A Book Written by the Spirits of the So-Called Dead Part 1

A Book Written by the Spirits of the So-Called Dead.

by C. G. h.e.l.leberg.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION.

The communications in this little volume, purporting to come from disembodied spirits, came in the manner hereinafter stated, and all that I had to do with them was to faithfully and to the letter transcribe them from the slate on which they were written into blank memorandum books which I procured for the purpose. Before laying before the reader the _modus operandi_ of their delivery, I deem it proper that I should give a brief outline of my own history, especially do I feel the importance of this since I am little known outside of the circle of my immediate acquaintances. It has always been my aim in life to live uprightly before G.o.d and man, and as to the success of this n.o.ble purpose, formed in early life, I may confidently refer to my neighbors, and many of the leading citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio, with whom I have enjoyed an intimate social and business acquaintance for nearly forty years. I do not know why I should have been made the recipient and custodian of the truly remarkable spirit communications contained in the following pages, except from a long lifetime of honest endeavor to do right I was deemed worthy, and from the additional consideration that the spirits interested in the work knew I would cordially co-operate with them in laying the matter presented before the world, and that, happily, I possessed the pecuniary means to do so.

I was born at Grafriset, near Fahlun, in the kingdom of Sweden, March 1, 1811, and have now pa.s.sed my seventy-first year. At the age of sixteen I entered the Swedish army, and at nineteen became a student at Upsala University, where I remained for two years. After rendering military service for five years, and pa.s.sing a successful examination, I was permitted to enter the civil service of my country. In the capacity of land surveyor I served for over ten years, when a desire to personally witness the workings of republican inst.i.tutions induced me to make an application to travel in foreign countries, which permission I obtained for the period of two years. In 1844 I left my native land for the United States, and in 1845 located at Cincinnati, Ohio, and soon thereafter engaged in the art of daguerreotyping, and afterwards photographing, and in the following year married Miss Annie E. Franks, daughter of Frederick Franks, a leading and influential citizen of the city, who is still remembered as the proprietor of Cincinnati's early famous museum. In religion I was raised a Lutheran, but at the time (1879) of embracing spiritualism and for thirty years preceding I was a devout and earnest Swedenborgian. I commenced the investigation of spiritual phenomena in 1879, and soon became convinced of the sublime truths of the spiritual philosophy.

As in the following pages the exalted spirit of Madam Fredrika Ehrenborg imparts, among other things, marvelous information in regard to the Planet Mars, of our solar system, it is deemed fitting that somewhat of her history should be made known in this connection:

She was born March 15, 1794, in the Province of Wermland, in the kingdom of Sweden, and at the age of seventeen married a highly esteemed n.o.bleman, Casper Isac Michael Ehrenborg. He left the body in 1823, and was at the time Chief Justice of Sweden. Madam Ehrenborg was an enthusiastic Swedenborgian, and she pa.s.sed to the higher life in the Swedish city of Linkoping on the 20th of May, 1873. Her life in many respects was an eventful one, and largely devoted to literary pursuits. She translated writings on religious subjects from several languages into Swedish, and wrote books and pamphlets in the interest of Swedenborgianism, and visited England, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany and France in search of materials for her works. It was not my good fortune to have met this eminent lady during her mortal life, but I happily enjoyed a truly instructive and pleasant correspondence with her during the last three years of her life in the form.

I commenced my investigations in September, 1881, with the celebrated medium Mrs. Lizzie S. Green, through whose mediums.h.i.+p most of the communications to follow were written. For ten months I had never less than two sittings a week, and the largest portion of that time four per week, and have had ample opportunities to study her true character. As the result I am justified by the truth in proclaiming to the world my thorough conviction of her honesty, purity and simplicity of character. Her education, as I have been informed, was sadly neglected in youth, and she has had few opportunities to improve in later years. She married the Hon.

