1555. “That strain again; it had a dying fall;Oh, it came o’er my ear like the sweet southThat breathes upon a bank of violets,Stealing and giving odour.”
1555. “That strain again; it had a dying fall;Oh, it came o’er my ear like the sweet southThat breathes upon a bank of violets,Stealing and giving odour.”
1555. “That strain again; it had a dying fall;Oh, it came o’er my ear like the sweet southThat breathes upon a bank of violets,Stealing and giving odour.”
1555. “That strain again; it had a dying fall;
Oh, it came o’er my ear like the sweet south
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour.”
1556. After the music had ceased, the following communication was received:
1557. “This is my hand that touches you and the guitar.
John C. Calhoun.”
1558. At another time, the following physical manifestation was made in the presence of General Hamilton, General Waddy Thompson, of South Carolina, and myself:
1559. We were directed to place the Bible on a drawer under the table. I placed it there, completely closed. It was a small pocket Bible, with very fine print. Numerous raps were then heard, beating time to “Hail Columbia,” which had been called for. Soon the sounds began to recede, and grew fainter and fainter, till, like the music of the guitar, they died away in the distance. The alphabet was then called for, and it was spelled out, “Look.” I looked on the drawer and found the Bible open. I took it up and carefully kept it open at the place as I found it. On bringingit to the light, I found it open at St. John’s Gospel, chapter ii. being on the left side, and chapter iii. being on the right side. I said, “Do you wish us to look at chapter ii.?”A.“No.” “Do you wish us to look at chapter iii.?”A.“Yes.” And it was then said, “Read.” I commenced reading the chapter, and significant and emphatic raps were given at many verses; and at verses 8, 11, 19, 34,most vehementraps were given. By looking at these verses, you will appreciate the significancy and intelligence of this emphatic demonstration. This manifestation purported to come from Calhoun, who had previously invited us three gentlemen to be present at a particular hour.
1560. In reflecting on the preceding manifestations, one cannot but marvel at the power by which they are made, and theintelligenceby which that power is directed. And it would seem impossible for one to doubt the source of that intelligence. If, however, doubt should still remain on the mind of any one acquainted with similar manifestations, that doubt must be entirely dispelled by the account of the manifestation which follows:
1561. I was present, by Calhoun’s appointment, with the Misses Fox and their mother. We were seated at the table as heretofore, our hands and arms resting upon it. I was directed to put paper and pencil on the drawer. I placed several sheets of unruled letter-paper, together with a wood pencil, on it. I soon heard the sound of the pencil on the paper. It was then rapped out, “Get the pencil and sharpen it.” I looked under the table, but did not see the pencil. At length I found it lying diagonally from me, three or four feet from the table. The lead was broken off within the wood. I sharpened it, and again put it on the drawer. Again I heard the sound of the pencil on the paper. On being directed to look at the paper, I discovered pencil marks on each side of the outer sheet, but no writing. Then was received the following communication:
1562. “The power is not enough to write a sentence. This will show you that Icanwrite. If you meet on Friday, precisely at seven, I will write a short sentence.
John C. Calhoun.”
1563. We met, pursuant to appointment, took our seats at the table, our hands and arms resting on it as usual. I placed the paper with my silver-cased pencil on the drawer, and said:
1564. “My friend, I wish the sentence to be in your own handwriting, so that your friends will recognise it.” He replied, “You will know the writing.” He then said, “Have your minds on the spirit of John C. Calhoun.”
1565. I soon heard a rapid movement of the pencil on the paper, and a rustling of the paper, together with a movement of the drawer. I was then directed to look under the drawer. I looked, and found my pencil outside of the drawer, near my feet, but found no paper on the drawer where I placed it. On raising up the drawer, I discovered the paper allunder it. The sheets were a little deranged, and on examining, I found on the outside sheet these words: “I’m with you still.”
1566. I afterward showed the “sentence” to General James Hamilton, former Governor of South Carolina, General Waddy Thompson, former Minister to Mexico, General Robert B. Campbell, late Consul at Havana, together with other intimate friends of Calhoun, and also to one of his sons, all of whom are as well acquainted with his handwriting as their own; and they all pronounced it to be a perfectfac simileof the handwriting ofJohn C. Calhoun.
1567. General Hamilton stated a fact, in connection with this writing, of great significance. He says that Calhoun was in the habit of writing “I’m,” for “I am,” and that he has numerous letters from him where the abbreviation is thus used.
1568. Mrs. General Macomb has stated the same fact to me. She says that her husband, the late General Macomb, has shown to her Calhoun’s letters to him, where this abbreviation “I’m” was used for “I am,” and spoke of it as a peculiarity of Calhoun.
1569. How significant, then, does this fact become! We have not only the most unequivocal testimony to the handwriting itself, but, lest any skeptic should suggest the possibility of an imitation or a counterfeit, this abbreviation, peculiar to himself, and known only to his most intimate friends, and which no imitator or counterfeiter could know, is introduced by way of putting such a suggestion to flight forever.
1570. This “sentence” is perfectly characteristic of Calhoun. It contains his terseness of style, and his condensation of thought. It is a text from which volumes might be written. It proves—1. The immortality of the soul; 2. The power of spirits to revisit the earth; 3. Their ability to communicate with relatives and friends; and, 4. The identity of the spirit to all eternity.
1571. How one’s soul expands with these sublime connections! How resistless is this testimony of their truth! How surprising that men can doubt, when this flood of living light is poured upon them by spirits who, in the language of Webster, “revel in the glory of the eternal light of God.”
Very truly yours,N. P. Tallmadge.Mrs. Sarah Helen Whitman, Providence, R. I.
1572. The author of the letter which comes under this head has already been introduced to the readers of this work, in giving an account of the manifestations observed through his mediumship, (393.)
Ealing Villa, near London, July 26, 1855.
1573. * * * In London I found but a limited number, comparatively speaking, who possess any intelligent or rational idea of the spiritualphilosophy. The subject has not made any great advance here; but those who are investigating include in their number some of the best minds of England. The first call I received was from Sir Charles E. Ischam, who has proved a most excellent friend to me. A day or two after this I received an invitation from Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton to visit him at his country-seat at Knebworth. I accepted his invitation, and had an interesting and delightful visit.
1574. I was deeply interested in Sir Edward, who is, by birth, education, and mind, a most superior person. His love of the beautiful, in nature and art, but especially in nature, is manifested at every part of his wide domain. Knebworth was originally built by a follower of the Conqueror, and was, in the year of the Armada, occupied by Queen Elizabeth. The state-room contains the bed upon which her majesty slept. It has rich velvet hangings—the same which shaded the slumbers of Queen Bess. The room of the extensive library contains the oak table at which Cromwell, Pym & Co. sat while planning the rebellion. * * * We had some manifestations at ourseancesalmost as good as those we had at-—- ‘s in your place. The spirits showed their presence in the same palpable way, by presenting tangible hands, shaking hands, &c., and Sir Edward “acknowledges the corn,” to use a Yankee vulgarism. He is much interested in the subject, and has bestowed no small share of thought upon the matter.
