SECTION III.

_The Proofs produced by Testimony._

The following pages, for brevity’s sake, present only the

extracts from some of the oaths and numerous testimonies of

those who oppose and of those who favor the cause. With all

these witnesses I am intimately acquainted. I took these

testimonies from their lips, for the most part, separately.

I wrote them; read them in their hearing, and obtained

their approbation of what I had written. I made but little

alteration in their language, because I chose that their

testimonies should appear in their own native simplicity.

Therefore the philological critic has no employment here.

Among the testimonies of the opponents, I have left nothing

unextracted, which, in my apprehension, could seem to

afford any argument in their favor; or from which, to

my recollection, they themselves have ever deduced any

argument for their purpose. If, however, I have failed

here or in any other respect, they will doubtless have

opportunity to make it known.

For the most remarkable occurrences, I have generally

selected only two or three witnesses, not for the want of

more, by any means, but because the patience of the reader

must not be exercised by tedious repetition more than is

necessary for the present design.

EXTRACTS FROM THE OATHS.

_Deposition of Capt. Paul Simson._

About the first of August, 1800, Mr. H. and his wife came to my house

and desired me to go to Mr. Blaisdel’s with them. After we got there,

they said the Spirit sent for me.

I went down into the cellar, and soon after it rapped. I asked what it

wanted. It told me that I had done wrong; I had become hard against

her--that I had disbelieved. I told her I had. She said that satan had

tempted me and that I had sinned. I asked her if she loved Christ. She

said, yes, I do. I told her the work of the saints was to praise God.

Yes, she said, and Christ too, and broke out in singing alleluias.

At another time she ordered us to place ourselves two and two, and

she would follow us to Capt. M’s, and ordered us to sing a Psalm as

we went. In going there I never saw her. As we walked back, I walked

behind. I looked back and saw her. She appeared to me dressed all in

white; as bright a white as ever I saw, and had the appearance of a

woman and bigness. PAUL SIMSON.

* * * * *

_The Deposition of Mrs. Sarah Simson._

On August 7, Mr. Blaisdel came to my house and said the voice had sent

him for more witnesses, and that Mr. Simson and I must go to his house.

I was very much affrighted, and could not think what he wanted. He

said the Spirit had sent him for more witnesses, and that I must go.

I then told him that Mr. Simson said the apparition had appeared at

our house the night before. My husband and I then went with him. After

we had been there some time, there was a knocking--some spoke to her.

She then asked if we wanted to know who she was. It was answered, yes.

She then said three times, “I was once N---- B----.” There were many

questions asked, which she answered very directly. I asked, are you

from happiness or misery? To which she answered. “I am from above, and

am come on God’s message;” and fell to singing alleluias.

After discoursing some time, she said she was going to appear to us,

and we must place ourselves two and two and come into the cellar, and

she would shew herself. We complied. I was of the last couple who went

into the cellar. It was my desire not to see her. She said, those who

did not desire to see her, should not. I saw nothing. And though she

was so near to me, as I was told by P---- B----, as that I could touch

her if I had put out my hand, and I looked to see her; yet, as I had

said I did not want to see her, I could not see her. I also, while in

the field looked to see her, yet I did not see her. SARAH SIMSON.

* * * * *

The next deposition was given by one who looks upon the

whole scene to be a great deception, some how or other.

_The Deposition of Mr. Thomas Uran._

In August 11, 1800, I was at the house of A. Blaisdel. I went on

purpose to hear and see what I could concerning a Spirit which was

said to be there. In the evening there was a knocking round the house;

but nothing spake. We all concluded there would be nothing said or

seen. The next morning about day-break, there seemed to be knockings

round the house, and in the chamber, and round my bed. We immediately

got up, and going down I took a candle, lighted it, and went into the

cellar alone, examining if there was no one there to deceive us. I

could not see any body. I came back. Mr. Blaisdel, with all in the

house went down cellar--we heard a knocking. Some one spake in the name

of God, and asked what she wanted. She asked if we wanted to know who

she was. We answered, yes. She told us she was once N---- B----. She

then said to me, “you have often said that I am a devil or a witch.”

I then asked her, if she was from the God of heaven or from misery.

She answered, “I am from above, praising God and the Lamb;” she then

broke out in praise. She then told us that she had come to warn us from

sin, and that if there was not a change before the soul left the body,

we should be forever miserable. She then told us the danger a sinner

was in, out of Christ, and told us that she should rise in the day of

judgment against us. I told her I had a great desire that she should

appear. And then she appeared to us all who had a desire to see her.

She appeared like a person who was wrapped in a white sheet, appearing

and disappearing several times. It was near sun rise at this time.

She then told us that was the day that Christ rose from the dead, and

that it was God’s precious time, and must be kept unto him.

Lydia, (Mrs. Butler) was not in the cellar while the foregoing talk

was. The Spirit asked me if I would not clear Lydia; I answered I

would, for it was not she who talked. THOMAS URAN.

* * * * *

_Deposition of Capt. George Butler._

When I was called to talk with this voice, I asked, “who are you?”

It answered, “I was once your wife.” The voice asked me, “Do you not

remember what I told you when I was alive.” I answered, “I do not

really know what you mean.” The voice said, “Do you not remember I told

you I did not think I should live long with you. I told you that if you

was to leave me I should never wish to change my condition; but that if

I was to leave you, I could not blame you, if you did.”

This passed between me and my first wife, while she was alive, and

there was no living person within hearing, but she and myself, and I am

sure that this was never revealed to any person, and no living person

could have told it to me before the voice did. As Lydia (Mrs. Butler)

and I stood side and side alone,[23] she had her left arm round me

and her right hand hold of the forward part of my waistcoat, her head

leaning against my breast. There was something appeared to my view

right before me, like a person in a winding sheet and her arms folded

under the winding sheet, and on her arm there appeared to be a very

small child. By this appearance I did not know possibly but I might

be deceived. I reached out my left hand to take hold of it. I saw my

hand in the middle of it, but could feel nothing. The same evening it

appeared and disappeared to me three times. GEORGE BUTLER.

_Hancock, ss._--_Sullivan_, August 6, 1800. Personally

appeared Paul Simson, Sarah Simson, Thomas Uran and George

Butler, who, being carefully examined as to the truth

of the above declarations, made solemn oath that the

statements were true.

The Testimonies by difference of opinion have naturally two

parts, that of the opponents and that of the adherents.

The first part presents the attestation of those who

consider these phenomena as a scene of wickedness.

TESTIMONY I.

_Testimony of Miss H. G._

August 9, 10. I was at the house of Mr. Blaisdel, by the persuasion of

others; for as to myself I made very light of the matter, supposing

that the whole was the contrivance of certain persons, and I believe

still that nothing good appeared there.

We heard rappings, and these sounds were spoken to, but no answer

obtained. After much altercation (which is needless to rehearse) we all

came out of the cellar, and all went off, except a few persons, of whom

I was one. Some of Mr. Blaisdel’s family uttered severe expressions

against those who went off and did not believe. “What do you want

they should believe,” said I; “for my part I see nothing to believe.”

Immediately Mrs. Butler came in from the entry very much affrighted,

“If any one desires to be convinced,” said she, “let him look there in

the entry.” I looked there and saw nothing. Soon after this, while Mrs.

Butler was sitting on the foot of a bed, we heard a sound right against

her on the outside of the house. Mr. Butler told her to speak to it. At

first she refused. They told her she must. Then she said to it, “If I

am guilty stay away; if I am clear in the name of the Lord clear me.”

The Spirit then rapped very hard, so as to shake the house. Some of the

company said she must go into the cellar. “So I must,” said she; “if I

do not, she will come into the room: and if she does, I shall die.[24]

Who will go with me.” D---- A---- said she would go. They went,[25]

and soon after we all went down. Then I plainly heard the voice say

to Mrs. Butler, “Go up, that the people may not think it is you who

speaks.” I saw her go up into the room, and heard at the same time the

voice in the cellar. Mr. Blaisdel asked the Spirit whence she came.

She answered, “I am from heaven. I am with God and with Christ--angels

and seraphim, praising God. Glory, glory, glory.” Mr. Blaisdel asked

why she did not manifest herself in the fore part of that night to all

the people. She answered, “I was not permitted to come where there was

so much sin.” The Spirit then said to Mr. Blaisdel, “Ask the people

if they are convinced.” He did so; and I among the rest answered that

I was. But I think otherwise now. God knew who would be there the

forepart of that night. Why did he send her? Then the Spirit said, “I

must appear;” and by her direction we placed ourselves in order. Then I

saw a white appearance, at first not more than a foot in height, but it

appeared larger and larger, and more plainly, and when it came nearer

to me, I was struck with fear and left the cellar; but others told me

that afterwards they saw the Spirit plainly.

August 13-14, I again went to Mr. Blaisdel’s with forty-seven persons.

The Spirit now told us again that she was from heaven, and that she was

once N---- H----. After much conversation the Spirit said that some of

the people were faint, and could not hear all that was to be said, and

that we must go up and refresh ourselves. “You must go with me to two

places this night,” said she, “and you must be ready at one o’clock.”

“What o’clock is it now,” said Mr. Blaisdel; she said, “twelve, twelve,

twelve.” We went up immediately and looked on the watch, and it was

exactly twelve. In a short time, hearing the usual sign, we returned.

Among many other words which I do not remember, Mr. Downing asked the

Spirit if she knew him; she answered, “yes,” and called him by name.

He asked if she was ever at his house. She answered that she had been

once there with her mother. At length she told us that we must go up

and she would walk with us behind, with Mrs. Butler. But you must walk

in order, two and two, said she, singing a Psalm: for God is a God of

order. Some person asked when she would be ready. She said, “I will let

you know.” Some person again asked what o’clock it was. She answered,

_one_. We went up and again looked on the watch and it was _one_. We

attended prayer, and immediately after she knocked. A Psalm was chosen,

which the greatest number of us could best remember, and it was sung

as we walked. I was now far forward and did not see the Spirit. When

we came to Capt. Millar’s, the Spirit rapped there, and Capt. Millar

with Capt. Paul Blaisdel and some others, went into the cellar, and

I heard them talk, but could not understand what was said to them.

Then word came to us that we must stand out in the field before the

house--that she would appear before us, and walk with Mrs. Butler, that

the people might be convinced that Mrs. Butler had told the truth in

relating that she had walked with her before. Then we all stood before

the house. Mrs. Butler put on a black cloak, and when she had walked

a little distance from us, as before directed by the Spirit, I heard

her groan bitterly, and soon after I saw the appearance of a woman in

white, walking with her. Suddenly Mrs. Butler sung a part of that hymn

called New Jerusalem. Then she came to us and we all went back in order

to Mr. Blaisdel’s. I then looked back and saw a person in white walking

with Mrs. Butler. After we returned to the house, Mrs. Butler appeared

very weary and exhausted. I asked her at what time the Spirit came to

her. She told me it was after she had walked a little distance from the

people. “When you heard me groan, said she, then I saw it coming toward

me. I am always more afraid when I only see it, than I am after it has

spoken to me:[26] and she now told me not to be scared; that she was

not come to hurt me, and that if I would sing a hymn, it would expel my

fears.” HANNAH GATCOMB.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY II.