Edward H. Green, of Aurora, Indiana, before her eighteenth year, and has devoted her succeeding years until recently to the domestic duties of life and to the raising of a family, of whom only one, a daughter, survives.

Her husband served with ability a numerous and intelligent const.i.tuency in the Indiana legislature of 1866-7, and served recently and to general acceptance two terms of two years each as Mayor of Aurora, Indiana, his native city.

The communications of spirits contained in this volume were written by the spirits with their own materialized hands, and the process was generally as follows: A small stand of the ordinary kind in construction, covered by a table cloth, was used, the medium placing with one hand under the covering of the stand a slate on which was placed a small piece of pencil.

The other hand of the medium was continually exposed to full view, as was also her entire form. Both double and single slates were used. We heard the writing as it progressed, and when the slate was filled it would be indicated by distinct taps on the slate and the dropping of the pencil.

The slate would be then taken out, and as the chosen scribe I would faithfully transcribe the written matter into the book aforementioned, and the slate would then be cleaned and returned under the stand, and in this manner all the matter hereinafter set forth was produced. I have reported it _verbatim et literatim_, without changing it in the slightest degree, neither adding nor taking therefrom a single word. Each sitting would occupy from one to two hours, and in broad daylight. I have taken occasion to preface some of these communications with a few lines, by way of explanation and to secure clearness of understanding in relation to them.

This volume is truly a book written by the spirits themselves, and whatever merit it may possess, they alone are ent.i.tled to the credit, and whatever of demerit, if any, they alone are chargeable and responsible. Of one thing both the mediums and myself can truly avouch, and are willing to solemnize with our oaths, namely, that we had nothing whatever to do with the production of the communications except so far as we may have aided the communicating intelligences by furnis.h.i.+ng them with the necessary and required conditions.

I launch forth the work not, however, without misgivings as to its reception and fate in this age of incredulity and skepticism, and my only hope is that it may be instrumental in doing good, if but only in a feeble degree, which alone will be ample compensation for my time and labor.

CARL GUSTAF h.e.l.lEBERG.

_177 Auburn street, Cincinnati, Ohio._

CHAPTER II.

My investigations of spiritualism commenced with the excellent medium, Mrs. Laura Mosser, now Mrs. Carter, through whose mediums.h.i.+p I had the first slate-writing, August 31, 1879, at her residence, No. 253 Laurel street, Cincinnati, Ohio, from my spirit friend, William Gailard, and my dear son Emil. My truth-loving friend, Mr. S. G. Anderson, at my request, introduced me to Mrs. Mosser, at her residence, where we both on a clear Sunday morning, after we had some communications between a double slate from Mr. Gailard and my son, saw a spirit hand between us, into which Mr.

Anderson put his handkerchief, which was taken under the stand, and afterwards came out tied in three knots. It was written on the slate at the same time that Mr. Anderson's two sisters and his brother John, who all many years ago had pa.s.sed away in Sweden, each of them had tied a knot. During this occurrence we had Mrs. Mosser in full view, who was rocking in a rocking chair, and the only part hidden was her right hand when it held the slate under the small stand. From this remarkable result I concluded to go on with the investigation, and had many interesting communications, mostly concerning family relations, until the 8th of December, 1880, when I became acquainted with that most respectable lady, Mrs. Annie Cooper, who is a true and honest medium. Through her gifts I had many wonderful manifestations, consisting of slate-writings and materializations, etc. I will mention only a few. On the 11th May, 1881, among other things which appeared on the slate was the following:

"Good morning, my dear friend. Across the deep I have communicated to you.

With great pleasure I accept the opportunity of still doing so. I am anxious that all I hold dear should understand this phenomenon. Hope lingers around me that I shall be able to make myself known as if on earth. One thing I thank you for, the kind appreciation of a small tribute of friends.h.i.+p I tried to bestow. Every day since I came here I have learned something. Knowledge is not stopped by the change. My friend, many persons think that when the change called death comes and the spirit is released from the body, it becomes perfect at once. That is a mistake; we come out of the earthly body with all the propensities which actuate us while in it, and we come out of them only as we are educated and progress.

