chapter ii. being on the left side, and chapter iii. being on the right

side. I said, “Do you wish us to look at chapter ii.?” _A._ “No.” “Do you wish us to look at chapter iii.?” _A._ “Yes.” And it was then said, “Read.” I commenced reading the chapter, and significant and emphatic raps were given at many verses; and at verses 8, 11, 19, 34, _most vehement_ raps were given. By looking at these verses, you will appreciate the significancy and intelligence of this emphatic demonstration. This manifestation purported to come from Calhoun, who had previously invited us three gentlemen to be present at a particular hour.

1560. In reflecting on the preceding manifestations, one cannot but marvel at the power by which they are made, and the _intelligence_ by which that power is directed. And it would seem impossible for one to doubt the source of that intelligence. If, however, doubt should still remain on the mind of any one acquainted with similar manifestations, that doubt must be entirely dispelled by the account of the manifestation which follows:

1561. I was present, by Calhoun’s appointment, with the Misses Fox and their mother. We were seated at the table as heretofore, our hands and arms resting upon it. I was directed to put paper and pencil on the drawer. I placed several sheets of unruled letter-paper, together with a wood pencil, on it. I soon heard the sound of the pencil on the paper. It was then rapped out, “Get the pencil and sharpen it.” I looked under the table, but did not see the pencil. At length I found it lying diagonally from me, three or four feet from the table. The lead was broken off within the wood. I sharpened it, and again put it on the drawer. Again I heard the sound of the pencil on the paper. On being directed to look at the paper, I discovered pencil marks on each side of the outer sheet, but no writing. Then was received the following communication:

1562. “The power is not enough to write a sentence. This will show you that I _can_ write. If you meet on Friday, precisely at seven, I will write a short sentence. JOHN C. CALHOUN.”

1563. We met, pursuant to appointment, took our seats at the table, our hands and arms resting on it as usual. I placed the paper with my silver-cased pencil on the drawer, and said:

1564. “My friend, I wish the sentence to be in your own handwriting, so that your friends will recognise it.” He replied, “You will know the writing.” He then said, “Have your minds on the spirit of John C. Calhoun.”

1565. I soon heard a rapid movement of the pencil on the paper, and a rustling of the paper, together with a movement of the drawer. I was then directed to look under the drawer. I looked, and found my pencil outside of the drawer, near my feet, but found no paper on the drawer where I placed it. On raising up the drawer, I discovered the paper all under it. The sheets were a little deranged, and on examining, I found on the outside sheet these words: “_I’m with you still_.”

1566. I afterward showed the “sentence” to General James Hamilton, former Governor of South Carolina, General Waddy Thompson, former Minister to Mexico, General Robert B. Campbell, late Consul at Havana, together with other intimate friends of Calhoun, and also to one of his sons, all of whom are as well acquainted with his handwriting as their own; and they all pronounced it to be a perfect _fac simile_ of the handwriting of JOHN C. CALHOUN.

1567. General Hamilton stated a fact, in connection with this writing, of great significance. He says that Calhoun was in the habit of writing “I’m,” for “I am,” and that he has numerous letters from him where the abbreviation is thus used.

1568. Mrs. General Macomb has stated the same fact to me. She says that her husband, the late General Macomb, has shown to her Calhoun’s letters to him, where this abbreviation “I’m” was used for “I am,” and spoke of it as a peculiarity of Calhoun.

1569. How significant, then, does this fact become! We have not only the most unequivocal testimony to the handwriting itself, but, lest any skeptic should suggest the possibility of an imitation or a counterfeit, this abbreviation, peculiar to himself, and known only to his most intimate friends, and which no imitator or counterfeiter could know, is introduced by way of putting such a suggestion to flight forever.

1570. This “sentence” is perfectly characteristic of Calhoun. It contains his terseness of style, and his condensation of thought. It is a text from which volumes might be written. It proves—1. The immortality of the soul; 2. The power of spirits to revisit the earth; 3. Their ability to communicate with relatives and friends; and, 4. The identity of the spirit to all eternity.

1571. How one’s soul expands with these sublime connections! How resistless is this testimony of their truth! How surprising that men can doubt, when this flood of living light is poured upon them by spirits who, in the language of Webster, “revel in the glory of the eternal light of God.” Very truly yours, N. P. TALLMADGE.

MRS. SARAH HELEN WHITMAN, Providence, R. I.

_Letter from Mr. D. H. Hume.—Spiritualism in London._

1572. The author of the letter which comes under this head has already been introduced to the readers of this work, in giving an account of the manifestations observed through his mediumship, (393.)

EALING VILLA, NEAR LONDON, July 26, 1855. 1573. * * * In London I found but a limited number, comparatively speaking, who possess any intelligent or rational idea of the spiritual philosophy. The subject has not made any great advance here; but those who are investigating include in their number some of the best minds of England. The first call I received was from Sir Charles E. Ischam, who has proved a most excellent friend to me. A day or two after this I received an invitation from Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton to visit him at his country-seat at Knebworth. I accepted his invitation, and had an interesting and delightful visit.

1574. I was deeply interested in Sir Edward, who is, by birth, education, and mind, a most superior person. His love of the beautiful, in nature and art, but especially in nature, is manifested at every part of his wide domain. Knebworth was originally built by a follower of the Conqueror, and was, in the year of the Armada, occupied by Queen Elizabeth. The state-room contains the bed upon which her majesty slept. It has rich velvet hangings—the same which shaded the slumbers of Queen Bess. The room of the extensive library contains the oak table at which Cromwell, Pym & Co. sat while planning the rebellion. * * * We had some manifestations at our _seances_ almost as good as those we had at -—- ‘s in your place. The spirits showed their presence in the same palpable way, by presenting tangible hands, shaking hands, &c., and Sir Edward “acknowledges the corn,” to use a Yankee vulgarism. He is much interested in the subject, and has bestowed no small share of thought upon the matter.

1575. I have also had the pleasure of being presented to the Marchioness of H-—-s, Baroness G-—-y R-—-n. She is a highly intellectual and altogether charming lady, who possesses much native refinement and a fearless desire to learn and follow the TRUTH. I met, too, the Earl of E-—-e and the Marquis of C-—-e, at one of our circles a few evenings since. A most kind friend I also found in the Vicomte de St. Amirro, Chargé d’Affaires from Brazil, who has given me valuable letters to France. I am to meet him and his lady (both investigators) the coming autumn at the Neapolitan court.

1576. I enclose a paragraph from one of the London journals, giving a sketch of an interview I had with Lord Brougham and Sir David Brewster. The latter, as you are well aware, wrote that article in the _Edinburgh Review_, some months ago, in which he argued against the existence of spirit agency in the production of the manifestations, and in which he denounced the whole matter, in the bitterest terms, as a delusion and an imposition. His article has been eagerly and widely quoted by the opponents of Spiritualism on both sides of the Atlantic, and its statements are doubtless believed by those who are incapable of appreciating or comprehending the truths which they assail.

1577. Sir David, however, has for once met with a “_stumper_,” for he has seen and felt such manifestations of his spirit friends as to completely upset his philosophy. He frankly confessed that he is “sorely puzzled” at what he has witnessed, and Lord Brougham acknowledges himself to be thoroughly nonplussed. Both of these noted men brought the whole force of their keen discernment to bear upon the solution of the phenomena; but the presence of substantial, actual hands, and the demonstrative strength of the spirits who thus clothed themselves for the time and moved material objects about the room, proved to be too much of a question for them to master.

1578. Time will not allow me to mention the various interesting sittings I have had, nor the many distinguished personages who have been in our circles during my short stay in London. I am at present enjoying the quiet of an English country home. The gentleman with whom I am stopping (Mr. Rymer) is one of the most distinguished solicitors in London. He has been a _materialist_, or disbeliever in a future state, all his life previous to witnessing these demonstrations of spirit existence. He is now a believer (or rather a _knower_) of the future life. The manifestations, so often scoffed at by professing Christians, have done for him, as they have for upward of twenty-five thousand infidels and atheists in America, what no power of the pulpit or doctrine of evangelical religion could ever have effected.

1579. Is not this one fact alone a sufficient reply to the oft-repeated question of “What good does it all do?” There is many a broad-loving soul that, failing in the effort to narrow itself down to the limits of a dogmatical creed, has ended in infidelity or blank atheism; but the number of these is becoming steadily less by the influence of the spirit manifestations, which are to them what the placing of the hand in the spear-wound was to Thomas. Mr. R., since his conversion, has given a lecture on the subject, and will give another.

1580. One thing I will not omit. Mrs. Trollope, whom Americans will be apt to remember, came, with her son, from Florence to London for the express purpose of seeing the manifestations. They were accordingly invited to spend a few days with me at my village home; and, I must say, I was agreeably disappointed in her. My previous ideas of her had not been such as to prepossess me in her favour, but I have become an admirer of her private character. She has none of the stiffness of the author about her, nor any of the “blue-stocking.” She enjoys the realities of existence more fully than any one I have ever met in a circle.

1581. The _seance_ with her was one of strange interest. Her son was an unbeliever, and his mother was very desirous that he should be “brought to a knowledge of the truth.” When at length the light _did_ beam upon his soul, and the chords of his spirit vibrated in unison with the celestial harmonies that ushered in the birth of faith through the shadows of his old unbelief, the result was too much for his stoicism, and the tears of holy joy coursed down his manly cheeks. _Her_ joy was too great for utterance, and her rapturous emotions seemingly too great to be endured. It was an impressive scene, and an occasion of deep interest. There are many such in the life of a spirit medium.

1582. In a few weeks I leave England for the Continent, in company with my friend, Mr. Rymer. We intend to reach Rome in November, where we purpose to spend a few months, if his holiness will let us. You shall hear from me again. Yours truly, D. H. HUME.

The following is the article referred to as having appeared in the London Journal:

_Lord Brougham with the Spirits._

1583. “A circumstance which has excited the most extraordinary sensation among the privileged few who have been admitted within the sphere of its operations, has taken place at Ealing, a village on the Uxbridge road. A young gentleman, named Hume, a native of Scotland, but who has resided for many years in America, is now on a visit at the house of Mr. Rymer, a highly respectable solicitor. Mr. Hume is what the Americans term a ‘medium,’ and through his instrumentality some extraordinary and, if true, miraculous, occurrences have taken place.

1584. “The spirits of deceased persons have been heard and felt in Mr. Rymer’s house, and a variety of circumstances have taken place, which the persons who were present affirm could not have been produced except by supernatural agency. One of the spirits is supposed to be that of a son of Mr. Rymer, a little boy about eleven or twelve years of age, who has been induced to write to his parents under the cover of the table, and the writing is, to all appearances, precisely similar to that of the child when alive. Mr. Rymer, who is thoroughly convinced of the _bonâ fides_ of the affair, has invited several persons to witness the manifestations, and among them the Rev. Mr. Lambert, the incumbent, who has become a devout believer in the existence of these communicative spirits.

1585. “Some rumours of the spirit manifestations having reached Lord Brougham, the medium had an interview with the noble and learned lord in the presence of Sir David Brewster, when several unaccountable revelations were made, and even Lord Brougham has confessed himself amazed and sorely bothered to comprehend the description of agency by which an accordeon is forced into his hands and made to play, or his watch taken out of his pocket and found in the hands of some other persons in the room; for such are among the vagaries performed by the Ealing spirits. The house of Mr. Rymer is, of course, besieged by persons anxious to witness the manifestations, and scarcely a night passes that some scoffer is not converted into a true believer in the mystery of spiritual manifestations.”

_Evidence afforded by the Rev. J. B. Ferguson._

1586. The following is the summary of the result of the investigation of spiritual manifestations by the Rev. Mr. Ferguson, of the Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee.

1587. His sentiments are of a nature to need no recommendation, as they appeal to the head and the heart. He is one of the advocates of Spiritualism of whom we have reason to be proud. It is from his work, entitled “A Record of Communications from the Spirit Spheres,” that this summary is quoted:

1588. “You will now allow me to sum up briefly the phenomena I have witnessed since my investigations began:

1589. “First. I have seen tables and other furniture moved, with and without hands; heard distinct and sometimes loud raps on the ceiling, floor, and furniture of various rooms, which were changed from one locality to another, as doubts arose as to any unobserved causes, to which we would have attributed them but for the transition; have heard them upon my person, clothing, pillow, pulpit, and still have them in almost every serious hour of thought and meditation, and have them near me as I write; and I find this experience to be that of hundreds who, with me and others, believers and skeptics, have witnessed or realized all I here state to be true.

1590. “Second. I have heard, in the presence of scores, whose names are at any man’s command who may desire them for an honest reference, native Americans, who never spoke a word of German, discourse for hours in that tongue, in prose and poetry, in the presence of native Germans, who pronounced their addresses pure specimens of the power of their language. I see, daily, lengthy essays and books written under what claims to be spirit intelligence, above, far above, the capacity and culture of the instruments through whom they are written. There is scarcely a day in which I do not receive such communications; and if a day passes without it, it is my neglect, not that of the intelligence, that seems ever ready to speak when a proper medium can be secured. At home and abroad, in the houses of strangers and acquaintances, such mediums have described the age, appearance, time of death, and the peculiarities of character of the deceased relatives of persons present, and where they could have had no acquaintance with them, and, in many instances, could not have known of their existence or death. I have had meetings of mediums who knew nothing of each other occur at my house and elsewhere, without their knowledge, and to which they were brought from a distance of miles, and which seemed as inexplicable to them as to me, until after some effect for their benefit was secured by their meeting, and explained by their spirit monitors. To prove the identity of spirit intelligences, communicating to me through others, they have detailed private conversations held with me during their earth life; referred to incidents and events of which the mediums could have known nothing; described, accurately, occurrences taking place at a distance of hundreds of miles; answered questions that had been written in my private records for future investigation, months after they had passed from my active memory; stated the state of my investigations of various subjects, with the folly or wisdom, as they regarded it, of my difficulties; leaving me, on the whole, no choice as to whether I would regard them as what they claimed to be, save that of honest conviction or the most shameless hypocrisy. Allow me to say, therefore, that there is no event of history, no fact in mental philosophy, no conclusions in logical dialectics, more fully and forcibly established, in my convictions, than the following:

1591. “I BELIEVE, I KNOW, THAT I HAVE HELD, AND NOW FREQUENTLY HOLD, COMMUNION, INTELLIGIBLE AND IMPROVING, WITH KINDRED AND ELEVATED SPIRITS, WHO HAVE PASSED FROM FLESHLY SIGHT.

1592. “You will not be surprised, therefore, at my willingness to risk reputation, the dearest ties of friendship, and prospects of earthly gain and honour, if need be, in the avowal and propagation of this faith, and the results to which it must inevitably lead. God knows, and every intimate friend on earth knows, that I would hesitate, long and seriously, to avow a faith that was doubtful in my own mind, or of doubtful influence for good in my dim foresight, where so much is apparently at stake. I think I may safely appeal to my past life as proof that the dearest personal and earthly considerations have often been sacrificed, where it was thought my action would affect the interests or happiness of others. Know, then, that it is from the maturest consideration of duty, and the obligation that every man owes to truth and right, and especially when truth and right are ridiculed and denounced, that I detail to you these results of a long experience and the most serious and solemn investigations of my life. Willingly, I cannot find it in my heart to disappoint a friend or injure an enemy. And with such friends as in the providence of God have surrounded me, who have proved themselves true and enduring when every form of bigotry and animosity were aroused against my position, reputation, and influence,—with all this pressure of enmity and friendship upon me, you must know, and all will hereafter know, that nothing but loyalty to conviction and a desire to preserve privileges I have learned to esteem above what men call life or death, could induce me to lay these facts before the world.

