Spinoza Writes About a Medium's Inability to Predict the Future

January 5, 1919
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Spinoza.

Let me write a few lines, as I have not written you for some time and am quite anxious to give some thoughts that may be of benefit to you. I am not one of the spirits who write to you of what they call the higher truths, yet I have a knowledge of some of these truths and believe in all that has been communicated to you, for I know that the spirits who write you are of the Celestial Spheres possessed of knowledge that we, who live in the spirit spheres, do not possess.

Well, I merely want to say a few words in reference to the predictions, which you heard tonight, and as regards the source of the same. As you know, the woman is a medium gifted with the power of clairvoyance and inspirational receptivity and on many occasions, she perceives and receives some of the truths of the spirit world, and some of the persons whom she professes to see. Her communicants, though, are not of a very high order of development and she, herself, could not see the highly developed spirits, because the Law of Communication and Rapport applies to her phases of mediumship just as it does to yours. She is a very good woman morally with some temperamental defects and attracts spirits of moral worth and conditions, and her guides are in the condition that enables them to live in the brighter spheres, yet not having much spiritual development.

She professes to declare the predictions of her spirit friend, G____, as to what the future for the ensuing year will be in the experience of men and nations. Well, she has such a control, and he is a very intelligent spirit, and to some extent inspires her with his ideas of what the future holds out to mankind, and she with more or less exactness declare his thoughts as they are impressed upon her mind. But in connection with these thoughts, she incorporates thoughts of her own, believing that they are inspired also, but such is not the fact, though, possibly, these thoughts furnish as good grounds for the predictions as do the thoughts of her control.

I do not believe, at least I have never had it demonstrated to me, that any spirit can make truthful predictions, such as the medium expressed tonight; for spirits have not the powers of omniscience and are as dependent upon the workings of the Law of Cause and Effect as are mortals with this exception, that they can perceive many existing causes that mortals cannot and, hence, because of this knowledge can make predictions of the future happening of effects, that mortals cannot make. Take from spirits the knowledge of these causes and their predictions are merely guesses, which may or may not come true.

As you heard, she declared many things that are problems now existing and the subjects of much thought and study on the part of mortals who give their attention to these matters; and she, as one of them, had her own thoughts and had formed her own conclusions and believed that they were the results of inspiration, whereas they had their foundation in her own mind, arising from her knowledge of and speculations on these things.

The present conditions of the world are such that there exists great probabilities of the happening of many things that the medium predicted, and many persons having knowledge of these conditions will predict, if they be called upon, future occurrences similar to those mentioned by the medium, and if they should happen, it will not be because any spirits know the fact, but because there are causes existing which will necessarily bring them about.

Well, such meetings and such predictions will not do any harm, but, on the contrary, will cause many people to turn their thoughts to spiritual things and to spiritualism, which will tend to liberate their minds from the shackles that are now preventing them from seeking and understanding the truth.

I will not consume more of your time now, but hope to be able to write later. Goodbye, your friend,

Spinoza

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Helen confirms Spinoza writing and says that he is a very bright and intelligent spirit.

I am here, Helen.

Well dear, I am sorry that I could not write a while ago, but there were some spirits in trouble who wanted to write, and I did not feel justified in using force to drive them away, though White Eagle would not let them write. We must expect such interferences and abide the results for a while. You understand, I know, and will not think that I did not desire to write.

Well, you have received a letter tonight from a spirit who has written you before, and, as I then told you, he is a very bright and intelligent spirit, but not of the Celestial Spheres, and only knows the truths which came with the development of his soul in natural love. We have tried to help him but have not yet been successful in convincing him that what we tell him is the only way that will lead him to the happiness of the Divine. Yet we expect that sooner or later, he will understand and follow our advice.

Helen