_Testimony of Mr. Paul Simson, Jun._

August 9, 1800. I was at Mr. A. Blaisdel’s, with many more, and heard

the sound of knocking. It was addressed, and a voice answered, but

I could not understand it. Several persons spoke, but received no

satisfactory answer. The people generally concluded that the whole

affair was some deception. Therefore they went off and I among them.

But my reflections on that singular knocking, induced me to say to two

young men, “If you will go back, I will, and find out something more,

if possible; for I am no more satisfied now, than I was before I went

to that house.” We went back. Mr. Blaisdel asked us why we returned.

I told him that we had all gone off with the opinion that the whole

affair was a scheme contrived by his daughters, and nothing more, and

I meant if possible, to find them out. “You must think as you please,”

said he, “I am clear, and I believe my family is.” I told him I wished

to see all his family sitting in one part of the room. They complied.

Then I took a candle and stood in the midst of the room. After several

minutes, something rapped near where two of us stood, and from thence

removed to several parts of the house. “What do you think of it,” said

Mr. Blaisdel? “It appears, said I, to be strange.” “We will go into

the cellar,” said Mr. Blaisdel, “and, if you think any body is there,

search the cellar through with a candle;” we did so. I came out last

and was careful and watched, so that I was sure that no person went

down. Also the outer door was fast. Then again we heard the sound of

knocking. It was addressed, and conversation followed, in the midst of

which Mr. Blaisdel said to me, “If you think any living person talks,

go forward and grasp that person.” I went forward a few steps, but was

so convinced that no body was there, that I considered all further

attempts as useless.

After much discourse, which I cannot remember, the Spirit told us that

we must go up and come down again in order, two and two, and she would

appear to us. We did so, and I saw the apparition at first about two

feet in height; but, as it drew nearer to me, it appeared as tall as a

person. I saw this appearance passing _close by me and from me five or

six times_. At last it diminished to about a foot in height and then

vanished. PAUL SIMSON, Jun.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY III.

_Testimony of Miss Sally Martin._

August 13, 1800, I was at Mr. Blaisdel’s house, with more than forty

people, besides their own family, and heard knockings. We all wondered,

when we heard a sound on one side or corner of the house; the next

sound on the opposite side or corner, and a third sound equally distant

from the second, and so on for a number of sounds, while the succession

was as rapid as one sound could be clearly distinguished from another.

We were sure that no person, nor even several persons, could make

sounds so distant from each other in such quick succession, even were

it possible for them to be in or near the places of these sounds,

without discovery. By the desire of the Spirit and Mr. Blaisdel, we

went into the cellar. Mr. Blaisdel told the people to stand back and

give the Spirit room, and not crowd so near her, “don’t crowd her,”

said he, “she cannot talk if you crowd her.”

When we were placed, Mr. Blaisdel ordered the candle to be blown out,

and stood before the company next to the Spirit.[27] When these things

were done, the affair was become as dark to me, as the cellar was. I

heard much conversation with several people by a voice which I never

heard before. This voice at last told us to go up and go to a certain

house and she would go with us. We did as the voice told us: and, as

we went, I saw a personal form, as white as any thing could possibly

appear, walking by Mrs. Butler’s side, with locked arms. When we came

to the only outer door of the house, I saw this form at a distance

from me, abroad, though near the house, I went in and heard a knocking

immediately under the floor. In two or three minutes I heard the same

voice that I had heard before, talking with Capt. Millar.

By the desire of the voice, we stood before the house that she might

appear to us. There I saw the personal form as plainly as ever I saw a

living person: and I saw the same form vanish before me in a moment.

SALLY MARTIN.

On this testimony a few observations must detain the

reader. We are liable to be deceived two ways: by the

appearance of truth where it is not, and by the appearance

of deception where it is not.

Did not such an occasion as this require order? The Spectre

was about to communicate to the assembly an important

message. Could they enjoy the best advantage to hear and

attend to it, while they were changing places,--crowding

and interrupting one another? Is not a voice better

understood by any auditory, if there be some intermediate

space between the speaker and hearer? What did they want a

candle for, unless they wanted to be deceived? The Spectre

was white; so is a deceiver by a candle. The Spectre told

them the exact time of night; so could a deceiver by a

candle. Did they want a candle in order to see her? They

had learned, or might have learned already, that she could

make herself as visible without a candle, as any person

living could with it. Four nights before this, she appeared

to fourteen persons in this very place, and six persons saw

the hand pass through the apparition.

Two nights before this, she appeared to about twenty

people, forming an ellipsis, within which she slowly passed

round so near the circumference several times, that every

one of them might have handled her with deliberation, and

she had also expressed her desire to give satisfaction by

this experiment.

Therefore it was not because she was afraid to be seen or

handled, that Mr. Blaisdel made this arrangement; but for

reasons possibly unknown to us. But _probably_ one of them

was this: On the night of this testimony, August 13, it

was one design of the Spectre to confirm what was past,

by conducting as she had before, May 28.[28] That is: by

appearing only to two or three persons, while to all others

in the assembly, though conversing with her, she should

remain invisible. This, we are assured, by testimony 11 and

14, part 2nd, was now performed. On the above May 28, a

third person thought he saw her, but was not sure; for he

supposed he might be deceived by some change of the candle

light.

Hence we easily see that those two persons who saw her on

this night of August 13, while she invisibly discoursed

with the assembly, obtained more satisfaction for others,

if not for themselves, that what they saw was reality, than

if there had been a candle; especially if we consider that

several women of the assembly were dressed in white.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY IV.

_Testimony of Capt. James Millar._

August 7. Mr. Blaisdel came to my house and desired me to go to his

own, where I might hear and see for myself. He also went to Capt.

Samuel Simson’s with the same request. Capt. Simson and his wife,

S---- B----, and N---- G----, who were there, came with him to my house,

and we all went to Mr. Blaisdel’s. When we had been there some minutes,

Capt. Simson, by desire, prayed. His prayer was immediately followed by

a knocking, and we all went into the cellar. Mr. Blaisdel asked what

was wanted, and who it was. It answered, “I was once N. H.” I asked,

“How was man made?” “Out of the dust,” said the voice, “Dust thou art,

and unto dust thou shalt return. You have the Bible, and that is God’s

truth, and do you abide by it. Love God and keep his commandments.”

After some conversation with Mrs. Simson and others, she said, “I must

go,” and we heard no more. It was now broad day-light, the outer cellar

door being open, and utterly impossible that any living person should

be there, but those whom we could see and know. The voice was about six

feet from me.

August 9. I went to that house with many people, among whom I observed

much disorderly behaviour. The Spirit spake but little, and I returned

with a resolution to go no more to that house on such an errand.

August 14. Just before day-light, I heard singing, as I lay in bed,

approaching to my house. Presently, by my leave, my house was filled

with people, and I heard knockings on the floor. By the desire of

certain persons, I went into the cellar with Capt. P---- B----. After

some discourse of the voice with him, which I understood not, I heard

sounds of knocking near me. I asked, what do you want of me. It

answered, “I have come to let you know that I can speak in this cellar

as well as in the other.[29] Are you convinced?” I answered, “I am.”

“Now,” said the voice, “the company must be solemn and stand in order

before your door, I am going to appear. Now do you remember that I was

once N. H.” We went up and complied with her direction, and I saw a

personal shape coming toward us, white as the light. By the Spectre’s

order, as I was informed, Mrs. Butler went toward her. “Lydia,” said

the Spectre, “you are scared. You must sing.” Then she sung an hymn.

The Spirit came almost to us; then turned, and Mrs. Butler with her,

and went several rods towards Capt. Simson’s and appeared to take her

by the hand to urge her on further; and disappeared in our sight.

Mrs. Butler returned and informed the company, as I was told, that

if they would walk to Mr. Blaisdel’s solemnly as to a funeral, the

Spirit would walk with Mrs. Butler behind them. The company did so.

But I being far forward, saw nothing. Mrs. Butler had expressed

her unwillingness to go to Capt. Simson’s, and was excused, as she

afterwards told us. JAMES MILLAR.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY V.

_Testimony of Mrs. M. G._

On the 4th of August, 1800, about two hours before day-light, while I

slept in Mr. Blaisdel’s house, I was waked by the sound of knocking.

I got up, and with about twenty others went into the cellar. There I

heard such a voice speaking to us as I never heard before nor since. It

was shrill, but very mild and pleasant.

Mr. Blaisdel, in addressing the voice, said that several persons, (of

whom I was one) had come from a distance to obtain satisfaction, and

desired that she would tell us who she was, and the design of her

coming. She answered, “I was once N. H. and after I was married, I

was N. B.” After much conversation upon the design of her coming, she

appeared to us. At first the apparition was a mere mass of light: then

grew into personal form, about as tall as myself. We stood in two ranks

about four or five feet apart. Between these ranks she slowly passed

and repassed, so that any of us could have handled her. When she passed

by me, her nearness was that of contact; so that if there had been a

substance, I should have certainly felt it. The glow of the apparition

had a constant tremulous motion. At last the personal form became

shapeless--expanded every way, and then vanished in a moment.

Then I examined my own white gown and handkerchief, but I could no more

see them than if they had been black.

Nothing more being now seen or heard, we were moving to go up, when

the voice spake again and desired us to tarry longer. We did so, and

the Spirit talked with us another hour, even till broad day-light.

She mentioned to us the ill treatment which Mr. Blaisdel’s family had

suffered by reproach and false accusation, and told us that they would,

on her account, be more despised and ridiculed in time to come, than

they had been already.

Her discourse concluded by a solemn exhortation to the old, the middle

aged and the young. The present life, she said, was but a moment, in

which we must be renewed or be miserable forever.

In her address to the youth she observed that it was now the Lord’s

day, and that we must retire to our homes, read the Bible, pray and

keep the day holy. It was then she uttered these lines of Dr. Watts.

“This is the day when Christ arose

So early from the dead;

Why should I keep my eyelids closed,

And waste my hours in bed?”

After speaking much more which I cannot remember, she sang praises and

left us.

Her notes were very pleasant. Her words were in no higher style than

common, yet were they exceedingly impressive. MARY GORDON.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY VI.

_Testimony of Mrs. Sally Wentworth._

On the 2d of January 1800, Hannah Blaisdel came to Mr. Butler’s house

and informed me that the extraordinary voice which they had heard, had

declared itself to be that of my sister, and that I must go to her

father’s house.

