ned
links between the physical and the higher phases of the soul render the
temporary passing-out comparatively easy, and the strong desire of the
dying person furnishes the motive power necessary. Such visits, however,
are often found to be merely the strongly charged thought of the dying
person, along the lines of telepathy, as I have previously explained to
you. But in many cases there can be no doubt that the phenomenon is a
clear case of astral visitation and materialization.

The records of the Society for Psychical Research contain many instances
of this kind; and similar instances are to be found in other records of
psychical research. I shall quote a few of these cases for you, that you
may get a clear idea of the characteristics thereof. Andrew Lang, an
eminent student and investigator along the lines of the psychic and
occult, gives us the following case, of which he says, "Not many stories
have such good evidence in their favor." The story as related by Mr. Lang
in one of his books is as follows:

"Mary, the wife of John Goffe of Rochester, being afflicted with a long
illness, removed to her father's house at West Mailing, about nine miles
from her own. The day before her death she grew very impatiently desirous
to see her two children, whom she had left at home to the care of a
nurse. She was too ill to be moved, and between one and two o'clock in the
morning she fell into a trance. One widow, Turner, who watched with her
that night, says that her eyes were open and fixed, and her jaw fallen.
Mrs. Turner put her hand to her mouth, but could perceive no breath. She
thought her to be in a fit, and doubted whether she were dead or alive.
The next morning the dying woman told her mother that she had been at home
with her children, saying, 'I was with them last night when I was asleep.'

"The nurse at Rochester, widow Alexander by name, affirms that a little
before two o'clock that morning she saw the likeness of the said Mary
Goffe come out of the next chamber (where the elder child lay in a bed by
itself), the door being left open, and stood by her bedside for about a
quarter of an hour; the younger child was there lying by her. Her eyes
moved and her mouth went, but she said nothing. The nurse, moreover says
that she was perfectly awake; it was then daylight, being one of the
longest days of the year. She sat up in bed and looked steadfastly on the
apparition. In that time she heard the bridge clock strike t