WCP2604

[1]¹

'38 Pearson St

Chicago Ill[inois]

Oct 31. 1893

A R Wallace Esq[ui]r[e]

Dear Sir

I am glad of your P[u]b[lication]. You said about as much as you could. I wrote you because it is just to such as you that my experiences, when understood will be of intensest interest, and because I expected to see you at the Congress. As a scientific man merely I should not have written you a line, nor now. It is because that I have the impression that you are a Christian Scientist. I hope I am not mistaken. I have been most anxious to see you and Dr Drummond.² I begged the latter not to leave here without seeing me and my records. But to no purpose, and as with him, so with many others. I cannot get a listening ear. It makes no difference to me, but a great difference to the world. It is not any cause, but the Lord's alone. My days are short, and I should have been glad enough to have remained in the obscurity in which I have largely lived, though my name is known in every large port and other places in G[reat]B[ritain] & I[reland], and Canada.

You evidently regard my experience as Spiritualistic. I am a decided Anti Spiritualist, tho'[ugh] no man knows better than I, that Spirituallism[sic] both Modern and Ancient is based on Truth. But though I discovered this myself while residing in Manchester about 1856, I have never "invoked the spirits". To "Our Father" alone has been my appeal and though I consider my experience from Mesmerism in the forties to [2][p. 2] Table-burning about 1850 and Spiritualism in about 1856 as striking almost if not quite as anything I ever read, you would never have heard from me. After reading Prof Coues³ paper read at the Congress, I was astounded and felt that it was like a very "Mountain bring ^{in labour} that brought forth a mouse." My experience of 1856, which Dr Hodgson⁴ knew of, was worth many times that of the Prof and wife. But my witnesses are gone or in England. I put Mr Stead⁵ on the back of the boy who was a perfect automatic [1 word illeg], and who alone can testify to what I say. It decided me at once and for ever. I see now why these early experiences were granted me. From about 1840 to this day my life has been a Divine Evolution, the gradual unfolding of a Divine Plan, which culminated in my experiences beginning Nov 1891 and ending Dec 1892. A series of pure Heavenly Revelations, nothing less, just as truly as any in the Old or New Testaments, and exactly suited to the intelligence and enquiry and other circumstances of these latter days, which I was told are really the latter days of the present dispensation, the very hour of which is stated in my records, as well as the date of the first Created Man, as told to me by himself, respecting whom I had [3][p. 3] clear proof of identity and especially as to his thorough honesty, sincerity and truthfulness, for he was given to me for most of last fall to protect me from Demons, who for purposes of Revelation were permitted to come near my person, in my room. Indeed one actually entered my person unawares, seeing with my Eyes, hearing with my Ears, and speaking with my Mouth. The unclean thing makes me shudder when I think of him, but not one was allowed to torment me, nor even make me afraid. This experience is of untold value to the world through my humble self. I was permitted to hold familiar converse with Highest and Lowest for months. In fact, not only permitted but the plan of the Father necessitated cooperation with himself, just as much as in the case of Moses, for, for the first time in History, has Science been recognised as it was last fall commencing Oct 1 with a series of experiments which continued day after day, and night after night especially through the fall.

These I can best describe as Telepathic, Photographic and Panoramic. The two last, so far appear to be of no practical value, but this cannot be, their value has yet to be unfolded, as was that of the first, even so late as when I wrote you.

[4][p. 4] The Telepathic were of infinite importance but need to be put in practice, which is now A B C world to me if repeated and extended to others, placing me in the position as regard Heaven and Earth, that the Telegraph operator now occupies as to this world. The Father thus did homage to his own work, the developments of Science and Arts of these glorious days of History. No one can believe me yet, but it is the statement of a man of 68, who has been all his life a very humble discipline of the Lord, who is and ever has been in his full senses, who, though not a Scientist has been a student of nature ever since childhood, and who has never yet learned the art of lying or exaggeration.

My experience has to be published, and this, so far is the only means at my command. I am bound to Heaven in this matter by the most solemn oath. No one so far will allow me Press, Pulpit, or Platform, and I have not the means to put it in book form. I was in hopes when I wrote you, that The Lord would provide means for my doing this in London, but he knows best, and it seems that I was one's salten. The strange experience of Mr T Stead led [5][p. 5] me into this train of thought, but the "wish was the ^(real) father to the thought". My entire sympathies are with and in England, here, least of all.

Some one more likely might have been chosen for this work, many will think, but was it not ever so? What about Mary, being the Mother of The Son of God? About The Lord's disciples &c &c until this very day, when he used poor Dicky Turner of Preston just out of the very ditch, to teach the Churches Total Abstinence. As the poor surprised Foxes of New York State to answer the question, "If a man die, shall he live again"? One of theses poor creatures has been persecuted to her very death in the City of New York!

He has in me, once more magnified his Grace, his Love, and his Power, in selecting a poor weak instrument like myself from amongst the "Hill Country" of Lancashire, near to which two of my sisters and their families still reside. They would believe me if I could come over and explain myself by by word of mouth, and so would many in the counties of Lancashire & Yorkshire. So also would George Boggis, whom the Lord used as a key to unlock the gate [6][p. 6] of Heaven to me, or rather to six friends in the year of or about 1856, for he wrote their full names, in the characteristic handwriting of one of them, and delivered a message to myself and wife, the subject matter of which was known only to the two of us, nor yet the names. The style of address itself would have been sufficient for me. My wife burst into tears when I read the message so written. I wish I had the writing. The message I have would that I could see him, and take him by the hand, and clasp him to my heart. He nor I little thought to what "this might lead"! That it was an important scene in a long, long panaroma, still unfolding! Yes, Mr Wallace, this is true Evolution. You cannot but feel it to be so, or I am mistaken in you. George Boggis was a boy in my employ, whose Father was a Methodist Preacher, living near London, south probably. He was apprenticed to Thomas Ashton of Wigan, Grocer, and he it was who sent him temporarily to help me for I was myself in Mr Ashton's service. James Birkett, Grocer Wigan, if living might be able to trace him.

