CLAUDE'S BOOK

EDITED BY

L. KELWAY-BAMBER

WITH AN INTRODUCTORY LETTER FROM

SIR OLIVER LODGE

NEW YORK
1919
 TO

THE MANY FRIENDS

AT WHOSE REQUEST IT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED

"CLAUDE'S BOOK"

IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED
 CONTENTS
PAGE
A LETTER FROM SIR OLIVER LODGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
REPLY TO SIR OLIVER'S LETTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv
A FEW TESTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix
I. CLAUDE'S TALKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
"His Death and New Life". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
"Death's Surprises" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
"Certain 'Mundane' Matters" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
"The Christ" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
"Of Reincarnation" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
"Guides, Inspiration, and God" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
"A Day's Work" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
"Various People, Children, and Affinities" . . . . . . . . . 51
"The Difficulties of Communication" . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
"The Spheres and the Source of All Power" . . . . . . . . 62
"Physical Limitations" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
"Man's Connection with God" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
"Man's Beginning" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
"The Madonna and a Little Earth Mother" . . . . . . . . . 85
"The Aura" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
"Astrals and Thought-Forms" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
"Religion and Science, Thought, and Thoughts" . . . . 100
II. CLAUDE'S LETTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

vii
 A LETTER FROM SIR OLIVER LODGE

DEAR MRS . KELWAY-BAMBER,—

I have read the type-script of your son's book, and though it may
strike people as rather crude I am impressed by the honesty and
simplicity and straightforwardness of its material.

I know that what has been written is a genuine un-edited though

necessarily abbreviated record of what has come through a
thoroughly honest medium, with whom you have had the exceptional
privilege of weekly sittings for more than two years; and I have every
reason to know, from certain evidential messages, that the
communicating intelligence is really your son's. You do not here
quote these evidences, partly for the sake of brevity but chiefly
because so much has already been published of the domestic and
trivial kind, and you desire, as Claude does, to call attention to what
they have to say about the nature of posthumous existence.

You are, of course, well aware that no sort of infallibility is

attributable to such utterances, but they are undoubtedly instructive;
and philosophers of high standing have urged that statements of this

ix
x CLAUDE'S BOOK

kind ought to be made accessible. They represent at worst a

psychological phenomenon; while at best they convey the
impressions of an eager newcomer to the other side, who with a gift
of vivid statement is anxious to convey to you as much as he has so
far learnt about the conditions which at his particular stage of
development are encountered there.

On all recondite problems there are probably as many opinions

over there as there are here, and it is unlikely that in dealing with
what corresponds to scientific or philosophic fact he has arrived at
much of importance; but concerning elementary details of life and
conduct his witness agrees in the main with that of others, and the
wisest and best informed among critical students of the subject will
be able to learn most from consistent statements of this kind. It has
been responsibly urged that honest and undoctored records of actual
subjective experience will ultimately enable philosophers to
systematise posthumous existence in their general scheme of the
universe, and undoubtedly yours is an interesting instalment of the
necessary raw material; though at times it goes beyond actual
experience and trespasses on the fanciful with too much of what is
presumably hearsay and secondhand information—
 A LETTER FROM SIR OLIVER LODGE xi

about reincarnation, for instance—all which for my part I discount.

But in spite of this I sympathise with your desire to publish the
messages received from your active and energetic son as a whole,
without selection or suppression, and to submit them to the harsh
criticism of a rather puzzled world.

Yours faithfully,
OLIVER LODGE
 REPLY TO SIR OLIVER'S LETTER

26th July 1918

MY DEAR SIR OLIVER,—

Thank you for your letter. I am very grateful to you for the interest
and trouble you have taken in the prefatory matter, and will print
your criticism on Claude's Book in the forefront of the volume, if
you have no objection. I make no claim for the book, except that it is
his, for it is the "honest and undoctored" record of what he has told
me.

Claude professes to have no special privilege of any kind, and says

hundreds of people who have "passed over" could tell their relatives
all he has told me, but lack the opportunity.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,
L. KELWAY-BAMBER

xiii
 INTRODUCTION

THERE was no intention originally of publishing these "talks," and it

must be understood that the terms used in this little book are the
"nearest equivalent" to the conditions, or states, or feelings Claude
wishes to explain or describe to his mother, and cannot always be
perfectly technically accurate, because for certain things in the spirit-
world we have no exact expression, as they are beyond our normal
experience.

Many things have been omitted: all references, for instance, to his
family, his friends, current events, and so forth.

Up to the time he was killed, Claude's mother was entirely

sceptical as to the possibility of communication between the living
and the so-called "dead," and it was only through her deep grief at
his premature loss that she decided to investigate, in the faint hope
that there might at least be some definite comfort in it. She spent
three months in reading and studying the subject, then joined the
"London Spiritualist Alliance Ltd." (now at 6 Queen Square,

xv
xvi CLAUDE'S BOOK

Southampton Row), and attended their lectures and meetings, which

proved most instructive and useful, eventually going to several
mediums for private sittings. She was very fortunate in getting many
evidential tests, a few of which are recorded in the preliminary
portion of this book.

These communications, which were written down on each

occasion, have all been received through "Feda" in a series of regular
sittings during the past two years. She is the "spirit-control" of Mrs.
Osborne Leonard, to whom Claude's mother is indebted for many
very happy hours.

Claude was one of the merriest, happiest boys, full of irrepressible

spirits and extraordinary vitality; he had a very keen sense of humor,
and a well-balanced mind.

He always expressed himself very well, and explained things very

clearly. He could go from grave to gay with extraordinary rapidity,
and often introduced a "quip," or an amusing sentence, or a joke, in
the middle of a solemn conversation, and this is still characteristic of
him; these have been generally omitted, as people who did not know
him might misunderstand and think he was not in earnest, but they
are very evidential as so typical of the boy.
 INTRODUCTION xvii

It may be understood that when he says "I think," or "It may be,"
he is recording his own impressions and ideas; when he states
anything definitely as a fact it is something he has been taught or
told by experienced guides and teachers.

Claude joined the Army immediately war began in August 1914,

without waiting for a commission, which he obtained in October. He
subsequently transferred to the Flying Corps and was trained as a
pilot. He was killed in mid-air, fighting two German aeroplanes, near
Courtrai, Flanders, in November, 1915, three months after he went to
the Front; his machine came down in the enemy lines. A few of his
letters are printed for purposes of comparison with the "talks."
 A FEW TESTS

ON 29th February 1916 I attended a public seance at the rooms of

the "Alliance." Mrs. Brittain was the clairvoyante. There were a
number of people present. I sat in the middle of the room; no one
knew me there. I had never seen her before as she had just come
from the North. Going home by "Tube" I found myself standing
next to Mrs. Brittain in the lift. Though I did not know her I spoke
to her, making some remark about the meeting we had just left. She
replied, and then said, "Excuse me, but are you a medium?" I said I
was not, and asked what made her think it was possible. Her reply
was, "Because you have a spirit boy with you; he is so clear and so
strong it is difficult to realize you can't see him!" I asked for a
description, and she said, "He is tall, slight, and fair; blue eyes,
smooth hair, well brushed off his forehead, which is well developed;
he is very young and boyish-looking; clear, smooth skin; a very
happy, merry disposition." This is correct, and was the first
description I received of him, though I often

xix
xx CLAUDE'S BOOK

felt he was with me. On Tuesday, 14th March, that is, a fortnight
later, I went to Mrs. Osborne Leonard for my first private sitting. I
had arranged to visit her by calling and fixing a time, but gave her no
name, nor address, nor particulars of any kind; she is a trance
medium, and it was evident that her little spirit-control "Feda" was in
touch with the boy. Curiously enough my boy did not show himself
in his uniform. "Feda" described him; then said, "He has a grey suit
on, and he tells me to tell you he is wearing it to prove to you he was
with you yesterday when you were searching everywhere for that
suit." This was a fact; I had looked all over the house for it the day
before, intending to give it to a boy I knew. "He shows me a medal
and says they have given him here what he did not get on earth." (He
had been recommended for a decoration, but was killed a few days
later.) "Feda" then said, "I don't know why he had a medal if he
wasn't a soldier. He did not pass over in illness. I get a rushing
feeling as if I were falling; my head is numb, and my throat is
wrong." These were evidently the boy's death-conditions, and as the
subject was very painful for us both I asked no questions about it.
"Feda" then proceeded to tell me Claude had been with me
 A FEW TESTS xxi

to a place "where there were mountains and a river which made a

noise rushing over stones." He said he had been for a walk with me
when I climbed a stile into a wood. This was correct; I had just
returned from Scotland. He asked if I had received some photos of
him and his friends "ragging" outside his tent. I had not received
them then, but they came later, and included one in which a friend
was taken with his head hanging down and his feet in the air,
supported by companions.

On Monday, 10th April, I attended another public seance at the

"Alliance" rooms. The medium on this occasion was a Mr. Von
Bourg. He was an absolute stranger to me. I had never seen him
before. The meeting was crowded. After giving a few other
descriptions, he spoke to me and described some spirit-friends be
said he could see with me; and proceeded, "There is a young airman,
very happy-looking, only been passed over a few months. He is tall
and slight, fair smooth skin, fair hair, brushed well back, blue eyes,
clear skin—do you know him?" I said, "Yes, he is my son." He then
described a boy called "George," whom I knew, giving his name. He
also talked of some one called "John," and said he was a very
beautiful spirit, looked about twenty, and said he was a near
xxii CLAUDE'S BOOK

relative of mine. I could not place him, and thought it was a mistake,
and determined to ask Claude about it at my next private sitting,
which happened to be next day with Mrs. Osborne Leonard. He was
full of interest and excitement, and exclaimed, "Why, he's your
brother, Mum!" I was very much surprised and said, "Why, my
brother died when he was four years old!" and Claude said (through
"Feda"), "But people grow up here; they don't remain babies!" Even
then I could not appreciate the idea, and said, "But he would have
been forty now, and the medium said he looks twenty!" "So he
does," was the reply; "and he never will look old, for here one grows
up but has no material body to age." This I think a wonderful test,
for I was only five years old when that little brother died, and had not
thought of him for years, and then only as a child. At a sitting with
Mrs. Osborne Leonard on 30th May "Feda" began the sitting by
saying, "Claude is here; he is laughing very much; he looks so
funny, 'Feda' did not know him at first. He has very dirty things on,
all covered with grease, and oil, and black. 'Feda' does not like
Claude in those clothes! He says you will know them." I did; they
were the "overalls" he wore at the workshops where he was learning
Mechanical Engineering.
 A FEW TESTS xxiii

He was noted there for the amount of dirt he managed to get off the
machinery on to himself! it was quite a family joke. The other men
always said they pitied the woman who washed his clothes.

At a sitting on 11th November Claude said, among other things

about his spirit-body, "It's just the same as the other, down to the
wart on my finger." This was good, as on his last leave we tried to
persuade him to see the doctor about an unsightly wart that had
grown on one hand.

I could go on almost indefinitely with various tests, and will

conclude with one of another kind. At a sitting in May in 1917 with
"Feda," Claude brought the spirit of a friend who, he said, had only
passed over a very few days before. A week later this man was
reported "missing" in the official list in the papers; no further news
was received of him. All dates and particulars were noted at the time
for future verification.

L. KELWAY-BAMBER
 I.—CLAUDE'S BOOK
HIS DEATH AND NEW LIFE

I WAS rather depressed as I went out to my machine that last

November morning, I don't know why. I certainly had no
presentiment of evil; but, once started, my spirits rose as usual, and I
felt quite cheery and singularly free from nervousness.

Many men here have since told me this rather curious fact, that on
the occasion of their last fight, whether in the air or in the trenches,
nervousness left them. I don't know whether the spirit instinctively
knows its fate and braces itself to meet it, or if one's spirit-friends are
able to make their presence and comfort felt at that supreme crisis,
but probably it was the only occasion on which I was absolutely free
of all fear.

When we were attacked by two enemy aeroplanes my feeling was

one of acute irritation, for we were on our way back after finishing
some work over the enemy lines. I felt harassed, too, as I climbed,
and turned, and dived here and there to attack. My observer said
something, and I remember putting the nose of the machine down to
get below one of our

1
2 CLAUDE'S BOOK

opponents, when I felt a terrible blow on my head, a sensation of

dizziness and falling, and then nothing more.

It may have been a fortnight or more later (we have no account of

"time" here, so I cannot be sure) that I became conscious again. I felt
dizzy and stupid but was not in pain, and on collecting my thoughts
and looking round, found myself in bed in an unknown room.

Before thought took definite form I felt I had been passing

through space. My body seemed to have become light. I wondered if
I was in hospital, and if anyone had written to tell you I was
wounded. Nurses moved about the room; if I attempted to talk or ask
questions a doctor came to my side and, putting his hand on my
head, soothed me to silence again.

Several more days must have passed. I rested, dozing and

peaceful; it never seemed to get dark.

On one occasion when the kindly doctor came to my bedside I

asked him where I was, and if my people knew of my whereabouts.
He did not soothe me to sleep, as usual, but sat down beside me.

"I want to have a talk with you and explain things," he said. "You
are not on the earth now; you are no longer on the Physical plane."
 HIS DEATH AND NEW LIFE 3

I didn't understand, and asked, "Surely I am in a private hospital?"

"No," he replied; "you have passed out of the physical body and
are in the state you used to know as having died."

I could not believe him. "Great Scot! You don't mean I'm dead!"

"We will use that term simply as it's the only one you understand
just now," he said. "You are alive and are starting the fuller and more
beautiful life;" but the feeling I had was one of sudden loss and
loneliness and almost desperation.

"Is my mother here, or have my father or brother come? If they are

not here I don't want to stay!"

"You will have to stay," was the reply; "and if you will only be
patient you will find life interesting and beautiful."

"It won't be interesting, it won't even be bearable if they are not

here," I exclaimed indignantly.

"Can I go to my mother? I must see her and know she can't see
me before I can believe what you say is true. I feel as if it were all a
dream."

Then a gentleman came to speak to me who I was told was my

grandfather, but as I had never seen him before it did not convince
me, and I felt as if I was living altogether in a dream.
4 CLAUDE'S BOOK

Others came who claimed to be relatives and friends, including

several ladies who kissed me but as I knew none of them I remained
inconsolable: and my friend the doctor promised, as soon as it was
suitable, I should be sent to see you, that the truth might be proved to
me.

A few days later I was told I was to be taken home to see you.

I can't remember the exact details of that evening, as I was shaken

with conflicting emotions which chased through me—joy, and fear,
and hope, and grief, and impatience, and almost despair of the
unknown future into which I had plunged without you.

I passed with the two friends who guided me through the Astral
plane to the earth. As we came nearer, the atmosphere became thicker
and misty, and the houses and everything seemed indistinct, the view
disappeared, and I found myself standing in your room at the foot of
your bed.

A terrible feeling of despair filled my heart, for I knew what I had

been told was true: I was indeed dead."

You were sitting up in bed in an agony of grief, the tears streaming

down your face, repeating my name over and over again, and calling
me, and saw me not.
 HIS DEATH AND NEW LIFE 5

I had expected a cry of joy, but it never came. I bent forward and
called as loudly as I could, "Mummy, I'm here; can't you see or hear
me?"

You made no reply. I went to your side and put my arms round
you, and though you were not conscious of my presence I seemed to
be able to soothe you, for you became calmer and lay down.

I felt as if I were fainting, and had no will to resist when my

guides took me away back to the hospital.

I felt, however, that your love was mine still; I could feel its power,
I understood it and realized it better than ever before. It was a
spiritual caress, and I felt it through every fibre of my body, and was
full of thankfulness. I knew, too, that in all my life your love had
never failed me, and that, even now, you would find a way, if it were
possible, to bridge the gulf between us—you would never let me
"drop out."

When I realized this, I knew the worst was over, and the bitterness
of death had passed…. Worn by my emotions, I slept and woke later
in quite a different mood.

I found a young man seated at my bedside who said, "Well, old

chap, we've pulled through." He has since become a friend of mine;
his name is
6 CLAUDE'S BOOK

"Joe" (you did not know him personally, but you know of him and
know whom I mean).

A sense of adventure now filled my mind; I felt full of health and

well-being, and was longing to explore this new country.

I jumped out of bed and dressed, and, escorted by Joe, my

grandfather, and quite a number of other relatives and friends, went
to a home that was ready for me.

This consisted of a bedroom and a jolly little sitting-room, a "den,"

with a piano, a sofa, and an arm-chair in it, in a house where there
was similar accommodation for other men. It stands in a delightful
garden.

