Spirit Identity by the Direct Voice

Spirit Identity by the Direct Voice or Striking Evidences of the Survival of Death
By Vice-Admiral W. Usborne Moore

Among the manifold phases of spiritism which have been exhibited in this country, the most satisfactory
and provably genuine is that of the “direct voice.” We have had it with us in a mild way for many years
through the mediumship of Mrs. Everitt, Mr. Cecil Husk, Mr. C. E. Williams, and Mr. F. Craddock;
but English people as a whole did not know what was the “direct voice” until Mrs. Etta Wriedt came to
Wimbledon as the guest of Mr. W. T. Stead in May, 1911.

The “direct voice” is the highest manifestation which has as yet been vouchsafed to man by the higher
powers in the spirit world. Materialisation is very interesting from a scientific point of view. Trance
utterances, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and automatic writing give us some valuable testimony, but in
these phases no investigator can aver that the communications are wholly free from adulteration by the
consciousness of the medium. In the case of the voice, however, there is only a slight trace of the
personality of the psychic. It evinces itself occasionally by the mode of expression; the phrasings of the
sentences are not always those which the speaker used in life. The actual voices could not be for two
reasons: (1) the power to speak is collected from the sitters, and (2) the use of a metal trumpet destroys
the individuality of the accents.

Identity is discovered by what the communicator says, the trifles that he talks about, and now and again
by peculiar mannerisms. Some dozen people in this country have heard the direct independent voice
when no trumpet is used, and when only the sitter can hear what is said. The message is not clairaudient;
the speech of the spirit is objective, and issues from some position a few inches from the ear. This, in my
opinion, is the crowning phase of spiritistic phenomena yet reached by mortals. To listen to an old friend
talking to you for half-an-hour without the medium hearing a word of his or her statements, and of
events which you and the spirit only know, maybe occurrences of fifty years ago, and only vaguely
remembered by yourself, is an experience very rare and never to be forgotten as long as one, lives. It
has been my privilege at least forty times to receive this proof of spirit power.

The Genuineness of Mrs. Wriedt

The first thing I ought to touch upon when describing the séances of Mrs. Wriedt is the proof of her
genuineness. In the first place she is never in trance and talks naturally throughout every seance, often
giving the names and descriptions of spirit visitors and indicating for whom they come. While talking she
is often interrupted by a spirit voice, and the two are speaking simultaneously. Then the voices can be
heard in full light as well as in darkness, though, for obvious reasons, the latter condition is best. Two
voices have been frequently heard by me and others talking at the same moment about matters unknown
to the psychic and to each other; occasionally three, and at very rare intervals four, one using the
trumpet and two or three independently of it. A voice has been heard to sing and another to speak
simultaneously, and one gentleman has heard it when the medium was downstairs in the drawing-room,
forty feet distant, and the door of the seance room locked.

Objects are moved in the room, vases full of water and flowers passed about, chairs turned upside
down and lifted over the heads of the sitters, flowers put into the hands of those present. I remember, at
one seance, a full vase weighing ten pounds, from a table outside the circle, brushing past me and being
placed in silence on a chair within it. Once, in 1913, a trumpet leapt from the floor in a good red light,
dented itself on the back of a chair, and flew into the end of the room. In the dark phantasms and spirit
lights of different sizes and colours can be seen by people who have no receptive mediumistic gifts, and
occasionally faces brilliantly illuminated.

The medium, who is an uncultured person, does not know any language but Yankee; she cannot even
speak proper English; yet the spirits have been heard to speak Arabic, Croatian, Servian, Dutch,
French, German, Hebrew, Hindustani, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Welsh, Scotch, and Gaelic.

Still Themselves

The naturalness of all that goes on is, perhaps, the feature which is most impressive. I was once talking
with an uncle of mine when he stopped suddenly and exclaimed, “Tchut, tchut, what was I going to say,
I have dropped it;” then a pause, followed by “Oh, I remember,” and the voice went on as before. On
another occasion I heard an old shipmate talking to a naval officer, and using some rather rough
language. Suddenly something seemed to occur to him, and he said in a lower voice, “I say, Cap’n any
ladies present?” “Several” was the reply, when the spirit cried “Oh, Lord!” and was not heard again.
That same evening I listened to a voice trying to identify itself to another naval officer. After repeated
efforts my friend, recollecting something, said, “Oh, are you So-and-so? “ “Who the *** do you
imagine has been talking to you all this time was the unexpected reply.