I told her to her face that I did not believe it.

The next day I received the same message by three other persons, two

of which belonged to two other families, and returned the same answer.

Nevertheless, to give satisfaction, Capt. Butler, Mr. Wentworth and I

went with them to that house. Capt. Butler and I examined the cellar

with a candle, and in a few minutes after, Lydia and I went down

there. Capt. S----n and some others, went with us, but none of them

stood before us. While I held Lydia by the arm, we heard the sound

of knocking. Lydia spoke, and a voice answered, the sound of which

brought fresh to my mind that of my sister’s voice, in an instant; but

I could not understand it at all; though it was within the compass of

my embrace, and, had it been a creature which breathed, it would have

breathed in my face, and I had no impediment of hearing. But Lydia

told me that it said, “We must live in peace and be united.” Then we

came up. But Capt. S----n with Lydia and others, went down again. I

passed through the room which led to the cellar into another room, and

there I was much surprised when I plainly understood by the same kind

of voice, still speaking in the cellar, these words, “I am the voice

of one crying in the wilderness;” and other sentences, which I cannot

remember. This is testified by several others who were with me.[30]

From this time I cleared Lydia as to the voice, and accused the devil.

August 8, I was there again with about thirty others, and heard much

conversation. Her voice was still hoarse and thick, like that of my

sister on her death bed,[31] but more hollow. Sometimes it was clear,

and always pleasant. A certain person did, in my opinion very unwisely,

ask her whether I was a true Christian. The reply was, “She thinks she

is, she thinks she is. She is my sister.”

August 13-14, I heard the same voice in the same place, and did then

believe it was that of my sister. She talked much with Capt. S----n,

and exhorted the people. Mr. Sp----r asked her if I believed that she

was my sister. The answer was, “She believes now.” By the direction of

the Spirit we went to Capt. M----r’s, but I never saw her.

Sometime after this, Mr. Butler brought to me from the Spectre,

the private conversation which I know I had with my sister in her

lifetime, at a certain hour, when we were alone together, and which he

declares he never knew before; as a token that I was her sister. It

is true I had never revealed it to any person, and I do not believe

that my sister ever did; but could not some evil spirit hear that

conversation, and afterwards personate my sister, and reveal it to

Capt. Butler? For what purpose should my sister become visible to

us?--There was certainly no dispute nor difficulty in my father’s

family or that of Mr. Butler’s, which could be any reason for her

coming. SALLY WENTWORTH.

Mrs. Wentworth had now an opportunity to hear the voice of

Lydia and the voice of the Spectre in the same time and

place, that she might have the best advantage to judge

whether or not there was the least agreement between them.

And that Lydia had never learned to utter two voices in the

same minute, the one her natural voice, the other the dying

voice of this woman’s sister, appears from the certainty

that through all the time of the Spectre’s last sickness

and death, Lydia was two hundred miles distant from her.

When Mrs. Wentworth heard in the east room that sentence

of the ghost, “I am the voice of one crying in the

wilderness;” this was the only time in which the ghost

uttered these words for that day, as several witnesses

(nem. con.) declare. Hence it follows that this was the

exact minute when Captain Simson, in the cellar, within

eight feet of the voice, and free from deafness, heard only

a sound, while they who stood by him understood the words

plainly. (Compare this with a sentence in Test. 4, 2d part.)

The reality of the token appears from the undoubted

veracity of Mrs. W., her inflexible opposition and the oath

of Capt. Butler, the reputed dupe of the whole business.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY VII.

_Testimony of Mr. Jeremiah Bunker._

On August 9, 1800, I went to Mr. Blaisdel’s, where there were about

twelve people.

After hearing the discourse of the Spectre, she appeared before us

and disappeared several times. She came close by me and three or four

others several times, so that each of us could have handled her. The

personal shape, when it disappeared, first changed to a substance,

without form, and then vanished in a moment where it was: and after a

short space, the full personal form appeared again in a moment. These

changes I observed several times. I thought then and ever since that

the whole was a deception. For I cannot see how there could be such a

clear personal shape, where no living person was. She was in the shape

of a person as much as any person could be. JEREMIAH BUNKER.

* * * * *

The second part presents the attestation of those who favor

the cause, or at least have not appeared openly against it.

TESTIMONY I.

_Testimony of Mr. Abner Blaisdel._

May 29, 1800. The Spectre conversed with three of my family. To dispel

their fears, she introduced her conversation by these words: “I have

come again,[32] be not afraid, I will not hurt you, I did not come here

to hurt you, I am a friend to you all.” One of them answered, “I cannot

help being afraid.” “You need not be,” said the Spectre, “you need not

be. I never did hurt you, did I?” No: it was answered: “And I shall not

hurt you,” said the Spectre. “Put your things in place.[33] Conduct as

formerly: for nothing will hurt you.”

To Capt. Butler the Spectre said, “Be kind to your wife: for she will

not be with you long. She will have but one child and then die.” It was

now that the Spirit sent a token to Mrs. Hooper, her mother, by which

Mrs. Hooper declares she must have been her daughter.

August 6. I had for some time heard that my father was sick, but had

since received no news from him. I ventured to ask how my father

did; “He is in heaven,” said she, “praising God with the angels.” I

afterwards found by other means, that my father died seven days before

this. He lived two hundred miles from me.

When she left us at this time, the voice sounded in the air further and

further from us, uttering these words: “I am in heaven, praising God

and the Lamb with angels, archangels, cherubim and seraphim. Glory,

glory, glory to God and the Lamb. I am going, I am going, I am going

to Christ.”

August 8. About thirty people came to my house. That night the Spectre

had much solemn conversation with them on religious subjects. Mr. N.

H----n expressed his desire to handle her, and she gave him liberty.

Some times the inimitable voice would sound ten or twelve feet from us,

then close to our face, then again at a distance: and these changes

were instantaneous. After broad day-light, the outer door being open,

when we could plainly see each other, the voice spake to all, and said,

“Let any one who pleases, come and handle me: for Christ says that a

spirit hath not flesh and bones.”

Some person then said to Mr. H----n, “Now if you want to handle her why

don’t you go?”

Then he crowded through the people to the place where the voice was

still speaking, and said, “I find nothing here to handle.”

August 9, 1800. We placed ourselves in order, according to the

direction of the Spectre; and a white appearance, at first very small,

rose before me and grew to a personal stature and form. It stood

directly before Capt. Butler, while he and his wife stood beside each

other. I saw him put his hand on the apparition, and I saw his hand

pass through it. Then it vanished. There were now about twelve persons

here.

On August 11, she discoursed with about twenty persons, of whom I

was one. “I come,” said she, “to warn you against sin, and if there

is not a change before the soul leaves the body, you will be forever

miserable.”

After the Spirit had spoken many things of this nature, Mr. U.

expressed his desire to see her, “You shall see me,” said she, “I will

appear to you all.” She appeared and disappeared before us several

times, and talked while she appeared. She came close to us, and some

said they saw the child in her arms. My son P. observed it, and said,

“Her child is now in her arms;” “So it is,” said she, “so it is.”

When it was day-light, she told us that this was the day when Christ

rose from the dead--that it was God’s precious time and must be kept

holy, and that she must return to carry on the work of praise, and then

sang praises and left us.

Next morning, while I was at work in my field, I was told that the

Spirit had sent for me. I went into my house, heard a voice, but saw

nothing.

This voice, which declared itself to be N. H. said, “Call for my

parents, P. S. S. C., his wife and others, who appear to you to know

Christ, that they may hear and see; for they will tell the truth.”

I performed the errand, and those persons came with more than forty

others that night. I went into the cellar and asked who should come.

“They must all come,” said she, “leave not a soul behind.” I gave the

information and they complied. The Spirit first asked her parents

whether they believed she was her daughter: and they said, “yes.” “Do

you want to see me?” said she. And they said, “No.” She asked her

father if he was ready to go with her, if the Lord should call him.

“I am afraid I am not,” said he, “but the Lord can make me willing.”

“That is right,” she answered. Then after conversing with her mother,

in a very affecting manner, she said to both, “You were my dear parents

once; but now you are no more to me than others.” Then to Capt. P. S.

she said, “You have become hard against me.” “So I have,” said he.

“Do you love Christ?” “Yes, I do,” said she, “yes I do.” P. S. “Then

you love me.” “Yes, I do. Do you not remember that soon after I was

married, you told me that I was married to G. B. and how happy I should

be, if I was married to Christ: and I said I was not; but I wished

I was.” P. S. “Yes, I remember it very well.” “Now I am married to

Christ,” said she, “now I am married to Christ, now I am married to

Christ.”

“You used to meet with us at my house, and once, at the time of a

certain prayer, I observed you to be much affected.” “Yes, I was,” said

she, “and the Lord was then breaking my heart.”

I then spake to her myself, and said, I never knew that you experienced

a change of nature before you died, and I should be glad if you would

tell when you experienced it. It was, said she, when I laid upon my

death bed. Then she spake to her parents, and reminded them of the

conversation which had passed between them at that time, respecting the

loss of her child. Then it was, said she, that I received my change.

After much other conversation, which I do not remember, the Spirit said

to us, “There is one of this family, who is not here.” Some person

asked if we should go and call him. She said, “No; I am going where he

is. They say I can appear no where but here; but I mean to convince

them that I can appear in other places. I must appear before you all

this night, and go to the next house and to another. You must all go

up and be ready to walk with me. But you must walk in order, two and

two, solemnly, as if you were following a friend to the grave. For the

Lord is a God of peace and not of confusion. Sing a Psalm as you walk,

and I will walk with Lydia after you.” We all went up, and in about an

hour after, we heard the token, and placed ourselves before the door,

and hearing it again, we walked on to Capt. M’s, and the Spirit knocked

under his floor. He and my son went down and, after conversing with my

son, she told Capt. M. who she was, and the purpose of her coming to

his house, and asked him if he was satisfied, and he told her that he

was. Then she directed him to go up and tell the people to stand in

order before the door and she would appear before them in the field.

They did so, and she appeared to them and disappeared, as some of them

informed me. By her direction we walked back to my house in the same

order, and then I saw her plainly about thirty feet from me, in the

form and stature of a person; white as the light and moving after us

like a cloud, without ambulatory motion. ABNER BLAISDEL.

I have discoursed with all these persons, except two or

three, whose names are mentioned in this testimony, and

they all attest to almost all the facts which are here

related, as being known to them.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY II.

_Testimony of Miss Mary Card._

I am not only a witness to many things in the preceding relation, but I

further declare that, on August 13, about two o’clock in the day, while

Mr. Blaisdel was gone for evidence, the Spirit knocked, and M. M. and I

went near to the place of the sound and asked what was wanted.