I made up my mind to be happy and settle down in my new

surroundings as soon as I could. I asked one of my guides if it was
a "thought-world" we were in, though the ground felt quite
substantial to my feet; and he said, "It is more real and permanent
than the one you have left." I bent down and poked my finger in the
soil and found it left a hole, and the soil stuck under my nail….

We went for a walk through beautiful woods and fields; the turf
was springy, the air soft and clear, and soft sunshine over everything.

We then returned to the house and explored the

 HIS DEATH AND NEW LIFE 7

grounds. There is a beautiful fountain with sparkling water in it. I

made a cup of my hand and drank a little, but did not need it, and
asked my companion what would happen if I drank too much. "You
will not drink too much, that would be foolish; and if you were
foolish you would not be here, as each man earns his environment
by his conduct. By the working of the natural law you gravitate to
the place for which you are suited; what is within you draws you
automatically."

I bathed in a glorious lake the water of which was slightly scented.

It ran off my body as I stepped out, almost as if it were running off
marble or alabaster….

I became accustomed to my new life and found innumerable

friends, both new and old; all were ready and anxious to help me in
every way.

I asked to be taken to see you again, Mummy, but was told it was
inadvisable for a little while, as your mind was undergoing great
changes, and you were learning many psychic truths. I was told that
I was much blessed in my mother, for your grief had roused all the
spiritual in you, and my passing would not divide but unite us more
closely than ever before. And indeed it has proved so, for you know
that, after the war, had I come through it, I should
8 CLAUDE'S BOOK

probably have taken an appointment abroad and not been able to

come home for years; whereas as it is I come home and see you
every day and you feel my presence, and know you have only to
concentrate your thoughts on me, and your desire for my presence,
and the thought, "somehow and somewhere," will reach me and I will
come.
 DEATH'S SURPRISES

I DID not think of death often, Mum, even when I faced it every day,
for it all seemed so indefinite.

I quite hoped if I did "go out," in consideration of the fact that I

had tried to do my bit, I should find myself in Heaven; but the
prospect, honestly, as usually presented, did not appeal to me. You
know I didn't care very much for music, and the idea of sitting on a
throne clad in a white robe playing a harp sounded terribly boring,
so I trusted to luck and left it at that.

I know now the whole mistake lies in looking upon death as the
end of "activity" (with a renewal at some indefinite date), whereas as
a matter of fact it is an incident only, though a very important one, in
a continuous life. Your feelings, your memory, your love, your
interests and ambitions remain; all you have left behind (and even
that one cannot at first realize) is the physical body, which proves to
be merely the covering of the spiritual to enable it to function in a
material world.

Man truly is a spirit and has a body, not vice versa,

9
10 CLAUDE'S BOOK

I have told you that I, in common with hundreds of other men

here, go down to the battlefields to help to bring away the souls of
those who are passing out of their bodies.

We are suited for the work, having ourselves endured the horrors
of war. Spirits unused to it cannot bear the terrible sights and
sounds.

We bring them away so that they may return to consciousness far

from their mutilated physical bodies, and oh, Mum, I feel quite tired
sometimes of explaining to men that they are "dead!"

They wake up feeling so much the same; some go about for days,
and even months, believing they are dreaming.

"Death works no miracle," and you wake up here the same

personality exactly that left the earth-plane. Your individuality is
intact, and your "spirit-body" a replica of the one you have left, down
to small details—even deformities remain, though I am told they
lessen and disappear in time.

This is what makes it so difficult to realize one has crossed the

"great divide." If, when I woke to life here, I had found myself
floating about the clouds clad in muslin and with a pair of wings, I
should have realized the fact sooner. Incidentally, too, friends on
earth would believe the stories of
 DEATH'S SURPRISES 11

those who have "passed on" more readily in a setting of the kind I
have described. What they find difficult to understand apparently is
the very little change between life in the physical body and in the
spiritual.

People with narrow, set, and orthodox beliefs are puzzled by the
reality, the "ordinaryliness" (if I may coin a word), of the spirit-
world. If it were described to them as "flashes of light," "mauve and
sapphire clouds," "golden rivers," etc., it would more readily
approximate with their preconceived ideas. They require "mystery"
about this future life.

I often laugh when I hear them complain they can't believe in

"solid" things like houses and gardens in the spirit-world.

These same folk have always believed readily enough in "solid"

thrones, harps, crowns, etc., the perquisites of "the saved," which
things obviously must be supported on other equally substantial
substances—the thrones and harps on and in material floors and
hands, and the crowns on very solid heads, I imagine!

The first time I was sent down to help our enemies I objected, but
was told to remember they were fighting for what they believed to be
right and in
12 CLAUDE'S BOOK

defense of their country too. I saw rather an interesting meeting

between an Englishman and a German who had killed each other.
They met face to face and looked at each other steadily. The
Englishman held out his hand. His erstwhile enemy, taking it, said,
"What d—— fools we have been! "… As a matter of fact, I am not
doing so much battlefield work as many of the others, and only go
when there has been severe fighting and there is a great deal to do.
Sometimes we are all needed. I am being trained to be a teacher. Yes,
darling, I know you are surprised; but, you remember I used to be
good at explaining things; besides, you know too I was always rather
"bossy!"

These are not a bit like the lessons I hated in the old days. I am
studying science, which I always liked,—really and actually the
science of life, the cause of things,—and something of the
marvellous universe and of the natural laws which govern everything.
There is nothing miraculous about them—in fact, there is no such
thing as a "miracle." What seems so is merely a novel use of some
existing natural law. Nor can anything be "supernatural;" it may be
"super-normal." Man can create nothing; all new discoveries are
merely further knowledge of how to use latent force or power.
 DEATH'S SURPRISES 13

For instance, the vibrations harnessed by Marconi's ingenuity in

"wireless" telegraphy have always existed; he learned how to utilize
them. So, too, have the properties of radium, though it took years of
scientific research to discover them.

I realize enough, even in this short time, to know that the more one
learns the more truly humble one becomes, because it is only then
possible to know of the vast untouched fields of knowledge yet to be
explored, and it is only very ignorant people in these days who say
anything is "impossible" because it happens to be beyond their
particular understanding.

As to the theory that spiritual truths would have been "revealed" to

us if we had been intended to know them, that is an argument that
might be equally well applied to material matters. Neither railways,
telegraphs, telephones, microscopes, X-rays, nor any other modern
invention has been "revealed" to mankind without hard work; and if
these "temporal things" have required so much effort, why should
any one imagine that the spiritual things, which, being eternal, are so
infinitely more valuable, should be given to man without any trouble
on his part?

After all, spiritual things can only be spiritually discerned. It is

only striving for truth that makes
14 CLAUDE'S BOOK

the spirit grow; to lull it into a state of lethargy does not help it to
develop.

I tell you what it is: unless the Church wakes up and moves with
the times it will cease to exist in the future. The war has given it a
great opportunity.

Men will no longer be content with platitudes and unreasoning

belief. You must satisfy their minds as well as their hearts, which is
possible now that science and religion are not antagonistic.

Men cannot now be frightened with tales of hell fire. They have
learned that many roads lead to God. There is no "right of way"
which is a perquisite of any particular form of religion. The only one
that, will influence men at all is one that is full of common sense, that
makes everyday life worth living, and death no longer a dreaded
visitor but even a friend, for indeed it may be that.

This knowledge would not make earth life of less but of greater
value, for we should then realize and appreciate the fact that we are in
the world to be trained, to develop character, and learn self-discipline.
It would teach us to bear trials bravely and with understanding, that
now seem uncalled for and senseless. We should know that this
earth life
 DEATH'S SURPRISES 15

is only the "school-time" and preparation of the fuller life that

follows.

My duty and my business in future is to teach as I am, being

taught, for every one works here as he is best fitted. In helping
others in some way or other, many help those they love and have left
on earth, if they can get through to people there as I can to you; but
for those whose relatives, either through ignorance, fear, disbelief, or
religious bigotry, do not desire to get into touch with them, there is
work to be done by helping less developed spirits on the lower
spheres.

Do you know, I often bring men home to see you who are not in
touch with their own people, to prove to them that some at least on
earth realize we are still "living."

I can't understand the people who say that "spirit return is

possible, but wrong," because only "devils" or "evil spirits" can
communicate. Surely God would not reserve this His great comfort
and gift, the assurance of continued conscious existence, solely for
the wicked?
 CERTAIN "MUNDANE" MATTERS

I AM living on the third Sphere or Plane; we call it "Summerland,"

and some people "Paradise."

To turn to more mundane matters, darling, you want to know how

I eat? Well, my body absorbs all the nourishment it requires from
the atmosphere, like the leaves of trees do.

Even the air round the earth contains in different degrees and
solutions most of the elements that form our physical bodies there.

I don't actually sleep but I do sometimes feel tired, and then I lie
down and rest, and refresh myself by bathing in the lake.

Nothing can kill the soul, not even man himself; though
sometimes, if before the final separation of body and soul the illness
has been very severe, there has been brain disease, or the end has
been violent and sudden, the shock to the soul is very great, and it
may remain in a state of unconsciousness for many days or weeks,
till it is recovered sufficiently to awake in its new conditions. You
see, therefore, a suicide, far from escaping trouble, only goes from

16
 CERTAIN "MUNDANE" MATTERS 17

one form of misery to another; he cannot annihilate himself and pass

to nothingness.

How do I get about? I walk very often, at other times if necessary I

generate sufficient power, which I concentrate by effort of will within
my body, to take me anywhere with the speed of thought. Our
bodies are so light and so strong, it is easy to jump the highest wall
with the slightest effort; the atmosphere has not the same resisting
power to our bodies as it has to yours.

How I shall laugh, Mum, when you come here and I see you
jumping ten-foot walls!

Not that we do jump them, as it is not necessary, and we are

particularly taught never to waste force or energy.

When I first came over, I longed for you to be here, but I was told
that your earth work was not accomplished, and I must be patient—
there are so many wonderful things I want to show you and to tell
you about.

One reason why we have found it so easy to get into touch with
each other is because we are both psychic. Of course we neither of
us realized it before, but I can quite clearly understand and see it
now, and I see other things so differently too in the light of all the
knowledge I have gained.
18 CLAUDE'S BOOK

Music, and flowers, and things I should have thought it rather

"sentimental" to admire before, I thoroughly appreciate now.

In the spirit-world there is a stronger affinity between the spirit

and beautiful things than between any physical connection on the
earth-plane, perhaps because it is a more perfect expression of God.

There are beautiful birds and exquisite flowers, and many

pleasures. I go boating and golfing, but one must not take life in any
form, so I no longer fish.

You want to know about our houses? Well, they are built by
bricklayers and designed by architects as they would be on earth.

In the spirit-world all work is equally honorable, and each man

does that for which he is most fitted; if he is best at manual
employment, he realizes his limitations and has no foolish desire to
appear other than he is, as all work is done under beautiful
conditions. All are happy and free.

On earth certain forms of labor are looked down upon, because

those who perform them are ill paid and live under distressful
conditions; here all good work is recognized as valuable.

It is curious on looking at the world to see how

 CERTAIN "MUNDANE" MATTERS 19

many people there have chosen the wrong vocation.

In the spiritual socialism that will be law in my Arcadia on earth

some day, both the theoretical and practical men will realize their
responsibilities to each other and will live to right wrong.

The master will not say, "How little?" but "How much can I afford
to pay this man, to make his life agreeable, and not merely bearable?"
And the man will do his best honorably to give honest and interested
service in return as his right and share in the bargain.

I have told you before how certain things are made here, just as
they are on earth, largely of "gases." You see, vapors and "gases"
from lifeless matter are always rising from the earth. You can smell it
in decaying things, such as flowers, wood, leaves, etc. These in
disintegrating disperse quite a lot of matter into the air, which is
deposited in the different spheres round the earth.

The coarser on the lowest sphere, the finer rising to the higher, a
sort of chemical action, or a kind of gravitation (acting in a different
way to that on earth) attracts each density of gas to its suitable
environment—another example of the great law of the universe
which we do not yet understand.
20 CLAUDE'S BOOK

Out of this deposit, concentrated into solids by chemical action, all

substances here are made, such as bricks for the houses, material for
clothes, etc.

You want to know about clothes? Well, you can wear just what
you like here; there are no fashions to follow or appearances to keep
up. Though a very mixed array is the consequence it does not seem
incongruous, for here you dress to express yourself and not to
impress your neighbors.

I dress as I did with you, but some people wear white robes
because they think when out of the mortal body it is the correct thing
to do. If I chose to wear a tunic and sandals, or a "Beefeater's" get-
up, no one would laugh and jeer; they would realize it made me
happy, and that is reason enough.

Mummy, dear, I quite understand how difficult all I tell you about
my life here is for you to realize. I am quite sure in your place I
should never believe it, but it's true all the same!

The more one studies science the more possible it seems to

become. After all, the difficulty is in believing in things so real, so
strong, so substantial, and yet to most people invisible. Yet, when
you come to think of it, on earth there are many of the most "solid"
things made of gases and elements,
 CERTAIN "MUNDANE" MATTERS 21

which in their pure state are invisible. A large proportion of our

physical bodies, rocks (and some of the earth itself), for instance, are
made of oxygen, which is impalpable as well as invisible.

Undeveloped people are those who live only through the senses
and have not cultivated the intellect nor the spirit. To them what is
impalpable seems "impossible."

Some day we'll write some fairy tales of science together about the
wonderful further knowledge to be gained here—it's all so
extraordinarily interesting.

We might write a novel together too, and call it "The Growth of a

Soul," and trace its evolution through various incarnations. You and I
have been through many together (in different connections,
relationships, and sexes); that's why we are so particularly in affinity
with one another.

I'm not going to tell you you were "Boadicea," "Cleopatra," "Helen
of Troy," or any other famous or infamous female of past history, as
I sometimes hear spirit-wags telling other women, for they make fun
sometimes at the expense of those on earth if they are vain or
gullible.
22 CLAUDE'S BOOK

Will you be shocked, Mum, if I tell you what I have recently

done? (It sounds rather like the "Chamber of Horrors" at Madame
Tussaud's.) I went down to the Astral plane, searched for and made
friends with a murderer! He was a man who some years ago paid the
extreme penalty for killing his wife.

I did not seek him for curiosity,—that would have been

unjustifiable,—but because I was trying to trace the cause which led
to such a tragedy, and to find the "kink" in the man's character which
made the deed to him seem excusable. I found X.—a very decent
chap, fond of animals and children, a quiet, inoffensive little fellow.
He tells me he was driven positively mad by his wife; contempt and
loathing ended in hate of her.

She seems to have been an odious woman; he said she was coarse,
unfaithful, drank to excess, and "nagged" without ceasing, till he
absolutely became desperate. For about a year after be came over
here he had a terrible time, because he was sullen and full of hate and
rage; then he began to calm down and to see, however evil his plight
had been, he had no right to take her life. As soon as the desire for
improvement came, friends were ready to help him, and he is already
much happier, and
 CERTAIN "MUNDANE" MATTERS 23

working among those who come over full of misery and bitterness
as he himself did.

He never mentioned these unpleasant things about his wife at the

trial, as he might have done in order to try and extenuate matters
against himself. Poor devil, he was more sinned against than sinning,
I think!

… You do not delay my progress, as was suggested to you, by

keeping in touch with me. People on earth will not realize that you
cannot "summon" spirits any more than you can compel men on
earth to come and see you if they do not wish to do so.

In the spirit-world people choose what is best for their own

evolution.

If mortals desire the companionship of spirit-friends merely for

purposes of material gain, it does not of course do either of them
much good; but when love is the motive and mutual help the desire, it
is good for both, for helping others is the way of progress.

There is a wedge now being driven in to open the door between

the two worlds of matter and spirit, and I love to feel that I may be a
tiny splinter of that wedge.

This is an excellent opportunity of letting a little

24 CLAUDE'S BOOK

light and hope through which will help mankind, for I have explained
to you the creative power of thought. At present the earth is
enveloped in what looks like a thick grey mist caused by the
thoughts of cruelty, rage, grief, and pain that are continually
outpouring.
 THE CHRIST

I KNOW why you are all thinking especially of me to-day, darling.

It's an anniversary, my birthday into the spirit-world, I mean. I am
not going to call it the day I was "killed."

I do truly feel hundreds of years older sometimes. I seem to have

learnt so much since I came over, and yet at other times I sit at your
feet and rest my head against your knee, and it seems as if I were a
little boy again, and all these things had never happened!

Yes, I have seen Christ once, Mummy, and, remembering how

awe-inspiring the occasion was, cannot help wondering how any one
could imagine at death they would go straight to His kingdom, when
most of us have done so little to earn that beatitude!