1575. I have also had the pleasure of being presented to the Marchioness of H-—-s, Baroness G-—-y R-—-n. She is a highly intellectual and altogether charming lady, who possesses much native refinement and a fearless desire to learn and follow theTRUTH. I met, too, the Earl of E-—-e and the Marquis of C-—-e, at one of our circles a few evenings since. A most kind friend I also found in the Vicomte de St. Amirro, Chargé d’Affaires from Brazil, who has given me valuable letters to France. I am to meet him and his lady (both investigators) the coming autumn at the Neapolitan court.
1576. I enclose a paragraph from one of the London journals, giving a sketch of an interview I had with Lord Brougham and Sir David Brewster. The latter, as you are well aware, wrote that article in theEdinburgh Review, some months ago, in which he argued against the existence of spirit agency in the production of the manifestations, and in which he denounced the whole matter, in the bitterest terms, as a delusion and an imposition. His article has been eagerly and widely quoted by the opponents of Spiritualism on both sides of the Atlantic, and its statements are doubtless believed by those who are incapable of appreciating or comprehending the truths which they assail.
1577. Sir David, however, has for once met with a “stumper,” for he has seen and felt such manifestations of his spirit friends as to completely upset his philosophy. He frankly confessed that he is “sorely puzzled”at what he has witnessed, and Lord Brougham acknowledges himself to be thoroughly nonplussed. Both of these noted men brought the whole force of their keen discernment to bear upon the solution of the phenomena; but the presence of substantial, actual hands, and the demonstrative strength of the spirits who thus clothed themselves for the time and moved material objects about the room, proved to be too much of a question for them to master.
1578. Time will not allow me to mention the various interesting sittings I have had, nor the many distinguished personages who have been in our circles during my short stay in London. I am at present enjoying the quiet of an English country home. The gentleman with whom I am stopping (Mr. Rymer) is one of the most distinguished solicitors in London. He has been amaterialist, or disbeliever in a future state, all his life previous to witnessing these demonstrations of spirit existence. He is now a believer (or rather aknower) of the future life. The manifestations, so often scoffed at by professing Christians, have done for him, as they have for upward of twenty-five thousand infidels and atheists in America, what no power of the pulpit or doctrine of evangelical religion could ever have effected.
1579. Is not this one fact alone a sufficient reply to the oft-repeated question of “What good does it all do?” There is many a broad-loving soul that, failing in the effort to narrow itself down to the limits of a dogmatical creed, has ended in infidelity or blank atheism; but the number of these is becoming steadily less by the influence of the spirit manifestations, which are to them what the placing of the hand in the spear-wound was to Thomas. Mr. R., since his conversion, has given a lecture on the subject, and will give another.
1580. One thing I will not omit. Mrs. Trollope, whom Americans will be apt to remember, came, with her son, from Florence to London for the express purpose of seeing the manifestations. They were accordingly invited to spend a few days with me at my village home; and, I must say, I was agreeably disappointed in her. My previous ideas of her had not been such as to prepossess me in her favour, but I have become an admirer of her private character. She has none of the stiffness of the author about her, nor any of the “blue-stocking.” She enjoys the realities of existence more fully than any one I have ever met in a circle.
1581. Theseancewith her was one of strange interest. Her son was an unbeliever, and his mother was very desirous that he should be “brought to a knowledge of the truth.” When at length the lightdidbeam upon his soul, and the chords of his spirit vibrated in unison with the celestial harmonies that ushered in the birth of faith through the shadows of his old unbelief, the result was too much for his stoicism, and the tears of holy joy coursed down his manly cheeks.Herjoy was too great for utterance, and her rapturous emotions seemingly too great to beendured. It was an impressive scene, and an occasion of deep interest. There are many such in the life of a spirit medium.
1582. In a few weeks I leave England for the Continent, in company with my friend, Mr. Rymer. We intend to reach Rome in November, where we purpose to spend a few months, if his holiness will let us. You shall hear from me again.
Yours truly,D. H. Hume.
The following is the article referred to as having appeared in the London Journal:
1583. “A circumstance which has excited the most extraordinary sensation among the privileged few who have been admitted within the sphere of its operations, has taken place at Ealing, a village on the Uxbridge road. A young gentleman, named Hume, a native of Scotland, but who has resided for many years in America, is now on a visit at the house of Mr. Rymer, a highly respectable solicitor. Mr. Hume is what the Americans term a ‘medium,’ and through his instrumentality some extraordinary and, if true, miraculous, occurrences have taken place.
1584. “The spirits of deceased persons have been heard and felt in Mr. Rymer’s house, and a variety of circumstances have taken place, which the persons who were present affirm could not have been produced except by supernatural agency. One of the spirits is supposed to be that of a son of Mr. Rymer, a little boy about eleven or twelve years of age, who has been induced to write to his parents under the cover of the table, and the writing is, to all appearances, precisely similar to that of the child when alive. Mr. Rymer, who is thoroughly convinced of thebonâ fidesof the affair, has invited several persons to witness the manifestations, and among them the Rev. Mr. Lambert, the incumbent, who has become a devout believer in the existence of these communicative spirits.
1585. “Some rumours of the spirit manifestations having reached Lord Brougham, the medium had an interview with the noble and learned lord in the presence of Sir David Brewster, when several unaccountable revelations were made, and even Lord Brougham has confessed himself amazed and sorely bothered to comprehend the description of agency by which an accordeon is forced into his hands and made to play, or his watch taken out of his pocket and found in the hands of some other persons in the room; for such are among the vagaries performed by the Ealing spirits. The house of Mr. Rymer is, of course, besieged by persons anxious to witness the manifestations, and scarcely a night passes that some scoffer is not converted into a true believer in the mystery of spiritual manifestations.”
1586. The following is the summary of the result of the investigation of spiritual manifestations by the Rev. Mr. Ferguson, of the Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee.
1587. His sentiments are of a nature to need no recommendation, as they appeal to the head and the heart. He is one of the advocates of Spiritualism of whom we have reason to be proud. It is from his work, entitled “A Record of Communications from the Spirit Spheres,” that this summary is quoted:
1588. “You will now allow me to sum up briefly the phenomena I have witnessed since my investigations began:
1589. “First. I have seen tables and other furniture moved, with and without hands; heard distinct and sometimes loud raps on the ceiling, floor, and furniture of various rooms, which were changed from one locality to another, as doubts arose as to any unobserved causes, to which we would have attributed them but for the transition; have heard them upon my person, clothing, pillow, pulpit, and still have them in almost every serious hour of thought and meditation, and have them near me as I write; and I find this experience to be that of hundreds who, with me and others, believers and skeptics, have witnessed or realized all I here state to be true.