1593. “If it be asked what good we expect to effect by the statement of these facts, we answer, the spread of truth upon the dearest, purest, and holiest relations of man, and the breaking away of the clouds that gather around the mind of man in view of death and futurity, the darkness of which can nowhere be more distinctly felt than in the asking of such a question. The purity, angelic loveliness, and divine holiness that such a faith, if firmly based, must secure, inspires the loyal soul as with heavenly beatitudes in the contemplation. Its power to restrain and reform; to soften the hard heart of evil indulgence; to expose the still harder heart of bigotry and religious denunciation; to moisten the eye of criminal effrontery, which the hypocrisies of the world have made stern and fixed; to bring the strong man of selfish apathy, as a child once more in company with his brother-children, at the feet of maternal or sisterly tenderness, whose earthly bodies have long since been entombed; to keep down the unnatural separations of families beneath the manly wisdom and fatherly affection of one who claims all as his, and still needing his care; to turn the scoff of godless ribaldry into loving faith, and the shame of pulpit curses pronounced upon _human_ brethren and by _human_ beings, of eternal doom, into blessings of eternal help; to make all, yes all, realize an inner religion, which worships at the altar of eternal truth and unchangeable love. With such aims and prospects before us, to ask what is the good of general, tangible spirit intercourse, is to ask the good of immortality, of heaven, and of God.”

_An Exposition of views respecting the principal facts, causes, and peculiarities involved in Spiritual Manifestations; together with interesting phenomenal statements and communications. By_ ADIN BALLOU.

1594. The preceding is the title of a work by the Rev. Adin Ballou, of Hopedale, Massachusetts. It is among those which give what appears to me available, well-considered facts and opinions respecting Spiritualism. Mr. Ballou judiciously, as I think, disposes the spirit manifestations under the following heads:

1595. “I. Those in which all the important demonstrations were most evidently caused by departed spirits. II. Those in which some of the important demonstrations were probably caused or greatly affected by undeparted spirits. III. Those in which the demonstrations were of a heterogeneous, incongruous, or derogatory character.

1596. “The following is a statement of Mr. Ballou’s experience taken from the work in question:

1597. “In this chapter I shall conclude what I have to say under my first general head, by referring to a few particulars connected with cases within my personal knowledge, and then stating the principal points of doctrine taught by the spirits.

1598. “I will not go into minute narration or description, but simply mention the more important phenomena I have witnessed. I have heard multiform sounds in the presence of spirit media, purporting to be made by departed spirits; some like the tickings of a small watch, others like the clicking of a common clock, others like the loud knocking of a labouring man on the door of his neighbour with his knuckles, others like the scratching of a hard finger-nail on a board, others like the creaking of a door or window, &c. &c. I have heard the time and metre of tunes beaten out with the utmost accuracy, and by several rappers in unison—not only while the tune was being played or sung, but afterward, without accompaniment. And I am as certain that these sounds were not made by any conscious mortal agency, as I am of the best-authenticated facts in the common transactions of life.

1599. “I have seen tables and light stands of various size moved about in the most astonishing manner, by what purported to be the same invisible agency, with only the gentle and passive resting of the hands or finger-ends of the medium on one of their edges; also, many distinct movings of such objects, by request, _without_ the touch of the medium at all. I have sat and conversed by the hour together with the authors of these sounds and motions, by means of signals first agreed on; asking questions and obtaining answers—receiving communications spelled out by the alphabet—discussing propositions sometimes made by them to me, and _vice versâ_; all by a slow process, indeed, but with every possible demonstration of intelligence, though not without incidental misapprehensions and mistakes. I have witnessed the asking of mental questions by inquirers, who received as prompt and correct answers as when the questions were asked audibly to the cognition of the medium.

1600. “I have known these invisibles, by request, to write their names with a common plumbago pencil on a clean sheet of paper—half a dozen of them, each in a different hand. To make sure of this, as an absolute fact, the medium was required to lay her left hand, back downward, in the hollow of a veracious person’s hand, both open; when a piece of pasteboard paper was laid on her hand, a well-examined blank sheet of writing-paper placed thereon, and a lead pencil on top of _that_; in which position (the medium’s right hand being held up to view,) both the hands, with these fixtures resting on them, were placed under the leaf of the table, as insisted on by the _writers_. After a minute or two, at a given signal by the spirits that they had _done_, the paper was exhibited with various names written thereon, as above affirmed. This was repeatedly tested with the same results, under circumstances putting all suspicion of fraud and jugglery entirely at rest.

1601. “I have requested what purported to be the spirit of a friend, many years deceased, to go to a particular place, several miles distant from that of the _sitting_, and to bring me back intelligence respecting the then health and doings of a certain relative well known to the parties. In three minutes of time the intelligence was obtained, numerous particulars given, some of them rather improbable, but every one exactly confirmed the next day by personal inquiries made for that purpose.

1602. “I have been requested by the invisibles to speak on a particular subject, at a given time and place, with the assurance that responses should be made on the occasion, by knockings, approving the truths uttered; all which was strikingly verified. Once, at a most unexpected interview, when nothing of the kind had been previously thought of by any person present, a spirit, so purporting, who had several times evinced much interest in my public labours, spelled out:—‘Have you selected your subjects of discourse for the next Sunday?’ Only _one_ of them, I answered. Would my _spirit friend_ like to suggest a text for the other part of the day? ‘Yes.’ What is it? I inquired. He spelled out the word ‘The,’ and ceased. Wondering at his silence, the signal of another spirit was given. The new-comer communicated by _movings_ of the table, not by _raps_, like the other. He said that our friend, the _rapper_, had been suddenly summoned away for a few moments, but would certainly return soon. He _did_ return within fifteen minutes, resumed his communication just where he left it, and spelled out—‘_The second chapter of first Corinthians, the twelfth and thirteenth verses._’ No man in the room had the least recollection of the words referred to. So the Bible was called for, when the text proved to be the following:—‘_Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are given to us of God. Which things we also speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual._’ Struck with the sublimity, purity, richness, and force of the passage, I answered that I accepted it thankfully, as a very appropriate text for the occasion referred to, and would endeavour to illustrate its great truths as well as I might be able. My _spirit friend_ expressed great pleasure by sounds rapidly made on the table, and announced that he and several other sympathizing spirits should be present to hear the discourse, and, if the _medium_ should also be there, would manifest their approbation of the good things uttered. All this was verified in a remarkable manner.

1603. “I have seen a medium gently magnetized and thrown into a trance in one minute, by the imperceptible influence of the spirits, in accordance with their own original proposition, reluctantly acceded to by the medium and her friends; during which sometimes she had visions of the spirit world, and at others became entirely non-cognizant of every thing transpiring in either world. In the latter case, the spirits, as previously promised, made use of her organs of speech, unconsciously to herself, and thus answered numerous questions, instead of responding by the rappings. That these trances were not superinduced by mortal agency, and were not _feigned_, but _real_, I am as certain as I can be of any thing not absolutely beyond the possibility of mistake.

1604. “I might proceed much further in the particularization of manifestations coming under my personal observation, but will not make myself tedious. Suffice it to say, that I have witnessed enough with my own eyes and ears to prepare me for the belief of the still more incredible manifestations reported from a thousand places in our country and the world. I will merely add, that I have received many excellent communications from these invisible friends, and scarcely a single one of a light, frivolous, or low character; though I know that in this respect my experience has been unlike that of some others. I can say in truth, speaking for myself alone, that my whole moral nature has been purified and elevated by the influences which have flowed in upon me during the investigation of this subject. Others, I am sure, can say the same. There are those, no doubt, who have abused the whole thing—befooling themselves and others in a lamentable manner. What is there in the wide world that has wholly escaped abuse and perversion? Reason, inspired and crowned with the wisdom from above, is indispensable to the avoidance of these evils. Until a much larger portion of mankind than at present attain to the development of their higher faculties, we must expect the abuse and perversion, to a greater or less extent, of every thing in nature. ‘But wisdom is justified of all her children.’”

1605. The following statement of A. H. Jarvis, a Methodist clergyman, of Rochester, New York, is copied from Mr. Ballou’s work. It is one of those manifestations in which the information conveyed cannot be conceived to have pre-existed in the mind of the person by whom it was received:

1606. “There are many facts which have come under my observation, equally convincing of the intelligence and utility of the communications from these unseen agents, who, I now believe, are continually about us, and more perfectly acquainted with all our ways, and even our thoughts, than we are with each other. But the fact in reference to my friend Pickard is what you desire. He was at my house on Friday afternoon, April 6, 1849. None of the Fox family were present. While at the tea-table, we had free communications on different subjects. Pickard was requested to ask questions. He desired to know who it was that would answer questions. The answer was—‘I am your mother, MARY PICKARD.’ Her name, or the fact of her death, was not known to any of us. The next Monday evening he (Pickard) was at Mr. G-—-’s, and tarried there over night. He there received a communication, purporting to be from his mother, saying, ‘Your child is dead.’ He came immediately to my place, and said he should take the stage for home, (Lockport, sixty miles distant.) He left in the stage at 8 or 9, A. M. At 12, M., I returned to my house, my wife meeting me with a telegraph envelope. I broke the seal and read mentally, first:

“‘ROCHESTER, April 10, 1849.

1607. “‘By telegraph from Lockport—the Rev. A. H. Jarvis, No. 4 West St.

1608. “‘Tell Mr. Pickard, if you can find him, his child died this morning.—Answer. R. MALLORY.’

1609. “I then read it to my wife, and said, ‘This is one of the best and most convincing evidences of the intelligence of those invisible agents;’ and then I added, ‘God’s telegraph has outdone Morse’s, altogether.’ “Yours, truly, A. H. JARVIS.’

“To E. W. CAPRON, _Auburn_.”

1610. The subjoined opinions of the spirits, taken from the volume above mentioned, differ but immaterially from those which I have received; proving that information respecting scriptural morals, when properly sought, will be consistently obtained:

1611. “1. There is one and but one God, an infinite Spirit and the Father of spirits. He loves all, and eternally seeks their good by all wise and fitting means.

1612. “2. All human beings are spirits as to their absolute internal constitution, and soon after death emerge into distinct conscious spiritual identities, having bodies, forms, and peculiarities as obviously cognizable to each other, and as distinguishable from each other, as here in the flesh.

1613. “3. All human beings possess certain mental and moral qualities, partly constitutional, partly circumstantial, and partly self-wrought, which determine for the time being each individual’s real spiritual character and relative nearness to, or distance from, the divine standard of perfection. So that each one is in a certain sphere, and in some circle or degree of that sphere, as to his spirit, _always_, whether existing in the fleshly body or after his dissolution. And if a person is spiritually in a certain sphere at death, in that sphere he finds himself the moment he resumes his consciousness in the spirit world, associated with kindred spirits.

1614. “4. There are seven spirit spheres, or circles,[36] inferior to the heavenly or celestial spheres, and each sphere or circle has several degrees. Man is a being by nature capable of progress, subject to certain fundamental spiritual and moral laws. In conformity to these laws, he may now progress from lower to higher spheres; _i. e._ he may draw nearer and nearer to God; or, what is the same thing, nearer as a spirit to the divine standard of perfection. But without conformity to these laws, he cannot progress, but obscures and debases himself. Death does not change man’s real character, nor his proper spirit sphere, nor his capability to make progress, nor the laws of progress. No man is in a morally worse state, all things considered, by reason of passing into the spirit world. The _worst_ even are, if any way affected, in a better state there than in the flesh. They whose spirit sphere was purer, find themselves proportionally blessed. Many remain very long in the lower spheres, where, though enabled to enjoy existence in the degree possible at such a distance from the divine focus of blessedness, they are ‘spirits in prison,’ and wretched in comparison with those in the paradisaical spheres. Their existence is a blessing to them even while thus _low_, and there is no such place or state as a HELL of unmitigated, hopeless misery. Meantime, God, angels, and all the higher spirits, are for ever seeking the elevation of the inferior spirits, by all just, wise, and appropriate means. And no one, however low and sluggish of progress, will finally fail to be attracted upward, obediently to the divine laws, from one degree to another, and from one sphere to another, till he reach the heavenly mansion—even though it take an age of eternities to complete his destiny.

1615. “5. Spirits in the higher of the seven spheres are employed in three general exercises. 1. In religious aspirations, meditations, worship—in striving after a more perfect knowledge of and communication with God—whom they cannot see there any more than here, as a personal being, but only in spirit by faith and intuition. 2. In study, self-examination, contemplations of truth, and acquainting themselves with all useful knowledge attainable by them. 3. In ministering to struggling spirits on earth and in the lower spheres—endeavouring to elevate and bless them; thus cultivating love to God, wisdom within themselves, and ever-active benevolence to their inferiors in condition. Spirits in any circle can descend into all the circles below their own, but cannot, except by special permission, ascend into a higher sphere, until qualified by spiritual progress.

1616. “6. Mankind are by nature one family of brothers and sisters, the offspring of a common Father in heaven, whom they ought to love with all their heart, and each other as themselves. The good of each is really the good of all, and that of all the good of each. Therefore, no one can injure another without injuring himself in the end. All kinds of tyranny and oppression are utterly sinful. So all war, violence, revenge, and vindictive punishment. So all intemperance, debauchery, and sexual pollution. So all falsehood, covetousness, fraud, extortion, and pecuniary taking of advantage. So all pride and domineering of superiors over inferiors. So all religious bigotry, thrusting down, persecution, and sectarian bitterness. So every thing contrary to personal holiness, to the piety which loves God supremely, and man as a brother, whether friend or foe. These reliable spirits are everywhere reformers, regenerators of the world, individually and socially. They are for the reconciliation of all things—for universal harmony—on the great principles of truth, purity, justice, love, and wisdom. And they all predict a better future for the human race here on earth, as well as in the future state.

1617. “7. It is the imperative duty of every human being to exercise his own powers, faculties, reason, and judgment, with modesty, humility, and firmness, and not to be overawed, borne down, or led away captive, by any assuming spirit in or out of the flesh. Every one is accountable for himself, and ought both to judge and act for himself, with supreme reverence for God and his moral perfections, according to his own highest convictions of truth and duty. Thus he should examine the Bible and all books. Thus all human governments, authorities, powers, constitutions, laws, customs, and usages, in church and state. Thus try all spirits, and their communications—all pretended prophets, philosophers, and teachers—all professions and assumptions whatsoever. No one should imperiously dictate, or cower down before another. But truth, rectitude, reason, and the suasion of wisdom, should alone sway the minds of moral agents.

1618. “Such is a fair digest and summary of the principal doctrines put forth in ninety-nine one hundredths of the communications of reliable spirits throughout the country. I have stated them in my own language, as I have understood them. It will be seen that they differ in some respects from every sectarian view of theology, religion, and morality now popular in the world.”

_The Hon. J. W. Edmonds’s Testimony._

1619. To those who have not seen the original statement of the benevolent and distinguished Judge Edmonds, respecting his conversion, the subjoined account, taken from the introduction to his work on “Spiritualism,” may prove interesting.

1620. “It was in January, 1851, that my attention was first called to the subject of ‘spiritual intercourse.’ I had, in the course of my life, read and heard from the pulpit so many contradictory and conflicting doctrines on the subject (of man’s future existence) that I hardly knew what to believe.

1621. “For about four months I devoted at least two evenings in a week, and sometimes more, to witnessing the phenomenon in all its phases. I kept careful records of all I witnessed, and, from time to time, compared them with each other, to detect inconsistencies and contradictions. I read all I could lay my hands upon, on the subject, and especially all the professed ‘exposures of the humbug.’ In fine, I availed myself of every opportunity that was afforded thoroughly to sift the matter to the bottom. I was all this time an unbeliever. At length the evidence came, and with such force that no sane man could withhold his faith.

1622. “To detail what I witnessed for those four months, and recorded, would fill, at least, one hundred and thirty closely-written pages. I will, however, mention a few things, which will give a general idea of that which characterized interviews now numbering several hundred. Most of them have occurred in the presence of others. I have preserved their names in my records. * * * * * These considerations grow out of this fact:

1623. “First. That I have thus very many witnesses whom I can invoke to establish the truth of my statements.

