127. This publication drew forth the following remonstrance in the
subjoined letter, which does great credit to the correctness of the
author’s observation and sagacity. It contributed, together with a
personal invitation from Dr. Comstock to attend a circle, to induce the
investigation upon which I entered immediately afterward.
SOUTHWICK, MASS., Nov. 17, 1853.
128. “_Dear Sir_: I had the pleasure of a slight acquaintance with
you, something less than twenty years ago, when I exhibited telescopes
in Philadelphia. You will, I trust, excuse the liberty I take in
writing to you now. I have seen your letter to the Philadelphia
Inquirer upon table moving. I never believed it was caused by
electricity or galvanism, but is it not as likely to be these, as
muscular force? You agree with Professor Faraday that the table is
moved by the hands that are on it. Now I know, as certainly as I
can know any thing, that this is not true in general, if it is in
any instance. There is as much evidence that tables sometimes move
without any person near them, as that they sometimes move with hands
on them. I cannot in this case doubt the evidence of my senses. I
have seen tables move, and heard tunes beat on them, when no person
was within several feet of them. This fact is proof positive that the
force or power is not muscular.
129. “If any further evidence was necessary to set aside Professor
Faraday’s explanation, it is found in abundance in the great variety
of other facts taking place through the country, such as musical
instruments being played upon without any hands touching them, and a
great variety of other heavy articles being moved without any visible
cause. If tables never moved except when hands were on them, the case
would be different; but as they do move, both with and without hands,
it is plain that the true cause remains yet to be discovered.
130. “I wish, sir, that you had leisure and opportunity to witness
some other phases of this matter, which seem not yet to have fallen
under your notice, and I think you would be satisfied that there is
less ‘hallucination’ and ‘self-deception’ about it, than you have
imagined. The intelligence connected with these movements has not been
accounted for.
131. “If these things can be accounted for on scientific principles,
would it not be a great acquisition to science, to discover what those
principles are? If, however, science cannot discover them, the public
are deeply interested in knowing the fact. It is certainly of great
importance that these strange things that are taking place everywhere
should be explained. It is affecting the churches seriously; whether
for good or for evil is uncertain until the truth is known. No cause
has yet been assigned that does not imply a greater absurdity than
even to believe, as many do, that it is caused by spirits either good
or bad, or both.
132. “I have examined this matter for the last three years with as
much carefulness as possible, and am not satisfied. If the force is
not muscular, as it is certain that it is not, I wish science to try
again.
“Yours, respectfully, AMASA HOLCOMBE.”
133. It will be perceived that the letter alluded to by Mr. Holcombe,
written in reply to some inquiries respecting my opinion of the cause
of table turning, was published in the Philadelphia Inquirer, in July,
1853. This letter will show that I was at that time utterly incredulous
of any cause of the phenomena excepting unconscious muscular action on
the part of the persons with whom the phenomena were associated. The
inferences of Faraday, tending to the same conclusion, I thoroughly
sanctioned.
134. As no allusion to spirits as the cause had been made by this
Herculean investigator in the letter which drew forth mine, they were
not contemplated in my view of the subject. Had I ever heard spiritual
agency assigned as a cause, so great was my disbelief of any such
agency, that it would have made no impression on my memory.
135. Though present on several occasions when table turning was the
subject of discussion, it was not, within my hearing, attributed to
spiritual agency. In common with almost all educated persons of the
nineteenth century, I had been brought up deaf to any testimony which
claimed assistance from supernatural causes, such as ghosts, magic, or
witchcraft.
136. Subsequently to my publication corroborating the inferences of
Faraday, having, in obedience to solicitations already cited, consented
to visit circles in which spiritual manifestations were alleged to
be made, I was conducted to a private house at which meetings for
spiritual inquiry were occasionally held.
137. Seated at a table with half a dozen persons, a hymn was sung with
religious zeal and solemnity. Soon afterward tappings were distinctly
heard as if made beneath and against the table, which, from the perfect
stillness of every one of the party, could not be attributed to any one
among them. Apparently, the sounds were such as could only be made with
some hard instrument, or with the ends of fingers aided by the nails.
138. I learned that simple queries were answered by means of these
manifestations; one tap being considered as equivalent to a negative;
two, to doubtful; and three, to an affirmative. With the greatest
_apparent sincerity_, questions were put and answers taken and
recorded, as if all concerned considered them as coming from a rational
though invisible agent.
139. Subsequently, two media sat down at a small table, (drawer
removed,) which, upon careful examination, I found to present to my
inspection nothing but the surface of a bare board, on the under side
as well as upon the upper. Yet the taps were heard as before, seemingly
against the table. Even assuming the people by whom I was surrounded,
to be capable of deception, and the feat to be due to jugglery, it was
still inexplicable. But manifestly I was in a company of worthy people,
who were themselves under a deception if these sounds did not proceed
from spiritual agency.
140. On a subsequent occasion, at the same house, I heard similar
tapping on a partition between two parlours. I opened the door between
the parlours, and passed to that adjoining the one in which I had been
sitting. Nothing could be seen which could account for the sounds.
141. The medium to whose presence these manifestations were due, then
held a flute against the panel of the door, and invited me to listen.