I was told I should be allowed to see Him, but honestly at the time
I did not realize or appreciate the fact. I thought it would probably
mean going to a very high church with an elaborate ritual of pomp
and ceremony. When the appointed time came, my guides provided
me with a plain white

25
26 CLAUDE'S BOOK

robe to wear (you cannot attend the court of an earthly king without
suitable garments), and we passed through connecting shafts to the
Christ-sphere.

My general impression was that of brightness, almost dazzling;

the air scintillated like diamonds—it almost crackled, it was so full of
electricity; my feet had not a very firm grip of the ground.

There were bands and processions of people white-robed, all

going in one direction. They moved with uplifted faces, singing
beautiful music.

We joined the rear of one group, and were almost swept along on
a tide of intense feeling.

We came to a building without any walls. It consisted of a roof,

which seemed to be composed of interwoven rays of light of
different colors, supported by pillars which looked as if they were
made of mother-of-pearl.

There were crowds of people all round, and raised above all others
stood one glowing, radiant figure. I knew at once it was Christ, and
instinctively fell on my knees (though He is not like any picture I
have ever seen). I was so conscious of Him that I felt as if He was
bending over me. His eyes seemed to penetrate me, and produce a
wonderful glow. I felt uplifted in a culminating thrill of
 THE CHRIST 27

ecstasy. He was speaking, but I could not hear the words.

As I knelt there, many events of my life passed in review through

my mind. I could visualize them as pictures. My memory seemed
stored with records, not alone of the life I had just left, but of others
in the far-away past; and as the various scenes presented themselves
I seemed to realize the different lessons I had learned through these
experiences, and to know that all the events of my life had been
leading up to this.
 OF REINCARNATION

YOU want to know how it is I now believe in reincarnation, and say

that other spirits you find do not? Well, darling, we are still very far
from ultimate truth, and people here vary in their opinions and ideas
just as they did on earth. We are still learning, Mum; we have only
gone a little farther along the road of experience, and have by no
means reached the end of the journey. Yes, there is a Heaven, but it is
a long way off and has yet to be earned; even our very bodies, which
are still fairly material, will have to become more refined before we
are fitted for that.

I am told by friends here, that souls are sometimes reborn,

reincarnated, in order to gain further experience, learn more life-
lessons, or work out past sins and failings. Each earth life leaves its
mark on character, and its lessons are for ever imprinted on the
subconscious mind, which registers everything that has ever
happened to the soul from the beginning. This, they say, explains
much of the pain and trouble you see on earth. The sufferers are
learning lessons Which are necessary for their

28
 OF REINCARNATION 29

souls' growth, for man was put into the world to develop the
spiritual. They may have lived before, and neglected to learn them, or
they may be new souls going through these experiences in one or
other of the stages of their existence; it is all on the road of their
evolution.

Families, friends, sections of nations in the revolving cycle of time

reincarnate together very often, as they require the same experiences.

When you begin to think seriously about the subject and look and
study the people about you, you will be able to recognize that some
people are old souls and others new.

Past experiences, though not consciously remembered, tone down

crudities of character. Old souls have a sympathy, a strength, taught
of pain and discipline, and are therefore considerate for others.
When one knows many of the exceptionally gifted young men who
have passed over in this war, one realizes they may have been old
souls who gained their experience in the past and returned to earth
for a glorious culmination in this supreme sacrifice.

I have often heard people ask why God permits wickedness. If it

were impossible for man to sin, he would no longer be a free agent
but an automaton, As man is on earth to learn his lesson and
30 CLAUDE'S BOOK

develop his soul, he must have his mettle proved. There would be no
good without evil. Contrasts exist and are necessary; just as day and
night, wet and fine, heat and cold, pleasure and pain, are only realized
and appreciated through their opposites.

Old souls have learnt also to keep in touch with and draw from the
"God-force" the actual Source of Life. Psychically developed people
are especially in contact with it.

The soul has a separate consciousness. Many people's souls leave

their bodies in sleep habitually, or under anaesthetics, and travel to
various places; some, on awaking, are able to remember the scenes
they have visited—and this memory can be cultivated. So you see the
difference between sleep and death for some people is not very great
after all, nor the passing painful nor difficult. It only means on one
occasion they leave their bodies to return no more.

With reference to the discussion in the paper on it reincarnation,"

you say some women think it almost a desecration to believe their
babies have lived before and been perhaps even "harlots," "thieves,"
or other undesirable persons. This sounds as if they presupposed
themselves to be new souls.

I am told, whatever those babies may have been

 OF REINCARNATION 31

in previous lives (if they have lived on earth before), their mothers
have earned those particular babies.

I mean, souls don't return promiscuously to any body, in any

family. There is a sequence in their lives that necessitates their
coming to one particular environment. It is part of the natural law,
and works automatically.

Their mothers may have owed them something—a debt of love

they failed to pay in a previous existence, or a trust they betrayed.

If the baby had been a "harlot" in the past, perhaps the mother in
those days was the lover who first betrayed her, or even a vain, cruel,
careless, or neglectful mother before, who failed in her duty to her
child, and was the cause of her downfall.

Perhaps that child or another is sent to her that she may "make
good;" it may be her opportunity. People should always do a
kindness when they can, even if it is not appreciated or
acknowledged, for it may be a chance of repaying a debt.

Souls do not come in the same relationship to each other every

time, and not even as the same sex sometimes. A well-developed soul
is one that has functioned in both sexes, and so has gained
experience.
32 CLAUDE'S BOOK

To look at it another way, it is also equally open to every woman

to believe (or hope) if she likes that she and her baby did such good
work when they were in the world before, that they have come back
to continue it, for this happens too sometimes.

Here we are continually taught that the highest service is to help

one another, and this is the best way for some people to do it.

I promised I would tell you all I had learnt of our previous lives
together, yours and mine. It is not very much.

My guides showed me a number of pictures in a series of visions

illustrating these lives.

There must have been many more than I know anything of, for in
the first we were versed in many of the occult mysteries and rites of
ancient Egypt. I saw that country thousands of years ago. There
were wonderful buildings with huge pillars, and the dazzling
sunshine and heat of the East.

We were brother and sister, I was told, and were attached to the
court of the Pharaoh, a sort of "lady and gentleman in waiting." We
also had a great deal to do with the temple, and the priests, and
religious services. It was probably in this connection we were at the
court.

I know we spent much time walking in the temple

 OF REINCARNATION 33

processions, and I saw you a tall woman, with a good figure and an
upright carriage, in a purple robe and overdress trimmed with gold,
and a sort of cloak of some skin falling at your back, your forehead
bound low down with abroad fillet of gold with hieroglyphics on it.
You wore bracelets of gold and other ornaments in the way of
earrings and necklaces. (You looked jolly fine, Mum!)

I used to wear on these occasions a sort of tunic trimmed with

gold, and sandals laced up to the knee with the same precious metal.
I was quite pleased with my appearance, till I discovered that I also
wore an enormous wig that stuck out a foot round my head in every
direction. It amused me very much. I must have looked a perfect
sight! But if that was the fashion at the time, I have no doubt I was
very pleased with the effect then. I don't know what happened, or our
subsequent history, on that occasion.

In the next scene we were walking along a dusty Eastern road in

Palestine. The country on either side looked sun-baked, and rough,
and bare, with a few thorny bushes growing here and there. This
time you were a young matron about twenty-two, and were carrying
your baby. You were wearing a blue robe embroidered round the
edge, and a
34 CLAUDE'S BOOK

kind of veil over your head. (You had the face of a Madonna.) You
were the wife of a notary, a man known for his goodness and
benevolence.

I was about nineteen, a girl too, your bosom friend, and in the
scene I describe was walking beside you with my arm round your
waist. We were Christians, and it was in the early days of
Christianity.

That time I was shown the end of the life story. Some terrible
plague, or epidemic, broke out in Jerusalem, and you and I used to
go among the sick poor carrying food and medicine. Later, I saw
you in a comatose condition at the point of dissolution, while I knelt
beside you, stricken too, and praying that death should not divide us.
What happened to your husband and the baby I don't know.

The next scene was, I should imagine, somewhere in the Near East
(possibly in the Balkans). This time we were both young men,
brothers. We wore picturesque garments (rather like a musical
comedy), and seemed to be leaders of a band of fighters, and we
appeared to enjoy our rough, wild life thoroughly. What happened to
us later I don't know. Yes! it does seem as if we had not "advanced"
much that time. Perhaps we required to be more strenuous, and so
were given the opportunity
 OF REINCARNATION 35

unity of cultivating what is commonly called "grit!" There are new

souls, too, always coming into the world, and I am told much of the
sin in it is due to ignorance and inexperience; so, too, is the narrow-
mindedness.

When anyone is sure they know everything, or think they

understand the limitations of nature, or are bigoted in religious
matters, you can believe it is that they have very little soul-experience,
for old souls learn the tremendous power of God, and realize how
infinitesimal is man.

I have never seen a spirit yet who has seen God, and yet here you
know you live because you are just a particle from the Divine….

You say it hurt you to hear that poor woman who spoke through
the other medium the other day; she seemed so terribly unhappy and
uncomfortable. Well, poor woman, she was so unready to pass out
of the world. She was killed suddenly through an accident while in
perfect health.

She was a very worldly woman, and could not believe it when she
came to herself and found she had left her mortal body. She had no
real belief in "life after death," and felt she was in a dream and a very
unhappy one, for, alas for herself, she had in her life on earth
laughed her husband out
36 CLAUDE'S BOOK

of all belief in it too! And she realized the difficulty she would have
in undoing this mistake.

As you make the conditions of your own life after death by your
state of spiritual development, you can imagine some people, whose
spiritual faculties have dwindled till they have become atrophied,
almost a negligible quantity, in fact,—can see no beauty here; in fact,
they live under unpleasant conditions.

Some people are earth-bound. All their interests are there, and they
return for that contact with men and the old conditions they crave.

I know it is difficult to understand why discarnate souls should

still hanker after material and sometimes gross pleasures. It is
because while on earth their senses ruled them, and stamped and
coarsened the soul, instead of the spirit refining and purifying the
body.

As I have already told you, for some time after people come here
they continue to feel as if they were still in a mortal body. You can
realize this in a small way from what is, alas, a common occurrence
nowadays. Any soldier who has had the misfortune to lose a limb
will tell you he can feel pain, discomfort, or irritation in it for days
after it has been amputated.
 OF REINCARNATION 37

In this way spirits continue for some time after they have left them
to "feel" their bodies after death, and you know from experience now
that the first time a spirit returns through a medium, the death
condition is generally reproduced or indicated.
 GUIDES, INSPIRATION, AND GOD

YOU say you have heard so much of "Spirit-guides" to people on

earth, and want to know who appoints these, and why? "Guardian
Angels" I suppose they used to be called. Well, no one appoints
them; they are spirit-friends attracted by something in the individual
which appeals to them, and they try to influence and help those in
whom they take an interest.

They may be earth-friends or relatives who having passed on still

keep the bond of affection that held them while here, though they are
often strangers attracted by mutual interests, who try literally to
inspire those on earth. This does not mean in religious matters only;
it applies to art, science, engineering, medicine, or any other subject.
Can't you imagine a musician here, revelling in beautiful harmonies,
trying to instil into the mind of an earthly musician some of the
glorious sound which gives him such joy, and which he knows will
benefit and uplift those still in the "bonds of the flesh"? or an artist
surrounded by this exquisite beauty trying to inspire the mind of a
friend, so that he may

38
 GUIDES, INSPIRATION, AND GOD 39

see with truer, clearer vision the hidden wonders that surround him?
or a man of science or an engineer trying to impress the mind of a
friend on earth with a new discovery or invention?

These things are being done every day, and the "flashes of genius "
which illumine the world occasionally are the result of the influence
of spirit-minds on the minds of those still in the world. When men
realize it is possible to get help from these sources they will do great
things, for to those who have passed on, the sources of information,
though not limitless, are vast in comparison with those on earth. The
secrets of Atlantis and ancient Egypt are obtainable if they care to
work to learn them.

I have told you here, too, "like attracts like." If a human being is
spiritually and intellectually undeveloped, and lives only in the
senses, the spirit-friends he attracts are of a very undesirable order.
They are the souls of those who had no wish to live anything but a
life of animal gratification, and still hang about the world and their
old haunts continually, trying to get a kind of second-hand indirect
pleasure from the doings of the people who now follow in their
footsteps.

Having told you something of "Guides," I will tell you now of

some charming Elementals, and
40 CLAUDE'S BOOK

I'll give you an epigram, Mum. "Everything in animal life and the
flower and vegetable kingdom in its highest development takes a
certain resemblance to humanity, because the human entity is the
highest expression of life demonstrating in a physical way on the
earth-plane." For instance, you know when a dog or horse is loved
and cared for by anyone it is said the animal becomes "almost
human" in its intelligence. There are nature thought-forms, some of
which are made by the emanations, the "excess life," as it were, from
the flowers. These are the so-called "Fairies," which are not, as we
supposed when we outgrew childhood, merely a charming figment
of imagination, but actually exist and were seen in the beginning by
those who lived in touch with nature and had unspoiled eyes to see
the wonders and beauties of God's world. These creatures have
intelligence without being intellectual, and are almost human in form.
You want to know why they take this form? Well, all life must take
some form when it emanates, and why not this? After all, there is no
resemblance between the tiny seed you sow in the ground and the
beautiful flower that springs from it eventually. The thought-forms
of flowers are the spirit side of their life on the physical plane, and
they are stronger than human thought
 GUIDES, INSPIRATION, AND GOD 41

forms, for the life that goes to them is a steady continuous stream,
while that supplied by human thought varies and fluctuates.

The flowers here have no spirit-forms, for they are themselves

spirits.

I know you sometimes find it very difficult to follow my

explanations, and I find it difficult to explain, for our experiences are
limited, and language is limited and is inadequate to express spiritual
things. It is like trying to explain the glories of a splendid sunset to a
man who was born blind. After all, we can only judge things by past
impressions, and when these are lacking we can only believe, if we
are willing to accept them, through faith the evidence of things
unseen."…

You want to know what I feel about Religion now, and if my ideas
on reincarnation have changed my ideas of Christ? Well, darling, I
will answer the last question first.

I believe that Christ is a great and wonderful personality, a great

Spirit in the form of a man, as near as possible to God, because the
God-force plays so strongly in and through Him, a fit instrument
and receiver of that power.

There was a specific reason why Christ was sent. God specially
directed Him; the consciousness of
42 CLAUDE'S BOOK

God within Him was very acute. He knew He was the instrument
and child of God.

He was sent to be man's example for all time, to teach how pure,
and holy, and simple, and dignified, and useful, and beautiful life
could be without any of the material aids of money or social position,
to prove the individual continuity of life after death. But He did not
come to save men from the results of their sins. It is a comfortable
theory, but not true.

Here we learn that every man has to earn his own salvation. Sin is
a breaking of God's laws, and carries its own inviolable
consequences, which must be worked out by each individual
personally. You might as well set the law of gravity in motion and
expect it not to act.

Christ's followers claimed His death as a sacrifice for sin, for they
naturally looked upon God only as the people of their day knew
Him—that is, as a tyrannical Jehovah whose altars ran with the blood
of sacrificed animals.

As man evolves he gets nearer spiritual truth, and we know here

that this is infinitely greater and more wonderful than anything ever
yet told. One realizes the presentation of God usually taught on earth
is utterly incorrect. He is not a glorified,
 GUIDES, INSPIRATION, AND GOD 43

mortal sitting on a golden throne, not a vengeful nor jealous God—

not, in a way, even a "personal" God to be propitiated to grant special
gifts to a favored few. He is not finite, but infinite; but, because it is
so difficult to realize so vast a fact, we feel on earth we want to locate
and limit our idea of God to bring it within our understanding.

God is everywhere and in everything: in the trees, in the flowers,

in the air, and in the sunshine. God is all good, all beauty, all purity.

God is not limited, nor existing only in the seven spheres, He is

also in the space beyond, for He fills all space.

The whole Universe is of God; the Planets revolve from the power
of God within them, touched and supported by power without.

God is creative, from Him all life springs. Elemental man is a

manifestation of God-power through form, which in the lower
creation is manifest in a different way, though he can deteriorate to
less than they.

All life as projected into human bodies is therefore a "bit of God,"

and we are in consequence truly His sons and by that fact immortal.

God works automatically. Those who live harmoniously with His

laws can draw great power;
44 CLAUDE'S BOOK

they find too, in time, that soul satisfaction which brings the peace
that passes all understanding.

