Christmas At The Gas Station

I first encountered this when it made the rounds of email a few years back. Now I post this here every year because it is worth the time to read and ponder. If it is true that it is the little things that make Christmas; and if we can do the little things every day, then every day can be Christmas.

 

How simple...

 

May the Lord bless you and keep you, this and every Christmas Eve.

sean

 

 

Christmas At The Gas Station

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.

Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go."

 

"Not without something hot in your belly." George said.

 

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty, "Stew ... made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."

 

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken."

 

George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead. "You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.

 

"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ........" George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.

 

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on.

 

"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.

 

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."

 

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

 

"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."

The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

 

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."

George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."

 

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked.

 

 "None for me," said the officer.

 

 "Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.

 

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.

 

"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."

 

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"

 

The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."

 

He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pee shooter away."

 

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week ..."

 

George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."

 

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."

 

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer."

"Shut up and drink your coffee." the cop said.

George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"

"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

 

Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."

 

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

"That guy work here?," the wounded cop continued. "Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."

 

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"

 

Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."

 

"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."

 

George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours."

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.

"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said, "Now git home to your family."

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."

 

"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

 

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"

"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"

"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."

 

The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George.  You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor. The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."

 

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.

"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."

The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

 

"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."

George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord."

Author Unknown

Editor's Introductory Comments (preview)

Offered here are the introductory comments from my upcoming work on Freemasonry in Old San Diego. Reproducing articles from 1850-1901 from local newspapers, it is presented as an aid to research and understanding. This work is intended to be expanded in future editions.

 

 

Editor's Introductory Comments

Freemasonry in San Diego, indeed in all California, formally began shortly after the United States takeover of the California Territory resulting from victory in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848).

 

By this time in the development of craft Masonry, all new lodges could only be chartered by an established grand lodge. In the United States most grand lodges held jurisdiction over the area of an entire state and could not encroach upon the another grand lodge's jurisdiction.

 

But by 1849, California was not yet a state and had no grand lodge. So grand lodges from other states and jurisdictions were able to charter and establish lodges there until such time as California could form its own grand lodge. It all began with the chartering and establishment of California Lodge #13 out of the Grand Lodge of Washington, D. C. in San Francisco in late 1849. California Lodge #13 together with four other lodges chartered from other grand lodges formed the Grand Lodge of California in May 1850 located in Sacramento. Under the new Grand Lodge of California, California Lodge was given the number "1."

 

Old San Diego was in many ways a Masonic town. Many if not most American males who lived there belonged to the fraternity. Whether in politics or business, the men of San Diego Lodge #35 played an important role in the growth and development of San Diego. The actual inception of Freemasonry in San Diego is lost to history. However, Orion Zink, Historian of San Diego Lodge #35, documented both the popular tale of its beginning as well as the formal steps taken to constitute San Diego’s first Masonic lodge. As Mr. Zink stated:

 

Tradition has it that the formation of a Masonic lodge in San Diego was first suggested at a picnic, when it was discovered that several of those present were Masons. However, the first action to form a lodge was taken June 20, 1851. At a meeting held that evening at the Exchange Hotel, a petition for a dispensation was drawn up and forwarded to Grand Lodge. The petition was granted Aug. 1, 1851, and San Diego became the oldest lodge south of the Tehachapi…

 

During the Lodge’s stay in Old Town, from 1851 until 1870, meetings were usually held in private homes…They also met in the little brick court house, and in the Railroad Block. They were in the latter place from 1866 to 1870*

 

From its earliest days, the story of Freemasonry in San Diego has been the story of San Diego Lodge #35. It was not until 1866 that San Diego County established its second Masonic lodge – Southwest Lodge #283 in National City.

 

***

 

There have been at least two major works describing the place of Freemasonry in California: Fifty Years of Masonry in California (2 vol.) and, One Hundred Years of Freemasonry in California (4 vol.)

 

Both of these works are large and very comprehensive; covering various topics all relating to the formation and expansion of Freemasonry in the state. The first work, Fifty Years of Masonry in California, published in 1898, is a fine example of late nineteenth century scholarship. The second, One Hundred Years of Freemasonry in California, published in 1950, reflects that date in style and presentation.

 

However, both of these works are what I would term "big canvas history." This is where an idea or institution is traced and documented over a large spatial area, i.e. the great state of California in this case, pulling information from a wide variety of sources, public and private. What is presented here is "small canvas history." It concerns a very small geographic area and draws from a limited resource pool. In the case of this work, solely under consideration is the city of San Diego, specifically the areas of Old Town San Diego and New San Diego. The sources are limited to the newspapers, the San Diego Herald and the San Diego Union. Only information that was publicly available is here considered.

 

***

 

The documents contained herein were transcribed from the pages of the San Diego Herald and the San Diego Union and detail incidents and episodes from the first 100 years of Freemasonry in San Diego. The first newspaper printed in Old San Diego was the San Diego Herald with John Judson Ames as editor. Ames was himself a Freemason. The Herald's premier issue was the May 20, 1851 edition. Almost from the first issue, the Herald printed articles and notices related to the fraternity, the formation of San Diego Lodge and various lodge happenings.