On putting my ear near to the flute, tapping was quite audible. On the
ensuing evening, I carried with me a sealed glass tube, a hollow tube
of the same material, and a brass rod. These being successively held
against the door panel, similarly to the holding of the flute, the
rapping was again heard.[6]
142. I have much reason to confide in the disinterestedness of the
medium through whose assistance these facts were observed. She would
not allow me even to make a present to her child; and her sitting
for me was deemed prejudicial to her comfort and health, so that by
the advice of her physician it was finally discontinued. Her parents
believed the manifestations obtained through her influence to be caused
by spirits.
143. Sitting at another mansion, in company with an able lawyer, (an
unbeliever in Spiritualism,) as well as an accomplished female medium
and two other persons, sounds were heard like those above mentioned.
The lawyer alluded to, though from his profession accustomed to
distrust and to scrutinize evidence, admitted that he found it utterly
impossible to account for these sounds by any visible agency.
144. In order to make my narrative of the evidence upon the subject
of rapping continuous, I would state that during the evening of my
first visit to the circle of spiritualists, as above mentioned, while
grasping with my utmost energy a table at which I was seated, two
female media, by merely placing their hands upon the surface of the
table on the opposite side, caused it to move to and fro, in despite of
my utmost exertions.
145. Visiting another circle under the influence of another medium,
I found that _tilting_ a table was substituted for the sounds as a
means of manifestation. As one rap signifies no, two, doubtful, and
three, affirmative, so is it with the motions, or tippings, as they are
usually called.
146. Passing the fingers over the letters upon an alphabetic
pasteboard, like those to assist children in learning their letters,
when it comes over the required letter, its selection is indicated
either by a tapping or tilting. By this process, when the medium’s eyes
were directed to the ceiling, as independently observed by the legal
friend above mentioned, as well as myself, the following communication
was given:
147. “_Light is dawning on the mind of your friend; soon he will speak
trumpet-tongued to the scientific world, and add a new link to that
chain of evidence on which our hope of man’s salvation is founded._”
148. The lawyer declared that he was utterly unable to conceive how,
by the human means apparently employed, such sentences could be
elaborated. Legerdemain on the part of the person who took down the
manifestation was the only way to get rid of this evidence without
resorting to the agency of some invisible intelligent being, who, by
operating upon the tables, at once exercised physical force and mental
power.
149. But assigning the result to legerdemain was altogether opposed
to my knowledge of his character. This gentleman, and the circle to
which he belonged, spent about three hours, twice or thrice a week, in
getting communications through the alphabet, by the process to which
the lines above mentioned were due. This would not have taken place,
had _they_ not had implicit confidence, that the information thus
obtained proceeded from spirits.
150. Subsequently, I contrived an apparatus which, if spirits were
actually concerned in the phenomena, would enable them to manifest
their physical and intellectual power independently of control by any
medium. (See Engraving and description, Plate I.)
151. Upon a pasteboard disk, more than a foot in diameter, the letters
cut out from an alphabet card were nailed around the circumference, as
much as possible deranged from the usual alphabetic order. About the
centre a small pulley was secured of two and a half inches diameter,
fitting on an axletree, which passed through the legs of the table,
about six inches from the top. Two weights were provided—one of about
eight pounds, the other about two pounds. These were attached one
to each end of a cord wound about the pulley, and placed upon the
floor immediately under it. Upon the table a screen of sheet zinc was
fastened, behind which the medium was to be seated, so that she could
not see the letters on the disk. A stationary vertical wire, attached
to the axle, served for an index.
152. On tilting the table, the cord would be unwound from the pulley
on the side of the larger weight, being wound up simultaneously to an
equivalent extent on the side of the small weight, causing the pulley
and disk to rotate about the axle. Restoring the table to its normal
position, the smaller weight being allowed to act unresisted upon the
cord and pulley, the rotation would be reversed. Of course, any person
actuating the table and seeing the letters, could cause the disk so to
rotate as to bring any letter under the index; but should _the letters
be concealed from the operator_, no letter required could be brought
under the index at will.
153. Hence it was so contrived that neither the medium seated at the
table behind the screen, nor any other person so seated, could, by
tilting the table, bring any letter of the alphabet under the index,
nor spell out any word requested.
154. These arrangements being made, an accomplished lady, capable of
serving in the required capacity, was so kind as to assist me by taking
her seat behind the screen, while I took my seat in front of the disk.
155. I then said, “If there be any spirit present, please to indicate
the affirmative by causing the letter Y to come under the index.”
Forthwith this letter was brought under the index.
156. “Will the spirit do us the favour to give the initials of his
name?” The letters R H were successively brought under the index. “My
honoured father?” said I. The letter Y was again brought under the
index.
157. “Will my father do me the favour to bring the letters under the
index successively in alphabetical order?” Immediately the disk began
to revolve so as to produce the desired result. After it had proceeded
as far as the middle of the alphabet, I requested that “the name of
Washington should be spelt out by the same process.” This feat was
accordingly performed, as well as others of a like nature.
158. The company consisted of but few persons besides the medium, who
now urged that I could no longer refuse to come over to their belief.
