In this article, we will begin reading A Book Written by the Spirits of the So-Called Dead, published in Cincinnati by C. G. Helleberg in 1883, starting from the beginning.

This book is a record in which the editor claims that spirits themselves wrote communications through a medium, using "independent slate writing." The following descriptions regarding paranormal phenomena, life after death, and communication from spirits are translations of the original author's assertions and personal experiences, and do not represent facts recognized by Wayanata or the translator.

This time, the scope of reading.

This time, I will be reading the title page and preface, as well as the entire first chapter "Introduction," from C. G. Helleberg's A Book Written by the Spirits of the So-Called Dead (Cincinnati, 1883).

Title Page

A book written by what is called the spirits of the deceased.

Written by Mrs. Lizzie S. Green, as a medium, and others, through the process of independent slate writing, using materialized hands of spirits themselves.

Compilation and Arrangement

C.G. Helebery

Residing in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Publication Information

Published by C.G. Helebery, sold at 41 East Third Street.

Cincinnati.

Copyright Notice

Copyright notice: 1882.

C.G. Helebery

Communication from Spirits

Chapter I: Introduction

The communications included in this small book are claimed to have come from spirits who have left their physical bodies, and they were delivered by the method described below. The only thing I did was faithfully transcribe them from stone tablets onto blank notebooks that I had prepared for that purpose, writing down every word exactly as it appeared. Before explaining to the reader how these communications were delivered, I think it is appropriate to briefly describe my own background. I feel this is especially necessary because I am not well known outside of a small circle of acquaintances. Throughout my life, I have strived to live correctly before God and man. Please ask those who know me, including people in the neighborhood and many prominent citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio, how well I have achieved this noble goal that I set for myself in my youth. I have had close social and professional relationships with them for almost forty years. I do not understand why I became the recipient and custodian of these truly remarkable spiritual communications, which are included on the following pages. However, perhaps it is because I have sincerely strived to do what is right throughout my long life that I was deemed worthy. Also, the spirits involved in this work may have known that I would cooperate with them and share what has been revealed with the world, and that I possessed the resources necessary for that purpose.

I was born on March 1, 1811, in Greflet near Falun in the Kingdom of Sweden, and I am now over seventy-one years old. At the age of sixteen, I entered the Swedish army, and at nineteen, I became a student at Uppsala University, where I studied for two years. After serving five years in the military and passing an examination, I was permitted to become a civil servant in my homeland. While working as a surveyor for over ten years, I developed a desire to see with my own eyes how republican institutions function, and I applied for permission to travel abroad, which I received for two years. In 1844, I left my country and went to the United States of America, and in 1845, I settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. Soon after, I began working as a daguerreotypist, and also engaged in photography. The following year, I married Miss Annie E. Franke, daughter of Frederick Franke, a prominent and influential citizen of Cincinnati, who is still remembered for his role in managing the city's early renowned museum. Regarding religion, I was raised in a Lutheran family. However, even when I embraced spiritualism in 1879, I had been a devout and zealous Swedenborgian for thirty years prior to that time. In 1879, I began investigating psychic phenomena, and soon became convinced of the sublime truths of spiritual philosophy.

On the following pages, Mrs. Fredrika Ehrenberg's noble spirit conveys astonishing information about Mars, a planet in our solar system, and various other matters. Therefore, it seems appropriate to provide some background information about her here.

She was born on March 15, 1794, in the province of Värmland, Kingdom of Sweden. At the age of seventeen, she married Count Caspar Isaac Michael Ehrenborg, a highly respected nobleman. He passed away in 1823; at that time, he was the Chief Justice of Sweden. Lady Ehrenborg was a devout follower of Emanuel Swedenborg and ascended to a higher plane on May 20, 1873, in the city of Linköping, Sweden. Her life was eventful in many ways, and much of it was devoted to literary work. She translated numerous works related to religion from various languages into Swedish, wrote books and pamphlets for Swedenborgianism, and visited England, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, and France in search of material for her writings. It is regrettable that I could not meet this remarkable woman while she had a physical body, but fortunately, I was able to engage in very instructive and enjoyable correspondence with her during the last three years of her earthly life.

In September of 1881, I began an investigation with the renowned medium, Mrs. Lizzie S. Green. The majority of the communications below were written through her mediumship. For ten months, I held séances at least twice a week, and for most of that time, it was four times a week. This gave me ample opportunity to examine her true character. As a result, I feel qualified to declare publicly my conviction regarding her sincerity, purity, and simple nature. According to what I have heard, her education in early childhood was severely neglected, and she has had very few opportunities for improvement since then. Before the age of eighteen, she married Mr. Edward H. Green of Aurora, Indiana, and until recently, she has devoted her life to household duties and raising children. Only one child survived infancy. Her husband served ably in the Indiana legislature from 1866 to 1867, representing a district composed of many intelligent voters, and more recently, he served as mayor of his hometown, Aurora, for two terms of two years each, being widely accepted.

The spirit communications included in this book were written by the materialized hands of the spirits themselves, and the process was generally as follows: A small table with a tablecloth was used, and the medium placed one hand under the cloth, holding a small slate with a piece of pencil on it. The other hand of the medium was always visible to everyone else. Both double slates and single slates were used. We heard the sounds as they were being written, and when the slate was full, this was indicated by a clear sound of tapping on the slate and the sound of the pencil falling. Then the slate would be removed, and I, who was selected as the scribe, faithfully transcribed the contents into the notebook mentioned earlier. After that, the slate was cleaned and returned under the table. In this way, all the content recorded below was created. I reported it verbatim and literally, without changing anything, adding nothing, and omitting nothing. Each séance lasted for about one to two hours and took place in bright daylight. I have added a few introductory lines to some of these communications to clarify explanations and understanding.

This book is precisely a book written by the spirits themselves, and no matter how many merits it may have, those achievements should be attributed solely to the spirits. Furthermore, if there are any shortcomings, the responsibility and burden for them should also be borne only by the spirits. Regarding this point, I and the mediums can certainly testify, even to the extent of swearing an oath, that we were not involved in the creation of the communication at all, except for helping to prepare the necessary conditions for communicating with the intelligence.

When I release this work into the world, I cannot help but worry about how it will be received in an era filled with distrust and skepticism, and what fate it will meet. Nevertheless, if it can even slightly contribute to something beneficial for people, that alone would be sufficient reward for my time and effort; that is my only hope.

Carl Gustaf Helleberg.

Ohio, Cincinnati, 177 Auburn Street.