Past and present with Mrs. Piper

Front matter

Ill II

HHHH

'SYCHJC

Preface

The recent great wave of interest in Psychical Research has led me to believe that some account of my personal intimacy and psychic experiences with Mrs. Piper covering the past decade would be an acceptable contribution to the literature on that subject, and I have therefore prepared a brief account of experiences following those given in my previous book " Both Sides of the Veil." When the question of publication arose it was thought best to incorporate this new matter with that published earlier. My former book, however, is now some ten years old, and its contents, outside of the records of sittings, are very different from what is called for by the public's education in recent years. Therefore I have rewritten, with great abbreviation and some trifling expansion, the portion of it outside of the reports of sittings, presenting it and the later experiences in connected form and, so far as practicable, in chronological order.

While I wish always to preserve the attitude of an investigator, with eyes not blind to the

iii iv PREFACE

difficulties of the spiritualistic belief, it has seemed advisable to present the facts as they appear, with some explanation as to their significance, but not to becloud them by much theorizing. Should such presentation imply earnestness of conviction on my part, I shall not regret it, but I shall be pleased if my simple narration offers to others a basis for theory.

Part II of this volume, comprising my experiences since my previous book was published, is of course entirely new.

I wish to express my deep appreciation of the interest taken in my original notes by Mr. Henry Holt, and his valuable advice as to what portions of those voluminous records could best be omitted.

Part I

EARLY YEARS IN MRS. PIPER'S MEDIUMSHIP

HIRAM HART, RICHARD HODGSON, GENERAL MARTIN, 1885-1908

My interest in Psychical Research dates from the early spring of 1881, and my opportunities for it have been in some respects unique. Therefore I feel that I ought not to withhold that experience from other seekers who may care for it. During all this time my daily work has been in stenography, and largely in reporting for the authorities of either the city of Boston or the State of Massachusetts. This occupation has fitted me to give a more exact report of my experiences with Mrs. Piper than has sometimes been given of the experience of others.

I met her for the first time during the winter of 1884-5. One evening I was invited with a personal friend to a family gathering of about a dozen people, among whom were Mrs. Piper and her husband. In the course of the evening she retired with one or two of her friends to a small room opening into the one in which the company was assembled, and, as I understood,

" went under control/' whatever that might mean; it was something new and strange to me. I think she had not then begun to give sittings outside of the immediate family circle, but was in the process of developing her powers. I heard some one talking in a low tone in the small room, and as I remember Mr. Piper told me that the poet Longfellow was supposed to be speaking through Mrs. Piper, and a little later in the evening that " Dr. Phinuit " had arrived.

Dr. Phinuit claimed to have been a French physician who passed out of the body twentyfive years before. While under the control of Phinuit, Mrs. Piper walked out into the large room, and the control addressed a few remarks to the company in general. I chanced to be standing with my companion near Mrs. Piper, and Phinuit [as Mrs. P.] put his hand on my shoulder and said in his emphatic way, addressing us both, " You are very harmonious."

This was my introduction to dear old Phinuit of those early days. In course of time, despite many idiosyncrasies and crudities, he endeared himself to all with whom he talked. Some of them speak of him to this day in terms of familiar affection.

I lost no time in making an appointment for a private interview with Mrs. Piper, and my notebook gives April, 1885, as the date of my first sitting. This antedates by some months William James's acquaintance with her, and it was he who introduced her, in May, 1887, to Dr. Hodgson. The hour was to me one of extreme fascination. Was Dr. Phinuit really a discarnate spirit, temporarily and partially incarnated in this woman's body? Whoever he was, he understood me. He seemed to know all about my good points, and to have a special knowledge of my failings; and from that time on he sustained the relation of adviser and friend. However, in the very earliest days of my investigations I laid it down as a working principle, not to follow the advice of any psychic which was contrary to the dictates of my own judgment.