On another evening a spirit had particular difficulty in making a rather dull lady know who he was. After
the lady had persistently refused to grasp his identity, the voice appeared to turn wearily round the
circle, saying in a despairing tone, “Is there anyone here who can make this creature understand?”
Singing familiar songs, whistling little airs and calling old nicknames are often used to bring to the sitters
conviction of identity. The sole purpose of the spirit visitors appears to be to show that they are still
alive. It is a passion with this gifted psychic to be the passive means of bringing children to their parents,
and many scenes of the most sacred and touching character occur. Though her blank séances are about
one in ten, I do not remember one sitting where the blessing of consolation for the loss of children was
denied to a sorrowing father or mother.

Some of the controls

Mrs. Wriedt’s control is the spirit of “Dr. John Sharp,” who was born in Glasgow and taken over to
America by his parents in the eighteenth century when he was two months old. He became an
apothecary farmer, and eventually died in Evansville, Indiana.

“John King” (Sir Henry Morgan of 250 years ago), the control of Mr. Husk, the blind medium,
frequently managed Mrs. Wriedt’s séances in England. It was explained that he was better acquainted
with English people than “Dr. Sharp,” who, however, was always in the background. He did not control
in Scotland. We proved to our satisfaction that he was the same spirit who is so familiar to all those who
have sat with Mr. Husk.

“Grayfeather,” a North American Indian medicine chief when in life, the control of J.B. Jonson, the
materialisation medium, of Toledo, Ohio, U.S. America, visited me several times at Cambridge House,
and often manifested at the circles. He was not heard in Scotland.

A captivating Indian spirit child, called “Blossom,” who lived and died in Florida, often enlivened our
circles by her ready wit and repartee. Her quick replies and lively sallies always elicited much laughter
which is one of the best conditions for successful séances.

Occasionally “Dr. Sharp,” “John King,” “Grayfeather,” and “Blossom” all manifested to the same circle
of sitters.

The Admiral Testifies

I have several hundred convincing evidences in my notes, and will now relate a few as examples of what
occurred in the presence of this remarkable psychic.

In 1912 Mrs. Wriedt arrived on the evening of May 5th, twenty days after the founding of the “Titanic.”
After her supper she proposed a seance. Stead manifested, and gave three admirable tests of his
identity, two to Miss Harper, and one to me; he also directly instructed us where his daughter was to sit
on the following evening. The test he gave to me was unmistakable; he alluded to the conversation we
had at Bank Buildings the last time I saw him. This conversation had lasted half-an-hour and ranged
over a variety of subjects; but the chief topic was the approaching visit of Mrs. Wriedt to his house. He
desired that certain conditions should be observed, and it was to one of these conditions that his spirit
referred, with emphasis, on this evening.

During the last three years I have sat some seventy times alone with Mrs. Wriedt. We were in the habit
of sitting some distance from one another; by leaning forward in our chairs as far as possible and
stretching out our right arms to their fullest extent we were just able to clasp hands. I do not remember
that we were ever closer than that. When the sitting began we sat upright in our chairs in an easy
posture; a trumpet, mouth downwards, on the floor between us; plenty of flowers in bowls and vases on
either side of me. Generally, within five minutes voices could be heard, and conversation would last for
periods of between thirty and fifty minutes. On many occasions phantasmal forms, faintly visible, moved
about between the psychic and myself, and on some six occasions there were beautiful spirit lights and
etherealisations, i.e., heads and forms brightly illumined, but features not plainly visible. When the room
appeared to me pitch dark the phenomena were poor; when, to my partially clairvoyant sight, the room
was lighter, and psychic clouds could be seen, we always had a good sitting.

My guide always appeared as a phantasm, but could not always speak. It was curious to see her move
back from me to the psychic or to the flowers to gather strength, and then return. That the forms were
not hallucinations of my own was quite clear, for they moved their arms and could be seen crossing and
recrossing each other. I soon found that “Iola” had developed a new power. She could appear to me
without being seen by the psychic, and talk to me without trumpet and without a single articulate word
being heard by Mrs. Wriedt. I could just catch the words, which appeared to emanate from a distance
of six inches from my ear; but Mrs. Wriedt heard nothing at all, or only a slight swishing sound. On the
other hand, the psychic often saw lights and spirit forms which I was unable to see.

