if we do everything for them"--if we could imagine
that, it would just cover the case. Whatever the
explanation, it is a noteworthy fact.

There is another point about spirit communications
which is worth noting. This is their uncertainty
wherever any time element comes in. Their estimate of
time is almost invariably wrong. Earth time is
probably a different idea to spirit time, and hence the
confusion. We had the advantage, as I have stated, of
the presence of a lady in our household who developed
writing mediumship. She was in close touch with three
brothers, all of whom had been killed in the war. This
lady, conveying messages from her brothers, was hardly
ever entirely wrong upon facts, and hardly ever right
about time. There was one notable exception, however,
which in itself is suggestive. Although her prophecies
as to public events were weeks or even months out, she
in one case foretold the arrival of a telegram from
Africa to the day. Now the telegram had already been
sent, but was delayed, so that the inference seems to
be that she could foretell a course of events which had
actually been set in motion, and calculate how long
they would take to reach their end. On the other
hand, I am bound to admit that she confidently
prophesied the escape of her fourth brother, who was a
prisoner in Germany, and that this was duly fulfilled.
On the whole I preserve an open mind upon the powers
and limitations of prophecy.