Under these circumstances the following communication was made by the
revolving of the disk: “_Oh, my son, listen to reason!_”
159. I urged that the experiment was of immense importance, if
considered as proving a spirit to be present, and to have actuated the
apparatus; affording thus precise experimental proof of the immortality
of the soul: that a matter of such moment should not be considered
as conclusively decided until every possible additional means of
verification should be employed.
160. This led my companions to accuse me of extreme incredulity. The
medium said she “should not deem it worth while to sit for me again,”
and one of the gentlemen sat himself down by the fireside, declaring me
“to be insusceptible of conviction, and that he would now give me up.”
161. Nevertheless, the medium, relenting, gave me another sitting
at her own dwelling a few days afterward; when I had improved the
apparatus by employing two stationary weights by which the cord
actuating the pulley, as in the drill-bow process, was made to pull it
round by a horizontal motion of the table supported on castors, instead
of the tilting motion.
162. The results confirmed those previously received, my father
reporting himself again. He said that my mother and sister were with
him, but not my brother. I inquired “if they were happy.” The disk
revolved so as to bring the letter Y under the index, signifying the
affirmation.
163. On the following week, I took my apparatus to the house of a
spiritualist, where a circle was to meet. The apparatus being duly
arranged, a lady whom I had never before noticed, and by whom my
apparatus was seen for the first time, sat down at my table behind the
screen. The spirit of an uncle who had left this life was invoked by
this medium. Her invocation being successful, the spirit spelt his name
out in full; other names were spelt out at request.
164. Although the requisite letters were ultimately found, there was
evidently some difficulty, as if there was some groping for them with
an imperfect light. This has been explained since by my father’s
spirit. He alleges that preferably the eyes of the medium would be
employed, but that, although with difficulty, he used mine as a
substitute.
165. But although, with a view to convince the skeptical, spirits will
occasionally give manifestations when the vision or muscular control
of the medium is nullified, it is more difficult for them to operate
in this way; moreover, it is more difficult for some spirits than for
others.
166. Those spirits by whom I obtained my test manifestations were
interested in my success. Others have refused to aid me in like manner.
One who has assisted me with much zeal, has communicated that he would
work my apparatus when arranged for a test; but, that as it caused much
more exertion, and, of course, retardation, he advised that the test
arrangement should not be interposed when it could be avoided.
167.[7]The table, at this stage of my inquiry, was not more than thirty
inches in length. I had improved the construction in the following way:
168. Two of the legs were furnished with castors, through holes duly
bored. Through perforations in the other two legs a rod was introduced,
serving as an axle to two wheels of about five inches diameter. One
of these wheels was grooved, so as to carry a band which extended
around the pulley of the disk. Hence, pushing the table nine inches
horizontally by the necessary rotation of the supporting wheels, caused
the disk to make a complete revolution. It was while the table was of
the size above mentioned, that I first saw the violent action to which
they might be subjected without any corresponding or commensurate
visible cause. The hand of the medium being laid on the table at about
half-way between the centre and the nearest edge, it moved as if it
were animated, jumping like a restive horse.
169. Having my apparatus thus prepared, a medium sat at my table, the
screen intercepting her view of the disk. No manifestation took place
through the disk, though other indications of the presence of spirits
were given. Hence, inducing the medium to sit at an ordinary table,
I inquired if any change could be made which would enable them to
communicate through my apparatus? The reply through the alphabetic card
was, “Let the medium see the letters.” At first it struck me that this
would make the experiment abortive, as it would remove the condition
by which alone independency of interference by the medium was secured.
However, it soon occurred that by means of a metallic plate, made quite
true, and some brass balls, like billiard balls, with which I was
provided, I could neutralize the power of the medium to move the table,
so that she could not influence the selection of the letters, though
permitted to see them.
170. Accordingly, as soon almost as the medium placed her hands on the
plate resting on the ball, and without any other communication with
the table, the disk began to revolve in such a way as to bring the
letters under the index in due alphabetic order. Afterward various
names were spelled, and communications were made. At subsequent
sittings, the grandfather and brother of the medium manifested their
presence successively by spelling their names on the disk. My father,
by means of this apparatus, gave me the name of an uncle who was
killed by the Arabs nearly seventy years ago. In order that, without
any possibility of contact with the legs, the medium might sit at the
table, the length was subsequently extended to six feet, being so made
as to separate into three parts, for convenience in carrying from one
place to another. It is under this modification that it is represented
in Plate 2 accompanied by a description, with the medium sitting as
when employed in obtaining some of the manifestations herein mentioned.
On the left may be seen the wheels and axle. The front wheel may be
distinguished, with its groove securing the band which embraces it,
together with the pulley on the disk.
171. The disk represented in this figure differs from the one
represented above, (employed in my first investigations,) in having the
alphabet in the usual order. But they are so made as that one can be
made to replace the other, when requisite.
172. On one side of the long table, Plate 2, a board or tray on castors
is represented. This was used sometimes as a support for the hands of
the medium, by its being interposed between them and the table. On one
occasion, where the hands of the medium were supported by the plate and
ball upon this tray, it was moved briskly to and fro upon the table,
the hands of the medium and the ball and plate accompanying the motion.
