Class Book. OopigM - COPYRIGHT DEPOStT. S. H.WEST On His Ninetieth Birthday GODDENA THE UNKNOWN GOD By S.H.WEST LeROY, ILLINOIS *v DEDICATION I dedicate this book to the entire human race. THE AUTHOR **\t ud gave me, as she always does, a grand talk. She expressed much concern about my health the coming winter, and urged me to take great care of myself as there was danger of my having serious sickness soon, and said they didn't want me over there yet; that there was much for me to do on earth, both for my family and in other lines. She made a re- mark in regard to business. I then told her I had always avoided talking about business 88 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God affairs to her, as I supposed such subjects would be distasteful to her. She replied that she would talk to me on any subject. She talks with much wisdom and purity, and seems anxious that I shall not do anything in regard to my belief that will bring me into ridicule and damage my influence. Alto- gether the reading lasted for full two hours and was of great interest. The medium knew nothing of me, or my people, nor my affairs. The intelligencies that talked through her made no mistake in reference to myself and my affairs. On the evening of October 15, 1893, I at- tended a materializing seance in Chicago. Several of my friends, in spirit life, came and talked to me; last of whom was my guide, Pansy. I asked her if I would go to Mr. Campbell, the spirit artist, could she give me her picture. She said she didn't know that she could, but that she would give me a bunch of pansies anyway. Next day I went to see Campbell. He said he would not promise me anything. Didn 't know whether he could get anything or not. Sometimes he got good results, and sometimes he got Messages 89 nothing, and said the work was done by power beyond his control. I told him I knew I would get something, and knew what it would be, but would not tell him. He took two slates, washed them well, and gave them to me to wipe, after which he placed a piece of clean porcelain between the slates, then put two stout rubber bands around the slates and leaving the slates in my hands all the time, Mr. Campbell then walked the floor for ten or twelve minutes, telling me of what he saw, which I recognized as my guide. He then told me to open the slates and see what I had. Upon doing so, I found a beautiful bunch of pansies painted in oil on the porce- lain plate, and one side was covered with writing, and on the other slate was the dim outlines of the face and bust of my guide^ and also of an Indian, whom I learned, in a very singular manner a few days afterward, was a Shawnee Indian, who gave the name of Fast Dog. A few nights after obtaining the picture of pansies I again attended a materializing seance. My guide, Pansy, came in fine form and talked with me, and spoke at once in the 90 Goddena: TJie Unknown God most joyous manner of the picture of pan- sies, and requested me to keep it always. It required several weeks' time to dry the oil of which this picture was made. At a dark circle in San Francisco on the night of March 4, 1894, the spirit of my brother, John, came and told me of a serious difficulty I had recently had with some men in Texas, saying the treatment I received was the greatest outrage he ever saw, and that he was so indignant that he felt he could almost burst the bonds of the spirit world, and that he and other spirit friends, who were present, were all that saved me. No mortal, except myself, within more than two thousand miles, knew anything about this matter. The outrage was fully as bad as my brother indicated. If this message was not from the spirit world from whence did it come, and how did it get there % Abraham Lincoln Comes Into My Life. In the early part of 1896 I had a sitting with a clairvoyant medium in Houston, Tex- as. She was a total stranger to me. I was not pleased with her, as she was a coarse, Abraham Lincoln 91 common, vainglorious woman, who was not fully developed as a medium. Near the close of the reading she said, "Abe Lincoln be- longs to your band." I was so much dis- gusted with this presumptious remark that I made no answer. It is so common for half- developed mediums to claim communion with spirits of illustrious persons that it is simply disgusting. I left that medium with a very poor opinion of her. Some months afterward I took a treatment of my head for sun pains, given by Mrs. Esther Dye, a very reputable healing medium of Los Angeles, California. During the treatment she spoke of the presence of the spirit of a noted pub- lic man. I asked for his name, but she said he declined to give it. I insisted on knowing the name of the visitor and named a number of departed statesmen, but none were recog- nized. Finally, I named Judge David Davis, with whom I had been well ac- quainted. The medium answered, "No ; it is greater than he. It is Lincoln. ' ' This state- ment made some impression on me, but I could not imagine why the spirit of Mr. Lin- coln should come to me. I had seen him sev- 92 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God eral times in his earth life, but was not ac- quainted with him. The next time that I heard from him was at a materializing se- ance in San Francisco, on the night of Sep- tember 17, 1897. Five other persons were present. The conditions were excellent. Spirit friends came to all present. My boy Parker, who died in infancy in 1876, came to me, gave his name and convinced me of his identity. He was grown to manhood. I em- braced him in my arms and he sent a most loving message to his mother. Next came my uncle, Thomas H. West, who, while in earth life, had been a very strict Presbyter- ian, and intensely bitter against Spiritual- ism, and strongly set against everything ex- cept his own faith. When he announced his name I felt amused at his coming to such a place, and I at once asked him, " Uncle Tom, have you got adjusted to the conditions over there?" His answer was very characteris- tic of the man. Instead of answering yes or no, he said, "I found I had a great deal to unlearn over here." Then came to me the full form of Abraham Lincoln, as natural as he ever appeared in the earth life. He Abraham. Lincoln 93 grasped my hand with a firm grip and hearty shake and held it during his visit of seven or eight minutes. His was a wonderful hand. I never saw one just like it — very large, rough and raw boned. I thanked him for coming to me, and expressed my surprise at his coming to so obscure a person as I, es- pecially as I had been politically opposed to him in his earth life. He promptly an- swered: "That don't count over here, but it affords me pleasure to come to any one who is laboring for the upbuilding of hu- manity as you are. ' ' Then he spoke of being cut off in the midst of his work and others had to finish it. Then of the general condi- tions of the country, saying that money had too much influence in our government. Then he spoke of the conditions in Europe, saying the troubles would continue there until their kingdoms and empires would topple over like blocks of wood and republics be estab- lished in their stead. He closed by express- ing his warmest sympathy for Cuba. This was seven months before the beginning of the war with Spain. Since that time Mr. Lincoln seems to have come closely into my 94 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God life. Possibly this has resulted from his intimate friendship with my beautiful guide of whom he speaks in the highest terms. On July 28, 1900, 1 had the rare good luck of enjoying a private etherializing seance in Los Angeles, California. It was the only se- ance of that kind I ever saw. Etherializa- tion is a very rare phase of mediumship, and it is the finest of all phases. The seance lasted about two hours, and it was grand. The spirits came in etherialized form, as they are in spirit life. I could see the full form but it looked like a shadow that you could see through, but they could talk better than when in materialized form. My guide came and talked very finely. My boy, Charles, while in the earth life, had learned to play the French harp beautifully. While waiting for some one to come I heard the sweet notes of a French harp faintly sound- ing in the far distance. Then it ceased, then commenced nearer, and louder ; then stopped again. Then it came nearer and in the most angelic strains played, "Home, Sweet Home," the piece he had so often played for me when, weary and tired out, I had gone in- Abraham Lincoln 95 to my home and asked the dear boy to play me some music. He always cheerfully com- plied with my requests on such occasions, no matter what he had on hand. I am not ashamed to say that I w^ept with delight when those sweet notes