to all who may be concerned in an endeavor to acquire information relating to affairs beyond the range of physical vision we offer for consideration what may be regarded as an incredible narrative of journeys to, and explorations of the planet known as mars, and we entreat that you shall not pass unfriendly judgment upon that which may impress you as a merely imaginative composition, but which, in all sincerity, is a statement of facts.
desiring to, as far as practicable, simplify the relation of this absolutely truthful narrative, of a not unexampled undertaking, i, and others of the evon-thia, have thought it well to present it in colloquial form, as being more realistic than any other mode of expression, and also we have thought it well, that only a limited number of our numerous band shall present themselves as actors, in what may appear a fanciful drama.
we are aware that we might offer certain special pleadings, which, in many minds, would induce favorable consideration of the unvarnished relation of our varied experiences, but we prefer to leave to the more or less enlightened seekers after truth, such verdict as their inner perceptions may accord, not only for the facts and philosophy involved in the narrative, but also for the services of our intrepid conscientious and faithful instrument, who, during nearly two years, devoted her time, her energy and such ability, as she alone of earth's sensitives, at this period possesses, for the accomplishment of an object which long has concerned the denizens of our and other spirit worlds, an object for which wittingly she became re-embodied.
with occasional brief interruptions, our journeys to the planet, astronomically known as mars, but to its inhabitants as ento, which in the ento language signifies "chosen, or set apart," extended from october 6, 1892, to september 16, 1894. during this period, through a rather rare phase of mediumship, which we term semi-automatism, the objective, or soul consciousness of our instrument was controlled to write certain observations and experiences, but through various unavoidable conditions, the record was somewhat imperfect, fragmentary and altogether too voluminous for the purpose in view. hence, when after quite two years, during which she gradually recovered from the devitalized condition, to which her devotion to a most worthy object had reduced her, she expressed her readiness to permit herself to pass under my control for the purpose of revising the manuscript, the contents of which she was almost wholly ignorant, i found myself a little dismayed over the magnitude of our mutual undertaking, which i well knew would tax our endurance to the utmost, and certainly, only patient, persistent endeavor on the part of our instrument, and myself, has resulted in what, at the best, we all consider a not very satisfactory rendition of experiences as unique as ever have occurred to one yet embodied in physical form. so unique, indeed, that she shrinks from the probable, nay, the certain unpleasant criticism which the presentation of not new, but unrecognized facts, may elicit, and it is only through the persistent entreaties of friends on both sides of life that finally she has decided to offer for publication the rather sketchy narrative of our journeys to ento. possessing neither a natural, nor a cultivated ability, for a pictured presentation of form, our spirit artist, aaron poole, has found it difficult to, through her automatism, represent even some of the simpler examples of the flora of your neighboring planet, but i may assure you that, though from an artistic standpoint, they are somewhat crude, they convey a fairly correct idea of the form and color, of the species of plant life they represent. also, i may state that our mission to ento was undertaken for a specific purpose, the record of its various features being a secondary affair, but of sufficient importance to induce us to undertake the task, which to all concerned, has been purely a labor of love. largely, it has been written for the purpose of affording our earthians information which only through the mediation of discarnated spirits can be obtained. to scientific inquiry, in whatsoever direction, there is a limit beyond which the physically embodied man cannot penetrate, but to freed, most exalted spirits from whom we receive instruction, the depths of unthinkably boundless space are accessible. to spirits less exalted as we are, the planets of our solar system afford free fields of observation, and in some far distant time you and we, dear reader, through loving service for humanity, may find ourselves so purified, through earnest investigation and lofty aspiration, so learned, so exalted, that together we may journey beyond suns and worlds of which your photographers catch imprints, as faint as smiles on the white faces of your dear dead. and may we hope that in reading of our mission to ento, you may find some expression of thought, some lesson which may aid you in ascending the heights, ever leading toward exalted states of being, thus nearer to a realizing sense of the all pervading, infinite spirit of an infinite universe. we pray that it may be so.
to all who love their fellow man, to all who love truth, for truth's sake, and who earnestly, prayerfully seek for it wheresoever it may be found, we dedicate this narrative of loving endeavor.
carl de l'ester,
counsellor and guide of one of the spirit bands, in planetary language known as evon-thia (for love's sake).