I don't only know this, but feel actually conscious of it: if you are
a ray of the sun you cannot mistake yourself for a tallow candle.
This is why it is untrue and incorrect to teach men they are
"miserable sinners" by birth. The body is not the man; his spirit is of
God. However ignorant of the fact a man may be, his soul away in
its dim consciousness knows this, and often in an emergency the
"spark divine" asserts itself, and the man rises to the great occasion.
It has been proved many times in this war.

God's laws are so steady, so regular, so businesslike, they can

operate to great advantage in commercialism or organization of any
kind on earth, provided these things are brought into line with them.
 A DAY'S WORK

YOU want me to give you details of a typical day of my life? You

know there is no time here—that is only a limitation of the earth-
plane—so we will make it a day by your calculations, and suppose
we begin at midnight, for that is when I come for you.

You know, for I have often told you, how when your body sleeps
your soul comes over here and we spend hours together, you have
sometimes dimly remembered things that happened as in a dream.
Thousands of people come over in this way every night, and are
more awake and alive while here than on earth in their mortal bodies.
To do this, people must be spiritually evolved to a certain degree.
Well, we go together to various places; sometimes we work on the
third sphere among those who have just wakened in the spirit-world,
and are bewildered, and puzzled, and strange in their new
surroundings. We explain to them where they are and bring their
friends to see them.

I know it seems curious to you that you should be able to do this

even better than I, as you are still

45
46 CLAUDE'S BOOK

in a mortal body; but that is the very reason. You see, you are the
"half-way house," as it were, for along that little cord that connects
your soul and body are travelling thoughts and desires of the world
in which you live. You are therefore more in touch with the earth and
bring its atmosphere with you, and so feel more familiar to one who
has just come over. You are still controlled and limited by your
earth-body while connected with it.

Night before last we were helping a boy whom we could not make
realize his new condition, when his mother came, to whom he had
been devoted (she had been in the spirit-world two years). He burst
into tears and said, "I know now I am dreaming, for my mother is
dead and I shall never see her again." His mother put her arms round
him and kissed him, and we left them together.

The meetings and reconciliations here are wonderful and touching;

you and I often hug each other for very joy and sympathy….

On other occasions I take you to see one of the beautiful scenes in

the higher spheres which I have described to you. We have been
together to the "Blue" country, where there are a series of wonderful
mountains which impress one by their curiously
 A DAY'S WORK 47

calm grandeur: no rugged rocks, nor jagged outlines; the heights are
majestic but smooth and rounded, and surround one on every side.
As far as eye can see the color everywhere is blue of varying shades,
from almost grey on the mountain-tops to purple in the valleys, and
every intermediate shade wonderfully blended in between.

Color has wonderful properties. In this case each color is confined

to a certain particular locality. For a few miles away everything is
varied in the normal manner. There is also a "Pink" country and a
"Yellow" one. You get these effects on earth sometimes for a few
minutes in the glow of a sunset.

Blue is a spiritual color, pink a love condition, and yellow an

intellectual one.

These color-effects help spirits, not by giving, but by stimulating

the perception of those particular qualities. As you know, here in the
"Summerland" spirits are still learning and progressing, but are very
far from perfection.

Many come over here well developed mentally but lacking in

spirituality; others are very spiritual but require that mental quality
which is necessary if their spirituality is to be more than a divine
ecstasy; while some have neglected to cultivate
48 CLAUDE'S BOOK

along with these good gifts enough of that love and charity which is
essential to those who are willing to bear each other's burdens and so
fulfill that law of Christ, which is the true way of progress.

People on earth are now recognizing the properties of color and

are beginning to use it in a small way. It is useful for the cure of
certain diseases, for it has a marked effect on mental conditions, and,
as you know, various colored lights cause certain curious changes in
plants and flowers.

When it is time for you to return I take you back and then go
home for a rest. I bathe in the lake, and, refreshed, go either to earth
again to help on the battlefield, or if I am not required for that I go
on with my study of psychic laws.

After this, it would now be your afternoon, I have some recreation

and amuse myself; later I go to look up friends on earth. On other
days I listen to music, which is beautiful here beyond description: it
thrills one. You know I used not to care very much about it on earth
before I came over.

Tell Daddy when he plays the piano in the evenings I see his
music in "colors" all the time. Nearly all major keys are like primary
colors: "C" and "G" specially look red and yellow, "E" not so
decidedly; "D," "F," and "A" are secondary
 A DAY'S WORK 49

colors such as mauve and green and certain shades of violet.

"B" is white. The sharps and flats are varieties of these; they tinge
of blended colors. The colors vary in relation to the other notes
played; for instance, "C" sharp, though actually the same note on the
piano, is different when used as "D" flat.

Occasionally I talk to most interesting people, men who were

noted on earth and left their mark there as great statesmen, scholars,
poets, musicians, teachers, etc. There, of course, I should never have
known them,—differences of age, wealth, position, etc., would have
made it impossible,—but here there are no artificial barriers, and a
community of interest is a sufficient bond of friendship.

You say you are surprised some of the men I mentioned have not
progressed higher. Well, they could have done had they so desired,
but many are anxious to help those on earth still, to see work and
ideas through that they themselves originated; others have remained
to help their friends through this world crisis.

When you get beyond the third sphere contact becomes more
difficult, and it is only when you begin to feel "impersonal" and have
no direct interest
50 CLAUDE'S BOOK

left in people on the earth-plane that you desire to go on.

Eventually these spirits will probably progress more quickly

through this work, for as they give help to those below it is also
given to them, according to their needs, by higher spirits.

The law of compensation works in this way even in your world,

for there, if love is given unselfishly, generously, and wisely, it will
be returned in greater measure by spirits in the higher life by thought
and influence which will materialize according to the requirements of
the earth-plane.

Meanwhile, life is very happy here and full of interest; even the
grief and pain of those you love and have left behind does not affect
one in the old way, for one can see beyond the trouble of the day and
know it is only for a little while.
 VARIOUS PEOPLE, CHILDREN, AND
AFFINITIES

W HAT makes this place so interesting is the variety of the people in

it, just as the world is interesting for the same reason. It would be
very dull if human beings were all exactly of the same stereotyped
pattern physically and mentally. I think that is what made the old
idea of the conventional Heaven so uninviting; either you would have
had to lose all individuality and become an "angel to pattern," so as
to be suitable to the environment, or else one would have to lose
one's sense of humor; for can't you imagine the idea of one's friends,
large and small, old and young, fat and thin, some with some
knowledge of music, others with none at all, sitting, clad in white,
playing harps?

As a matter of fact, when we do eventually get to that Heaven

which I believe exists, we probably shall have become "stereotyped"
to a certain extent, for we shall be so refined as to have become "all
spirit," and so nearer God. Probably our joy then may be in music,
for it is, I suppose, the most exquisite sense, and even here it has
held me thrilled

51
52 CLAUDE'S BOOK

and spellbound; and you know I am not musical, and could rarely
rise to anything higher than a catchy, popular melody, or
"chopsticks," to which you so much objected!

I suppose these ideas in the first place started through the visions
of saints who did not realize they were seeing states "afar off," and
thought they were conditions soon after death….

One amusing man I have met here is quite a "crank" in his way.
He says he thinks, after having passed through the seven spheres of
which we have heard, that spirits must pass on still farther, as
otherwise even these places would be overcrowded eventually: he
thinks they may go to the moon! He has no grounds for this theory;
it is, he acknowledges, purely his own idea! If reincarnation is a fact,
as I believe it is, then of course there would be no overcrowding, for
so large a number of spirits are constantly returning for further earth
experience. In any case, as it is probably several thousands of years
away, there will be plenty of opportunity to study it farther on!

I also know some men here who are very keen on engineering and
are trying to invent laborsaving devices of every kind.

They think it will be possible to invent tiny

 PEOPLE, CHILDREN, AND AFFINITIES 53

machines which will enable men to fly, not by sitting in an aeroplane,

but by propelling each individual separately through the air—not
high, just a little above the ground. It would require very great power
very much compressed into a small space, so that you could strap,
say, a large knapsack on your back and sail along above the ground
without fatigue. It may come some day, but not in your time, I think,
Mum.

Another man I know thinks moving pavements raised about fifteen

feet above the road, on the principle of the staircases at the tube
stations, will be used in large and crowded cities.

They would go in one direction on one side of the road and in the
opposite on the other, with stairs and stationary platforms at
intervals. There would be no attendants required, for no tickets
would be necessary; the expenses would go on to the rates and it
would be free to all—though I acknowledge the small boys would
find it irresistible till they got used to the novelty of it! This would
save a certain amount of vehicular traffic. There would still be the
ordinary pavement below for those who wished to walk slowly or
shop-gaze.

You want to know something further about the

54 CLAUDE'S BOOK

children who come over? You remember at first you were quite
surprised when I described your brother John to you, and did not
recognize him when I told you he was a grown-up man; you had
always thought of him as still remaining a little child.

He looks only about my age: of course in earth-life he would have

been over forty. Here little ones grow up but never become old, for
they have no cares and worries nor the pains of a material body to
trouble them.

Many women here care for these little ones. Some have left
children on earth they loved; others, the childless, who love children,
look after them. Every child, even if unwanted on earth, can find a
loving mother here.

Many an earth-mother comes over at night when her body sleeps

to see her baby, and though with her limited conscious mind she
may think of it as an infant always, her spirit-mind knows the facts,
as she will recognize when she herself comes here permanently.
These children grow in soul and mind and body, which is just as
strong and more substantial than an earth-body, for it is
indestructible.

They are all beautiful in varying degrees. They learn very quickly,
for their minds are open: they
 PEOPLE, CHILDREN, AND AFFINITIES 55

have no consciousness that evil exists, so more readily absorb all

they are taught here, and they very soon go on to the higher planes.

While on the third sphere they return to earth to play with children
there. It is part of their education, and enables them to understand,
and so later to help others still in the mortal body.

As many children in the world are clairvoyant they often see these
spirit playfellows, and if they could keep this consciousness it would
often be a help to them in later life.

Unfortunately, many grown-up people who do not understand

these facts discourage the idea, and so in time the child loses this
consciousness. The children here all see Christ: they seem to
instinctively understand Him and His Mother. Having occupied a
mortal body such a short time they easily go back to the things of
the Spirit….

Now you want to know what happens when one of a married pair
dies young and the other lives to be old? Well, it depends to a certain
degree on the life of the one left on earth as to what extent death
separates them. The few years of time would not actually make much
difference. I will give you some examples of cases I know here, and
explain through them what I mean. The actual soul does not "age"
56 CLAUDE'S BOOK

permanently, though it carries the impress of the body when it first

comes over, but by degrees here, freed from material cares, the signs
of "age" disappear and the spirit-body looks like that of an adult in
the prime of life and in perfect health. You can't tell by looking at a
person in the ordinary way on the earth-plane how their souls would
look at first on release from the body; you might judge from the
character, perhaps.

I know a man here (let's call him "Charles") who came over
fourteen years ago, leaving his wife (we never speak of widows
here), to whom he was devoted. They were true affinities and
spiritually developed people, and though not spiritualists professedly
she was so conscious of her husband's continued existence that she
lived as far as she could as she knew he would wish.

She neglected no duties, made no parade of her great grief, and

studied in every way in order to be his mental and spiritual equal
when she should rejoin him. She came over recently, and on this
account looks as young as he does.

I know another case of a different kind (let's call the husband

"Tom "), of a young couple married at the beginning of the war. He
was killed at the Front a year after.
 PEOPLE, CHILDREN, AND AFFINITIES 57

His wife made a great parade of her grief, wore elaborate,

expensive, and becoming mourning, and even contemplated suicide,
but decided it was too painful! She then found she could get into
communication with Tom. Eventually he was not permitted to return
to speak to her, for she only wanted him to help her in various
material ways, and made him unhappy with continual reproaches and
grumbling. Being out of the physical world he was no longer in a
position to help her there, but she had no interest in spiritual or even
intellectual things. Under these circumstances her soul will not of
course develop properly, and so will "age" for lack of care.

She has married again, but "Tom" does not grieve; he quite
understands they were unsuited to one another, and had they lived on
earth longer together would soon have discovered it.
 THE DIFFICULTIES OF COMMUNICATION

THERE is no subject probably that requires to be considered with

such care as this of "spiritualism." You understand how essential it
is to use your own judgment in the matter, and common sense in
weighing all you are told.

There are so many limitations to be considered—the sitter's, the

medium's, and the spirit's; and these are very severe.

In communicating, the spirit-message comes first from the spirit,

who has to concentrate to give it to the "control" (the spirit actually
using the medium's organization), who has to impress it on the
medium's brain to such an extent that the nerves and muscles of the
mouth and tongue of the medium will respond to the action of the
brain, and will speak the message as it has been given.

I often think it wonderful how much does come through, when

one realizes the many difficulties.

The bias of the medium's mind, impressions from the sitter's

subconscious self, unconscious telepathy from other minds, and so
forth, all have to be taken into consideration.

Telepathy is not so easy as some people imagine;

58
 DIFFICULTIES OF COMMUNICATION 59

if it were, there would be no difficulty in satisfying any sitter who

went to a medium, for they would only have to do some mind-
reading, whereas many go empty away.

You say spirits so often through mediums say that the sitters have
great work to do, wonderful talents, etc., and you can't understand it,
as these people do nothing in particular eventually. Well, their spirit-
friends may see they have the capacity; as to whether they will make
use of it is another matter. Just as in school a master may realize that
many of his boys have exceptional talent in various directions, and
may say so, it does not follow that they will do well in life, for it
entirely depends on their use of their capabilities. By being told of
their possibilities, their ambition may be roused to make special
efforts.

Try and develop your own psychic powers, if they are sufficient to
make it worth your while for your own comfort, and certainly every
one should try and cultivate "spiritual gifts." Of course they are not
synonymous terms. It is possible to be very psychic and not at all
spiritual. Psychic talent is a "gift," like music, painting, writing, etc.,
and like these can be used for beautiful and good things or the
reverse.
60 CLAUDE'S BOOK

Every one can learn to live in two planes, the material and the
spiritual, to be a "practical mystic," to know the truths and wonders
and beauties of the life spiritual as well as to perform the duties and
enjoy the pleasures of the life physical.

Many people would be great in the highest sense of the word, if

they would only believe that the source of unlimited good and
knowledge is there to draw upon. The supply is unlimited, the only
limitation being their own capacity.

We know and remember in the spirit-world everything that has

happened in our earth-life (that is, if we wished to remember we
could do so), as the subconscious mind is so active here. If I could
come and speak to you direct with my spirit-mouth you would get
any test you wanted, but as it is I have to operate through a strange
brain and personality.

People sometimes say, "Why does my loved one not come to me

direct?" The "loved one " probably does very often, but cannot make
himself seen or heard, and if be could, might frighten his relatives if
they did not understand.

The "controls" chosen for mediums are generally

 DIFFICULTIES OF COMMUNICATION 61

children or other what we call "uneducated people," because their

brains are more or less "blank" and pliable; otherwise you can
imagine it would add still further difficulties and limitations to
communications.
 THE SPHERES AND THE SOURCE OF ALL
POWER

OUR bodies here are not made of ether; we call them that as they are
the bodies in which we manifest on the "Etheric" Sphere.

Your physical bodies are walking about on a physical plane; they

are of the earth earthy. Though you call them "physical" they do not
look like the earth really; they look like a thing apart.

Our Sphere is in the Ether, resting on the Ether, not on nor near
the earth-plane, nor interpenetrating the earth as some people think.
Our Spheres are built of and formed in Ether, therefore you can call
them "Spiritual" or "Etheric" planes as you like. My body as I exist
on that Spiritual or Etheric plane is a spiritual or etheric body, just as
my physical body was termed "physical" when I was functioning in
the physical plane. We derive the name of the body from the plane
we are on; "physical" body for physical plane, "astral" body for
astral, and "etheric" body for etheric plane.

My present body is made of chemicals, and gases, and atoms—

atoms certainly of a finer kind than one

62
 SPHERES AND SOURCE OF ALL POWER 63

gets on the earth-plane. These are held together in much the same
way as the atoms of the physical body, but this body does not
disintegrate in the same way as the physical one does, because the
life on the third Sphere is sure to be as long and perhaps many times
longer than the one on the earth-plane.

There is something substantial about my spirit-body. Suppose I

had to leave the third Plane and to go to the fifth, sixth, or seventh
Plane (for good I mean, not for a visit). I know then my entire etheric
body would undergo a change: the atoms would be of a still lighter
kind, because the nearer I go to the God-force, or Life-force, the
more actual Life-force there is running through my body and
holding those atoms together.