1624. “Second. That if I have been deluded, and have not seen and heard what I think I have, my delusion has been shared by many as shrewd, as intelligent, as honest, and as enlightened people as are to be found anywhere among us.

1625. “My attention was first drawn to the intercourse by the rappings, then the most common, but now the most inconsiderable, mode of communing. Of course I was on the look-out for deception, and at first relied upon my senses, and the conclusions which my reason might draw from their evidence. * * *

1626. “After depending upon my senses as to these various phases of the phenomenon, I invoked the aid of science, and, with the assistance of an accomplished electrician and his machinery, and of eight or ten intelligent, educated, and shrewd persons, examined the matter. We pursued our inquiries many days, and established, to our satisfaction, two things: first, that the sounds were not produced by the agency of any person present or near us; and, secondly, that they were not forthcoming at our will and pleasure. In the mean time, another feature attracted my attention, and that was ‘physical manifestations,’ as they are termed. Thus, I have known a pine table, with four legs, lifted up bodily from the floor, in the centre of a circle of six or eight persons, turned upside down, and laid upon its top at our feet, then lifted up over our heads, and put leaning against the back of the sofa on which we sat. * * * * I have seen a mahogany centre-table, having only a centre leg, and with a lamp burning upon it, lifted from the floor, at least a foot, in spite of the efforts of those present, and shaken backward and forward, as one would shake a goblet in his hand. * * * *

1627. “I have known a dinner-bell, taken from a shelf in a closet, rung over the heads of four or five persons in that closet, then rung around the room over the heads of twelve or fifteen persons in the back parlour, and then borne through the folding-doors to the farther end of the front parlour, and then dropped on the floor.

1628. “I have known persons pulled about, with a force which it was impossible for them to resist; and once, when all my strength was added, in vain, to that of one thus affected.

1629. “I have known a mahogany chair thrown on its side, and moved swiftly back and forth on the floor, no one touching it, through a room where there were, at least, a dozen people sitting. Yet no one was touched, and it was repeatedly stopped within a few inches of me, when it was coming with a violence which, if not arrested, must have broken my legs.

1630. “This is not a tithe, nay, not an hundredth part, of what I have seen, of the same character. At the same time, I have heard from others, whose testimony would be credited in any human transaction, and which I could not permit myself to disregard, accounts of still more extraordinary transactions; for I have been by no means so much favoured in this respect as some.

1631. “Intelligence was a remarkable feature of the phenomenon. Thus, I have frequently known mental questions answered—that is, questions merely framed in the mind of the interrogator, and not revealed by him or known to others. Preparatory to meeting a circle, I have sat down alone in my room, and carefully prepared a series of questions to be propounded; and I have been surprised to find my questions answered, and in the precise order in which I wrote them, without my even taking my memorandum out of my pocket, and when I knew that no person present knew that I had prepared questions, much less what they were.

1632. “My most secret thoughts—those which I never uttered to mortal man or woman—have been freely spoken, as if I had uttered them.

1633. “I have known Latin, French, and Spanish words spelled out through the rappings; and I have heard mediums, who knew no language but their own, speak in those languages, and in Italian, German, and Greek, and in other languages unknown to me, but which were represented to be Arabic, Chinese, and Indian, and all done with the ease and rapidity of a native.

1634. “I have seen a person who knew nothing of music, except a little that he had learned at a country singing-school, go to the piano and play in perfect keeping, as to time and concord, the several parts of an overture to an opera.

1635. “When I was absent last winter, in Central America, my friends in town heard of my whereabouts, and of the state of my health, seven times; and, on my return, by comparing their information with the entries in my journal, it was found to be invariably correct.

1636. “I went into the investigation, originally thinking it a deception, and intending to make public my exposure of it. Having, from my researches, come to a different conclusion, I feel that the obligation to make known the result is just as strong. Therefore it is, mainly, that I give the result to the world. “J. W. EDMONDS.”

_Testimony of Henry Lloyd Garrison._

1637. Mr. Garrison is spoken of as a man of unimpeachable veracity and independent mind. His testimony will have weight with one class of inquirers, if not with another. The following is from the “Liberator” of March 3, 1854.

1638. “We are often privately asked, what we think of the ‘Spiritual Manifestations,’ so called, and whether we have had any opportunities to investigate them.

1639. “When we first heard of the ‘Rochester knockings,’ we supposed (not personally knowing the persons implicated) that there might be some collusion in that particular case, or, if not, that the phenomena would ere long elicit a satisfactory solution, independent of all spiritual agency. As the manifestations have spread from house to house, from city to city, from one part of the country to the other, across the Atlantic into Europe, till now the civilized world is compelled to acknowledge their reality, however diverse in accounting for them—as these manifestations continue to increase in variety and power, so that all suspicion of trick or imposture becomes simply absurd and preposterous—and as every attempt to find a solution for them in some physical theory relating to electricity, the odic force, clairvoyance, and the like, has thus far proved abortive—it becomes every intelligent mind to enter into an investigation of them with candour and fairness, as opportunity may offer, and to bear such testimony in regard to them as the facts may warrant, no matter what ridicule it may excite on the part of the uninformed or skeptical.

1640. “As for ourselves, most assuredly we have been in no haste to jump to a conclusion in regard to phenomena so universally diffused, and of so extraordinary a character. For the last three years, we have kept pace with nearly all that has been published on the subject; and we have witnessed, at various times, many surprising ‘manifestations;’ and our conviction is, that they cannot be accounted for on any other theory than that of spiritual agency. This theory, however, is not unattended with discrepancies, difficulties, and trials. It is certain that, if it be true, there are many deceptive spirits, and that the apostolic injunction to ‘believe not every spirit,’ but to try them in every possible way, is specially to be regarded, or the consequences may prove very disastrous.

1641. “We might write a pretty long essay on what we have seen and heard, touching this matter; but this we reserve for some other occasion. We shall now merely describe some of the phenomena which we witnessed in New York during our recent visit to that city.

1642. “The medium in this instance was Mrs. Brown, formerly Mrs. Fish, of Rochester. The circle was composed of six gentlemen and four ladies. The table was of ample dimensions, so as to accommodate the party without inconvenience. We sat around it in the usual manner, (the hands of each individual resting upon the table,) and engaged in social chit-chat. While waiting for some demonstrations from the invisible world, we had our right foot patted as by a human hand, and the right leg of our pantaloons strongly pulled, by some unseen agency. This was done repeatedly, though we said nothing at the time; but, thinking it might be possible that the foot of some one of the company might undesignedly be in contact with our own, we cautiously felt around to ascertain if this were the case, but there was nothing tangible; and the moment we put our foot down, the same familiar tappings and jerks followed. Still, we made no disclosure. Raps were then distinctly heard, and the alphabet was called for. Letter by letter, it was rapped out that the medium must put her feet in the custody of one of the party, and then we were told to wait for demonstrations. This was evidently done to convince every one present that the medium had nothing to do with the phenomena, by way of fraud or collusion; and, during the entire sitting, (a protracted one,) before any remarkable feat was performed, the medium was invariably ordered to take such a position as to render it clearly impossible for her to be privy to it. The presence of several spirits was indicated during the evening, and satisfactory tests were made; but the most communicative and efficient one purported to be that of ‘Jesse Hutchinson.’ It was he who had been playing bo-peep with us under the table; and, now that the medium was secured, to the satisfaction of all present, he renewed his salutations, not only to us personally, but to nearly every one of the circle. The ladies had their dresses, and the gentlemen their pantaloons, pulled, and their feet patted, in the most emphatic manner. Heavy raps were now made on the floor; and, on being requested to that effect, ‘Jesse’ beat a march—it seemed to us Washington’s march—in admirable time, and in the most spirited manner; no drummer could have done it more skilfully. He was then asked to beat time, while the company joined in singing several tunes—‘The Old Granite State,’ among others—which he did to perfection. He then spelt out the following communications by the alphabet: ‘I am most happy, dear friends, to be able to give you such tangible evidence of my presence. The good time has truly come. The gates of the New Jerusalem are open, and the good spirits, made more pure by the change of spheres, are knocking at the door of your souls.’

1643. “Isaac T. Hopper now indicated his presence to his daughter, who was at the table, and made some physical demonstrations. His message, as rapped out, was as follows: ‘I am truly happy to echo back joy and gladness from my happy home. Truth is bearing its way on gloriously, and the subject of Spiritualism will work miracles in the cause of reform. My friends, the rock of prejudice begins to yield to the hammer of truth; and, now, with the aid of good spirits, you can blast it without the use of powder.’ And he subsequently added, ‘I want you to see that spirits have power to move matter.’

1644. “It was next rapped out, ‘Put the bell under the table.’ We, accordingly, took the bell, (an ordinary table-bell,) and put it down at our feet. In a few moments, it was smartly rung by an unseen power, and then fell to the floor. This was done again and again—the bell making the circuit of the table, and ringing so loudly that the servant-girl, in an adjacent room, supposing she was needed, came in to inquire what was wanted.

1645. “Next, a cane with a hooked handle was laid on the carpet, under the table. Immediately, it struck the table violently, and rubbed along the under surface its entire length. It then fell to the floor, and traversed over and under the feet of several of the party, like a living snake—in one or two instances the foot being involuntarily lifted to enable it to pass under. Its movements were exceedingly curious. At one time, we caught hold of the handle as it protruded itself by our side, and endeavoured to pull it from under the table; but the resistance was as strong as though another hand was grasping it at the opposite end.

1646. “We were now directed to put several things under the table, observe how they were placed, and wait for results. When told to look, we found that a penknife was missing, nor could it be discovered by the most careful search. On again resuming our seats, we were told to take another look; and, behold! there was the penknife, precisely where it had been originally placed!

1647. “Next, we were directed to lay some writing-paper, with a pencil upon it, under the table. This was done; and, in a few moments, on being told to look, we found the word ‘Jesse’ written upon it in a scrawling hand, as though made with great difficulty. The same experiment was again made, and ‘Isaac T. H.’ (Hopper) was written very legibly, and in a different hand. A third time this was done, and ‘Mary Jane’ was recorded,—the name of a young lady who had been communicating with a gentleman present. The first two autographs we have in our possession.

1648. “We now made two requests of ‘Jesse,’ to convince us yet more strongly of his presence. The first was, to press our right foot firmly to the floor, and to make loud raps directly under it. This was quickly done, the foot being grasped as by a mortal hand, and vibrating to the raps thus strangely made. The second was, if possible, to take us by the right hand with his own, so as to make the touch palpable beyond a doubt. Keeping the hand carefully in custody between our knees as we sat—the hands of all the company, including those of the medium, being on the table—we, in a few moments, had it patted, first on one side, then on the other, briskly and repeatedly, as if by another hand, having a negative feeling, as though there was no warmth in it, but natural in every other respect. For the general gratification, the same thing was done to others of the party.

1649. “How shall demonstrations like these be accounted for, except on the hypothesis of spirit-agency? If we cannot positively affirm that Isaac T. Hopper and Jesse Hutchinson were present on that occasion, we are, at least, prepared to declare, as our own conviction, as well as that of the entire company, we believe, that invisible spirits, not of this mundane sphere, performed the phenomena we have thus briefly narrated to our readers.”

_Testimony of Mr. and Mrs. Newton._

1650. The following is extracted from a highly interesting letter, entitled, “The Ministry of Angels Realized,” addressed by Mr. and Mrs. Newton to the Edward’s Congregational Church, Boston, of which they were members. Mr. Newton is editor of the “New England Spiritualist,” and sustains a reputation for high moral and intellectual attainment.

1651. “The results, however, of this first investigation, at the time, were (for reasons not then apparent, but which have since been made plain to us) far from satisfactory. Though we witnessed some striking evidences of invisible intelligent agency, there was nothing by which this agency could be possibly identified; and the conclusion seemed most in accordance with our previous opinions, that, if any agency beyond that of human beings was concerned, it was that of evil and seducing spirits. Some months subsequently to this, we were led to attempt the investigation under circumstances more favourable to arriving at a satisfactory conclusion. * * * The results of this interview were of the most surprising, yea, astounding character. An intelligence, claiming to be that of a venerated parent, who had long since passed within the veil, manifested its presence, and addressed to one of us a communication glowing with parental affection, and breathing the very spirit of the upper realm. This was accompanied by the statement of a number of facts, pertaining to his earthly life, none of which, we were fully satisfied, could have been known to any person, bodily present, except the inquirer, and some of them unknown even to him. Although the investigation had been approached with minds on the alert and perceptions sharpened to detect collusion, imposture, deception, or diabolism, in any of its forms, no trace of them could be perceived; all was conducted with evident frankness and candour, on the part of those concerned; and no solution of the mystery was then arrived at, and no adequate one has since been offered, which does not recognise the agency of intelligent beings. A trumpet-blast from the clouds could scarcely have been more startling to our prejudices and unbelief than was that message from the hidden world. * * * As may be well supposed, the interest awakened by this occurrence was sufficient to lead to a further investigation. But a truth so novel and startling could not at once be received, however demonstrative and convincing the evidence on which it rested. Nor was it until evidence had accumulated upon evidence, and proof become piled upon proof—not until manifestations of the most marvellous character had been repeatedly witnessed, under a great variety of circumstances, and notwithstanding the application of every conceivable test—that we could consent to acknowledge, even to ourselves, a belief in the agency of spiritual beings. That belief, however, in spite of prejudice and skepticism, in spite of the general cry of “humbug” and “imposture,” in spite of all attempts of scientific men to explain the marvels on the basis of materialism, (which explanations we found in every case to be wholly inadequate to account for what we witnessed,) that belief became at length forced upon our minds by irresistible evidence.

1652. “But the question still pressed upon us, who were these invisible beings? and what their character and designs? They claimed to be the spirits of departed human beings. Some of them insisted that they were our relatives and friends, and they furnished most startling and inexplicable proofs of their identity. They professed to be thus manifesting themselves to our outward senses, for the purest and holiest of purposes. * * *

1653. “The most favourable of opportunities were offered us for making investigation, and they were carefully and prayerfully improved.

1654. “For several months did we continue to apply to what was transpiring under our notice, through the mediumship of others, the keenest powers of observation, and the highest exercise of moral perception, which have been granted us; ever seeking light and aid from Him who has said, ‘Ask, and ye shall receive.’

1655. “At length, these intelligences from another sphere began to manifest themselves to us in a manner most unlooked-for and diverse from any thing we had elsewhere witnessed, in the quietness and seclusion of our own home, and without the intervention of any other person. From small and gentle beginnings, they have gone forward, as we were able to bear the increasing light, to give greater, and higher, and clearer proofs of the reality of their presence, their identity, and their heavenly mission; until, through a period of six or seven months, we have been permitted, as we believe, the almost daily enjoyment of the sweetest and most intimate communion with the spirits of ‘just ones made perfect above.’ “A. E. NEWTON, S. J. NEWTON.”

_Testimony of Members of the New York Circle._

1656. The following is a statement of facts by Mrs. Charles Partridge, taken from the minutes of the New York circle, attested by several highly respectable and credible persons, among whom is my personal friend, Doctor Gray.

1657. “Persons at the circle have been unexpectedly turned round in the chairs in which they were sitting, and moved to and from the table. Chairs and sofas have suddenly started from their positions against the wall, and moved forward to the centre of the room, when they were required in the formation of the circle. The persons in the circle have each successively lifted his own side of the table, and the invisible power has raised the opposite side correspondingly. Occasionally the spirits have raised the table entirely, and sustained it in air, at a distance of from one to three feet from the floor, so that all could satisfy themselves that no person in the flesh was touching it. Lights of various colours have been produced in dark rooms. A man has been suspended in, and conveyed through, the air, a distance of fifty feet, or more. The communications have been given in various ways, but chiefly in writing, and by the rappings through the ordinary alphabetical mode.