I did not have frequent sittings with Mrs. Piper, but I had a number each year under the Phinuit regime up to September, 1895, with the exception of one season when Mrs. Piper was abroad; then, for various reasons, there was a break of several years, and in December, 1899, I had my first sitting under the Imperator regime.

My first Phinuit sitting, in April, 1885, took place about three months after the death of a friend by name Hiram Hart. [Not G. P.'s Hart. In old reports mine is called " H."]

Dr. Phinuit advised me to wait about eight months longer, saying that by that time I should probably hear from this friend. I waited, and I did hear from him, as it seemed, and I witnessed the interesting phenomenon of the gradual development of a new control: for in the course of a short time Hiram Hart succeeded in controlling the organism almost as well as did Phinuit himself, and during all these ten years he was my special communicator, though never occupying more than a portion of the time at any one sitting. [See Pr. S. P. R. XXXIII, pp. 289-290.]

A general account of these early sittings of mine is included in " Observations of Certain Phenomena of Trance," Pr. S. P. R. XXI, pp. 111-114. Hiram Hart has been a " friend at court " on the Other Side, keeping himself modestly in the background in later years, but appearing for brief moments whenever he could serve my interests or send me a message of remembrance.

Mrs. Piper builded better than she knew when she elected to reside at Arlington Heights. The place is one of the loveliest of Boston's lovely suburbs. For the dweller in the city, like myself, it was most restful to take a train in the morning at an hour when the tide of humanity sets toward the city, thus leaving the suburbs quiet; to ascend to the top of the " Heights " through an avenue shaded its entire length by beautiful trees; to meet Mrs. Piper's serene face ; to mount still higher to an upper chamber, lock the door, watch the psychic while she seemed to lose all consciousness of my presence, and then be free to commune with — whom?

It was in February, 1888, that I first met Richard Hodgson at the rooms of the S. P. R. at 5 Boylston place, Boston. He had come from England early in the preceding year, and established himself in the city, acting first as secretary of the old American Psychical Research Society, w T hich in 1890 became the American Branch of the English Society, and he represented the latter organization for the next fifteen years. From that time on I saw him occasionally, not frequently. I communicated with him oftener than I saw him. I at first offered service to the Society in the line of reporting, and assisted Dr. Hodgson at times, sometimes gratuitously and sometimes being employed by him to make verbatim stenographic reports of sittings, or copy of records already made. I learned his methods, and became familiar with the technicalities of his system of keeping records of sittings with notes thereon.

I find that, as early as March 6, 1888, I reported a Piper sitting for him, which he could not attend, and which I think was one in a series of sittings carried on by some members of the American Society at that time in existence ; and in May and June of the same year I attended a short series of sittings given by Mrs. Piper for the express purpose of allowing Dr. Hodgson to find out what he could in his own way about the Phinuit personality. [See Pr. S. P. R. XXI, pp. 2-3 and 59.] We three met on successive Saturday evenings, Dr. Hodgson giving his time and his effort, I giving my report, and Mrs. Piper giving her services. This series was interrupted after the fifth sitting, but those five Saturday evenings were memorable, each one of us three entering upon the undertaking in the happiest of moods, and each one standing by his or her part of the agreement. Dr. Hodgson asked questions and tried various harmless experiments, or what seemed to him at that time harmless, such as putting salt on the psychic's tongue when she was in trance, to ascertain whether Phinuit was conscious of it in the trance, or whether Mrs. Piper was conscious of it on coming out of the trance.