 

Ames moved to San Bernardino in 1860 and started the San Bernardino Herald. Once Ames left, there would be no newspaper in San Diego for the next eight years. In early 1868, a prominent San Diegan, Philip Crosthwaite paid a visit to his sister and her husband, William Gatewood, in Texas where he published a newspaper. Gatewood visited San Diego, saw the possibilities and, long story short, the first issue of the San Diego Union, under his owner-editorship, was published on October 19, 1868.*

 

An interesting aside, J. J. Ames as stated above was a Freemason. However, Philip Crosthwaite was also a Freemason with Ames. Crosthwaite even served as Master of San Diego Lodge at one time. So far, I have been unable to uncover any evidence in public sources whether W. J. Gatewood, founder of the San Diego Union was a Freemason. Though E. D. Bushyhead, silent partner and successor to Gatewood as owner of the Union was a member of the fraternity.

 

These newspaper articles are presented complete and unedited, without prejudice or comment for the consideration and contemplation of the brethren and also as an aid to fellow researchers. Though this is not meant to be a complete listing of every mention of the fraternity in San Diego newspapers, I believe it is representative. In addition, I firmly believe that the publication of this work is not the last but rather the first step in an on-going research project. This work will grow and evolve in future editions.

 

I welcome all comments and criticisms.

 

Fraternally,

Sean K. T. Shiraishi

December 22, 2015

---

* From "Masonry in San Diego," an unpublished document. San Diego History Center Archives. In 1870, San Diego Lodge relocated to New Town on Fifth Avenue between F & G Streets in the Dunham Building.

* For more information regarding this, please see http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/82summer/journalism.htm. From the Journal of San Diego History, Summer 1982.

Further mad scribbling from this asylum-bound Historian

 

Ok, so what craziness is planned for "Old Sins" for the remainder of 2015 and into 2016!

****

-finish twitter summary of Stephen King's Doctor Sleep.

-begin an occasional series titled "Books Jonelle Made Me Read" - more on this later - may expand into further series.

-comment/review on "Beyond the Count" and "History of the IOOF in San Francisco."

-preview of Freemasonry in OTSD book as an aide to researchers.

-get back to doing audio recordings with new mic.

-try my hand at writing short fiction.

 

****

****

I love Delta Green...

I love Delta Green...

From an ad in a magazine promising to "out X-Files the X-Files," Delta Green captured my imagination.

From its first official appearance in the scenario Convergence in The Unspeakable Oath #7, I was hooked.

I was very happy to participate in the Kickstarter campaign in 2014 to raise funds for a Delta Green fiction anthology. When the first volume (Delta Green: Tales from Failed Anatomies) arrived in my email later that year, I read it in a day. It was wonderful. So Delta Green (you know what I mean).

Not to take anything away from the other tales, but for me, these three stories stand out:

~Night and Water set in late 1944 in Europe. It introduces the Karotechia, the Nazi occult/mythos group. This is a hard hitter.

~Coming Home set in 1970. The after effects of a Delta Green op in Vietnam are rarely happy and usually very messy. This one hurt to read.

~Drowning in Sand set in 1997. This tale ties together Roswell, Majestic 12, and the mythos into a nice little package

Then just a few weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised when the second volume (Delta Green: Extraordinary Renditions) showed up in my inbox quite unexpectedly. This volume was nearly double the size of the first and it was awesome! I read this one in a single day as well.

In Extraordinary Renditions, honestly, no one story stands out. They are all phenomenal in my opinion. Each tale hits hard and reminds you that in Delta Green, the best you can hope for is to die by your own hand.

In both volumes, the tales are organized chronologically. Thus, these tales also trace the evolution of the organization from its earliest days during the Great Depression through its growth in World War II and the Cold War, right up to the present. This approach captures the feeling and flavor of Delta Green perfectly.

Anyone care to join me for a night at the Opera?

 

 

It's a little more complicated than that...(concl.)

PART III

I would like to turn now to where I am in agreement, up to a point, with the author. I believe she makes a valid point in describing how she came to understand that living history can teach what cannot be taught in class or read in books.

Wearing 19th-century clothes on a daily basis gave us insights into intimate life of the past, things so private and yet so commonplace they were never written down...

When we realized how much we were learning just from the clothes, we started wondering what other everyday items could each us...

Striving to understand a culture or time though its material artifacts is an appropriate means of studying the past. It is called "living history," as I have discussed earlier in this essay. Mrs. Chrisman should be lauded for coming to that realization. Where she errs is that she stops; never going beyond living history and material culture.

The artifacts in our home represent what historians call "primary source materials," items directly from the period of study.  Anything can be a primary source, although the term usually refers to texts...There is a universe of difference between a book or magazine article about the Victorian era and one actually written in the period. Modern commentaries on the past can get appallingly like the game "telephone": One person misinterprets something, the next exaggerates it, a third twists it to serve an agenda, and so on. Going back to the original sources is the only way to learn the truth.

