given in his own words:
"The band of spirits who have this medium in charge, together with other
exalted ones and one who is co-operating with them temporarily, have not
only allowed, but invited me, unworthy as I am, to come and tell my story.
It is a short and terrible one, and in deep sorrow and humiliation I
proceed to tell it.
"I was called, and justly so, a drunkard. By nature I was blessed with a
strong and robust constitution, and I was, what is too often a curse, the
child of wealthy parents. My father was rich, and this circumstance proved
my ruin. I was nursed in the lap of luxury, never knew what it was to
want, and consequently had no sympathy for those that suffered, or those
immersed in the fierce struggles of poverty. I disdained to work with my
hands for bread, and knew not the hardships and sorrows of the toiling
millions. My brow was never moistened by the sweat of labor, and I grew up
in the belief that the poor were intended and purposely created to serve
the rich, and were deserving of naught but a bare scanty subsistence. My
life of indolence and ease, my uninterrupted hours of leisure, produced
their inevitable fruit in their accompaniments of vice and immorality.
Idleness, as I now know, is the parent of vice, and riches too frequently
constitute the propagating life germs of wickedness. It was sadly true in
my unhappy case. Oh, fathers, mothers, heed my warning counsel: Train your
children to labor--to work, work, work. Allow but few idle hours for
dissipation and vice. Keep them away, if possible, from the club room,
where intoxicating beverages are indulged in and made inviting by
temptation, and where lascivious conversations only tend to stimulate and
develop the lower passions and propensities of their natures. Wine, fair
to look upon and with frequent imbibations exhilarating, contains within
its alluring embrace a terrible lurking serpent whose venomous sting is
fatal to all that is noble, grand, and holy. It strikes, figuratively
speaking, its poisoned teeth into the very vitals of our being, and the
effect follows us to the other life with its terrible retributive
vengeance. Oh, pity the poor inebriate, and erect all possible barriers
against the terrible ravages of the fell destroyer.
"THE DRUNKARD."
A MISER.
April 24, 1882, came the following:
"I am permitted to come to you to-day to relate something of my history.
There is a twofold purpose in my visit. I am told that this will greatly
benefit me as a spirit still bound to my idol--gold--and that I may be
instrumental in warning others to avoid my condition.
"I lived in the flesh more than three score years and ten, and when I laid
down to die the only thing I regretted leaving was my gold and hoarded
wealth. Oh, I thought, if I could only take it all with me how happy I
would be. The world said I was a noble man, because being avaricious and
greedy, I was successful in acquiring riches. My nobility of character was
measured entirely by my ability to accumulate money and property. I want
to publish it to the world that money, stocks, and landed estates, are
poor capital to bank on in the spirit world. They will do here, and as the
world goes, will make you respectable, your society and influence coveted
and all that, but you need a different kind of capital on this side of
life. Gold here has great purchasing power. It buys the luxuries of life,
it even buys honor, virtue, and innocence, at a fearful sacrifice and cost
to others, but its power, except its terrible evil following, ends with
your life in the body. Nothing but good deeds, noble charities, and
upright living pass current in the land of souls. I was a miserable,
soulless miser, and my occupation and delight consisted in adding to my
coffers, and in this endeavor I forgot and ignored conscience and every
thing in the pathway of the pursuit of my idol.
"I belonged to a fashionable church, owned a pew, attended the services,
and flattered myself that this was all that was needful to prepare my soul
for happiness in the other world. No appeals of charity were ever strong
enough to touch my sympathies or open my purse strings. The tears of the
widow, the wails of the orphan, or the cries of the suffering, however
piteous, never touched my heart or obtained from me a single penny. I
stinted myself and family and contributed nothing towards the relief of
want and suffering, for I was so completely enslaved by the accursed love
of and passion for money. This is a humiliating confession to make, but it
is, alas, for my happiness, too true. I tell you money has been my curse,
and oh, how terribly have I suffered. Years upon years have rolled by, and
I have only partially paid the penalty of my folly. No wonder the rich man
wanted some one to go back and tell his brethren of his fate. I hope I may
hereby be the humble instrument in warning others against the pitfall into
which I have fallen. My gold came up before me here to greet my fond gaze,
and when I would joyously reach out for it, behold it would elude my
grasp, thus teaching me that it had no real existence except as the
haunting specter of my unholy life struggle for its possession. The light
of redemption now begins to beam upon me, flooding my soul with its bright
rays of hope. I feel this will do me good, and I am very thankful for the
opportunity. Let me be simply known as
"THE MISER."
WILLIAM GAILARD.
William Gailard was an old personal friend, and the first one who called
my attention to the subject of Spiritualism. He had been a Swedenborgian,
and at times had officiated as a preacher in England before he came to the
States. At a sitting with Mrs. Green, June 2, 1882, I was pleased to
receive the following communication from him:
"My old friend, Mr. Helleberg. I know you have been waiting and wanting to
hear from me, and I have been just as anxious to respond. Here in the
spirit world we have order and system, and each one must bide his time.