In all probability the very first attempts at automatic writing by Mrs. Piper occurred in some of my sittings. [See Pr. S. P. R. XXXIII, p. 292.] The writing of May 23,

1 89 1, was the first of any length. It was by the control Hiram Hart. Distinct messages were given, and I was asked to compare the writing with his own when in life. I was convinced of the appearance in it of more than one old peculiarity. Dr. Hodgson also made the comparison as an expert on handwriting, and would not admit that there was any similarity worthy of mention between the two styles except in the one capital letter " H." This he could not deny was very much like the old style. I have only recently discovered in Part XXXIII, Pr. S. P. R., p. 399, a discussion by Dr. Hodgson of early attempts at writing, and a footnote which reads as follows :

" Miss R. (p. 292), whose friend was apparently the first to write at all, using the hand while ' controlling ' the body generally, and also using the hand while Phinuit was controlling the voice, has shown me some of this early writing and some writing cf her friend when living. Some peculiarities were common to both, but not enough to found an argument upon as to the identity of the communicator. ,,

Previous to this date, December 8, 1888, Phinuit wrote my name and his name, and Hiram Hart wrote his own name. The two styles of writing were quite dissimilar.

I have three words written by the Hart control at a still earlier date, on July 2, 1888.

All three of these instances antedate the occurrence of any writing of which I have ever seen any account.

In the winter of 1892-3 came the extremely interesting series of sittings arranged by Dr. Hodgson for the express purpose of obtaining further communications from that remarkable personality, George Pelham, who died in the preceding February, and made himself known to some of his friends within a few weeks after his death. The history of the early G. P. communications, as they are called, is given in detail by Dr. Hodgson in Part XXXIII of the S. P. R. Proceedings, February, 1898. The sittings of this series took place in the evening, when I was able to attend as reporter.

In September, 1895, I had my last conversation with Phinuit, though at the time I did not know that it was to be my last, or I should have felt that I was taking leave of a faithful old friend. There was an interval of four years during which I had no sittings. Mrs. Piper was ill a portion of the time, and was not giving sittings, and when she did give them I was not knowing to all that was going on in the affairs of the trance. I learned later that in the course of the year 1897 Phinuit was displaced by other controls, and a new regime was established. I thought my connection with the

Richard Hodgson in his fiftieth year

Piper work had come to an end, whereas the truth is that by far the most important part of it was to come.

In the fall of 1899 I resigned my position in a city department, and, though free from routine work for a period of three months, I occupied much of that time in making copy of some of Dr. Hodgson's very interesting records. One day while this work was going on I received a note from Dr. Hodgson saying that I might have a sitting. On December 20, 1899, I went to the Heights, Dr. Hodgson accompanying me. I was practically introduced on that day to the group of personalities on the Other Side who have been, as it appears, managing the communications from that side ever since. " Imperator " is supposed to be their leader, " Rector " the amanuensis and interpreter, who controls and looks after the organism generally w T hile the psychic is entranced, "Prudens," " Groeyn," and the " Doctor " members, all evidently assumed appellations. To this group George Pelham, F. W. H. Myers, and one or two others have apparently from time to time been added.

At this first sitting under the new regime, my old friend Hiram Hart again appeared. Dr. Hodgson left the room temporarily while I conversed with my friend. It seems that he had not progressed out of remembrance of me, but the moment there was opportunity he was on hand. He asked if I knew that he had been calling me for a long time, but seemed to understand the reasons for my absence.

The method of communication on this occasion was by writing. My friend made some of his peculiar H's, and when I said: " Hodgson doesn't believe in those H's, does he? " he replied: " I do not know or care; I know I am I . . . and that is I am Hiram Hart."

There were statements made to me at this and a second sitting occurring a few weeks later, which proved in the light of subsequent events to be very important, and to which I shall refer later.

In 1894 Augustus P. Martin was appointed to the chairmanship of the board of police of Boston, and came to the office where I had already served nine years. I had never previously met him, though I knew him by reputation. He was an ex-mayor of the city. The five years of his term of office as head of the police department were full of responsible work for him, and I was allowed to have my share in it as one of his assistants. During those five years I seemed to be living under a sort of paternalism, different from, anything I had ever known. I have heard his occupancy of a public chair characterized as " dignity, sweetness and light. " But with all his gentleness of manner and kindness of heart, his mentality was original and forceful.