1590. “Second. I have heard, in the presence of scores, whose names are at any man’s command who may desire them for an honest reference, native Americans, who never spoke a word of German, discourse for hours in that tongue, in prose and poetry, in the presence of native Germans, who pronounced their addresses pure specimens of the power of their language. I see, daily, lengthy essays and books written under what claims to be spirit intelligence, above, far above, the capacity and culture of the instruments through whom they are written. There is scarcely a day in which I do not receive such communications; and if a day passes without it, it is my neglect, not that of the intelligence, that seems ever ready to speak when a proper medium can be secured. At home and abroad, in the houses of strangers and acquaintances, such mediums have described the age, appearance, time of death, and the peculiarities of character of the deceased relatives of persons present, and where they could have had no acquaintance with them, and, in many instances, could not have known of their existence or death. I have had meetings of mediums who knew nothing of each other occur at my house and elsewhere, without their knowledge, and to which they were brought from a distance of miles, and which seemed as inexplicable to them as to me, until after some effect for their benefit was secured by their meeting, and explained by their spirit monitors. To prove the identity of spirit intelligences, communicating to me through others, they have detailed private conversations held with meduring their earth life; referred to incidents and events of which the mediums could have known nothing; described, accurately, occurrences taking place at a distance of hundreds of miles; answered questions that had been written in my private records for future investigation, months after they had passed from my active memory; stated the state of my investigations of various subjects, with the folly or wisdom, as they regarded it, of my difficulties; leaving me, on the whole, no choice as to whether I would regard them as what they claimed to be, save that of honest conviction or the most shameless hypocrisy. Allow me to say, therefore, that there is no event of history, no fact in mental philosophy, no conclusions in logical dialectics, more fully and forcibly established, in my convictions, than the following:
1591. “I believe, I know, that I have held, and now frequently hold, communion, intelligible and improving, with kindred and elevated spirits, who have passed from fleshly sight.
1592. “You will not be surprised, therefore, at my willingness to risk reputation, the dearest ties of friendship, and prospects of earthly gain and honour, if need be, in the avowal and propagation of this faith, and the results to which it must inevitably lead. God knows, and every intimate friend on earth knows, that I would hesitate, long and seriously, to avow a faith that was doubtful in my own mind, or of doubtful influence for good in my dim foresight, where so much is apparently at stake. I think I may safely appeal to my past life as proof that the dearest personal and earthly considerations have often been sacrificed, where it was thought my action would affect the interests or happiness of others. Know, then, that it is from the maturest consideration of duty, and the obligation that every man owes to truth and right, and especially when truth and right are ridiculed and denounced, that I detail to you these results of a long experience and the most serious and solemn investigations of my life. Willingly, I cannot find it in my heart to disappoint a friend or injure an enemy. And with such friends as in the providence of God have surrounded me, who have proved themselves true and enduring when every form of bigotry and animosity were aroused against my position, reputation, and influence,—with all this pressure of enmity and friendship upon me, you must know, and all will hereafter know, that nothing but loyalty to conviction and a desire to preserve privileges I have learned to esteem above what men call life or death, could induce me to lay these facts before the world.
1593. “If it be asked what good we expect to effect by the statement of these facts, we answer, the spread of truth upon the dearest, purest, and holiest relations of man, and the breaking away of the clouds that gather around the mind of man in view of death and futurity, the darkness of which can nowhere be more distinctly felt than in the asking of such a question. The purity, angelic loveliness, and divine holiness that such a faith, if firmly based, must secure, inspires the loyal soul as with heavenly beatitudes in the contemplation. Its power to restrain and reform; to soften the hard heart of evil indulgence; to expose the still harder heart of bigotry and religious denunciation; to moisten the eye of criminal effrontery, which the hypocrisies of the world have made stern and fixed; to bring the strong man of selfish apathy, as a child once more in company with his brother-children, at the feet of maternal or sisterly tenderness, whose earthly bodies have long since been entombed; to keep down the unnatural separations of families beneath the manly wisdom and fatherly affection of one who claims all as his, and still needing his care; to turn the scoff of godless ribaldry into loving faith, and the shame of pulpit curses pronounced uponhumanbrethren and byhumanbeings, of eternal doom, into blessings of eternal help; to make all, yes all, realize an inner religion, which worships at the altar of eternal truth and unchangeable love. With such aims and prospects before us, to ask what is the good of general, tangible spirit intercourse, is to ask the good of immortality, of heaven, and of God.”
1594. The preceding is the title of a work by the Rev. Adin Ballou, of Hopedale, Massachusetts. It is among those which give what appears to me available, well-considered facts and opinions respecting Spiritualism. Mr. Ballou judiciously, as I think, disposes the spirit manifestations under the following heads:
1595. “I. Those in which all the important demonstrations were most evidently caused by departed spirits. II. Those in which some of the important demonstrations were probably caused or greatly affected by undeparted spirits. III. Those in which the demonstrations were of a heterogeneous, incongruous, or derogatory character.
1596. “The following is a statement of Mr. Ballou’s experience taken from the work in question:
1597. “In this chapter I shall conclude what I have to say under my first general head, by referring to a few particulars connected with cases within my personal knowledge, and then stating the principal points of doctrine taught by the spirits.
1598. “I will not go into minute narration or description, but simply mention the more important phenomena I have witnessed. I have heard multiform sounds in the presence of spirit media, purporting to be made by departed spirits; some like the tickings of a small watch, others like the clicking of a common clock, others like the loud knocking of a labouring man on the door of his neighbour with his knuckles, others like thescratching of a hard finger-nail on a board, others like the creaking of a door or window, &c. &c. I have heard the time and metre of tunes beaten out with the utmost accuracy, and by several rappers in unison—not only while the tune was being played or sung, but afterward, without accompaniment. And I am as certain that these sounds were not made by any conscious mortal agency, as I am of the best-authenticated facts in the common transactions of life.
1599. “I have seen tables and light stands of various size moved about in the most astonishing manner, by what purported to be the same invisible agency, with only the gentle and passive resting of the hands or finger-ends of the medium on one of their edges; also, many distinct movings of such objects, by request,withoutthe touch of the medium at all. I have sat and conversed by the hour together with the authors of these sounds and motions, by means of signals first agreed on; asking questions and obtaining answers—receiving communications spelled out by the alphabet—discussing propositions sometimes made by them to me, andvice versâ; all by a slow process, indeed, but with every possible demonstration of intelligence, though not without incidental misapprehensions and mistakes. I have witnessed the asking of mental questions by inquirers, who received as prompt and correct answers as when the questions were asked audibly to the cognition of the medium.
