Raymond; or, Life and Death: With examples of the evidence for survival of memory and affection after death.Lodge, Oliver, Sir
Religion
Raymond; or, Life and Death: With examples of the evidence for survival of memory and affection after death.
Lodge, Oliver, Sir
Future life; Lodge, Raymond, 1889-1915 (Spirit); Spiritualism; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives, British
It will be remembered that at that sitting I first asked him what
name the boys had called him, and, after a few partial failures,
obviously only due to mismanagement of the table, he replied, 'Pat,'
which was quite right. I then asked if he would like to give the name
of a brother, and he replied 'Norman,' which I thought was quite
wrong. I did not even allow him to finish the last letter. I said he
was confused, and had better begin again; after which he amended it
to '*Noël,' which I accepted as correct. But it will now be observed
that the name 'Norman' was the best he could possibly give, as a
kind of comprehensive nickname applicable to almost any brother.
And a nickname was an appropriate kind of response, because we had
already had the nickname 'Pat,' Furthermore, on subsequent occasions
he explained that it was the name by which he had called Lionel; and,
through Mrs. Kennedy--if she did not make a mistake--that it was a
name he had called Alec by. It is quite possible, however, that he
had intended to say 'Lionel' on that occasion, and that she got it
wrong. I am not sure how that may be. Again, at a later stage, in a
family sitting--no medium present--one of the boys said, "Pat, do you
remember 'Norman'?" at which with some excitement, the girls only
touching the table, he spelt out 'HOCKEY'; thus completing the whole
incident.
The most evidential portions, however, are those obtained when nobody
present understood what was being said--namely, first, the spelling
of the name 'Norman' when those present thought that it was all a
mistake after the first two letters; and secondly, the explanation
to Mrs. Kennedy that it was a name by which he had called one of his
brothers, showing that it was originally given by no accident, but
with intention.
As to the name 'Pat' (p. 140), I extract the following from a diary
of Noël, as evidence that it was very much Raymond's nickname; but of
course we knew it:--
1914
"Sept. 9. Pat goes to L'pool _re_ Commission.
" 10. Pat gets commission in 3rd South Lanc's.
" 14. Pat collecting kit. We inspect revolvers.
" 18. Pat comes up to Harborne for some rifle practice.
Does not find it too easy.
" 19. I become member of Harborne Rifle Club.
" 20. Pat shoots again.
Sept. 23. Pat leaves for L'pool to start his training at Great
Crosby.
I give up commission-idea for the present.
Oct. 17. Pat comes home to welcome Parents back from Australia.
" 20. Pat returns to L'pool."
_Note on the name 'Mitchell' (added later)_
It can be remembered that, when asked on 28 September for the name
of an officer, Raymond spelt out MITCHELL, and indicated decisively
that the word AEROPLANE was connected with him; he also assented to
the idea that he was one whom the family didn't know, and that so it
would be better as evidence (pp. 141, 142).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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