In 1913 the psychic also allowed me to sit with her alone on the evening she arrived. “Iola” spoke first a
few words of greeting; then “Dr. Sharp,” who brought with him another spirit, said, “Here is a lady who
wishes to see you.” (Aside): “What did you say, madam? ... Oh, this is a maiden lady who says her
name is Searle. She says she lived near to you when in life, and thought you were much deceived. Now
she has come to see if there is anything in it.” (Aside): “What is it?” “Yes, yes; she also says that her
niece is now doing her work, and doing it very well, but she does not wish you to tell her.” (A Miss
Searle used to keep a small shop and post office three hundred yards from my house. She passed over
in September 1912. Her niece, Miss Holmes, is now keeping the shop. I never spoke to Miss Searle on
the subject of spiritism, but she was no doubt aware that I lectured once a year at the temple in the
town.)

The private sitting I now describe is remarkable as a singularly good exhibition of the coarser type of
physical phenomena. It took place on May 17th, 10.55 to 11.40. I had my two trumpets in the room.
One was marked with the letter “I” on all its sections; the other was marked “F”. They weigh thirteen
ounces and eleven ounces respectively. Mrs. Wriedt’s trumpet was smaller than either, and weighs not
more than eight or nine ounces; but she preferred, as a rule using mine, made by Whiteley.

On this occasion the trumpet “I” was telescoped and lying on a top shelf of a bookcase behind Mrs.
Wriedt; “F” was standing between us; our chairs were five feet apart.

First, “Dr. Sharp” manifested immediately the lights were switched off, and spoke clearly, talking chiefly
about the condition of Dr. Peebles (whom he called “Our Pilgrim”), then ill in London. Then there was a
long silence, after which “Iola” spoke for five or six minutes, using my trumpet for part of the time. She
was followed by “Grayfeather,” who, after a brief conversation, said, “I am going to show you
something, Chief. Take Mrs. Wriedt’s hands.” We both leaned forward in our chairs and clasped
hands, her right hand in my left and my right hand in her left. There was a small square table one foot to
my left, upon which stood a vase full of narcissi and water, weighing about three pounds. The room was
pitch dark, as usual.

Presently a noise was heard as if a trumpet had fallen to the floor behind Mrs. Wriedt, then again dead
silence. In, say, five minutes I heard “Grayfeather’s” voice from near the floor where the “F” trumpet
had been standing between our extended arms: “Mrs. Wriedt, light up.” We disengaged our hands, the
medium rose from her chair and switched on the lights. This is what we found: the small table standing
two feet to my right; the vase of narcissi on the floor almost touching my right foot; Mrs. Wriedt’s
trumpet standing on the floor to my left exactly underneath where we had last seen it in the light on the
small table; my “F” trumpet telescoped and lying on the shelf of the bookcase near where I had last seen
the “I” trumpet; and the “I” trumpet, drawn out ready for use, standing on the floor where “F” ought to
be, between our arms.

The Indian had betrayed his movements only when he took the “I” trumpet from the bookcase; the three
sections were loose inside of one another, and in drawing them out from the shelf he had let two of them
fall on the floor. This it would be easy to do for anybody in full light. All his other movements were
executed without my hearing the faintest sound. Mrs. Wriedt’s two hands ware firmly clasped in my two
hands from the moment “Grayfeather” had directed us “to take hands” to the moment he said, “Mrs.
Wriedt, light up.”

This is the most complete instance of telekinesis in the dark which I ever remember having witnessed.
The drawing out and placing of one aluminium trumpet and the collapsing of another without sound, is a
marvellous feat; and the movement of the table, the vase, and the small trumpet is a hardly less striking
phenomenon. This will be enough of my private sittings. I pass on to the evidence of others.

For more information read:

'Glimpses of the Next State' (PDF download) by Usborne Moore

'The Voices' (PDF download) by Usborne Moore

zerdini wrote:For more information read:

'Glimpses of the Next State' (PDF download) by Usborne Moore

'The Voices' (PDF download) by Usborne Moore

Thanks zerdini

I am actually going to order the book, it's available through SNUI website, it looks like a fascinating read. It would have been great to sit with Mrs. Etta Wriedt, have seen paintings of her controls Dr. John Sharp, and Blossom, painted by the Bang Sisters mediumship.

Blue Lotus wrote:

zerdini wrote:For more information read:

'Glimpses of the Next State' (PDF download) by Usborne Moore

'The Voices' (PDF download) by Usborne Moore

Thanks zerdini

I am actually going to order the book, it's available through SNUI website, it looks like a fascinating read. It would have been great to sit with Mrs. Etta Wriedt, have seen paintings of her controls Dr. John Sharp, and Blossom, painted by the Bang Sisters mediumship.

