PERSONIFICATION BY THE MEDIUM, OR MATERIALIZED FORMS?
The forms that came from the cabinet were either personations by the
medium, or they were what they purported to be--materializations.
I had, during this time, allowed nothing to pass unnoticed. From forty
to sixty forms would often manifest at a seance, apparently of both
sexes, and of all ages and sizes, from a little child to extreme old
age, each form individualized and complete in itself.
What claimed to be my wife came to me quite often, and so many times
disappeared in the way heretofore described, that I was no longer
startled by the occurrence, for I had become so familiar with it that I
had come to regard it as a natural consequence of her appearance. She
not only grew stronger, but the likeness was much improved, and the
resemblance to the medium, at times, entirely disappeared.
In my first visits to these seances, I was led, like many others, to
attach great importance to the resemblance which these forms might bear
to what they claimed to have been when in earth-life. I was constantly
looking for it, and have seen many instances where the likeness was so
marked that it would have been impossible to mistake it; yet I have
learned not to regard it as positive evidence of identity. Whatever they
may be, whether from this or the other side of life, there can be no
question that they possess the wonderful power of changing their forms
at pleasure, as any one at all familiar with them can testify.
I have seen a tall young man, wearing a full beard, claiming to be a
brother of the lady with me, while standing before her, one hand on her
waist, the other in mine--upon her saying, "I have not seen you since
you were a lad; how do you suppose I should know you now?"--stoop, kiss
her on the cheek, and raise his roguish face without the beard; at the
same time diminishing in size until he was more nearly like the boy she
knew.
I have witnessed similar changes outside of the cabinet, in the presence
of the audience, quite often.
The mental and moral tone of the audience has more to do with the
character of the seance than the medium has. I have, several times, by
the action of a strong will, caused the forms to recede from the
position which they at first assumed.
Persons, without being fully aware of it, find themselves more or less
reflected in these seances. They reap what they sow. Their condition of
mind prevents the forms from approaching them.
I have known persons to visit seances many times without receiving any
attention; and, on the other hand, I have seen entire strangers, coming
from distant parts of the country, who had never before been in a
seance-room, receive the most tender demonstrations of affection and
recognition.
Sometimes these forms have treated me to little jokes, that illustrated
better than words the information I was seeking; enjoying heartily
anything that for a moment seemed to disconcert me.
What claimed to be my niece came to me in a very beautiful illuminated
dress. I asked her to appear to me at the next seance dressed in the
same way. I took a friend with me to that seance, expecting to astonish
him with the wonderful illumination. But, instead of keeping her
promise, she came out in a dark dress, such as I had never seen her
wear. As my friend had gone up to the cabinet with me, I was greatly
disappointed in the way she came, and said, "Bertha, why do you come in
this dress?" Placing her right elbow in the palm of her left hand and
her index finger on her lip, in a bashful, coquettish way, she said,
"I'm in mourning." I said, "For what?" She replied, "I expect I have
lost my friend." I said to my companion, "This is something new; I don't
understand it." While we were both looking at her, instantly the dark
dress disappeared, and she stood before us radiant in her beautiful
garments. With a girlish laugh she threw her arms around my neck, kissed
me and said, "It is all right now, uncle." The disappearance of the
dark dress was quite as marvellous to my friend as the illumination.
I have never been able to detect any fraud, or any indication of it, on
the part of Mrs. Fay at these seances; and in the absence of any
information which would lead to any other conclusion, I shall hereafter
call these forms spirits. That they are not beings belonging to this
side of life, I feel certain. What they are, each one must determine for
himself.