Oh, dear friend, I can see now that there are many human beings dazed at the wiles of mistakes made by early education, instead of looking up to something higher and brighter. Yes, man still asks, with prayerful heart, what are his wants to be in the future? and why was he born? and why does he die? Oh, why does man mourn over a law that was ordained for the benefit of all mankind? Why tears fall when he stands where the form of some loved one is laid? Is hope gone? Yes, because they know not where they are gone and what they are now. No one should mourn at death, for death is as legitimate as birth. Yes, no science, with all its bright knowledge, has been able to penetrate this system or sphere peopled by those who once dwelt as you do now. Oh, if suffering humanity could realize these beautiful truths, it would remove every doubt and dispel every fear that death transports man far away from earthly loved ones. My dear friend, to you this knowledge has been like a gentle zephyr that cools the cheeks on a warm summer evening. I am happy to be able to see you in possession of these n.o.ble sentiments. Let eternal progression be engraved on your banner and you will soar far above doubt and mystery, that surround so many in earth life. Man no longer bows to an angry G.o.d, nor needs a mediator to propitiate him. I am so happy to be able now to enjoy and fully realize what I believed to be true, with but little besides my own evidence and knowledge to convince me that it was a truth.

I have been reproved even for an acknowledgment, but all do not understand alike. I was fully a.s.sured before my spirit left the physical habitation for spiritual inheritance that I was surrounded by angels, kind and loving, guarding and guiding me to a higher and better life. I pa.s.sed through as if in a gentle slumber, awakening to meet many bright faces, yes, too many to number, that had gone before and landed safely on the bright, celestial sh.o.r.e. Earthly views can not comprehend heavenly joys.

Oh, think of it, my friend, to meet those to whom you are bound to by the ties of nature in early affection, never, never to part again, but to dwell in the light of a harmonious atmosphere of love, surrounded by angels and music from the bright realms above. There is no end to life, the spirit is eternal, and as we travel onward we can look upward in hope, for there is always something above. I will be able to communicate to you on different subjects the next interview. Give my love to your dear lady.

I will now call on her, and we will yet meet, but not as strangers. In the language of flowers, we remember in the sweet forget me not.[1] Adieu for the present. Your most sincere friend,

"FREDRIKA EHRENBORG."

This was the first communication between the double slate from Madam Ehrenborg, and on the 19th of May she gave another one, as follows:

"Good morning, my clear friend. In love and justice for your kindness I come this morning. I feel like writing on that subject, justice, for it enters into the divine unfolding of eternity. Millions stand at the bar of the great tribune waiting to hear their sentence p.r.o.nounced. Justice enters into the majesty of universal law. What generation can gather it and hold it in their embrace? Yes, justice is the universal law, that no age, no nation can control or hold in subjection. When they have gained one step in the right direction they may then think they have gained it all, but as we ascend the steps to that mighty throne of infinity we see justice beyond the ken of hundreds of humanity that have pa.s.sed away.

