The Other World

[Thursday, February 9, 2006]

(8 p.m.) Mr. Lincoln. I have a pretty good idea what you want to talk about. I’m ready if you are ready.

I had given thought to the state of the nation as we would find ourselves with the end of the war. It is an abiding regret that I could not offer my guidance in this crisis as I had through the war itself, for I believed that I understood the situation as no man could who had not been in my position. Continue reading 31 – Lincoln on America’s task

[Now came a development that maybe somebody smarter would have foreseen, but it certainly bowled me over.]

[Thursday, February 9, 2006]

[Joseph, continuing]

If the war had ended with 1864 and Lincoln hadn’t gotten killed, there’s so much could have been better. Mr. Lincoln had been thinking about things, the way he did, and he knew the problems

You’ve been talking to him.

Yes I have, and yes you can too. This one ain’t a whim like the last idea you had.

Whew! A little overwhelming, the idea of it. Can I talk to him directly, or through you or how?

This ain’t entirely your idea. It’s set up, just be ready. Continue reading 30 – Lincoln on his source of strength

The process of talking to the other side progressed in increments. At least, that’s how it happened for me. First came guidance, then came “past lives” whenever they are really, then came this close connection with Joseph. And I suppose on my life’s calendar on the other side, February 9, 2006 is marked in red. That’s the day it moved up a step as you will see not in this post, but in the next one, Chasing Smallwood – 30. But you need to have read this one (which is a continuation of this same session) to be prepared for that one.

[Thursday, February 9, 2006]

(12:50 p.m.) Joseph, you know that I am very interested in the Civil War material, but I feel others looking over our shoulder, and I know you know it. What is your aim in telling me all this, or would you rather not say?

It will emerge. It has been emerging, in fact. Some things are better seen than described. You don’t want the advertising to overwhelm the product. Continue reading 29 – Andersonville

[Wednesday, February 8, 2006]

(10 p.m.) Joseph, do you have more in mind?

We could talk a bit about the railroads and how that’s what won the war for the Union. Or we could talk about marching through Georgia.

Well, which do you suppose I’d be more interested in? Besides, I know how the railroads won the war – they made it possible for the northern industrial power to express itself to overcome the huge geography that had to be held and conquered. Let’s talk about Georgia.

Now bear in mind, I wasn’t in on the long maneuvering that led to Sherman capturing Atlanta finally in September. Where I was I’ll tell you later, but for now let’s just say that Gettysburg put me out of action for quite a while. That is going to be hard to sort out for you because of conflicting timelines – the ones when you did help fix my back and the ones when you didn’t. Remember this morning I said there was some kind of information could come through only at certain times? This is one of ‘em, and this ain’t yet the time – though it’s getting closer! It ain’t that it’s a secret we want to keep, it’s that you have got to be able to understand it, to swallow and digest it, and by our judgment you can’t yet do it. Now sometimes it’s just as well to put something across knowing that later you will get it, but sometimes no, because the errors in transmission will overwhelm the message, and this is one of those. Continue reading 28 – Marching Through Georgia