Spiritualism Past and Present--Coffee-house
Keeper--Magic taught in Leipsic--Intercourse with and
Control over Spirits--Spirit of Marshal Saxe called
up--How Spirits were Invoked--Voices of Good and Evil
Spirits--A Terrified Company--Mysterious Death of a
Magician--Unearthly Huntsman--Prediction and its
Fulfilment--An Estate lost at the Gaming Table--A
Baron Shot--A Marriage prevented by an
Apparition--Strange Sights and
Sounds--Murder--Consulting a Witch--Raising the Spirit
of a Murdered Man--A Murderer's Fate.
Writers generally supposed to be well informed have said that
spiritualism is a system of professed communication with the unseen
world, which originated in America about the year 1848. Others have
endeavoured to trace the origin of spiritualism to the writings of
Swedenborg. Both parties are in error. Long before Swedenborg's time,
and anterior to Columbus discovering America, spiritualism in various
forms was believed in in Scotland, England, Ireland, all over Europe,
and elsewhere. Reginald Scot, in the year 1584, wrote against
witchcraft and demonology; but so general was the belief in
spiritualism, and so abhorrent were the opinions of Scot, that his
book was ordered to be burned by the common hangman. Let those who
claim for America the discovery of spiritualism, real or feigned, read
1 Samuel., and they will perceive how much they have been
deceived. We may return to spiritualism as looked upon in the present
time; meanwhile we shall continue our own course, proving, step by
step, the former belief in spiritualism, or what we prefer to call
demonology.
A coffee-house keeper in Leipsic, named Schrepfer, studied and taught
magic as an art. He boasted of his intercourse with and control over
spirits, whose presence, he alleged, could be commanded at any time.
Owing to a degrading insult offered him, he left Leipsic, none knew
whither, but after a lapse of time he appeared at Dresden, where his
magical skill attracted many followers. His reputation reached Prince
Charles of Saxony, who had been instrumental in causing the magician
to depart from Leipsic; he visited Schrepfer, apologised for what he
had done, and requested him to give manifestations of his supernatural
art. He accepted the apologies, and exhibited many difficult
operations in the science of magic. The prince requested Schrepfer,
who had the power of calling before him the ghost of any one, however
long dead, to bring up the ghost of Marshal Saxe, Charles's uncle, in
the hope that information would be obtained regarding a vast amount of
hidden treasure the deceased was supposed to have concealed from his
relatives. This was a few years after the Chevalier de Saxe died, yet
the magician readily agreed to comply with the request. The place
chosen for commanding the spirit to appear was Prince Charles's palace
in Dresden. On the appointed night, the prince and a large company of
friends assembled in the apartment named for the purpose. Everything
being in readiness, the door and windows were secured, that none
possessed of mere human strength could effect an entrance. Schrepfer
retired into a corner of the room, knelt down, and, with many
mysterious ceremonies, invoked the spirits to come to his aid. A
considerable time elapsed before they obeyed. While waiting he was
under great agitation, being wet with sweat, and bordering on
convulsions. At length a loud noise was heard at the windows, followed
by other noises of a peculiar description, not easily described. The
second sounds Schrepfer announced as the voices of good spirits come
to help him. A short time afterwards frightful yelling was heard,
which came, he declared, from malignant spirits, whose presence, he
affirmed, was also essential. By this time the prince and his friends
were filled with horror, wishing that the scene was over; but their
courage had to stand more severe tests. Schrepfer continuing his
invocations, the door suddenly opened with violence, and something
resembling a black globe rolled into the room. It was surrounded with
smoke or cloud, in the midst of which appeared to be a human face like
the countenance of the Chevalier de Saxe. In a loud and angry voice
the form inquired why it was disturbed. Great consternation prevailed
among the spectators at such a sight. Charles did not venture to say a
word concerning the concealed treasure, neither did his uncle's ghost.
Kneeling down, the terrified prince besought the magician to dismiss
the apparition, a request easier asked than could be complied with.
Nearly an hour elapsed before Schrepfer, by his invocations, succeeded
in dismissing the spirit. Just at the moment all thought that it had
vanished, the closed door was again burst open, and the hideous form
presented itself again to view. General terror prevailed, every one
thinking he was about to be snatched away to the place of everlasting
torment. None but the magician remained firm. He continued reiterating
exorcisms until the apparition finally disappeared. The spectators
dispersed, filled with amazement, and satisfied of Schrepfer's
supernatural powers. Schrepfer's fame became great: gentlemen resorted
to his night meeting to be initiated in his mysteries. For this
purpose they accompanied him into a grove near Leipsic; and one night,
when he was about to exhibit something more wonderful than his
followers had ever seen, his earthly career suddenly terminated. While
his disciples waited in great expectation, he retired to a quiet spot
to make the requisite invocations. In a few minutes the report of a
pistol resounded through the forest; his admirers rushed to the spot,
and found him shot through the heart. A few thought he had shot
himself; the more superstitious ones however, came to the conclusion
that the deed was done by the devil. Whether the unfortunate magician
terminated his existence by his own hand remains doubtful, but one
thing the most of old people believed--that, having sold himself to
the evil spirit, his time was come to go down to the dark abode; and
such being the case, it mattered little by what instrument the deed
was perpetrated. The demon sent to call Schrepfer hence might have
fired the shot, or caused the magician to be his own executioner; yea,
the foul fiend could have caused an elf shot or the glance of an evil
eye to effect the fatal catastrophe.
