_Remarks Introductory to my Spirit Father’s Communication._
398. AGREEABLY to my spirit father’s communication, the manifestations
which of late have given birth to Spiritualism, have been the result
of a deliberate effort, on the part of the inhabitants of the higher
spheres, to break through the partition which has interfered with the
attainment, by mortals, of a correct idea of their destiny after death.
To carry out this intention, a delegation of advanced spirits has been
appointed. Referring to this statement, I inquired how it happened that
low spirits were allowed to interfere in the undertaking? The answer
was, that the spirits of the lower spheres being more competent to make
mechanical movements and loud rappings, their assistance was requisite.
399. Likewise, I inquired why it was deemed expedient to make these
manifestations, in the first instance, at Hydesville, near Rochester,
through the spirit of a murdered man? The answer to this was, that
the spirit of a murdered man would excite more interest, and that a
neighbourhood was chosen where spiritual agency would be more readily
credited than in more learned or fashionable and conspicuous circles,
where the prejudice against supernatural agencies is extremely strong;
but that the manifestations had likewise been made at Stratford, in
Connecticut, under other circumstances. Nor were these the only places.
They had been made elsewhere, without much success in awakening public
attention.
400. Thus, it appears that at the outset, the object was to draw
attention, and in the next place to induce communications. It will
appear from the account of the manifestations at Hydesville and
Stratford, that as soon as through an ingenious agreement upon signals
rational intercommunication was established, the manifestations
became changed in character. The mischievousness displayed, in the
primitive derangement of furniture, ceased. This was attributed to the
replacement of spirits of inferior grade, by their superiors.
401. Thus this new and glorious light has come up amid dark clouds, as
we often see the thunder-gust the harbinger of a bright sky.
402. But still there has been another source of temporary degradation,
not arising solely from the spirits, but from the inquirers also.
The great motive in the first instance for witnessing spiritual
manifestations was the love of the marvellous, or the desire to expose
what was deemed jugglery. The mere movements of tables, without any
reference to spiritual agency, was the great object of attention.
Though I was present where table turning was discussed, if I ever
heard the idea of spirits being the cause, it left no impression on my
memory, as has already been stated. (134.)
403. But after alphabetical communication commenced, it was performed
so slowly, that the replies were often brief, and made with a view to
establish identity of the spirits with the individual whom it professes
to personate; or to test the existence of a spirit by the replies given
to inquirers respecting facts which could not be known to the medium.
At the first recognition, the spirit would occupy the time mainly
with statements very natural and amiable, but not instructive beyond
the degree of confirmation thus afforded of the great fact of such
intercourse being possible on the part of friends who have quitted this
stage of existence.
404. Communications through spelling and writing media very much fell
short of the expectations which the name assumed by the spirit would
awaken.
405. As soon as convinced that the phenomena were due to the shades
of the dead, I looked with eagerness for some consistent information
of their abodes, modes of existence, of the theological doctrines
entertained by them, and the actual diversities of their situation
consequent to various degrees of moral and intellectual merit.
406. It was with regret that I found in the published accounts, nothing
satisfactory, nothing precise, nothing connected. In no publication did
I find any satisfactory statements of the location of the spirit world,
or of its subdivision into spheres.
407. Urging this deficiency of information upon those spirit friends
who seemed to have selected me as an instrument in promulgating the
invaluable truths of Spiritualism, I obtained information, as early
as May, 1854, respecting the situation of the spiritual spheres, or
country of spirits, relatively to the earth; but about the latter
part of October my father commenced writing on the subject through a
medium of the other sex, but the ideas furnished were too much blended
with her own prepossessions, with which her mind was replete. Hence,
although many pages had been written, they were rejected, and resort
was had to another medium—Mrs. Gourlay. The result thus obtained
was afterwards read to the author, at the disk, so as to have every
paragraph scrutinized.