My time has come to speak a few words to you, and I assure you, my dear
old friend, I seize the opportunity with pleasure I can not fully express.
"I remember that the new light of spiritual truth came to me first, and I
was the humble instrument in the hands of higher intelligences to assist
you in obtaining it. I was a medium for exalted spirits to lead you and
others into the light, and that for a great and noble purpose, for way
back to that time the plans were laid for the work in which you are now
engaged so nobly and fearlessly. You are also, my dear friend, a medium,
for it is true that all persons whom spirits can influence, however
unconscious it may be to themselves, are mediums in the true sense of the
word.
"You are helping others to grow and expand in spiritual knowledge, and you
will be astonished when you come over to look back and see the work you
have done, and to receive the plaudit, 'Well done, good and faithful
servant.' I have been blessed beyond measure for the little I was enabled
to do, but your reward will be greater than mine. Your opportunities were
greater and you cheerfully yielded your energies, time, and means, to the
work.
"If Spiritualists could only realize the treasures they are laying up for
themselves by advancing the banner of truth, and the joys in consequence
that await them on the golden shore, they would spare no pains or means
and omit no effort in spreading the gospel of glad tidings. Oh, how I
would exult with joy if the New Church people would see and preach this
beautiful and blessed truth. They will yet get their eyes open, and step
out of their little creed-bound narrowness, and stand upon the broad and
heavenly platform of the Lord and this spiritual truth, for they are one
and the same. Swedenborg will speak to them from the higher life, and I
pray they may heed him. Your old friend,
"WILLIAM GAILARD."
WM. LLOYD GARRISON.
At the sitting June 9, 1882, came the following:
"For long years before the emancipation of the slaves I waged a fierce and
bitter warfare against the institution of African slavery in the United
States. The overthrow of that accursed institution became the absorbing
and central idea of my soul from my early manhood. All other themes,
questions, and subjects, I subordinated to that one dominant purpose of my
life. When I had lived to see that institution swept out of existence,
equal civil rights secured, and manhood suffrage conferred, irrespective
of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, I felt a sweet
heavenly calm rest upon my soul, accompanied by the consciousness that I
had not lived in vain. I felt that my efforts, however feeble, had helped
to forward to a glorious consummation that long eventful struggle, and
that by aiding in pushing along the car of progress and freedom, the world
had not suffered by my having lived in it. When the victory had been
achieved I had advanced far 'into the vale of years,' and realized that my
life forces were well nigh exhausted. They had been mainly expended in my
life work as editor, lecturer, etc., in a warfare upon an unholy condition
in which upward of four millions of human beings, with God-given souls,
had been placed by sheer force and without their own consent. I saw and
still see needed reforms that call aloud for help, willing souls, and
ready hands. Reform in the currency, reform in the tariff, reform in the
civil service, a complete overhauling and reconstruction of government,
the overthrow of rum, and the enfranchisement of women. God will and is
raising up noble souls for this noble work, and you may be assured that
the spirit world is neither indifferent nor inactive. Spirit bands are
forming every-where, instrumentalities are being chosen, and agencies are
being arranged for the work. The millions of high and exalted souls of the
higher life will, ere long, descend upon the children of earth with their
inspiring and propelling influence, and a revolution in the realm of mind
will be inaugurated that shall eventuate in the accomplishment of needed
reforms. I shall be among the number with all my strength and soul.
"WM. LLOYD GARRISON."
WILBERFORCE.
July 7, 1882, at a sitting this day the following came:
"The main struggle of my life was to secure the liberation of the enslaved
in the dominions under the authority and jurisdiction of the British
government. I lived to witness the glorious success of my labors and to
rejoice thereat and therein. I fought human slavery; I mean that slavery
which is recognized by law--the right of one man to own another as a
chattel, and to either transfer that ownership to another for a pecuniary
or other consideration, or to transmit it as an inheritance. In doing so I
had to combat wealth, prejudice, and biblical religion, for the bible
recognizes this right. The struggle was long, eventful, and bitter, but
victory finally crowned the effort. The civilized world concedes now the
justness of my cause and the value to mankind of its success. And yet you
are now fastening upon yourselves a slavery more appalling and degrading
than African slavery ever was, or the slavery of the heathen and strangers
of the olden time. (See Leviticus, 25th chapter, 44, 45 and 46th verses.)
"The slavery to which I refer now is the slavery of labor to capital. If I
were back again in the body, with my present light on the subject, I would
fight this accursed slavery more bitterly than I did that other species of
slavery, which was bad enough, but infinitely less reprehensible than that
which I am now discussing.
"No oppression is so utterly merciless and unconscionable as that of
capital upon labor, and no other form of oppression can be so serious and
hurtful in its consequences. Here we behold a mighty conflict between
capital and labor. Capital making cruel and unreasonable exactions,
seeking to obtain labor for an almost starvation pittance, while labor,
unequal in the struggle, seeks to wrest from its adversary a decent and
honorable requitement for its sweat. Capital triumphs and labor suffers.