burst upon me. It was the most exquisite touch of heaven I have ever enjoyed. When he got through playing he came nearer and in full view and gave me a grand talk. Holding out his arm there appeared suspended from it a bright star and crescent. Pointing to them with the other hand he said, "Papa, remember these are my symbols. The star represents love and the crescent represents unfold- ment." Last of all came the full etherialized form of Abraham Lincoln, w T ho gave me a splen- did talk. This was at the time when the Boxer rebellion in China was at its height, and it was the general belief that the Amer- ican and other legations in Pekin had all been murdered. I asked Mr. Lincoln if our people in China were yet alive. He an- swered, "I think they are, at least they have not yet arrived in the spirit world." In a 96 Goddena: The Unknown God few days after this, rumors began to arrive that the legations were safe. During this conversation with Mr. Lincoln, I asked him who inspired me to write the verses at the sea shore at Santa Monica, a short time be- fore. He said that my guide inspired me to write them and that they were very good, and then spoke very highly of her and con- cluded by saying that she was not only my guide but his guide as well. This statement rather paralyzed me, and before I could get an explanation he was gone. For several weeks I was much puzzled over Mr. Lincoln's statement. Others who came were my sister Mary, Theodore Parker, and Alan El Has- sen. On the 23d of August, following, I had a private materializing seance in Oakland, California. My guide came and made me a long visit at this seance, sitting by my side, and talking on various subjects. Among others were the merits of a portrait of hers in my seance room at my home in LeRoy, Illinois. She told me the exact cost of the picture. In speaking of the color of her eyes in the picture I told her the eyes were dark. ABRAHAM LINCOLN Abraham Lincoln 97 She quickly replied, "They are hazle," which is strictly correct. Then I asked her what Mr. Lincoln meant when he said she was his guide as well as mine. Then she, with her forefinger, drew a circle saying, as she did so, "We have circles in the spirit world and circles within circles, and it so happens that I am the center of one of those circles and Mr. Lincoln is a member of that circle, and that is what he meant when he said I was his guide.' ' I have since learned from others that she was one of Mr. Lincoln's teachers in spirit life. From what I have learned of her she is well worthy to be the spirit teacher of any- one fresh from the earth life. Two days previous to the etherializing se- ance above referred to, I was sitting alone on the seashore at Santa Monica, California, and watching the waves in their ceaseless ac- tion. Soon I felt impressed to write some- thing. I had no paper with me, but wrote the following verses on the margin of a news- paper I had bought that morning. I know nothing about poetry, its rules or measures. I don't know that these verses 98 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God have any resemblance to poetry, but I give them just as they came to me : Words of the Waves. Oh, what are the wild waves saying, And what do they say today, As swiftly they come rolling to the shore To be broken and dashed into spray % They tell of the wondrous power of force That comes from the throne of God; They tell of the ceaseless efforts of man To rise to higher planes than ever he trod. They tell of his hopes on their crested tops, And his defeats in their ebbing sway ; They tell of his courage in coming again To be baffled and beaten in sore dismay. They tell of the constant struggle of mind, To fathom the depths of the unknown land; They tell of the mighty work of life, Ebbing and flowing o'er shifting sand. Ignorance of Wise M en 99 They tell of eternity's endless work, Where activity, to the soul, is rest ; They tell of man's labors here below, And his duties in the realms of the blest. — S. H. West. Seashore, Santa Monica, Calif., July 26, 1900. On the 9th of February, had a fine reading with Mrs. Watts, at Houston. Talked with my boy Charles, Pansy, and Mr. Lincoln. March 9, had trumpet seance in Blooming- ton, Illinois. Splendid talk with Charles, Pansy, mother, father, brother John and Dr. Darrah. Grand talks. On April 27, trumpet seance in Bloomington, Illinois. Grand talk with Charles, mother, father, brother John, Pansy, Dr. Darrah and Abra- ham Lincoln. May 2, fine trumpet seance in LeRoy. In all these and many others my friends would talk as plain, intelligent and connectedly as if they had been in the earth life. Ignorance or Wise Men. At one of the best trumpet seances ever held in my house, there was present a very 100 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God intelligent friend, who had no acquaintance with the subject. He received splendid tests and seemed much interested. But when it became known that he had been at that se- ance his friends made it so hot for him that it seemed his business would be damaged. Then I heard he recanted and said someone came to him at the seance and claimed to be his brother in spirit life, and as a matter of fact he had no dead brother at all. Now, from an orthodox standpoint this settled the case. It clearly proved the whole affair was a fraud. But let us see. There are several things that even wise, educated men don't know. At an early period of my investigation of Spiritualism, I was told by spirits that when spirit life begins it cannot be destroyed. The mortal embryo may be prematurely de- stroyed, but in such event the spirit germ is taken in hand by spirit nurses, who care for it until it is fully matured. According to this information, my learned friend may have a number of brothers and sisters in spirit life that he never heard or dreamed of. Moreover, I am told that many a mother on Bark Seances 101 arrival in the spirit world is surprised to find she has more children there than she ex- pected to see. This is a very important thing to know. Dark Seances. A strong objection is made against Spirit- ualism on account of dark seances. It is true that materializing and trumpet work can be best done in the dark. Photogra- phers can explain why a part of his work can only be done in the dark. Nature does its most important work in the dark. All seeds grow best in the dark. But much very important spirit work is done in full day light. I have some splendid spirit portraits tak- en in broad day light without touch of mor- tal hand, pencil, or brush. Talking in English. Many may wonder how my guide, who was an ancient Greek, can talk to me in English. At an early period of our acquain- tance, I asked her how she learned to talk in that language. She said she learned it 102 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God from my people. I have seen quite a num- ber of spirits who could not speak a word of English. My Life Saved. Some years ago an excursion train was advertised to leave Chicago for California on a certain date. The train was to contain a tourist sleeper. I wanted to make a trip to California and decided to go on this train and go in the tourist sleeper. I made an ef- fort to secure a berth in it. About noon on the day before the train was to start, I ex- perienced a strange change of mind about the trip. The desire to go began to leave me, and in one hour I lost it all. I was dead set against going. I knew this meant something serious, but could not tell what it was. The train ran on time and before reaching Kan- sas City was wrecked and the tourist sleeper that I had wanted to go on was burned with most of its passengers. I then understood what it all meant. My guide had told me years before that she would keep me out of railroad wrecks. She and my brother in spirit life told me af- ter the wreck that if T had gone on that train, My Life Saved 103 I would have lost my life. A Christian would say that this was providential. As a matter of fact, providence had nothing to do with the case. It was solely the work of my guide who impressed me not to go. On February 20, 1902, I held a trance seance with Mrs. Georgia Gladys Cooley, in my own house in LeRoy, Illinois. The me- dium, while in a trance, gave me a beautiful message. Then I asked my guide to explain to me her relation with Abraham Lincoln. The medium was then silent for a couple of minutes, sinking into a deeper trance. Then my guide seemed to have perfect control of the medium and gave me the most beautiful address I ever heard. It related entirely to the influences of the spirit forces upon Abra- ham Lincoln, from the time of his birth up through all the stages of his life to his death, entrance and reception in the spirit world. The recital was