The General — for as such he was popularly known — left the police department in the spring of 1899, and in the fall of the same year I also gave up my position. The association seemed to have come to an end, but at the very close of this year he was offered another city office, that of water commissioner, which he accepted, taking up his duties at the beginning of 1900, and shortly after I was appointed his secretary, and the old association was renewed.

My second sitting under the Imperator regime, which occurred on Jan. 17, 1900, made a deep impression upon me. After a few lines of script the pencil was dropped from the psychic's hand and the voice taken, and for nearly two hours conversation was carried on. It was my first experience with Rector's use of the voice. His style differed so greatly from the familiar style of Phinuit, or even from that of Hiram Hart, that I realized at once that I was conversing with a different individuality. He was dignified, kind and sympathetic. I thought myself a stranger to this group of spirits, but they seemed to know me through and through, and saw in me capacity which I only half recognized myself. The period of fourteen years in one spot, just then ended, had seemed long and difficult to me, yet Imperator now called it " only a short school for thee." So brief evidently do the decades seem to the discarnate eye which takes in the wider span. But the most important statement made to me by Imperator on this occasion, in speaking of my again being associated with General Martin, was the following :

" We see thee and him writing a book together."

I asked: " What about? "

" It is concerning the natural things in life and many different conditions of thy life, which will be put together in a form of philosophy. // will be so in spite of anything which thou may'st think to the contrary."

Imperator thus seemed to be definitely marking out my path for me, and on a later occasion, when I remarked to him that I did not wish to publish a book simply from a sense of duty, he replied:

" Friend, to write a book, it is thy doom or duty, one and both combined."

I did not speak of this particular matter to General Martin. I told him, however, that it was said we were yet to do some special work together. But one day in March, 1 901, he was taken ill and obliged to remain at his home. He was, however, continued in office, and for another entire year it devolved upon me to travel back and forth frequently, almost daily, between City Hall and his residence in the suburbs, getting his signature to papers and taking back his orders. The hot summer of 1901 dragged wearily along and the General's spirit flagged, and not until Jan. 22 of 1902 did I have another sitting, and from that time on I was constantly receiving through Dr. Hodgson messages from Imperator and Rector and sending messages to them. For, although the sick man whom all these messages concerned knew almost nothing about Imperator and his group, the latter apparently took a very great interest in him. Notwithstanding all this, and in the face of the definite prediction that we were yet to do more work together, General Martin passed out of the body on March 13, 1902.

A few days after this occurrence I particularly instructed Dr. Hodgson not to mention my name in any way at the Piper trance. I felt that, as matters stood between myself and the trance personalities, there had been, to say the least, some misunderstanding and confusion, and that the only dignified course for me to pursue was to ask no favors and abide my time. I thought this my opportunity, too, to test once more the value of what had seemed to be a close relation between myself and personalities whom I knew only as a part of the Unseen.

No word or hint came for me during the remainder of that season, and almost another whole season passed when one day, May 21, 1903, at a sitting of Dr. Hodgson's, in one of those significant mutterings of Mrs. Piper when coming out of trance, when she seems to be returning to her body, taking last glimpses of people in the spirit whom she designates as " white people," while those to whom she is returning appear to her " black," she said:

" General Martin says he is coming here pretty soon to speak — Martin — love to — this is a pretty dark place after all."

Nothing more until Dec. 15 of that same year, while arrangements were being made for future sittings, the following conversation took place between Rector and Dr. Hodgson, Rector's words being quoted from the automatic script, Dr. Hodgson's being enclosed in the round brackets : —

" There is a spirit here who calls constantly for a lady in the body whom he refers to as — "

[Hand enquires of Spirit?]

"Robbins."

(Yes. She will doubtless be rejoiced to come. She said long ago that she was waiting for anything that came.)

11 This is Imperator's arrangement for the spirit who spake unto Him to give him relief/'

(Yes.)

11 Imperator hath referred to it several times and called our attention to it but He hath not really commanded us until now, as He hath been assisting the spirit."

II Wilt thou attend to this friend on the earthly side and appoint for a meeting with us on the third after coming? "

(Yes, I will.)