Let me tell you to-day, sir, and I would have the capitalists hear me,
this contest will not always continue thus. Unless a spirit of justice and
fair dealing shall speedily characterize the treatment of the poor toilers
by their wealthy employers a mighty crash will come, an outburst of
indignation in revolution that will render the bloody scenes of the past
of trivial moment in comparison. The elements are generating, the storm
clouds are surely gathering, and at a moment when least expected they will
burst upon the country and the world in proportions only equaled by the
fierceness of the conflict and its bloody issues. Let those whom it
concerns beware. I beseech them, beware in time.
"WILBERFORCE."
TECUMSEH.
On the 4th day of August, 1882, between the hours of 9 and 11 A. M., came
the following, which can not fail to be of interest to all who feel that
our Indian policy has been either wrong or ineffective, and that the
Indians have not been rightly treated. The eloquent simplicity of the
communication can not fail to be observed:
"A large delegation of Indians are here and wish to be heard. We have
concluded to let them speak. I will write what their leader says in as
nearly his own words as possible.
"NETTIE, _the Control_."
"We come to speak to palefaces at Washington. Me talk for my people--the
redfaces in the hunting-grounds in the Far West where the sun goes down.
Poor redfaces, nearly all gone. Paleface kill many and drive them from
their old and much loved hunting grounds. You tell them to go on
reservation, and the big father at Washington take good care of them. They
go. Big chief at big city send paleface agents to give them blankets,
ponies, guns, and bread to eat. Paleface agent start big store in wigwam
and cheat redface, and give him fire-water to make him mad and crazy.
When my people see how they are cheated they get mad, and put on war paint
and kill much. Big paleface chief say to blue-coat warriors, go and kill
redface and make them come back, and let paleface agent swindle much more.
Now this is all wrong, and if wrong, why not make wrong right. Redface
only handful, paleface mighty--like the leaves on trees. If redface mighty
and paleface weak, how then you like it? You then like redface be honest
and not cheat, and do as big preach say about golden rule. Me no like you
give my people fire-water or guns. Me much like better if you give red
braves horses and plows, and build school-houses for little papooses.
Teach them how to read and make big scratch (writings) and let them learn
other papooses. Don't cheat. Put paleface clothes on redface, especially
redface papooses, and learn them how to build big houses and how to raise
big much to eat and sell. Then soon redface no more like hunting ground,
but will love paleface and paleface ways. This much better than kill.
Great Spirit no like paleface to kill redface or redface kill paleface.
All die soon enough anyhow. Upper hunting grounds are full of redfaced
spirits, and they all feel bad and sorry for redface in your land. Me no
talk much more. Me sorry--me could cry. Poor redface few--soon all be
gone. Be good to few left, and Great Spirit and redfaced spirits love you
much. Spirit chiefs Ouray and Black Hawk and many more are here, and all
plead for their people in lower hunting grounds. They all feel much bad.
Good bye, chief and squaw. Me thank much for this big scratch.
"TECUMSEH."
AN UNKNOWN SUICIDE.
August 28, 1882, the following was received, viz:
"I lived in the body thirty-five years and eight months. I went out by my
own hand into the great beyond. I was a singularly constituted man, and a
very unfortunate one. Self-love is said to be a great ruling passion, but
I never loved myself, and of course could not be expected to love anybody
else. My parents were in no way assimilated and lived very unhappily
together. They quarreled and wrangled constantly, and this embodies my
earliest recollection when a child, and it made an impression upon me from
the influence of which I never recovered. They seemed to hate each other,
and I was created and grew up under the same influence of hate, and hate
accompanied by a feeling of vengeance and revenge became a predominating
trait of my character. My parents both belonged to church, and I have seen
them both shout in church (they were Methodists) and go home, quarrel and
fight for hours afterwards. Father would get drunk and mother would eat
opium. I tell you this disgusted me with religion, and I concluded it was
all a farce. I believed death ended all, and that religion was either a
delusion or downright hypocrisy. Besides I had a very delicate and feeble
physical organization which made me more morose and sullen. Melancholy
finally seized me as a victim, and in a moment of utter despondency I blew
out my brains and ended life in the body. But I could not get away from
life--death I found to be but the commencement of another life, and I had
made the great blunder and committed the foul deed of taking my life into
my own hands. Seventy-seven years have passed since, and the terrible
shadow of the act of suicide still hovers over me and gives me pain and
anguish. But thank God, I begin to climb up the mount of progression--but
the summit is still far away. Oh, people of earth, I pray you become not
the suicide. Wait with patience until nature's laws calls thee hence.
Remember the fate of the suicide is terrible and hard to overcome. And in
my sad history fathers and mothers may learn an instructive and profitable
lesson, for my father and mother have suffered more than I. Thanks for
your goodness. Good bye.
"A SUICIDE."