From our 21st century perspective, primary source materials are predominantly textual; documents from the time in question. Mrs. Chrisman correctly labels the items she has collected as "artifacts" for that is what they are. Artifacts, coupled with the methodology of living history can reveal a great deal about the material culture. But without correct context, which only diligent historic research can provide, it is useless.

The author is correct with the difference between primary and secondary sources. It is an essential truism in the study of history that a firm reliance upon primary sources is the foundation of any serious project. However, her comment about the "telephone" game and subsequent misinterpretation by historians reveals that the author missed the entire purpose of historic research and the profession of Historian.

In actuality, the field of history relies upon the re-evaluation, re-interpretation and re-presentation of earlier historians' works. Thus with this regular re-assessment there is little chance that any "telephone" game-type error would survive the test of peer review over time. However as people of the 21st century, we struggle to comprehend the nuances within writings from Victorian times. It is the work of diligent historians which provide the context and make it possible to understand those nuances in late 19th century writing.

 

***

***

It's a little more complicated than that...(cont’d)

PART II

In a small town in Washington State, the authoress, Mrs. Sarah Chrisman lives with her husband. I will refer to them as living historians rather than re-enactors. To me, re-enactors, while no less dedicated or devoted to their craft, in general need an audience. At the end of the day, they change out of the frock coat and corset. A living historian attempts, in vain I might add, to live the past even when no one is about.

My husband and I study history, specifically the late Victorian era of the 1880s and '90s.  Our methods are quite different from those of academics. Everything in our daily life is connected to our period of study, from the technologies we use to the ways we interact with the world.

In her opening paragraph reproduced above, Mrs. Chrisman lays out her position clearly and without doubt or hesitation. Frankly, I agree with her statements as someone after my own heart.

I am a passionate student of late Victorian studies as I noted. While trained in academia, I too find its methodology limiting at best and suspect at worst in achieving a deeper understanding of what life was like back then. I hope I made clear in the opening paragraphs of this essay the value to which I hold living history methods as a supplement to historic research. The author made several statements in her article which I found very pertinent and will comment on them in due course. However, the tone in which she wrote this piece, how she phrased and made her points, and the imagery she used, made it appear to me that in describing her journey into living history, Mrs. Chrisman was actually writing a love letter to the 1890s.

This lead me to have serious reservations.

Foremost among which was what I believe to be a mischaracterization of one of the driving forces behind the industrial revolution. Mrs. Chrisman wrote, in regards to using living history as a technique:

...helps us understand the culture that created them – a culture that believed in engineering durable, beautiful items that could be repaired by their users.

Followed in the next paragraph by:

Much of modern technology has become a collection of magic black boxes: Push a button and light happens, push another button and heat happens, and so on...Few Americans have even the foggiest notion what makes most of the items they touch work...

In the first quote above, Mrs. Chrisman completely misses what the Industrial Revolution was all about. The Victorians wanted, via the Industrial Revolution, access to consumer goods that were affordable and available to all classes. Yes, the upper classes could get beautiful and durable items. But for the vastly more numerous lower classes, the Industrial Revolution made it possible for people to have access to such items. It is nice to pretend one is from the moneyed classes. But for the vast majority of people in the late Victorian times, in fact much like today, they made do with what they could afford; and thanks to the Industrial Revolution, a lot more was available and affordable than would otherwise have been the case.

The second quote further illustrates the "love letter" tone pervading the entire piece. Ironically, this highlights the need, indeed basic requirement, for living history to be coupled with vigorous research. Here also a romanticized image of the Victorian era is offered up. In truth, the Victorians were the first people to have really new gadgets...Even push button ones! And they loved them. It even became a matter of status. Conveniences like electricity were modern and the new fashion. Only the old fashioned still utilized gas. The Victorian era was not a haven from consumerism. In a very real sense, the Victorians invented consumerism with the Industrial Revolution. Images of English country life, while picturesque and even restful, do not do the topic under consideration a service. This is what I meant at the opening of this essay when I discussed mindset. In the quotes above, the author does not exhibit a needed foundation in popular thinking of the time. By "popular," I do not mean "famous," I mean "of the people."

***

Concludes in PART III.

It's a little more complicated than that...

PART I

As a Historian, I have many interests both in time and space. One of these, most dear to my heart, is Victorian culture and lifestyles. This interest arose due to the fact that a great deal of my professional life as a Historian directly concerned nineteenth century matters.

My time with the San Diego Historical Society was taken up in large part with the 1887 Victorian mansion, the Villa Montezuma. In struggling to gain further insight and understanding of the structure, I began to study the 1880s to 1900 here in San Diego and in England and was richly rewarded for my efforts. I began to comprehend the cultural influences that both created and impacted the Villa Montezuma even here in San Diego.

