The stereotypical idea of a sighting of an apparition is the idea of some terrifying experience. This idea does not match reality very well. A large fraction of apparition sightings seem to occur near the time of death, when an apparition may seem to comfort a dying person, beckoning him to the next life. This very large class of apparitions is known as deathbed apparitions, and is discussed in my posts here.
Then there are apparitions that seem to help or save people. Below is a newspaper account of one such apparition:
You can read the account below:
In the 1874 narrative below by Bourchier Wrey Savile, we read the first-hand account of someone who was threatened by a robber, and seemed to be saved by the mysterious appearance of an apparition:
"At this juncture my horse, growing impatient at the delay, started off : I clutched the reins, which I had let fall on his neck, for the purpose of checking him, when happening to turn my eyes, I saw to my utter astonishment that I was no longer alone. There, by my side, I beheld a horseman in a dark dress, mounted on a white steed. In intense amazement I gazed upon him ; where could he have come from? He appeared as suddenly as if he had sprung from the earth. He must have been riding behind and have overtaken me. And yet I had not heard the slightest sound : it was mysterious, inexplicable. But the joy of being released from my perilous position soon overcame my feelings of wonder, and I began at once to address my companion. I asked him if he had seen any one, and then described to him
what had taken place, and how relieved I felt by his sudden appearance, which now removed all cause of fear. He made no reply, and on looking at his face, he seemed paying hut slight attention to my words, but continued intently gazing in the direction of the gate, now about a quarter of a mile ahead. I followed his gaze, and saw the reaper emerge from his concealment and cut across a field to our left, resheathing his sickle as he hurried along. He had evidently seen that I was no longer alone, and had relinquished his intended attempt.
All cause for alarm being gone, I once more sought to enter into conversation with my deliverer, but again without the slightest success. Not a word did he deign to give me in reply. I continued talking, however, as we rode on our way towards the gate, though I confess feeling both surprised and hurt at my companion’s mysterious silence. Once, however, and only once did I hear his voice. Having watched the figure of the reaper disappear over the brow of a neighbouring hill, I turned to my companion and said, ' Can it for a moment be doubted that my prayer was heard, and that you were sent for my deliverance by the Lord ? ’ ’ Then it was that I thought I heard the horseman speak, and that he uttered the single word, ' Amen.' Not another word did he give utterance to, though I tried to elicit from him replies to my questions, both in English and Welsh.
We were now approaching the gate, which I hastened to open, and having done so with my stick, I waited at the side of the road for him to pass through; but he came not; I turned my head to look — the mysterious horseman was gone ! I was dumbfounded ; I looked back in the direction from which we had just been riding, but though I could command a view of the road for a considerable distance, he was not to be seen. He had disappeared as mysteriously as he had come."
Below is an account of someone whose painting career seemed to be helped by the appearance of apparitions:
You can read the account here:
Below we have a vivid account of a man claiming that an apparition appeared with a mission of scaring him into giving up drinking. (Click on the image to read it more clearly.)
The account below is from page 101 of the periodical here. We read of a man who seemed to have seen a strange vision of an event occurring to his wife. The vision ends up being of great help to a needy family. We read this:
"Mr. C. G. Sander told of a vision he had while at Matlock, of a destitute man calling at his house in London, wishing to sweep away the snow. He was so impressed by his vision that he wrote to his wife, telling her about it, and saying she must find out all about the man and help him. When he got home he discovered that the man of his vision had actually called at the very moment he had seen the vision, and his wife had allowed him to sweep away the snow. On receiving his letter next morning, she made enquiries and went to the man’s house, where she found his wife and three children absolutely without bed, food, or fire. She gave them suitable help in their extremity, and found work for him as a milkman, in which occupation he continued for two or three years, though he was really a painter."
The account below is from page 197 of the publication here. We read of a man who has a vision that seems to prevent a disaster:
"One evening, while I was living in the Manse at Margate, I was feeling tired, and as twilight was setting in, I thought I would have a little rest before lighting the gas, and lay down on a couch. My eves were closed for about two minutes, when I suddenly saw in vision the gas-ring of the geyser in the bathroom turned full on. I at once felt it was a strange vision, and had a meaning. Accordingly I rushed upstairs to the bathroom and when I opened the door I was nearly knocked down by an overpowering smell of gas. The gasring was full on. I turned it off at once, opened the window and door, and let the gas go free. If I had not acted at once on receiving that warning, a maid would have gone into that bathroom with a lighted taper to light the gas. She would probably have been killed and the window and roof would have been shattered. But we were saved from such a calamity because I was sufficiently psychic and sensitive to have received from some ministering one a picture of the open geyser gas-ring, and I thank God for it. "
Next we have an account of a dream that seems to have saved a woman's life:
You can read the account here:
Below is an account of a man who seemed to be saved by a dream figure giving very specific instructions:
You can read the account here:
Below is a newspaper account of a wife who was still alive being incorrectly buried. Her husband had dreams that seemed to alert him that she was still living. This led to the wife being rescued from her premature burial.
The newspaper account below is rather hard to read, but reading it is worth the effort. We have an account of two men with matching dreams, dreams that end up saving both of them.
Below we have an account of an apparition that seems to save four people from a boating peril:
You can read the account here:
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