-- J. Aelwyn Roberts1990/ published by Element Books
Dr. Shari Stacy
This is a well-written, easy-to-read book by a Welsh reverend who came to see ghost busting as part of his calling. Roberts explains how he first became involved in the spirit world, and takes us on his amazing journey to help those bothered by troublesome ghosts and those seeking contact with loved ones. The Reverend’s career has spanned 60 years and he shares some of his more memorable encounters with us.
Roberts’ overall message is one of love and closure. His ghosts are not really scary but more “lost” or on a mission to help a loved one. The stories are credible and affirm the minister’s unwavering belief in the spiritual world. He says, “[I] found myself enjoying the company of these people from the world of yesterday…. I just can’t understand anyone being afraid of ghosts.”
Two of my favorite stories from the book are the cases of the “Smelly Ghost” and the “Ghost that Changed Houses.” In the first case, a remodeled house cannot be rented because of a horrible stench that periodically pervades the home. With the help of a namesake medium named Elwyn Roberts, the Reverend discovers two layers of ghosts on the property. One consists of a regiment of soldiers from the 19th century who come to life on the lawn and parade through the house. The medium Roberts is able to come up with several names and verification of these persons from the past is made by the curator of a local museum. The number of accurate “hits” is astounding. It turns out, though, that it is the presence of a young blond boy who cries almost incessantly that carries the unbearable smell with it. In later sessions, the medium is able to piece together the details of the child’s tragic drowning in 1938. Mr. Roberts (the medium) is able to bring the boy’s mother to him and she helps him to cross over. The smell nor the boy are ever experienced again.
The story of the “Ghost” who followed his wife and children to their new home is heart-breaking. The widow had angrily yelled at her husband for incurring a very expensive traffic ticket and he shot himself that same night. The young woman, Beth, discovers that her husband is still in the home. The woman, whose guilt weighs heavily upon her, moves to a new dwelling to escape Brian’s visits, only to find he has followed her. She goes through deep depression before consulting the priest for help. Roberts brings his medium friend Elwyn into this case as well, and he helps wife and husband communicate. It turns out that Brian does not want to harm Beth in any way but instead feels deep shame that in a moment of weakness he did a stupid thing, leaving the impoverished wife and children alone. Beth forgives him and he her, and Brian is able to go on to the other side.
Not once does Roberts indicate in this book that any communication with the spirit world has suggested a God or a Heaven à la the King James version of the Bible. He reports his experiences faithfully, experiencing over and over the concept of “moving on,” but he never learns exactly where the spirits go when they move on. My point is that this deeply religious man does not embellish his stories with a religious theme to win over souls for the Church; instead he describes his encounters with a reporter’s integrity.
Perhaps Sis Jones, a parishioner of Roberts, should have the last word on the subject. When Roberts urges the dying Jones to take morphine to ease her pain, she chastises him:
‘Don’t you remember how… you said this doctor had interviewed many people who had died and who had been resuscitated, and how they all described what they had seen; how they had heard wonderful music; how they had walked through some tunnel where they felt so happy; and how they had seen their parents beckoning to them and welcoming them…. Well then…how is it you ask me such a stupid question as why I refuse to take morphia? I don’t want to be doped and muddle-headed when this exciting thing happens to me! I want to enjoy my death when it comes!’
Here is my last word on J. Aelwyn Roberts’ work
This is a well-written, easy-to-read book by a Welsh reverend who came to see ghost busting as part of his calling. Roberts explains how he first became involved in the spirit world, and takes us on his amazing journey to help those bothered by troublesome ghosts and those seeking contact with loved ones. The Reverend’s career has spanned 60 years and he shares some of his more memorable encounters with us.
Roberts’ overall message is one of love and closure. His ghosts are not really scary but more “lost” or on a mission to help a loved one. The stories are credible and affirm the minister’s unwavering belief in the spiritual world. He says, “[I] found myself enjoying the company of these people from the world of yesterday…. I just can’t understand anyone being afraid of ghosts.”
Two of my favorite stories from the book are the cases of the “Smelly Ghost” and the “Ghost that Changed Houses.” In the first case, a remodeled house cannot be rented because of a horrible stench that periodically pervades the home. With the help of a namesake medium named Elwyn Roberts, the Reverend discovers two layers of ghosts on the property. One consists of a regiment of soldiers from the 19th century who come to life on the lawn and parade through the house. The medium Roberts is able to come up with several names and verification of these persons from the past is made by the curator of a local museum. The number of accurate “hits” is astounding. It turns out, though, that it is the presence of a young blond boy who cries almost incessantly that carries the unbearable smell with it. In later sessions, the medium is able to piece together the details of the child’s tragic drowning in 1938. Mr. Roberts (the medium) is able to bring the boy’s mother to him and she helps him to cross over. The smell nor the boy are ever experienced again.
The story of the “Ghost” who followed his wife and children to their new home is heart-breaking. The widow had angrily yelled at her husband for incurring a very expensive traffic ticket and he shot himself that same night. The young woman, Beth, discovers that her husband is still in the home. The woman, whose guilt weighs heavily upon her, moves to a new dwelling to escape Brian’s visits, only to find he has followed her. She goes through deep depression before consulting the priest for help. Roberts brings his medium friend Elwyn into this case as well, and he helps wife and husband communicate. It turns out that Brian does not want to harm Beth in any way but instead feels deep shame that in a moment of weakness he did a stupid thing, leaving the impoverished wife and children alone. Beth forgives him and he her, and Brian is able to go on to the other side.
Not once does Roberts indicate in this book that any communication with the spirit world has suggested a God or a Heaven à la the King James version of the Bible. He reports his experiences faithfully, experiencing over and over the concept of “moving on,” but he never learns exactly where the spirits go when they move on. My point is that this deeply religious man does not embellish his stories with a religious theme to win over souls for the Church; instead he describes his encounters with a reporter’s integrity.
Perhaps Sis Jones, a parishioner of Roberts, should have the last word on the subject. When Roberts urges the dying Jones to take morphine to ease her pain, she chastises him:
‘Don’t you remember how… you said this doctor had interviewed many people who had died and who had been resuscitated, and how they all described what they had seen; how they had heard wonderful music; how they had walked through some tunnel where they felt so happy; and how they had seen their parents beckoning to them and welcoming them…. Well then…how is it you ask me such a stupid question as why I refuse to take morphia? I don’t want to be doped and muddle-headed when this exciting thing happens to me! I want to enjoy my death when it comes!’
Here is my last word on J. Aelwyn Roberts’ work
0 comments:
Post a Comment