The focus for California State Department of Parks and Rec. at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park was principally the second half of the nineteenth century. While employed there, I participated in reenactments of lifestyles of the time. It is sometimes hard for Americans to realize but the Gold Rush, the Civil War, the Indian Wars, and everything in the Wild West, and through the Spanish-American War, all took place within the so-called Victorian era. The limited nineteenth century living history that I participated in, was very profitable for me in understanding not just how things were done, but why things were done a certain way.

Obviously, we can never recreate life as it was in the late Victorian times for the simple reasons that we cannot think like people from the past. In 2015, we can go through the motions of living the Victorian life; dress, food preparation, and other aspects of material culture are relatively simple to reproduce. And in some cases are probably better for us. But it is the mindset that we can not reproduce or experience. For example, a re-enactor or living historian cannot recreate the anxiety of dying of simple illness because penicillin has not been discovered yet. Or the trauma of a high infant mortality rate. Or the fear of industrial or work-related injuries with no recourse for assistance. All this doesn't even take into account gender and class roles which were strictly enforced and played a dominant part in the late Victorian mindset. Please understand, I am not putting down reenactment or living history. I firmly believe, through first hand experience, that this approach can teach aspects about bygone times which supplement historic research; and thus provide a fuller, more complete and richer relationship with the historic past.

So when I came across the September 9, 2015 article, I love the Victorian era. So I decided to live in it. by Sarah A. Chrisman, of course I was intrigued.

***

Sitting with Mr. Jesse Shepard

"At Ballarat the state of affairs can only be described as deplorable. That city, with East Ballarat, has a population of about 44,000, and at one time (1878) had a flourishing Psychological Society, which body secured the services of Dr. Slade and Mr. Jesse Shepard for a series of seances, the results of which were recorded in a work issued by the late Mr. James Curtis, called ‘Rustlings in the Golden City,’ an English edition of which was lately issued by the publishers of ‘LIGHT’; and, so far as Mr. Shepard's mediumship was concerned, the results were published in a pamphlet compiled by Mr. R. Lorrimer and issued by the society. Mr. Curtis was an old and respected citizen of Ballarat, owning one of the large printing establishments there."

From "Psypioneer" newsletter, edited by Paul Gaunt

Volume 2, Number 8; August 2006, page 185

 

Continuing my exploration and presentation of primary source materials concerning Jesse Shepard and the Villa Montezuma, I offer this for your kind consideration.

First published in 1890, Rustlings in the Golden City was a collection of report documenting the happenings at private séances in Ballarat and Melbourne, Australia. The reports were gathered together in 1883 by the author and then circulated among a small circle.

Nearly a decade before he would come to San Diego and take up residence in the Villa Montezuma, Shepard travelled to Australia in 1877-78 and stayed for some time. The sixth chapter or report in this book is entitled "Sitting with Mr. Jesse Shepard" and is a first-hand account of Shepard's séances in Melbourne and Ballarat. This text is taken from the Third Edition (1902).

Cover for 1896, Second edition.

 

Title page, 1896, Second edition.

******

CHAPTER VI.
SITTINGS WITH MR. JESSE SHEPARD.

"The signs of those that are inspired are multiform... Again, the body is seen to be taller or longer, or is elevated, or borne aloft through the air."—Iamblicus.

BEFORE Mr. Slade had taken his departure from Victoria, Mr. Jesse Shepard, medium, arrived in Melbourne.

His séances consisted principally of musical performances, said to be given under control of high-class spirit musicians.

Other phases of mediumship, often in combination with the musical, presented themselves, such as movements of inanimate objects, raps, materializations, etc., and also inspirational writing, and development of mediumship in others.

His mediumship was widely different in style and character to Mr. Slade's. Mr. Slade desired as much light as possible, whilst Mr. Shepard generally regarded darkness, or semi-darkness, as desirable, if not necessary, for the exhibition of many of the manifestation of spirits through himself. Yet darkness was not always insisted on, as I have held séances with him in darkness, semidarkness, and full daylight, and never without spirit manifestations of some kind.

I first met with Mr. Shepard at his private lodgings in Melbourne. After chatting awhile, he got a sheet of foolscap and pencil, and wrote a full folio in a crooked scrawley hand. The writing was addressed to me, and purported to come from a historical* spirit, who lived and flourished on the earth two thousand five hundred years ago. This was not a séance but a casual call. Mr. Shepard informed me that he was engaged for several evenings to hold musical sittings at a private gentleman's house, and he would ask permission for me to sit one evening there with him and his family.

The favor having been obtained for the following evening, a little before eight o'clock I was on my way to Dr. Motherwell's residence, Collins Street.

The séance was held in the gentleman's large drawing room. There were altogether present six persons, including the medium. Shepard seated himself at the grand piano, nearly in the centre of the elegantly furnished apartment. The others sat back about a dozen feet from the medium at the key-board, forming themselves in a segment of a circle, with a small table immediately in front on which was placed a guitar, tambourine, and pasteboard speaking trumpet. Dr. Motherwell seated himself on the left side of the semi-circle, I sat on the right, and three ladies in their chairs immediately between us. The room was darkened—but not absolutely dark, for we could still see one another.

