April 25th, 1917.
Received by James Padgett
Washington D.C.
I am here, your own true and loving Helen.
Well, dear, I am glad that John wrote you as he did, for it will give you an insight into some principles regarding the powers of spirits to help mortals, that you may not before have understood. What he said is true, and I am glad that he wrote.
It may prove a little disappointing to learn that spirits have not the powers to do everything, as mortals may suppose, but I do not want you to underestimate their powers, for they have great powers, even as respects the material things. Of course, they cannot move a house, or cause the wealth of one mortal to be removed from him and placed in the possession of another, but they can and do use great influence on mortals to cause them to do physical things that the spirits cannot directly do.
Your prayers are not futile, even as to these material things that are subject to the control of mortals, for these very mortals are, under certain circumstances, subject to our influence, and thereby, control. When we promise you that a certain thing or things will happen, we mean that we will exercise our influence on mortals in such a way that they will bring about these happenings in response thereto. And you must not believe that when we promise you something that that something, as a matter of course, will come to you. We mean that it will come to you by reason, primarily, of the work that we are doing among mortals.
We can see some things before they have an existence in your physical world, and can tell you of the same. And some things we believe will happen, and also, tell you - and when they do not, we are disappointed as well as are you.
Your own true and loving,
Helen.