173. On various subsequent occasions I have had this experiment of
putting the hands of the medium on a plate and balls repeated, and
with the same result. The interposition of the plate and balls makes
it much more difficult for spirits to move a table than when the hands
are directly applied. In the latter case, the spirits actuate the
hands primarily, and the table or apparatus secondarily; but when the
hands are incapacitated from influencing the motion, the spirit has to
assail the inanimate matter directly, assisted only by an emanation
from the medium. In this attack upon ponderable matter, the spirits of
the second sphere are the most capable; but even with their assistance,
the condition of the medium must be very favourable to render success
possible.
174. I next resorted to an apparatus like the plaything called a
see-saw, excepting that the fulcrum, instead of being under the middle
of the board, was situated at one-fourth of the whole length from one
end. There was one foot on one side of the fulcrum, and three feet on
the other. The disk and its axle was transferred from the table, Plate
I, near to the longer end of this seesaw-like apparatus. The cord
attached to two weights was employed as above described, so that as
the disk was made to rise or fall with the vibration of the board by
the action of the cord, a revolution took place, bringing the letters
successively under the index, as already explained to have resulted
from the movements of the table.
175. The disk being situated edgewise to the medium, the letters could
not be seen. Under these circumstances, the hands of the medium were
placed upon the surface of the smaller portion of the board outside of
the fulcrum. The disk revolved to and fro, so as to bring the letters
under the index in due alphabetic order. Moreover, while this process
was under way, to render the result more unquestionable, I interposed
a screen between the disk, and the eyes of the medium, without causing
any arrestation of the process.[8]
176. Afterward upon the table supported on wheels or castors, and
moving the disk by a band, I used a tray on castors to support the hand
of the medium.
177. When the hands of the medium, or those of any other operator, were
placed upon this tray, it was impossible to move the table by means
of it, because much less force would make it move on its castors than
would move the table. Sometimes the tray would be moved backward and
forward with rapidity, the table remaining quite still. Yet, on urging
that the table should be moved, this desideratum would be conceded,
and the tray would become stationary, relatively, to the table. On one
occasion, when an intelligent spirit was manifesting, I interposed a
brass ball (Plate I.) and plate between the tray and the hands of the
medium, and then requested that the tray might be moved. My request was
obeyed; the tray moved repeatedly about a foot to and fro, accompanied
by the hand of the medium, the ball remaining at rest, relatively, to
the tray.
178. Having my apparatus at the residence of the lady by whom it had
been actuated in the third trial above mentioned, (172) this lady
sitting at the table as a medium, my sister reported herself. As a test
question, I inquired “What was the name of a partner in business, of
my father, who, when he had left the city with the Americans during
the Revolutionary war, came out with the British, and took care of the
joint property?” The disk revolved successively to letters correctly
indicating the name to be Warren. I then inquired the name of the
partner of my English grandfather, who died in London more than seventy
years ago. The true name was given by the same process.
179. The medium and all present were strangers to my family, and I had
never heard either name mentioned, except by my father. Even my younger
brother did not remember that of my father’s partner.
180. Subsequently, in the presence of a medium utterly unacquainted
with my family, to whom I was first introduced in December, 1853, and
who had only within two years previously removed to our city from
Maine, I inquired of my father the name of an English cousin who had
married an admiral. The name was spelled out. In like manner the maiden
name of an English brother’s wife was given—an unusual name, Clargess.
181. The principle of my apparatus for spiritual manifestations
has been employed on a smaller scale by Mr. Isaac T. Pease, of
Thompsonville, Connecticut, substituting the reaction of a spring for
that of a weight, and making the index revolve instead of the disk.
(Plate I.)
182. By the modification which I made for the employment of this
smaller instrument communication was greatly facilitated. I had
subsequently a copious interchange of ideas with my father, brother,
and sister, and other friendly spirits. (See engraving and description,
Plate I, Fig. 2.)
183. At the house of a spiritualist who had been holding circles for
more than a year, I had confirmatory evidence of the intelligence by
which spirit rapping is regulated. I was allowed to subject the table
employed to a strict scrutiny, removing the drawer to obtain a more
thorough inspection. This table was nevertheless repeatedly agitated
with an energy which could not be ascribed to the hands placed quietly
upon its surface by a circle of persons perfectly quiescent. Often at
this circle, and at others during the chanting of hymns, have I seen
a table thus situated keeping time by its vibratory movements with a
sympathetic tremour.
184. The spirit friend of a medium present, who called herself Amanda
Ford, used on request to make a sound like that of the hammering by
blacksmiths, designated as “ten-pounds-ten.” This sound would be
shifted to that of sawing or sweeping. Doubtless, these manifestations
might be imitated by certain ventriloquists; but I had not the smallest
reason to suspect ventriloquism, and Amanda gave me the following
unquestionable proofs of her spiritual existence:
185. Taking up the alphabetic card, and holding it up near my face,
in a feeble light, with the back toward the medium, so as not to be
inspected by any one else, I asked Amanda, as I should pass my fingers
over the letters, to indicate those necessary for spelling out her
name, by the usual manifestation. The name was in this way correctly
spelt out.
186. In the next place, at the same time and under the same
circumstances, I asked her then to spell the name of Washington.
Passing my fingers over the letters of the alphabet, not regularly but
zigzag, and stopping a short time at the letters adjoining the right
ones, that much-revered name was correctly spelt out, with one single
error, the omission of the G.