Because of this greater force in the higher spheres we would

require less chemical matter.

On the third Plane the body in the way of its chemical constituents
would be very much like that of the earth-plane—not so much in
quantity, but the same in kind. Is it not correct that hydrogen and
similar gases or chemicals can be obtained in a grosser or coarser or
in a more refined state, a lighter state—lighter in pressure? Our
bodies are made of the extremely refined variety.

Take coal, Mummy, for example; you can set

64 CLAUDE'S BOOK

it alight in the raw state, and you have a coarse flame of gas, or even
if we don't light it we know there is gas there of a coarse kind.

If that gas is taken and put through certain processes it becomes

purer and more refined in nature, simply because it has passed
through those processes. It has passed through and over something,
and is farther from its foundation in the lump of coal. The gas is
drawn from the coal and blown right across steam, and when it
reaches the other side it is caught in a purer state.

Now we come to the point. The gases and chemicals that go to

make up our physical bodies, we know, need not be drawn only from
the surface, or just above it, of the earth-plane.

We have proved those gases exist some distance from the earth-
plane. The farther you go the purer and more refined in nature are
those gases and chemicals. Just as your physical body is made of
the grosser gases which belong to the earth-plane, so our bodies are
made of the finer gases which exist in the air or atmosphere of our
plane.

I'll give you a little chart (see page 72). Draw a round for the earth;
around that put seven circles one outside the other, for the seven
spheres. Outside those, filling all space, is an enormous force, an
 SPHERES AND SOURCE OF ALL POWER 65

actual force which seems to contain or consist of many strong

powers or forces that we think we have discovered on the earth-
plane—electricity to wit, radium, etc.; but there are many more still
undiscovered on the earth-plane, but which we know are contained in
this, the God-force or Life-force.

Electricity was always there, but we did not know how to use it. I
am mentioning "radium" and "electricity" because you might
otherwise ask me what force it is, and why we call it a force. We
know it's a force because we know that everything that has life is
animated by that force, and the farther you go from the earth-plane
and the nearer you go to it the more you can feel the force.

Electricity is only one of the many constituents of the force, but

we know there are other manifestations of power in it; but we don't
know what to call them yet, as they have not been discovered on the
physical plane, where God meant all His work and all His goodness
to be discovered by man. Man names these things and attains
consciousness and understanding and control over them. In the
spirit-world we don't call them by a name, we understand it's one
enormous power, and we don't give it a name—we just feel it, and
know it's there; but as
66 CLAUDE'S BOOK

this power penetrates through the spirit-spheres and reaches the

earth-plane it seems to become divided into different forms or
manifestations of power—that is to say, it is in man's power to use it
for different purposes.

Though it seems to come in a massed condition, as it touches the

earth-plane it divides itself into different manifestations or kinds of
power. Man has only of late years learnt to use some of these
powers and to draw off and conserve a certain part, such as
electricity, for instance. With electricity he has learnt how to draw
upon, to "generate it," as he calls it—which means he has learnt to
draw part of the massed power and to convert it to one particular
species of form of power.

I have told you before, the God-force holds together every thing
on the earth-plane—animates it. Take a humble thing—a cabbage,
for instance. I say it's the God-force (or Life-force, if you prefer to
call it that) in that cabbage that keeps it alive. When that force is
withdrawn it dies, disintegrates (some would-be wit will say, "What
about the God-force when it's boiled?"). The boiling process would
eliminate some of the Life-force, and what remained would be
changed or converted to a different form. Some people will say, "It's
all nonsense;
 SPHERES AND SOURCE OF ALL POWER 67

the cabbage is composed of so many ounces of this, and so many

drams of that." Quite right, it may be so; and it's only held there and
manifested because the God- or Life-force has projected, and is
holding it there. Directly the Life-force is gone, one of the gases
begins to get less, and the cabbage decays and gets mouldy; then
another material is forced out, for it is only the Life-force which is
keeping and holding them together. I'll give you a crude illustration.
Suppose you want to make a lump of plaster. You get the dry
powder and bind it together with some water. The God- or Life-force
is to all atomic matter what the water is to dry matter—it consolidates
it.

The whole Universe is full of revolving atoms, but unless they are
gathered and solidified in a mass you would not see them. Take a
handful of earth. Chemists, by employing certain gases, can blow
that earth which is visible (and the gases employed may not be) into
absolute invisibility. Earth is only atoms gathered into solid form; if
you can scatter them sufficiently they go out into the Universe again.
They would go back into space from whence they came. Now, for a
"twister," you might say, "Could one distinguish by any means that
these are atoms of dust or of earth?" They
68 CLAUDE'S BOOK

are so minute that though they would be dust, it would be ridiculous

to call them that; it would sound an exaggerated term, as if you called
a tiny grain of soil a "piece of earth." These atoms are not noticed in
space.

It seems to me the planets are like parts of a tree, a fruit tree, and as
if at the end of the branches things grow—fruit, or leaves, or flowers:
the manifestation of life to the onlooker is at the tips or terminations
of the branches. The life or sap comes, doesn't it? from the trunk; but
to the eye that is hidden. Take a cluster at the end of a branch to be
our earth-plane. Just as the Life-force oozes up the trunk and along
the branch, feeding the cluster till it grows, and grows, and grows, so
does the Life-force stretch out an arm, so to speak, to one place in
the Universe, and gathers atoms together by the food and power it is
pouring forth into that particular place and holding a cluster or a
world together. It's a branch of God, with its manifestations of life at
the tip of the branch.

The tree is the Universe, the God-force is the sap which supplies
the life, the planets are the clusters of fruit.

Everything in existence is created and kept going

 SPHERES AND SOURCE OF ALL POWER 69

by the Life-force; it is Life-force manifested in different ways.

Whenever there is disease it means a little of the Life-force has

gone from whatever part of you is diseased. When the Life-force is
abruptly withdrawn from one particular limb the manifestation of
disease is more noticeable than if the Life-force was simply
withdrawn a little from every part of the body.

The other planets have their own spirit-spheres round them. All in
between and around every planet is the God-force; if you eventually
went beyond the seventh sphere you would get into space and
become part of the Infinite. You would then have no defined or finite
form, for you would no longer be finite; you would then be only a
consciousness.

As in the physical you were conscious of the physical more than

of any other state, so if you progressed and became part of the
Infinite you would then become conscious of God and God only.

You would not want to express or impose your little personality

on others any more; you would be content to be of God and of the
great Infinite; that would be to be divine.

Whatever state you are in, you are conscious in

70 CLAUDE'S BOOK

that state. On the earth you are conscious of the physical state, you
wonder why you can't be more conscious of the astral; in the
spiritual you are conscious of the spiritual state; in the Infinite you
are conscious only of God.

I might tell you, no one we have ever known or heard of has ever
stepped off into the Infinite. It will probably be a few million years
before we shall want to go into the Infinite; it means the submerging

of the personality. All personal desire must be dead; we have to learn

to wish to be of and as God. That's where the old idea of sacrifice
comes; it's the giving up of some personal desire….

I always start off meaning to be matter of fact and scientific, and

find myself slipping back to the great spiritual truths to which
science is only the stepping-stone.

I understand why spirits don't return and give more about the
"make-up" of the spirit-world in a scientific way. There is so much
that is so difficult to put into words at all, especially to have to
imprint on another person (who is still in the limitation of the
physical body—the medium) that which to us is a great shining
light—the truth. We feel it, we move in it, we breathe it; but it's too
great and
 SPHERES AND SOURCE OF ALL POWER 71

vast a thing to explain in an hour or so, for no sooner do I start to

explain one phase, than I find it leads me to have to explain another,
and then another, and so on. We are nearer the Infinite than you are,
and are therefore more naturally conscious of the power of the
Infinite, and do not require to have it manifested in detail or in finite
form to the same extent as you do. People on the earth-plane clamor
for materialization; they are not conscious of those passed over
unless they can see them in some form.

We here do not often "see" Christ, but we can feel and are
conscious of Him all the time; but if you ask me how I know I can't
tell you.

Ether is one of the manifestations of the Life-force" it is difficult

for me to explain; it spreads through it like moisture in the air. Ether
is not a "power" like electricity, which we make from the embryo.
Ether is not a force in that way at all. It's a state or condition that
pervades the Universe, changing in degree or character as you get
farther from the earth-plane.

Interpenetrating everything on Earth, all the Spheres, all the

Universe, all Space, is a tremendous power which is God, or what (to
simplify it) we
72 CLAUDE'S BOOK

call God-force. By this God-force all things live. Its withdrawing

means death.
 PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS

W E on earth with finite minds often visualize or think of God in a

finite shape or form, as a man, because to us that is the highest
experience of life manifest. You can imagine that is limiting God.
We are apt to do this with all things beyond our physical sphere.

I told you we have atmosphere here. Just as we visualize God, and

yet we know He is more than we can visualize, so much finer and
greater, so is the atmosphere of the spirit-sphere to the atmosphere
of the earth-plane; you cannot visualize it with a finite mind.

God is not known to science, because science can't measure or

classify Him. But that does not show there is no God. It is the same
with many things in the spirit-world.

Any time within the next thousand years the lighter and more
refined kind of hydrogen I told you about may be known to science,
but it will not be known by any name we have given it here; it will be
named and classified by man when he discovers it.

73
74 CLAUDE'S BOOK

I called it a "kind of hydrogen" because that is, it seems to me, the

nearest approach to it on the earth-plane, and I must call it something
that will present an idea to your mind that you can "grasp." It is a
definite thing.

We don't name the particles or items of the great universal force or

power that permeates and is the being of everything. It is only when
it filters through to the earth-plane that you divide it and discover
different parts and name them.

I know these things definitely; they are not my ideas, or

"impressions," for I am taught them by teachers and guides from the
higher spheres. A great many others here have been taught these
things too, but they do not get the opportunity to get them through to
friends on earth.

Of course, not every one who comes over here learns these things,
as some are more interested and pass their time in other ways.

Suppose a spirit here, a few hundred years ago, had tried to

explain "electricity" or "medium" to a medium on earth, how would
he have done it? (I suppose incidentally the medium would have
been burnt as a witch, or a wizard, and that would have settled the
matter for the time being!) You can imagine he would have been
unable to express his
 PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS 75

ideas clearly. We are still in the same predicament. There are stages
in man's development: the physical, in which he feels and senses on
the physical plane; the mental, which is the scientific; and the
spiritual, which is above them both, because it's nearer God. There
are no very easy stages from the physical to the spirit-world; you
have to get right out of one, to be of, and in, the other.

Man is a student in God's school, namely, the earth-plane, and has

to find out these things by hard work and study.

It is not necessary for us here to know how many "drams," or

"ounces," of any substance make any other substance; it would not
help us at all. You might say, "Yes, but it would help us; we want to
know." Your earth-plane is the school, and when the headmaster has
set the student a problem in Euclid he does not supply the answer
before the pupil has worked it out.

We don't learn things here in terms that you understand; we learn

spiritual things, which are necessary to us, for we are of the spirit-
world, and to find out things in your world we have to work in your
conditions.

Communication with me is so easy to you, I don't think you

realize the "great gulf" that divides us.
 MAN'S CONNECTION WITH GOD

THE peace of your heart, in spite of great anxiety, comes from the
innate knowledge that, however bad things may seem sometimes,
"God's in His heaven: all's right with the world."

The mind of God is operating through the various spheres on to

the earth-plane. It is almost as if a picture were thrown from a lantern
first on to the seventh sphere; God projects his thoughts on to it, and
those there get every thought, wish, desire, of God. It is as clear to
them as if it were photographed on the atmosphere round them, so
wherever they turn they know what God wants them to do. These
"pictures" or thoughts of God seem to be composed of millions of
"rays" (even in your atmosphere there are "rays" of which you are
not cognizant on earth). On the sixth sphere the picture is like a copy
of the seventh, not quite so sharp in outline or detail, and so on,
slightly decreasing in clarity and sharpness from sphere to sphere,
till it gets to the first sphere, where it is much fainter, because so
close to the earth-plane. On the earth-plane it is faint indeed; but
there, man, who has

76
 MAN'S CONNECTION WITH GOD 77

great power if he chooses to use it, could reproduce that picture if he

put himself in the right mental and spiritual condition to do so. It has
to be redeveloped by man's attitude towards it. That's what I mean by
saying we can interpret God if we choose. Man is given the power to
see God's ways and wishes if he will put aside his lower self for a
little while.

The guide who is teaching me said it is important for people to

develop psychically as a step to the higher or spiritual side. Before
people can become "psychic" properly they must develop physically
and mentally too.

You say, "Mediums are often uneducated." Yes; they do not

satisfy in consequence, but by their mediumship they are a bit better
than they would have been without it, Still, I am not saying what is
possible, but what is best.

People must learn to control the physical, the lower, or what is

called "animal" part of them, and not give way to temper, greed,
sensuality, jealousy, and so forth; they must cultivate the spirit, the
higher or God part, the "higher self."

Sometimes the spirit wants to operate through the body (this is

psychic or spiritual development), and is prevented by people giving
way to any of the
78 CLAUDE'S BOOK

passions we have mentioned. It shows they must work harder to get

control of the physical.

I have told you before, your spirit even now knows and can see
everything; it is seeing me at present. Your spirit-mind is the
subconscious mind; your spirit-mind can't put itself in touch with the
physical mind, it cannot link up with your brain. It is unable to,
because you can't concentrate on me; your brain is concentrating on
what you are doing, not on seeing me.

Your conscious mind is operating through your brain. To be

"developed" means you have gained such control over your body
and brain that you are able to detach yourself from undesirable
things and thoughts. It is this power a person sits to try and develop
by quiet, concentration, and prayer. You see bow necessary it is to
get complete control, so as to command the nature of the thoughts, to
be able to lift the "lower self" to meet the higher.

You could not do it always, of course, for you have to use the
physical brain for material things, and to protect the physical body
from enemies. For instance, if you saw a man coming for you to hit
you with a brick, it would be no use to stop to think beautiful
thoughts; you would have to do something, and pretty quickly!
 MAN'S CONNECTION WITH GOD 79

By a few moments' conscious practice every day, people can raise

themselves so as to learn to "link on" or connect their minds and
spirits, the lower and higher selves. The more and the oftener they do
it the easier it becomes, so that in a little time there is a kind of semi-
consciousness of that beautiful state helping them always.

The power you get by this "linking on" to the higher self has a
great effect, not only on your own physical or lower self but on other
people's too; that shows that if the majority could believe and
practise this, there would be no such thing as war or enmity on the
earth-plane. It creates almost a tangible state or feeling.

It is the power given by the continual drawing down into the

physical organism of the bit of the Infinite that is in themselves, and
because it is Infinite it has infinite power, much greater than physical
power; it is personality or temperament.

God is an impersonal personality. He is a personality of good, the

personification of it, but impersonally good. "Why call Him
personal at all?"

I call God that because He sends out certain forces or power, but
He expects them to return (as, for instance, all He sends to inhabit
physical bodies). Suppose we think of people as little ships sent out
80 CLAUDE'S BOOK

on the sea of life by God from His Harbor. His thought goes to each
one, "May you return to Me," and the little ship goes out.

When it has been out for some years it may make for other ports,
evil ports, and stay away till it becomes battered and its white sails
get grimy; and then perhaps it says, "I won't go any more to any
chance harbor, but will try and steer for my home port." Every ship
launched from His Harbor God hopes will return. There is a sort of
feeble interpretation of God's thought in the saying, "We shall go
hence in God's good time."

If the ships stayed in sight of it, they could easily return, but they
get independent and think they will do better for themselves by
going afar off; and the farther they go the more thoroughly they
forget the Harbor from which they started.

Again, to speak of the God-force and try to explain more about it.
It's a mind that permeates everything. Next to being a mind it's an
organism of forces—all the forces or energy or power ever known
or to be known. God's mind controls everything—all the forces in
the Universe.
 MAN'S BEGINNING

I WILL try and explain as clearly as I can about man from his
"beginning," and I am going to tell you the truth as far as I know and
can express it, but I leave it to you to put only what you think
suitable in the book, for I tell you everything, knowing there is
nothing that God has made nor any operation of His laws we need
be ashamed of; and you understand and realize this also, but there
are people who do not see things as we do, and might be "shocked!"
My feeling is of awe and reverence now I have learned how really
"fearfully and wonderfully" we are made, and I marvel all the more at
the greatness of God.

