Montgomery, Ruth Shick

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MONTGOMERY, Ruth Shick

Born 1912, Sumner, Illinois

Daughter of Ira W. and Bertha Judy Shick; married Robert H.Montgomery, 1935

Little in Ruth Shick Montgomery's Methodist upbringing, marriage, or career as a reporter presaged her later development of psychic abilities or the psychic messages she would disseminate to millions. Montgomery studied journalism at Baylor and Purdue Universities, subsequently working for the Waco News-Tribune, the Louisville Herald-Post, the Detroit News, the Chicago Tribune, and the New York Daily News. In 1956 Montgomery became special Washington, D.C., correspondent for International News Service, and later syndicated columnist for Capital Letter King Features, Hearst Headline Service (1958-1968). Montgomery has received many awards for her newspaper work.

Montgomery's first literary brush with psychic affairs occurred in the mid-1950s when she researched and wrote a series of newspaper articles debunking fraudulent mediums. Her next foray into the field was as a believer with the bestselling A Gift of Prophecy: The Phenomenal Jeanne Dixon (1965).

Montgomery herself developed psychic abilities at about this time. First via automatic handwriting and then automatic typewriting, Montgomery began to communicate with "Lily and the group"—beings who claimed to be spirits of the dead and Montgomery's guides. To prove their veracity, the guides dictated much information previously unknown to Montgomery, which she was later able to verify.

From 1960 to 1969, Montgomery worked with her guides to produce A Search for the Truth (1967, reprinted 1982) and Here and Hereafter (1968, 1983). The first treats Montgomery's own spiritual progress, and the second karma and reincarnation. In 1969, satisfied that death is not the end of individuality and busy with other projects, Montgomery abandoned automatic typewriting. Early in 1971, however, on discovering that Arthur Ford, her recently deceased friend and a world-famous medium, had become one of her guides, Montgomery recommenced taking spirit dictation. The new communications, now from "Lily, Art and the group," provided the basis for A World Beyond: A Startling Message from the Eminent Psychic Arthur Ford From Beyond the Grave (1970, 1988), Companions Along the Way (1974, 1985), A World Before (1976, 1982), and Strangers Among Us: Enlightened Beings from a World to Come (1979, 1982). These books discuss, respectively, the circumstances of life after death, Montgomery's previous incarnations, the past history of the world, and the near future prospects of humanity.

The cosmology presented by Montgomery posits God as creating the universe and, to help Him enjoy His universe, also creating trillions of souls, all with free will and creative abilities. Some of these souls chose to remain God's worshipful companions while others entered the bodies of terrestrial animals and became trapped and debased. God then formed the human body as a vehicle more suitable to housing incarnate souls. Souls reincarnate repeatedly for the purpose of expiating past sins, learning, and progressing toward reunion with God.

Strangers Among Us warns of an approaching cataclysm. The guides have informed Montgomery that at the close of this century, the earth's axis and its magnetic poles will shift, killing most of the human race. A period of chaos will ensue, to be followed by an era of unprecedented peace and brotherhood. Scientists from other planets are now assembling to observe the axis shift, but will keep themselves hidden. Advanced souls are also assembling to assist those living at the time of the axis shift. Many of these advanced souls have returned or will return to life as "walk-ins" who take over living bodies when the souls born into those bodies wish to leave and agree to such a transfer. The guides say the walk-ins will reveal themselves as the cataclysm nears.

Few people have done as much as Montgomery to bring widespread recognition of the genuineness of psychic occurrences and to reestablish belief in life after death. The volume and consistency of her writings are convincing. On leaving Schoolhouse Earth through the doorway of death, we continue to learn and grow in the company of those we love. Montgomery's is no small accomplishment; she has brought comfort and hope to millions.

Other Works:

Once There Was a Nun: Mary McCarran's Years as Sister Mary Mercy (1962). Mrs. LBJ (1964). Flowers at the White House (1967). Hail to the Chiefs (1970). Born to Heal (1973). Threshold to Tomorrow (1984). Born to Heal: The Astonishing Story of Mr. A and the Ancient Art of Healing with Life Energies (1985). Aliens among Us (1986). Ruth Montgomery, Herald of the New Age (1987). The World to Come: Guidance for a Coming Age (1999).

Bibliography:

Karling, C., ed., UFOs & Extraterrestrials: Why They are Here, the Darkest, Longest Kept Secret in Human History—Correlated Data from Works by Ruth Montgomery, Erich Von Daniken, Zecharia Sitchin & Edgar Cayce (1997). Rackley, M. J., "The Theological Implications of Psychic Research into Life After Death in the Writings of Arthur Ford, Hans Holzer and Ruth Montgomery" (thesis, 1972). Schielke, C. A., "Silent Struggle: A Newspaperwoman's Success Despite Sexism" (thesis, 1996). Smith, S., Confessions of a Psychic (1971). Smith, S., The Conversion of a Psychic (1978).