a skeptic investigates John Sloan

Arthur Findlay, On The Edge Of The Etheric

When first experiencing this phenomena I naturally thought that the medium was impersonating people, as when these voices speak it is generally in the dark, and what could be easier than that he should be tricking me and others into believing that we were speaking to the spirits of our departed friends ?

On the first occasion I experienced these voices I was decidedly suspicious, and yet as the séance went on I wondered how it would be possible for any man, even if he had accomplices, to carry on such an imposture for over three hours. Thirty separate voices spoke that night, of different tone and accent, they gave their names, their correct earth addresses and spoke to the right people, were recognised, and referred to intimate family affairs. Never once was a mistake made and the darkness really increased the evidence in favour of the genuineness of the whole proceedings, as, difficult as it would be to remember everyone's departed friends and relations and their family affairs in the light, it would be doubly so in the dark, because fifteen people were present and the medium would have to remember exactly where each one was sitting. The voice on every occasion spoke in front of the person who recognised the name, the earth address and the details which were given.

It was all very mystifying, and the fact that sometimes two or three voices spoke at once did not make it less so . There must be accomplices, I thought, and not only that but a regular system of gathering information. How it could be done in so thorough a manner was the question, but yet; on the other hand, how could the dead speak? … So ran my thought s that memorable night of the 20th September 1918, when suddenly a voice spoke in front of me. I felt scared. A man sitting next to me said " Someone  wants to speak to you … “Robert Downie Findlay,'' the voice replied, and then went on to refer to something that only he and I and one other ever knew on earth, and that other, like my father, was some years dead. I was therefore the only living person with any knowledge of what the voice was referring to. That was extraordinary enough, but my surprise was heightened when, after my father had finished, another voice gave the name of the other person who on earth knew about the subject, and this voice continued the conversation which my father had begun. No spy system, however thorough, no impersonation by the medium or by any accomplices, could be responsible for this, and moreover I was an entire stranger to everyone present. I did not give my name when I entered the room, I knew no one in that room, and no one knew me or anything about me.

That was my first introduction to John C. Sloan and the Direct Voice, and after the seance was over I asked him if I could come back again, as I was anxious to know more about this subject.