The physical of us is created on the earth-plane. The mental is

born of the union of the spirit and the body of each one of us,
because, till the spirit enters and controls the body, there is no life in
it. The baby's spirit is not contained inside its body in its pre-natal
condition, but is connected with it by the silver cord (exactly as any
other person's body and soul are when the latter is operating
independently, as it does often when the body sleeps or

81
82 CLAUDE'S BOOK

is under an anaesthetic), and remains outside in its mother's aura.

When any woman is going to be a mother, the orange life-giving ray
is attracted to her. It is in the earth-atmosphere, always ready to be
diverted. Directly this ray is connected with the mother's organism,
from God starts a little atom, or brilliant drop, trickling down the
"ray." (I am speaking, please understand, of a new soul, not a
reincarnated one.) It is like a drop of quicksilver. As it starts, it
divides into two, like quicksilver can; so whenever there is one new
soul born there is always its counterpart.

The drop does not start from any one particular spot, or place, or
part of God, and it leaves something there—a trail, as it were—which
remains linked up still in the God-element and still connected to the
little drop, like a very long, slender twig connecting a leaf to a
branch—connected always, however low a man may fall, for severing
it would mean annihilation. This is a subtle point. The place from
which you start, and to which you remain connected, is your
particular "bit of God;" so one need not think of oneself as lost in
God, but as having one's own little part in Him that belongs to one
alone.

As I told you, the drop just as it starts divides

 MAN'S BEGINNING 83

into two. One part goes to one mother, and one to another.
(Remember, we are only speaking of new souls now.) One is always
male, and the other female. As the drop travels slowly to earth it gets
larger and larger, and it begins to shape out and take more space. By
the time it reaches the mother's aura it is almost the size and shape of
a tiny, weeny baby, and so remains with the mother till the time of
birth. If this is premature, the spirit is jerked or drawn rather abruptly
into it, and so does not get control of the little body as well as if it
had had the proper time to do it. This partly accounts for the high
death-rate under these circumstances. It's not only physical reasons,
but because the Life-force has not a strong hold of the body. As the
child is born, the spirit goes into it. The spirit, because it is of God,
has a consciousness of its own, but not conscious personality, that
has to be developed. It will be developed by the spirit operating
through the body. Therefore, by unison of soul and body, we have
mental growth and growth of personality.

God does not work separately for each individual. He does not
say, for instance, "That nice little woman, Mrs. Smith, loves children
and longs to have one; I will direct a life 'ray' to her." No,
84 CLAUDE'S BOOK

the world is full of this "Life-force," or these rays, and they

automatically act in suitable environments.

God works automatically always through the regular operation of

His laws. I will give you a very simple everyday illustration; let us
say the "Postmaster General." He is responsible for the general
direction of the Post Office, but he does not do the detail work, like
sorting letters, and delivering them, but he has certain rules for the
same. Well, God is the "Postmaster General" of the Universe.
 THE MADONNA AND A LITTLE EARTH
MOTHER

YES, I saw all the lovely mass of blue and white of the flowers in the
garden, Mummy, but I did not try to impress you with thoughts of
the Madonna; rather I seemed to catch your thoughts of her. The
colors suggested that train of ideas, because they are associated with
her especially.

Paul says he considers her the most beautiful spirit in the spirit-
world, and I don't think he is far wrong.

She is so kind and tender to all the young men who have come
over in the war, always ready to talk to and take an interest in them,
and when she looks at you, you feel she is not only thinking of you
but of your mother.

She is very beautiful, but not with the beauty of a woman on earth.
You would not remark anything especial in detail about her, or say,
"Oh, what lovely hair!" or, "What an exquisite complexion!"

She is the ideal Mother-woman, and has all the beautiful

expression of all the most tender mothers

85
86 CLAUDE'S BOOK

of the world—pity, love, and holiness. She is indeed "the Mother of

Compassion."

There is no feeling of fear or even of awe in connection with her,

but you feel you can go and talk to her and be comforted if you feel
lonely.

Talking of mothers, I must tell you of a little earth-mother I have

been trying to help lately. She came over quite unexpectedly after her
baby's birth, and her grief and disappointment were very great when
she woke to life here and found she had left the earth-plane, her
young husband, and the baby.

Her relatives over here are all elderly people, and she refused to be
comforted by them. She said they were old, and it was natural they
should be content, while she was young, and resented having her
earth-life cut abruptly short just as it was so full of new and
wonderful interests. They happened to know me, and asked me to
see and try to comfort her, for I am about her age, loved my earth-life
equally, and yet have found life here so full of happiness.

I went to her, sat down beside her and took her hand, and felt full
of sympathy and understanding. (I could not help thinking how on
earth I should have enjoyed an innocent flirtation with a pretty girl
like this, and should have looked at her
 MADONNA AND EARTH-MOTHER 87

with a world of "sloppiness" in my eyes, but here I have quite a

different feeling. I might have been her grandmother, one feels so
impersonal.) She talked to me of her hopes and fears, and gave me
details of the pain-racked body she had left on earth, which would
have been quite embarrassing there, but here one is not ashamed of
natural things. I explained to her as far as I could the psychic side of
physical things, and tried to show her that though she could not tend
her baby's little mortal body any more,—some other woman would
have to do that,—she could keep watch over its spirit, and try and
impress it with right and beautiful things, and be in very truth its
guardian angel.

She is beginning to understand and to become more reconciled,

and I have helped several others since in similar circumstances.
Some of them will probably help to look after the babies here.

I often go to the colony where the "Red Indians" live, for I have
several friends among them, and I love their jolly little brown babies,
and their horses too!

Yes, people here live in "sets" or "colonies," because those of like

interests and nationalities gravitate naturally to each other, and to
their own people. Otherwise, ),on can imagine it would not
88 CLAUDE'S BOOK

be very happy if you found yourself mixed up with people of every

nationality, with dissimilar tastes and experiences, and with nothing
in common between you, for the fact of dying does not change you
in any way.
 THE AURA

THE aura looks like a kind of "halo" (I have no doubt the painters of
old, inspired for their task, may have seen or "sensed" the halo round
the head of Christ, for of course it would have been very definite)
that surrounds and outlines not only the head but the whole body of
every living person.

The aura, properly speaking, is an emanation from a body to

which spirit is still allied; it interpenetrates the surface of the body, it
is a dissemination of the spirit over the body.

We talk of the spirit as being in a body, but in speaking of it are

hard put to locate it.

The aura is of various sizes and colors and parti-colors, and is

always in movement, and changes in the same person at different
times, for it is affected by emotion, character, and health.

Intellect and intelligence determine the shape, for there is a fine

head aura round any one who is well developed mentally.

Spirits can tell by looking at the aura if a person is psychic—that

is how they know a medium, and

89
90 CLAUDE'S BOOK

come to them when they want to communicate with people on earth.

I think the aura goes to make up the spirit-body, for when the
physical body dies there is no aura. In dying, the aura gets gradually
less and is drawn inward and upward. I have noticed many times (for
I have seen many men die on the battlefield) that at the same rate at
which the aura absorbs into the body the spirit begins coming out of
the head.

I think also the fact that it is possible to put all the aura on one
side of the body under certain circumstances, shows it is soul. If it
were only connected with the physical it would only disappear as the
body grew cold at death.

The soul, too, when out of the body looks like the aura, which
does not totally disappear till the spirit and body are severed.

At a materializing seance you can see the same substance (as the
aura) coming from the body of the medium, meanwhile the aura
greatly reduces.

The physical "door" of the spirit, which it uses to enter and leave
the body while it sleeps, is below the ribs in front, pretty nearly the
centre of the body; at death, when it leaves for good, it comes out of
the head.

When the spirit is going to travel, the aura apparently

 THE AURA 91

sinks into the body en masse, and a strong column of "spirit-matter"

comes from the door I have just spoken of. It "builds up" or shapes
into the spirit-body, and is connected with the physical one by a
cord. In the case of a spiritually and mentally developed person the
spirit can travel a long way, for the cord would be more pliable and
elastic than in the case of anyone who was not developed in these
respects.

Though you don't know it, it is through a person's aura you

"sense" them. It is a sure indication of character, and the colors
which indicate characteristics are the same as I mentioned before in
another connection: blue and violet (certain shades) for spirituality,
yellow and orange intellectuality, pink indicates an affectionate
nature, an apple-green a well-balanced mentality.

The undesirable colors are certain shades of grey and brown,

murky reds, and greens, which indicate sensuality, jealousy, and
other unpleasant traits.

Of course there are tremendous varieties in "auras" (they are

naturally as varied as the people in the world), in shades of color, in
combinations of colors, shapes, and sizes; also in some people they
are clear and well defined, while in others they
92 CLAUDE'S BOOK

are uneven, almost "sagging," or "lumpy-looking," or misty.

When any organ of the physical body is out of order or diseased,

the aura in that spot dwindles for the time being; for this reason a
clairvoyant can sometimes locate illness.
 ASTRALS AND THOUGHT-FORMS

YOU want to know the difference between "Astrals" and "Thought-

Forms?" They are quite different and by no means interchangeable
terms, though people often speak as if they were, for the latter is only
a "picture" and not a "spirit" at all.

There are two kinds of "Astrals" (so called because they are
functioning on the "Astral" plane). First, there are the spirits existing
there in their Astral bodies, which are made out of actual atoms. The
Astral, though fine in comparison with the physical body, is still
coarse (for it is only undeveloped people who are not spiritually
evolved who live on that sphere). There is a great difference between
it and the bodies of those on the third sphere.

There is no "death" after you leave earth, but this further difference
in degree makes people think sometimes one has to undergo that
ordeal again on going higher through the different planes. This is
not so, though a great change certainly does take place in the "astral
body;" the chemical condition

93
94 CLAUDE'S BOOK

alters, it becomes refined, but it is no greater than that which takes

place in your earth-body continually, all the cells of which change
and renew several times in the course of your life there, though you
are not conscious of it in either case.

When a man in the Astral changes mentally, his body changes too
in sympathy with his development, and in corresponding degree, but
more quickly than with you.

If a man longs to progress very fast, and makes up his mind and
concentrates on it, he can change in a very short time; but if he
makes no special effort, and progresses slowly mentally, his body
changes slowly too. This gradual refinement continues through the
spheres; the change comes from, within.

The second kind of Astral is a spirit connected with a physical

body, and functioning temporarily only on the Astral plane, while its
earth-body sleeps or is unconscious. It looks much the same as the
other, but its body is actually different, for it has an astral "husk"
only, much on the same principle as the temporary body made for a
materializing spirit at a seance, and like that composed of astral
atoms consolidated.

These astral atoms collect round the aura of a

 ASTRALS AND THOUGHT-FORMS 95

developed man, and on his soul emerging (as I have already

described to you) from the centre of his body, these atoms close
round his spirit and form a "husk" or covering to protect it in its
travels.

He could not function in his real "astral" body, for that is not
complete; it is not complete for a curious reason. It is this: that a
certain amount of the material that makes his astral body is not
available while he is connected with his physical body, for it goes to
make the vital cord or connection between his travelling spirit and his
stationary body, which is only severed at death (for the severing
means death).

After this has occurred, of course, no cord being then required,

this material is available for his astral body, and so he no longer
requires to borrow astral atoms to protect himself; his spirit is
sufficiently clothed, being complete.

As I am not in the Astral I find it difficult to tell if a person is in

their permanent astral body or not.

This accounts too for the difficulty a clairvoyant sometimes has in

being able to say if a person is in or out of their physical body
permanently. They too are, it must be remembered, seeing in other
conditions than their normal. Sight varies enough
96 CLAUDE'S BOOK

even on the earth-plane; no two men there see exactly alike.

If you took a collection of people to a hilltop and asked them to

describe the view without artificial aid, they would all see in different
degrees: some only things near, others only things distant, some as it
were through a haze, and others clearly. This is why normal
clairvoyance is often incorrect—things are difficult to see in the right
perspective; and it varies too according to the bias of the medium's
brain on which it is registered by the sight.

A "Thought-Form" is a picture, a thought-photograph, projected

through the atmosphere by some one, but the recipient would have to
mentally "develop" it, as it were, in order to see it; by that I mean
they would have to be thinking of the sender at the right moment,
and in the right way. Space is nothing, for it takes no longer to think
four or five hundred miles than into the next room. So if you are in
the right mental condition you can see a thought-form; it's only a
picture in the atmosphere.

This explains certain things; for instance, visions of Christ to the

dying. Hundreds on the battlefields may see Him individually and
spontaneously. If He is projecting His thought to all who are lying
 ASTRALS AND THOUGHT-FORMS 97

there, all who are attuned in mind can and may be able to see Him.
Just as when a ship at sea sends out a wireless message or a call for
help, it is not confined to one receiver, but is open to all ships and
receiving stations which are suitably attuned. So all who are suitably
attuned and harmonized can receive thought pictures, impressions,
and inspiration. This explains also how various people in widely
separated places may simultaneously be "inspired" by one
individual. "Inspired" I said, not "controlled" remember, Mum; that
is a very different matter (people should always use common sense
in judging what they are told). Personally, I don't believe spirits from
the higher spheres ever "control" people on earth. It is hard enough
for us who are only on the third sphere to get back into the old
conditions, for those it would be exceedingly difficult and a
deliberate waste; it would be like engaging a tutor of the highest
scholastic attainments to teach an infant its A B C!

Now as regards a so-called "ghost" haunting a particular spot. If it

is a persistent haunt that has continued for many years, even for
centuries, it is almost certainly a thought-form and not a spirit; for it
is very unlikely that any spirit would
98 CLAUDE'S BOOK

be so unfriended as to be permitted to go on in this aimless and

unhappy manner indefinitely, for as soon as any one desires help
here it is forthcoming.

What happens is this. Certain events (probably tragic), which are

felt very intensely by the participators at the time, leave a very clear-
cut and well-defined picture in the atmosphere, and at first for a short
time the actors in the scene may return in spirit to the spot, and by
thinking over what happened revivify and intensify that thought
picture.

Ordinary people then come to that place knowing its history, and
some may see the "ghost," and they see it because they are psychic
and unconsciously psychometrize the atmosphere, and so mentally
develop the picture that is there, and so constantly renew the image,
which thus becomes almost permanent. Yes, I know it does seem
difficult to realize, but it also applies to "feeling" as well as "seeing"
past conditions; thus a medium feels pain and discomfort when
describing the illness of any one. The medium is psychometrizing
the condition connected with the spirit while it was a body, and not
the spirit itself.

I say this because I have been told and have noticed myself that
spirits are surprised on returning to earth to hear themselves
described with symptoms
 ASTRALS AND THOUGHT-FORMS 99

of disease they have almost forgotten they ever suffered. For

instance, your father, who "died" over thirty-five years ago, here is in
perfect health, yet whenever he returns to earth the mediums describe
him as having a cough, and discomfort in his chest; that was true
when he passed over (he died of pneumonia), but of course is totally
unlike his present condition.

Another man I know, who had some very painful disease which
affected one leg, tells me he gets quite angry when he hears it
described now, as he no longer feels it at all even when he returns to
earth-conditions, and yet the mediums describe it most accurately,
and one might imagine he was still in suffering instead of in perfect
health!
 RELIGION AND SCIENCE, THOUGHT, AND
THOUGHTS

IT is curious that modern investigations have reconciled Religion and

Science, for there was a time when religious teachers feared the
revelations of scientists; but as a matter of fact these taught better
than they knew, for further knowledge has strengthened faith and not
undermined it. Truth will always bear the light.

Many in the past who disbelieved Bible statements now realize it

was possible for these seeming "miracles" to have really happened.

They know that the appearance of Christ after His resurrection, in

a locked and barred upper room, was a possible fact, for He was in
His "Spirit-body," and thousands of men revisit the earth in this way
daily now, though only those who are psychically developed can see
them.

It is possible for "spirit-bodies" to go through apparently solid

substances, just as sunlight goes through glass, or heat through
metal, for as a matter of fact no atoms of matter are actually touching,
however solid they may appear to be.

100
 RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND THOUGHTS 101

Man is a triune being, and consists of body, soul, and spirit,

though in the world we live as if we consisted of a material body
only (with a small spirit tucked away somewhere as a kind of after-
thought). Through his ill-balanced development man does not half
realize his own possibilities.

I want to impress upon you, apropos of this, the enormous

importance of thought; if men only realized and cultivated their
powers in this direction they might do wonderful things.

Thoughts should be guarded as carefully as deeds, for thought is

actually creative and impresses an image on the surrounding
atmosphere of which a permanent record remains. Some men are
haunted when they come over here by what they have themselves
unwittingly created.

Of course on earth thought is creative also, for everything has

there to be planned or arranged in some one's mind before it is made
by hands or machinery.