[" Third after coming " means the third day after the coming Sabbath.]

A sitting was then arranged for me, to take place on Dec. 23d, about twenty-one months after General Martin's passing out. Behold, my old friend, business associate and employer appears, communicates as clearly and strongly as if he had had many previous opportunities, instead of having had none, and at this very first opportunity says:

" I want to know if you don't think we could manage to write a book? "

And later, on the same occasion:

II I have had this on my mind ever since I came into this world, and I .would like to have it carried out,"

Still later:

" It has got to be. It is a thing that I am bound to have."

I ask:

(You mean that you are bound I shall publish a book?)

The reply came :

" Literally, absolutely, out and out, with pen, paper and ink, write a book and publish it, and I am going to be the inspirer and instigator of it, and we are going to write that book together just as sure as you live."

Was it then true that the line of work marked out four years previously was after all to be pursued? Surely nothing had occurred in the meantime to prevent such collaboration except — death !

My sittings with Mrs. Piper continued from that time on, taking place, however, rarely. I was directed from the beginning to withhold some of my communications from Dr. Hodgson, although I gave him the greater part of them. He did not always understand why the controls assigned a certain day to me in preference to some one else who could give more substantial aid to the investigations that were being carried on in the name of science, or some one who, perhaps, received better communications and more evidential matter than my own. But he came in time to obey implicitly the wishes of the trance personalities in making arrangements for the different sitters, and I am told that he was heard to remark in his emphatic way, in regard to an appointment for me : " // they wish it, so it shall be! y

On December i, 1905, the many friends of Dr. Hodgson were astounded at seeing in the morning papers the announcement of his sudden death, which occurred the preceding evening while he was playing handball at his boat club : for up to this time he was thought to have been in almost perfect physical condition.

The day of his death happened to be my opportunity at Arlington Heights. I had a sitting in the morning, and he died in the very early evening of the same day. No hint of what was to take place reached me from the Other Side. Mrs. Piper was much shocked by the occurrence. I spent an hour at her bedside on the evening of the day after the death, and she related to me a most interesting dream which she had had the preceding night. It was, in brief, as follows:

She seemed to be approaching a large dark tunnel. At its entrance, appearing from the inside, stood a man who waved his hand at her with a motion which seemed to say: " Keep back, do not enter this tunnel." She related her dream early the next morning to members of her family, remarking as she did so that the hand looked like Dr. Hodgson's and its peculiar motion was like his. It was not until after she had told her dream that the morning paper containing the news of the death was laid upon her bed.

I immediately interpreted the dream to signify that Dr. Hodgson's first thought on finding himself in the other world was to impress upon Mrs. Piper that her work was not yet finished, even though his guidance of it had come to an end. This interpretation certainly harmonizes with a message which, later in that winter, at one of my own sittings, purported to come for Mrs. Piper from Dr. Hodgson himself. He said:

" Will you give my love to Mrs. Piper and tell her that I wish her to cling to the rigging, and tell her to go on unceasingly, untiringly, and everything will win out."

During the winter of 1906-7 Mrs. Piper was in England, giving sittings under the auspices of the Society. The winter of 1907-8 she spent in Boston, and I was called early in the season for a sitting.

I do not think that the mental attitude toward the Imperator Group which Dr. Hodgson finally came to hold, was generally known among his acquaintances until after his death. This attitude was clearly and beautifully expressed in two letters addressed to me in the latter part of 1901, the originals of which I still have. After his death these letters were circulated among his friends. Even William James, referring to them in a note addressed to me on March 22, 1906, said: " I confess that I never knew his religious attitude toward the Imperator-Band to be so complete. "

Those interested are referred to a memorial of Richard Hodgson by Dr. James H. Hyslop, Am. S. P. R. Journal, Vol. I, January, 1907; and to memorials by Mrs. Henry Sidgwick and J. G. Piddington, Pr. S. P. R. LII, Vol. XIX, February, 1907.