Justice is so unlimited we can compa.s.s only a part of it, according to the knowledge we possess, and have cultivated the princ.i.p.al subject of the development. No people or nation can make laws to govern any other nation or people who can succeed them or figure on this planet. What can finite man do to control the Infinite? Can he gather and control the winds and the seasons as they come and go with all their powerful influences on the globe? No; neither can he gather and control the developments of minds, or subject them to any law that he may enact. History records the rise and fall of empires; behold, they have all pa.s.sed away; each gives place to another form of government, better adapted to the wants and conditions of the then existing humanity. Dear friend, the heavenly trees are filled with divine fruit, whose beauty is reflected to earth. Truth is mightier than man, sharper than a two-edged sword, and it will mow down every obstacle in the way of progress. The spirit world is united in trying to lay the corner-stone of a temple so large that it will contain the whole human family. Oh, how grand when all can offer up the highest tribute of love to the divine unfolding spirit, and receive the sacred knowledge and love which shall bring humanity together in peace and harmony, then in truth all will be free. It gives me renewed strength to see the new and beautiful ideas floating about, spirit messengers wafted to earth, blending with man, woman and child as they go forth clearing the pathway to their eternal home, where all is love and harmony. The light of this beautiful truth is fast dawning, and suffering mortals will awake in joy to the light of it, and be crowned in the glory of the morning. It is not hard for spirits to communicate with friends on earth, but often difficult to have conditions. Man must have some spirituality in his soul before he can realize the truth that his loved ones are waiting, willing to help him upwards as they stand on the bright, celestial sh.o.r.e. Dear friend, I am sure I am gaining power, and would be able to say a great deal in a short time through this medium if no change of conditions come. I hope to help you to do what you so much desire. I can go to my dear friends across the water and help you by impressing them that all is true. Now I must withdraw, but will be very happy to come again to you, and give you all the knowledge I can. I am glad to see you so interested in learning what can only be taught by those who have pa.s.sed the sands of earth life, and are happy exploring the unexplored field of life beyond. Good by, go on, fear not, the course you pursue is right. Your true friend in spirit life,

"FREDRIKA EHRENBORG."

On the 24th of May, from 9 to 12 A. M., the same highly esteemed spirit friend wrote on the slate:

"Good morning, my dear friend. I greet you this morning, united with so many of your loved ones. Your beautiful mother says it would not be heaven if we were shut out from the knowledge of our friends in the form. No, it could not be heaven if it made us selfish. I am glad you have reached that part of life and find bright rays daily. Freedom brings its own reward, and the light that has been given to you will enable you to have yours while life lasts. You will never be bereft of friends on this sh.o.r.e. You will have them in both spheres. Is it not grand to be able to understand, and even more, to appreciate, this knowledge? Light is pouring in, and the minds of men are becoming more active every day. Mankind are like hungry children who want food; yes, so great do they crave the knowledge of the immortality that it will take firm reasoning and true workers to supply them. We rejoice, for we are sure that progress is rapid. Earth friends often wonder what spirits find to do. If they could realize even half the wonderful work that is going on, they would be astonished that spirits had accomplished so much for the welfare of humanity. I am so happy my soul expands in love. I feel I am young, and I am, for I am born again. I am contented to have struggled so many years in earth life, for it has brought me grand reward. All trials are worth the privilege and pleasure we enjoy when we reach our spirit home. I can see now that it is no hiding-place in man's true nature, and if they are not learned upon the terrestrial planet, they will have to learn before they can become celestial angels. Selfishness is cold and freezing, love is genial and warms up the human soul, and thereby will promote its happiness. Let love be cultivated by man, for it is a favorite flower, the flower of life and the beauty of the soul, and by it humanity is renewed continually and brought to the newness of life's beauty, truth, beauty and higher spheres of eternal existence, and without it man can never understand or have any conception of his heavenly home. Oh, if love were the ruling influence, sorrow would be hard to find, heart aches would be nowhere felt. An early writer said: 'If you can not love him whom you have seen, how can you love them whom you have not seen and be beloved in return?' In loving one another we love G.o.d, for G.o.d is love. His love is manifesting in man. Oh, that it may be cultivated, and not destroyed. Dear friend, I feel I have given you an introduction at least in my three letters of what I believe would be a benefit to man if they could but understand how much depends upon them, not alone for themselves, but for the welfare and happiness of others. I will be able, as conditions are given, to write of my surroundings in my beautiful home, where all is love and harmony, peace reigns and all willing to submit to the ruling power. You have done more good than you are aware of. It is the greatest workers that always feel they are doing least. You send forth subjects that give new ideas to those who read them, awakening interest without any desire on their part. As I said before, if conditions are not interrupted, you will have much to read and to write. I have said all on this subject that I can, but I am not at a loss for something more to write about, for in spirit home how many beautiful things that have never yet been talked about too glorious to be enjoyed without giving the knowledge of their existence to our earth friends! A circle surrounds you this morning of loved ones near and dear, and your mother is cherished in loving kindness by children, children's children. Emil is a bright spirit, and will be able to give much knowledge to those who are a great deal older. Dear friend, I must withdraw and obey the law that governs my comings. All looks well for you so far as I see.

