Maurice Barbanell: Journalist for the Power of the Spirit

Maurice Barbanell (1902-1981)

 

Maurice Barbanell was among the authors to chronicle the phenomena associated with Spiritualism during the 20th Century after the Spiritualist Movement took shape during the mid-1800s.  Maurice was founder/editor of the newspaper Psychic News that commenced publication in 1932.
 
The books of the metaphysical journalist document a variety of manifestations sometimes equated with the 'supernatural' or categorized as 'paranormal'/'unexplained phenomena'; however, Maurice commented in This Is Spiritualism (1959, revised edition 1967):

 

I do not use the word "supernatural," for I do not believe there is anything greater than natural law.  All happenings, psychic or otherwise, are due to the operation of universal laws.

 

Maurice also was, himself, a trance medium.  Maurice's manifesting 'guide' was given the name 'Silver Birch' with transcribed portions of these communications published in many books.  Transcripts of the teachings evidently became the primary source of Maurice's spiritual insights concerning mediumship and spiritual healing.  A 'Silver Birch' audio recording may be heard online with a sequence of six short videos.  Here are some of the opening statements:

 

Let us try to achieve the closest possible harmony with one another so that we become one in our desire to aspire to the highest that we can reach.  And none and nothing can be higher than the Great White Spirit, the Infinite Power [or Pourer] of Divine Love and Wisdom, which is responsible for the boundless universe in which we live; and Whose Intelligence has devised and sustains all the natural laws that control and regulate every facet of being, whether mighty or minute, complex or simple, all operate according to inexorable laws that know no possible exception.

 
We recognize too that we have behind us all the time the mighty hosts of liberated beings whose one desire is to serve us so that we in turn may serve others less fortunate than we are.

As common with transcripts of authentic transcendental communication, there are manifold correlations between cases (including with the 'talking poltergeist' cases although usually in an esoteric manner).  Many examples of these parallels are noticeable in recent articles presenting teachings of "the spokesman for the Council of Nine" through Phyllis V. Schlemmer and of "a collective energy that has come to this plane to manifest the Christ in man" through Paul Selig. 

 

A book by Maurice Barbanell chronicling Direct Voice (disembodied voice) séances with medium Estelle Roberts, The Trumpet Shall Sound was published in London 1933.  Before learning about the 'voice séances' that occurred in her presence, Maurice knew Estelle as "a remarkable trance medium and the foremost public clairvoyant in England."

 

The Foreword of The Trumpet Shall Sound was contributed by prominent Spiritualist and journalist Hannen Swaffer, who wrote about Estelle's guide 'Red Cloud':
 

Often he breaks into poetry, blank verse and rhyme mixed up, much of it perfect metre and rhythm and occasionally almost Shakespearean in its beauty.


Sometimes he quotes modern poetry which the medium has never read.  When asked where he obtains it, he tells you he has access to all the literature and poetry that has ever been written.

He speaks of the "Council" on the other side.  He personifies a Plan.

 
Other books by Maurice Barbanell include Power of the Spirit (1949) presenting reports about various manifestations of 'psychic phenomena'; He Walks In Two Worlds (1964) is a case study of 'psychic photographer' John Myers; and there are several books about spiritual healers.
 
In the Foreword of Power of the Spirit, Maurice defined some of the momentous lessons learned.
 

To millions of people all over the world today the phrase, "power of the spirit," does not represent some theological idea but is a living reality which has completely transformed their lives. 


All forms of mediumship are expressions of spirit power.

Mediumship is the nexus between this world and what is called the next, though in reality there is no next world.  There is only one life.


The power has a tremendous potency, for it is capable of performing remarkable physical acts.  When it reaches its climax, you often get results like the direct voice . . .


Then, in rarer cases, you get materialisation, where something akin to the process of physical birth is accelerated.  In a few moments there appears in front of you a complete replica of the spirit communicator's former physical body, a living form that speaks, moves and breathes, that has solidity—as I know because I have shaken hands with and handled many materialisations.  The eyes are living, there is warm breath and the pulses beat.

In healing, the most efficient demonstrators are able to be the vehicles of this power, occasionally producing spontaneous cures in cases which the medical profession has regarded as incurable.

My own view, for what it is worth, is that the power of the spirit is akin to the life force itself.  It has all the properties of consciousness.  Residing within it are the vitality and dynamic which are part of the process of creation.


I have witnessed many varied manifestations of spirit power which could be explained only by the simple fact that they are due to the intervention of intelligences from the larger life.  As friends have passed beyond the veil they have returned with the assurance of continued affection and interest in our association.  Our companionship has not ended with the incident of death.  They have returned because the bond of love is an attracting force.

 
There may be read a recent Psychic News profile article about Maurice Barbanell.  Here is an excerpt from the article.
 

From their earliest association, long before Psychic News was mooted, Red Cloud had called Barbanell "John the scribe."  Barbanell gave the reason for this . . .


"When I asked why I had to embark on this task, Red Cloud said that in a past life I had promised to return to do so."  White Hawk [guide of trance medium Kathleen Barkel] told him exactly the same.

 
The beginning of Maurice's investigation of Spiritualism is described in This Is Spiritualism.
 

I began my inquiry into Spiritualism as a sceptic, with a bias towards incredulity.  My mother was a deeply religious woman with an orthodox outlook.  My father, however, was an atheist.  From childhood onwards I constantly heard my parents discuss the pros and cons of religion, without reaching unanimity.  The years of dissension had the effect of making me first of all an atheist and later, in my teens, an agnostic.  My outlook was unashamedly materialistic.  My ambition was to carve out a successful commercial career and make a fortune.  Fate, however, had other plans.

Thirty-seven years ago I was a secretary of a literary debating society at which famous authors were usually the speakers.  It was one of my functions to ensure that we had a good discussion by opening the debate and always opposing the speaker, irrespective of what he said.  I followed this course regularly, except on one fateful evening.  Our speaker that night, instead of being a famous author, was a Spiritualist—I forget now why he was invited—who narrated his psychic experiences, outlining what seemed to him to be their implications.  The speaker sat down, and I stood up.


"This is a matter for investigation," I stated.  "I have not  investigated.  Others who have inquired are better fitted to express their viewpoints, either for or against it."  When the session was over, the speaker approached me.  "Were you serious in what you said?" he asked.  "Ye-es," I replied.

"Will you put it to the test by making your own investigation?" was his challenge.  Because I was in a dilemma and could not refuse without appearing to be foolish or frivolous, I announced myself as willing to conduct an inquiry.  Moreover, I added, to stress the honesty of my agnostic outlook, I would express no opinion until six months had elapsed.

He invited me to attend a weekly séance held in a dingy tenement in the East End of London.  Though, doubtless snobbishly, I was not impressed with the surroundings, I was surprised at what transpired.  At the second séance a psychic phenomenon occurred for which I could find no alternative explanation other than it was genuine.


A fascinating example of supernormal activity is the fact that, on many occasions, I have received spirit messages through different mediums, each confirming what has been said through the other, though normally none of them could have known what had transpired at the other séances.


I write this book for the same reason that all my adult life has been spent in addressing public meetings in every large town in this country, in the U.S.A., Canada and on the Continent, and in contributing articles to national newspapers and journals published at home and abroad.  What is my reason?  I have come into possession of startling facts which have revolutionised the whole of my outlook on religion and philosophy and, indeed, on life itself.


Survival  [after death] is not a reward or a punishment for our actions on earth.  We must continue to exist beyond the grave simply because we have no alternative.


. . . man is a spiritual being with a spiritual heritage and with a spiritual destiny to fulfil.