1658. “At the close of the session held on the 17th of November, 1851, the spirits, through the alphabet, and in their usual manner, said, ‘We wish to give you a sentence for you to find out and remember;’ when the following was communicated: ‘_Debemos amar á todo el mundo aun á nuestros enemigos._’ No person present on that occasion understood a word of this language, but we were subsequently informed that it was Spanish.

1659. “During the session on the 19th of January, 1852, the spirits signified their desire to make a communication in Hebrew. Mr. Partridge asked who should call the alphabet, and received for answer, ‘The only person present who understands it—George Bush.’ Professor Bush thereupon proceeded to repeat the Hebrew alphabet, and a communication in that language was received.

1660. “Many additional facts might be given to show that spirits communicate in various languages through E. P. Fowler; but the above will suffice for the purposes of this statement.

1661. “We cannot allow the present occasion to pass, without an expression of the entire confidence and unqualified esteem with which Mr. Fowler is regarded by the members of the New York circle, and by those who know him generally. We have had an intimate personal acquaintance with him for two years past—some of us for a much longer period—and we have only known him as a high-minded and honourable young man. From the beginning, he has steadily refused to accept the slightest compensation for his time and services while employed in the capacity of a medium; and we deem it but an act of simple justice to Mr. F. to record the fact that, on all occasions, we have found him entirely unassuming in his deportment, and eminently truthful in his life.

“R. T. HALLOCK, M. D., J. T. WARNER, M. D., ALMIRA L. FOWLER, A. G. HULL, M. D., W. J. BANER, JOHN F. GRAY, M. D., SAMUEL T. FOWLER, MR. & MRS. CHARLES PARTRIDGE.”

_Testimony of the Rev. D. F. Goddard, Boston._

1662. “This is to certify that, during a long investigation of the modern phenomena which are now attracting attention in our own country and in the old, I have repeatedly seen my own table, in my own room, to which I know there is no nice machinery affixed for purposes of deception, without any contact whatever of earthly kind, raised, tipped, moved about the room, as if a strong man was there at work. Also, a piano-forte played upon in the same way, without mortal contact, producing most beautiful music—an ocean piece, in which a storm was represented succeeded by a calm. These phenomena occurred in the presence of several other individuals of both sexes, all of whom saw, and all of whom are ready to testify. I have also received from a medium, who never saw me before, and knew nothing of my family, the fact of my father’s death, his name, and a perfect _fac-simile_ of his handwriting; and this when I was not expecting such handwriting, and could not have possibly imitated it, without a copy, in the labour of three months. D. F. GODDARD.”

1663. As this work may be read by many who have not perused any other book on the subject of which it treats, I hope that those who take it up, having a knowledge of the most important spirit manifestations heretofore published, will excuse my quoting them here. My object is to furnish the readers of this volume a reasonably, comprehensive view of Spiritualism, without the necessity of their referring to works which may not be easily accessible.

1664. To the cool Yankee sagacity of Mrs. Fox and her daughters, the world is indebted for the happy result that these manifestations did not, like those which preceded them in other parts of the world, end in a mere inexplicable mystery, and erroneous inferences as to their origin. I allude here to the well-known fact, that similar manifestations were made in the early part of the last century, in Epworth, England, at the mansion of the celebrated clergyman, Wesley, and that one of his daughters was endowed with the attributes of a medium for many years, without the art of alphabetic communication having been suggested.

1665. I might here republish the history of the famous “_rappings_ and _knockings_” at Hydesville and Rochester, in the State of New York; but as regards evidence, they amount to about the same thing, only not so concentrated, as those demonstrations which occurred at the residence of the Rev. Dr. Phelps, in Stratford, Connecticut. The doctor, who is a Congregationalist, and one of the most worthy men in the world, became a convert to Spiritualism in consequence of these manifestations, an account of which is subjoined. I quote it from the excellent work of E. W. Capron, Esq., entitled, “Modern Spiritualism, its Facts and Fanaticisms.”

1666. I omit quoting the history of the abortive effort made by the spirits to communicate with the Wesleys, but refer the reader to the account published in a work entitled, “Memoirs of the Wesley Family,” by Adam Clark, LL.D., second edition, 1846; or to the work of Mr. Capron, already specified.

_Manifestations at Stratford, Conn., in the House of Rev. Eliakim Phelps, D.D.—Remarkable Exhibitions of Power.—Singular Occurrences.—Image-making.—Destruction of Furniture.—Incendiary Spirits.—The Spirits identified.—Unhappy Spirits, from the remembrance of wrong done in this World.—Wrong-doing revealed.—Directions given for restoring ill-gotten Gains.—Discontinuance of the Manifestations._

1667. “While these strange occurrences were taking place at Rochester and Auburn, and the press and people were busy in trying to account for them on strictly mundane principles, making all manner of insinuations against the character and motives of those who even dared to investigate for themselves, some manifestations took place at Stratford, Conn., which attracted attention to that quarter, as well on account of the character and standing of the gentleman at whose house they occurred, as the very strange, boisterous, and violent character of the manifestations. I have been allowed to examine all the records kept of the occurrences by Dr. Phelps, and shall be able, therefore, to present the history with more minuteness and accuracy than has ever before appeared.

1668. “The first disturbances took place on the tenth day of March, 1850, at the house of Rev. Eliakim Phelps, D.D. The house had been occupied by him from the 22d of February, 1848. It is a large and genteel country mansion, separated from the street by a fence forty-five feet in front of the house; which is thirty-two feet in front, and, including the piazza, seventy feet deep, with a hall thirteen feet wide, running through the whole depth of the building. Adjoining, and opening from this hall, are two parlours and a dining-room. On the second floor are five sleeping-rooms, and on the third floor two. The kitchen is in the basement. The house was built about the year 1829 or ‘30 by a Captain Dondall, who for several years commanded a vessel in the China trade, and who died in the Bay of Canton within two or three years after his family had taken up their residence in the house. The property then passed into the hands of another sea-captain, by the name of Purcell, who, with his family, occupied it for several years. Captain Purcell dying suddenly in New York, the family removed, and the house was occupied by an Episcopal clergyman for a school a year or more, and afterward by a Mr-—-, also as a school for boys.

1669. “None of the families who had thus far occupied the house had ever been disturbed, or witnessed any thing aside from ordinary events. At the death of Captain Purcell it became the property of the two daughters, of whom Dr. Phelps purchased it during the month of November, 1847. For two years previous to this it had been unoccupied. Dr. Phelps and family commenced their residence therein on the 22d of February, 1848. Nothing occurred to excite the attention of the family out of the ordinary course of events until the 10th of March, 1850; and, as before stated, nothing can be learned of any strange or unusual events occurring there previous to that time. It will be observed by the dates given that Dr. Phelps had occupied the house more than two years, had found it an agreeable and quiet place of residence—having never himself or any member of the family been disturbed or alarmed by unusual occurrences. On the 10th of March, as above stated, it being the Sabbath, Dr. Phelps and family, consisting of Mrs. Phelps, two daughters, and two sons, the eldest a daughter aged sixteen, a son of twelve years, and a second daughter of six years, children of Mrs. Phelps by a former marriage, and another son of Dr. Phelps by the present marriage, not then three years old, all attended church; and an Irish servant girl, who had been employed in the family some six months, and had shown herself to be honest and trustworthy, had gone on that day to Bridgeport, to attend the Catholic church. On leaving the house in the morning, it appears that the doctor had secured the chamber doors, and put the keys in his pocket; those which could be were locked inside and the keys left in them. The only door by which the chambers could be entered was locked, and the key taken by Dr. Phelps. He also locked the front door inside, left the key in the lock, and, passing out at the back door, locked that, and placed the key in his pocket. On returning from church at noon, the front door was found standing open; the chamber doors, which were left fastened, were now open; and in the nursery the furniture was thrown about in disorder; chairs on the bed, and thrown down upon the floor; the shovel, tongs, and poker, with other things, were in unusual positions and places, every thing showing unmistakable signs of the work of some rude hand making mischief in their absence. Upon discovering the disorder here, Dr. Phelps passed into other rooms on the same floor, but could see no further evidence of intrusion. The first supposition was, very naturally, that some person or persons had entered and robbed the house. Search was immediately made in the closets where silver plate, spoons, forks, etc., were kept. All were found safe and undisturbed. A gold watch, left in an exposed place, remained there as left. The impression still remained that burglars had been in; and, on examination of the windows, one was found that could be raised from the outside, and though there was no evidence of entrance having been made there, no doubt existed that this was the place of access. Thinking they might return during the afternoon, Dr. Phelps remained at home, the other members of the family going again to church. Being left alone, the doctor armed himself, and, selecting a secluded position, awaited the return of the burglars. There was no disturbance during the afternoon; no sound of footfall; all remained quiet. On the return of the family, after the service, usually closing at three o’clock, several other articles were found out of place, but not in a way to make it certain that they were not moved in the morning. Articles of kitchen furniture were changed about. A teakettle, which had been used at dinner-time, was found hidden behind some boxes in the cellar. The bread, sugar-bowl, eggs, and numerous other things kept in the kitchen, were found where they did not belong, and where they had evidently been placed in some way which the family could not account for. Upon entering the middle chamber, occupied as a sleeping-room, a sheet was found spread over the bed outside the counterpane, and beneath which was a nightgown and _chemise_ laid out with the arms folded across the breast, with stockings placed in a position to represent, as it seemed, a corpse disposed as is usual before placing it in the coffin. On the wall were written characters resembling those said by certain clairvoyants to belong to a spiritual language, but which none of the family were able to decipher. Whether they had any significance, or how they came there, was alike an unanswerable question by the family; they had not observed them before. Occurrences ceased for that day and night, yet, no one thinking of any mystery in the matter, they imputed it to roguish boys, or others, who had effected entrance with false keys, for mischief rather than for robbery, and that the culprits would soon be detected. The next morning, March 11th, when the family went up stairs, after breakfast, the middle chamber had again been visited, exhibiting much the same scene of disorder presented the previous day. A sheet was spread out upon the floor, the washstand laid upon its back upon the sheet, a candlestick set upon the stand, the washbowl placed upon one side, and the pitcher on the other. The nightgown and chemise, used on the previous occasion to represent a dead body, were found one in the bowl, the other in the pitcher. It appears that these articles of clothing were not then in use; they had been placed in a trunk which stood in a closet adjoining that room. They were replaced in the trunk when removed from the bed the day before. As they were conversing in relation to the disposition of the things as above stated, Mrs. Phelps looked under the bed, and discovered articles there, partially concealed by the bed, resembling those in question. They were taken out and pronounced to be the same. Dr. Phelps had not before examined them, but then took them, noted the name and number on each, as they were marked, folded and placed them again in the trunk, remarking that he would put them where they would stay; did not lock the trunk, not having a key, but locked the closet and placed the key about his own person; then requesting the family to all leave the room first, which they did, the doctor, following, locked the door of the room, and kept the key. Having observed that Mrs. Phelps seemed a little troubled as to the mystery, he thought to convince her that there was no mystery in the matter, and, having secured the closet and room, he descended to the rooms below, following them all. After the lapse of some fifteen minutes, some person spoke to the doctor, upon which he went up to the chambers. At the head of the stairs, out in the hall, he found the same articles which he had left as before stated. He examined them, and was _positive they were the same_. He went to the door, found it locked, entered by applying the key from his pocket, went to the closet, found it locked, took the key from his pocket, opened the door, looked in the trunk, and the articles were gone! Dr. Phelps states that he was confident there was no deception in the case, and that he then, for the first, felt that there was a mystery about the affair. He had never believed in the appearing of ghosts or departed spirits, warnings, or any thing of that nature, and, at the age of threescore, had never seen or heard any thing connected with that class of phenomena. The evidence upon which such superstitions, as he termed them, rest, he had never examined, and, while he had no proof positive that they were impossible, and never did occur, he had no evidence to found a belief upon that they ever had. His idea of spiritual manifestations seems to have been that most, if not all, followed by a strict scrutiny, might be accounted for on natural or known principles, or some physical means, which would disrobe them of the mysterious altogether. But it was not to rest here. On the same day (March 11th) the moving and throwing of furniture commenced. An umbrella, standing at the end of the hall, leaped, without visible assistance, a distance of at least twenty-five feet. Dr. Phelps saw the movement, and knows there was no perceptible agency by which the motion was produced. A bucket, standing at the head of the stairs, was thrown into the entry below. Smaller articles, such as nails, forks, knives, spoons, bits of tin, iron, and keys, were thrown from different directions about the house. He says, ‘There were times when they came from such directions that they _might_ have been thrown by some person in the house’—at least, that may be admitted; but in very many cases the motion and point of starting were such as to preclude all possibility of deception on the part of persons in the rooms. During the afternoon, Dr. and Mrs. Phelps had occasion to go to Bridgeport, a distance of some three miles. During their absence the shovel and tongs, standing in the dining-room, were thrown violently down the basement stairs; a piece of mourning-crape fastened to the knocker of the back door, and the mirrors in the front chambers covered with sheets and tablecloths, as is the custom in some parts of the country while a person lies dead in the house. The crape on the door Dr. Phelps did not see, but the covering on the mirrors he removed with his own hands. The position of the mirrors in one room was such that the coverings could not, without great difficulty, have been placed there by any person about the house. Various articles were said to have been thrown about the room—the phenomena continuing in his absence about the same as when he was present in the fore part of the day. Soon after sundown all was again quiet, and so continued through the night.

1670. “The next morning, (March 12th,) soon after the family were up, the same phenomena began again; knives, forks, spoons, blocks of wood, nails, etc. etc. were thrown from different directions, and with increased frequency, attended by still stranger circumstances, and those of a still more mysterious character. Mrs. Phelps expressed some alarm, and a wish that some of the neighbours might be called in. Dr. Phelps called on a retired clergyman of Stratford, a man of extensive information, much experience, and sound judgment, who was universally admitted to be capable of rendering correct judgment and good advice in such a case. He requested him to call and spend an hour at the house, to which he cheerfully consented. Dr. P. told him that his family had been a little excited by some occurrences in the house, but did not state any of the details of the matter, but desired that he would sit with them for a short time and witness for himself. He remained all day, but was, at first, firmly of the opinion that the occurrences were produced, in some way, through the agency of the girl, or some other person about the house, and his main attention was directed to the girl in the kitchen, or the children, in the expectation that he should detect them in doing it.

1671. “The door leading from the parlours to the kitchen was, by his request, locked, and all communication between it and the other parts of the house cut off; still, the throwing of articles went on as before. The children were sent out of the room, and the doors locked; but this made no difference. He stayed through most of the day on Thursday, and returned soon after breakfast next morning, and remained most of the time for nearly three weeks. He became satisfied, before the close of the second day, that neither the girl in the kitchen nor the children had any agency in producing the strange movements. During the day (March 12th) some of the neighbours were in the house, and small blocks of wood were seen to fall in different places in their presence; but only one person noticed them in a way to excite inquiry, and that person was requested not to mention what she had seen.

1672. “On Wednesday, March 13th, the manifestations commenced early in the morning, in the middle chamber, the room in which two children slept, and began while they were both asleep. A book, standing in the library, ten or twelve feet from the bed, leaped from the shelf into the middle of the room. The blower, which was in the grate, leaped out on the floor, a distance of at least six feet, the noise of which first awakened the children. At the breakfast-table several articles were thrown; among them a large potato, which had been sent from Pennsylvania, and laid up in a closet in the east chamber, fell on the table directly by the side of Dr. P.'s plate, in a manner that no person could have done it without instant detection. The doctor’s curiosity was much excited, and he watched, with all the scrutiny he was capable, every person in the room. He took up the potato and let it fall from different heights, in order to determine how far it must have fallen to have made the concussion that it did; and it was adjudged by all that the distance could not have been more than twelve or fifteen inches.