The music commenced. In a few minutes I was quite sure there was a spirit standing at my right hand. I could not see but could feel the spirit. A soft cool wind played about my face and hands, and then I could feel a gentle pressure around me. This evidence of spirits' vicinity is sometimes peculiar; and since that time I have often been favored with a like consciousness of the immortals presence. I cannot attempt to fully describe the sensation, but its nature is as positively substantial as enveloping waters are whilst one is bathing. The spirit that was so close to me whispered her name—the name of a dear and loving friend. Again, in a little while, the low soft voice gently repeated her name and other endearing words; and still once more, a little later, her name was softly breathed, accompanied by a loving message. No words could be spoken more distinctly, or more clearly heard. The medium was all this time performing pleasing operatic and other music at the grand piano.

During the séance, two or three hymns were sung by the group of ladies and gentlemen with piano accompaniment. Whilst one of these songs of praise was being chanted, a spirit-chorister in a magnificently clear pure tenor voice, the source certainly not more than twelve inches from my face, joined melodiously in a verse of six lines of the popular hymn then being sung. No human tones ever seemed to me so clear as this harmonious voice.

At the time the musical performances were going on, spirit hands were now and again about me—on my face, head, shoulders, and arms; and names (with messages) were given of some of my ancient relatives who had ages ago gone to the "land of rest."

The other sitters were likewise similarly favored with messages from their spirit-friends, and said that they also were constantly being touched by spirit-hands.

A single line of a hymn was sung to me by an Independent spirit­ voice; the next line was warbled to the adjoining sitter; and so on to the end, and back again.

The guitar that was placed on the table commenced and continued at intervals sailing, or floating, around the room near the ceiling, and over and about our heads, Sometimes touching or resting first on one, and then on another, whilst at the same time beautifully soft music escaped from its chords indicating its presence either near or distant; and, during these phenomena, the medium was performing splendid piano music. The tambourine now and then flew about the room in a boisterous manner, striking first one and then another on the head, knees, elbows, or shoulders. The speaking trumpet, too, floated about with voices speaking to all in turn, sometimes indeed with startling emphasis, and at other times with gently-spoken messages.

This never-to-be-forgotten séance finished with a performance, entitled "The Grand Egyptian March." Whilst the piano was rolling forth a volume of chords equal in power to several ordinary instruments combined, sounds like harp accompaniment were heard, together with noises like tramping or marching about and around the piano-forte with naked feet. Many other peculiar manifestations of spirit greeted the senses of the little company thus met together for gaining knowledge of and from the spirit­world.

This medium paid a visit of two or three weeks' duration to the city of Ballarat, and gave semi-public musical séance, and held developing classes and cabinet materializations. At the latter, at each sitting, several forms appeared outside the roughly constructed wood cabin which had been put together in this city for the medium's use. In addition to a door to this movable room, there was in its front a window or opening, about fifteen or eighteen inches wide and broad. At each meeting one after another of the persons forming the small assemblage was called towards the window. A curtain across the aperture concealing the interior of the cabinet was frequently partly lifted. My opportunity arrived: I was standing near the opening, and was favoured with a loving message from a spirit who was beside me outside the cabinet. The voice was low, but quite audible and distinct. None of the other sitters were within a distance of, three or four yards of the spot where I stood. The curtain moved up a little way and I was enabled to see into the cabinet. The medium appeared to be in a dead trance. Waiting a few minutes longer, the screen wholly lifted, when I looked in, in wonder, and saw a most exquisitely beautiful female figure—lovely indeed beyond any adequate description that I can write. The form was perfect from the crown of the head downward to the waist; a wreath of gold and green ivy leaves bound the beautiful brown hair; the delicate freshness and colour of the face seemed to be wondrously lovely and perfect, while the eyes were marvellously soft and deep with finished eyebrows and eyelashes. I saw this figure three successive times, each glimpse but momentarily, yet singularly clear and distinct, and luminous.

The full forms that materialized—some evenings there were seven or eight—came out of the cabinet door; they seemed complete, but most of them too shadowy to be recognized. One of the ladies present said she was quite sure about one of the spirit materializations, that it was her granddaughter, a child who had a few months previously passed on to the Summerland. Others confessed to recognitions more or less distinct.

I was invited to a séance one evening at a gentleman's house in this city. There were altogether five persons present in the drawing-room. At the opening Shepard performed some music on the Broadwood Semi-grand at the further or northern end of the room. This finished, it being noticed that the instrument was somewhat out of tune, the medium joined the other members of the party, about fifteen or sixteen feet distant from the piano. Without delay there commenced and continued a process of tuning; the strings were being struck, and the wrenching discordant sounds peculiar to this operation were distinctly heard as if a tuner were at work. No earthly human shape was near the instrument, and the inference deduced was, that our invisible friends were tuning for us when no other help was available. The great lid of the pianoforte was closed, the fall at the keyboard alone raised. An enjoyable evening was spent, whilst many curious phenomena, exhibitive of spirit-power, were made manifest, and which closely engaged the attention of the company assembled together for their enlargement of knowledge of psychological forces.