In the spirit-world, too, we can speak by thought, by telepathy; that

is how we overcome the difficulty of different languages. This does
not mean that I have no privacy of thought, and that my mind is open
for all to read. I have to project a thought
102 CLAUDE'S BOOK

when I want to communicate it, just as all a hypnotist's thoughts are

not conveyed to his patient, but only those which he directly
impresses. If you could get people "attuned" properly, they could
even think music at each other!

All wrong thought goes to build up and strengthen the power of

evil (called by men the devil). In the beginning, I am told, it was
almost negative; man increased it himself by inflicting pain, by
cruelty, by lust and envy.

There is great spiritual and mental "unrest" among men now and
has been for some time past, however undefined, obscure, and
misunderstood, because man is evolving and there is an unconscious
struggle between the spiritual and animal in him. Chaos and
disturbance are the result.

As to the people whose "faith" you say is "shaken" by the war, all
I can say is, it's not much of a faith! They are trying to limit God
again; He does not work for one country, but for the good of all
mankind, and each nation will learn what it requires for its future
development. It would be as sensible for a doctor to treat one
symptom of disease in the body only, instead of strengthening and
cleansing the whole of it. The systems of the world are being
purified. In the past we have put
 RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND THOUGHTS 103

aside or trifled with things that now must be faced in earnest.

The earth-plane is God's garden, and it was a beautiful garden;

what is left of God in it is still beautiful, but it is now full of weeds
of evil, disease, poverty, and selfishness.

The gardeners are beginning to realize that further trimming is of

no use, and these things must be uprooted utterly. In the past so
many enjoyed the sunshine and fruit and flowers, and neglected the
weeds, which were brushed aside and hidden as unlovely and
troublesome things; they have now become rampant, and only drastic
measures are any use.

I know sometimes things look depressing, but I solemnly promise

you there is a silver lining to this dark cloud. Men in the old days
worked for individual progress; in future the ideal will be to work for
others, for the good of the whole and the improvement of the
community.

I am told the sacrifices of this war have not been in vain; that a
purified England will result. There will be a spiritual revolution;
people will try to face truth, to drop some of the shams that are now
used to veil it. Perhaps present events do seem to you like a "dark
tunnel," but I see the sum shining at
104 CLAUDE'S BOOK

the end of it, and I know there has never been a crisis in the world's
history which has held so much certainty of ultimate good arising
out of it.

Nations and peoples, like individuals, sooner or later reap what

they themselves have sown of good and evil; and knowing this, one
realizes that no life, nor the life of any nation, is a succession of
disconnected events. There is a sequence running through them all.
They fit into each other like the pieces of a puzzle, though one only
sees it clearly as a whole when life on earth is over and the last piece
has fitted into its place.
 II.—CLAUDE'S LETTERS
[A Letter written when Claude was in the ranks.]

August 1914

MY DARLING MOTHER,—Hope you arrived home safely last

night. On my way back after leaving you I overtook a lance-corporal
in the Engineers coming in my direction, so we walked along
together. We became quite "pals." He took me into his tent, one of
those situated below the gymnasium, and showed me several dodges
in using the rifle. After that we sat and yarned till just before ten,
when I turned in.

The daring "Sergeant-saucers" were not in good form last night;

the threat of having up the offenders before the Major appears to
have had the desired effect. The corporal with whom I was yarning
had three brothers in the Zulu and Boer Wars, so that his stories
were extremely interesting.

Parade this morning commenced at 6.15 and breakfast at 7.30. At

the 9 o'clock parade about a dozen of us were picked out, including
myself

105
106 CLAUDE'S BOOK

and I—, to form what might be termed a "super-recruit" squad, as we

are more advanced than the others. We are to be rushed on and
drafted to our companies this week, if possible.

The selected few were drilled by one Sergeant K——, the

humorous character with the crisp repartee. During the 10 to 11
interval, L—— and I sat in the shade of the canteen with Sergeants
K—— and B—— and another sergeant, whose lack of military
knowledge is only surpassed by the superabundance of flesh round
his "Plimsoll line"!

By dint of a half-pint of beer all round and a winning smile, I soon

got on excellent terms with the lot, and was rewarded with some
shockingly humorous anecdotes from Sergeant K——.

In the Zulu campaign his experiences were positively side-

splitting, especially as he sees the funny side of everything.

The story of one of his friends, who was shot on his bare back by
a Zulu whose blunderbuss was loaded with chopped-up telephone
wires, and leaped into the trenches with a yell, with his back bristling
with copper spikes, takes a lot of beating. The cream of the joke was
that the miserable victim had to spend the rest of his military career
in explaining
 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 107

to wilfully incredulous but secretly delighted inquirers how he came

to be shot in the back if he wasn't running away.

Needless to say, the more indignantly he denied the soft

impeachment the more sceptical his tormentors became!

Scarcely less funny are his experiences when serving with the
British Expedition to quell the riots in Crete.

I nearly put my foot in it to-day. After 12 o'clock I went to read

the paper on the hill overlooking the sea near the Fort entrance, and
fell asleep. L—— left me to go to dinner; I slumbered peacefully on.
Our next parade was at 2, but at five minutes past I was still
dreaming, until the breathless L—— dashed up to say that drill had
started ten minutes before! However, Sergeant K——, seeing us
coming in the dim distance, relapsed into a spasm of deep thought,
with his back to the squad, and consequently pretended not to notice
our arrival. But I nearly had a "spasm" over it. I am going down to
the "Ship" to-night and I shall be very glad to get some "grub," as
I've had nothing for dinner but sleep, which isn't very filling. I have
fallen on hard times: I have a cold in my right eye, a pain in my left
arm, due
108 CLAUDE'S BOOK

of course to the vaccination, and a bit of a headache, due I expect to

the same cause.

However, I am getting used to the floor of the "Jimmy-Nasum," as I

heard it called this morning. I will write again soon.—

Your loving son, CLAUDE

[THE following Letters were written from the Front after Claude
joined the Royal Flying Corps.]

FRANCE

MY DARLING MOTHER,—Thank you so much for your letters and

the cakes. I believe, as a matter of fact, that a postal transport was
lost, stolen, or strayed recently, as no one got any letters for a day or
two.

I had a two-hour trip yesterday on wireless work, over Ypres as

usual. But owing to a clear sky and an erratic course, "Archie" didn't
risk straining his neck over us!

After tea I had one of the most miraculous escapes on record in

the Flying Corps. It happened thuswise:—

I was taking up an F.E., our largest fighting pusher biplane in the

Service, for the first time.
 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 109

H—— being very anxious to accompany me to save ballast," as he

put it, came too.

Everything went well getting off, and I was beginning to

congratulate myself when the engine stopped without a second's
warning.

On reviewing the situation the prospects were hardly promising.

We were 60 feet up, and over an impermeable square of fifty-foot
trees, and too low to turn, not to mention it was a strange machine!

Rather awkward, wasn't it? However, I kept straight on for the

trees in front, gliding as flat as I dared, hoping to clear the top and
reach a ploughed field beyond. Nothing doing!

Note, Providence had ordained that two trees should be cut down,
and those two left a gap the exact width of my machine, though it
looked smaller.

Trying to get over them I got too flat, and losing flying-speed
stalled the machine.

As an A.S.C. mechanic told me afterwards, she got through that

gap with just a 2-inch clearance on both sides.

No sooner had she passed, than down went her nose almost
vertically for earth, and about 40 feet up!!!
110 CLAUDE'S BOOK

There was nothing for it but to hold the stick hard back and wait
for her to pick up enough speed to answer the elevator.

Rather unpleasant that wait! Thirteen feet off the plough she
started pulling up, and instead of striking the ground vertically, she
struck it at 45º.

By all the laws of nature she ought to have turned over and
deposited her engine through yours truly and H——, and made a
hole in the ground.

But no; we weren't "for it" this time. She struck a bit sideways at
50 miles an hour and 450 down, spun round, smashed to
smithereens, top to bottom. H—— and I got out without a scratch!
But, facing the gap in the trees, how, I dunno!

The getting out, consisting of placing one foot straight on the

ground, which in view of the fact that ordinarily the "Cock-pit" is 11
feet up and has to be reached by a step ladder, is no mean symptom
of the condition of the machine.

We both got out, shook hands spontaneously, and laughed.

It really was rather funny.

But our adventures were not at an end. Within three minutes of

crashing, a rapidly increasing whistle changed to a moan and
finished up with a bang!
 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 111

On first thoughts, I thought we were being shelled, as the

explosive pitched 300 yards off, though in view of our distance from
the lines it was highly improbable.

However, a more distinct and regular drone betrayed a Hun

machine, about 7000 feet up, and apparently vertically above.

The advent of another whistle, precisely like the first, made the
crowd that had collected disperse with considerably greater alacrity
than one is accustomed to see in Belgian peasantry.

The second one was a darned good shot considering his height, as
it fell within 200 yards of us, and blew a hole in the ground.

He then went on his way rejoicing, and gave Abeele another,

though with what result I have not hitherto ascertained.

I have secured half a dozen portions of his second shot at us, as

mementoes of the occasion.

The local damage was considerable; seven potatoes were

irretrievably damaged! One in particular was riddled with shrapnel
and quite inedible.

So my first real crash has been a good one. I have taken a couple
of "snaps" of it; I hope they will turn out satisfactory.

I have also got the canvas off my Q.c. tail, with

112 CLAUDE'S BOOK

sundry patches, most of them acquired in our scrap over Lille. Think
we shall have to start a museum after the war.

By the way, it was lucky I did not fly over, as Captain C—— flew
over last Friday, the day before I came out, and spent half an hour in
the Channel with a dud engine, and was salved by a destroyer.

Rather nasty if there had been two of us on board the machine.

Well, it's about time I did some work—11 a.m. I must go and test
my Q.c. if it has been finished.

Good-by for the present. Tons of love to all.—

Your loving son, CLAUDE

FRANCE

MY DARLING MOTHER,—Another "dud" day, but by no means a

wasted one.

After breakfast, four of us started off on foot for a trudge to the

trenches, though we got a lift right up to Ypres.

The town is in a most extraordinary state, just as though a

stupendous earthquake had paid it a visit; and is so deserted that it is
veritably a city of the dead.

The remains of the far-famed Cloth Hall and

 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 113

Cathedral have still traces of their old beauty, with here and there
traces of frescoes and carvings.

The cemetery has been shelled beyond recognition, and the

gasometer is by no means gas-tight.

We went southwards by the Lille gate and visited a battery dug-

out near X—— where we refreshed the inner man.

Thence we entered the first communicating trench, quite half a

mile long, and worked up into the reserve trenches towards
"Sanctuary Wood" and "Maple Copse."

Most extraordinary the way the trenches run, each with its name
on a post at the ends.

"Lover's Walk," "Bond Street," "Suicide Corner" were a few I

noticed in passing.

The ground around was a mass of shell-holes, graves, and fallen

trees.

The air was none too pure either, as the recent attacks have kept
the men too busy to dispose of all the poor devils who were knocked
out.

In the wood itself, one can walk about in comparative safety,

though 70 or 80 per cent. of the trees have been lopped off at the
base by passing shells.

The German trench-mortars were pretty active and making lots of

noise, whilst every now and
114 CLAUDE'S BOOK

then, about seven or eight times a minute, one could hear the crack of
a rifle, as one or other of our snipers spotted a target, and quite as
frequently a "ziph," "ziph," as the Germans did the same, and the
bullets came over the trench we were in.

They make a noise almost like a sigh, but are not nearly so
unpleasant to my mind as the shells one can hear coming for ten or
fifteen seconds with a noise like a heavy goods train, finishing up
with a crash that makes one jump like a shot rabbit.

Eventually we found ourselves in the front-line trenches and

within twenty yards of the Germans.

Looking through a periscope they only appeared about five, with

stacks of barbed wire and men who had fallen in the last attack in
between.

Indeed, in some places, where a trench had been only partially

taken or lost by one side or the other, they were actually in the same
trench, with a dozen or so coils of barbed wire as a partition—five
yards distance between their barricade and ours.

Coming away they sniped at us, but with no success, and we got
within twenty yards of one of our machines brought down last
month, and within thirty of the remains of the one H—— strafed on
one of his many duels.

Three o'clock found us on our way back, and

 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 115

within an hour we were having tea in an Artillery dug-out.

Thence we skirted Ypres, and by walking along the remains of the

railway line struck the main road homeward bound.

Walking along the line we were surprised to hear a hidden voice

yelling at us to "clear out," which we didn't take long to do, as I
spotted the muzzle of a 6-inch gun within 20 feet of us loaded and
cocked and pointing our way, but it was so well hidden that we
hadn't noticed it till the gunner yelled out.

Anyway, it went off within thirty seconds with a pretty resounding

bang!

That's one of the beauties of life out here, you never know what's
going to happen next.

In passing all that is left of Ypres Station we gave a peep in at the

running-sheds.

One of the only two engines inside was a rickety and prehistoric
old pram, and the other had had its chimney taken off as clean as a
whistle by the shell that had plonked a neat hole in the wall, and was
too knocked about to ever be serviceable again.

Fifty yards down the line was another loco, with a shell-hole plonk
through the boiler, with tubes sticking out all over like a hedgehog.

Another hundred yards and there were the two

116 CLAUDE'S BOOK

largest shell-holes I've ever seen, and there are some sizey ones in
Ypres!

Two pits about 25 feet deep and the bottom full of water with a
circumference of at least 30 feet!

When one sees that the edges of the holes are about 10 feet apart
and the "Jack Johnsons," cannot have been fired at a range of less
than 15 miles, one cannot but respect the German Artillery.

Besides, they were both beautifully placed in the middle of the

station sidings, with rails lying about torn and twisted like so much
cotton.

The town walls show innumerable scars in every direction, and the
whole presents a picture one can never forget.

The trenches we had visited were at the very apex of the Ypres
salient, surrounded by Teutons on three sides, though the
Highlanders who were in them were as cheery as larks.

A few hunks of shell accompanied me home as souvenirs. Time I

knocked off now; post orderly's just going. Love to all.—Your
loving son,

CLAUDE

MY DARLING MOTHER,—Just a line to let you know that I am in

excellent form, though very hard worked, having done eleven and a
quarter
 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 117

hours in four days, which is rather stiff considering the heights vary
from 6000 feet upward, and "Archie" has been increasingly active
and accurate.

However, I think things will cool off again by the end of next
week, which is comforting.

Moreover, the prospect of a week's leave is distinctly cheering, and

it may come in three, or four, or ten, or eleven days, or later,
according to circumstances.

We are rather a sad little party just now, as "B" Flight Commander
and an observer, both awfully good fellows, fell victims to "Archie"
the day before yesterday.

However, H—— promptly went up and "did in" one of their

scouts in return, so things are almost square again.

The weather has cleared up beautifully, and shows symptoms of

starting another summer.

I saw England yesterday for the first time from here.

The brilliant white cliffs lining a sea of the deepest blue, whilst the
entire world lay under an ocean of mist, tinged pink with the rising
sun, was a sight that it is not easy to forget.

One does see most wonderfully beautiful sights flying high at

dawn.
118 CLAUDE'S BOOK

The shadow of the machine follows one along the clouds below,
surrounded by a white halo, which in turn is encircled by a complete
little rainbow.

And just as one is beginning to be sentimental "bang!" goes an

"Archie" with a yellow flame and a puff of smoke, and makes you
jump like a jack-in-the-box and dodge like a squib, and one's mind
returns to the job in hand with a jerk.

Trying to take photographs yesterday I dived through a valley in

the clouds down to 6000 feet, but before I got over the target off
went four well-placed 4-inch high explosives, and I was back in the
clouds before you could say snap.

However, the Germans are nothing if not methodical, and they

tried to pepper the entire cloud!

Rather amusing.

We have a new and swollen-headed, youth here (who can't have

been properly brought up) who is training as an observer, and who is
very given to criticizing pilots and their flying.

He was rash enough to tell me that he didn't think I had had long
enough in the air to be safe, and other offensive remarks of a like
nature.

Well, having finished a "job of work," as wireless duty is called, I

brought him back to the aerodrome
 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 119

with the fixed determination to give him a lesson; so I tail-slid him,

and side-slipped, and nose-dived, and stalled, and pitched, and rolled.

Towards the end of five minutes he looked round very sheepishly

and said he'd be ill in a minute; naturally I sympathized deeply, and
gave two colossal tosses!

He was wrong, he didn't hold out for nearly a minute, and I must
confess I was cruel enough to slow up the machine in order that he
could hear me chuckling.

I haven't heard him criticize my flying since.

Alas for him, he had me as a pilot again to-day, and I brought him
over the aerodrome at much the same height.