1673. “Rev. Mr.—— came in soon after breakfast, and remained during the day. Several Bibles were opened at different passages, which seemed to be selected with a great deal of care, and indicated either by placing small pieces of paper on them or turning down a leaf. These things first occurred in the middle chamber, where the library stood. While the family were at dinner similar things were done in the parlour adjoining the dining-room. Two Bibles and an Episcopal prayer-book were opened at different passages, chairs turned forward on the floor, two solar lamps placed on the floor, a hat and man’s cap put one on each; nearly every thing in the room had been moved, and in so _short a time_, that it seems wholly inadmissible that any person about the house could have done it; beside, the whole household were in the dining-room, all seated at the table, except the servant, and she was employed waiting on the table.

1674. “In the afternoon the demonstrations were confined to the middle parlour; Dr. and Mrs. Phelps, and Mr.——, and, a part of the time, the eldest daughter, being present; in the absence of the daughter the doors were locked, and the three first named only were present.

1675. “The throwing of various things occupied the afternoon. The articles thrown were picked up and placed upon the mantel, and between the hours of one and four o’clock, the number amounted to forty-six; among which were nails, bits of tin, iron, keys, and small blocks, all of which were gathered from different parts of the house; most of them from closets on the second floor and the chambers. At one time, while Mr. M-—- was standing near the centre of the room, a padlock, which was known to have been in the closet of the middle chamber, fell at his feet. He took it in his hand, letting it fall from different heights, to discover the probable distance it must have fallen to produce the concussion. After various trials it was judged to have fallen not more than two or two and a half feet. As Dr. P. was sitting, perhaps ten feet from the piano-forte, he saw a small toy-mouse, which was on the piano, arise as if tossed, and, describing a parabola as it came, fall at his side, so near that he took it from the floor without leaving his chair. This he speaks of seeing as distinctly as he ever saw any thing, the whole being perfectly in his view. He also saw, in the same way, among other things, a nail, cotton-spool, and key, arise from behind the sofa, which stood diagonally across the corner of the room. He arose, went to the sofa, looking behind and under it, but could discover nothing which might give impulse to the articles. While examining the carpet about the sofa to find if any other things were there, without success, as his eyes were directed to one spot, there arose from that very point a piece of cheese-rind, perhaps eight inches from the floor; when he saw it first it arose four or five feet, passed over the sofa, and fell on the floor. He is positive it was not there when he was looking at the carpet, and knows there were no visible means of its moving.

1676. “Mr. M-—- suggested, as he was about to leave on Wednesday night, that if the strange phenomena should return, he would like to have some other persons called in. Early the next morning, Thursday, the 14th, the manifestations commenced about as they had on the previous day. Soon after breakfast a sheet was found spread upon the floor, several Bibles were opened at different places, the candlesticks, in a row, the highest in the middle, and covered with a sheet; other articles changed about the room, without any seeming design, more than to attract attention. Mr. M-—- proposed that notes be despatched to Rev. Mr. W-—-, Congregational minister, and Mr. Plant, a lawyer of high standing and respectability, which was accordingly done. It was at this time that they first began to hear rappings and heavy poundings. A loud sound, like some person striking the floor with some heavy substance, was heard, generally in the middle chamber. This was usually done when no one was in the chamber, and on any one entering all was still. In one instance a chair was seen to rise from the floor and beat down again, five or six times, with a violence which caused the house to tremble so as to be felt in all the adjoining apartments. A large plated candlestick, standing on the mantel, was moved by some unseen power to the floor, and then rose up and down, beating the floor, until the candlestick was broken. This was the first article that was damaged about the house. Several times during the day loud noises, like some one pounding with an axe or some heavy substance on the floor, were heard in different parts of the house, and several times the loud poundings terminated with a frightful scream; it was not a cry of distress, or any thing that could be easily imitated, seeming like something between the cry of a cat and the bleating of a calf, but louder than either. These sounds occurred in all probably twenty times while the manifestations were going on. Sometimes the screams seemed to be in the third story, sometimes in the front-hall chamber, several times out in the yard, and occasionally in other places. There was at no time any audible expression of words. The sounds consisted of poundings, knockings, and screamings. On this day the first images were found, which will be spoken of more fully hereafter.

1677. “In the evening of this day, just after some young ladies had called, Dr. P.‘s daughter returned to the parlour, it being between nine and ten o’clock. After seeing the young ladies to the door, an iron stand, in which stood the fire-shovel, tongs, and poker, leaped from the hearth, where it stood, into the middle of the floor, and rose up and beat the floor with a force that made a jar that could be felt, and the sound heard, in any part of the house. This was seen only by the daughter, but Dr. P. and wife heard the noise. The daughter ran through the dining-room to get up stairs, and, as she passed, a large table was standing, with the other furniture, arranged for breakfast the next morning. The table was three feet nine inches wide, and five feet three inches long, made of solid mahogany; and when she entered the room it rose up and beat five or six times against the floor with a force which made the house jar. The noise was heard by many persons in the house. Mrs. P. was alarmed, and screamed out, ‘Oh, take me from this place!’ This happened between nine and ten o’clock, P. M. Previous to this time all manifestations had ceased by sundown, or a little after.

1678. “Soon after daylight on Friday, March 15th, movements similar to those on previous days commenced. Henry, a lad then eleven and a half years of age, attended the academy, and nothing had, thus far, ever occurred to connect these strange phenomena with his presence. Dr. P. had never heard or thought of particular persons being ‘mediums.’ But on this day the remarkable occurrences seemed to be connected more or less with this boy. His cap was torn on his head, so as to be entirely destroyed. Another one which he put on was taken in the same way. First a small hole opened in the crown; this gradually extended, and in a short time it was torn into many pieces. On another cap characters were made, apparently with chalk. They resembled those sometimes made by persons in the higher mesmeric state, describing them as characters of a spiritual language. Five or six of these characters were, at one time, made on the boy’s cap. Others, supposed to constitute a sentence, were written on a red pocket-handkerchief; others on his pantaloons and coat, and on the _inside_ of his sack-coat. Copies of these characters were taken with great care, and were preserved till September following, when they were mysteriously destroyed. From this time it became evident that some of the phenomena had some kind of connection with this boy.

1679. “An umbrella which he was carrying was, in a mysterious manner, torn in several pieces. His pantaloons were torn from the bottom upward, as high as the knee, and sometimes higher, and were literally torn to ribbons, an inch or more wide. This occurred several times under the immediate inspection of Rev. Mr. M., which seems to fix the fact that, in those instances at least, no power visible did it. Thus it continued for several weeks, clothing to the amount of twenty dollars being destroyed. At one time, while he was riding in a carriage with Dr. P., his cap on his head was torn in a mysterious manner, and his pants torn from the waistband to the bottom, in a way that no human power could have done. Dr. P. heard them torn, but could see nothing doing it, and knows the boy could not have done it himself. It was on this day, March 15th, that images, dressed in articles of clothing, were again seen; only two or three appeared on that day. The most extraordinary occurrences of this kind took place on Saturday, the 16th. Soon after breakfast two or three images appeared in the middle chamber; soon again another, followed by others still, numbering in all eleven or twelve. They were formed of articles of clothing, found about the house, stuffed to resemble the human figure. A lady’s dress would be stuffed in some cases with a muff; again with a pillow, and sometimes with other dresses; a bonnet and shoes were aptly placed to complete the figure. These, on this occasion, all but one, represented females in the attitude of devotion, some having Bibles or prayer-books placed before them. One, formed of Mrs. P.‘s dress, so much resembled the real, that the little boy, scarce three years old, coming into the room with his sister, older, whispered, ‘Be still, ma is saying prayers.’

1680. “A portable writing-desk, usually standing on the secretary in the room, was taken and placed upon the floor, a towel spread over it, and the image of a child kneeling beside it. A Yankee clock was taken from the mantel in the nursery and placed upon the floor in the middle room, a distance of twenty feet, and so carefully done that the clock was still going when discovered in its new place, though it stopped some time after. It does not appear that any of these images were seen in the process of construction, or that the clothing, which was gathered from different localities, was seen in the act of moving. When persons entered the room every thing was still, the clothing about the floor, which, upon going in again within a few minutes, were found wrought into forms. The marked rapidity of their construction, and the lifelike appearance of them, seems to have been truly wonderful. During this day several others than members of the family were present. In several instances, when the rooms were closed and the doors guarded, so that no person could enter, the images were constructed. To one reading or listening to the relation of these facts, the mischief and cunning evinced will seem amusing as well as most wonderful; but to the family, who bore the annoyance and witnessed the terrifying demonstrations, it was a serious and trying affair.

1681. “The reader will keep in mind that this was on Saturday of the first week of these strange proceedings, and many persons were still believing that they must be produced by some one in the house; every member of the family therefore was subjected to the most rigid scrutiny, which makes it morally certain that no member of the household could have had any agency in the matter without being at once detected. Beside the neatness and despatch with which they were formed, the natural appearance of most of them must have required taste and skill beyond the conception of ordinary persons in the flesh. Mr. M. remained there throughout the day, Mr. W., Governor Plant, and Captain S., a part of the day. During the day and evening various things were thrown in different parts of the house. A brick-bat, which lay on the stairs leading to the third story, was thrown violently down stairs, passing very near the head of the eldest daughter as she was descending the stairs. A fire-shovel was also thrown near her, which she first saw high above her in a position to fall upon her head. She was several times constrained to cry out from fear, so much as to cause apprehension on her account.

1682. “[I omit, in this place, at the request of Dr. Phelps, a minute account of occurrences in which the medium seemed to be one who has now grown to be a young woman, and would feel a repugnance at having her name mentioned in connection with the subject. At one time a ribbon was tied around her neck, while she was sleeping, so tight as to cause a serious affection of the brain. Dr. Phelps was sitting in the room when it was done. Several other remarkable occurrences are omitted, on account of her connection with them. In the main they do not differ materially in their nature from the occurrences herein related.]

1683. “The hiding of hats, caps, clothing, &c., seems at this time to have become of common occurrence. On several occasions a hat was seen to go up stairs—not thrown, but seemed to be carried rapidly by unseen hands. For several days Dr. P. was forced to keep his hat under lock and key to prevent its disappearance, if left out as usual. Coats, hats, and canes of gentlemen, who were strangers in the house, were spirited away; the only object seeming to be the gratification of mischievous desires, with the exception of a few instances. They were found sometimes in the chimney, under the bed, and in the bottom of trunks. The design seemed to be to detain the owners to witness further demonstrations. Two gentlemen from an adjoining town called, one of whom had expressed an earnest desire to witness the phenomena; but having passed several hours, and seeing nothing, they were about to leave, when the person who expressed the wish found himself minus a hat. A thorough searching followed, but no hat could be found; consequently, the gentleman decided to remain until the next day. During the evening and night, phenomena transpired sufficient to gratify his most abundant desire. Similar cases, with like results, afterward occurred.

1684. “On the nineteenth and twentieth, little occurred to cause alarm. Some of the family heard loud and frightful screams in an adjacent outhouse, which must have been torturing to the feelings, much more so than the silent images. Small articles were also thrown about the house. Reports had now got abroad, and some excitement was being produced, as is always the case in country towns, where each person knows their neighbour’s private business quite as well, and sometimes better, than those most interested. And in a matter of this kind all efforts to prevent publicity would prove unavailing. Curiosity and staring wonder would overstep all bounds of propriety and respect for the private rights and feelings of the family, forgetting that it is no slight thing for the harmony and quiet of a household to be invaded, each member being subjected to suspicion, ill-natured scrutiny, or careless reproach. On this subject I can speak from experience, having myself passed the ordeal. To persons of refined sensibility it is a trial indeed. In this case, Dr. P. adopted the rule of giving all who called an opportunity to investigate for themselves, and to this rule he adhered, notwithstanding the annoyance such a constant visitation must have occasioned. In one instance, while a rabble was gathered outside, a stranger, who came unintroduced by letter or otherwise, asked to spend the night, and was refused for obvious reasons.

1685. “On Friday and Saturday, March 23d and 24th, the disturbances increased, and became still more annoying. Loud poundings and screams were heard in different places, and on Saturday evening, between sunset and dark, Harry was passing through the dining-room, and thought himself suddenly caught up by some unseen power from the floor, and supposed that he was about to be carried off through the ceiling. He was very much frightened, and screamed so as to alarm the family, and remained in a state of great nervous excitement for two or three hours, and the effects did not wholly wear off for more than a week. At times he was in such a state as to require two men to hold him. For several days after this, he spent a portion of his time with one of the neighbours during the day; but the disturbances continued the same at the house, although he appeared to be more or less the medium as long as the phenomena continued. At one time he was thrown into a cistern of water; at another he was tied up and suspended from a tree, and several times was thrown into a state of apparent insensibility, in which he would remain from ten to fifteen minutes, and for which no human cause could be assigned.

1686. “Somewhere about the 20th or 22d of March, Dr. P.‘s attention was called to a pamphlet, (Capron and Barron’s,) giving a history of the ‘mysterious noises’ at Rochester and Auburn. Several persons who had read the same proposed to question the agents of these disturbances in the manner there recorded, and see if they could get answers to questions. To this the doctor objected, for reasons known to himself, but which may readily be imagined by those knowing his position in life, and his general opinions of such phenomena.

1687. “On the 26th of March Anna left Stratford, and on the 3d of April Harry also left. No manifestations took place while both were away. Harry was absent a week, and Anna three weeks; but the very day that Harry returned, the manifestations commenced with greater power than ever. Even before he arrived at the house, a paper with some mysterious characters was dropped near the front door. These characters were interpreted by a clairvoyant[37] to read as follows:

1688. ‘Fear not when he returns; all danger is o’er. We came, we disturbed thy house; but shall no more. Believe us not evil or good, till we prove Our speech to humanity, our language of love.’

1689. This was supposed to indicate that no further disturbance would be made; but in the course of two or three hours another paper was found in the boy’s hat, in these words:

1690. ‘The good ones say that all is done, But the wicked ones say it has just begun.’

1691. The ‘wicked ones,’ in this case, seemed to come nearer the truth than the ‘good ones;’ for, on the afternoon of the eighth of April, the breaking of glass commenced for the first time, by the breaking of a pane in a mysterious manner. In the evening of the same day another was broken during family prayers, some of the pieces falling inside and some outside. There were no indications of any thing being thrown against it.

1692. From this time forward for several weeks glass was broken almost daily, until the whole number of panes broken amounted to _seventy-one_ in the house and out-buildings. Most of them were broken by something being thrown against them; among the articles were a brush, a shoe, a poker, a fire-shovel, a candlestick, a pair of snuffers, books, and numerous other things; occasionally a stone or piece of brick, thrown from the outside.

1693. Dr. P. thinks it would have been possible, but not probable, that, in some of these cases, they might have been broken by human agency; but he was an eye-witness in some twenty or thirty cases, and knows that they could not have been so done. He saw a brush, which he knew to have been on a certain shelf but a moment before, and no person near the shelf, fly to the window, break out a glass, and fall down between the shutter and sash, where he knew from the position that no one could have thrown it. He saw a tumbler, which was standing on a bureau, rise from its place, fly to the window, and dash out the only pane remaining whole in the window, when no person was within twenty feet of it, and the only persons in the room were himself and Harry, the latter standing by the doctor’s side in the doorway of the room—a position in which it was utterly impossible for him to have done it without detection.