sublime. I greatly regret- ted that I had no stenographer present to take it down. Twice since then I have had Mrs. Cooley stopping with me and had a stenographer present and tried to get my guide to repeat the Lincoln narrative, but 104 Goddena: The Unknown God neither time could I get a word on this sub- ject. Xo, you cannot control these things. The conditions do not often repeat them- selves. At one of these seances where I failed to get the Lincoln message I received a wonderful message, which I will give in full later on, in its proper place. On 24th and 25th of February, 1903, 1 had beautiful talks with Pansy, Charles, and Mr. Lincoln, through a trance medium in Hous- ton, Texas. Mr. Lincoln requested me to write and publish my views on the negro problem, and told me the papers to have the article published in, and said when I felt the impression to write it would be so strong that I would know where it came from. In building my new dwelling house in Le- Roy, Illinois, I built a beautiful seance room in it, which is used only for spiritual uses. I built it under the advice and direction of my guide, and once or twice consulted Mr. Lincoln about it. At one of the last men- tioned seances I asked Mr. Lincoln if he could make any suggestion about ornament- ing the walls of my seance room. He an- swered, "Your guide is the queen of that My Life Saved 105 bower and her picture alone should orna- ment its walls. ' ' I replied, ' c I have her por- trait there already. ' ' He said, " Yes, I know that, but she had to take on the earth-condi- tions to give you that picture. It shows her as a mortal. You can now get one that will show her as a spirit, in full standing stature, with an uplifted hand. On March 28, 1903, dedicated seance room in new house with a trumpet seance. Splen- did manifestations. Pansy, Charles, moth- er, father, Parker, brother John, wife's mother, Dr. Darrah, Abraham Lincoln, and others came and gave fine talks. On 29th and 30th held very fine seances. Mr. Lincoln and my guide both expressed themselves as highly pleased, as did all oth- ers, with my beautiful seance room. Since then Mr. Lincoln only comes to my private family seances. We hold a seance at night to which I usually invite about a dozen in- vestigators. I pay all expenses, so the se- ance is free to all who are invited. To these seances Judge David Davis is a frequent visitor. He seems to enjoy them very much. Early the next morning, after the night 106 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God seance, we hold our private family seance to which no one is admitted except the fam- ily and the medium. Mr. Lincoln never fails to come to these seances. He says that it affords him great pleasure to come to them, because they are just like the seances he used to have in the White House, and that if he had heeded the advice the spirits gave him he would not have been killed, because they warned him not to go to the theatre. On one occasion Mr. Lincoln told me he wanted me to call my seance room the An- gel's Rest, because they were all so fond of coming there. He treats my wife with much respect. At one time, after talking some time to me, he turned to my wife and said, " Howdy V do, Mrs. West. " She returned the salutation, and then she said she was very glad to have him come, then said, "Mr. Lin- coln, I was down at Springfield, a few weeks ago, at the fair, and visited your old home, and saw all your old relics, even the old set- tee they said you used to do your courting on." At this he laughed quite heartily and said, "Yes, they have some relics there ; some of them are genuine and some are not. They My Life Saved 107 even say they have one of my old rails there, but I don't know whether it is so or not. You know it has been a long time since I made rails and I am of the opinion they have ail decayed. ' ' In this manner Mr. Lincoln talks as natural, free, and easy as if he was pres- ent in the mortal form. At one of my private seances, after talk- ing to me, he said, "Mr. West, my old time law partner, William H. Herndon, wants to make a little visit to your seance." I told him it would afford me much pleasure to re- ceive a visit from Mr. Herndon. Thereupon, Mr. Lincoln introduced Mr. Herndon, with whom I had a pleasant chat. Then the voice of a feeble old woman was heard in the trumpet, and gave the name of Nancy Hanks. At this the medium started in sur- prise, saying, "Who in the world is Nancy Hanks?" I told her she was Lincoln's mother. The old lady then said she was anx- ious to visit the place her son was so fond of coming to. However, these things are pro- duced, they are as real and natural as life, and intensely interesting. 108 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God It was nearly six months after Mr. Lin- coln requested me, in Houston, Texas, to write and publish my views on the negro problem before I felt an impression to do so. One morning in August I started out to get my scythe to mow my yard. Before I got to the scythe a very strong impression came on me to write on the negro subject. It was so strong that I stopped, turned back, went in- to my library and wrote the article on the ne- gro nation as heretofore given. It was pub- lished in the Bloomington, Illinois, Panta- graph. I sent a copy to the Progressive Thinker, of Chicago, as Mr. Lincoln had re- quested. As the subject was entirely differ- ent from anything discussed in the Thinker, I doubted very much whether it would be published in that paper. Soon afterward I had a private seance with a writing medium, with the following result. I went into a room all alone and wrote this question. Dear Mr. Lincoln : Will the article you inspired me to write a few days ago be pub- lished by the paper it has been sent to, and if so, will it do good? S. H. West. Questions and Answers 109 I folded this question, and one to my guide on another subject, and placed them with several sheets of blank paper in an en- velope, sealed them up securely, and went in- to another room, and gave the envelope to the medium. She placed it between two slates and put a rubber band around them, handed the slates to me ; I laid them on the table where they remained for ten or fifteen minutes. I sat at the table and the medium was some distance back from it. During the interval we talked on different subjects. Finally the medium said, "Open the slate and see what you have got." I did so, and found one of the blank sheets I had placed in the envelope covered on both sides with the following, written in ink : My Dear Friend and Co-tvorker: Always glad to make my presence known to you and through you spread the light and truth. My friend, you may not as yet be able to realize it, but you are doing a grand and noble work, and the sentiments you have been inspired to write, though a little early in the progress of thought, will be accepted. There will be a little delay in the publication of your article, 110 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God but it will be given space. The editor has not vet been able to digest its entire mean- ing, but he is spiritual and I shall be able to reach him in his acceptance. Do not, for any reason, grow discouraged in your honest efforts. The season of ripening the fruit may be slow but it will surely come. I will stand close by you to direct and sustain you in the great grand cause of truth and light. A. Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln 's signature to the above letter is as perfect as any he ever wrote in the earth life. The article alluded to was published in due time in the Progressive Thinker, whose circulation extends around the globe. All writings I get from spirit friends are couched in different style from that of mor- tals, but all other communications I receive from them are perfectly natural. The ques- tion that I enclosed to my guide at the same time I addressed Mr. Lincoln, was as fol- lows: Dear Pansy : Will my cousin in Califor- nia, to whom I introduced you at a seance in Questions and Answers 111 San Francisco succeed in getting her rights in her brother 's estate ? S. H. West. The answer to my question to my guide covered more than three pages written in ink, and embraced other subjects, as follows : Bear Medium : I am here with our many other loved ones to greet you today and to thank you for all your kindly thoughts and the conditions you offer for us to come to you. I am well pleased with my picture as it hangs upon the seance room wall, but Mr. Lincoln urges me to ask you to let me cast my real spiritual reflection in full figure up- on a canvas as I am looking from my spirit home over space to you in your earthly abode. It would be my greatest pleasure, and in return for Mr. Lincoln's unselfish- ness I feel