Now close your eyes, tranquillize your thoughts, and quickly we again will visit Luna.
October 4th, 1892.
De L'Ester—Yes, again we are with you, and are delighted to find you fully recovered from your exhaustive experience of yesterday. Are we to felicitate ourselves upon your having favorably considered our proposal? You hesitate; yet in the past you have trusted yourself to our care and guidance. Surely you safely may trust us for the future.
Medium—If I seem to hesitate, it is not that I fear trusting myself to your care, but you are aware that this phase of Mediumship is very devitalizing, so you will understand that I a little shrink from incurring possible injury to my health. Then, too, if you may consider it advisable, I should like to be informed concerning the proposed undertaking. Since my early youth I have greatly desired to study astronomy, but always circumstances have prevented my gaining more than a very slight knowledge of this, to me, most wonderful of sciences, so, as in the undertaking some astronomical features are involved, without further hesitation I accept your proposal to attempt to make use of my organism for what I feel assured is a wise and beneficent purpose.
De L'Ester—Madame, in our undertaking much is involved that will be unfolded as we progress toward its fulfillment. Aside from the principal object in view, we desire, and hope to give through you, descriptive sketches of the geographical divisions, geological formations, fauna, flora, race characteristics, social conditions, religious beliefs and rites, government, educational methods, arts, sciences, architecture, mechanics and other features of the planet Mars. Certainly we fully understand the devitalizing effect of your peculiar Phase of Mediumship, and I will not conceal from you that your acceptance of our proposition may bring about possible undesirable consequences which we cannot foresee, so again I say, we will not urge you, but should you comply with our wishes to have you accompany us in a series of journeys from Earth, to Mars, our gratification will be boundless, and your experiences will be so unique that in any event you will find no cause for regret. Friends who are known to you, and others with whom you will become acquainted, will share with us the responsibilities and pleasures of the undertaking. For the most part these persons are interested in such sciences and pursuits as engaged their attention while in physical form, thus they are specially fitted for such purposes as they have been chosen to serve.
No, madame, we do not anticipate even a remote possibility of a fatal disaster to your physical existence; but, through exhaustion, your health might receive injury, so you will weigh the matter well before positively deciding to devote yourself to what I may assure you is a beneficent purpose. Should your decision meet our wishes, after the first step shall have been taken we will expect you to be steadfast to the end.
We, as well as yourself, have duties and occupations, and in the event of your positive acceptance of our proposition, it will be necessary that we shall make certain arrangements for the successful inception and after-progress of our journeys and investigations.
You are not yet fully developed in your peculiar Phase of Mediumship, and unfortunately you are extremely skeptical and over-cautious, which renders you very positive, and doubtless there will be occasions when it will be difficult to harmonize conditions; still, as you possess in an unusual degree the graces of patience, perseverance and earnestness, may we not expect that you will prove equal to such occasions as may occur? Indeed, we feel assured that you will.
Medium—You know the conditions under which I consent to place myself at your service, and in as far as my ability may serve, I shall endeavor to meet your wishes.