The Spirit answered “I have come, I have come. Make room for I am

coming among you.”[34] I pleaded that she would not. I must, I must,

said she, don’t be scared. I answered we were poor sinful creatures,

and could not help it, and again earnestly entreated her not to come.

I now plainly saw her appear in shining white; and she asked me if any

person in the house wanted to see her. I then called on Miss P. C. who

in the same hour had said that “though she had heard the voice speak,

she would not believe it was that of a ghost.” I asked her now to come

and see her, and she did. Now, said the ghost, satisfy yourselves. Here

I am, here I am, satisfy yourselves. Miss P. C. answered that she was

satisfied.[35] The ghost then spake several other things which I cannot

remember. M. CARD.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY III.

_Testimony of Miss Margaret Miller._

I was present at the same time, and heard all that is here declared by

Miss Mary Card. I saw the apparition, and heard her speak at the same

time. M. MILLER.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY IV.

_Testimony of Capt. Paul Simson._

January 3, 1800, I was at the house of Mr. Blaisdel. His son P. desired

me to go with him into the cellar. I went down with him and his two

sisters, and Mrs. C. M.

I heard a rapping, and asked in the name of Christ what it wanted. I

heard a voice considerably loud, but could not understand it. But some

who were present, told me that it said, “I am the voice of one crying

in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord. Make his paths

strait. Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found; call upon him while he

is near.”

After some silence it rapped again. I spake to it in the name of

Christ, and said, if there was any thing it could utter for peace, to

utter it. It answered, “I am not to be trifled with. I am not to be

trifled with. I am not to be trifled with. Peace, peace, peace.”[36]

Then they all went up, except Lydia and myself, and I held her by the

hand. She was much terrified, and said, “I feel so I cannot stay: I

must go up.” Stay awhile, said I, perhaps it will speak again. “I

cannot,” said she, and began to urge me away. I consented, and when we

had come up, she told me what I had myself perceived, that the cellar

began to grow light, where the voice was uttered and that she heard a

rushing noise.

Sometime after I was in the same cellar with a number of people and

heard a plain voice; clearly understood by others, but not at all by

myself, though as near to it as others and free from deafness. The

voice appeared to me inimitable.

August 8, I was there again with thirty others and heard the

conversation of the Spectre with several persons. Mr. N. H. mentioned

his desire to handle her. “Handle me and see,” said she, “for Christ

tells you that a spirit is not flesh and bones.”

Mr. T. U. said, “if you are a happy soul, intercede for me.” The

reply was, “None but Christ intercedes.” “There are among us,”

said Mr. U., “several denominations of Christians: Presbyterians,

Congregationalists, Baptists, and Methodists. Which of all these are

right?” The voice answered, “There are good and bad of all these sorts

for the elect’s sake.”[37]

In August 13-14, while I was at the same house, the Spirit informed

us that she could not speak freely in the night of August 9, because

the behaviour of the people had been so rude, but expressed her joy

in discoursing with christians. You know, said I, a thousand times

more than any of us. Yes I do, said she. Mr. Blaisdel said to me, you

stand too near her. Then I asked, do I stand too near you? No, said

she, stand as near as you please. I felt surprised, and said, it was

a wonderful event. Yes, the spirit replied, it is a wonderful event

indeed--do you not remember what you told me, just after I was married

that if I was married to Christ, how happy I should live? Yes, I

answered, I remember it very well. She exhorted the young people and

told them that without a change they would be miserable.

After this, the spirit expressed her resolution to convince us that Mr.

Blaisdel and his family were clear of the evils alleged against them.

They say I am a witch and a devil, said she; and they said that Christ

was a devil. The spirit said other things, which I remember not.

At last she told them she was about to appear in order to convince

them. Then by her direction we went up, and having prayed together, and

heard the token, we walked on to Capt. M’s, singing the 84th Psalm. I

was one of the foremost of the company and did not see it then; but the

greatest number of those who were behind me, said they saw it plainly.

When we were at Capt. M’s house, we stood in the field, while Mrs.

Butler, in great fear, walked with the Spirit before us,[38] a few rods

toward Capt. Simson’s; and then returned and told us that we must walk

back, two and two, to her father’s house singing, and the spirit would

follow us back. We did so. Mr. D. and I walked behind all, except Mrs.

Butler, in order if possible to see the apparition. When we had walked

about fifteen rods, I saw a white appearance forward of us to the left

hand. As we passed by it, it fell in after us and walked with Mrs.

Butler.

Mr. D. and I turned and looked upon them, and heard them talk. We

walked a little way further, stopped and looked upon them, and heard

them talk again; but they spoke with so low a voice we could not

understand them. The spirit appeared in personal form, white as snow,

about as tall as Mrs. Butler.

It was now day-break. I turned my eyes from the object, and in half a

minute looked toward it again, but it was gone. Mr. D. then told me he

saw it disappear. PAUL SIMSON.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY V.

_Testimony of Mr. Samuel Ingalls._

August 13-14, 1800. I was at the house of Mr. Blaisdel in the evening,

with about forty people: went into the cellar with a candle, which

discovered to us the whole cellar, so that no person here could be

concealed from us. The light being put out, we heard a knocking. It was

spoken to, and a voice shrill and pleasant, like what I never heard

before, answered, (and talked with us.) Mr. Downing asked her if she

knew him, she said, yes: and called him by name three times. She often

uttered her sentences three times. He asked the Spirit if she had never

been at his house. The answer was that she had been there once.

Capt. P. S. said, “You know as much as a thousand of us;” “Yes, yes;”

she answered, “but it will not be long before some here will know as

much.”

Mr. Blaisdel asked the Spirit when she experienced her change. She

answered that it was on her death bed; and then uttered the words,

“Glory, glory, glory. Alleluia.”

After some silence, some person asked the Spirit, “Are you about to

leave us?” She answered, “I must go when Jesus calls. I must appear

and walk with you this night; but you must walk in order. I will walk

behind with L. and told us that she had walked with her before.” If

you do, said Mrs. Butler, I shall faint away. No, said the Spectre,

you shall not faint again; and then said to the people, “If she faints

again,[39] don’t you believe me.”[40]

Mrs. Butler never fainted after this. We went to Capt. M’s, and stood

there. Mrs. Butler walked, as I was told she was before ordered,

several rods from us, and I saw something appear white by her side,

but no personal form. I heard Mrs. Butler say that when the Spirit was

with her and talked with her, she was not so much afraid, as when she

expected her coming. SAMUEL INGALLS.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY VI.

_Testimony of Mr. James Springer._

August 13, 1800. After much conversation with the Spectre, she told us

that she must talk and appear at the house of Capt. M. because he had

reported that she could not be any where but at Mr. Blaisdel’s house.

And L. must walk with me, said she, that you may all see that she is

one person and I another.

We walked in order to that house, and I saw the Spirit as plainly as

ever I saw any person. I saw the Spirit appear and disappear several

time that night. * * * * * * JAMES SPRINGER.

A part of this testimony is lost.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY VII.

_Testimony of Mr. John Simson._

August 8, 1800. I heard the discourse of the Spectre, in company with

about thirty other persons. The sound of her voice was sometimes

hoarse and faint, but for the most part it was clear and free from any

impediment, and then it was inimitable, and the most delightful that

ever I heard in my life. In discoursing with her parents, she said,

“My dear parents, if the Lord should call you to go away with me this

night, are you willing.” I fear I am not, said her father, but the Lord

can make me willing. Yes, she answered, and none but he.

While Mr. U. was talking with her, he observed that there were among

us various distinctions of christians, as Baptists, Presbyterians and

Methodists, and asked which of all these are right. There are good

and bad of all these sorts, said she, for the elect’s sake. Mr. N. H.

expressed his desire to handle her. Handle me and see, said she: for

Christ tells you that a Spirit hath not flesh and bones. Accordingly,

after it was broad day-light, and we could all plainly see each other,

the outer cellar door being open, he extended his arms round the space

in which the voice was then speaking, and exclaimed, “O, there is

nothing here.” The voice and this experiment were about four feet from

me, so that I am sure that no living person could be concealed from

me.[41] JOHN SIMSON.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY VIII.

_Testimony of Mr. Richard Downing._

August 9, 1800. I went to the house of Mr. Blaisdel with a number more.

After sometime we heard a knocking. Then four persons with me went

into the cellar. A light was called for and brought. We searched the

cellar to see if no person or thing might be found there whence that

knocking might proceed. Then the light was carried up, and immediately

there was the sound of knocking. Mr. Blaisdel and Mr. D----ns several

times asked what was wanted. At length a voice answered, that, if we

would all go into the cellar, we should be satisfied;[42] we then all

went down.[43] There was then in my hearing, much disorder and much

profanity among the people. Nothing remarkable being heard, all but

three or four of us left the cellar. Then again there was a knocking

several times, we spoke, but obtaining no answer, I also went up.

Soon after I was informed that the voice had spoken to those who

remained there, declaring that we must all return, and we went again.

Immediately there was a knocking all round the cellar by several

persons there, as they afterwards owned to me. Mr. Blaisdel desired

them to be peaceable and give room. After a few minutes, Mr. D----ns

expressed his sorrow that so many should be deceived, and advised us to

pray and return home. We therefore returned as unsatisfied as we went.

On the 13th, while I was very much engaged in business, I felt very

much concerned for Mr. Blaisdel, on account of his troubles, and

thought I would go and see him, and advise him to a settlement, to

prevent the expense of the law. I went, and he asked me the cause of

my coming. I answered, to visit him as a friend. I am glad to see you,

said he, you went away the other night very unsatisfied. You did not

then appear to be afraid: would you not be daunted now? I told him

I did not think I should. Providence, said he, has sent you here, I

believe, and you must tarry all night. I told him I would. Then he

informed me that he had talked with the Spirit in the forenoon, which

directed him to persuade certain people to come to his house. About an

hour after sunset, the Spectre knocked; and being addressed, answered,

“I have come to satisfy you all; who is now speaking to me?” It was

answered, Mr. Blaisdel. Let him and every one of this family, said the

Spectre, go out from here.

They went out. The voice then said that Mr. Blaisdel’s family were all

clear of what was alledged against them.

After this, the voice talked with me. To know what answer would

be made, I asked, to whom are you speaking? It answered, “Richard

Downing.” I asked again, was you ever at my house? It answered, “Yes, I

was there once with my mother, Mrs. M. and others, when your wife was

sick.” I had not then told any person what the Spectre now told me, and

which I and my family know to be true. Her mother asked[44] how long

before her decease, she experienced her change. She answered, when I

was on my death bed.

Soon after the Spirit said to the whole company, I will walk with you

to the next house, if you will walk in order, two and two, singing a

Psalm as you go; for God is a God of order. I asked her what Psalm

we should sing? Any, said she, which may suit best. We then left

the cellar, sang and prayed, and immediately the token was given by

knocking. We then placed ourselves in order and walked on toward Capt.