to plead for his opportunity to transmit his spiritual likeness, that, while after the counterpart of his earthly looks is so much superior in reflection, that it would surely cast brilliant inspiration upon all who gaze upon it. My dear medium, all these beautiful productions transmitted by 112 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God the higher adept spiritual influences bear with themselves a power to aid you in the grand noble work, and this is why I urge you in this way today. There is no time like the present. "Procrastination is indeed the thief of time. ' ' Yes, your cousin will be able to obtain in part her rights in her brother's estate, but there will be some difficulty in settling it. It will be fought desperately; however, with the right counsel she can sus- tain her cause. The time is not far distant, now, when most wonderful results shall be obtained in the home. All your loved ones are so joyous and thank you so much for vour kindlv efforts in assistance, for vour confidence and trust. Now, my dear friend, you talk the picture question with the medium, and we will see what can be done in arrangements. Your ever loyal one in guidance and love, Pansy. In regard to the case of my cousin, that after two years contest in courts, it resulted precisely as my guide had stated. The picture she referred to was the one Mr. Lincoln told me about in Houston. My Guide's Picture 113 Texas, six months before. I had talked the matter over several times Avith my guide at my trumpet seances in my own home during the summer. At first she would not consent, saying she was satisfied with the picture I had, and she didn't think I ought to spend any more money that way. But about the third time the subject was discussed in my home seance she said that to please Mr. Lin- coln she would consent for the picture to be taken. I had no thought about the picture when I wrote the question about my cousin's law suit. But it seems the conditions were then favorable and she was then anxious to have the work done. At that meeting I ob- tained a picture of my guide, made in broad daylight, without the touch of mortal hand, pencil, or brush, that is a beautiful and rare- work of art. It is four by six feet, showing her in a standing attitude in the midst of clouds, with her right hand pointing to higher planes and with her left waving a gentle benediction to the world. In several respects it is not strictly correct and don't do her justice, but it is a grand work. 114 Goddena: The Unknown God After this picture was finished, she again urged me to have Mr. Lincoln's picture tak- en. She described how it would look with a white robe on. She explained that this work was not being done by the spirit artist of the mediums in whose house we w r ere, but said they had art institutes in the spirit world and she had found an artist who be- longed to the same order she did and she had brought him with her and he was doing the work. I finally agreed to have Mr. Lincoln's picture taken, and it was done, all but one arm, in one hour and twenty minutes. They are both splendid works. I saw the whole process and was nearer them than any one else. I have a standing offer, published sev- eral times, of one thousand dollars to any one who can duplicate either one of them in like manner. No mortal can duplicate them, not even the mediums through whom they were obtained, except by the aid of my guide and her artist. My guide, in her quaint way, in her answer, correctly predicted the effect of having those pictures in my seance room. They are greatly admired. Mr .Lincoln and my guide are both much pleased with them. Mediums and Guides 115 Mr. Lincoln said they were both finer than anything in the fine art building at the World ' Fair at St. Louis. These letters and pictures were obtained under as strict test conditions as can be had in any line of in- vestigation. The phraseology of my guide's letter is peculiar, but it conveys her ideas very cor- rectly. In all her talks with me through the trumpet or in materialized form she talks in the usual phraseology of well educated modern mortals. No one, except mediums, can understand the close ties that exist be- tween mediums and their guides. My guide exhibits all the affection for me that my mother could feel. And I appreciate it be- yond the power of expression, and think my- self the luckiest of mortals to have two such guides as she and Mr. Lincoln. For several years after Mr. Lincoln came into my life I refrained from using his name- in connection with Spiritualism, thinking it- would cause much ridicule. Then I asked his permission to use his name and he an- swered promptly, "Yes; you can use my name in any manner you see fit." 116 Goddena: Tlie Unknoivn God Some years ago I attended a lecture in Houston, Texas, given by a noted medium. She was talented, educated, polished, and in- spirational. Her lecture was a fine treat. I was so well pleased with it that, before I left the hall, I engaged a private reading with her for the next day. Next day, at four p. m., we held the read- ing. It was a failure. I tried in vain to get in communication with my friends on the other side. I was anxious to talk with my guide and Mr. Lincoln, but could not get either one of them. Finally the medium said Mr. Lincoln was in Europe today ; however, some spirits came and talked with me who had never come to me before. At the close the medium charged me just double the sum she had stipulated before we began. She was brilliant, but not honest, She is now on the other side. In four hours after that reading I went to a materializing seance held by a poor, frail, obscure woman, who was not strong either in body or mind. Soon Mr. Lincoln came in materialized form and told me the reason he could not come to me that after- Picture of My Soil 117 noon was that he could not work through that medium's magnetism. After that my guide Pansy came well developed, and among other things gave me the same reason for not coming in the afternoon that Mr. Lincoln had given. While she was talking there stood by her side a curious looking bundle. It looked like a sack of rags. I said to her: " Pansy, what is that standing by your 7 She said: "That is Charles. He tried to materialize but couldn't build up; but wait awhile and he will come better." After she finished talking she and the bun- dle retired. In a few minutes the full f orm- of my son Charles came to the front of the cabinet. He advanced two or three steps very cautiously, then retired. Then came again stronger, and walked with great cau- tion, as if he was on a narrow and dangerous pathway, to the middle of the room; then again retired into the cabinet. Then, in a few moments, he came the third time in the most superb form I ever saw. A white man- tle hung in a graceful manner from his shoulders to his knees, from there his legs and feet were bare. He was now fearless 118 Goddena: The Unknown God and confident, and while modest, had the bearing and appearance of a royal prince of the celestial realms. He could not speak but came up to me and touched my arm. All present said he was the grandest figure they had ever seen. We sometimes get wonderful results from very obscure sources. The messages I receive from my guide are all pure and elevating. Her mind does not run on worldly business, but she will talk with me on such subjects when I ask her to do so. Her advice is always clear and re- markable for sound, practical common sense. She is opposed to all my outside spec- ulations except my property near Exeter, California, and sa}^s that is all right. I con- fess that her judgment about most of my outside business is better than mine. Her talks to me through the trumpet about those things are heartily endorsed by my wife. It was my intention to publish my bio- graphical sketches alone and then publish a pamphlet on Spiritualism. At one of my seances I asked my guide about it. She at once answered, "By all means put it all in one book. The two should go together." She Spirit Help 119 gave such good reasons for it that I changed my plan, and that is the reason it is all in- cluded in one book. I am now satisfied she was right. She highly approved of my do- nation of a timber reserve to McLean county. It affords her much pleasure to see me do any good act. Spirit Help in Sickness. The spiritual philosophy is the most beau- tiful one known to mortals. It is in strict accord with common sense and reason, and founded on actual knowledge obtained through phenomena. Phenomena are the foundation of Spirit- ualism. Without it we would only have faith, and be no better off than the Chris- tian world. I am a phenomena hunter. I was in full possession of the philosophy for twenty years before I ever met a Spiritual- ist