I have photographs of many of the Bangs Sisters paintings taken by a friend who visited the Hett Memorial Art Gallery & Museum.

Two original Bangs Sisters paintings were donated by Usborne Moore to the Portsmouth Temple of Spiritualism where they can still be viewed today.

One being Cleopatra.

Didn't think Camp Chesterfield would allow photographs to be taken of the Bang sisters paintings. Certainly considering visiting Camp Chesterfield next year, with my camera

Azur wrote:One being Cleopatra.

Didn't think Camp Chesterfield would allow photographs to be taken of the Bang sisters paintings. Certainly considering visiting Camp Chesterfield next year, with my camera

The other, Iola. I think you would probably need special permission to take photographs of the Bangs Sisters portraits, Azur.

zerdini wrote:

Azur wrote:One being Cleopatra.

Didn't think Camp Chesterfield would allow photographs to be taken of the Bang sisters paintings. Certainly considering visiting Camp Chesterfield next year, with my camera

The other, Iola. I think you would probably need special permission to take photographs of the Bangs Sisters portraits, Azur.

I'd imagine so, pity we don't have any Bangs and the Campbells today, Those where the golden days of spiritualism. I was born too late, damn it

Azur wrote:

zerdini wrote:

Azur wrote:One being Cleopatra.

Didn't think Camp Chesterfield would allow photographs to be taken of the Bang sisters paintings. Certainly considering visiting Camp Chesterfield next year, with my camera

The other, Iola. I think you would probably need special permission to take photographs of the Bangs Sisters portraits, Azur.

I'd imagine so, pity we don't have any Bangs and the Campbells today, Those where the golden days of spiritualism. I was born too late, damn it

Et Tu Brute!

zerdini wrote:

Azur wrote:One being Cleopatra.

Didn't think Camp Chesterfield would allow photographs to be taken of the Bang sisters paintings. Certainly considering visiting Camp Chesterfield next year, with my camera

The other, Iola. I think you would probably need special permission to take photographs of the Bangs Sisters portraits, Azur.

Your right z it's Iola, given to the church by Mrs Usborne Moore.

The portrait was completed in just 25 minutes for Admiral Usborne Moore. When it was was almost finished the whole painting was changed round, so the profile looked to the left instead of the right. How fantastic is that.

Azur wrote:

zerdini wrote:

Azur wrote:One being Cleopatra.

Didn't think Camp Chesterfield would allow photographs to be taken of the Bang sisters paintings. Certainly considering visiting Camp Chesterfield next year, with my camera

The other, Iola. I think you would probably need special permission to take photographs of the Bangs Sisters portraits, Azur.

Your right z it's Iola, given to the church by Mrs Usborne Moore.

The portrait was completed in just 25 minutes for Admiral Usborne Moore. When it was was almost finished the whole painting was changed round, so the profile looked to the left instead of the right. How fantastic is that.

That was a feature of their mediumship, not surprising considering who the spirit artists were.

zerdini wrote:

Azur wrote:

zerdini wrote:

Azur wrote:One being Cleopatra.

Didn't think Camp Chesterfield would allow photographs to be taken of the Bang sisters paintings. Certainly considering visiting Camp Chesterfield next year, with my camera

The other, Iola. I think you would probably need special permission to take photographs of the Bangs Sisters portraits, Azur.

Your right z it's Iola, given to the church by Mrs Usborne Moore.

The portrait was completed in just 25 minutes for Admiral Usborne Moore. When it was was almost finished the whole painting was changed round, so the profile looked to the left instead of the right. How fantastic is that.

That was a feature of their mediumship, not surprising considering who the spirit artists were.

Very true but I always find it fantastic, it's probably my enthusiasm for spirit

I am reading the Ron Nagy book at the moment. Terrific book. They had Captain Stevens working with them.

zerdini wrote:

Azur wrote:

zerdini wrote:

Azur wrote:One being Cleopatra.

Didn't think Camp Chesterfield would allow photographs to be taken of the Bang sisters paintings. Certainly considering visiting Camp Chesterfield next year, with my camera

The other, Iola. I think you would probably need special permission to take photographs of the Bangs Sisters portraits, Azur.

I'd imagine so, pity we don't have any Bangs and the Campbells today, Those where the golden days of spiritualism. I was born too late, damn it

Et Tu Brute!

But even so, we can learn and profit from studying these great mediums and seances of times past.

Aye Jim. We stand upon the shoulders of giants.