1600. “I have known these invisibles, by request, to write their names with a common plumbago pencil on a clean sheet of paper—half a dozen of them, each in a different hand. To make sure of this, as an absolute fact, the medium was required to lay her left hand, back downward, in the hollow of a veracious person’s hand, both open; when a piece of pasteboard paper was laid on her hand, a well-examined blank sheet of writing-paper placed thereon, and a lead pencil on top ofthat; in which position (the medium’s right hand being held up to view,) both the hands, with these fixtures resting on them, were placed under the leaf of the table, as insisted on by thewriters. After a minute or two, at a given signal by the spirits that they haddone, the paper was exhibited with various names written thereon, as above affirmed. This was repeatedly tested with the same results, under circumstances putting all suspicion of fraud and jugglery entirely at rest.
1601. “I have requested what purported to be the spirit of a friend, many years deceased, to go to a particular place, several miles distant from that of thesitting, and to bring me back intelligence respecting the then health and doings of a certain relative well known to the parties. In three minutes of time the intelligence was obtained, numerous particulars given, some of them rather improbable, but every one exactly confirmed the next day by personal inquiries made for that purpose.
1602. “I have been requested by the invisibles to speak on a particular subject, at a given time and place, with the assurance that responses shouldbe made on the occasion, by knockings, approving the truths uttered; all which was strikingly verified. Once, at a most unexpected interview, when nothing of the kind had been previously thought of by any person present, a spirit, so purporting, who had several times evinced much interest in my public labours, spelled out:—‘Have you selected your subjects of discourse for the next Sunday?’ Onlyoneof them, I answered. Would myspirit friendlike to suggest a text for the other part of the day? ‘Yes.’ What is it? I inquired. He spelled out the word ‘The,’ and ceased. Wondering at his silence, the signal of another spirit was given. The new-comer communicated bymovingsof the table, not byraps, like the other. He said that our friend, therapper, had been suddenly summoned away for a few moments, but would certainly return soon. Hedidreturn within fifteen minutes, resumed his communication just where he left it, and spelled out—‘The second chapter of first Corinthians, the twelfth and thirteenth verses.’ No man in the room had the least recollection of the words referred to. So the Bible was called for, when the text proved to be the following:—‘Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are given to us of God. Which things we also speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.’ Struck with the sublimity, purity, richness, and force of the passage, I answered that I accepted it thankfully, as a very appropriate text for the occasion referred to, and would endeavour to illustrate its great truths as well as I might be able. Myspirit friendexpressed great pleasure by sounds rapidly made on the table, and announced that he and several other sympathizing spirits should be present to hear the discourse, and, if themediumshould also be there, would manifest their approbation of the good things uttered. All this was verified in a remarkable manner.
1603. “I have seen a medium gently magnetized and thrown into a trance in one minute, by the imperceptible influence of the spirits, in accordance with their own original proposition, reluctantly acceded to by the medium and her friends; during which sometimes she had visions of the spirit world, and at others became entirely non-cognizant of every thing transpiring in either world. In the latter case, the spirits, as previously promised, made use of her organs of speech, unconsciously to herself, and thus answered numerous questions, instead of responding by the rappings. That these trances were not superinduced by mortal agency, and were notfeigned, butreal, I am as certain as I can be of any thing not absolutely beyond the possibility of mistake.
1604. “I might proceed much further in the particularization of manifestations coming under my personal observation, but will not make myself tedious. Suffice it to say, that I have witnessed enough with my own eyes and ears to prepare me for the belief of the still more incredible manifestations reported from a thousand places in our country and the world. I will merely add, that I have received many excellent communications from these invisible friends, and scarcely a single one of a light, frivolous, or low character; though I know that in this respect my experience has been unlike that of some others. I can say in truth, speaking for myself alone, that my whole moral nature has been purified and elevated by the influences which have flowed in upon me during the investigation of this subject. Others, I am sure, can say the same. There are those, no doubt, who have abused the whole thing—befooling themselves and others in a lamentable manner. What is there in the wide world that has wholly escaped abuse and perversion? Reason, inspired and crowned with the wisdom from above, is indispensable to the avoidance of these evils. Until a much larger portion of mankind than at present attain to the development of their higher faculties, we must expect the abuse and perversion, to a greater or less extent, of every thing in nature. ‘But wisdom is justified of all her children.’”
1605. The following statement of A. H. Jarvis, a Methodist clergyman, of Rochester, New York, is copied from Mr. Ballou’s work. It is one of those manifestations in which the information conveyed cannot be conceived to have pre-existed in the mind of the person by whom it was received:
1606. “There are many facts which have come under my observation, equally convincing of the intelligence and utility of the communications from these unseen agents, who, I now believe, are continually about us, and more perfectly acquainted with all our ways, and even our thoughts, than we are with each other. But the fact in reference to my friend Pickard is what you desire. He was at my house on Friday afternoon, April 6, 1849. None of the Fox family were present. While at the tea-table, we had free communications on different subjects. Pickard was requested to ask questions. He desired to know who it was that would answer questions. The answer was—‘I am your mother,Mary Pickard.’ Her name, or the fact of her death, was not known to any of us. The next Monday evening he (Pickard) was at Mr. G-—- ’s, and tarried there over night. He there received a communication, purporting to be from his mother, saying, ‘Your child is dead.’ He came immediately to my place, and said he should take the stage for home, (Lockport, sixty miles distant.) He left in the stage at 8 or 9,A. M.At 12,M., I returned to my house, my wife meeting me with a telegraph envelope. I broke the seal and read mentally, first:
“‘Rochester, April 10, 1849.
1607. “‘By telegraph from Lockport—the Rev. A. H. Jarvis, No. 4 West St.
1608. “‘Tell Mr. Pickard, if you can find him, his child died this morning.—Answer.
R. Mallory.’
1609. “I then read it to my wife, and said, ‘This is one of the best and most convincing evidences of the intelligence of those invisible agents;’ and then I added, ‘God’s telegraph has outdone Morse’s, altogether.’
“Yours, truly,A. H. Jarvis.’
“ToE. W. Capron,Auburn.”
1610. The subjoined opinions of the spirits, taken from the volume above mentioned, differ but immaterially from those which I have received; proving that information respecting scriptural morals, when properly sought, will be consistently obtained:
1611. “1. There is one and but one God, an infinite Spirit and the Father of spirits. He loves all, and eternally seeks their good by all wise and fitting means.
1612. “2. All human beings are spirits as to their absolute internal constitution, and soon after death emerge into distinct conscious spiritual identities, having bodies, forms, and peculiarities as obviously cognizable to each other, and as distinguishable from each other, as here in the flesh.
1613. “3. All human beings possess certain mental and moral qualities, partly constitutional, partly circumstantial, and partly self-wrought, which determine for the time being each individual’s real spiritual character and relative nearness to, or distance from, the divine standard of perfection. So that each one is in a certain sphere, and in some circle or degree of that sphere, as to his spirit,always, whether existing in the fleshly body or after his dissolution. And if a person is spiritually in a certain sphere at death, in that sphere he finds himself the moment he resumes his consciousness in the spirit world, associated with kindred spirits.
