Future Time Psychomancy

"Future Time Psychomancy," as the term itself indicates, is the name

given to that class of phenomena in which one is able to sense the

Astral Plane impression of coming events--the psychic shadows thrown

before by coming events. In order to give the student a technical

nature of the occult cause behind this phenomena would require volumes

of the deepest metaphysical lore, which field is foreign to the

purposes of this work which deals with phenomena alone, and does not

enter into the metaphysical side of the subject.



It will be sufficient for the student to understand that in the Astral

as well as on the Physical Plane, "~Coming Events cast their Shadows

Before~." Without entering into a discussion of Destiny or Fate, or

anything of that kind, it may be stated that ~when Causes are set

into motion, the Effects follow~, unless other Causes intervene. In

some cases certain effects have been averted by reason of the previous

Vision--in such cases ~the other Causes intervened~, which showed

that the matter was not wholly "cut and dried." It is like a man

walking toward a precipice--he will walk over unless he is warned in

some way. He is not "fated" to walk over but over he will go, unless

warned and prevented. Do you see what we mean?



On the other hand, there seem to be cases in which the person seems

unable to escape the Effect of Causes once set into motion--he even

seems to run into the effect, while seeking to escape it. In this

connection the little fable of the Persians may be quoted. The story

goes that a friend was with Solomon when the Angel of Death entered and

gazed at him fixedly. Upon learning who the strange visitor was, the

friend said to Solomon, "Pray transport me on thy magic carpet to

Damascus, that I may escape this dread messenger." And Solomon complied

with his request, and the man was instantly magically transported to

Damascus. Then said the Angel of Death to Solomon: "O Solomon, the

reason that I gazed so intently at thy friend was because I had orders

from On High to take him from the body at Damascus, and lo! finding him

here at Jerusalem, I was sore perplexed as to how to obey my orders.

But, thou, by transporting him to Damascus hath rendered my task an

easy one. Many thanks, for thy help at thy friend's suggestion, O

King!" And saying which the Angel of Death was wafted away to Damascus

to take the man, according to orders.



The phenomena of Premonitions, Prevision, and Second Sight, are all

forms or phases of Future Time Psychomancy. In these various forms the

phenomena is of quite common and frequent occurrence, and is met with

all over the world. In the Isle of Skye many persons possess the gift

of Second Sight in varying degree, but they claim that a native of the

island loses the power when he moves to the mainland. In the same way

the Scotch Highlander (among whose people the gift is quite common) is

said to sometimes lose the faculty when he removes to the lowlands. The

Westphalian peasants also are noted for the power of Second Sight.



An instance of this phase of the phenomena, well known in England, is

that connected with the assassination of Mr. Percival in the lobby of

the House of Commons. This deed was foreseen by John Williams, a

Cornish mine manager, some nine days before its actual occurrence, the

vision being perfect down to the most minute details. Williams had the

vision three times in succession. He saw a small man, dressed in a blue

coat and white waistcoat, enter the lobby of the House of Commons, when

another person, dressed in a snuff-colored coat, stepped forward and

drawing a pistol from an inside pocket fired at and shot the little

man, the bullet lodging in the left breast. He seemed to ask some

bystander who was the victim, and he received the reply that it was Mr.

Percival, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Williams was so much wrought

up over the vision, that he seriously contemplated going to London to

warn the victim, but his friends, to whom he told the story, ridiculed

him and persuaded him not to go on "a fool's errand." A few days later

the news was received of the assassination of Mr. Percival, in

precisely the manner indicated by the vision.



George Fox the Quaker, experienced the impression of "a waft of death"

about Cromwell when he met him riding at Hampton Court, shortly before

his fatal illness. Fox also foretold the expulsion of the "Rump

Parliament;" the restoration of Charles II; and the Fire of London.

Caesar's wife had a warning of her husband's death. The Bible is filled

with similar instances.



We will conclude this lesson with a recital of the wonderful instance

of Cazotte, whose prediction, and its literal fulfillment, are now

matters of French history. La Harpe tells the story as follows:



"It appears but as yesterday, and yet, nevertheless, it was at the

beginning of the year 1788. We were dining with one of our brethren at

the Academy--a man of considerable wealth and genius. The conversation

became serious; much admiration was expressed on the revolution in

thought which Voltaire had effected, and it was agreed that it was his

first claim to the reputation he enjoyed. We concluded that the

revolution must soon be consummated; that it was indispensable that

superstition and fanaticism should give place to philosophy, and we

began to calculate the probability of the period when this should be,

and which of the present company should live to see it. The oldest

complained that they could scarcely flatter themselves with the hope;

the younger rejoiced that they might entertain this very probable

expectation; and they congratulated the Academy especially for having

prepared this great work, and for having been the great rallying point,

the centre, and the prime mover of the liberty of thought.



