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The Mediumship of Mrs. Leonard
Once in a rare while an important new work appears - one that we can say with absolute certainty will endure. Here is the strongest proof ever obtained of the survival of the human spirit - documented material which indicates the actual existence of incorporeal entities, of earthly memories abiding beyond the grave. As the very first sentence of this book points out, a great medium is a rare phenomenon indeed. He or she must be able to produce data indisputably above suspicion, despite the most rigorous scientific controls. Mrs Leonard fulfills this stringent requirement. now in her eighties she is the lat of the mediums of the golden age. Of all those who produced manifestations adjudged veridadical - i.e. genuine and accurate - the scientific evidence in the case of Mrs. Leonard is the most documented. No medium in history, in fact, has been more thoroughly investigated and researched. Endless book have been written about her - as the comments, footnotes, and extensive bibliography in this volume demonstrates. This, however, is the first comprehensive study taking in the entire life work of Mrs. Leonard, the only one presenting all her outstanding cases. The book also contained perhaps the clearest exposition available of the work of a medium, the sitters, the alleged communicators. --- excerpt from book's dustjacket
235 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1964
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May 19, 2024
A THOROUGH AND ‘SUPPORTIVE’ SURVEY OF A WELL-KNOWN MEDIUM
Susy Smith (1911–2001; born ‘Ethel Elizabeth Smith’) was a Self-taught Medium, columnist, and author.
She wrote in the first chapter of this 1964 book, “A great medium is a rare phenomenon, rare than a great painter of piano virtuoso. The world has produced only a few mediums whose powers were so outstanding that they could be called great. Gladys Osborne Leonard [1882-1968] is one of these… Many persons who came for sitting with her during her long period of activity became convinced they had communicated with their deceased relatives and friends and this was enough to satisfy them. Certain other sitters had more objective goals in mind. Mos of these hopes to receive material so veridical that it would stand up to scientific analysis as survival evidence. Therefore, they wished to work within the framework within the framework of carefully controlled supervision and to keep exact records of everything that was said. They welcomed discussion and suggestions from other researchers. They welcome discussion and suggestions from other researchers. It is with this band of patient workers that this book will be primarily concerned. They… have made Mrs. Osborne Leonard the most carefully researched and documented medium in history. For over fifty years she was studied by some of the best investigators of the British and American Societies for Psychical Research.” (Pg. 7-8)
She continues, “There was never any question of fraud or dishonesty during her entire career. Those who knew her well were convinced of her complete veracity and of her interest in trying to acquire for her sitters the most accurate evidence possible.” (Pg. 18)
She suggests, “There is a general consensus of opinion that the high caliber of Mrs. Leonard’s regular sitters was an asset to her development. And they have helped the subject of mediumship as a whole to be more clearly understood. Their carefully annotated long-term studies reveal the complications of communication in its deepest aspects as well as the satisfactions which occasionally arise.” (Pg. 21)
She explains, “All mediums have controls; they are the entities in charge of proceedings during most mediumistic trances. To spiritists they are what they profess to be---deceased persons, now in spirit form, who temporarily possess the body of the entranced medium in order to relay messages from other spirits.” (Pg. 35-36)
She notes, “It was important to try to eliminate telepathy from the sitter as a major consideration in judging the source of the information received. ‘Proxy sittings’ was the answer hit upon. In these a third party goes to the sitting in place of the person who desires evidence. This proxy sitter knows nothing about person he represents nor about the deceased who will be requested to communicate. Thus, although clairvoyance or other extrasensory powers may be in operation, telepathy from the sitter is ruled out as the explanation of any supernormal information that medium man give.” (Pg. 83-84)
She states, “In recent years tests for precognition have appeared in parapsychology laboratories, but long before this Leonard communicators were displaying precognition by various testing procedures. Important among these were the newspaper tests, in which a communicator described an item which he said would appear in a subsequently published paper. The message thus provided was intended in most cases to bring evidence of his identity… The tests were designed to show that the information given at Mrs. Leonard’s sittings went beyond the subconscious knowledge of medium or sitter.” (Pg. 141)
She acknowledges, “With Gladys Osborne Leonard, as with all mediums, communication was not always smooth sailing. Meaningless information, unidentifiable communicators, and confused statements are by no means unknown in the transcripts of her seances… But even the puzzles have their own interest for us---they throw light on the complexities of communication. Among the more curious is this: there are instances in many mediumships where information is given by a person purporting to be deceased but who is later discovered to be alive…” (Pg. 177-178) Later, she adds, “Perhaps when we learn how to explain the things that go wrong at a mediumistic séance, they may shed some light on the modus operandi of the things that go right.” (Pg. 186)
She concludes, “Psychical researchers have also frequently been known to express their appreciation to Mrs. Leonard, with praise more restrained, perhaps, but with gratitude no less sincere. The long and diligent studies made of her mediumship have added greatly to the store of knowledge about trance personalities, and have accumulated quantities of material of high quality which attests to the survival of the human spirit. Whether the material is accepted as evidence of survival or not, its consideration opens new doors of speculation.” (Pg. 229-230)
This book will be of great interest to those studying Mrs. Leonard, or other mediums of her generation.