1614. “4. There are seven spirit spheres, or circles,[36]inferior to the heavenly or celestial spheres, and each sphere or circle has several degrees. Man is a being by nature capable of progress, subject to certain fundamental spiritual and moral laws. In conformity to these laws, he may now progress from lower to higher spheres;i. e.he may draw nearer and nearer to God; or, what is the same thing, nearer as a spirit to the divine standard of perfection. But without conformity to these laws, he cannot progress, but obscures and debases himself. Death does not change man’s real character, nor his proper spirit sphere, nor his capability to make progress, nor the laws of progress. No man is in a morally worse state, all things considered, by reason of passing into the spirit world. Theworsteven are, if any way affected, in a better state there than in the flesh. They whose spirit sphere was purer, find themselves proportionally blessed. Many remain very long in the lower spheres, where, though enabled to enjoy existence in the degree possible at such a distance from the divine focus of blessedness, they are ‘spirits in prison,’ and wretched in comparison with those in the paradisaical spheres. Their existence is a blessing to them even while thuslow, and there is no such place or state as aHELLof unmitigated, hopeless misery. Meantime, God, angels, and all the higher spirits, are for ever seeking the elevation of the inferior spirits, by all just, wise, and appropriate means. And no one, however low and sluggish of progress, will finally fail to be attracted upward, obediently to the divine laws, from one degree to another, and from one sphere to another, till he reach the heavenly mansion—even though it take an age of eternities to complete his destiny.
1615. “5. Spirits in the higher of the seven spheres are employed in three general exercises. 1. In religious aspirations, meditations, worship—in striving after a more perfect knowledge of and communication with God—whom they cannot see there any more than here, as a personal being, but only in spirit by faith and intuition. 2. In study, self-examination, contemplations of truth, and acquainting themselves with all useful knowledge attainable by them. 3. In ministering to struggling spirits on earth and in the lower spheres—endeavouring to elevate and bless them; thus cultivating love to God, wisdom within themselves, and ever-active benevolence to their inferiors in condition. Spirits in any circle can descend into all the circles below their own, but cannot, except by special permission, ascend into a higher sphere, until qualified by spiritual progress.
1616. “6. Mankind are by nature one family of brothers and sisters, the offspring of a common Father in heaven, whom they ought to love with all their heart, and each other as themselves. The good of each is really the good of all, and that of all the good of each. Therefore, no one can injure another without injuring himself in the end. All kinds of tyranny and oppression are utterly sinful. So all war, violence, revenge, and vindictive punishment. So all intemperance, debauchery, and sexual pollution. So all falsehood, covetousness, fraud, extortion, and pecuniary taking of advantage. So all pride and domineering of superiors over inferiors. So all religious bigotry, thrusting down, persecution, and sectarian bitterness. So every thing contrary to personal holiness, to the piety which loves God supremely, and man as a brother, whether friend or foe. These reliable spirits are everywhere reformers, regenerators of the world, individually and socially. They are for the reconciliation of all things—for universal harmony—on the great principles of truth, purity, justice, love, and wisdom. And they all predict a better future for the human race here on earth, as well as in the future state.
1617. “7. It is the imperative duty of every human being to exercise his own powers, faculties, reason, and judgment, with modesty, humility, and firmness, and not to be overawed, borne down, or led away captive, by any assuming spirit in or out of the flesh. Every one is accountable for himself, and ought both to judge and act for himself, with supreme reverence for God and his moral perfections, according to his own highest convictions of truth and duty. Thus he should examine the Bible and all books. Thus all human governments, authorities, powers, constitutions, laws, customs, and usages, in church and state. Thus try all spirits, and their communications—all pretended prophets, philosophers, and teachers—all professions and assumptions whatsoever. No one should imperiously dictate, or cower down before another. But truth, rectitude, reason, and the suasion of wisdom, should alone sway the minds of moral agents.
1618. “Such is a fair digest and summary of the principal doctrines put forth in ninety-nine one hundredths of the communications of reliable spirits throughout the country. I have stated them in my own language, as I have understood them. It will be seen that they differ in some respects from every sectarian view of theology, religion, and morality now popular in the world.”
1619. To those who have not seen the original statement of the benevolent and distinguished Judge Edmonds, respecting his conversion, the subjoined account, taken from the introduction to his work on “Spiritualism,” may prove interesting.
1620. “It was in January, 1851, that my attention was first called to the subject of ‘spiritual intercourse.’ I had, in the course of my life, read and heard from the pulpit so many contradictory and conflicting doctrines on the subject (of man’s future existence) that I hardly knew what to believe.
1621. “For about four months I devoted at least two evenings in a week, and sometimes more, to witnessing the phenomenon in all its phases. I kept careful records of all I witnessed, and, from time to time, compared them with each other, to detect inconsistencies and contradictions. I read all I could lay my hands upon, on the subject, and especially all the professed ‘exposures of the humbug.’ In fine, I availed myself of every opportunity that was afforded thoroughly to sift the matter to the bottom. I was all this time an unbeliever. At length the evidence came, and with such force that no sane man could withhold his faith.
1622. “To detail what I witnessed for those four months, and recorded, would fill, at least, one hundred and thirty closely-written pages. I will, however, mention a few things, which will give a general idea of that which characterized interviews now numbering several hundred. Most of them have occurred in the presence of others. I have preserved their names in my records. * * * * * These considerations grow out of this fact:
1623. “First. That I have thus very many witnesses whom I can invoke to establish the truth of my statements.
1624. “Second. That if I have been deluded, and have not seen and heard what I think I have, my delusion has been shared by many asshrewd, as intelligent, as honest, and as enlightened people as are to be found anywhere among us.
1625. “My attention was first drawn to the intercourse by the rappings, then the most common, but now the most inconsiderable, mode of communing. Of course I was on the look-out for deception, and at first relied upon my senses, and the conclusions which my reason might draw from their evidence. * * *
1626. “After depending upon my senses as to these various phases of the phenomenon, I invoked the aid of science, and, with the assistance of an accomplished electrician and his machinery, and of eight or ten intelligent, educated, and shrewd persons, examined the matter. We pursued our inquiries many days, and established, to our satisfaction, two things: first, that the sounds were not produced by the agency of any person present or near us; and, secondly, that they were not forthcoming at our will and pleasure. In the mean time, another feature attracted my attention, and that was ‘physical manifestations,’ as they are termed. Thus, I have known a pine table, with four legs, lifted up bodily from the floor, in the centre of a circle of six or eight persons, turned upside down, and laid upon its top at our feet, then lifted up over our heads, and put leaning against the back of the sofa on which we sat. * * * * I have seen a mahogany centre-table, having only a centre leg, and with a lamp burning upon it, lifted from the floor, at least a foot, in spite of the efforts of those present, and shaken backward and forward, as one would shake a goblet in his hand. * * * *
1627. “I have known a dinner-bell, taken from a shelf in a closet, rung over the heads of four or five persons in that closet, then rung around the room over the heads of twelve or fifteen persons in the back parlour, and then borne through the folding-doors to the farther end of the front parlour, and then dropped on the floor.