M’s house.

Anxious to unveil the deception, if there was any, I walked near those

who were foremost, and was first at the door and knocked. Capt. M. came

to the door and asked what all this meant. I answered, they are come to

visit you. Immediately I went and stood on the trap-door--the only door

of the cellar, that no person might go into it without my knowledge.

Some of the company told Capt. M. our design, and he made us welcome.

Then hearing the miraculous sound under the floor, Capt. M. with

others, went down and talked with a voice, which I heard and understood

not; but was informed by them that she told them she had come there

to give evidence that she could be and talk at other houses, as well

as that of Mr. Blaisdel; and that if the company would properly stand

in the open field, she would pass before them, so that they might see

her. The company did so. The Spirit then appeared and walked back and

forth, two or three times, in view of the company and by the side of

Mrs. Butler. This my eyes saw. The apparition, with Mrs. Butler, having

advanced a few rods, disappeared. Mrs. Butler then came and told us

that if we would return to Mr. Blaisdel’s house, she would walk behind

us. The company complied. Having a desire so be as near the apparition

as possible, I walked with Capt. P. S. behind the whole company. Mrs.

Butler walked behind Capt. P. S. as she had been ordered by the

apparition. When we had walked about twenty rods, Mrs. Butler said,

“there it is now.” Where, said I. There, said she, pointing to the left

side of the company forward. I looked there and saw the dark appearance

of a person, and kept my eye upon it till we passed by it, and till I

saw it come in next after me, and by the side of Mrs. Butler. Thus it

followed us. But now this object was become as white as the light. As

we walked, I kept my eye upon this object almost without intermission,

that I might see it disappear. It followed us by one direct motion,

like a cloud. The motion was not ambulatory in the least degree. In

this manner the apparition followed us about twenty rods, and then

disappeared in my view. It opened into two parts and vanished.

RICHARD DOWNING.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY IX.

_Testimony of Capt. Samuel Simson._

August 5, 1800. In the evening after I had prayed, I looked toward

the opposite side of the room, and saw a white personal form, having

on a woman’s cap, and the same countenance and features which Mrs.

N. Butler had when she was alive and in health, so that I knew her

immediately. In the name of the Lord, said I, for what purpose are you

here?--But there was no answer. I spoke again--“In the name of the

Lord Jesus Christ, who are you, and what do you want here?” My wife

greatly surprised, and seeing nothing, asked what was the matter. I

told her I saw an apparition. No, she replied, you are deranged. It is

the moon you see. At that moment the apparition disappeared. When we

were composed, we agreed to mention the matter to no person, and we

conducted accordingly.

Two nights after, Mr. Blaisdel called us up about two o’clock, and

informed us that the Spirit had been at his house, and sent him to call

for more evidence. He desired that we would go with him to his house.

Well, said my wife, she appeared here the night before last. Then

perhaps she has performed the message before me, said Mr. Blaisdel. We

went to his house. Hearing nothing for some time, by the desire of Mr.

Blaisdel I prayed with the company who had collected there. Immediately

after, we heard the usual sound on the side of the house. We all went

into the cellar, and heard an articulate voice unlike any sound which I

ever heard before. SAMUEL SIMSON.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY X.

_Testimony of Mrs. Sarah Simson._

I can attest to the truth of what my husband has now related, and

further, that when we were in the cellar, the spirit told us that she

was once N. H. N. B. repeating the words three times, “you have done

right,” said she, “you have united in prayer: and it is true what that

man said, who made the prayer, he did see me with a cap on.” I am sure

Mr. Blaisdel could have told no one of it, for we had not told him,

nor any one else that the apparition had appeared with that article

of dress. I asked the spirit, are you from happiness or misery? She

replied, “I am from above, I am not from beneath. I have come on God’s

errand.” Then she sung alleluias, and mentioned the cherubim and

seraphim. She told me that my child which I had lost was in heaven,

praising God with the angels. I should have spoken to that man, said

she, the other night, if some person had not been affrightened. I

asked, who was it? She answered, it was his wife. Mr. Blaisdel and

Capt. M. asked several questions, and the answers were wonderful.

August 9-10. I tarried after the people in general went off with the

opinion that the words of the spirit were in reality the words of Mrs.

Butler. I was much surprised with the sound of knocking, which made

the house tremble. I then heard Mrs. Butler say, “If I am guilty, let

her stay away. If I am clear, let her come and clear me.” In a few

minutes after, she arose from a bed on which she had sat, and stood

wringing her hands in distress. What have I done, said she, that I must

be accused of all this. “Nothing, dear, you have done nothing, but you

must go into the cellar,” answered a voice in a vacant space where no

person was--a voice the most delightful that ever I heard.

Some of the people then told her that she must do as the spirit had

said. So I must, said she, if I don’t she will come into the room, and

if she does, I shall die. She then went down with a number of others,

and immediately came up, and told me that she was released. I was soon

after informed, that the spirit was about to appear, and that we must

all be present. I went with the rest, but prayed that I might not see

her. She had promised that none should see her but those who desired

it. Accordingly I did not see her, though I looked directly before me,

where they said she was.

August 13. I was again at the same house, and while I was sitting in

the room, near a candle, two persons came and looked upon a watch, and

found it twelve, and said it was exactly what the spectre had just

told. At one o’clock they came again, and found the same agreement.

SARAH SIMSON.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY XI.

_Testimony of Mrs. Abigail Abbott._

August 10, 1800. I was at Mr. Blaisdel’s house, with many more. In

the first part of the night there was much indecent conduct, and some

profanity. The spirit knocked sometimes, but uttered only a few words.

The company in general having in vain waited to see or hear something

extraordinary, withdrew; but I tarried with several other persons. Soon

after they were gone, the spectre knocked several times very loud, and

we went into the cellar. After saying many things to us, she appeared

in the shape of a person and moved before us, without stepping, passing

and repassing several times. She gave so much light that we could see

other persons and other things in the cellar, which we could not see

before her appearance, nor afterwards. I saw her appear and disappear

several times. At last the apparition came to Capt. G. Butler, and then

he appeared to be immersed in her radiance so that he appeared white

and shining like the apparition. And I did particularly see his hand in

the midst of the apparent body of the apparition. He cried in surprise,

“Lord Jesus Christ.”

August 13-14, I was there again, and heard much conversation of the

ghost, with several other persons in the cellar, concerning several

events known only to her and them in her life time. To all their

questions she gave satisfactory answers.

Once while she was speaking, I saw a bright shining appearance in that

part of the space from whence the voice proceeded.

Her conversation and exhortation continued four hours. One of the

company observed to her that we were an hardened people. “Yes,” she

answered, “But the Lord will call in his elect in his own time.” I went

to Capt. M’s with the company, but did not then see her at all.

ABIGAIL ABBOT.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY XII.

_Testimony of Miss Dorcas Abbot._

I can attest, as an eye and ear witness, to all that is declared under

August 9th, in the last testimony.

I plainly saw Capt. Butler’s hand go through the apparition.

DORCAS ABBOT.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY XIII.

_Testimony of Mr. Frederic Housoff._

I was an eye and ear witness of all the facts declared in the last

testimony, and can attest particularly that I plainly saw Capt. Butler

put his hand on the apparition, and saw his hand pass through it,

glowing with the light of it. FREDERIC HOUSOFF.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY XIV.

_Testimony of Mr. Joseph Blaisdel._

I was present when the important transaction took place on the night

of August 9, 1800, and saw Mr. Butler’s hand pass through the body of

the apparition, while he uttered the words, “Lord Jesus.” He afterwards

informed me and others, that while his hand passed through the breast

of the Spectre, he felt nothing. JOSEPH BLAISDEL.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY XV.

_Testimony of Capt. Paul Blaisdel._

I have seen and discoursed with the apparition several times. In the

latter part of January, 1800, I saw her in the field; first at a

considerable distance from me: then she came to me, and I particularly

observed that she never touched the ground. Her raiment appeared as

white as possible. The next evening she reproved me in the hearing of

several persons, because I had not spoken to her, and because I had

spoken against her. She told me she had come on God’s errand, and that

if I opposed her, I opposed him who sent her.

The Spirit asked me if I lived in such a manner as I would wish to

die.[45]

I have from time to time heard the voice speak in open space, where I

am sure no living person existed, as others can testify who were with

me.[46] And upon August 9-10, I was present and saw the Spectre when

she appeared, and I plainly saw Capt. Butler’s hand pass through the

apparition.

August 11, I saw her again, and heard her pious discourse, with nearly

twenty other persons. To those who were present, I said, “She has her

child now in her arms.” “Yes, I have,” she answered, “yes I have.” She

came so near to me and others, that either of us could have handled her

without changing our places.

August 13. Being informed that the ghost had promised to come this

night, I left my father’s house, and went to Capt. M’s that I might not

see nor hear her. Just before daylight, she came to this house with

more than forty people, and reproved me again for speaking against her

in the presence of six or seven persons. This is the second time, said

the voice, that you have been warned.--Beware of the third time. She

asked me several times to handle her, to see whether she had material

substance or not. I confessed to her that I believed her to be the

spirit of N. H. Then I went back with the company to my father’s house.

Before she vanished she came and stood within three feet from me.[47]

The personal shape was all light, the particles of which had constant

motion. But I was afraid to put my hand upon her. PAUL BLAISDEL.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY XVI.

_Testimony of Mr. David Hooper._

January 2, 1800. By the request of the spectre, sent by two messengers,

I went to Mr. Blaisdel’s house, and by conversing with her, obtained

such clear and irresistable tokens of her being the spirit of my own

daughter, as gave me no less satisfaction than admiration and delight.

She gave a reason satisfactory to me why she put me to the trouble of

coming there instead of her coming to my house.

By her request I went in a few days after to Mr. Butler’s family and

expressed my conviction to them.

August 8, I was there again, with my wife and many others. I again

asked the ghost who she was. The voice answered, “I was once N. B.,

your dear child. If the Lord should call you this night, are you

willing to go with me?” I said the Lord can make me willing. Yes,

she replied, and none but he. Then she mentioned certain articles of

property which she had left, as belonging to us. I hope, said I, these

matters do not disturb you. “No, no,” she answered, “No, no. Peace.

There must be peace.” DAVID HOOPER.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY XVII.

_Testimony of Mrs. Joanna Hooper._

Her next words were spoken to me in particular. “Do you not remember

what I said on my death bed?” I answered, yes, I do remember that

you then said you desired peace while you lived. Yes, I did, said

she, yes I did.--Sometime before this the spectre had sent this

token to me, which, though not certain, had yet been attended with

such circumstances, as rendered the use of it for deception utterly

improbable.