1694. The mysterious visitors, whoever they were, seemed at times to be actuated by a spirit of sheer mischief in the destruction of property, particularly glass and crockery. Even the glass in the carriage-top was broken out. Pitchers of water were, on two or three occasions, poured into the beds, and the pitchers and other vessels thrown about the room and broken. The damage to furniture during the whole time was nearly two hundred dollars. Sometimes there was a cessation of ‘hostilities’ for two or three days; but they would then return with additional violence; in fact, they increased gradually in violence from the beginning to the middle of April. On the evening of that day, and during the night, they were more violent and destructive than ever before. On the night of the 13th of April, loud pounding and beating, as with some hard substance, were frequent in the room adjoining that in which Dr. P. slept; so loud and continued were they, that at one o’clock no person in the house had been able to sleep. Soon after, a small drawer was taken from a dressing-table, and beaten so violently against the bedstead as to break it into fragments, some of which were thrown against the windows, breaking two panes of glass. The knockings were now transferred to Mrs. P.‘s room. She was pinched, pricked with pins, and otherwise annoyed in a manner beyond explanation ‘on any known laws of matter or mind.’ Mr. W. C. was staying in the house that night. He went to the room by request, and proposed to interrogate them, as they were then doing at Rochester and other places in Western New York. Being left to act his pleasure, he queried, and was replied to as follows: ‘Who are you? If a spirit, knock.’ Immediately there were heard on the head of the bed distinct knocks. _Q._—‘Are you a good or bad spirit? If good, knock.’ To this there was no answering sound. ‘If a bad spirit, knock.’ At once the same sounds as before were heard. _Q._—‘Will you spell your name if the alphabet is called?’ _A._—Knock. It was done; and a name was spelled out, and a communication made of a most extraordinary character, detailing the particulars of a transaction in which a portion of the family were said to have been defrauded out of a large property. As this whole communication relates to a matter which may yet come before the tribunals of our country for adjudication, I am expressly prohibited from making any extracts from this part of the journal. I regret this more, as the facts in this case form one of the most wonderful and unaccountable cases on record.

1695. The family concluded that, after these important disclosures were made, the disturbances would cease; but they were doomed to be disappointed. The following night no communications were made, but the throwing of articles and breaking of windows, crockery, etc., were renewed with greater violence than before. Four or five panes of glass were broken in one room in the space of half an hour. While the family were together in the east chamber, a small sauce-dish, with an iron handle, rose from the floor, under the washstand, and beat against the bedstead with such violence as to break the handle off, and was then thrown back from whence it started. It beat seven or eight times against the bedstead, producing a noise that could easily be heard twenty rods. A round of a chair was beaten against the bedstead in the same manner, when there was no person within seven or eight feet of it. A lamp that was on the mantel leaped into the middle of the floor, and was extinguished. Being left thus suddenly in the dark produced no little agitation, and Mrs. Phelps proposed that they should take the children and go into the street, rather than stay in the house that night. In a few minutes two gentlemen, who had appointed to spend the night with them, arrived, and the more violent of the manifestations ceased.

1696. About this time, Dr. P.‘s attention was called to the fact that the demonstrations were much more violent in the presence of some persons than of others. While some were present they would cease entirely, and commence as soon as they left, with great vehemence.

1697. On the 17th the communications were renewed, and from that time they had frequent communications, mainly respecting the property affair. At one time they asked how they should know that this was really from the spirit it purported to be, and requested his signature; when in less than four minutes a small piece of paper, having on it an exact fac-simile of his handwriting, was seen sticking to the wall—the writing apparently done with a pencil. Dr. Phelps still preserves the original paper, with the name inked over. It was stuck to the wall by being made damp.

1698. It was now discovered that, in order to get the rapping, the presence of Henry was necessary. At one time a request was made by the rapping to send him to New York, and a threat that all the windows in the house would be broken, if they did not, was made; but in a few minutes after, a small piece of paper was seen to fall, apparently from the ceiling, and on it written, ‘Send him not to New York—evil will befall him.’ It was evident that there were two or more contending agencies engaged in the manifestations. It was not easy to define or imagine what their objects were. At times, when one was making a communication, the other would rap, seemingly to make confusion. At other times, when a communication was being made by alphabet, a paper would be dropped down, and on it written, ‘It is all a lie; don’t believe what he says.” Sometimes language the most profane, and occasionally, but rarely, obscene, would be written out in this way. Inquiry was made as to how these contradictory communications were to be accounted for, and the answer was that an opposing spirit was attempting to defeat the object of the first; that this spirit was now one of his tormentors; that both were in a state of misery, and his suffering would be mitigated if the object of the first could be accomplished, although he would never go to a state of happiness.

1699. “Among the spirits who communicated were two who professed to be in a state of happiness, and three in a state of misery. One of the good spirits claimed to be a sister of him who made the first communication; she communicated frequently, and constantly manifested herself in the morning and evening devotions of the family, and always gave two distinct knocks at the utterance of ‘Amen.’ Upon inquiry as to the meaning of these two knocks, the answer was given that it was a response, after the manner of the Episcopal service, signifying that she joined in the devotions.

1700. Much that was communicated after the first few days was of a trifling and childish character; some, more like what would be received from street rowdies than any thing else. To the question why they destroyed property, they replied, ‘For fun.’ It was asked of the opposing spirit what could be done to afford him relief; he answered that ‘The best thing they could do would be to give him a piece of pie.’ Sometimes letters would come, purporting to be from ministers of Philadelphia, giving accounts of conversions in their congregations and additions to their churches. These were addressed to the doctor, and indicated a knowledge of things in Philadelphia to an astonishing degree. Some of the letters were addressed to Mrs. Phelps, signed, or rather purporting to be signed, by departed spirits of persons who had lived in Philadelphia, and all, or nearly all, who had lived in a single square, and were the acquaintances of Mrs. Phelps, during a residence in that city, in the time of her former marriage. Sentimental notes were also addressed to the daughter. These letters and billets were frequent, amounting in all to nearly one hundred, and were all written in one hand, though purporting to come from different persons. The fact was at one time referred to, and an explanation desired, to which the following was given: ‘We do not write with the hand—do not touch the pencil; we write with the will.’ At one time a paper was thrown down to Mrs. Phelps, while in the parlour with a number of ladies, having written on it, with a pencil, as follows:

1701. ‘SIR: Sir Sambo’s compliments, and begs the laddyes to accept as a token of esteem.’

1702. A lady in the family of Dr. Phelps had, in a humorous way, requested the spirits to write her a letter that she might send to a friend in Philadelphia. The spirit complied with the request by sending down the following:

1703. ‘DEAR MARY: I have just time to write and tell you I am well. Give my love to Miss K. and her uncle. Also to Mrs. and Mr. D. Also to Sarah. Good-bye. H. P. DEVIL.’

1704. The initials of the lady’s name who asked for the letter were H. P.

1705. Papers were also thrown down, signed ‘Beelzebub’ and ‘Sam Slick.’ Sometimes names of persons whom the family had known in Philadelphia, but who had been dead several years, were signed to these papers.

1706. The following was in pencil, and seems to be written in the same hand as the other. It was superscribed ‘E. Phelps:’

1707. ‘If you promise not to write what I told you, I will not throw any thing all this week.’

1708. On the 28th of July, 1850, two singular letters were thrown down, addressed to Dr. Phelps. They were both in one handwriting, but were signed by two different orthodox clergymen of Philadelphia. Their interest in religious movements, and their acquaintance with the phraseology of ‘revival’ correspondence, are seen at a glance. ‘St. Peter’s,’ in the second letter, is a Puseyite church.

1709. ‘DEAR BROTHER: The Lord is dealing bountifully with his chosen people. Brother Barnes admitted to the church forty-nine last Sunday, and Brother Parker thirty-four to-day. Brother Converse has had the cholera, and Brother Fairchild has grown so fleshy as scarcely to be recognised. Our friend Mr. Tarr has buried his wife. She died of consumption. E. Tarr is married. Brother Mahu, being suddenly inspired last Sunday, spoke so eloquently and so loud, and used such majestic action, as to be quite done up for a while. He broke a blood-vessel. Old Tiers has gone crazy, and is shut up in a mad-house, or, rather, a hospital. The H-—-s have gone into the country to spend some time. That’s all the news. ‘Your faithful brother in Christ,

‘R. A.’

1710. ‘DEAR BROTHER: The millennium truly is coming. The day of the Lord is at hand. We are adding countless numbers to the altar of the Lord. Brother A-—- became inspired last Sunday to such a degree, that his soul took its flight to the regions above, and has not yet returned. The Catholic churches, St. Joseph’s and St. Mary’s, were burned down; St. Peter’s, also—I believe that is a Catholic church. Brother Mahu was preaching from the text, ‘Resist the devil,’ &c., when he was suddenly overturned by an invisible power, which frightened him so that his hair turned white in five minutes.

1711. ‘Brother Barnes, to render his church more attractive, is going to have opera-singing and dancing every Sunday afternoon. Mrs. Alexander Tower, old Mr. Tiers, Brother Fairchild, and Mrs. Somerville are going to dance. I think they will find it a very lucrative employment. Jane and Martha still progress in Hebrew. ‘Your affectionate brother, M. R.’

1712. On Sunday, April 27th, 1851, on returning from church, the family found strange characters written on the last leaf of a writing-book, lying on the hall floor, although it was known to be in the nursery previous to their going away. None of the family had any knowledge of how the book got into the hall.[38]

1713. H. C. Gordon, a clairvoyant, interpreted the characters as follows: The first line, 95th Psalm, 2d verse; second line, 3d and 6th verse; and the third line, the 10th verse.

1714. Certain characters were found on the wall in the east chamber, on Sunday morning, May 4th, 1851. They were made with a candle on the wall near the south window.

1715. These were translated to be, ‘Spirits of a higher order desire to communicate with you soon.’

1716. Spirit-writing, without visible human agency, has never been a common mode of communicating, although it was among the early occurrences at Hydesville, Rochester, and Auburn.[39]

1717. Sometimes these missives were enclosed in a book, and thrown down stairs or into the room; sometimes wrapped about a key or nail, or any thing that would give a momentum, and thrown into the room. Often they were seen to fall from above; this occurring frequently when the doors were closed, and it was not possible for any visible agent to have been the cause. Writing would appear on the wall at times, made, as it appeared, with a pencil. On one occasion, Dr. Phelps was writing at his desk, and, turning his back for a few moments, without leaving his chair, turned again to his paper, where he found written in large letters, ‘Very nice paper and very nice ink for the devil.’ The ink was not yet dry, the desk was not two feet from him as he sat, and he was entirely alone in the room.

1718. About the first of May, Dr. Phelps, of Boston, brother of the Rev. Doctor, and Prof. Phelps, of Andover, a son of the Rev. Doctor, went to Stratford to ‘expose the humbug,’ and with a full belief that it was a trick of evil-minded persons, and that they should be able to detect and expose it without trouble; and they were disappointed, as hundreds have been under like circumstances. On Tuesday evening a loud rap was heard on the back door, seeming to be made by the knocker, loud enough to be heard twenty rods distant. The servant went to the door, but no person was there. After the lapse of five or eight minutes, the rap was repeated. It was then supposed that some one had done it mischievously; but, on looking about, no person was discovered. It was in the shades of evening, but not dark enough to prevent any person being seen, who might have done it, as easily as at mid-day. The knocking came the third time, when Dr. Phelps—the visitor—placed himself in the hall, perhaps four feet from the door, and the Professor, of Andover, took a position on the steps without, each having full view of the door. The same loud raps were repeated on the door between them. The knocker did not move, nor could the eye detect any cause for what met the ear. The noise was heard throughout the house, and both the gentlemen were positive that no visible agent was employed to produce it. About bed-time, a loud pounding was heard on the chamber-door. The gentlemen, each with a candle in hand, stood on either side of the door, as the pounding, as though done with a heavy boot, was continued. The noise appeared to each to be on the side of the door opposite to him. On the following morning, as Dr. Phelps, of Stratford, was standing at the foot of the stairs leading to the third story, a noise as loud and much resembling the report of a pistol occurred apparently close to his ear. These boisterous sounds occurred at intervals during a great part of the time that the disturbance was continued. Sometimes for weeks they would not be heard; and again for days they were heard every day.

1719. It would seem, from various occurrences, that the agents of these sounds, whoever they were, must have been human beings, or, at least, possessed of all the leading characteristics of humanity. They were evidently influenced by kindness or unkindness, by respect and confidence, as persons generally are in this life. Some instances illustrating this are given. One morning, during the breakfast hour, they would push the table suddenly, raise up one side and shake it in such a manner as to spill the coffee, and otherwise occasion serious inconvenience. A person at the table spoke to them in a tone of authority, commanding them to desist; but the act was at once repeated. Again they were commanded to cease, but increased violence followed this command. This was five or six times repeated, and the shaking was each time renewed. At length another person at the table said, ‘I request you kindly to cease this annoyance, and allow us to take our breakfast quietly,’ and they ceased at once, without a repetition. It was found, from this time, that kindness had about the same effect upon them that it produces upon mankind at large. A lady, the wife of a clergyman, spent a few weeks in the family during the summer, who received many communications from them, would often, when the scissors, thimble, or things of that kind, were mislaid, say, ‘I will thank the spirits to return my thimble, scissors,’ or whatever was missing, and the article named would drop at her side, or in her lap, within a minute. Things of this kind occurred very many times in the course of the time that these phenomena were continued. If a key or knife, or any thing of the kind, was mislaid, and any person was looking for it, frequently it would be thrown to them as though their wants were anticipated. Dr. Phelps was once with Harry in the stable, when the currycomb could not be found, and he asked Harry where it was, to which Harry replied that he did not know. At that moment, the doctor saw it rise, as if thrown, from a point ten feet distant from them, and, describing a parabola, fall within a short distance of the spot where they both were standing.

1720. About the middle of May, Dr. Phelps and Harry were riding to Huntington, a distance of seven miles. When they had proceeded about one mile on the way, a stone, about the size of a hen’s egg, was thrown into the carriage, and lodged on Dr. Phelps’s hat. Soon another and another were thrown in. The carriage was a covered one, and the back curtain was down, and there was no way a stone could have been thrown in by ordinary means. At one house where they stopped, the moment the front door was opened, two stones were thrown, one of which entered the door as it stood partly open, and the other hit one of the lights of glass, and broke it. Harry was standing on the door-steps at the time, and there was no one in the street who could have thrown them. Two stones were also thrown against another house where they stopped of an errand. Sixteen stones were thrown into the carriage on the doctor’s return, and, including those thrown against the two houses, twenty, in driving three or four hours.

1721. As it was now apparent that these strange things were in some way connected with Harry as a medium, it was thought best to separate him from the family. Accordingly board was obtained for him in a family some two miles distant. One day, when he came home, he told his mother, in great secrecy, that on the night previous he had been awakened from his sleep by some person dressed in white, whom he saw standing by his bedside. He was frightened, and was about to scream, when the person spoke and said, ‘Be not afraid, my son; I am your father;’ and then placed in the boy’s hand a silver watch, and told him to wear it for his sake. The boy affirms that he had the watch in his hand; that it was not a dream; and that he was entirely awake; and that his father told him to tell no one of it but his mother and Dr. P. His mother told him it was nothing but a dream, and turned it off as a light affair.

1722. It seems that a valuable silver watch had been left the boy by his father, which was not in use, but had been kept locked up in a drawer of a dressing-table, to which he (Harry) had no access. A member of the family, having occasion to look into the drawer, saw the watch, and knows it was there, and that the drawer was locked, and the key given to Mrs. P. A few minutes after the conversation with his mother about the apparition and the watch, the night previous, he came in from the yard with the watch in his hand! He said his father had again appeared to him, and put the watch into his hand again, and said, ‘Wear this for my sake.’ He brought the watch into the house, and showed it to his mother, and said that his father said, ‘Tell your mother to look at the second-hand.’ The hand was off, and lay on the face of the watch under the crystal. A credible person will make oath, if called upon, that she saw the watch in the drawer, where it was usually kept, not more than six or eight minutes before, and that she locked the drawer and gave the key to Mrs. Phelps. The key had been in possession of no other person, and Harry had not been in the room during the time. The watch was taken to Dr. P., and he tried to replace the second-hand, but could not succeed. He closed it, leaving the hand loose on the face, and passed it back to Harry, saying that he must take it to the watch-maker. When he took it in his hand, he exclaimed, ‘Why, it’s on!’ They looked, and it was on and going. In a few minutes it was off again, and was put on a second time, all within a minute or two. The doctor affirms that it was not out of his sight a moment; that he knows the watch was not opened, and that no visible power was employed in doing it.