Susy Smith (1911–2001; born ‘Ethel Elizabeth Smith’) was a Self-taught Medium, columnist, and author.
She wrote in the first chapter of this 1964 book, “A great medium is a rare phenomenon, rare than a great painter of piano virtuoso. The world has produced only a few mediums whose powers were so outstanding that they could be called great. Gladys Osborne Leonard [1882-1968] is one of these… Many persons who came for sitting with her during her long period of activity became convinced they had communicated with their deceased relatives and friends and this was enough to satisfy them. Certain other sitters had more objective goals in mind. Mos of these hopes to receive material so veridical that it would stand up to scientific analysis as survival evidence. Therefore, they wished to work within the framework within the framework of carefully controlled supervision and to keep exact records of everything that was said. They welcomed discussion and suggestions from other researchers. They welcome discussion and suggestions from other researchers. It is with this band of patient workers that this book will be primarily concerned. They… have made Mrs. Osborne Leonard the most carefully researched and documented medium in history. For over fifty years she was studied by some of the best investigators of the British and American Societies for Psychical Research.” (Pg. 7-8)
She continues, “There was never any question of fraud or dishonesty during her entire career. Those who knew her well were convinced of her complete veracity and of her interest in trying to acquire for her sitters the most accurate evidence possible.” (Pg. 18)
She suggests, “There is a general consensus of opinion that the high caliber of Mrs. Leonard’s regular sitters was an asset to her development. And they have helped the subject of mediumship as a whole to be more clearly understood. Their carefully annotated long-term studies reveal the complications of communication in its deepest aspects as well as the satisfactions which occasionally arise.” (Pg. 21)
She explains, “All mediums have controls; they are the entities in charge of proceedings during most mediumistic trances. To spiritists they are what they profess to be---deceased persons, now in spirit form, who temporarily possess the body of the entranced medium in order to relay messages from other spirits.” (Pg. 35-36)
She notes, “It was important to try to eliminate telepathy from the sitter as a major consideration in judging the source of the information received. ‘Proxy sittings’ was the answer hit upon. In these a third party goes to the sitting in place of the person who desires evidence. This proxy sitter knows nothing about person he represents nor about the deceased who will be requested to communicate. Thus, although clairvoyance or other extrasensory powers may be in operation, telepathy from the sitter is ruled out as the explanation of any supernormal information that medium man give.” (Pg. 83-84)
She states, “In recent years tests for precognition have appeared in parapsychology laboratories, but long before this Leonard communicators were displaying precognition by various testing procedures. Important among these were the newspaper tests, in which a communicator described an item which he said would appear in a subsequently published paper. The message thus provided was intended in most cases to bring evidence of his identity… The tests were designed to show that the information given at Mrs. Leonard’s sittings went beyond the subconscious knowledge of medium or sitter.” (Pg. 141)
She acknowledges, “With Gladys Osborne Leonard, as with all mediums, communication was not always smooth sailing. Meaningless information, unidentifiable communicators, and confused statements are by no means unknown in the transcripts of her seances… But even the puzzles have their own interest for us---they throw light on the complexities of communication. Among the more curious is this: there are instances in many mediumships where information is given by a person purporting to be deceased but who is later discovered to be alive…” (Pg. 177-178) Later, she adds, “Perhaps when we learn how to explain the things that go wrong at a mediumistic séance, they may shed some light on the modus operandi of the things that go right.” (Pg. 186)
She concludes, “Psychical researchers have also frequently been known to express their appreciation to Mrs. Leonard, with praise more restrained, perhaps, but with gratitude no less sincere. The long and diligent studies made of her mediumship have added greatly to the store of knowledge about trance personalities, and have accumulated quantities of material of high quality which attests to the survival of the human spirit. Whether the material is accepted as evidence of survival or not, its consideration opens new doors of speculation.” (Pg. 229-230)
This book will be of great interest to those studying Mrs. Leonard, or other mediums of her generation.
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