No one can be really happy until their spirit is free to enjoy that happiness which is permanent, for all earthly pleasures are but temporary.

Farewell for the present. In G.o.d's love may you continue your journey until you arrive on the mount where no dark ravines can intervene your happiness. Good bye for the present. Your sincere friend in spirit life,

"FREDRIKA EHRENBORG."

CHAPTER III.

REMARKABLE MATERIALIZATION SEANCE--LETTERS FROM MRS. EHRENBORG AND OTHERS DESCRIBING INHABITANTS OF PLANETS.

In the evening of the same day I was at a materializing seance at Mrs.

Cooper's, where the following persons besides myself were present: Mr.

Cooper, his wife, Mrs. Annie Cooper, the medium; Dr. Joseph R. Wittemore, No. 50 Dayton street; John Winterborn, No. 19 Freeman avenue; Mr.

Oberline, Mr. S. G. Anderson, and Mr. Charles Wilhelm, all of Cincinnati.

First, Mrs. Cooper sat herself in full gas-light by the small covered stand, under which was placed three bells, a walking stick, and my small spring music-box, after I had wound it up. Soon after the spirits moved the box up and down and put it on end during playing, which we could see, because I put the box only half under the curtain. As soon as the playing stopped, the box was taken entirely under and finally pushed out for me to wind up. The bells were ringing and the walking stick was held up and extended to all of us to take hold of, which we did, and the spirits shook hands with us in that way. I had laid Madam Ehrenborg's photograph on the table, and I expressed a wish that she would materialize, when on the slate, which Mrs. Cooper held under the table-leaf, was written: "Good evening, friends; yes, I am with you; I will try to appear; we are so happy." The gas was now turned down, but not lower than we could see each other right well, and Mrs. Cooper took her seat in a chair behind the curtains stretched across a corner of the room, and soon after a lady spirit greeted Dr. Wittemore, who, he said, was his first wife. His sister also came and nodded to him. Then came a sister to Anderson and a sister to Mr. Winterborn, together with his mother, who took a flower from him, and nodded to him very cordially. A spirit lady did the same to Mr.

Wilhelm. Mr. Cooper brought now my music instrument, orgamina, from the upper room and placed it before me and I played on it with the crank. Soon after a lady spirit came, dressed in a white s.h.i.+ning robe, and beckoned to me, when Mrs. Cooper, who was not in a trance, invited me to come up to the curtain where the spirit stood in the opening, and I asked if it was my friend Madam Ehrenborg who died in Sweden, Europe, eight years ago, and she bowed and nodded a.s.sent. Mr. Winterborn gave me a flower, which I took and offered to Madam Ehrenborg, who took it, smelled it, and stuck it under my nose to smell, and afterwards kept it. I expressed my gladness to see her and she made graceful bows, which I answered with mine. I then went back to the music instrument to play, when Madam Ehrenborg came out again with a beautiful long piece of lace on her arm and wafted it to and fro, and afterwards dematerialized before us. After that came a lady and sat herself in the rocking-chair, and there dematerialized before us. Mrs.

Cooper took now a standing position in the opening of the curtain, when a male spirit came out, stood beside her, and kissed her. When Mrs. Cooper took her seat behind the curtain again a tall gentleman spirit came dressed in some kind of a uniform, with a glittering star on his right breast, and Mr. Winterborn offered him a nosegay, which he took and held out with his hand, swinging his arm up and down, keeping time to the music of the orgamina and that for a long time. As he came out the next time he took hold of the rocking chair outside the curtain before him and swung it over his head for a long time, and afterwards lowered it down to about a foot from the floor, when he dropped it. At the same time we saw Mrs.

