Although I was kept busy at my boardwalk practice during the summer months, autumn found business so slack, due to the closing of many hotels and departure of people, that I was compelled to find another location. Again I went to Philadelphia and consulted Mrs. Bledsoe who, through her spirit contacts, advised me to go to Washington, D. C. I arrived there in November 1912 and opened an office on 14th Street, N.W. Here I fortuitously met a gentleman with whom I had become acquainted at Lily Dale. His name was William Plummer, of Frederick, Maryland. He visited me at my office and told me he was interested in procuring a copy of "Was Abraham Lincoln a Spiritualist?" by Nettie Maynard Colburn. He wanted to find the owner of the copyright, for he wished to have the book reprinted. In his search he had found the name of a Mr. Rollison Colburn of Takoma Park, but was informed that the latter was not related to the writer. The search, however, had not been entirely futile, for the Rollison Colburns proved to be interested in Spiritualism and a common interest between them developed into a close friendship.
I became acquainted with the Colburns through Mr. Plummer. I found them very kind and lovable people who were greatly interested in psychic experiences. It was through their son, Arthur Colburn, that I first heard of the messages that were being received by Mr. Padgett. I was introduced to him at his office in the Stewart Building, 6th and D Street, N.W., where he was practicing law. This was in the early Fall of 1914, when everyone was excited about the great conflict that had broken out in Europe. Some people felt the period ushering in the end of the world had come, and that Jesus himself would appear at this "end time". For me it was the end of my travels and spiritual search.
These Messages from Jesus and Celestials received through the hand of James E. Padgett are so extraordinary in concept and contents (claiming as they do to bring to mankind the highest spiritualteachings of Jesus as an epoch-making revelation from the spirit world), that it is indispensable that, as the publisher and firm believer in the truths contained in these messages, I give to interested readers and for future reference, some first hand information regarding the man through whom these messages were received and how it was that he was enabled and selected to obtain these amazing communications.
At this point I must state that I was very often in Mr. Padgett's room when he was receiving these writings and that I am the eye witness to the formation and development of Mr. Padgett as the medium par excellence through which the truths of the Heavenly Father and of life in the spirit world thus obtained have come to mankind.
My first contact with Mr. Padgett was in September 1914. I became interested in him at first because he seemed to be a fine gentleman and, what was also important to me, a genuine medium. We became friendly on the basis of Spiritualism and mediumship and this became a bond which, in addition to our mutual respect and brotherly love for each other which grew apace in the course of time, was never broken in this life until his death on March 17, 1923. This bond I am convinced continues to exist between us, his soul encased in a spirit body and mine still in mortal trappings.
Continue to Page 4