"One only of the guests had not taken part in all the joyousness of

this conversation, and had even gently and cheerfully checked our

splendid enthusiasm. This was Cazotte, an amiable and original man, but

unhappily infatuated with the reveries of the illuminati. He spoke, and

with the most serious tone. 'Gentlemen,' said he, 'be satisfied; you

will all see this great and sublime revolution, which you so much

desire. You know that I am a little inclined to prophesy; I repeat, you

will see it.' He was answered by the common rejoinder: 'One need not be

a conjuror to see that.' 'Be it so; but perhaps one must be a little

more than conjuror for what remains for me to tell you. Do you know

what will be the consequence of this revolution--what will be the

consequence to all of you, and what will be the immediate result--the

well-established effect--the thoroughly-recognized consequence to all

of you who are here present?' 'Ah!' said Condorcet, with his insolent

and half-suppressed smile, 'let us hear--a philosopher is not sorry to

encounter a prophet.' 'You, Monsieur de Condorcet--you will yield up

your last breath on the floor of a dungeon; you will die from poison,

which you will have taken, in order to escape from execution--from

poison which the happiness of that time will oblige you to carry about

your person.'



"'Monsieur de Chamfort, you will open your veins with twenty-two cuts

of a razor, and yet you will not die until some months afterward.' They

looked at each other, and laughed again. 'You, Monsieur Vicq d'Azir,

you will not open your own veins, but you will cause yourself to be

bled six times in one day, during a parozysm of the gout, in order to

make more sure of your end, and you will die in the night. You,

Monsieur de Nicolai, you will die upon the scaffold; you, Monsieur

Bailly, on the scaffold; you, Monsieur de Malesherbes, on the

scaffold.' 'Ah! God be thanked,' exclaimed Roucher, 'and what of I?'

'You! you also will die upon the scaffold.' 'Yes,' replied Chamfort,

'but when will all this happen?' 'Six years will not pass over, before

all that I have said to you shall be accomplished.'



"'Here are some astonishing miracles (and, this time, it was I myself

(La Harpe) who spoke), but you have not included me in your list.' 'But

you will be there, as an equally extraordinary miracle; you will then

be a Christian.' Vehement exclamations on all sides. 'Ah,' replied

Chamfort, 'I am comforted; if we shall perish only when La Harpe shall

be a Christian, we are immortal.'



"'As for that,' then observed Madame la Duchesse de Grammont, 'we

women, we are happy to be counted for nothing in these revolutions:

when I say for nothing, it is not that we do not always mix ourselves

up with them a little; but it is a received maxim that they take no

notice of us, and of our sex.' 'Your sex, ladies, will not protect you

this time; and you had far better meddle with nothing, for you will be

treated entirely as men, without any difference whatever.' 'But what,

then, are you really telling us of, Monsieur Cazotte? You are preaching

to us the end of the world.' 'I know nothing on this subject; but what

I do know is, that you, Madame la Duchesse, will be conducted to the

scaffold, you and many other ladies with you, in the cart of the

executioner, and with your hands tied behind your backs.' 'Ah! I hope

that, in that case, I shall at least have a carriage hung in black.'

'No, madame; higher ladies than yourself will go, like you, in the

common car, with their hands tied behind them.' 'Higher ladies! what!

the princesses of the blood?' 'Still more exalted personages.' Here a

sensible emotion pervaded the whole company, and the countenance of the

host was dark and lowering; they began to feel that the joke was become

too serious.



"Madame de Grammont, in order to dissipate the cloud, took no notice of

the reply, and contented herself with saying in a careless tone: 'You

see that he will not leave me even a confessor!' 'No, madame, you will

not have one--neither you, nor any one besides. The last victim to whom

this favor will be afforded will be----' He stopped for a moment.

'Well! who then will be the happy mortal to whom this prerogative will

be given?' ''Tis the only one which he will have then retained--and

that will be the king of France.'"



The amazing sequel to this historical prediction is that ~it was

verified in every detail~, as all students of the French Revolution

know--~and all within the six years~, as Cazotte foretold.