Cooper, who expressed her anxiety lest the chair might fall on her. Next he placed himself at the opening of the curtain, when a lady spirit took her place at his left side, and they kissed each other. Mrs. Cooper asked for a gla.s.s of water, which Mr. Cooper went after, intending to give it to his wife, but the gentleman spirit took it from him and gave it to Mrs.

Cooper, who drank the water out of the gla.s.s. The same spirit sat himself in the lap of Mrs. Cooper and kissed her after he had placed a flower in her hair. Mrs. Cooper was coughing, and Mr. Winterborn gave two cough lozenges to the spirit, who gave them to Mrs. Cooper. The uniformed gentleman spirit came again out and took the rocking-chair with his right hand and swung it very vigorously over his head for a good while, then put it down. All the other spirits had white robes s.h.i.+ning as snow, and all of us were exceedingly gratified at such wonderful performance.

The 29th of June, 1881, among other valuable communications, came:

"Good morning, my dear friend; it is with the greatest pleasure I again come to communicate with you. Your star of hope is increasing in brightness. I called on you and your dear lady last night (your night).

You appreciate the beauties of the heavens, it was indeed grand to the natural eye." (My wife and I last evening were on the roof of our house on Mount Auburn looking at the comet and the stars.) "Oh, I thought if I could lift the veil and show you the inner life so brightly beaming once again, what joy it would give. I have visited three planets, each one had a distinct race (of people) and different one from another, and had mostly white skin, walked erect, were all of the same physical shape, very much like the inhabitants of our planet; their features are more regular and not much contrast in size. On the first planet they were small in stature--about four feet high. On the second sphere, about five feet high and of uniform size and shape. On the third they were six feet high, with large limbs and muscles, language quite different from ours, but were highly educated; eat no animal food, subsist entirely on vegetable. The day and night are of equal length; and as this last named planet was most interesting to me I will speak first of it: They have a better system of astronomy than we do and understand it more perfectly. This planet has large water courses and a great deal of commerce. They have no religion, such as Christians call religion, but a very high order of morals. They know little of the immortality of the soul. They have no wars, no courts nor prison houses, and murder is unheard of. They have no kings, no politics, no religion, consequently no wars. They live in perfect harmony; women suffer very little inconvenience in bearing children; the families are large, with eight or ten children; they are contented and happy. They have better painters in coloring in both landscapes and portraits. Their architecture is perfection; their buildings are the most beautiful I ever beheld. The climate is genial the year round, never too hot, and never necessary to have fire to keep warm; but little variety in temperature. Dear friend, I could say much more if I had power. I thank you for your kind attention. I will be able another time. Good bye for the present. Your sincere friend in spirit life,

"FREDRIKA EHRENBORG."

The 27th of July at a seance at Mrs. Cooper's, her control informed me that we meet to-day under disturbed conditions, and when I asked Mrs.

Cooper what that meant, she said her husband wanted her to move back to Louisville, as his prospects there now were better, and she had concluded to do so, in consequence of which she intended to pack up her furniture immediately after the present seance. Madam Ehrenborg wrote now a communication from which I will extract the following: "This dear, good woman, whom the angels will bless, is the first channel through which I have been able to reach earth and friends in this way, and now to be disturbed and taken away for a while is a loss to us. I could go to her, but not write as I write to you, the friends.h.i.+p formed between us before I pa.s.sed away gives me strength and desires I might not have in any other way, but this form of condition will not last long. * * * I will try to communicate to you whenever condition is given, it is so easy for me to write here. There are but few who I could say so much through in so short a time. * * * Mrs. Cooper, if you will sit for me next Wednesday from there (Louisville) I hope to be able to write frequently, but not like if he was present. Good bye for the present. Your most sincere friend in spirit land.