1628. “I have known persons pulled about, with a force which it was impossible for them to resist; and once, when all my strength was added, in vain, to that of one thus affected.
1629. “I have known a mahogany chair thrown on its side, and moved swiftly back and forth on the floor, no one touching it, through a room where there were, at least, a dozen people sitting. Yet no one was touched, and it was repeatedly stopped within a few inches of me, when it was coming with a violence which, if not arrested, must have broken my legs.
1630. “This is not a tithe, nay, not an hundredth part, of what I have seen, of the same character. At the same time, I have heard from others, whose testimony would be credited in any human transaction, and which I could not permit myself to disregard, accounts of still more extraordinary transactions; for I have been by no means so much favoured in this respect as some.
1631. “Intelligence was a remarkable feature of the phenomenon.Thus, I have frequently known mental questions answered—that is, questions merely framed in the mind of the interrogator, and not revealed by him or known to others. Preparatory to meeting a circle, I have sat down alone in my room, and carefully prepared a series of questions to be propounded; and I have been surprised to find my questions answered, and in the precise order in which I wrote them, without my even taking my memorandum out of my pocket, and when I knew that no person present knew that I had prepared questions, much less what they were.
1632. “My most secret thoughts—those which I never uttered to mortal man or woman—have been freely spoken, as if I had uttered them.
1633. “I have known Latin, French, and Spanish words spelled out through the rappings; and I have heard mediums, who knew no language but their own, speak in those languages, and in Italian, German, and Greek, and in other languages unknown to me, but which were represented to be Arabic, Chinese, and Indian, and all done with the ease and rapidity of a native.
1634. “I have seen a person who knew nothing of music, except a little that he had learned at a country singing-school, go to the piano and play in perfect keeping, as to time and concord, the several parts of an overture to an opera.
1635. “When I was absent last winter, in Central America, my friends in town heard of my whereabouts, and of the state of my health, seven times; and, on my return, by comparing their information with the entries in my journal, it was found to be invariably correct.
1636. “I went into the investigation, originally thinking it a deception, and intending to make public my exposure of it. Having, from my researches, come to a different conclusion, I feel that the obligation to make known the result is just as strong. Therefore it is, mainly, that I give the result to the world.
“J. W. Edmonds.”
1637. Mr. Garrison is spoken of as a man of unimpeachable veracity and independent mind. His testimony will have weight with one class of inquirers, if not with another. The following is from the “Liberator” of March 3, 1854.
1638. “We are often privately asked, what we think of the ‘Spiritual Manifestations,’ so called, and whether we have had any opportunities to investigate them.
1639. “When we first heard of the ‘Rochester knockings,’ we supposed (not personally knowing the persons implicated) that there might be some collusion in that particular case, or, if not, that the phenomena would ere long elicit a satisfactory solution, independent of all spiritual agency. As the manifestations have spread from house to house, from city to city, from one part of the country to the other, across the Atlantic into Europe, tillnow the civilized world is compelled to acknowledge their reality, however diverse in accounting for them—as these manifestations continue to increase in variety and power, so that all suspicion of trick or imposture becomes simply absurd and preposterous—and as every attempt to find a solution for them in some physical theory relating to electricity, the odic force, clairvoyance, and the like, has thus far proved abortive—it becomes every intelligent mind to enter into an investigation of them with candour and fairness, as opportunity may offer, and to bear such testimony in regard to them as the facts may warrant, no matter what ridicule it may excite on the part of the uninformed or skeptical.
1640. “As for ourselves, most assuredly we have been in no haste to jump to a conclusion in regard to phenomena so universally diffused, and of so extraordinary a character. For the last three years, we have kept pace with nearly all that has been published on the subject; and we have witnessed, at various times, many surprising ‘manifestations;’ and our conviction is, that they cannot be accounted for on any other theory than that of spiritual agency. This theory, however, is not unattended with discrepancies, difficulties, and trials. It is certain that, if it be true, there are many deceptive spirits, and that the apostolic injunction to ‘believe not every spirit,’ but to try them in every possible way, is specially to be regarded, or the consequences may prove very disastrous.
1641. “We might write a pretty long essay on what we have seen and heard, touching this matter; but this we reserve for some other occasion. We shall now merely describe some of the phenomena which we witnessed in New York during our recent visit to that city.
1642. “The medium in this instance was Mrs. Brown, formerly Mrs. Fish, of Rochester. The circle was composed of six gentlemen and four ladies. The table was of ample dimensions, so as to accommodate the party without inconvenience. We sat around it in the usual manner, (the hands of each individual resting upon the table,) and engaged in social chit-chat. While waiting for some demonstrations from the invisible world, we had our right foot patted as by a human hand, and the right leg of our pantaloons strongly pulled, by some unseen agency. This was done repeatedly, though we said nothing at the time; but, thinking it might be possible that the foot of some one of the company might undesignedly be in contact with our own, we cautiously felt around to ascertain if this were the case, but there was nothing tangible; and the moment we put our foot down, the same familiar tappings and jerks followed. Still, we made no disclosure. Raps were then distinctly heard, and the alphabet was called for. Letter by letter, it was rapped out that the medium must put her feet in the custody of one of the party, and then we were told to wait for demonstrations. This was evidently done to convince every one present that the medium had nothing to do with the phenomena, by way of fraud or collusion; and, during the entire sitting, (a protracted one,) before any remarkable feat was performed, the medium was invariably ordered to take such a position as to render it clearly impossible for her to be privy to it. The presence of several spirits was indicated during the evening, and satisfactory tests were made; but the most communicative and efficient one purported to be that of ‘Jesse Hutchinson.’ It was he who had been playing bo-peep with us under the table; and, now that the medium was secured, to the satisfaction of all present, he renewed his salutations, not only to us personally, but to nearly every one of the circle. The ladies had their dresses, and the gentlemen their pantaloons, pulled, and their feet patted, in the most emphatic manner. Heavy raps were now made on the floor; and, on being requested to that effect, ‘Jesse’ beat a march—it seemed to us Washington’s march—in admirable time, and in the most spirited manner; no drummer could have done it more skilfully. He was then asked to beat time, while the company joined in singing several tunes—‘The Old Granite State,’ among others—which he did to perfection. He then spelt out the following communications by the alphabet: ‘I am most happy, dear friends, to be able to give you such tangible evidence of my presence. The good time has truly come. The gates of the New Jerusalem are open, and the good spirits, made more pure by the change of spheres, are knocking at the door of your souls.’
