Sometime in 1912, Elsa Barker, an accomplished American Poetess, was visiting in Paris, when one night she found herself automatic writing, meaning that is someone other than her sub conscious was writing using her hand. The entity inspiring the writing, claimed to be Judge David Patterson Hatch. The judge explained that he had recently passed over and that he wanted to document his experiences on the other side in the form of letters that he would write through Elsa's hand. Until Elsa was convinced of the Judge's identity she referred to him as XA" Over the next three years over 130 letters were 'dictated' and published as a trilogy under the banner Letters from a Living Dean Man. The letters are now considered an essential guide to the afterlife; all are fascinating, informative, and inspirational, and required reading for anyone interested in life and death, the afterlife, and why we are here. Here is a sample of her introduction. If anyone asks the question, that do I myself think as to whether these letters are genuine communications from the invisible world, I should answer that I believe they are.
In the personal and suppressed portions reference was often made to past events and to possessions of which I had no knowledge, and these references were verified. This leaves untouched the favorite telepathic theory of the psychologists. But if these letters were telepathed to me, by whom were they telepathed? Not by my friend who was present at the writing of many of them, for their contents were as much a surprise to her as to me. I wish, however, to state that I make no scientific claims about this book, for science demands tests and proofs. Save for the first letter signed "X" before I knew that Mr.-- was dead, or knew who "X" was, the book was not written under "test conditions," as the psychologists understand the term. As evidence of a soul's survival after bodily death, it must be accepted or rejected by each individual according to his or her temperament, experience, and inner conviction as to the truth of its contents. In the absence of "X" and without some other entity on the invisible side of Nature in whom I had a like degree of confidence, I could not produce another document of this kind. Against indiscriminate mediumship.
I have still a strong and ineradicable prejudice, for I recognise its dangers both of obsession and deception. But for my faith in "X" and the faith of my Paris friend in me, this book could never have been. Doubt of the invisible author or of the visible medium would probably have paralysed both, for the purposes of this writing. The effect of these letters on me personally has been to remove entirely any fear of death which I may ever have had, to strengthen my belief in immortality, to make the life beyond the grave as real and vital as the life here in the sunshine. If they can give even to one other person the sense of exultant immortality which they have given to me, I shall feel repaid for my labour. To those who may feel inclined to blame me for publishing such a book I can only say that I have always tried to give my best to the world, and perhaps these letters are one of the best things that I have to give. ELSA BARKER.
Author Biography:
1869-1954 Elsa Barker, poetess, novelist and writer, was born in Leicester, Vermont, USA. She was a teacher for a short period but moved on to writing articles for newspapers and syndicated magazines, eventually doing editorial work for Hampton's Magazine in 1909 -1910. Her published works included The Son of Mary Bethel (1909), The Frozen Grail & Other Poems (1910), Stories from the New Testament for Children (1911), The Body of Love (1912), "Songs of a Vagrom Angel", (1916), Fielding Sargent (1922), The Cobra Candlestick (1928), The C.I.D. of Dexter Drake (1929) and The Redman Cave Murder (1930). In 1912 Barker was in Paris and one evening she allegedly began automatic writing; the process or production of writing material that does not come from the conscious thoughts of the writer. Much of this inspired writing over the years claims to have originated from discarnate beings and Barker was no exception. The entity responsible for the writing claimed to be Judge David Patterson Hatch, a lawyer from Los Angeles. The judge explained that he had recently passed over and that he wanted to document his experiences on the other side in the form of letters that he would write through Elsa's hand. Within a few days Barker received verification from a friend that the Judge had indeed died recently in Los Angeles. Patterson Hatch was no ordinary man. Apart from being a lawyer and a judge he was also a published author whose subjects included philosophy and the occult with works including "Scientific Occultism", "The Twentieth Century Christ", "The Blood of the Gods", "Text Book of Christian Hermit Philosophers" and the novel "El Reschid" (one of a series of books written under "the Hindu name of Karishka"). When Patterson Hatch died in 1912 the Los Angeles Times called him "a remarkable man" who was "exceptionally versed in the deep philosophies of life" and who had "obtained a deep knowledge of universal laws, which, although natural to himself, appeared as mysticism to those who had not followed his great mental strides.A" During the next few years over 130 letters were 'dictated' and published and these formed a trilogy debuting with Letters from a Living Dean Man, followed by War Letters from the Living Dead Man and Last Letters from the Living Dead Man. Do not fear death; but stay on earth as long as you can. Not withstanding the companionship I have here, I sometimes regret my failure in holding on to the world. But regrets have less weight on this side-like our bodies. Everything is well with me. I will tell you things that have never been told. Letter 5: Letters From a Living Dead Man