1723. On one occasion the piano-forte was played while it is known that no person was in the room; and, at another time, it was turned around, the front toward the wall, and so far removed from the side of the room as to allow the player room to sit next to the wall; the stool was also appropriately placed.

1724. On several occasions, about this time, certain members of the family saw, or thought they did, visible appearances. Dr. P. did not give entire credit to these statements; not but what he had full confidence in the honesty of the family, but the excited state in which some of them had been for a long time led him to think that they might imagine they saw what had no existence in fact. Toward the last of May, it was signified that one of the spirits who had communicated would appear visibly—first to the daughter, then to Mrs. P., and then to the doctor himself. They asked in what manner he would appear, and the answer was, ‘In a sheet.’ Between ten and eleven o’clock the same night, soon after the family had retired, Anna, who occupied the east bedroom, the door between her room and that where the doctor and his wife slept being open, and a lamp burning on a stand so placed as to light both rooms, called to her mother, and said, ‘There it is, in a sheet.’ Dr. P. asked where; when she said it was in the door between the two rooms, coming from the room the doctor occupied, but the doctor saw nothing. The daughter was frightened, and covered up her head, and in a few minutes looked up and saw nothing. He was represented as moving slowly from one room to the other.

1725. In about two minutes Mrs. Phelps exclaimed, ‘There it is!’ and drew the clothes over her head. Both the daughter and mother saw it at this time, but still the doctor saw nothing, although in as favourable a position as either of the others.

1726. After two or three minutes had elapsed, the doctor also saw it. It appeared to him to move slowly from the hall chamber into his, and turn and move slowly back. It had the appearance of a very tall person with a sheet thrown around it; he saw only the sheet. In about one minute, something was thrown on to the bed, which proved to be a sheet which had been taken from the wardrobe in the hall. Dr. Phelps declares that he was not frightened in the least, and could not have been mistaken in the appearance. Some two or three weeks subsequent to this a similar appearance was seen, and Dr. P. sprang out of bed, determined to seize hold of it if possible. It came part way into his room, and then moved slowly back. The daughter affirmed that the doctor was within two or three feet of it when it disappeared, and a sheet dropped into a chair. These were the only instances in which the doctor saw any thing himself. Others of the family saw persons in a mysterious way several times.

1727. At one time, while Anna was in the dining-room, and a cousin of hers and some of the children in the front yard, her attention was arrested by some one entering the front parlour. She went in, and saw three gentlemen—two of them sitting on the sofa, and one on a chair by the table—all having their hats on, and drawn down over their eyes more than usual; the one by the table had his feet upon the table, and was reading a paper. She was surprised that neither of them rose up, or looked at her, as she entered the room; and when she was within five or six feet of the one nearest her, he leaned over on one side and fell, chair and all, on the floor, and instantly all disappeared! She was frightened, and ran to her cousin, who was near the front door. She came in, but no persons were there, neither could they have entered without her seeing them. The chair was thrown down, but no person near who could have done it.

1728. A few other instances occurred in which appearances were supposed to have been seen; but the circumstances were not of a character to put the matter beyond a doubt, therefore no record was kept of them. About the middle of May, Dr. Phelps spent some time with the Fox family in New York. He soon decided that the manifestations were essentially the same as those at his house, with a few points of difference. With them property was not destroyed, and they were not painfully annoyed. The sounds were different, it being with them a double or rolling sound, and at his house a single knock. They could call upon and receive answers from different spirits, or what claimed to be different ones. This could be done at his house. During the months of June and July the same general occurrences continued at Stratford. Sometimes for two or three days there would seem to be an entire cessation of ‘hostilities.’ Then they would commence again with redoubled force. People from all parts of the country were visiting the house, to whom every facility was afforded to search into the cause. Newspaper discussions were going on, casting the most unjust and painful reflections, subjecting the family to suffering little short of martyrdom, while numberless other persons had as good an opportunity of explaining the matter as the persecuted family. In this affliction I can sympathize somewhat with Dr. Phelps and family. In the first days of these phenomena in Western New York, all persons who were involved with or interested in them were looked upon and treated at once as void of all common feeling or sensibility, both privately and publicly; their names passed about, coupled with opprobrious epithets; their houses were entered without ceremony, and even in the face of direct request to the contrary; their right to quiet and repose invaded, their houses often being crowded with visitors, prompted by idle curiosity and a malicious desire to torture, beyond the midnight hour; still insisting to remain, and adding insult to injury by declaring in your ears that it was an arrant cheat—a grand humbug—being carried on; and all for—what? And at the same time those whose ill-fortune it then seemed to be to have an identity with it were weeping and praying for the scourge to be removed from them; for scourge it seemed, indeed, under such circumstances.

1729. Dr. and Mrs. Phelps concluded, in August, as the demonstrations were then less frequent, on taking a short journey of three weeks. The disturbances were still more annoying in their absence than before; and it was decided as best to close the house for the winter, and remain away. Accordingly, on the 11th of September, Harry left for Pennsylvania, and it was arranged that the other members of the family should follow within three weeks. It seems that, although the manifestations were connected more intimately with Harry, his presence was not all-important, as they did not cease altogether when he left; but communications were still made, though with less force and violence. The knockings were not as loud, and the communications less free or frequent. At one time a note was thrown into the room, while Dr. P. was writing at the desk, which contained the following: “How soon do the family expect to go to Pennsylvania? I wish to make some arrangements before they go. Please answer in writing.’ The doctor replied as desired, as follows: ‘About the first of October,’ and placed the paper in a position where he had before put writings of the kind, and heard nothing further.

1730. Two or three days after this, a communication was given by use of the alphabet, saying that Root, a gentleman who had been in the house, had destroyed the doctor’s book. He inquired ‘What book?’ and was answered ‘The big book.’ Yet he did not know what book was designated, and repeated the question, and received the answer, ‘The big book in the secretary.’ Still it was not understood. Again was spelled, ‘Look and see!’ Dr. Phelps had in the secretary two blank books; in the larger one he had written a full account of the mysterious manifestations, in the form of a diary, and, having noted them as they occurred from day to day, they were recorded with more minuteness than could afterward be done. Upon looking, it was discovered that every page that had been written upon was torn from the book and gone. After a long search, the fragments of the leaves were found in the vault. Copies of the characters which the doctor had carefully taken, and felt anxious to preserve, were every scrap gone. There were, in a dressing-table drawer in the chamber, a great number of the notes sent. These were set on fire with a match and burned in the drawer. The fire was discovered by the smoke, but not until the papers were so far charred as to injure them beyond preservation. A few of these writings only are retained, which were in other places. The last of the annoyances was on the 25th of September, and was that of throwing ink upon the daughter’s dress. She was standing on the piazza, near the front door; the window of the front chamber was open, from which was thrown a small bottle of ink. The ink went over her dress in a way to entirely unfit it for further use. There was no person in the chamber who would have done such a thing for mischief; and, indeed, no person in the house who would have been guilty of it.

1731. The young lady was just setting out for a visit at New Haven, from which she was anticipating much pleasure, and I cannot conceive of any feeling, short of sheer malevolence, that would prompt such an act.

1732. On the second day of October, the family, with the exception of Dr. Phelps and the cook, left Stratford to go to Pennsylvania. During their absence all demonstrations ceased, with what may be termed one exception. A letter, addressed by Dr. Phelps to Mrs. Phelps, contained, when it reached her, some of the spirit-writing in pencil, saying that ‘her husband was sick and wished her to return if she expected to see him alive.’ He was then in good health; but the next week was sick and confined to his bed two or three days. There may or may not have been some connection between the two occurrences. It was the design of Dr. Phelps to separate the family for a time, in order, if possible, to get rid of the annoyance; and for the five weeks he remained at Stratford, after the family had left, no disturbances took place. Harry stayed in Bucks county (Pa.) all winter, and the other members of the family lived in Philadelphia.

1733. In the month of March the family returned to Stratford. The house had been closed and under the charge of a neighbour, and no sign of any disturbance was visible, as every article of furniture was found just as they left it. About the fourth or fifth day after their return slight rapping was heard as they sat at the tea-table. They affected not to notice it, and the next day it was repeated more distinctly, but no response was made. Soon after, certain characters were found about the house, which were known, from the circumstances, to be of recent origin. Two or three days after, distinct communications were made by a spirit purporting to be Dr. Phelps’s daughter, who died at the age of twelve years. On being questioned, this spirit could not give any evidence of identity.

1734. About the first of May several communications of a trifling character were given. On one occasion the doctor asked if they would be troubled any more as they had been, when they answered by rapping the following:

1735. ‘Be not afraid that they will trouble you more, Though we have not quitted Connecticut shore.’

1736. At another time certain characters were given, which were interpreted by the rapping as follows: ‘Evil one has gone, and better one has come.’ No communications were made after the early part of May, but some things occurred indicating their presence and desire for mischief.

1737. At one time, on cutting a loaf of bread, there were found in it nails, pen-holders, small sticks, and tin, under circumstances which showed that they must have been placed there after it was put on the table and before the family were ready for tea. At one time Harry’s hat was hid away, and then his cap, and then another hat. He took his brother’s cap to use, and that was also taken away. On the evening of the 18th of July they set fire to some papers in the doctor’s secretary, and some twenty papers and letters were burned before they were discovered. Fire was set at the same time to the papers in both the closets, under the stairs in the hall. They were discovered by the smoke. Two or three days after this, when some friends who had visited them were about to leave, their bonnets and some other articles could not be found, although search was made in every part of the house, until the train by which they were to go to New York had passed. They were at last found, locked into an enclosed washstand, in a way that made it morally certain that they could not have been placed there by human hands.

1738. On the 29th of July Harry left to spend some time at New Lebanon, N. Y., and during his absence no manifestations were noticed, although they were constantly on the look-out for something of the kind. Anna and her mother left for Philadelphia on the 25th of September, and they had been so long exempt from annoyances that they hoped they had ceased altogether. But Harry had the manifestations at New Lebanon, and there was first operated on, by invisible agency, to produce a magnetic sleep, into which he passed with a sudden shock. He had never been magnetized before, although frequent attempts had been made to do so. In this state he evinced all the phenomena common to good clairvoyance. On his return to Stratford, on the 9th of October, the sounds accompanied him almost constantly; but they seemed less inclined to mischief than formerly, because, as they said, ‘Harry had passed to a higher state, where the low and ignorant spirits could not communicate with him.’

1739. On several occasions characters of a unique description were made. Some were written early in April, 1851, which Harry interpreted to read: ‘We are to take our leave of you soon.’

1740. Some were traced out with chalk on the piazza of the house, on the 31st of March, 1850.

1741. These Harry interpreted to mean: ‘_You may expect good spirits to come by-and-by_.’ The same characters had been said, by A. J. Davis, to read: ‘_Our society desires through various mediums to impart thoughts_.’ The spirit that seemed to be most prominent in all these communications claimed to be Harry’s father, and sometimes a sister of Dr. Phelps, who died about three years previous to this; also a child of Dr. Phelps, who died more than twenty-two years before. The communications seemed generally to come from the boy’s father. On the 12th of October he passed into a mesmeric state, and wrote some characters, which he translated as follows:

1742. ‘_My dear children_: I love you, and try to do every thing that will do you good. Obey dear Mr. Phelps in every thing, for he knows what is right and what is wrong. This is the advice of your spirit father.’

1743. On the same paper were written others, which, being translated, read: ‘You were troubled once with evil spirits, but now they are no more. They have bid adieu, and good spirits have come and are with you all the time.’

1744. Again occur others, which read: ‘You must not fear, brother, that you will be troubled with evil spirits any more. No, brother, no more. Your spirit sister, BLISS.’

1745. The person here supposed to communicate is a sister of Dr. Phelps, a widow, who left the earth-sphere in 1848, and by whom several of the previous communications are said to have been made. Other characters, of the same general formation, were made at the same time, but were not then translated.

1746. On the evening of the 12th, Dr. Phelps, Harry, and two younger children, were seated at a table; responses were frequently given by raps under the table. Dr. Phelps inquired if it would accommodate them at all to have some substance to rap with; to which they replied affirmatively. He threw down a table-knife; the raps seemed immediately to be made by striking the knife against the table-leaf, and soon it was tossed up on to the table. A small tea-bell was then placed under the table; it was rung several times, and tossed on to the table as the knife had been. It was again put down, and returned as before; the same being repeated several times in succession. The light was then extinguished, and the candle put under the table with a match-box containing matches, and the spirits requested to light it. They distinctly heard the match drawn upon the bottom of the box, which was prepared with sand-paper for that use. All saw the light, but the first match went out. Again the scratching of the match was heard; it ignited, the candle lighted, and was placed upon the table! The experiment was repeated several times, with the same result; every precaution being taken to prevent collusion in the matter.

1747. On a subsequent occasion a chair was placed upon the table by invisible power, and the two children, Harry and Hannah, raised up and placed upon it; they could neither of them tell how it was done. The sensation was that of some person placing a hand under them and raising them up. Many of these things occurred when the room was darkened, as has been the case in numerous other places, and for which explanations have been recorded, as given by the spirits. On the evening of the 20th of October, the light being put out of the room, the bell was placed under the table, with a request that it should be rung, and placed in the doctor’s hand. He was sitting by the table with both his hands lying on his lap open, with the palms upward. The bell rung several times with some violence, and then was placed in his left hand. This was repeated four or five times in succession. Dr. P. sat beyond the reach of any one, and the room was sufficiently light for him to have detected any movement on the part of persons present. He requested them to let him feel the hand that placed the bell in his. Very soon a hand came in contact with his, took hold of his fingers, shaking his hand, passed slowly over the back of his hand, then over the palm again, took hold of his fingers, and he felt what he is sure to have been a human hand. He describes it as being cold and moist, which accords with my own experience repeatedly, and that of my friends. They then took hold of his foot, shook it with much force, loosened the string, took off the shoe, and placed it upon the table before him. At his request the shoe was replaced, the heel adjusted, and the strings drawn up, but not tied.

