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The War Office subsequently publishes his death as having taken place
on November 15th。 She endeavors to have the true date ascertained。
The War Office was wrong。 He died on the 14th。
‘‘A child six years old stops in the middle of his play and
cries out； frightened： ‘‘Mamma； I have seen Mamma。'' At that
moment his mother was dying far away from him （page 124）。@@@
‘‘A young girl at a ball stops short in the middle of a dance and cries；
bursting into tears。 ‘My father is dead； I have just seen him。'
At that moment her father died。 She did not even know he was ill。
‘‘All these things present themselves to us as indicating
not physiological operations of one brain acting on another；
but psychic actions of spirit upon spirit。 We feel that they
indicate to us some power unknown。
‘‘No doubt it is difficult to apportion what belongs to the spirit；
the soul； and what belongs to the brain。 We can only let ourselves
be guided in our judgment and our appreciations by the same
feeling that is created in us by the discussion of phenomena。
This is how all science has been started。 Well； and does not every
one feel that we have here to do with manifestations from beings
capable of thought； and not with material physiological facts only？
‘‘This impression is superabundantly confirmed by investigation concerning
the unknown faculties of the soul； when active in dreams and somnambulism。
‘‘A brother learns the death of his young sister by a terrible nightmare。
‘‘A young girl sees beforehand； in a dream； the man whom she will marry。
‘‘A mother sees her child lying in a road； covered with blood。
‘‘A lady goes； in a dream； to visit her husband on a distant steamer；
and her husband really receives this visit； which is seen by a third person。
‘‘A magnetized lady sees and describes the interior of the body
of her dying mother； what she said is confirmed by the autopsy。
‘‘A gentleman sees； in a dream； a lady whom he knows arriving at night
in a railroad station； her journey having been undertaken suddenly。
‘‘A magistrate sees three years in advance the commission of a crime；
down to its smallest details。
‘‘Several persons report that they have seen towns and landscapes
before they ever visited them； and have seen themselves in situations
in which they found themselves long after。
‘‘A mother hears her daughter announce her intended marriage six months
before it has been thought of。
‘‘Frequent cases of death are foretold with precision。
‘‘A theft is seen by a somnambulist； and the execution of
the criminal is foretold。
‘‘A young girl sees her fiance'； or an intimate friend dying
（these are frequent cases）； etc。
‘‘All these show unknown faculties in the soul。 Such at least
is my own impression。 It seems to me that we cannot reasonably
attribute the prevision of the future and mental sight to a nervous
action of the brain。
‘‘I think we must either deny these facts or admit that they must
have had an intellectual and spiritual cause of the psychic order；
and I recommend sceptics who do not desire to be convinced； to deny
them outright； to treat them as illusions and cases of a fortuitous
coincidence of circumstances。 They will find this easier。
Uncompromising deniers of facts； rebels against evidence；
may be all the more positive； and may declare that the writers
of these extraordinary narratives are persons fond of a joke；
who have written them to hoax me； and that there have been persons
in all ages who have done the same thing to mystify thinkers
who have taken up such questions。
‘‘These phenomena prove； I think； that the soul exists；
and that it is endowed with faculties at present unknown。
That is the logical way of commencing our study； which in the end
may lead us to the problem of the after…life and immortality。
A thought can be transmitted to the mind of another。
There are mental transmissions； communications of thoughts；
and psychic currents between human souls。 Space appears
to be no obstacle in these cases； and time sometimes seems
to be annihilated。''
A few years ago a person whom I will designate as ‘‘A'' related a dream
to me as follows： ‘‘I take no interest in pugilism or pugilists；
but I saw； in a dream； every detail of the Corbett and Fitzsimmons mill；
four days before it took place out West。 Two nights before the fight I
had a second dream in which a favorite horse was running； but suddenly；
just before the judge's stand was passed； a hitherto unobserved little black
horse ran ahead and the crowd shouted in my ears； ‘Fitzsimmons wins！' ''
‘‘B'' relates the following as a dream： ‘‘I saw the American soldiers；
in clay…colored uniform； bearing the flag of victory two weeks
before the Spanish…American war was declared； and of course before
any living being could have known the uniform to be adopted。
Later I saw； several days before the actual occurrence happened；
the destruction of Cervera's fleet by the American navy。''
Signed ‘‘B。''
‘‘Just after the South African hostilities began； I saw in a dream
a fierce struggle between the British and Boers； in which the former
suffered severe losses。 A few nights after I had a second dream
in which I saw the contending forces in a long…drawn contest；
very disastrous to both； and in which neither could claim a victory。
They seemed to be fighting to a frazzle。'' Signed ‘‘C。''
‘‘D'' related to me at the time of the occurrence of the dream the following：
‘‘It had been suggested to me that the two cereals； corn and wheat； were too
far apart； and that I ought to buy corn。 At noon I lay down on a lounge
to await luncheon； I had barely closed my eyes before a voice whispered：
‘Don't buy； but sell that corn。' ‘What do you mean？' I asked。
‘Sell at the present price； and buy at 23 7/8。' '' The foregoing dream was
related to me by a practical； successful business man who never speculates。
I watched the corn market and know it took the turns indicated in the dream。
In this dream we find the dreamer conversing with some strange
intelligence possessed of knowledge unknown to objective reason。
It could not； therefore； have been the waking thoughts
of the dreamer； for he possessed no such information。
Was the message superinduced through the energies and
activities of the waking mind on the subjective mind？
This could not have been； because he had no such thoughts；
besides； the intelligence given was free from the errors
of the calculating and anxious waking mind。
We must therefore look to other sources for an explanation。 Was it
the higher self that manifested to Abraham in the dim ages of the world？
Was it the Divine Voice that gave solace to Krishna in his abstraction？
Was it the unerring light that preceded Gautama into the strange solitudes
of Asia？ Was it the small voice that Elijah heard in the desert
of Shurr？ Was it the Comforter of Jesus in the wilderness and the garden
of distress？ Or； was it Paul's indwelling spirit of this earthly tabernacle？
One thing we may truthfully affirmthat it did not proceed from the rational；
objective mind of the rank materialist； who would close all doors to that
inner life and consciousness where all true religion finds its birthmark；
its hope； its promises and its faith； which； rightly understood；
will leave to the horrors of the Roman crucifixion the twin thieves；
superstition and scepticism； while the angel of ‘‘Goodwill'' will go
free to solace the world with the fruit and fragrance of enduring power
and promise｛。｝ The steel chains that fasten these hydra…headed crocodiles
of sensuous poison around love and destiny can only be severed by the diamond
of wisdom and knowledge。
A citizen worthy of confidence relates the following dream：
‘‘In December； 1878； I saw in a dream my brother…in…law； Henry Yarnell；
suffering from a bloody knife wound； after this I awoke； but soon
fell asleep again。 The second time I dreamed of a similar scene；
except that the wound was the result of a shotgun。 After this I
did not go to sleep again。 I was much troubled about my dream；
and soon started in the direction of my brother…in…law's house。
I had not gone far； when I met an acquaintance who promptly informed
me that my brother…in…law had been shot。'' Signed ‘‘E。''
A well…known resident of Chattanooga； Tenn。； formerly of New York City；
will vouch for the accuracy of the following incident in his life：
‘‘On February 19； 1878； I was boarding with a family on Christopher street；
New York； while my wife and baby were visiting my parents in the country；
a short distance from the city。 Our baby was taken sick。
The malady developed into brain fever； followed by water on the brain；
causing the little one's death。
‘‘At our boarding…place there was at the time a quartette of us
grass widowers； as we called ourselves； and in order to pass away
the time pleasant