Mr. Shepard was strolling along the streets with me one very clear evening; at a little after ten o'clock we passed my place of business, when I suggested that we should turn back and hold a sitting in one of the workrooms. He agreed. I borrowed two chairs from the adjacent hotel. We sat: and in a very short time lights were seen hovering about in many shapes—some like cloven tongues, similar in form to those delineated in pictures of the Day of Pentecost. Spirit hands were frequently placed on mine; materialized faces appeared; voices from all parts of the room spoke messages; and I once saw lips slowly form in the air, which came and kissed me on the cheek, and then dematerialized. They were beautifully soft, warm lips. Twice I saw the medium elongated** as he sat within two or three feet of me.

My experience leads me to suggest that spirit manifestations can be most easily obtained when the surrounding atmosphere is in its clearest and brightest degree; and phenomena should be sought for in places not near busy crowds of people, but as far away as convenient from noises or disturbances of all kinds, and where the whole environment is of a pure and cheerful character. But, if conditions are not wanting, spirits may be found perhaps anywhere or everywhere. Late one evening, Mr. Shepard, another gentleman, and myself went into an oyster saloon, and sat down to supper. Whilst we were there, "raps" were continuous—on the ceiling, the sideboards, the chairs on which we sat and others, on and under the table, on and under the plates before us, and on the floor. Intelligence could also be furnished through these raps by questions being put either vocally or mentally.

The number and variety of spirit manifestations that I witnessed with Mr. Shepard would, amplified, fill a good sized book; but to fairly and fully represent this kind of literature, in combination with being witness to the phenomena, qualifications such as artist, scientist, shorthand reporter, and author, are desiderata.

---

* Cyrus. At a sitting with a lady, in trance, in New South Wales, a spirit spoke most eloquently through her organism. He claimed to have lived in Egypt about five thousand years back.

** His body became at least two feet longer, and thus remained a little while.

Chapter 07 "Have You Seen Me?"

Continuing my tweet summary of Stephen King's DOCTOR SLEEP is Chapter 7 "Have You Seen Me?"

Are you ready?

Here it comes...

***

PART 2 EMPTY DEVILS

Chapter 07 "Have You Seen Me?"

 

07-01:August 2013, Concetta broke her hip. She was angry at herself for not listening to others.

07-02:Concetta told Lucy about the hip; as well as what else the doctors found. Right then Abra called, crying that her "Momo" had cancer.

07-03:Lucy spent all her time with Concetta. Abra joined her on the weekends, David watched her during the week. Then things got worse.

07-04:Abra saw the face of Bradley on a missing children's' notice. Her shining showed her what happened to him. Abra threw up her lunch.

07-05:Abra rinsed the foul taste out her mouth. She didn't want to talk to her dad. She didn't want to think about what happened in 2011.

07-06:She couldn't help it. She wondered how the parents were coping. With her gift as she got older, she could far-see into other's minds

07-07:Abra was nervous about far-seeing. She saw what the True did to him. Someone got into her mind. Abra expelled the intruder.

07-08:David felt what he though was an earthquake. Abra knew better.

07-09:Rose of the True was forcibly expelled from Abra's mind. She did not faint but came close. Rose had much to think about.

07-10:Rose told Crow-Daddy about it. They realize the other was huge steam potential. Rose want to capture and milk it's steam like milk.

07-11:At neighborhood party, Abra did not join with other kids.

07-12:That night, Abra was uneasy. She thought she was insane, seeing an image of the woman who killed Bradley. Abra cried for Tony's help.

***

Free digital copies of Francis Grierson’s books.

The Internet Archive has digitized the published works of Francis Grierson and made them available for free download.

In 1899, Francis Grierson published his first book, Modern Mysticism. Grierson's final published book was Psycho-phone Messages in 1921.

Link to Psycho-phone Messages in Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/psychophonemessa00grierich

 

 

Grierson's final two works were never published.

Perhaps, I can do something about that...

New book announcement!!

When I completed my work on the Villa Montezuma (Jesse Shepard and the Villa Montezuma), aside from an occasional piece posted on this blog, I thought I was done with serious research on the Villa.

How naive of me...

I had forgotten what I stated before, "what is past is prologue."

A bonus section of several pieces from the 1890s was included in my work on the Villa. As it turns out, that bonus section will now become the backbone of an all-new upcoming work due out late this 2015 or early 2016. This work will be called "The Last Decade of Jesse Shepard in Print: 1890-1899."

To celebrate this surprising development, and in order to make my work available to the widest possible audience, my Jesse Shepard and the Villa Montezuma  (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXTMPJQ) on Amazon.com will now be priced at @ $2.99.

To those who purchased this work at the previous price, first of all, thank you. Secondly, as a thank you, please provide me with your email address and I will send you this latest work of mine in the kindle format, free of charge.

 

Good day.

“FRATERNAL DEPARTMENT” - March 3, 1890.