or knew what they taught. It came to me spontaneously. During the past few months I have had an experience that proves the great benefit we sometimes derive from our dear ones on the 120 Goddena: The Unknown God other side. On the 17th of June, 1904, 1 was suddenly stricken with a terrible malady, Two able physicians worked with me nearly all day, but could give no relief. We all knew that unless relief could be quickly ob- tained death would ensue in a short time. In this emergency I ordered a surgical opera- tion, which gave temporary relief. The next day I was unconscious and one of the phy- sicians gave out the word that I would not survive the following night. My children and other friends were sent for. Newspaper reporters wrote my obituary and all gave me up. Instead of passing out, my conscious- ness returned but my suffering was intense and blood poison ensued. For days and nights I prayed earnestly for death but it came not. I then sent for Mrs. Baker, a clairvoyant friend, who came and got in communication with my beautiful guide, Pansy, who sent me the following message: We don't want you over here yet. You have much work to do in the earth life, and we want you to stay and finish it before you come to us. Your spirit friends are doing all in their power to help you." Spirit Help 121 I gradually improved, and in nine weeks dismissed my physicians. They said it was big luck. Church people said it was provi- dential. I told them all it was the work of my spirit band. When I was sufficiently recovered I had a trumpet medium, of Peoria, to resume her monthly seances in my home. The first was held on the 22nd of September. It was the happiest meeting I ever enjoyed. My spirit friends were delighted at my recovery. My boy Charles was the first to come and talk. He told me the exact words that my guide sent me by Mrs. Baker, and then said that no earthly power could have saved me except by the aid of spirit friends. This was fully confirmed by my guide and other spirit friends. She said she was with me all the time and trying to give me strength. I in- troduced one of my physicians, who was present, to my guide. She thanked him most cordially for all he had done for me and told him she was there all the time and impressed him to do the right thing at the right time, and then told him she would help him in ev- ery way she could in the future. 122 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God I took with me to the National Spiritual Convention in St. Louis a photograph of a very fine spirit portrait of Mr. Lincoln, which hangs in my seance room. I gave it to Mrs. Longley for the headquarters at Washington City. He came to us at our private circle last Friday morning and gave a beautiful talk. Said he attended the con- vention at St. Louis and was delighted with its work and wished that all the people could know of the grand and noble spirit and work of that convention. He said that he stood by my side when I presented his photograph to Mrs. Longley, and that its presence in the headquarters will accom- plish good. I now have Mr. Lincoln's full permission to insert his picture in this book. Mr. Lincoln says it affords him pleasure to come to anyone through whom he can work. As a sample of the work he inspires me to do I refer, to the following article pub- lished in the Bloomington, Illinois, Panta- graph, in August, 1903. Negro Problem 123 The Negro Problem. Editor Pantagraph: A generation has passed since the negro was placed on an equality before the law, with the whites. In- stead of approaching nearer together, the gap between the whites and negroes is wider today than it was forty years ago. Why this increasing divergence? While slavery ex- isted there was a strong feeling of sympathy in the north for the negro. When he was freed and placed on a legal equality with the white man, this sympathy gradually faded away, and the negro left to stand on his real merits, like all other races. Under these conditions and lack of affinity between the two races becomes more evident every day. The feeling of antipathy against the negro is stronger in the north today than it is in the south. No intelligent close ob- server of passing events can fail to realize that we can never form a homogenous nation of whites and negroes. An unwritten law has governed this country ever since the first settlement at Jamestown and Plymouth Rock. That law is that white men shall rule America. This 124 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God law has been rigidly enforced against the In- dian, the Negro and the Chinaman. Right or wrong, this sentiment is as strong today as ever before, and is growing stronger. When Chinese labor seemed to be in the way of white labor, Dennis Kearney and his sand-lotters in San Francisco raised the cry, "The Chinese must go," and kept it up until Chinese immigration was prohibited. When Negro labor shall seem to be in the way of white labor, the negro will be pressed to the wall. The condition is growing worse and the people are asking the question, "What can be done ?" Our great statesmen seem to be unable to even suggest a remedy. And now, oh, my countrymen, there comes before me a beau- tiful vision. I see a vast stretch of country, an immense valley with a mighty river flow- ing through it, with broad, rich, alluvial plains on either side, stretching far away to the foothills and slopes that extend on and up to the summit of vast mountain ranges to the north, the west and the south of the great valley. The scene is grand and sub- limely beautiful. I see, away up near the Negro Problem 125 crest of those lofty mountain ranges, little springs of water breaking out and trickling down the mountain sides in small rivulets ; and, as they descend they unite with other little streamlets and finally creeks and other streams are formed until they reach the val- ley rivers, and when all are united they form the grand central river that rolls on with ir- resistible force to the great ocean beyond. The vision is typical of the solution of the negro problem. Every incident of trouble between the races, riots, lynching, hanging, and burn- ing, are the little springs that are forming streamlets of public opinion that will in- crease in volume and force as the years go by. In due time these little streamlets will be united into a mighty river of public opin- ion of both the white and black races that will be irresistible. When that time comes all will realize the fitness of the great change that will solve the vexed negro problem. And now the scene changes on to another branch. I see that the enforcement of the Monroe doctrine, which now means that all foreign powers must keep hands off of all 126 Goddena: The Unknown God American territory while we will take any- thing that may come in our reach, in either hemisphere, will lead to serious trouble in South American affairs. In these troubles we will find it necessary, in order to avoid a great war with European powers, to take possession of extensive regions in South America and pay their obligations in Europe. In some such manner we will be- come owners of a large region in the Amazon Valley. In due time, when the little rivulets of public opinion become concentrated in the mighty river above referred to, our govern- ment will give the negroes homesteads in, and free transportation to, that country. And the bulk of them will go and establish a new nation, under the protection of our gov- ernment. Most persons think this is an im- possibility; most people don't know what impossibility means. One million of Euro- peans will come to our shores this year. AVli en the time comes we can transport the negroes as fast as they need to go. In my vision I can see the ships that will carry them to their new homes. They appear to be of large size, built of steel, painted white, Proof of Prophecy 127 and I can see no smokestaks or masts on them. This means that neither steam nor wind will then be used for propelling vessels. The powers that control the destiny of races and nations are now inspiring Booker T. Washington in his noble efforts to pre- pare his race for the great change that awaits them. The place of the negro laborer in the south will be fully supplied by other races, even before he can get away. August 14, 1903. S. H. West. Proof of the Above Prophecy. Mr. Lincoln says when negro labor seems to stand in the way of white labor they will be pressed to the wall. Only a few w^eeks ago the terrible race riot in East St. Louis, resulting from bringing negro laborers from the south to fill places of white strikers, is strong proof of the truth of the prediction, and only last week, 2000 white laborers in some place in New York went on a strike be- cause one negro had been