Medium Gwendolyn Kelley Hack
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Gwendolyn Kelley Hack Medium
In Modern Psychic Mysteries at Millesimo Castle Mrs. Gwendolyn Kelley Hack has
united all the reports of the memorable psychic investigations which took place
during the years 1927 and 1928 in the mediaeval Castle of Millesimo in the
Province of Savona, Italy, the property of Marquis Carlo Centurione Scotto. The
principal phenomenon which we obtained was that of the Direct Voice, combined
with many other important manifestations, such as extraordinary apports and
asports, the transportation from a distance of extremely large and heavy
articles, the playing of musical instruments while they floated round the room,
the materialization of human hands and feet, the levitation of the medium to a
height of over six feet above the ground in the large arm-chair in which he was
seated, noisy duels between invisible fighters; and finally, the culminating
phenomenon, in the dramatic bodily disappearance of the Medium. This was
followed by an anxious, but vain search for the sensitive which lasted for two
and a half hours. We were eventually relieved of our anxiety by means of Mrs.
Kelley Hacks mediumship, the welcome information which guided us to the spot
where we found the Medium, Marquis Centurione Scotto, immersed in deep sleep,
being written automatically through her hand.
This is not the place to analyze the facts, but it seems an opportune moment to
quote and comment on some criticism which has been advanced in Germany against
the investigations at Millesimo, with regard to the methods of control adopted
during these experiments, which are considered to have been insufficiently
stringent from a scientific point of view. This criticism is brought forward by
Prof. von Schrenck-Notzing and Prof. Rudolf Lambert. It is unnecessary to quote
these criticisms in detail as they all centre round the fact that the mediums
were not subjected to a rigorous, personal control; such as, for example, Prof.
von Schrenck-Notzing invariably adopts when experimenting with the Schneider
brothers.
Now I must frankly confess that in the main our critics are right. This does
not, however, signify that our experiments are destitute of scientific value. I
hasten to demonstrate this on the basis of fact, but before I begin it appears a
suitable opportunity to consider certain psychological and moral considerations
regarding the metapsychic investigation of Mediums; considerations which are of
no little importance from the scientific standpoint, and, in our case, they
amply justify our not having adopted this rigorous personal control.
I flatter myself that our critics will gladly concede that there is an enormous
difference between a Circle of experimenters, who employ professional Mediums,
and a group which experiments with private, cultured mediums of a privileged
social class. In saying which I do not refer to the indubitable fact of the
great difference between the conditions of these two kinds of experiment; for
they cannot well be compared on a moral or psychological basis; rather do I
refer to another circumstance which concerns the susceptibility of mediumistic
persons. For, in the first case, we are treating of professionals who must
perforce accept the necessary conditions of control inseparable from the
exercise of their profession. Whereas, in the second case, we are treating of
private Mediums who lend themselves voluntarily, for the purpose of experiment,
without any utilitarian end, urged solely by their intense interest in these new
researches. It is, therefore, necessary to consider the personal
susceptibilities of these last-mentioned mediums and to remember, as of
paramount importance, their dignity as gentlemen. It is true that amongst
private mediums one occasionally finds persons so imbued with the spirit of
sacrifice in the cause of science that they will undergo any kind of humiliation
which may be inflicted on them. Such people deserve an honored place amongst the
saints and martyrs of a future metapsychic calendar; and in saying this I have
in mind that American lady, Margery (Mrs. Crandon) and her worthy husband, Dr. L.
Crandon. They submitted themselves to all kinds of tests and endured untold
indignity in order to convince the men of science who attended their seances.