The "Fraternal Department" ran as a semi-regular feature in the San Diego Union in the late 19th century. The fraternal orders and associated concordant bodies were so prevalent and important a part of the lives of the people of San Diego that their meetings and events were considered newsworthy!

Interestingly, in this particular instance, there is no mention of any of the several lodges in San Diego county. Nor, with the exception of a single OES chapter, is there any notice for any of the concordant bodies as well...Must have been a slow week for them. But even without any Masonic bodies listed, there are still quite a few meetings and events reported on. Thus, in continuing my effort to make known the significance of the fraternal orders to the growth and development of San Diego, I present the following from the pages of the San Diego Union.

***

*****

*******

From The San Diego Union,

March 3, 1890, page 5

 

FRATERNAL DEPARTMENT.

LODGE ROOM HAPPENINGS BOTH NEAR AND FAR.

Various Grand Army Doings - Proceedings of the Foresters - Statistics of the United Workmen - Local Notes.

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[Items of interest are solicited from the various orders and societies of the city and county. All matter intended for this department must be received at THE UNION office not later than 6 o'clock Sunday evening.]

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Grand Army of the Republic.

The Department of Iowa has a membership of 21,000.

The State of Kansas allows $50 for the burial of any soldier or sailor whose family is too poor to afford a decent funeral .

A bill has been introduced in the House for marking the lines of battle and the positions of troops of the Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg, appropriating $310,000 for the purposes.

It has been proposed that the Fort Hays Military Reservation be donated to the State of Kansas to be used for Soldier's Home purposes. A bill has been favorably reported by the Committee on Pubic Lands.

The Pension Office report for 1889 shows one pensioner of the war of the revolution still living in Maine. The person is Mrs. Susan Curtis of Topsham, the widow of Caleb Curtis, a revolutionary soldier.

The National Soldiers' Home at Milwaukee, Wis., is full. No new applicants can be admitted for the present.

The Department of Kansas, G. A. R., has within its boundaries an immense soldier population not members of the order. It seems strange that this department does not show on its rolls 50,000 members in good standing. The aggregate membership December 31, 1889, was 19,918.

__________

Odd Fellows.

It is not generally know that a brother may be elected a member of a lodge on a visiting card in date. Such, however, is a late law, and a brother may be regularly elected by deposit of his visiting card in the same manner as governs a withdrawal card. Immediately upon the election, however, the lodge who granted the card must be officially notified of said election, and the visiting card returned to the issuing lodge, which will immediately grant a withdrawal card, and, together with all overpaid dues, forward same to the lodge of which was elected a member. In all such cases no delay should be occasioned by either lodge.

Now that it is a settled fact that the World's Fair is to be held in Chicago (the most thriving city of the West), the members of the order there should immediately build he hall so long spoken of by them, and show their visitors, who are certain to attend the exposition in large numbers, especially those from the golden shores of the Pacific, what enterprise and American push can do. There is no denying but what the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Chicago are as progressive as any in the country, and as for hospitality they have few equals.

__________

Knights of Pythias.

In West Virginia the order has gained twelve lodges and 564 members the past year.

The Past Chancellors of Cincinnati have an association 300 strong.

There are at present about 260,000 members in the order.

The Uniform Rank has about 25,000 Sir Knights–nearly as large as the standing army of the United States.

New lodges are forming at Salinas, Hollister and San Miguel.

Red Star Lodge, No. 153, has made a wise selection in choosing S. G. Montijo and T. J. Monohon to represent her at the Grand Lodge which convenes April 14th at San Francisco.

A large delegation from Loma Lodge, National City, was present to witness the work in the Esquire's Rank at the last meeting.

Grand Chancellor Crowley will visit Red Star Lodge, officially, next Thursday night, 20th inst.

The question of working the Amplified Rank has again been resurrected and will be worked in first-class style by B. C., S. G. Montijo and assistants.

All attending Knights may be assured of the correct working of this rank on next Thursday night, as the above mentioned P. C. has added much to his store of knowledge by his recent extended travels.

__________

Ancient Order Foresters of America.

The A. O. F. of America met in their hall Friday evening, H. Tarnow in the chair. Eleven new members were initiated and seven applications were acted upon. A communication from the High Chief was read, saying that he was visiting all the Courts in the State and was in Los Angeles and that he would like to visit the San Diego Court and that he would be here Saturday. A deputation of six member were appointed to receive him at the depot Saturday evening and conduct him to the Albemarle hotel. The Court also gave the High Chief is banquet Sunday evening at the same hotel. J. Conroy was elected as a delegate to the grand convention of the Foresters of America in Oakland in May. F. Goodendorf was elected an alternate delegate to the same place. The committee on the social held in Odd Fellow's Hall, March 12th, reported it as having been a grand success and the same committee was instructed to go ahead and finish arrangements for a grand ball to be held in the near future. The C. R. having received news of the death of his father the sympathies of the Court were tendered him in his heartfelt bereavement.

__________

Order Eastern Star.

The regular meeting of Southern Star Chapter No. 96 will be held on Thursday evening at Masonic Hall.