1643. “Isaac T. Hopper now indicated his presence to his daughter, who was at the table, and made some physical demonstrations. His message, as rapped out, was as follows: ‘I am truly happy to echo back joy and gladness from my happy home. Truth is bearing its way on gloriously, and the subject of Spiritualism will work miracles in the cause of reform. My friends, the rock of prejudice begins to yield to the hammer of truth; and, now, with the aid of good spirits, you can blast it without the use of powder.’ And he subsequently added, ‘I want you to see that spirits have power to move matter.’
1644. “It was next rapped out, ‘Put the bell under the table.’ We, accordingly, took the bell, (an ordinary table-bell,) and put it down at our feet. In a few moments, it was smartly rung by an unseen power, and then fell to the floor. This was done again and again—the bell making the circuit of the table, and ringing so loudly that the servant-girl, in an adjacent room, supposing she was needed, came in to inquire what was wanted.
1645. “Next, a cane with a hooked handle was laid on the carpet, under the table. Immediately, it struck the table violently, and rubbed along the under surface its entire length. It then fell to the floor, and traversed over and under the feet of several of the party, like a living snake—in one or two instances the foot being involuntarily lifted to enable it to pass under. Its movements were exceedingly curious. At one time, we caught hold of the handle as it protruded itself by our side, and endeavoured to pull it from under the table; but the resistance was as strong as though another hand was grasping it at the opposite end.
1646. “We were now directed to put several things under the table, observe how they were placed, and wait for results. When told to look, we found that a penknife was missing, nor could it be discovered by the most careful search. On again resuming our seats, we were told to take another look; and, behold! there was the penknife, precisely where it had been originally placed!
1647. “Next, we were directed to lay some writing-paper, with a pencil upon it, under the table. This was done; and, in a few moments, on being told to look, we found the word ‘Jesse’ written upon it in a scrawling hand, as though made with great difficulty. The same experiment was again made, and ‘Isaac T. H.’ (Hopper) was written very legibly, and in a different hand. A third time this was done, and ‘Mary Jane’ was recorded,—the name of a young lady who had been communicating with a gentleman present. The first two autographs we have in our possession.
1648. “We now made two requests of ‘Jesse,’ to convince us yet more strongly of his presence. The first was, to press our right foot firmly to the floor, and to make loud raps directly under it. This was quickly done, the foot being grasped as by a mortal hand, and vibrating to the raps thus strangely made. The second was, if possible, to take us by the right hand with his own, so as to make the touch palpable beyond a doubt. Keeping the hand carefully in custody between our knees as we sat—the hands of all the company, including those of the medium, being on the table—we, in a few moments, had it patted, first on one side, then on the other, briskly and repeatedly, as if by another hand, having a negative feeling, as though there was no warmth in it, but natural in every other respect. For the general gratification, the same thing was done to others of the party.
1649. “How shall demonstrations like these be accounted for, except on the hypothesis of spirit-agency? If we cannot positively affirm that Isaac T. Hopper and Jesse Hutchinson were present on that occasion, we are, at least, prepared to declare, as our own conviction, as well as that of the entire company, we believe, that invisible spirits, not of this mundane sphere, performed the phenomena we have thus briefly narrated to our readers.”
1650. The following is extracted from a highly interesting letter, entitled, “The Ministry of Angels Realized,” addressed by Mr. and Mrs. Newton to the Edward’s Congregational Church, Boston, of which they were members. Mr. Newton is editor of the “New England Spiritualist,” and sustains a reputation for high moral and intellectual attainment.
1651. “The results, however, of this first investigation, at the time, were (for reasons not then apparent, but which have since been made plain to us) far from satisfactory. Though we witnessed some striking evidences of invisible intelligent agency, there was nothing by which this agency couldbe possibly identified; and the conclusion seemed most in accordance with our previous opinions, that, if any agency beyond that of human beings was concerned, it was that of evil and seducing spirits. Some months subsequently to this, we were led to attempt the investigation under circumstances more favourable to arriving at a satisfactory conclusion. * * * The results of this interview were of the most surprising, yea, astounding character. An intelligence, claiming to be that of a venerated parent, who had long since passed within the veil, manifested its presence, and addressed to one of us a communication glowing with parental affection, and breathing the very spirit of the upper realm. This was accompanied by the statement of a number of facts, pertaining to his earthly life, none of which, we were fully satisfied, could have been known to any person, bodily present, except the inquirer, and some of them unknown even to him. Although the investigation had been approached with minds on the alert and perceptions sharpened to detect collusion, imposture, deception, or diabolism, in any of its forms, no trace of them could be perceived; all was conducted with evident frankness and candour, on the part of those concerned; and no solution of the mystery was then arrived at, and no adequate one has since been offered, which does not recognise the agency of intelligent beings. A trumpet-blast from the clouds could scarcely have been more startling to our prejudices and unbelief than was that message from the hidden world. * * * As may be well supposed, the interest awakened by this occurrence was sufficient to lead to a further investigation. But a truth so novel and startling could not at once be received, however demonstrative and convincing the evidence on which it rested. Nor was it until evidence had accumulated upon evidence, and proof become piled upon proof—not until manifestations of the most marvellous character had been repeatedly witnessed, under a great variety of circumstances, and notwithstanding the application of every conceivable test—that we could consent to acknowledge, even to ourselves, a belief in the agency of spiritual beings. That belief, however, in spite of prejudice and skepticism, in spite of the general cry of “humbug” and “imposture,” in spite of all attempts of scientific men to explain the marvels on the basis of materialism, (which explanations we found in every case to be wholly inadequate to account for what we witnessed,) that belief became at length forced upon our minds by irresistible evidence.
1652. “But the question still pressed upon us, who were these invisible beings? and what their character and designs? They claimed to be the spirits of departed human beings. Some of them insisted that they were our relatives and friends, and they furnished most startling and inexplicable proofs of their identity. They professed to be thus manifesting themselves to our outward senses, for the purest and holiest of purposes. * * *
1653. “The most favourable of opportunities were offered us for making investigation, and they were carefully and prayerfully improved.
1654. “For several months did we continue to apply to what was transpiring under our notice, through the mediumship of others, the keenest powers of observation, and the highest exercise of moral perception, which have been granted us; ever seeking light and aid from Him who has said, ‘Ask, and ye shall receive.’
1655. “At length, these intelligences from another sphere began to manifest themselves to us in a manner most unlooked-for and diverse from any thing we had elsewhere witnessed, in the quietness and seclusion of our own home, and without the intervention of any other person. From small and gentle beginnings, they have gone forward, as we were able to bear the increasing light, to give greater, and higher, and clearer proofs of the reality of their presence, their identity, and their heavenly mission; until, through a period of six or seven months, we have been permitted, as we believe, the almost daily enjoyment of the sweetest and most intimate communion with the spirits of ‘just ones made perfect above.’
