Observations placeholder

Psychics : facts and theories – M J Savage

[this case] occurred on a certain evening in June in the year 1890. The place is a well-known town in one of the New England States. The psychic is a clergyman who gives me the account, and it is confirmed by the autograph indorsement of the other principal man concerned. It seems to me to demand the presence and the activity of some invisible intelligence.

There were present Mr. and Mrs. B., two or three friends, and the clergyman. Conversation turned on this general subject, when Mr. B. remarked that he wished he could have a satisfactory test. The clergyman, Mr. L., thereupon felt a sudden and very powerful nervous shock. This always precedes, in his case, an experience of this kind. He describes it by saying that this strange sensation commences at the cerebellum, and passes down the spinal column, and thence branching to his feet.

The feeling is very like that produced by the action of an electric current applied to the base of the brain, and passed downward, especially if the surface of the skin is lightly touched by the sponge.

Immediately he saw (it was a subjective vision) the face and form of a gentleman who was a stranger to him. He bore a resemblance to Mr. B., who sat near. In this same subjective way, he saw the name of ^'Edward B." (I give only the initial of the last name, though the full name is in my possession). Then he seemed to have uttered these words : " Tell my brother that a piece of property which I once owned, and which by death fell to my heirs, and is now owned by my brother, is in danger of being lost to him. He must look after it at once, or it will pass out of his hands."

The " spirit " was very urgent, and the psychic was very strangely thrilled and affected by his presence. Those in the room remarked on the changed character of the psychic's countenance, it being shining and apparently illuminated.

Mr. B. at once replied, however : " It is not possible that this can be true. I have all my tax bills on the various properties which I own in Nebraska. It is a mistake."

This Mr. B. is a cautious and careful business man; so what occurred is all the more remarkable. He was not a spiritualist, but was a candid inquirer.

In spite of the denial of Mr. B., the "spirit" was very urgent that the matter be looked up at once.

A few days later, Mr. L., the clerical psychic (he is still in the active work of the ministry, and not making a profession of this strange power), sailed for a vacation trip to Europe.

He was absent several months.

On his return he met Mr. B. one day, and he said : " Oh, about that matter in Nebraska. I looked over my papers soon after you went away, and found that one of my tax bills on a certain piece of property was missing. I felt sure that I had received it, but I found that I had been mistaken. I at once wrote to my agent (in Nebraska), and requested him to send the tax bill to me. Several days elapsed beyond those required for an answer, but none came.

I wrote again, and peremptorily, telling my agent that he could attend to the matter immediately, or I would transfer my business to another man. This letter brought a prompt reply. The agent wrote that, through his own oversight, the lessee had been allowed to pay the tax on the property, and had taken as security what is called a tax lien. The payment of these taxes, and the existence of such liens for a certain length of time will, in the end, entitle the lessee to a warrantee deed of the property'

This is Nebraska law ; and many a dodge of this kind is resorted to as a means of swindling the real owner out of his property.

This seems to be a strikingly clear-cut case. At the time of this message, purporting to come from Mr. B.'s brother, no living man this side of Nebraska had any knowledge of the facts as stated. These facts proved to be correct in every particular. In this case, certainly, a valuable price of property was saved by the message whatever may have been its source.

The story is authenticated in such a way as would make it good evidence in the hands of any judge, or before any jury in Christendom.