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

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.

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Excerpt:

My investigations of spiritualism commenced with the excellent medium, Mrs. Laura Mosser, now Mrs. Carter, through whose mediumship 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 passed 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 friendship 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 noble 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 God, 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 assured 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 passed 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 shore. 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. Adieu for the present.

Your most sincere friend,
"FREDRIKA EHRENBORG."