He was a good writer, much better than [7][p. 7] I, but his own writing was never seen i n our many experiments. These were various, all interesting and important. I gave Dr Hodgson an account of them before my late experience began. A small table walking up and down stairs was one of them.

Science can no more investigate my experience than that of any one of the Sacred Writers, and never can until they understand and acknowledge the Spiritual Laws that issue from the Throne in the Heavens, and permeate all nature, and creation.

Prof Drummond will have to re-cast and extend his book. He put the cart before the horse. There is no Natural Law, except all ^is nature visible and invisible. It should read "Spiritual Law" carried into the Natural World. This is one reason of my anxiety to see him.

I am not seeking"enquirers". I am simply seeking counsel, and means to publish. I am refused the former by nearly forty leaders of thought, and am doing my best with the latter, having to sacrifice both my own and wife's necessities in order to provide stationery and stamps for the Lord, as I now know has kept [8][p. 8] in obscurity and in the "valley of humiliation" most of my life in order fo fit me for the "work" which he announced to me in Nov 1891, and to prevent me being "exalted above measure". I dare venture to assert that no man was ever more tried in this respect than I was during the time named, and that I am not self conceited[,] proud, and vain, I owe to The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

So perfectly did these do their work in and through me, that I never failed when the crucial test came in Oct last to hear the "still small voice", which it seems to me, I heard hundreds of times. At dead of night, say about two in the morning, the Fther called me by name every night for weeks and months, and I had to sit up in bed until about Five to work at those wonderful Telepathic and Panoramic experiments. The Photographic being conducted during the day. Many a night I have had to commence at once an on retiring and continue all night. Many a time have I seen my messages proceed along an invisible line, be caught and read in transit and [9][p. 8]⁶ then sent forward to their destination, and vice versa. The Hosts of Heaven, watched tthem with intense interest, as also the denisens[sic] of the Spirit-land down to Hell itself had a like privilege part, if not all the time.

Human Agency was honoured in some way at the upper end, and permitted to Engineer them, The Father himself above all. A professor Taylor late of Cambridge was thus honoured, a brother as I understood of Sedly[sic?] Taylor. Had he a brother? All worked sweetly together, whoever he was.

Here is a fact for Science.

"We are fearfully and wonderfully made". Poor weak words, yet about the best we can use. We have Body, Soul and Spirit. During the fall, my Spirit was in Heaven. I "was in the body". I was unconscious of this, only that I could see and hear and take part in the proceedings there just like those who were there altogether. I was often addressed as if I were there altogether, and as often had the error to be corrected. So visible was my presence [10][p. 9]⁷ there! Is this the "Astral body" of the Theosophist?⁸

But what is the use? I could go on and on, and I would willingly exhaust my brain if this were possible, for it is not. Day after day, the old scenes crop up, covered with new light. The second and third &c revealing is going on all the time, but exhaustion is utterly impossible. I have told you only a small portion.

Privilege and honour are no words, so I do not attempt to describe. The scenes were "unutterable", "yet I be nothing" but a "Messenger" and "Bond Servant" of The Lord Jesus Christ.

"Freely ye have received, freely give". This has been my work from childhood, and will be to the end, and no man can know its pleasures better than your

Humble Servant | John Jepson [signature]

[11][p. 10]⁹ P.S. Identity, would be a crucial question you would put to me I presume. I will just touch upon it. To me it was superabundant, to my readers, I think it will rest mainly on the intrinsic value and evident work of my revelations which are very many.

My son, in Nov 1891 was the bearer of a message from The Lord Jesus that he had a work for me to do. He also tole me in Dec. that The Lord himself would meet me in my clost at a fixed date and time, which he did. Afterwards the Father also.

My son had been lost to us since about 1880. Now I was abundantly satisfied that I had verily conversed freely, with these and hosts of others during the entire winter. In Aug & Sep. they came freely to me again. Three times successively, in answer to earnest prayer, a voice deliberately said to me, while yet on my knees in slow time, "I have heard thy prayer". I have never needed this assurance since. Is Religion a Mockery? Who was this, but The Father? Echo answer, Who?

The "Father" and "God" are distinct, except that "God" manifests himself in the "Father" which I believe, just as The Lord Jesus was "God manifest in hin". For I saw him often, and [12][p. 11]¹⁰ "No man hath seen God at any time". Read John[']s Gospel and Epistles.

I also saw The Lord Jesus as often. I also saw and heard very often as plain almost as ever I saw them at a little distance, my son, his mother, and many others whom I had known. My 6 other little children I never knew, at least they were too young for me to remember. I heard them often both in song and speech.

In Dec. The Lord sent to me the late John Curwen of London, my old friend. He came with his wife on his left arm, and — of course with a little boy by the right hand. A scene for Rubens.¹¹

Oh no, Sir, no hallucination, no imagination, no nothing but grand or awfully terrible reality. They are on my retina and will so remain.

You are at liberty to use these papers as you think proper. They are for the world.

[13]¹²