However, as he had made so much fuss about the previous

performance, I brought him down "sarcastically"—that is to say, so
slowly that he might have been a rich and elderly relation.

But all to no purpose; he had already been ill at the prospect of

what he thought he'd have to go through.

Dear, dear, it's a hard world, but it's a bilious air!

Good-by for the present; fondest love to all.—

Your loving son, CLAUDE

120 CLAUDE'S BOOK

FRANCE

MY DARLING MOTHER,—It Must seem quite an age since I last

wrote to you.

We have had quite a gay time for the last three days, though very
little in the flying line.

On Monday, the weather being pleasantly unpleasant, we

"Dunkirked" in the afternoon, lunched there and did some shopping,
but returned almost immediately, as the roads were so bad that we
didn't like to face them in the dark.

Tuesday proved a very rough morning, but after tea four of us

went into the little town of X—— four miles from here, to a cinema.

The show is run by the Sixth Corps, and entertains two to three
hundred men every night.

Fancy an army carrying a cinematograph with it!

Unfortunately, we got back too late for the post. Next morning the
news leaked out that the King was going to inspect us.

About 6000 infantry were paraded on the aerodrome, and a

flagstaff erected in the centre.

The Flying Corps were well represented. I had had instructions to

fly up and around, to give the show a "finishing touch," but a darned
thunder-storm came up and provided that instead!
 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 121

The King arrived at 10.30, and the men marched past in great
style.

Unfortunately the rain prevented the royal party, including the

Prince of Wales, and accompanied by Sir John French, from coming
round the sheds afterwards, though a number of the Staff, commonly
called "Tin-hats," had to be shown round.

Two buttonholed me, and, there being no means of an honorable

retreat, I did the "showman act" for half an hour.

In the evening the entire flight, with two exceptions, motored into
X—— to see a "pierrot show" there, run by five officers and two
Belgian girls, who are let off for the purpose of entertaining the men.

Darned good show, too! Anything that makes one forget the war
for a couple of hours is very welcome.

I ran across a chap I knew at Eastbourne at "The Fancies," as they

style themselves.

I believe he and I used to have hotly contested competitions for the

bottom seat in class.

Honors were more or less even, if my memory serves me right.

I told him to come over this way on the off-chance of getting a

joy-ride. As a matter of fact, the
122 CLAUDE'S BOOK

"joy" part of the proceeding's is usually one-sided—the pilot's side.

More rain again this morning; indeed, "an ideal dawn and very
promising," as we remarked at breakfast.

There are rumors, though as yet not officially confirmed, that the
strength of the R.F.C. is being reduced in the winter to ten pilots per
squadron, instead of the present strength of twelve.

The only way it would seem to affect the remainder would be that
leave would come a week sooner each time, and very nice, too!

At the present rate of progress, another four weeks ought to see

me home again.

I had a very nice letter from Mrs. D—— and G—— yesterday,
and of course one from you too.

By the way, I forgot to mention that yesterday afternoon I had to

do an aerial patrol over B——, as the King was reviewing some
troops there. Fearfully rough up, as we, H—— and I, spent most of
our time dodging thunder storms, but in the absence of "Archie" the
trip was distinctly pleasant.

A perfect gale is in progress just now. The trees are shedding their
leaves, while the rain is beating an infernal tattoo on the roof, which,
being
 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 123

of canvas stretched on a wood frame, resounds like a drum.

I have got an extensive stock of letters to polish off by to-night's

post, so I'll shut down for the day. Love to all.

[THIS is Claude's last letter. He wrote a few lines on the 8th to say he
"would be home in a few days on leave," but he never came for he
went out on the morning of the 11th November and did not
return. He was reported "missing," and it was nearly a month
before he was known to have been killed in mid-air that morning,
fighting two German aeroplanes.]

FRANCE,
November 5, 1915

MY DARLING MOTHER,—Success at last! Had a real adventure,

involving several minor ones in its train, and it was thuswise:—

Yesterday being the first fine day, I had instructions to go up in an

F.E., with P—— as observer, to take some photographs over X——:
about the most unpleasant job going, as the numerous woods about
there are absolutely bristling with "Archies" of no mean prowess, as
I can testify, having had, perforce, to sample some of their
124 CLAUDE'S BOOK

wares on many a reconnaissance of late. It took us, roughly, an hour

to get up to 9,000 feet, which time we spent between Y—— and X—
—, climbing, climbing, and climbing still. The air was pretty full of
machines, it being the first fine day for some considerable time. We
saw no Huns, though we afterwards heard that there were three
hanging about behind their lines, and worrying a number of our
fellows doing photography. Twenty to twelve found us east of X—
—, not far short of 10,000 feet up, and distinctly chilly.

A biplane and a monoplane appeared east of us, the biplane

leading, with ample evidence of being in a hurry, with the
monoplane—which appeared to be one of our "Morane" type—
overhauling it hands over fists. We were about 2500 feet above the
buses, and when within about a mile I got a glimpse of the
monoplane's top wing. Black crosses on a white base! Good
enough!

Down went my F.E.'s nose almost vertically, my observer standing

on the wireless set, which in the normal flying position is straight up
in front of the passenger seat, but in the present case was of course
considerably more horizontal than the "floor." Two thousand feet we
came down, while the air-speed indicator went up to 160 m.p.h. and
 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 125

then stuck—not having been designed for the purpose of exceeding

recognized limits. I expected the F.E. to fold up under the strain any
moment, but she stood it like a rock.

By this time the other two machines were almost vertically below
us. The Hun had caught up the Be.Qc., and was emptying his gun
into it at 50 yards' range. It subsequently transpired that just at this
moment he had put three bullets in the observer's arm, and one
through the main petrol tank, with the result that the precious fluid
was pouring all over pilot, observer, and fusilage.

I started pulling the F.E. out of her nose dive about 200 feet above
the Hun, as too sudden a shock would inevitably have crumpled her
up. The consequence was that we found ourselves above and behind
the unfortunate Teuton, and within 20 yards of him. To my mind he
never saw us until we opened fire. Thank the Lord, the machine-gun
worked, for a change! Twenty rounds of lead were planted into the
back of his neck, though apparently they did not hit him. He then
turned his attention to us, turning left-handed and passing directly
below us. This necessitated our getting on to a perpendicular bank,
and doing a complete circuit to see where he'd got to. The little
beggar was
126 CLAUDE'S BOOK

describing circuits round us, while we did a sort of "inner circle,"

conducted, of course, with a perpendicular bank; but owing to the
fact that our speed was so great, and that we were doing complete
turns in about twice the length of our machine, the centrifugal force
was so great that P—— couldn't hold the machine-gun on its
mounting. As it is hinged centrally, the heavier half being inwards, it
swung down, and though the whole gun only weighs twenty-eight
pounds he could not pull it up square.

Things being at the moment at a distinctly unsatisfactory status, we

weren't sorry to see the Hun head for home. After him we went, both
diving lustily, while P—— (more familiarly known as "Pongo")
gave him the rest of the drum—another twenty-eight rounds.

I was beginning to get a little anxious, as we were getting very low

and expecting "Archie" to get us any minute—when we got him.

A lucky shot found its billet, and the pilot was no more.

The evolutions that machine described falling 7000 feet with no

man at the wheel were extraordinary.

Viewed from above—first wheels tip, then right way again, a loop,
several cartwheels, a nose dive,
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more loops, and several turns on to and off its back, sideways, until it
was lost to sight almost on the ground. Good enough!

By this time another F.E., a Bristol Scout, and two C.c.'s had
arrived, but—fortunately for me—too late to claim a share in the
finale.

The next I remember doing was looking at my watch, 12.45.

The incident over, we started climbing again, as those infernal

photographs had to be done. At this point the engine began to have a
say in the matter, and one cylinder decided to strike. So homeward
we wended our weary way, though, I must confess, not without a
frequent exchange of handshakes and chuckles.

Quite an ovation on landing—the only person who wasn't cheery

was the unfortunate observer of the Q.c. who entered into the
commencement of the scrap. The satisfaction of knowing that the
Johnny who'd pushed three holes into his right arm—considerately
avoiding to touch the bone—had been properly strafed, didn't bear
any weight. However, he'd had a rotten time in the air; it wasn't to be
wondered at.

This little beggar we had the luck to account for had, in company
with two Aviatiks, given two other
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Q.c.'s of ours a busy time when they were on photography and

reconnaissance duties, which rather mitigates the sorrow which one
naturally feels for the poor beggars, whom the laws of war made our
victims, though they might have been the best of fellows in
themselves.

The major was delighted, as it was the first machine of this type to
show up in this quarter. A number of "Fokkers," as the German
Moranes are called, have been giving our machines a lot of trouble
down south, and it is rather thought that this one may have been a
picked pilot sent up to put some more heart into the other machines
working in this sector of the Front.

For his first appearance he had certainly done remarkably well,

driving off three of our machines and wounding an observer. For
speed and climb, he left our machines absolutely standing, so he was
well out of the way.

I must say that he was the first German we have run across who
put up anything like a real decent show, and our jubilation is tinged
with regret at the loss of a very gallant fellow. So much for the
episode itself.

We got back satisfactorily to a late lunch, and soon after having

entered up our report as to
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whether or not it was worth salving, were granted permission to go

up to the wreckage. Meanwhile complications arose. An Anti-
Aircraft ass who, as usual, knew about as much of his job as a cat
does of cooking, had 'phoned up to the "V" Corps to say that a
"Vickers" had brought down a German machine inside our lines.
No. 5 Squadron, who share the aerodrome with us and have some
"Vickers" machines, promptly came to the conclusion that to them
was the credit, and sent in a claim to it to the Wing Headquarters.

The Major's tactics were masterful. You remember, I told you that
at the close of the scrap another F.E., a Bristol Scout, two Q.c.'s, and
sundry others arrived at the conclusion of the fracas up aloft? Well,
he instructed each pilot to send in a report of what he saw. Five
witnesses all round us and ample—not to say irrefutable—evidence
that no "Vickers" had been within ten miles of the scene all day.
Result: Verdict for my Squadron.

P—— and I, with a flight-sergeant from my flight and a mechanic,

set out about four by car. We turned off the —— road just after
passing ——, and left the car down a side-road and waded through
twelve inches of liquid mud for 300 yards to the Headquarters of an
Artillery Brigade, where they
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insisted on us having tea. By this time it was dark, and a mist was in
the making. Thence we were directed through more seas upon seas
of mud to an Infantry Brigade Headquarters—our primary objective.
Here, after considerable delay, due to the fact that one brigade was
moving in and another out, we got a very braw Scotsman for guide.
After that the journey is beyond description; words fail me when
trying to portray the journey four miles in the dark and a thickening
mist. For a mile we kept our direction by holding one hand on a wire
run along posts three feet high for that purpose, through woods,
across fields, over trenches, jumping ditches when one could, and
wading through when one couldn't. Never less than six inches mud,
and sometimes so thick that it was impossible to shift a leg without
pulling it out of the morass, by hand if you please!

We thereupon struck a wooden track, known as the "ration

railway," having wooden lines with trucks worked by hand. Imagine
if you can the difficulties of keeping one's footing stepping from
sleeper to sleeper when they were under four inches of mud and
water at irregular intervals and only three inches wide, slippery as an
eel into the bargain. When you missed one—which you did every
 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 131

third or fourth step (if you were lucky, or every other one if you
weren't)—you were up to your knees or sometimes over them in the
slime, without exaggerating one atom. A mile of line had been
followed by this distinctly laborious method when it finally
disappeared from sight altogether under a pond.

A consultation which we proceeded to hold was disturbed by a

mysterious creaking, much splashing, and a volume of oaths in an
outlandish tongue, which I came to the conclusion was Gaelic.
Behold, through the pond streamed a battalion of the Royal Scots
coming out of the trenches for a rest. There being obviously nothing
for it but to take the plunge, we waded knee-deep in water, and
followed the direction of the track, using the various baggage trucks
on the line, with their attendant perspiring Scotties, as milestones.

The ground being strewn with shell-holes with the regularity of a

honeycomb, I was lucky to get off with four immersions, some
members of the party faring worse. Three miles were covered in this
way, and we weren't sorry to find ourselves in a wood, covering the
battalion headquarters that we had to interview. A chat and a drink of
water,—and even that is precious up there,—and an officer
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volunteered to take us out to the scene of the crash. A walk of five

hundred yards—more mud, more water—brought us up to a line of
trenches and dugouts about one hundred yards from the German
trenches, though screened from those nearest us by a slight rise in
between. That we were in unpleasant proximity was soon apparent,
as the phew! phew! of the bullets came with most disturbing
regularity. All the time, star-shell magnesium flares went up and
made you stand still as a rock, as the least movement would give one
away. But by now we had reached the wreckage. As far as I gathered,
viewed from the ground, the fall was full of excitement, and our
troops for four miles along the lines had stood up and cheered to a
man for several minutes on end.

In fact, a few had said to the officer in command of the battalion,

so he told us, that they all felt it was worth four days' discomfort to
see it come down 7000 feet, as the engine was going all the time, and
he only took thirty-five seconds to drop the best part of two miles.
You can imagine the pace it was going when it hit the ground!
Finishing its descent in a nose dive, as I said with its engine going, it
first struck the top of a dug-out. It would seem that fellows watching
its descent, and seeing
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its course to be headed towards them, had taken refuge in the dug-
out. The roof was built of trunks of trees of reassuring dimensions,
covered with three feet of earth.

The impact was so great that, owing to the weight of the engine, it
had gone slap through the roof and buried its nose into the bottom
of the dugout, leaving a portion of its tail outside, but the rest so
telescoped as to occupy not more than a cubic yard. Remembering
the fact that this type of machine has an all-steel frame, and that
behind the pilot's seat there is nothing of weight, it helps to
emphasize what a colossal speed he must have been travelling. The
four occupants of the dug-out were all wounded as a result, but none
seriously. One in particular lay there under the impression that he
was in another world for some time! About a quarter of an hour after
striking, the debris caught fire, possibly due to the shells which the
Germans promptly proceeded to put over. It was then that the
"would-be-corpse" decided that a little activity might be helpful, and
as he had begun to smoulder, he was dropped into a convenient
shell-hole full of water, which restored him to his status ante-crash, if
one may coin an expression. The debris was still smouldering when
we got there. Of what we saw
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in that dug-out ten feet by twelve feet, by the light of an electric torch
through the smoke and smell, the time being midnight, and shells
going off all around, I shall never forget as long as I live.

Beyond repeating the official report I sent in, details would be too
blood-curdling to put on paper. I don't think such a situation has
been conceived in the most hair-raising novel ever written.

Awful, isn't it? Shook my nerve up to a mince, but it may

straighten out again soon. Personally, I couldn't stick it for more
than a few minutes, and fled into the fresh air, though a particularly
close "phew-phut!" drove me into the trench again. A half-hour's
wait, while the sergeant and mechanic made a more thorough
examination and traced many peculiar items of interest.

As mementoes of a very gruesome occasion, I have got two

decoration ribbons the observer was wearing, though no medals were
found; one of the ribbons is that of the Iron Cross. I have also the
magneto from the engine, and a pistol for firing colored flares to
range their anti-aircraft batteries on our machines, a portion of the
fabric and plane (though the crosses from the wings had already
been collared), and a few regimental buttons from the
 CLAUDE'S LETTERS 135

pilot's tunic, which we shared out to the mechanic and sergeant with
us.

Starting home soon after twelve, the process of alternate wading,

staggering, paddling, and wallowing was repeated with an increased
intensity, owing to the mist having become a proper old fog. Besides
getting lost several times, we did an unnecessary four miles, as we
missed the proper turning. As you may guess, we were mighty
thankful to find our tender again, and infernally fagged too. But our
adventures were not at end even then.

Of course we are not allowed lights out there, and we ran slap into
a horse and wagon, fortunately missing the former, who proceeded
to bolt into the fog in the opposite direction.

More than once one wheel of the car went into a shell-hole, and
such a jolting as we got takes a long time to forget.

You may be sure we weren't sorry to turn into the aerodrome at

two o'clock this morning, as we hadn't had a bite for what must be
easily the most eventful twelve hours of my life.

Having sorted out and apportioned the relics, we turned in, and as
for myself, slept like a top.

Thanks so much for your letters and the magazines—I have read
the article by the "Junior Sub."
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Just off to bye-bye. I'm afraid this is too late for to-night's post,
but I thought it better to get it finished, as you may suppose I hadn't
even time for a P.C. yesterday.

Good-by, mother dear; thank you and Dad so much for your
letters.

Fondest love to all.—Your loving son, CLAUDE