The celebration of the anniversary of the institution of the Chapter will be held on the first regular meeting night in April.

The following item from he Kansas City Journal, under date of March 9th, will prove interesting to her friends in this city: "Mrs. James Snedden, E. W. Towner, C. L. Ericson, L. F. Martin, N. J. Saunders, delegates from Mendlas Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, to the General Grand Chapter of this State, will leave tomorrow for Lawrence to fulfill their duties as delegates on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Mrs. Snedden is Right Worthy Associate Grand Matron, being the next highest officer of his Order in the United Sates. She will install the grand officers on Wednesday evening of this week. There are now eighty Chapters in this State, ten of which have been formed within the present year, and the duties of the high office occupied by Mrs. Snedden have become manifold indeed."

The officers of Southern Star Chapter desiring to be in perfect working order under the new ritual, and also at the time of the official visit of the Deputy Grand Matron of this district, met for instruction and drill on Thursday evening last under the able guidance of their Worthy Matron

__________

Order Pythian Sisters.

A pleasant meeting of Love Temple No. 3 was held at Castle Hall on Friday evening last.

A vote of thanks was extended James R. Wear by the Temple at its last meeting for the certain properties so kindly donated by him to them.

Mrs. Helen C. Bushyhead, P. C., made her first appearance at the Temple on Friday evening, having entirely recovered from her attack of la grippe.

Several of the members were unavoidably detained from the session on account of the "spelling school," particularly among whom was Dr. Gochenauer, the famous "school master."

__________

A. O. H.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians will give a grand ball at Armory Hall tonight. Dancing will commence at 9 o'clock. Prof. Hester's orchestra has been secured for the occasion, and from the well known ability of the gentlemen composing the committee of arrangements a most enjoyable time can be anticipated.

_____________________

FEASTING FORESTERS.

__________

 

An Exceedingly Enjoyable Banquet Tendered

to the High Chief Ranger.

It was a happy company which gathered at the Albemarle Hotel last evening to a banquet tendered by San Diego Court No. 7592 Ancient Order of Foresters of America to the visiting High Chief Ranger of California, R. B. Harmon, of Sacramento.

Chief Harmon arrived in San Diego on Saturday evening and on yesterday was driven around the city and Coronado Beach by his brethren of the order.

When the High Chief arrived on Saturday several of the boys determined to give him a banquet and accordingly notified Manager Limbrick, of the Albemarle, of their desires in the matter. He promised to do his best and the spread which was placed before the banqueters showed that none cold do better. The following was the

MENU.

Blue Points on the Half Shell.

Mock Turtle Soup.

Baked Rock Cod. Oyster Sauce.

Fillet de Beef au Champignom.

Pale Sherry. Chicken Salad.

Cullets of Sweet Bread a la Jardinisre.

Pure Apple Fritiers, Garnet Sauce.

Leg of Lamb, Mint Sauce.

Stuffed Spring Chicken. Sirloin of Beef.

Zinfandel Wine.

Asparagus on Toast. Lettuce Salad.

Mashed Potatoes.

Baked Sweet Potatoes. Green Peas.

Plum Pudding, Brandy Sauce.

Lemon Merangne Pie. Strawberry Ice Cream.

Assorted Nuts. Assorted Cake.

Black Coffee.

Fruit.

Chief Conroy of the local court occupied the head of the table and High Chief Harmon had the set of honor at his right. The others who occupied seats were Messrs. McKay, Crowley, Welzell, Shirley, G. S. Goldthorpe, J. Goldthorpe, Glickman, Langell, Fulton, Corwin, Wallace, Ackerman, Limbrick, Lavin, Goodendorf, Appell, Kennedy and Cosgrove. The service was as excellent as was the banquet and during the time of is discussion the heal of the High Chief and the success of the Order were drank several times. When all had done ample justice to the good things before them Mr. Harmon was introduced and spoke at considerable length, his response being to the Grand Court of California. He refaced his remarks on the Order by his congratulations to the San Diego Court and its members for the beautiful city and climate in which their lot is cast. He was pleased to see a city of so great a growth and was surprised at the large number of elegant building, both residence and business. He added words of praise for Coronado Beach, for the hotel and for the excellent scenery to be found about the beautiful bay. He prophesied that San Diego would be at some time the San Francisco of the southern coast, and one of the three great cities of the whole Pacific, including Portland, Oregon, as the third. He had never been treated so nicely by the brothers whom he visited, and the banquet spread was by far the best he had had the pleasure of enjoying.

Speaking of the order he stated that its membership was increasing rapidly owing to the advantages it offered. He went on to enumerate many of those advantages, and closed by recommending the establishment of a woman's court of the order and also of a uniform rank court of the Knights of Sherwood Forest.

Chief Conroy, Dr. McKay, Mr. Crowley and others were called upon and responded briefly. A vote of thanks was extended to the Albemarle and the management, and after a few selections of instrumental and vocal music the banquet was over. High Chief Harmon will depart for the north today.

____________________