Ludovicus Adolisius, lord of Immola, sent one of his secretaries on
important business to Ferrara. On the way the secretary met one on
horseback, dressed like a huntsman, with a hawk upon his fist, who
addressed him by name, and desired him to request his master to meet
him (the huntsman) at the place they then were, at the same hour next
day, when he would discover things of no mean importance, which
concerned his master and his estate. In the apparent huntsman the
secretary discovered the apparition of his master's father. The
secretary returned and delivered the important message to his lord.
His lordship being afraid that evil was intended, sent one of his
subordinates to meet the apparition. At the time and place appointed,
the spirit appeared in the likeness it had done the previous day. It
lamented the son's absence, on account of the strange revelations that
would have been made had he come himself. "Return to your master,"
said the apparition, "and tell him that in twenty-two years, one
month, and one day, he will lose the governorship of the city." Like a
small cloud the spirit vanished. At the very time predicted, Philip,
Duke of Milan, besieged the city, and the water being frozen, he was
enabled to pass the moat, and having scaled the walls, surprised the
city, and took Ludovicus prisoner.
An Italian of mean birth, named Carlo Stella, ingratiated himself into
the good favour of Baron Cattaneo, a nobleman, who unfortunately was
over fond of wine and the gaming-table. The former induced the latter
to play for no less a stake than the baron's whole estates. The
unlucky nobleman lost, and in the moment of excitement made over all
his property to the wicked Stella. Next day the baron, remembering
what had taken place, went to Stella, and expressed the hope that the
conveyance he had given the previous day would be returned. Stella
told him that he could not give up the document, for he had destroyed
it, looking on the whole proceeding as a farce. A few days afterwards
the baron was found shot through the brain, and then Stella produced
the document which he pretended had been destroyed. In virtue of the
conveyance, the holder of it came into possession of a large sum of
money and many acres of land, together with two noble castles,
pleasantly situated. Being thus raised into an elevated position, he
sought in marriage a lady of rank. He was accepted, and an early day
was fixed for the nuptial ceremony. Bride and bridegroom, priest, and
rejoicing friends were assembled at the appointed time in the church,
and the service was about to begin, when a man stained with blood
entered the sacred building. He looked Stella sternly in the face, and
then retired. Every one was horror-stricken, but none appeared so much
affected as the bridegroom. He fainted, and had to be carried out
without the marriage taking place. Next day he seemed better, and
arrangements were entered into for having the pair (we cannot say
happy pair) united in wedlock in the evening. As formerly, all were
assembled, and the priest was about to begin the ceremony, when the
lights went out, leaving the company standing in consternation. A dark
cloud, which had obscured the moon, passed away, and then her pale
rays partially lighted up the edifice. At this instant the bloody
figure appeared, walked forward to Stella, whispered in his ear, and
then vanished. So disconcerted were all parties that the marriage was
again delayed, and ultimately it was resolved, on the part of the lady
and her father, that the engagement should be broken off. Stella
became troubled, sleep forsook him, horrid sounds reached his ears in
the night, and the bloody apparition that had frightened him in the
church frequently appeared to his sight. The cause of the strange
sights and sounds was known to himself; those around were ignorant
whence they proceeded. All may be explained in a few words. Stella had
murdered the baron, and the bloody figure was his ghost. Disappointed
and humbled, Stella resolved to consult a noted witch, of whom he had
heard much. Arriving at her cottage, he handed her a purse of gold,
and promised her a greater reward if she would send to the lower world
the spirit that disturbed him. The old hag complied, received the
money, counted it, spat on it, put it into a weasel-skin purse, and
then into her pocket. With much ceremony she put a powder into the
fire, which caused a blue flame to arise. In its midst the living form
of the murdered baron appeared. The witch tried to reduce the spirit
to her power, but the task proved a difficult one, for more than once
it was nigh breaking through the circle she had formed. At last her
magic charms prevailed, and the spirit descended into the bowels of
the earth, exclaiming, "Murderer, we shall soon meet again." Stella's
mind was greatly disturbed; he drank deep to drown his care, but peace
was far from him. In company he was the gayest of the gay, but when
alone in the still hours of night he would groan and start in his
sleep, as if endeavouring to escape from some one. Already he seemed
to be enduring the torments of internal fire. Drink, drink, more
drink, he would call for, and then, mounting his horse, would ride ten
or twelve miles without knowing whither he was going. One day he rode
farther than usual, all the time his horse going at full speed, while
now and again he looked behind him as if pursued. Several people, who
witnessed Stella's mad career, feared that evil would happen him
before he went much farther. Their fears were not groundless, for
before him, where the road took a sharp turn, was a bridge that
spanned a deep flowing river; and unless the animal was carefully
guided, there was danger of him plunging into the water instead of
taking the bridge. Nearer and nearer he approached the dangerous spot,
swifter and swifter the horse went, urged on by the spurs that pierced
its sides. Excited and more excited the rider became. Both man and
beast appeared to be doomed; and so it proved. Over the fence they
went, and in a few minutes Stella's body was carried over a fall into
a deep boiling pool, out of which it could never be recovered.