“A. E. Newton,S. J. Newton.”
1656. The following is a statement of facts by Mrs. Charles Partridge, taken from the minutes of the New York circle, attested by several highly respectable and credible persons, among whom is my personal friend, Doctor Gray.
1657. “Persons at the circle have been unexpectedly turned round in the chairs in which they were sitting, and moved to and from the table. Chairs and sofas have suddenly started from their positions against the wall, and moved forward to the centre of the room, when they were required in the formation of the circle. The persons in the circle have each successively lifted his own side of the table, and the invisible power has raised the opposite side correspondingly. Occasionally the spirits have raised the table entirely, and sustained it in air, at a distance of from one to three feet from the floor, so that all could satisfy themselves that no person in the flesh was touching it. Lights of various colours have been produced in dark rooms. A man has been suspended in, and conveyed through, the air, a distance of fifty feet, or more. The communications have been given in various ways, but chiefly in writing, and by the rappings through the ordinary alphabetical mode.
1658. “At the close of the session held on the 17th of November, 1851, the spirits, through the alphabet, and in their usual manner, said, ‘We wish to give you a sentence for you to find out and remember;’ when the following was communicated: ‘Debemos amar á todo el mundo aun á nuestros enemigos.’ No person present on that occasion understood a word of this language, but we were subsequently informed that it was Spanish.
1659. “During the session on the 19th of January, 1852, the spirits signified their desire to make a communication in Hebrew. Mr. Partridge asked who should call the alphabet, and received for answer, ‘The only person present who understands it—George Bush.’ Professor Bush thereupon proceeded to repeat the Hebrew alphabet, and a communication in that language was received.
1660. “Many additional facts might be given to show that spirits communicate in various languages through E. P. Fowler; but the above will suffice for the purposes of this statement.
1661. “We cannot allow the present occasion to pass, without an expression of the entire confidence and unqualified esteem with which Mr. Fowler is regarded by the members of the New York circle, and by those who know him generally. We have had an intimate personal acquaintance with him for two years past—some of us for a much longer period—and we have only known him as a high-minded and honourable young man. From the beginning, he has steadily refused to accept the slightest compensation for his time and services while employed in the capacity of a medium; and we deem it but an act of simple justice to Mr. F. to record the fact that, on all occasions, we have found him entirely unassuming in his deportment, and eminently truthful in his life.
“R. T. Hallock, M. D.,J. T. Warner, M. D.,Almira L. Fowler,A. G. Hull, M. D.,W. J. Baner,John F. Gray, M. D.,Samuel T. Fowler,Mr. & Mrs. Charles Partridge.”
1662. “This is to certify that, during a long investigation of the modern phenomena which are now attracting attention in our own country and in the old, I have repeatedly seen my own table, in my own room, to which I know there is no nice machinery affixed for purposes of deception, without any contact whatever of earthly kind, raised, tipped, moved about the room, as if a strong man was there at work. Also, a piano-forte played upon in the same way, without mortal contact, producing most beautiful music—an ocean piece, in which a storm was represented succeeded by a calm. These phenomena occurred in the presence of several other individuals of both sexes, all of whom saw, and all of whom are ready to testify. I have also received from a medium, who never saw me before, and knew nothing of my family, the fact of my father’s death, his name, and a perfectfac-simileof his handwriting; and this when I was not expecting such handwriting, and could not have possibly imitated it, without a copy, in the labour of three months.
D. F. Goddard.”
1663. As this work may be read by many who have not perused any other book on the subject of which it treats, I hope that those who take it up, having a knowledge of the most important spirit manifestations heretofore published, will excuse my quoting them here. My object is to furnish the readers of this volume a reasonably, comprehensive view of Spiritualism, without the necessity of their referring to works which may not be easily accessible.
1664. To the cool Yankee sagacity of Mrs. Fox and her daughters, the world is indebted for the happy result that these manifestations did not, like those which preceded them in other parts of the world, end in a mere inexplicable mystery, and erroneous inferences as to their origin. I allude here to the well-known fact, that similar manifestations were made in the early part of the last century, in Epworth, England, at the mansion of the celebrated clergyman, Wesley, and that one of his daughters was endowed with the attributes of a medium for many years, without the art of alphabetic communication having been suggested.
1665. I might here republish the history of the famous “rappingsandknockings” at Hydesville and Rochester, in the State of New York; but as regards evidence, they amount to about the same thing, only not so concentrated, as those demonstrations which occurred at the residence of the Rev. Dr. Phelps, in Stratford, Connecticut. The doctor, who is a Congregationalist, and one of the most worthy men in the world, became a convert to Spiritualism in consequence of these manifestations, an account of which is subjoined. I quote it from the excellent work of E. W. Capron, Esq., entitled, “Modern Spiritualism, its Facts and Fanaticisms.”
1666. I omit quoting the history of the abortive effort made by the spirits to communicate with the Wesleys, but refer the reader to the account published in a work entitled, “Memoirs of the Wesley Family,” by Adam Clark, LL.D., second edition, 1846; or to the work of Mr. Capron, already specified.
1667. “While these strange occurrences were taking place at Rochester and Auburn, and the press and people were busy in trying to account for them on strictly mundane principles, making all manner of insinuations against the character and motives of those who even dared to investigate for themselves, some manifestations took place at Stratford, Conn., which attracted attention to that quarter, as well on account of the character and standing of the gentleman at whose house they occurred, as the very strange, boisterous, and violent character of the manifestations. I have been allowed to examine all the records kept of the occurrences by Dr. Phelps, and shall be able, therefore, to present the history with more minuteness and accuracy than has ever before appeared.
1668. “The first disturbances took place on the tenth day of March, 1850, at the house of Rev. Eliakim Phelps, D.D. The house had been occupied by him from the 22d of February, 1848. It is a large and genteel country mansion, separated from the street by a fence forty-five feet in front of the house; which is thirty-two feet in front, and, including the piazza, seventy feet deep, with a hall thirteen feet wide, running through the whole depth of the building. Adjoining, and opening from this hall, are two parlours and a dining-room. On the second floor are five sleeping-rooms, and on the third floor two. The kitchen is in the basement. The house was built about the year 1829 or ‘30 by a Captain Dondall, who for several years commanded a vessel in the China trade, and who died in the Bay of Canton within two or three years after his family had taken up their residence in the house. The property then passed into the hands of another sea-captain, by the name of Purcell, who, with his family, occupied it for several years. Captain Purcell dying suddenly in New York, the family removed, and the house was occupied by an Episcopal clergyman for a school a year or more, and afterward by a Mr -—-, also as a school for boys.