November 6th, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington D.C.
I am here, Pastor Russell:
I am the spirit of one who passed out a short time ago and in the full faith of his earth teachings. But in the twinkling of an eye I saw the whole falsity of my beliefs and teachings, because I awoke to the consciousness of my being alive. Yes, more alive than ever, when I expected to go into nothingness and oblivion. Oh the terrible mistake that I made and the great injury that I have done to all my followers who are now firm in the beliefs that I taught them; and when I think of the great responsibility that is mine, I am almost crushed, and feel that the loss of every soul who believes my doctrines will rest on my soul, and that I must do penance or suffer the penalties that my teachings bring to me.
I have been here only a short time and am not in condition to write much now, but I will come - I must come - and find some way to reach my people and tell them to give up the belief that there is no spirit world in which they must live when they leave their bodies of flesh. I come tonight because your wife sought me, and told me that I must come with her and see a mystery, and to me it is. All the beliefs of a lifetime destroyed in one short moment and spiritualism demonstrated to be a truth. I must stop. I will come again. good night.
Pastor Russell.