employed. Labor organizations are now a great power in our country, and they will become a much great- er power in the future, and under that power 128 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God the negro will eventually be induced to seek a new home in a climate that will exclude the white race. The Reasons Why. But why should the spirit of Abraham Lincoln come to so obscure a person as I, and especially to one who was opposed to him in the most trying part of his life? Let him answer . I mentioned this matter to him at one of my private family seances. He an- swered : "Yes, there was a time when if you could have heard me express my opinion of your kind of politics it would have sounded very harsh to you, but there are no politics or creeds in the spirit world, and it is a pleasure to me to use you in presenting some of my views to the people." This is pure Lincolnism. Look at the man. While pres- ident, he had enemies everywhere; some of them in his own cabinet; but how kindly he used them in carrying on his great work. He seemed to have no ill-feeling against any- one. The large branch of his party that as- sembled in Cleveland early in 1864, and nominated Fremont for President, was as Reasons Why 129 much opposed to Lincoln as I ever was. And vet, he was animated by a feeling of "malice toward none, and charity for all. ' ' And he is the same Abraham Lincoln on the other shore he was in this life. He comes to me simply because my peculiar magnetism makes it easy for him to reach me. Close associations in the earth life has nothing to do with the case. Some years ago, at a dark seance in San Francisco, a spirit came to me and gave the name of Augustus Hazle. This was the name of a man I had been well acquainted with for many years. He told me he had thought, when in the earth life, that I was crazy on the subject of Spiritualism, but found on arriving in spirit life that I was right, and what I had said on that subject had been a great benefit to him in the new life, and said he had come to thank me for it. I had just arrived in the city and no one at the seance had ever seen or heard of either Mr. Hazle or myself. At a trumpet seance at the house of my son, a spirit came to me and gave the name of Joe Nye. This was an old friend of mine, 130 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God who had died a year or two before. I asked him how we found conditions on that side. He said they were fine, but entirely differ- ent from what he expected. I said, " Joe, do you remember how the boys over at Arrow- smith used to make fun of what I said about Spiritualism?'' He answered, "Yes, and I was one of them. I thought you were away off. Xow I know you were right and we didn't" know anything about it, and I have come tonight to apologize to you for what I said about you." These messages from the spirits of Augus- tus Hazle and Joe Nye more than overbal- ance all the scoffs and sneers of a thousand ignorant mortals who never saw an angel, nor talked to one, or heard one talk, or knows to a certainty that the soul really exists after the death of the body. On April 3, 1905, an old friend, J. T. Crumbaugh, an ardent Spiritualist, with whom I had been acquainted for fifty-four years, departed his life. Mrs. Georgia Gladys Cooley was sent for to officiate at his funeral. She 4 arrived the evening before the funeral and put up at my house. The Reasons Wliy 131 next morning I sent for a stenographer to write a message that I expected to get through Mrs. Cooley. This expected mes- sage was not related in any maimer with my departed friend but in relation to the old In- dian fort near my home farm, in whose his- tory I had taken great interest. And I was also desirous of having Pansy repeat her message relating to spirit influence on the life of Abraham Lincoln, as before referred to. The medium, stenographer, and myself repaired to my seance room, where, after a time, the medium passed into a trance, and gave a beautiful communication from her control, but not a word from the Indian chief or from Pansy about Mr. Lincoln, but to my great surprise there came a message from the spirit of my departed friend, J. T. Crumbaugh, whose body had not yet been buried. This message is too lengthy to insert here, but I read most of it over his dead body at the funeral, which was held in the Methodist Church with a crowded house. This message is the one referred to in another place. 132 Goddena: The Unknown God The message gave in detail his experience after leaving the body. It was a rude shock to orthodox Christians, who can not bear to hear from spirit friends. I frequently hear from him, and am one of the trustees of his large estate which he bequeathed for the building of a Spiritual church and public li- brary in LeRoy, Illinois. If labor and suit- able material can be obtained that church will be built the present year and will be the finest and most beautiful building in the city. In July, 1905, I had a private materializ- ing seance in Los Angeles. My mother and my guide Pansy were the only spirits that came to me. The seance was splendid. My guide remained with me about three-quar- ters of an hour, repairing to the cabinet two or three times to renew her strength. Among other things, she talked to me on sub- jects unknown to any other mortal. On re- turning home I told my wife of the incidents of this most remarkable meeting. One of the incidents was beyond my wife's belief, and she said that was a trick of the medium. I said to her, "Wait until our next seance here Reasons Why 133 in our own home and we will see." Some time afterwards, our trumpet medium came to my house and held her regular seance. At the private family seance next morning my guide Pansy came and talked with me about our fine meeting in Los Angeles. I told her my wife could not believe my account of how T she (Pansy) had taken my handkerchief from my pocket before I went to the seance and returned it while in the seance. And then I asked her to please explain to my wife how this thing could be and was done. Her explanation was fully satisfactory to my wife. Now note this point. In July, my guide came to me in materialized form in Los Angeles, nearly twenty-five hundred miles from my home. In September f ollow T - ing she came to a trumpet seance in my home in LeRoy, Illinois, and talked to me as in- telligently about our materializing meeting in Los Angeles as any mortal could have done. The two mediums through w T hom those seances were held were not acquainted and had never had any correspondence. I knew of no stronger proof of the truth of anything on earth than the above test. I 134 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God have a number of similar ones. My guide tells me through the trumpet, in my own home, that she can come to me through that materializing medium better than through any other medium in the world, though she condemns some of the acts of that medium. On the 5th of August, 1905, I had a pri- vate materializing seance in San Francisco. Spirits of my mother, son Charles, sister Mary and Lucinda, and guide Pansy came and gave fine talks. Pansy remained half an hour. In January, 1906, at a private family seance in my own home, held a clay or two before starting to California, my guide came and gave me a beautiful talk through the trumpet. She talked freely about my com- ing trip. I asked her if we could have, dur- ing the trip, another meeting like the one we had on my last trip. She said, "Yes, I will arrange for that kind of a meeting.'' I started to California on the 20th of Jan- uary and arrived in due time, and went to different parts of the State, but had no op- portunity, or even a prospect of the prom- ised meeting, until on the 1st of March. I Reasons Why 135 accidently saw a notice of a materializing seance to be held at two p. m. that day. I attended that seance and found it fairly good. Among other spirits who appeared was my guide. I asked her when we could have our private meeting. She said, "To- night." I told her the medium told me she was going out that night. She said, "Yes, she is, but is coming back. You come at nine 'clock and we will have our meeting. ' ' After the seance was over I told the me- dium what my guide said and she agreed to the arrangement. I went at nine o'clock for the private seance, and it was a phenomenal success. My guide was the only spirit that appeared. She remained for more than an hour, and it was a most delightful visit. I have not heard or read of anything like it in modern times. And after my return home my guide talked with me about this meeting, through the trumpet in my own home. At one of these materializing seances in Los Angeles, my son Charles materialized. 