187. Suspicion that the rapping or tapping could arise from any
mechanism concealed in the table, was precluded when they were made
under my own tables, fitted up with my own hands.
_Of manifestations founded on table movements without contact, or such
contact, as cannot be sufficient to cause the result._
188. It was at the same mansion, where the above-mentioned
manifestations were observed, that I first saw a table continue in
motion when every person had withdrawn to about the distance of a foot;
so that no one touched it; and while thus agitated on our host saying,
“Move the table toward Dr. Hare,” it moved toward me and back again.
At the same premises, when between the hands of each of two media and
a small table a plate upon a brass ball was interposed, without any
other communication with it, the table was violently overset, so as to
have its legs uppermost. Yet while thus upside down, it continued to
vibrate, a single finger of a medium girl, about twelve years of age,
being the sole means of human contact therewith. This I ascertained,
with the greatest care, by kneeling on the floor and causing the finger
of the medium, by the tip of which alone her touch was effected, to be
situated between me and the light of a lamp.
189. In the observations above stated, respecting the movements of
the table _when untouched_, I was aided by the presence of my friend
Joseph Hazard, Esq., of Narragansett, Rhode Island, who occupied a seat
opposite to mine on the other side of the table; so that while he saw
all clear on one side, I saw all clear on the other. In my narrative
I have adverted to two recent instances in which severally, in the
presence only of the medium and myself, the table moved, as I could
judge, about eight inches, being at the same time untouched by either
of us.
190. Next in importance to the movements of tables which take place
without any contact, are those in which the table rises under the
hands of the medium laid gently upon it. On one occasion I saw a large
circular table, supported by three massive claws on castors, overset
several times by the influence of three ladies, who were media. In
order to have this experiment performed with as much precision as
circumstances would permit, I seated myself on one side of the table,
so as to be equidistant from two of the three claws by which it was
supported. The intermediate medium, was directly opposite the third
claw, while the others stood one on each side of her. My relative
position was such, that as they were standing upright before me, I
could look at their persons partially below as well as above the table.
These arrangements having been made, the three media laid their hands
on the table a little beyond the margin, so that they could not apply
their thumbs below the edge and thus assist the table to raise. Under
these circumstances I was enabled to watch the media above as well as
below the table, by casting my eyes upward and downward alternately,
they being all on their feet, and standing upright. It was under these
conditions, that the table, in three successive trials, came over
toward me and went back to its normal position.
191. It did not slam down quickly, when on arriving at such a position,
as to make it impossible for the ladies to resist its farther descent;
but descended gently, rising slowly in recovering its usual upright
position.
192. I called one morning at the dwelling of a medium to whom allusion
has been made more than once in my narrative. I sat down at a table
with the medium, her father, and a gentleman who accompanied me. I
inquired if any of my spirit friends were present; the table tilted
negatively. “Will the spirit give its initials through the alphabetic
card?” In reply the letters M C were indicated. My companion, whose
attention had been withdrawn, on hearing the result, said: “They are
the initials of my daughter’s name;” exclaiming, “_Maria, are you
here?_”
193. The table tilted in the affirmative, vivaciously, as if the
daughter’s heart were in the movement.
194. Maria proving to be a sprightly spirit, a lively conversation
ensued. I inquired if she could not work my apparatus; she answered
through the card, “_It is impossible for a spirit to work your
apparatus; I am very sorry._” I replied that evidently it was not
impossible, since it had been actuated by spirits successfully several
times. “You mean to say,” I added, “that it is difficult.” To this
she replied affirmatively by three tilts of the table.
195. As through the influence of the medium, who sat at the table with
us, communications had been received through my apparatus several
times, the alphabet arranged from a state of disarrangement, and names
spelt out by the revolution of the disk, it cannot be imagined that
the medium could have influenced the alphabetical communications in
this instance, since the medium, even if prone to deception, would have
perceived it ridiculous to allege it impossible to work an apparatus
which had on several occasions under her influence, proved the opposite
to be true, in the presence of her father as well as myself.
196. It has been already mentioned in the narrative (164.) that my
spirit father, and spirit friend W. W., had alleged that they worked my
apparatus with great difficulty when under test conditions, from their
great desire to make me a convert to Spiritualism. It was, therefore,
quite consistent that a spirit, who had no such powerful motive, should
have preferred to find an apology for not actuating my apparatus,
rather than to have studied, or sought for the means of surmounting the
obstacles.
197. As all the manifestations, observed on this occasion, were by the
tilting or partial lifting of the table, I urged the spirit to aid me
in obtaining a test that these manifestations came not from the medium,
but from herself, a spirit. I immediately procured from a basket
which I had previously brought to the premises, a brass ball, turned
truly spherical, like a billiard ball, and a plate of zinc which had
been ground quite true. I placed the ball on the table, the plate on
the ball, and the hands of the medium on the plate. She had no other
communication with the table than that which was thus established.
Pressing on the ball when situated between perpendicular lines falling
inside of all the legs of the table, would of course only press it
downward more firmly on its feet.
198. Things being thus arranged, I solicited Maria to repeat the upward
jerks which she had employed in the communication which she had been
making. Her father joined his solicitation to mine, pointing out that
my object was to obtain evidence, which would satisfy the scientific
world that such manifestations were due to the agency of spirits.
