Prophecies of the Future

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

Prophecies of the Future is a letter written by Arthur Conan Doyle published in The Occult Review in october 1926.


Prophecies of the Future

The Occult Review (october 1926, p. 260)

To the Editor of the Occult Review.

Sir, — I read the Rev. Walter Wynn's articles with interest because he has the courage of his opinions however much one may disagree with his conclusions. But when one finds him saying things which are entirely incorrect about oneself one naturally has less faith in his accuracy in other matters.

He says, speaking of certain messages which I have received during the last three years: "I have read copies sent to me of the spiritualistic 'messages' he has received." He adds that they are vague and contradictory. I do not know why he should put "messages" in inverted commas but we will let that point pass. What concerns me is the assertion that he has seen this script. As a fact it is more than 100,000 words long, and no one in the world save a typist has ever seen more than two or three thousand words. Even these small extracts have been shown only to a few intimates, and it is certain that they have never reached Mr. Wynn. Therefore he is in no possible position to judge whether they are vague or contradictory. As a fact I have found no contradiction, but an amazing number of corroborations, while they are absolutely precise in their record of the great happenings which they depict. They explain, however, that exact dates can seldom be given since spiritual and temporal time measures have little in common. Personally, I have always taken the view that such prophecies should be treated with all respect but that they can never be regarded as absolutely final, since such tremendous issues must in the last resort be decided by those exalted powers which are far above actual contact with humanity.

Yours faith fully,
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.