Thus Saith Celphra: A Spirit Revelation

London: Rider & Co. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo. [1928]. Original tan cloth boards. Title on spine. Book covered in glassine paper. xxvi, 29-157 p.p. With 8 laid-in notes [7 holographs on scrap paper of various sizes, unsigned, featuring a two page transcription from the book of noted French parapsychologist Dr. Joire Paul's, 'Psychical and Supernormal Phenomena' Chapter 23, 'Materialisations or Phantoms.'] and [1 typed list of the 7 Principles of Spiritualism]. Previous owner inscription on front free endpaper. Spine tilted with ends bruised. Sporadic smudges to boards, corners gently bumped. Light offsetting to endpapers. Foxed throughout, otherwise interior clean. A very good copy. Frederick H. Haines [1869-1944], a British insurance broker and author of successful business books, began a personal inquiry into Spiritualism in 1926 after reading a letter by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's in The Morning Post. At first sceptical, Haines claimed to receive communication from a number of spiritual entities. This work is a result of automatic writing sessions with one his 'holy' guides, Celphra, over a three month period in 1927. Haines went on to produce and publish a series of these 'scripts' with messages from other guides. Haines edited the Spiritual Vision: A Monthly Magazine of Inspirational Writings. The book is divided into three parts: The Evolution of the Soul, Spirit Teachings, and Spiritual Hygienics.