199. After a little delay the table rose under the ball, the plate, and
the hands of the medium, with greater force than had been displayed in
any of the foregoing movements.
200. Subsequently, being in company with Maria’s father, at the
dwelling of a spiritualist, and sitting with a medium at the table
supporting an apparatus for alphabetical communications, the spirit
of Maria, who seems to follow her worthy father with much filial
affection, reported herself. I inquired whether she remembered our
previous meeting, and what means I resorted to as a test. She replied,
“You used a plate and ball to support the hands of the medium, which I
knocked away.”
201. While receiving communications from my spirit sister, the table
tilting toward the medium, so as to cause the cord actuating the index,
by being through a string tied to a weight on the floor, alternately to
be withdrawn and returned, consequently, winding off and on the pulley
which turned the index, I suggested that the relative position of the
medium should be reversed, so that she should be on the same side with
the apparatus. By this change the table would have to rise under the
hands of the medium. The proposed modification was successfully carried
out.
202. I asked my sister how a spirit could work an apparatus with the
medium’s hands on the upper surface of the table; the reply was, that
the presence of the hands of the medium enabled the spirit to act in
opposition to them.
203. Under this head comes the experiment in which a board was
supported so as to turn on a fulcrum, one foot of the board being on
one side of the fulcrum, and three feet on the other, the longer end
suspended on a spring balance. When a medium, eleven years old, placed
his hands on the short end, that end rose while the other, of course,
went down; in some instances, showing an increase of downward pressure
on the balance, equivalent to seven pounds.
204. This experiment was subsequently repeated at my laboratory, in the
presence of John M. Kennedy, Esq. Having a basin of water on the board,
the boy’s hands being merely immersed in the water, and not touching
the parietes of the containing vessel; the balance was affected as in
the experiment above described, although not to so great an extent.
205. In one case, Mr. Kennedy satisfied himself, that the medium did
not touch the vessel, by placing his own hands below those of the
medium.
206. My much-esteemed friend, Prof. Henry, having treated this result
as incredible, I was induced to repeat it with the greatest precision
and precaution, as represented in Plate 3. The board, as already
described, being about four feet in length, is supported by a rod as
a fulcrum at about one foot from one end, and, of course, three feet
from the other; a glass vase, about nine inches in diameter and five
inches in height, having a knob to hold it by when inverted, had this
knob inserted in a hole made in the board, six inches nearly from
the fulcrum. Thus, the vase rested on the board, the mouth upward.
A wire-gauze cage, such as is used to keep flies from sugar, was so
arranged by well-known means, as to slide up or down on two iron rods,
one on each side of the trestle supporting the fulcrum. By these
arrangements it was so adjusted as to descend into the vase until
within an inch and a half of the bottom, while the inferiority of its
dimensions prevented it from coming elsewhere within an inch of the
parietes of the vase. Water was poured into the vase so as to rise into
the cage till within about an inch and a half of the brim.
207. A well-known medium (Gordon) was induced to plunge his hands,
clasped together, to the bottom of the cage, holding them perfectly
still. As soon as these conditions were attained, the apparatus being
untouched by any one excepting the medium as described, I invoked the
aid of my spirit friends. A downward force was repeatedly exerted upon
the end of the board appended to the balance equal to three pounds’
weight nearly.
208. It will be perceived that in this manifestation, the medium
had no means of communication with the board, beside the water. It
was not until he became quite still, that the invocation was made.
Nevertheless, he did not appear to be subjected to any reacting force.
Yet, the distance of the hook of the balance from the fulcrum on which
the board turned, was six times as great as the cage in which the hands
were situated. Consequently, a force of 3 × 6 = 18 pounds must have
been exerted. The board would probably have been depressed much more,
but that the water had been spilled by any farther inclination of the
vase.
209. This experiment has since been repeated again and again, but on a
smaller scale, when, not only the downward force was exercised, _but
the spelling of words was_ accomplished.
210. On one occasion, when no result ensued, it appeared to arise from
the water being so cold as to chill the medium, because, on warming
it up to a comfortable temperature, the desired manifestations were
obtained.
211. At the same time and place, after the manifestation by means
of the spring balances above described (207) had been accomplished,
I requested my spirit friends to repeat that which has been above
mentioned, as performed by putting the hands of a medium upon a plate
and ball supported by a tea-table. (199.)
212. Accordingly, the attending medium being placed under exactly the
same circumstances and conditions, a similar violent tilting ensued.
213. Dr. Child, together with the same medium and myself, placed our
finger ends all reciprocally in contact, and about a quarter of an inch
above a tea-table. After an interval of about two minutes, the table
rose, and was tossed from the legs on one side to those on the other
forcibly.
214. During a visit to New York, I entered the apartment where one of
the Misses Fox was sitting. There were more than half a dozen persons
present. On my entrance, I inquired, “Does any one here recognise
me, so as to know my name?” No person answered that I was known. As
soon, however, as I inquired, my spirit sister announced herself, and
indicated my name.
