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EXPERIENCES IN SPIRITUALISM WITH MR. D. D. HOME. BY VISCOUNT ADARE, [Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin 1841-1926] WITH INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE EARL OF DUNRAVEN. [Viscount Adare's father]  [1869]

We had a séance the other night at Mr Jencken’s, at Norwood.  Home went gradually into a trance: his eyes were quite shut: he got up, moved one or two chairs, walked up and down the room then sat down again and began to speak. Mr. Jencken had been telling us how one of the –servants, Mally, was ill, and had been seeing phosphorescent balls of light in her room at night. Home being in a trance, said,

“It was Hans made the lights in Mally's rooms; if you all go presently into the next room, he will show them to you. Mally’s mother will pass away within, (I forget the exact time mentioned). Mally must not be told this. “

After a pause, he turned to me and said,

“Do not let Daniel leave your house on Saturday, as he wishes to do, because your friend is coming ; we want to let you hear music in your room and we wish Daniel to stay.”

He then said,

“Adare's mother and Caroline are here."

After a pause he said again to me,

“Daniel will be able to see you from time to time when you are away."

After sitting a little time in his chair, in an attitude of prayer, he got up and walked round the table to me, and stood behind me with his hand raised as in prayer, and then proceeded to make passes over me; I felt nothing.

He held his hand out, made a hollow of it as if to hold a fluid, and went through the action of pouring out something upon my head; he then walked behind me and apparently prayed for some time, then placing his hands upon my shoulders, he drew me back towards him and pressed his head firmly against my back; I felt a strong current of heat flow out of his hands into my shoulders, and out of his head into my back. It was very hot indeed.

He then went back to his place and sat down, then raising his hands, as if praying, he spoke as follows:-(Mr. Jencken took notes as well as he could of what was said, but as Home spoke rapidly without any stop, it was impossible to put down more than the heads of his address.)

“Father of Light, we, thy children do approach thee in all humble reverence and confidence. We do beseech thee, Father of Love to grant us patience, charity, love, that we may love others who are less fortunate than ourselves. We pray that thou mayest remove the veil that shrouds the eternal life from our sight, and that knowledge not of earth be given us.

Grant that we may be purified in heart and body: that we may lay aside our grosser earthly body and existence, and assume the robe of our eternal being. Grant that hope be given us, hope ! that is the star that guides us ; guides us who know so little of the great world of spirits beyond the grave. (after a pause)

We, children of God, linger near you, the spirits, guardian angels, hover around you, and guard and aid you in your hour of trial and suffering. To us the spirit-land of higher spheres is like a beautiful planet, luminous, shining forth as our goal-and spheres higher and higher still, brighten as we advance in the vista of everlasting progress.

We cannot tell you all we know, for it is the desire of more and more knowledge that impels you onward and upward. As men see a star and desire to know about it, and know that others are beyond it, and invent instruments, and spend their lives in scientific research and in seeking after truth, so it is with you; it would not be good for you to know all, for there would be no object for improvement and research.

We know all your sufferings and shortcomings, and what you have to contend with, for have we not too been mortals, have we not wearied on the roadside, and had our times of agony and doubt ; but God, at the evening of our day, brought us home, and called in the weary travellers.

God called us into his fold and brought us home, that we may be nearer to thee, O God.

Our Father in creating beautiful things on earth, created them for ever and ever, for all eternity, though they may fade to our sight; so –beauty, poetry, sunlight, and all that is harmonious are garnered up for ever. Even sound having left the influence of this earth, goes on for ever down the everlasting corridors of space. Thus summer is again and again refined into autumn, toned and softened down, softening down the wintry sky of the future, so too, purer impulses, nobler aspirations, leave their impress for ever upon the waves of eternity - like a wave of sound, the impulse moves on for ever.

All of you have to grope your way in the dark paths of life, but we hover near you, carry your minds upwards from earth, whisper to your heart that it may learn to aspire to God. Hope and love are component parts of the Godhead. Truth is God; waves may rise mountains high, but the great beacon truth shines forth over all the waves to guide us, lighting us on our way. From the eternal source goes forth the eternal Light to which we aspire. From this great source emanates the small particle of light -called our soul, dwelling in this body we live in-The great God who is Light itself, for ever light us through all eternity."

Home now spoke in a language none of us ever heard, then said

“Oh, how very wonderful, how extraordinary !"

and turning ,to me, he said

“ A spirit has been approved to go with you, sent by a higher spirit, one who has charge of your past, your present and your future, your high guardian spirit. He knows the country and has been a chieftain in it. On earth he wore a large cross of iron round his neck, it is brilliant and shines; he was a good, soul on earth, but was in a bad soil, tended by bad gardeners; too bad was the soil to develop his soul. He speaks two languages, he is not far from you. He lived near - Oh, I cannot get the name of the place;  no matter, he has been where you are going, and is charged to take care of you. He will save your life on two occasions, you will know his name”.

Here Home spoke two strange words. I said to Mr. Jencken, “Have you written that down, for I have already forgotten it.” Home smiled and said,

“You cannot write it down, and you cannot remember it, but you will recognize it when the time comes.   Guardian spirits are given to those who go to foreign countries to guide and aid them, whereby they benefit themselves; charity brings good to those that use it, more charity is gained by charity. Nothing prevents you going, he has breathed on you once, he will again and once again, when you return, then never more; he will accompany you if nothing occurs to prevent your going: he is very strong.".

 Home now got up, walked round to me, kneeled beside me as in prayer, and again drew me back by the shoulders, and pressed his head against my back, and I felt the same current flow from his forehead as before. Home stood up and said,

”He is very strong and tall,"

and standing there beside me, Home grew, I should say, at least, six inches. Mr. Jencken, who is a taller man than Home, stood-beside him, so there could be no mistake about it. Home's natural height is, I believe, 5 feet 10 inches. I should say he grew to 6 feet 4 inches or 6 feet 6 inches. I placed my hands on his feet, and felt that they were fairly level on the ground. He had slippers on, and he said, “Daniel will shew you how it is," and he unbuttoned his coat. He was elongated from his waist upwards, there was a space of I suppose, 4 inches between his waistcoat and the waistband of his trousers.

He appeared to grow also in breadth and size all over, but there was no way of telling that. He diminished down to his natural size, and said, “ Daniel will grow tall again;" he did so, and said, “Daniel's feet are on the ground,” he walked about, and stamped his feet. He returned to his natural size, and sitting down, he said, “ Daniel is coming back now, sit down, and do not tell Daniel at once what he has said."

 In a few seconds he awoke. After sitting a few minutes, he said, “What can it mean, I hear a voice saying ‘Go into the next room, go into the next room ?' "

We all went into the drawing room; it was quite dark. Home sat at the piano and played a few notes. Mrs. Hennings sat near him; Mrs. Jencken a little way off; Mr. Jencken and I stood near the piano. Soon we observed the light that we had been told we should see. A small luminous ball flitting about, sometimes very brilliant; the chords of the piano were swept, but the keys were not touched. The piano was lifted off the ground about 2 inches. I had my hand underneath,--and it was again lifted about 2 inches, and then without any effort, I should say 8 inches higher. It was not tilted, but lifted bodily.

We now heard loud raps, the alphabet was called, and “Good night " spelled out. Nothing more occurred.