August 13, we went again. The spirit then asked if we wanted to see

her, and we both said no. Did I ask you in your last sickness, said I,

whether you was willing your child should live? The voice answered,

“yes, yes, and I told you I should be a vile creature to desire the

life of the child.” [For that was the time in which it was God’s will

it should die.[48]] I asked this question for further satisfaction,

knowing that this very question and answer had passed between us.

The spirit then told us that she had not freedom to converse on the

night of August 9, by reason of disorder and profanity, and expressed

her liberty and joy in discoursing with christians. In the midst of her

discourse with others, I silently indulged my painful reflections on

the distress of her last sickness. Suddenly I was surprised with these

words of the voice to me, “Mourn not for me, for I am a happy soul.”

Capt. P. S. observed that her free conversation with us was a great

wonder. “Yes, a miracle, said she, such as never was since Christ was

upon earth.”[49] When she had told us that without a change of heart,

mankind would be miserable, I desired Mr. Blaisdel to ask her when she

experienced her own change. He asked, and she answered, “When I was on

my death bed.” Mr. D. proposed this question, “Do I believe that you

are such as you profess to be?” Her reply was, “You have believed, and

you have not believed, and satan will tempt you again.”[50] Then he

asked, “Was you ever at my house in your lifetime?” “Yes, once, yes,

once,” said she. I knew the time of this visit, for Mrs. M. and I were

there with her. By my desire therefore, Mr. D. asked, “Who was there

with you.” “My mother and Mrs. M., said she, when your wife was sick.”

Then Mr. D. told the people that he remembered she had been there at

that time. Have you been any where but here, said he, since your death.

Yes, she answered, to five places.

Mr. Blaisdel’s family being now excluded from that apartment where the

spirit was, she told us that Mr. Blaisdel’s family were innocent. “They

say I am a witch and a devil, said she, and they said that Christ was a

devil. It is reported that some of this family have raised me, but it

is not in the power of man or devil to fetch a soul from heaven.”

After much more conversation the spirit told us that she would walk

with us to Capt. M’s, and to another house beyond it; but she only

walked with us to Capt. M’s, and there talked with him and Capt. P. B.

to convince them who she was.

When we had come within twenty rods of the house, the company stopped.

Then we two looked round and saw a white shining appearance by the side

of Mrs. Butler, and about as tall as she.[51] After this, we observed

nothing worthy of particular notice. JOANNA HOOPER.

Did Mrs. Hooper assist in the work of personating her

own daughter? If not, how could the deceiver know what

questions she would ask? Do some of these things appear

small? _Maxima minimis gaudent._[52]

* * * * *

TESTIMONY XVIII.

_Testimony of Mrs. Eunice Scammons._

August 11, 1800. I was at the house which the ghost had so often

visited, and was one of seventeen people or more, who were present

when she appeared and conversed with us. After she had discoursed

particularly with several persons, she said, “I am the voice of one

crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord and make his

paths strait. But you who are sinners, do not make them strait. Some of

you say that I am not a Spirit. Others, that I am an evil Spirit. The

words which I have spoken unto you, have been misimproved, perverted

and turned to ridicule. But I shall see you all when you will not

laugh.”

In the intervals of conversation, she sang praises.

Being asked who she was, she said, “I was once N. H. and when I died

I was N. B.,” and mentioned several circumstances which attended her

death to confirm her declaration.

After much other conversation, she appeared in the midst of us and

talked while she appeared. She came so near me that I could have laid

my hand upon her. She had before solemnly entreated us to stand round

separate and in such order that all might see her while she moved

in the midst of us.[53] Within our two ranks she slowly passed and

repassed from end to end three times, and passed by me six times. There

were several persons in the company dressed in white; but I could not

see them at all, while the Spectre was as white as any thing could

possibly be. She moved in such nearness to every one of us, that every

one might have handled her. I saw her vanish instantly in the midst of

us. After this, she spake to us again by exhortation. I am sent, said

she, to warn you against sin. I was myself a great sinner when I lived

in this world. In my last hours, I received mercy. But if you go on in

a course of sin and waste your time as I did, it may not be so with

you. One half hour now gives me more happiness than this whole world

can give you through your whole lives.

It was now daylight, and she observed to us that it was the Lord’s day,

that we must retire to our homes and keep it holy. She desired Mr.

Blaisdel to pray with us before we parted.

After many other words, she left us singing alleluias to God and the

Lamb. I heard the voice of her praises sounding further and further

from us, for a considerable time before it entirely ceased uttering the

words, “Alleluia, alleluia. Glory, glory to God and the Lamb.” Her

notes were solemn and exceedingly delightful. Then we all went up, and

Mr. Blaisdel’s prayer was our dismission. EUNICE SCAMMONS.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY XIX.

_Testimony of Mrs. Mary Bragdon._

Sometime in January, 1800, I was at the house of Mr. Blaisdel, and

heard such a voice as I never heard before among the living; and they

told me it was that of the Spirit, talking with Mr. and Mrs. Butler.

August 7. At the same house we heard a knocking on the partition next

to the chimney, where no person could be. Then several persons with me

went into the cellar, and the Spirit told us she was once Nelly Butler.

She told me that I must not be scared.

August 13. I was again at the house with forty-eight others, besides

children. The Spirit, after her conversation with several persons,

exhorted the youth: “I was once young and vain as you, said the voice,

and, if the Lord had taken me away in that condition, how miserable I

should have been! Now is the time, while you are young, to seek the

Lord. Delay not till it is too late.” Then it was that I saw a white

personal form shining in the space from whence the voice proceeded; and

I afterwards saw the same appearance in the field. MARY BRAGDON.

* * * * *

TESTIMONY XX.

_Testimony of Mrs. Dorcas Johnson._

I was present at the house, and at the time dated, August 13, by other

testimonies. There I heard and saw the Spectre. Her voice was distinct

from any other, and her music the most delightful that I ever heard.

When she walked with us, she moved without stepping. And when we

arrived at the house, by direction of the Spectre given to my brother,

James Springer, and by him to the company in our hearing, we opened to

the right and left, so that the Spectre and Mrs. Butler passed together

between our two ranks. Then she vanished from my view and I saw her no

more. DORCAS JOHNSON.

MISCELLANEOUS REFLECTIONS.

[Illustration: decorated line]

Two Inferences naturally arise from this topic: one is that of caution.

“Judge not that ye be not judged.”

The above witnesses are exhibited, not for the want of more, (for more

than a hundred have seen the Spectre, or have heard her words,) but

because repetition is tedious.

Our opponents now, we expect, will admit our inquiry of what they have

to say against these attestations, whether any thing false--whether

any thing even wearing a deceptive color has been presented to public

notice.

It would have been my peculiar pleasure to have given more satisfaction

with regard to the superior ends of the messages, subservient, no

doubt, to still greater ends, if it had been lawful. But for the

present, they are immediately interesting only to a few persons. The

knowledge which many would improve, others would abuse. If the answer

of the oracle intended for the personal safety of David and his men, is

immediately published, Saul will know it.

When a creature professedly brings us a message from God, be this

message ever so small, ever so strange, ever so unexpected; yet, if

it does not oppose his word, we have not the least evidence that the

profession is counterfeit, unless we obtain it by other means; because

we are as yet ignorant of its connections, and God’s thoughts and plans

are not like ours.

Some say, if the message appear not in the scriptures, that

will sufficiently condemn it and the messenger too, whatever

be the credentials, “I will obey nothing but what I see in the

scriptures.”[54] But may I not say, with Doctor Owen, that they

unwarrantably limit the Holy One of Israel? In absolute monarchies the

people dare not say, “I will obey no precept from the king, unless I

find it in the public code.” Such language would breathe rebellion.

And dare we treat thus the King of kings, who is an absolute monarch,

and by his propriety in the universe has a right to be such? Will

the scriptures themselves warrant this behavior? Can we despise

the message and them who heard it, and them who obeyed it, and the

angels who brought it, and yet stand guiltless before Him who sent

it? until we obtain proof that he did not send it, and that the

credentials are forgery? And are we one inch nearer to this point,

than we were twenty-six years ago? Do we perceive _now_ any more than

twenty-six years ago, how the deceiver talked in open space, by a voice

inimitable, clearly understood by some, and not at all by others, with

means of intelligence every way equal? Our blessed Lord, to prove that

he was not a Spectre, said, “Handle me and see.” That is implicitly to

say, if you handle me and find no substance, then you may conclude that

I am a spirit. Our Spectre said, “Handle me and see.” And earnestly

insisted on this experiment time after time. Can we tell _now_, why

that very argument and mode of evidence which Christ himself used, is

not valid and genuine, any more than we could twenty-six years ago? If

not, let me be cautious, whatever be the conduct of this enlightened

age, how I accuse my neighbors of folly or villainy, merely because

they enjoyed interviews with a departed friend; lest I be found among

those who speak evil of things which they understand not.

The Jews, besides their public code of revelation, had their Urim

and Thummim for the particulars of duty. Is it certain? Is it even

rational to suppose that the few answers of that oracle mentioned in

the scriptures, are the only ones ever communicated? Prophets, too,

were sent to manifest the particulars of duty, and angels, some of whom

_might be_ the spirits of just men. And we have no reason to doubt

but Moses was a Spectre when he conversed with Christ on the Holy

Mount; notwithstanding that old fiction of his resurrection, which has

dishonored the antiquities of Josephus.

Now the question is, what person ever yet demonstrated that no such

occasional revelation was ever wanted in any hour since the completion

of the scriptures? Certainly this completion never precluded spectral

missions in the view of the christian fathers. And their continuation

has been the constant faith of christians in general, down to this day

of deism. And the war of the deists against this opinion is easily

accounted for: because the admission of Spectres is the admission of

miracle; and the admission of occasional revelation, brings a question

to their door which would be a troublesome neighbor. _Why then should

not a revelation be needful for the public?_ Great is their obligation

to modern christians for their assistance in this warfare. It may be

asked, if these missions have been thus continued, why have they

generally been attended with so few witnesses? But if there be evidence

enough for him, or those who are interested in the message, it is

sufficient for their purpose, whether others believe it or not.

When David was told by the Urim that the men of Keilah would deliver

him into the hand of Saul, no person appears to have been present but

Abiather; but if the oracle was attended with the evidence described by

Josephus, there was evidence enough for the purpose of David and his

men, whether five other persons in the whole nation believed it or not.

After all, it is not our duty to expect apparitions, for they never

come to gratify curiosity; nor to pray for their coming, unless our

case be peculiar as that of Manoah; nor to entertain the idea that

their speaking to us, would make a more durable impression than the

preaching of the living. Such conduct and apprehensions are erroneous,

and expose us to greater delusion. Our Lord has expressly taught us

that, if we believe not Moses and the prophets, neither shall we

be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. And accordingly the

affectionate and persuasive addresses of the Spectre in this place,

which drew tears from every eye, had no happy, durable influence on the

unregenerate character in a single instance.