215. During a visit made to Boston last autumn, on sitting with a
medium, my sister addressed me in the following way, by spelling the
words out upon the disk apparatus just described:
Brother beloved, of ardent soul,
Striving to reach a heavenly goal;
Wouldst thou attain the blissful height
Where wisdom purifies the sight;
Where God reveals to humblest gaze,
The bliss and beauty of his ways
Incline thine ear to angels bright,
Who radiant from the realms of light,
For ever hover near,
To offer thee, sweet words of cheer.
216. Only the first couplet in these verses differs at all from
those which were given in the impromptu, the words having been too
flattering for me, to have mentioned. Soon after being at the residence
of a highly-esteemed friend, who is a medium, my spirit sister, who
manifests much love for this lady, reporting herself, I told her of
the change which I thus desired to have made. The reply was, “I give
you full liberty to alter my verses; you know I never wrote two lines
of poetry while in the flesh.” Miss Ellis is no poetess, still less is
Mrs. P., the medium.
217. After my lecture at the Melodeon, being at the residence of
Mrs. Hayden, an accomplished medium, I requested a repetition of the
experiment, of which I had given an account on that occasion, in which
the view of the disk was cut off from the medium, by the interposition
of a screen; and Mrs. Hayden consenting, an arrangement was made so
as to satisfy the bystanders, as well as myself, that the letters on
the disk could not be seen by her. Under these conditions the name of
Washington was spelt out.
218. I have had this test repeated under Gordon’s mediumship, as well
as that of others, several times. Afterward, Mrs. Hayden sitting aloof,
on making the index move successively to each letter, those required
for the name of Jefferson were selected in due order, by rapping at
the one in demand, as it came under the index.
219. Through the influence of Mrs. Hayden, an uncommon test was
afforded by my faithful spirit sister.
220. My charming, intelligent friend, Mrs. Eustis, daughter of the
late Rev. Dr. W. E. Channing, though not a believer in Spiritualism,
became desirous of seeing the manifestations so much relied upon by me.
Having accompanied me to the residence of Mrs. Hayden, Mrs. Eustis was
sitting beside her, while through her influence my sister was making
a communication by means of the apparatus described. (Plate I, Fig.
2.) When the process commenced, the hand of Mrs. Hayden was resting
on the lever in the usual position, but was subsequently lifted, so
as to allow Mrs. Eustis, as well as myself, to see between it and the
wooden surface, without creating any apparent abatement of the power of
indicating the requisite letters. (Description of Plate I, par. _e_.)
221. While the process still proceeded under these conditions, Mrs.
Eustis, having placed her hand upon the surface of the board lever,
alleged that she felt it imparting motion to her hand.
222. Dr. W. F. Channing has since informed me that Mrs. Eustis’s
account of these manifestations, as given to him, coincide with those
given to him by me.
223. Sometime after this feat was performed through Mrs. Hayden, I
inquired of my sister if she could not perform it through an excellent
medium under whose influence communications were making at the time of
this inquiry. It was replied that Mrs. Eustis being unconsciously to a
certain extent a medium herself, the power of Mrs. Hayden was augmented
by her presence.
224. But as respects the selection of letters without the assistance
of the eyes of the medium, I have had many instances of this being
done, although the facility of its performance is various, not only
with different media and with different spirits, but likewise when
the spirit and medium are the same: it varies with the state of the
medium. I sat more than an hour with an accomplished medium, during
an excessively hot evening, without receiving any communication; in
consequence, as I supposed, of the effect of the heat upon her organism.
225. The interposition of water contained in a glass vase, upon the
broad part of the lever actuating the index, so that the hands of the
medium can touch nothing but the water, has an effect analogous to
the lifting of the hand as above described, since the only difference
in the conditions is, that in the one case there is air, in the other
water, interposed.
226. It has been stated that, by the interposition of water, the power
of actuating the index was paralyzed; yet merely warming the water
enabled the manifestation to proceed, so as to empower the spirit to
spell such names as were called for. (210.)
227. In one instance, I took a book from my pocket which the medium had
never seen, and opened it at a page where the heading “Publisher’s
Preface” was conspicuous, without allowing the medium to see any thing
more than the back of the book. Holding the page exposed to the disk,
the spirit spelt out “_Publish_—,” and then seemed unable to proceed.
Meanwhile, the medium called to her little son to be quiet; forthwith
the deficient letters, _ers_, were supplied, so as to finish the word
“_Publisher’s_.”
228. The medium alleged that her mind was imbued with the idea that the
word “publishing” was coming forth, and with a view to aid the spirit,
lent some muscular aid to the letters necessary to complete that word;
but attention to her child causing her mind to be withdrawn, the spirit
immediately selected the letters above indited. On the same occasion I
opened the same book, keeping the back toward the medium, opposite to
an engraving of Jefferson: immediately, Jefferson was spelt out.
229. On my way to Boston, I visited Mrs. Ann Leah Brown, formerly Miss
Fox. At about eight in the morning, I found her under very unfavourable
circumstances: Mrs. Brown had been watching the previous night with a
sick child. Nevertheless, considering me as an advocate of the cause of
truth, a short sitting was given to me, during which my faithful spirit
sister manifested herself by comparatively loud knockings.
230. Through this I learned that Mrs. Brown was not in condition
to make it expedient to resort to her mediumship then, had not the
necessity of attending to her sick child formed a sufficient impediment.