1 went up to him and shook hands with him. He said to me, "It is too bad, papa, that you couldn't find the medium. She is holding a 136 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God seance tonight out on Oxford street, but never mind, we will soon have a meeting at home. ' ' In explanation of this will say that I had been diligently searching for a certain medium for a week, but could not find her, and afterwards learned that she did hold a seance that night on Oxford street, which is several miles out in the suburbs of Los An- geles. At the first trumpet seance in my own home, after my return from California, my son Charles was the first to come. He spoke out in a loud, distinct voice, "Howd'y do, papa. ' ' I answered, "How are you, my dear boy. Where did we last meet?" "Without a moment's hesitation he at once answered, "Los Angeles," and then talked about that meeting. Talks With Spirit Friends. Editor PantagrapJi: For two years I have been unable to obtain the service of a suitable medium for seances in my home but a few days ago I engaged a trumpet me- dium of Indianapolis to bold seances in my seance room. She arrived on the 13th and held a seance for three hours that night. I Private Seance 137 had a select circle consisting of eleven mem- bers, including the medium. The result was very fine. "We received beautiful messages from my guide and relatives. Then came Robert G-. Ingersoll, who gave us a grand talk in his own inimitable style. This was the first time he ever came to my home, though he had talked to me at another place. Then came the immortal Lincoln, who made a splendid talk. Nearly all in the circle received messages from loved ones in spirit life. Previous to this, Mr. Lincoln had often come to our pri- vate family seances, but never came to the open circles. A Private Seance. Early next morning my wife and I held a private seance lasting an hour and a half. This was still better than the night before. My hearing was so bad that I could not catch all said through the trumpet. Seeing this condition the spirits laid aside the trumpet and proceeded to talk in loud and independent voices. However, my guide 138 Goddena: The Unknown God could not talk loud enough in her own voice, and told me she could only talk louder by borrowing strength from my voice, and asked me to continue talking while she gath- ered strength. Soon she began talking in my own strong voice. This was a feature in the phenomena that I had never seen before. This seance was grand beyond description. At 4 p. m. of the same day I held another pri- vate seance. Ingersoli/s Speech. Many friends came and talked in loud, in- dependent voices. But my guide 's voice was still weak. She tried to draw strength from the voices of the ladies present, but failed and drew strength from my voice and talked with great force. Then Mr. Ingersoll came and delivered a speech that was equal, if not superior, to any speech he ever made in his earth life. It was grand, eloquent, and elegantly rounded out in the true Ingersoll- ian style. And strange to say that while de- livering his magnificent speech he material- ized so I could plainly see the most of his body. The medium was in a dead trance, Relatives Appear 139 and the ladies could see nothing. Lack of space prevents an attempt to give a synopsis of the great speech, but it was elevating in tone throughout, and strongly in favor of woman's rights, and liberal in all things, saying if he was back in earth life he would preach the same things he did when here. Mr. Lincoln and others talked finely. So far each meeting w T as better than the pre- ceding one. At 8 o'clock at night, we held the last of our series of seances which lasted one hour and a half. Having spent six hours in the above men- tioned seances in talking with our friends in spirit life, I thought they might be weary and not have much to say, but I was happily disappointed. The conditions were perfect, and our friends came with renewed strength, vigor and eloquence. Relatives Appear. My father, mother, sister, brother, two sons and many other friends came and talked with more force than ever before. They gave my wife and I most beautiful and 140 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God sensible advice. My guide and my boys insist- ed that I should quit traveling and stay at home. My boy, Charles, said : "Papa if you go on a long trip again you will be apt to be stricken down again with your old trouble, and at your age it would go hard with you. Stay at home with dear mamma, and when you come over to spirit life Parker and I will take a trip with you around the beauti- ful world. It won't cost you anything and you won't get sick on the way." In this beautiful manner the time was occupied, and the best was reserved for the last, when Mr. Lincoln came and delivered his masterpiece. It was much longer than his speech at Get- tysburg, in a different strain, but elevating and noble and fully equal, and I think su- perior, to the Gettysburg speech, and deliv- ered with wonderful force and animation. Among other things he spoke of was the beautiful work being done by my two boys in spirit life, and said they inherited that from their mother, and said that whatever he had done in life was due to his mother. That she was ignorant in book-learning, but was one of tbo noblest of womankind. He, Ingersoll's Speeches 141 like Mr. Ingersoll, spoke in favor of wo- man's rights. Among other things he said: "My friend, I will aid and assist you until you grasp my big bony hand in the spirit world.' ' He also said, "Your prophecy in regard to the negro race will surely be ful- filled." If these speeches of Ingersoll and Lincoln as delivered in my seance room on the 13th and 14th of this present month of July could be put in print they would be gems of thought and purity worthy of a place in the highest literature of the world. S. H. West. LeRoy, 111'., July 17, 1911. When I moved to LeRoy, I left my home farm in charge of my son, Lawrence Jay. He used for his bedroom the room that my son Charles was born and died in. A trav- eling farm hand stopped there one evening to stay over night. Jay was not at home and his housekeeper let the young man sleep in Jay's bed. The next morning he was much excited and told strange stories about the room being haunted, and all about what the 142 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God ghosts did, and said he would never sleep in that room again. A short time afterward I had a trumpet seance at my home, and Jay came to it. My son Charles came and talked finely, as he always does. Jay said to him, " Charley, who was it that frightened that fellow so badly that was sleeping in my bed- room?'' Charles answered very promptly, "I did. Why, that fellow makes fun of us and calls us spooks and ghosts, and nobody who talks that way shall sleep in my room. If he ever tries it again I will make it so hot for him that he will get no sleep that night." While talking Charles seemed much amused and laughed heartily. When Jay spoke of its being his room, Charles disputed Jay's ownership, and finally appealed to me to de- cide the dispute, saying, " Isn't it my room, papa ?" I replied, "Charles, you were born and died in that room and have the first claim to it, but Jay now uses it and so I de- cide that you and he are partners in that room." This seemed entirely satisfactory to Charles. Now, it appears from this incident that there may be such a thing as a haunted The Silent Harp 143 house. The world has heard of such things through all ages. I believe I have already told of Charles' skill in playing the French harp. On the first of July, 1898, which was about three and a half months after his death, I was in the high mountains in the ex- treme northwest corner of Montana and felt impressed to write the following : The Silent Harp. The harp that through our happy home The soul of music shed Now lies as mute in our stricken home As if the soul of music were dead. The lips of him who pressed its keys And filled our home with joy and light, In the stillness of the grave are closed, And hidden from our mortal sight. Their notes of sweetness we'll hear no more 'Till we meet his spirit on the other shore ; There in realms of bliss we'll happy be With our noble boy for ever more. Bright spirit of our immortal child, Sound the notes of celestial joy And illume the pathway from earth to heaven Where dwells our darling boy. 144 Goddena: TJie Unknoivn God My wife keeps, with much care, the little harp, with other relics of our dear boy. At our trumpet seances she often puts the harp on the table in the center of the circle, and Charles sometimes talks about it, and has several times picked it up and tried to play on it, but he soon grows weak and it falls to the