'Twixt two worlds : a narrative of the life and work of William Eglinton

The
—
1
Private Sc'auccs and Spiritualism at Home. 3
back into my place, holding the slates. At the end of the seance we (bund on one slate a
message for Mrs. Nichols from the late Dr. Ferguson, signed with his name in his well-known
handwriting, and on the other, in a very neat and delicate hand, each letter almost separately
written, the following:— 'The message in Greek has been imperfectly transcribed by you.
:
Translate as written below, and you have the proverb in its correct and original meaning
" '
Otiiv 5e Aai/icov nvSpi TTOptrvvrj kuku Toy vovv e fi\a^c irpoyrov.
Tiie fifth word is underscored, as you will see on the slate I leave for your inspection.' Now,
one fact, for what it is worth, is as good as a million. Here is a Greek sentence twice written
under absolute test conditions, in the presence of several persons, by some invisible intelligence,
between two slates closely bound and (irmly held together. The medium was not near the
slates. They were prepared by a human form, which was not that of any one of the five
persons in the room. Not one of those five persons could write the shortest sentence in Greek.
Not one of them knew that there was such a proverb in that language."
A remarkably successful seance given to the Brixton Psychological Society, reported by Mr.
W. Newton, F.R.G.S., in the Spiritualist for December 2 1st, and a flying visit to Brighton, for
sittings in the house of a well-known lady of title resident there, completed this year's work.
On New Year's Eve, 1878, a seance of a most' touching and sacred character was held at the
house of Mrs. Macdougal Gregory, of 21, Green Street, Grosvenor Square. This seance, when
described to Mr. Eglinton, was regarded by him as a must unusual one ; but I have reason to
believe that, given the same harmonious and sympathetic conditions as prevailed at that time,
such sweet communion with the dead would become an every-day occurrence. I have myself
had like experiences ;
and under the seal of confidence I have been told of similar instances,
most of them of such a private and sacred nature as to preclude any account reaching
the outside world. With many of these even Mr. Eglinton himself is unacquainted. These
inner experiences, occurring exclusively in private families, constitute the (to neophytes) almost
inexplicable strength of Spiritualism. It is the secret of the tenacity with which, in spite of
fraudulent practices, and so-called " exposures," those who have penetrated the intricacies and
mysteries of the outer fringe of the subject, hold fast to their belief in the reality of spirit
communion.
The events of this seance on New Year's Eve will give a faint idea of what is possible
under the highest and best conditions, the result of long continued experiment, and of friendship,
trust, and appreciation on the part of those engaging in spirit communion.
There were eight or ten persons present. The manifestations at the preliminary dark
seance were more powerful and instructive than usual. Afterwards the medium took his seat in
the back drawing-room, being separated from the sitters by a heavy curtain, which was afterwards
drawn aside. The gas was turned on until the room was pervaded by a dim religious
W. G— — .
light, when slowly the curtains opened, and from the cabinet came one, dearly loved, long
known, and always treasured by the hostess—Lady G ,
widow of the late Field-Marshal Sir
form was no dummy dressed up to represent life, or Mr. Eglinton transfigured,
which will be best evidenced by Mrs. Gregory's own words :— " I have no hesitation in
giving my testimony to the wonderful power and satisfactory nature of your mediumship.
Indeed, I, personally, have never seen it surpassed. With many others, I have scrutinised