Mary Hollis Billing

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Mrs. Mary J. Hollis Billing

Mrs. Mary J. Hollis Billing was a remarkable American medium and member of the Theosophical Society. Master K.H. said that "among mediums she is the most honest if not the best".[1] She had two spirit guides who talked freely in direct voice: "James Nolan" and an Indian named "Ski".

Personal life

Mary J. Hollis was born on April 24, 1837, at Jeffersonville, Indiana. She died on July 14, 1908 in Bronx, New York.

Theosophical involvement

According to Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett:

Mrs. Billing was active in the formation of the London Lodge but did not join it, preferring to retain her membership in the Parent Society. At that time (1877), if a member of the Parent Society joined a branch, membership in the former was forfeited (SH, p. 103). When HSO composed his first circular explaining the origin and plan of the TS and the aims for which it stood Mrs. Billing took a packet of these circulars to London (SH, pp. 104-5). When the Founders went to England in 1879 enroute to India they stayed with Dr. and Mrs. Billing for a time (SH, p. 123). At an election of officers in London Lodge on January 5, 1879, Dr. Billing was elected one of the two vice-presidents (SH, p. 124). Of Dr. Billing, ML-54 (92), pp. 301-2, has some rather severe things to say.[2]

Jim Nolan

On October 13, 1887, the Religio-Philosophical Journal began a series of interviews with questions placed by a reporter to the "control" named Jim Nolan. The interviews took place at 24 Ogden Avenue in Chicago and dealt heavily with the nature of materialization.[3]

Ski

Ski (short for "Skiwaukie") was an Indian spirit guide of Mrs. Hollis Billing. It seems that he was a good influence to her. In one of his letters, Master K.H. wrote:

She has been a loyal member of the Society from the time she joined it, . . . She also, unless closely watched by "Ski" can turn a traitor — precisely because she is a medium, though it is not likely she would do it — withal she is incapable of either a falsehood or deceit in her normal state.[4]

He was also occasionally used by the Masters to deliver messages. Again, in the words of the Master:

Suffice then for me to say that "Ski" has more than once served as carrier and even mouthpiece for several of us.[5]

However, as seems to be frequently the case with spirit guides, there were several entities acting under that name, as can be gathered from the Master's statement as to "the shortcomings and crimes of several other "Skis" having been fathered on the real "Ski," and Mr. Massey unable to recognise one from the other".[6]

Online resources

Articles

Additional resources

  • N. B. Wolfe, Startling Facts in Modern Spiritualism, (Forgotten Books, 2012).

Notes

  1. Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence No. 103b (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 352.
  2. George E. Linton and Virginia Hanson, eds., Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (Adyar, Chennai, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1972), 219.
  3. William Quan Judge "About 'Spirit' Materializations" The Path VI (July 1891), 109-113.
  4. Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence No. 103b (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 352.
  5. Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence No. 103b (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 352.
  6. Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence No. 103b (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 353.