231. On my return from Boston, I called again on this interesting
medium, and then saw a table, situated at the distance of more than a
foot from her person, which was quiescent, make a movement to and fro
of at least eight inches. Moreover, as I sat on the opposite side of an
intervening table, I felt unexpectedly a slight touch against my leg as
if by a human finger.
232. During this visit, Mrs. Brown created much interest by giving a
brief account of the trials which herself and her sister had undergone,
being on the one hand urged to give their services to the community,
as the means of promoting truth, while on the other they were treated
as impostors or jugglers. The impression left on my mind was extremely
favourable as respects Mrs. Brown’s sincerity in her Spiritualism and
in her goodness of heart.
233. In consequence of her invitation, I attended a circle at her
house a few days subsequently, when I saw, in addition to all the
usual manifestations, the following for the first time: Under a table
around which the party was seated, a sheet of paper was deposited on
the carpeted floor. A pencil was placed upon the paper; soon after, on
examination, I found my name scrawled thereon.
234. Two small bells situated upon the floor beneath the table were
rung, and subsequently it was found that one of them had been lifted
and seated on the other.
235. My spirit sister has since informed me that my name was written
upon the paper by my spirit friend William Blodget.
236. While at Boston, having read to a friend a communication from my
father through a writing medium, I placed it in one of my pockets,
and proceeded to the Fountain Inn. When there, I felt for it without
success. Unexpectedly, I went to Salem by the cars, and returned the
same evening. On undressing myself the scroll was missing, and I
inferred that it had been lost between the place where it had been read
and the inn above named, where I felt for it unsuccessfully. On going
next morning to Mrs. Hayden’s, and my spirit father reporting himself,
I inquired whether he knew what had become of the scroll. It was
answered, that it had been left upon the seat in the car on my quitting
it at Salem.
237. Inquiring of the conductor, who was on duty in the car where it
had been left, he said that it had been found on the seat, was safe
at Portland, and should be returned to me next day. This promise was
realized.
238. On one occasion, sitting at the disk with Mrs. Hayden, a spirit
gave his initials as C. H. Hare. Not recollecting any one of our
relations of that name precisely, I inquired if he were one of them.
The reply was affirmative. “Are you a son of my cousin Charles Hare,
of St. Johns, New Brunswick?” “Yes,” was spelled out. This spirit then
gave me the profession of his grandfather, also that of his father, and
the fact of the former having been blown into the water at Toulon, and
of the latter having made a miraculous escape from Verdun, where he had
been confined until his knowledge of French enabled him to escape by
personating in disguise an officer of the customs. Only one mistake was
made in referring to my English relatives, respecting an uncle’s name.
Other inquiries were correctly answered.
239. Subsequently, the brother of this spirit made us a visit in
Philadelphia, and informed us that the mundane career of his brother
Charles Henry, had been terminated by shipwreck some few years anterior
to the visit made, as mentioned, to me.
240. No one being present beside myself, and the medium ignorant of
Latin, my father spelt out upon the disk the words he had pointed
out to me in Virgil more than fifty-five years ago, as expressive of
the beating Entellus gave Dares, as described by Virgil—“_pulsatque
versatque_;” also the word which so much resembles the sound of
horses’ hoofs trampling on the ground, “_Quadrupedante_.”
241. A spirit of the name of Powel tendered his services, and undertook
to spell Cato, but instead of that name, Blodget, my friend, occupied
the disk, and spelt his own name, and afterward Cato. On the same
occasion Blodget spelt out and designated words without the medium
seeing the alphabet.
242. The employment of letters to express ideas neither existing in the
mind of the medium nor in mine, cannot evidently be explained by any
psychological subterfuge. The name Blodget being indicated by reference
to the alphabet, instead of Cato, which was promised, precludes the
idea that it was learned from the mind of any mortal present.
243. It must be manifest that the greatest difficulty which I had to
overcome during the investigation of which the preceding pages give a
history, arose from the necessity of making every observation under
such circumstances as to show that I was not deceived by the media.
244. But having latterly acquired the powers of a medium in a
sufficient degree to interchange ideas with my spirit friends, I am
no longer under the necessity of defending media from the charge of
falsehood and deception. It is now my own character only that can be in
question.
245. Upon this the occurrence of the manifestation to which I am about
to allude rests. (Reference to this has been made in the Introduction
to this work, 115.)
246. The fact that my spirit sister undertook at one o’clock, on the
3rd of July, 1855, to convey from the Atlantic Hotel, Cape May Island,
a message to Mrs. Gourlay, No. 178 North Tenth street, Philadelphia,
requesting that she would induce Dr. Gourlay to go to the Philadelphia
Bank to ascertain the time when a note would be due, and report to me
at half-past three o’clock; that she did report at the appointed time;
and that on my return to Philadelphia, Mrs. Gourlay alleged herself to
have received the message, and that her husband and brother went to the
bank in consequence. With the idea received by the latter, my sister’s
report coincided agreeably to his statement to me. All this proves
that a spirit must have officiated, as nothing else can explain the
transaction.
247. The note clerk recollects the application, but does not appear to
have felt himself called upon to take the trouble to get the register,
which was not in his hands at the time. Hence the impression received
by the applicants was not correct, but corresponded with the report
made to me by my sister, which differed from the impression on my
memory, and of course, was not obtained from my mind.