It was necessary that religion should appear in all her conduct

and conversation, otherwise her profession would have been justly

suspected. But on that Lord’s day morning, mentioned in several

testimonies, she did not say to the people, _Tarry and hear me_. No,

but “Retire to your homes, read the bible, pray and keep the day

holy.”[55] That is to say, attend to those ample and most suitable

means of grace which God has appointed for you in his written word.

The preaching of the gospel was not her design; but she had other

designs which appropriate the sentence, “I am not to be trifled with.”

In some old fashioned minds, her familiar conversation may excite

the suspicion of necromancy and divination, by a _familiar_ spirit,

so plainly forbidden in the law of Moses: and then doubtless Mrs.

Butler must bear the accusation. But there is no evidence that this

angel conversed more familiarly with her than with others who were

never suspected. She conversed familiarly with all those who had much

conversation with her.

The ancient idea of a familiar spirit appears not to have been obtained

from the familiar conversation of any person with a spirit, (though

sometimes the inquirer might be deceived by the artificial resemblance

of it) but from the opinion that certain persons had a spirit foreign

to their own, residing in them and uttering oracles from their

bodies.[56] These persons were a sort of ventriloquists. Their conduct

is described by Rollin in his account of the Grecian Oracles. The

speech of their familiar spirit was imagined to proceed, not from the

lips of any person, but from a part of their own bodies, in some manner

artificially swollen. This is confirmed by their very name _Abefeth_,

in the Hebrew language, which has the signification of swelling. The

familiar spirit itself was called _Afeb_, which is the same noun in the

singular number. The swollen part and the familiar spirit, which was

imagined to reside in it, had one name. “Divine unto me by the Afeb,”

said Saul, 1 Sam. 28: 8. Divine unto me by the _swelling_, and bring me

up whom I shall name unto thee. But it does not appear that the woman

had any time for divination. She saw Samuel unexpectedly, and cried out

for fear:[57] and Samuel, instead of being familiar with her, never

spake a single word to her. Now it is not even pretended that any such

token of Afeb or necromancy, have appeared among us.

Doubtless this wickedness among the ancients, was for the most part

legerdemain,[58] and their predictions always uncertain, as appears

not only from their ambiguity, but from the public estimation of some

oracles in preference to others, and of the Delphic oracle above all

the rest.

From the observations now made, we learn the criminality of witchcraft

or legerdemain, for there is no essential difference between them.

To counterfeit the royal seal was ever a capital crime. How

presumptuously criminal then are they, who counterfeit the royal seal

of heaven! The certificate of divine revelation, such is the conduct

of every mountebank, while the spectator is left ignorant of his art.

His false miracles spread a cloud of uncertainty over the minds of

men, so that many are at loss how to distinguish the true miracle, the

true seal of the King of heaven, from its counterfeit. And they who

countenance and encourage such persons, are guilty of far greater evil

than the great evil of wasting time and property. But such behaviour is

the food of infidelity. No wonder it is so common at the present day.

Whether the writer is one who gives such countenance and encouragement,

is for the next writer on the subject of these pages to shew,[59] not

by pointing out inaccuracies here and there, for this any person may

easily do, but by presenting to the public a complete, satisfactory

analysis of this whole mystery.

To his particular notice, I ask leave to offer a few cautionary

observations; if needless for him, they may assist another.

Among so many of us who have heard and seen the Spectre, it would

be very strange, if, in the course of twenty-six years past, no one

should have deviated from the strait line of perfect rectitude. If

imperfection should be found among us, and the publicity of it will

cast any light upon this subject, by all means let it come forth: if

not, let him, who is without sin, cast the first stone.

The question is not, _How have we conducted_, unless our conduct be

such as invalidates our evidence: for we are liable to evil every day;

but, _How has the Spectre conducted?_ and _who could she be?_ It has

been frequently reported among people at a distance from this scene,

for more than twenty years, that the whole business was an artifice,

and fairly proved to be such. We who believe the existence of the

Spectre, have thought that this inaccurate on dit has had currency long

enough. Our respondent, therefore, will not fail to shew our mistake,

by demonstrating that this report is indeed correct. Suppose then, (no

matter how distant the supposition is from what has really happened)

suppose then, I say, that, in the course of his zealous inquiries, our

respondent should find that he, who pretends to have discovered the

plot, is a witness in favor of the Spectre, and that his testimony was

connected with a solemn and public profession of his firm belief that

the Spectre was really such as she professed to be. Suppose further,

that in contemplating the dates of these events, our respondent should

find that the discovery preceded that testimony and that solemn, public

profession: to say nothing of the numerous other witnesses who might

contradict him. In such a case I should imagine that a discerning, wary

and unprejudiced reader would give but a cold assent to his process of

demonstration.

It is my earnest desire that the reply may honor the author by the

expressions of candor, philanthropy and grand thought. If his talent

be that of a Swift or a Juvenal, his temptation will be great to adopt

the loose style of the infidel. Let not compliance deceive the unwary.

Between ridicule and reasoning the distinction is eternal. The most

important and solemn truths have been the subject of both. The sober

school of Socrates furnished a comedy for the Athenian stage. And

Voltaire could tell us from the Apocalypse, how incommodious their

situation will be who shall inhabit the upper story of New Jerusalem.

Unhappy man! thy fruits of genius furnished a feast of intellectual

dainties. But the figs of Cleopatra covered the basilisk, and a world

was ruined by the tree of knowledge. The termination of Satyre was

horror; and the pure day of awful truth now glaring upon thee from

every point has impressed sobriety eternal.

The result of this whole inquiry is that of consolation. Our death will

not be total. Our souls will survive our bodies. We shall think and

reason and know the moral conduct of this world, and perhaps the very

names of particular persons, after our bodies are turned to dust.

Among us are a considerable number of people who say that the Spectre

knew and told them their thoughts past, present or future, or all

three; and such thoughts as she could not have known or conjectured by

ordinary means. To one of them, whose veracity is doubted by none, she

foretold the time, before several witnesses, when his mind would be

struck with horror for opposing her messages.

When the time was come, which was about six months after the

prediction, his mind at first, as he informed me, was calm as usual. To

disturb him he saw nothing, expected nothing, and was about to reject

the prediction as nothing. Instantly he was surprised by a new train

of ideas. The evil of his conduct was set in order before him, and his

distress was apparent to others, as some of them, whose witness cannot

for a moment be suspected, informed me.

Now this instance alone, would prove but little; yet, when connected

with ten or twelve others, of undoubted credibility, attesting the

same kind of experience, while they have no visible combination by

kindred, employment, age or interest, it is certainly worthy of some

consideration.

If one departed saint is capable of knowing our thoughts, so may

others. That uncorporeal spirits are witnesses of the conduct of this

world, appears not only from that of Spectres, but from the scriptures,

as in Dan. 8: 13. Rev. 6: 10. Eccl. 5: 6. 1 Tim. 5: 21. No reason can be

assigned why our conduct may not be as visible to a saint made perfect,

as to an angel: for neither of them can know us by bodily organs, such

as we now possess, and their knowledge of our thoughts without these

organs, is just as easily accounted for, as their knowledge of our

external conduct. The spirits of just men, when they leave this world,

are made perfect. “But when that which is perfect is come, then that

which is in part shall be done away. Now I know in part; but then

shall I know, even as also I am known.” This cannot mean that I shall

know other souls and even Christ himself as _perfectly_ as he knows

me; but I shall know them in the same manner. I shall know other souls

_intuitively_ as Christ knows me. Indeed, what idea can we have of mere

spirits seeing each other, and being present with each other, but that

of the mutual intuition of thoughts?

If that day should find the saints as ignorant of the human character

as they are at the hour of death, their judgment will be of small

account for their own satisfaction or that of others.

And should evasion tell us that Christ and his angels will then reveal

to the saints the character of this world; still this character would

be only the object of faith, not of sight, and satan and his adherents,

could say that the saints had condemned them for the most part by

hear-say, and that of those who had always opposed them from the

beginning.

Now it does not seem probable that the enemies of Christ will ever find

occasion for such a plea as this. Every mouth will be stopped. And

the mouths of wicked men will be stopped, not merely by the testimony

of foreign angels, but by witnesses taken from their own family, and

such too as have been the greatest and most constant friends that ever

they had in the world: such as had counselled and warned them--had

experienced the most cordial and warmest zeal for their salvation and

had often wept for them in secret places. Thus mankind will be judged

by their peers. Their quarrel with God and each other, will be decided

in their own family. “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed

all judgment to the Son,” in union with his spiritual members, and

there must be knowledge in them for this purpose. And what better

method of acquiring it can we conceive so easy and natural as that of

their contemplating the moral conduct of mankind through all ages of

the world. May we not then indulge the idea that, when the humble and

afflicted leave this body of sin and death, they hear the voice of the

Beloved saying, “Come ye blessed of my Father:” possess in perfection

my spirit of holiness and unerring wisdom, to know as you as are known.

Great is the work for which you are ordained. You have been faithful

over a few things, I will make you ruler over many. You must judge the

world with me. Henceforth watch their conduct, know their character,

and prepare for it.

Hence it follows that we do nothing in secret. All our behaviour is

known, not only to Christ, but to the watchers, his holy ones. With

them is the book of God’s remembrance.

O gracious Redeemer, shed abroad thy love in our hearts. May faith and

patience have their perfect work. Beautify us with thy moral likeness,

that we may be fair in thine eyes and in the eyes of our kindred

who dwell with thee. With them at last may we behold thy glory and

celebrate thy love forever. ALLELUIA.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Christ laid down his life for his sheep; but mere law

and justice never required this of him.

[2] Even the divine Trinity, existing from everlasting, to

speak with accuracy, is the Trinity of Person, not of

Persons.

[3] It is the opinion, not only of Mr. Swedenbourg, but of

many other pious and learned men, of other persuasions,

that when the pious soul has left the body, he occupies

a vehicle or spiritual body which may be considered as

the resurrection commenced, and to be perfected in the

last day, when the trumpet shall sound and the dead

shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

[4] Matthew 10: 28.

[5] 1 Samuel, xxviii, 15.

[6] Eviden. of Christianity, Sect. 7.

[7] Kate with a hide and horns.

[8] Ecclesiast. Hist. Vol. 4. sect. 1. c. 1.

[9] Life of Dr. Johnson, pp. 364.

[10] Spectator, No. 110.

[11] Since the Deity has assumed our nature, his being

comprises Divine intelligence and human intelligence.