table. The first time he succeeded in sounding several notes I said, "Why, Charles, I will now have to change my verses about your silent harp." He quickly an- swered, "Oh, no, papa, don't change it, but write some more." On March 26, 1907, I was robbed by pick- pockets on a crowded street car on Market street, San Francisco. At a trumpet seance in my home in LeRoy, Illinois, on the 21st of June following, my spirit son Parker told me all about the robbery, and repeated every word I said and what I did on that occasion. I have now given some fair samples of the many beautiful tests and proofs of immor- tality that I have received for nearly thirty years. But I have only given a part. I could add much more that is wonderful, but I think I have said all that is necessary to My Guide 145 prove we can and do hold communion with our loved ones on the other shore ; but as I was about to close, Mr. Lincoln impresses me to say that I owe it to my beautiful guide to give some more facts about her. In re- sponse to which I will say that in all things pertaining to her earth work, she is the most reticent and modest being I ever saw. As before said, "I am, in many respects, as well acquainted with her as I am with any member of my family, yet I can not get her to talk about herself or her work while in the earth life. I have to resort to other means for information on that line, and I have left no stone unturned in my re- searches. I have obtained most of my infor- mation from other spirits, and from trance and clairvoyant mediums. It is very seldom that I fail, when having a reading with a good medium of the above phases, no matter how far from home, or how much of a stranger they may be, to get a fine description of my guide. And their descriptions all agree as to her purity and noble work. Abraham Lincoln speaks in high terms of her good qualities. My own 146 Goddena: The Unknown God people on the spirit side hold her in the high- est esteem. My son Charles says that she was the first to meet and greet him when he passed to spirit life, and that she was like a mother to him. From these various sources I have gath- ered the following facts : The earth name of my guide was Zelda. She was born in Athens, Greece, 451 B. C. She was of an ex- cellent family and reared with all the advan- tages pertaining to one of her rank. This was at the time when Greece attained its highest greatness. She was pure, fair, beau- tiful and bright. Instead of spending her spare time in the idle frivolities of the age, she spent it in doing good, visiting the poor, needy and sick. If in passing along the street she found some poor wretch lying in the gutter she would stop, inquire into the case, and take measures for his relief. No hut or hovel in all the city was too low for her to visit and try to relieve the inmates. She was so well and favorably known that she could visit even the thieves quarter with- out being insulted or rudely treated. And thus this angelic mortal spent her time in My Guide 147 doing good to others until she was about twenty-two years old, when she visited a poor sick woman and child, who had the plague. She contracted the disease and quickly passed to spirit life, 429 B. C. This was about the year of the death of Pericles. Being cut off in her youth, her earth work was only fairly begun, but she continued it from the other side, even to the present day. But she tells me her earth work is nearly done, when she will pass to higher spheres. She spent her time in doing good to others, the noblest work known to mortals or an- gels. But why should this pure, bright, beau- tiful angel select me as her medium % I was ready to refer this question to other author- ities when she came with her gentle influence and said, by impressions : Tell them the line of communication be- tween guides and mediums is not based on kinship or close earthly associations, but it depends on magnetic affinity, something like the transmitting and receiving instruments of the wireless telegraph. In accordance with this natural law, I can reach you more easily than any other mortal, and there is 148 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God the further attraction that you have the courage of your convictions and cannot be intimidated from proclaiming the truth by all the powers of earth, and Mr. Lincoln's reasons are the same. "With such friends as she and Abraham Lincoln I can smile with serene happiness at all the reckless criticism that may be hurled against me by persons who never saw an angel or heard one talk. When I began to write this little booklet, it did not occur to me that there were so many plain roads to heaven. Thousands of very talented and highly educated men spend their lives in trying to explain the old time, narrow, hilly, rocky road to heaven, and then they fail, because they don't under- stand it themselves. They do not know where heaven is located, nor the conditions there. But I, an uneducated common farm- er, without any pretention to literary attain- ments, find it an easy matter to indicate three new, straight, easy and direct roads to heaven. I am astonished at the beautiful discoveries. Now, with four roads open to heaven, every mortal on earth ought to be My Guide 149 accommodated. There is no need of anyone going to hell. If you go there it will be your own fault. I believe my efforts in helping to blaze these new roads to heaven will be the crowning work of my life. Twice during the present year, Pansy and Mr. Lincoln have told me to go on with this little booklet, and twice in that time my two boys in spirit life have told me of the beautiful arrange- ment they have made for my reception over there. It is all that could be desired by any mortal. As I am over 90 years old, nearly deaf, and ailments enough to kill two men, and totter- ing on the brink of eternity, I am liable to be called any time, and hold myself ready at all times. It is my greatest desire to do all the good I can while I remain in this life. And while I enjoy this life, I don't want to stay any longer than I can be of some benefit to others. Most of the phenomena in this booklet is quoted from my book, "Life and Times of S. H. West." That book will be seen by but few people, while this will be seen by many more. Hence the repetition. Whatever 150 Goddena: The Unknown God ma}^ be the fate of this booklet, I feel quite sure that many of you when you reach spirit life will thank me for what I have written. Again I urge you to keep in the Short Cut road to Heaven. Simeon Henry West. LeRov, 111., June 21st, 1917. ADDENDA Great Men Produced by Pre-Natal Conditions. It is often said that in all great emer- gencies Grod raises a great man to meet the crisis. This is a mistake. Great men are produced by pre-natal conditions of the mother before the birth of the child. The inhabitants of the spirit world are occupied in congenial employment. Some sages there discover a mortal woman who is a sensitive and who possesses suitable mental faculties to answer their purpose. Before the birth of her child they impress her with the high ideals that fixes the characteristics and abil- ity of the child. Lincoln's mother was such a woman. She was ignorant, but she had the qualities that were necessary in the making of a great man. That is the way that great men are made. I do not get the above from the spirit of Abraham Lincoln, but from " Thought Waves. " Also from personal observation of effect of pre-natal conditions. If ex- 151 152 Goddena: Tlie Unknown God pectant mothers could be surrounded by cheerful and pleasant conditions a great improvement in the human race would soon be made. Let all parents bear this truth in mind. Horrors of the Present War The civilized world is now in a state of insanity. Reason is dethroned and the sav- age beastly spirit of war installed in its stead — Christians are butchering Christians like wild beasts of the jungles. Submarine warfare waged against women and children is on the down grade of civilization. So also is the aeroplane system of warfare. They are so terribly brutal as to greatly endanger our civilization. The system of extravagance in expenditures practiced by the different nations, if long continued, will bankrupt every one of them and some sys- tem of repudiation will be a necessity. When the financial reaction comes it will produce the most deplorable condition the world has ever known. Great changes will be made in governments — capital and labor must adopt a system of co-operation or else it will be of little object to own property. Among the crush of matter and wreck of worlds now raging there will result a great revolution in the religious thought of the world and mankind will gradually ad- vance to a higher state of civilization. 153