The former is intuitive; the latter reasons sometimes

for the investigation of truth; yet being in a sense

made Divine, is the infallible source and medium of

all our spiritual knowledge, grace and happiness. Now

as intelligence is the very essence of personality,

distinction of intelligence must be the distinction

of personality. Therefore the Divine Intelligence is

the Divine Person, and the human intelligence, is

the human person. The Divine breathing, too, called

the Holy Ghost, is a person in the figurative sense;

several personal pronouns being applied to this

Divine afflatus in the Scriptures. Our meaning thus

explained, we may truly say that there are three

Persons in the Deity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

all comprised in our glorious Saviour, in whom dwells

all the fulness of the Deity bodily. But the doctrine

of there being literally three distinct personal

divinities in the Deity, has no foundation in the

Scriptures.

[12] The personal pronouns _she_ and _her_ are here used

with reference to the sex to which the ghost belonged

in this world.

[13] i. e. On the distinction between the original and

required perceptions of sight.

[14] To him she had before sent several messages by several

persons of different families.

[15] I hear your objection. “There was a reason for her

being consoled. Make me believe, if you can, that,

if her professed ignorance of the affair was real;

the appearance and discourse of a ghost by her side,

would not augment her fears and distress.” But

remember, dear sir, that experience in this case is

the best teacher. More than thirty witnesses of both

sexes, are against you; all declaring that though

at first the ghost excited terror; yet, after a

little discourse with her, their fears were entirely

dissipated, and succeeded by peculiar pleasure: so

familiar and delightful was the mode of her address

and conversation. At this time Mr. Blaisdel heard the

conversation distinctly, but saw nothing. His daughter

both saw and heard.

[16] This was ordered by the ghost.

[17] That all these reasons were assigned at _that

juncture_, I pretend not to say. Probably they were

not; but certain it is, that she expressed them all to

her friends at different times.

[18] Voltaire, in his philosophical dictionary, treating

the Bible and ghosts with equal ridicule, says that

the latter, “used to hie away at the crowing of the

cock.” The same was the idea of Shakespeare in his

ghost of Hamlet, “Adieu, the glow worm shews the

morning to be near.” But this we now see, is not

always the case.

[19] These two, by their own desire, had obtained a promise

that they should not see her. There were several such

instances at different times.

[20] A place in the house most distant from that of the

Spectre.

[21] This meeting was the wedding. He who is able to

receive it, let him receive it. One infinitely greater

than this Spectre, attended the marriage at Cana in

Galilee.

[22] In about an hour after she appeared to forty of this

assembly. But I must here also insert a particular

observation of Dr. Rush in his chapter of illusions;

“When a person fancies that he hears voices and sees

objects, which do not exist, he has these sensations

alone. The voice supposed to be heard, says he, and

the objects supposed to be seen, are never heard nor

seen by two persons, even when they are close to each

other.”--_Disease of the Mind, chapter 15._

The inference then is certain, with respect to those

witnesses, that no mental disease could be the true

origin of their hearing and vision.

[23] This only means that they were together at a little

distance from the rest of the company in the same

apartment.

[24] She then expressed not only her own feelings but those

of the family. The idea of a Spectre coming into the

room, where they commonly were, was distressing to

them, as already observed.

[25] I find no evidence that these two went without others.

[26] This experience is testified by all who saw and heard.

[27] This, however, he denies, but suppose it were true,

why was it improper that in his own house he should

choose the place where he would stand? If they knew

where he was, that was sufficient.

[28] See the date in the last letter, page 39.

[29] He had said that Mr. Blaisdel’s family could not

raise the Spirit any where but in their own house, as

several testified.

[30] That is, that they heard the same words.

[31] There was not only this similarity in voice, but the

same phrases, which she was accustomed to use, and

which were peculiar to her in her life time, she

uttered now, as several of her intimate acquaintances

have informed me.

[32] She had come several times before, as the preceding

letters show. Five months before this, Mr. Blaisdel’s

son P. and his sisters, were sent by the ghost to

a house where several young people were met for

amusement; not for this purpose, but for terminating

a difference between them and one of that company.

The ghost strictly charged them to go and return in

peace, and to abstain from all appearance of evil.

The propriety of this small errand appears by its

connections and the events which followed. But, as it

stands insulated before the eyes of pride and folly,

how despicable it must appear! Had such eyes looked

on, when the first silk worm was formed, it would

have appeared a trivial and useless contrivance.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth; so are

my ways higher than your ways, saith the Lord, and

my thoughts than your thoughts.” It would be very

strange indeed, if a messenger from heaven should

have much to perform in such a world as this, and yet

meet with no opposition; and equally strange, if that

messenger should perform nothing but what mankind

would naturally expect, especially in a period when

christians themselves have not escaped the contagion

of infidelity.

[33] The children, through fear, had moved their beds into

the room where their parents lodged.

[34] These words were heard by eight persons.

[35] This answer she now denies; but owns she saw the

apparition.

[36] These enigmatical warnings were some of the first

words which the voice uttered, and they appeared

strange to us all. They appeared void of instruction,

impertinent and utterly inapplicable to any thing

which was seen, remembered, or expected among us.

None were then trifling with her; all wondered, and

many were solemnized. Nor was there any remarkable

contention among us. But after she had produced her

strange, unexpected, unheard of message, our behaviour

soon fixed the meaning of these enigmas, and rendered

them like apples of gold and pictures of silver. Her

speaking so much in a by-place (a cellar) separate

from the common dwelling of man, like John in the

wilderness, has offended us. If her paths were the

Lord’s, instead of making them strait, we have made

them crooked by misconception, misrepresentation, and

falsehood. While the ghost was then speaking, one of

the company was near eternity. Therefore “seek the

Lord while he may be found.”

With what contempt and ridicule has the ghost been

treated on account of the marriage! Therefore “I am

not to be trifled with,” was pertinent. What violent

contentions, occasioned by her messages, appropriate

the terms “Peace, peace,” or “there must be peace,” as

she more plainly said to another person about the same

time.

[37] Here we see that the direct answer was entirely

avoided. It was no design of her mission. We have the

Bible by which even the angels must be tried. To the

law and the testimony. If they speak not according to

this word, it is because they have no light in them,

from whatever world they may profess to come. She

accordingly took this ground, and reasoned with the

people out of the Scriptures as the standard of truth

by which she would be tried.

[38] It was matter of trial to some christians among us,

that the Spirit should thus associate with one who

never gave the least evidence of piety: But the Spirit

informed them, out of her hearing, that Mrs. Butler

was one of the elect, and would repent before she left

the world.

[39] She had several times fainted before.

[40] “Don’t you believe a word of all that I have told

you,” say some who heard it.

[41] She now talked without appearing. It was the next

night after this, that the attempt was made to handle

her while she appeared.

[42] The last member of this sentence is matter of dispute.

[43] This shews that this witness was not in the cellar,

when the preceding sentence was uttered. They who

were there, say that it was the Spectre who said,

_they must come down_, and Mr. Blaisdel who added that

_they should be satisfied_. Others tell us that the

sentence was, “Come down _in order_, and you shall be

satisfied.”

Make the worst of it; it was but innocent inaccuracy, like

what is recorded of angels in the scriptures. Possibly

the ghost did not foresee this confusion. Certain it

is, that she constantly and strictly insisted upon

order and solemnity, as indispensably requisite to

her manifestations. After all, if the ghost has ever

uttered one falsehood, or _one_ false accusation,

with the manifest design of injurious deception; or,

if she has ever committed or ordered the commission

of _one_ crime; we must, without hesitation, condemn

her as an evil angel. But then we must remember that

her criminality should first be proved, not by our

surmises or conjectures, but by substantial, plenary,

and indubitable evidence.

[44] Here is a little mistake. It was not her mother,

but Mr. Blaisdel who proposed this question, by her

mother’s desire expressed to him.

[45] This sentence was uttered at another time. It is

believed by some, among whom is the writer, that

several interviews mentioned in the last letter were

not those of N. H., but of another Spectre. This may

be somewhat difficult, and doubtless not essentially

necessary to prove.

[46] That is, that they experienced the same.

[47] “Before she vanished.” That is, before she vanished

for the last time that morning, for this was after

she had vanished in the view of Mr. Downing, as in

Testimony 8.

[48] These last words declared to me by other witnesses

are not in the original testimony of Mrs. H. I have

therefore enclosed them.

[49] Her messages were probably such as never were since

Christ was on earth. Some of them are contrary to all

expectation, and exposed the families of Mr. Blaisdel,

Mr. Hooper, Capt. Butler, and Mrs. Butler, in

particular, to unjust reproach. Therefore the loving

kindness of the Lord to these families, made the

proofs as extraordinary as the messages, that whoever

shall calumniate either of those families, on account

of these events, may do it at their peril.

[50] Mr. D. has since declared that he had found all these

words to be true.

[51] They saw no personal form.

[52] The greatest things are from among the least.

[53] The order was nearly elliptical; for the two ranks

were joined by certain persons at each end.

[54] Whatever message enlarges or diminishes their doctrine

or worship, must undoubtedly be rejected and the

messenger too. But beware of extremes.

[55] There was no preacher in the town that day.

[56] _To have a familiar spirit_, as expressed in the Old

Testament, and, _To have a demon_, as expressed in the

New; seem to be phrases of the same import, and the

idea of it was that of criminality. But we find no

person in the New Testament justly accused of it.

Demoniacs were of another description. They were esteemed

innocent, and pitied, as being afflicted by the demons.

Possibly this in part was the true evil which afflicted

part of our land in 1692, and which our pious

ancestors unhappily mistook for witchcraft.

[57] The original of verse 11-12, is strictly thus: “And he

said, bring me up Samuel. And the woman saw Samuel and

cried out.” This strongly intimates that Samuel came

unexpectedly and without any previous divination. The

word _when_, in our translation has no responsive in

the original.

[58] Not altogether such, why else should the oracles cease

at the time of our Saviour’s birth? Legerdemain found

no more difficulty afterwards than before. God did in

his righteous judgment, choose the delusions which

they had chosen for themselves. He sometimes fulfilled

their predictions, Deut. 13: 1, 2, 3. Ezek. 21: 22 to

25; and might sometimes, though very seldom, suffer

such real miracles as were either vain, or injurious;

but never those of benevolence. Compare the magic of

Egypt with Rev. 16: 14. The demons drowned the swine,

but never gave rain; Isa. For satan must not oppose

satan.

[59] Should they appear worthy of such painful notice.

Transcriber’s Note

This book was written in a period when many words had not become

standardized in their spelling. Words may have inconsistent hyphenation

in the text. Jargon, dialect, obsolete and alternative spellings were

not changed. Misspelled words were corrected.

New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the

public domain.

Words and phrases in italics are surrounded by underscores, _like

this_. Footnotes were renumbered sequentially and were moved to the

end of the book. Obvious printing errors, such as partially printed

letters and punctuation, were corrected. Final stops missing at the end

of sentences and abbreviations were added. Duplicate letters at line

endings were removed. The text employs non-standard use of quotation

marks and Biblical references.

The following items were changed:

who believe on [in] immortality

August 0 [10], 1800