1748. On a subsequent occasion a large-sized tea-bell was rung under the table, then rose up, passed round the room, ringing violently all the way, and fell upon the table. The candle was in the closet, but the room was sufficiently light to make it certain that no person left the table to convey it. It was manifest that from the time Harry returned from New Lebanon the manifestations began gradually to subside. They were less frequent and less marked. It was arranged that he should accompany the family to Philadelphia, and go to a boarding-school at a town about twenty miles distant from the city. At different times he had been told that if he went there he would again be annoyed by bad spirits. The question was many times put, ‘Will you annoy him again if he goes to the school?’ _A._—‘We will not, but others will.’—‘What others?’ _A._—‘Those who were with him last summer.’—‘Will they disturb him if he stays here and goes to the academy in Stratford?’—‘No. They will not disturb him while he is with you.’—‘What will they do if he goes to Pennsylvania?’ _A._—‘They will tear his clothes, destroy his books, and break his windows.’—‘Can you not control those bad spirits, and prevent their doing him any injury?’—‘No.’—‘Will you do all you can?’—‘Yes.’ At another time Dr. Phelps inquired if they would not leave him, as his mother was so much opposed to the whole thing. ‘Will you not, to oblige her, leave him, that he may be a medium no longer?’ said the doctor. The reply was, ‘If we leave him, evil spirits will get possession of him again.’ These communications were made by what purported to be the boy’s father. For two weeks previous to going to Philadelphia the manifestations had almost wholly subsided; perhaps only occurred when requested; and notwithstanding the repeated declarations that when he should leave for the school in Pennsylvania, the bad spirits would come in and make him trouble, it was determined to try the experiment, and on the 11th of November the family set out for Philadelphia, where they were to spend the winter, while Harry was to go to school. He remained with the family in Philadelphia about a week, where a few communications were given to Dr. Phelps in private. The spirits said they would begin to annoy the boy on the cars, on his way to the school, would pinch him and tear his clothes, so that, when he got there, they would be found torn, and that the troubles would follow him in the school as long as he stayed there. Dr. Phelps, under all the circumstances, thought it best not to send him; but on consultation it was decided to have him go, and on the 19th of November he started for the school. Dr. P. went a mile or two with him, put him under the care of the conductor, and told him to report on his return if any thing worthy of notice occurred on the way. In two days the doctor was sent for to come and take him away. He said that soon after his father left him on the cars, he was pinched, pricked with pins, and annoyed in various other ways, until he reached his destination; that, on his arrival there, he found that his pantaloons were torn in front, between the waistband and the knees, in two places, several inches in length. He changed them for another pair which were new and made of very substantial material, and these were torn down in front at least half a yard in length, before the doctor arrived there. The knockings had attended him in school and other places; his books were torn and damaged to the amount of two dollars, which the doctor paid. The family where he was had become alarmed, and would not keep him, and he was taken away. The boy stated that on one of the evenings, while he was there, he was walking in the street, when his cap was mysteriously taken from his head and thrown upon the sidewalk. As he stooped to pick it up he saw the flash of a gun at some distance, and a bullet passed over his back and struck a board fence near him. He was afterward informed by the rapping that, had he not stooped down, he would have been killed, and that his friendly spirit took this means to preserve him.

1749. Dr. P. now concluded to return with Harry to Stratford, and was told that the bad spirits would have no control over him there. The family in which they resided in Philadelphia had become alarmed at the strange occurrences, and finally they again returned to Stratford. From that time the disturbances began to subside, and by the 15th of December, 1851, they had ceased altogether. The family remained at Stratford till the spring of 1852, when they returned to their former residence in the city. The house at Stratford is occupied by another family, but no disturbances have ever occurred with the family which now occupy the house, and none with Dr. P.‘s family since the above date.

1750. Thus ends one of the most remarkable histories in the whole course of modern spiritual manifestations. The authority on which it comes to the world is indisputable, and the characters of all concerned are beyond suspicion. It will be observed that generally the demonstrations, as in case of Mr. Calvin R. Brown, in the Fox family, were less boisterous after the family consented to hold communication with them. It seemed to be the desire of a spirit to communicate and set right a matter which was making him unhappy. This accomplished, the demonstrations ceased.

1751. From the foregoing narrative it will be seen that these phenomena do not attach to places, as some have supposed. It makes the fact equally clear that they do attach to persons, and that without certain media they cannot, to any extent, take place. If there is such a thing as ‘haunted houses,’ they must belong to another class of phenomena, or a very different phase of the same, than those always depending on the presence of particular persons.

1752. Another fact seems also to be proved by the above narration, namely, that persons may be powerful mediums at one time and afterward lose the power, for neither of the media of Dr. Phelps’s family in Stratford have had any proof of mediumship for years.”

_Idea of the existence of a spiritual sun, and a vital spiritual oxygen, found to exist independently in the mind of a much esteemed author._

1753. The most wonderful and important of all the facts communicated to me by my spirit father, and subsequently sanctioned by a convocation of spirits, were the following: 1. That there is a special spirit sun, concentric with our sun, which illuminates the spirit world, without perceptibly affecting our visual organs. 2. That there is a peculiar vital gas which spirits breathe, although inscrutable to our senses or chemical tests, which we respire in our spiritual capacity. These facts I have considered as among those, which it was impossible could have been learned from the minds of Mrs. Gourlay or myself, as they were certainly new to both of us, and difficult to realize when communicated. My attention has been recently directed by a friend to an essay in a work entitled “Rambles and Reveries of a Student,” wherein I find (page 11) the ideas in question to have been awakened in the author without the smallest interchange of ideas with Mrs. Gourlay or myself. I have been under the impression that his leaning would have been unfavourable to Spiritualism. The language employed is as follows:

1754. I hold it as a truth, that a divine atmosphere surrounds our earth—an aroma emitted from the world of spirits, in which dwell the great truths and secrets of the universe—a great world that pours down riches upon us, as the sun pours down heat; and as without the sun this world would be but a formless wilderness, so, without this spirit sun, would it be barren of thought or beauty.

1755. Above us and around us exists a spiritual atmosphere, more subtle than the natural one. As the latter is the supporter of physical life, so the former is of psychal. We absorb the delicate magnetic aromata from all substances, through the medium of the air, as well as the comparatively coarse oxygen; so all of our soul-life comes from this spirit atmosphere—all thought, all feeling, all appreciation of truth and beauty.

1756. Man is the apex of earth-creation, and the basis of all heavenly life—the foundation of all spiritual existence. Standing thus in a middle plane as the highest thing of earth, and the lowest of heaven, he holds magnetic relationship to both; the earth not only supplying the physical requirements of his being, such as food, drink, and air, but he absorbs impalpable nourishment from all his surroundings: the aroma from flowers, and trees, and fruit, as well as the magnetic emanations from people; intuitively appreciating harmonious influences—feeling an instinctive repulsion when under those that are inharmonious. This antagonism, or horror, we call antipathy; and biography abounds with strange stories of its individual action. Whenever antipathy is experienced, it is a proof that something exists in the peculiar magnetic sphere which has no affinity with the other sphere.

1757. An animal is but a highly organized combination of the mechanical and chemical forces of the earth, returning to the earth when death ensues: the only good resulting from its life is, that gross matter has been changed into a little higher condition by the combination.

1758. Man, regarded as the animal, possesses nothing after his death but the spiritual attributes he has received, corresponding to the physical things he sought in his earthly life; if that was low and sensual, his spiritual condition will be the same; for the spirit land is as much a spiritual condition as it is a place.

1759. As man’s external form grows from appropriating substance from the earth, so are thoughts and sentiments, and all things relating to the soul, appropriated from the spirit world. Take the earth from man, and he ceases to exist as a physical being; take the spirit world from him, and he ceases to exist as an immortal soul.

1760. All physical things have corresponding truths in the spiritual world, and a man is truly harmonious when he receives the corresponding essence or quality with the material thing—not as a mere symbolization, but as an actuality, as real to the soul as its corresponding earthly truth is to the body. As a petty illustration, we will say that where an apple is eaten, a harmonious man receives not only the nutriment contained in the fruit, but he also receives its spiritual correspondence, so as to be doubly nourished by it.

1761. “Men having a stronger magnetic relationship to the spirit world, are easily exhausted, for they do not receive strength enough from the earth sphere to keep soul and body in harmony.

1762. Persons _en rapport_ with the earth are the labourers and tillers of the ground, living only in the lowest plane of mental life.

1763. The truly harmonious men receive equally the spiritual and physical elements: they are electrical conductors, whose attracting points bend downward as well as upward, dispensing, equally, thought and strength to their less harmonious fellows, with but little exhaustion.

1764. Men originate nothing: they have merely different degrees of receptivity; are merely more or less in magnetic relationship with the higher world. A principle, or truth, is not your truth, or my truth, but God’s truth; as much as a drop of water in the ocean, or a sand-grain in the great desert; as little a personal possession as the cloud above your head. If we look at it abstractly, we perceive the absurdity of all quarrels in relation to originality of ideas—water refreshes the thirsty traveller, whether drunk from his own cup or the cup of another; and if we can incorporate a new truth into our lives, it is unimportant whether we receive it directly or indirectly from the great fountain.

1765. The intellectual struggle of the student is but an education of the soul, training it to become susceptible to higher influences—an attempt to enter into unalloyed magnetic relationship with the spirit world.

1766. Prayer is a simple and natural method of becoming _en rapport_ with higher beings and a higher world: yet no thinker ever believed that prayer would move the Divine Being to alter His eternal plans. As He is the fountain of all Love and all Wisdom, His designs must be without flaw—must be for eternal good: yet prayer is one of the most holy, beautiful, and useful of things; it is the earnest asking of the soul for comfort—whatever the words may be—and by the exaltation of feeling, we rise up from the earth-life into the higher spiritual planes, and become harmonized by the indwelling harmonies of those spheres. Prayer is aspiration. Prayer is the desire to embrace the Infinite. The form of prayer is unimportant; its power lies in the indwelling desire of good. Men should not have forms and times of prayer, but their whole lives should be long, unending acts of prayer.”

1767. It seems that the light of Spiritualism had begun to dawn in the mind of the author of the preceding passage. His language respecting prayer is in strict conformity with the doctrine of Spiritualism.

1768. As the author, to whom reference is thus made, was on terms of great mutual friendship with my late sister, as well as with myself, I have consulted her spirit as to the origin of the impressions which had been thus indited by our common friend. It appears from her reply to my inquiry, that these ideas were communicated to him by my spirit father, and that his conversion to Spiritualism had commenced prior to his decease, which took place about two years ago.

OF MATTER, MIND, AND SPIRIT.

_Of Matter._

1769. It is a fact, that as we study more deeply the nature of matter, we find that we know the less about it. The crude impressions by which it makes us sensible of its presence are, of course, intuitively received, and are reiterated incessantly. Hence, the mass of mankind do not imagine that there can be any mystery respecting that ponderable matter which influences the scale-beam. The existence of any other matter, people generally are slow to admit. The electric fluid and caloric, the supposed causes of electricity and heat, were rarely believed in, out of the scientific world, but _ponderable_ matter is the last thing of which any person would imagine himself ignorant. Yet we find that some of the most experienced investigators of nature, have not made up their minds as to what ponderable matter is.

1770. According to Newton, matter consists of hard, impenetrable particles, endowed with _vis inertiæ_, gravitation, and chemical attraction for other particles; _vis inertiæ_ being that force by which a body, if in motion, requires a certain degree of force to arrest or retard it, or to put it into motion if at rest. Gravitation causes all masses to attract each other reciprocally, with a force exactly proportioned to their _vis inertiæ_; so that these forces are reciprocally measures of each other. It is usual to make gravitation its own measure, by estimating it to be as the weight of the mass; while weight is only the reciprocal attraction of gravitation between the body tried, and the earth. (64.)

1771. These properties being conceded as belonging to matter, and the measure of its quantity, the next question is, of what does massive matter consist? As to the ratio of weight to bulk, which is designated as “_specific gravity_,” we see an immense disparity between solids. Potassium, for instance, weighs three-fourths of its bulk of water, while platinum weighs twenty-one times its bulk in that fluid. The density of gaseous hydrogen is to that of platina not more than 1 to 25,000, and yet it may be rarified to the one-hundredth part of its normal spissitude, while apparently filling the same space. Thus the same space may be filled successively by different portions of matter, yet the quantity of matter in the space, in the first case, may be to the quantity contained in the second, as 2,500,000 to 1. Newton’s definition of material particles was as follows:

1772. “It seems probable to me that God, in the beginning, formed matter in solid, massy, hard, impenetrable, movable particles, of such sizes and figures, and with such other properties, and in such proportion to space, as most conduced to the end for which he formed them; and that those primitive particles, being solids, are incomparably harder than any porous bodies compounded of them; even so very hard as never to wear or break in pieces; no mundane power being able to divide what God himself intended to be indivisible.”

1773. Boscovitch, observing that all that was essential to material atoms was attraction and repulsion, the latter being the substitute of Newton’s impenetrability, suggested an hypothesis which dispensed with the atom, and assumed only the forces of attraction and repulsion; alternating, as it appears to me, in a way more original than warrantable. This idea of atoms has been modified by an accomplished mathematician, Exley, of Bristol, England. I quote here Exley’s view:

1774. “The reader has only to allow that each atom of matter consists of an indefinitely extensive sphere of attraction, resting on a very small concentric sphere of repulsion, the force being everywhere, from the centre, inversely as the square of the distance, repulsive near the centre, and then attractive. Now that part which regards the attraction has already obtained the consent of all the followers of _Newton_; and much more than the other part, which respects repulsion, has been already received in the principles of our present philosophy.

1775. It may be here asked—Are we absolutely to exclude solid atoms? I confess I can find no use for them. It is true, Sir Isaac Newton thought that the atoms of matter consisted of minute solids.

1776. But this hypothesis, however convenient and consonant with our prejudices, is not absolutely necessary to the explanation of natural phenomena; for, it may be conceived, according to the theory of Boscovitch, that matter consists not of solid particles, but of mere mathematical centres, of forces attractive and repulsive, whose relations to space were ordained, and whose actions are regulated and maintained by the Creator of the universe. Both hypotheses, however, agree in one great principle, viz.: that the properties of bodies depend upon forces emanating from immovable points (whether substantial or not is of little importance) of their masses.

1777. The atoms of matter constituted as in the theory now proposed possess all the individuality, indivisibility, and indestructibility, which the learned and illustrious _Newton_ ascribes to his small solids, and they answer all the ends he has mentioned; the central points, indeed, will be utterly impenetrable by each other, since the repulsion there is infinite; and if at those centres we suppose small solids to be placed, they can answer no farther end than is accomplished by this immensely great repulsive force; for from what we know of matter, we must suppose them to be indefinitely small, if we introduce such solids; and hence they will occupy the place where the repulsion is infinitely great; such solids would be found only an obstacle, and an incumbrance to the free actions of matter; since, however small we imagine them to be, their magnitude will be infinite if compared with a mathematical point, the centre of an atom, which is devoid altogether of magnitude. It may be added, that if any reader wish to retain these solids at the centres of the atoms, it will not materially affect the conclusions, provided he allow us to have them as small as we please; and so much, if he intend to philosophize, he must grant, whatever course he may determine to pursue.”

1778. These efforts to define matter derive interest from the following attempt of Farraday to sustain a view inconsistent with that of Newton, by practical illustration:

_Strictures on a Speculation by Farraday, respecting the Nature of Matter._

1779. This sagacious investigator adverts to the fact, that after each atom in a mass of metallic potassium has combined with an atom of oxygen and an atom of water, forming thus a hydrated oxide—caustic potash—the resulting aggregate occupies much less space than its metallic ingredient previously occupied; so that, taking equal bulks of the hydrate and of potassium, there will be in the metal only 430 metallic atoms, while in the hydrate there will be 700 such atoms. Yet in the latter, besides the 700 metallic atoms, there will be an equal number of aqueous and oxygenous atoms, in all 2800 ponderable atoms. It follows, that if the atoms of potassium are to be considered as minute impenetrable particles, kept at certain distances by an equilibrium of forces, there must be, in a mass of potassium, vastly more space than matter. Moreover, it is the space alone that can be continuous. The non-contiguous material atoms cannot form a continuous mass. Consequently, the well-known power of potassium to conduct electricity must be a quality of the continuous empty space which it comprises, not of the discontinuous particles of matter with which that space is regularly interspersed. It is in the next place urged, that while, agreeably to these considerations, space is shown to be a conductor, there are considerations equally tending to prove it to be a non-conductor, since in certain non-conducting bodies, such as resins, there must be nearly as much vacant space as in potassium. Hence the supposition that atoms are minute impenetrable particles, involves the necessity of considering empty space as a conductor in metals, and as a non-conductor in resins, and of course in sulphur and other electrics. This is considered as a _reductio ad absurdum_. To avoid this contradiction, Farraday supposes that atoms are not minute impenetrable bodies, but, existing throughout the whole space in which their properties are observed, may penetrate each other. Consistently, although the atoms of potassium pervade the whole space which they apparently occupy, the entrance into that space of an equivalent number of atoms of oxygen and water, in consequence of some reciprocal reaction, causes a contraction in the boundaries by which the combination thus formed is enclosed. This is an original and interesting view of this subject, well worthy of the contemplation of chemical philosophers.

1780. But, upon these premises, Farraday has ventured on some inferences which, upon various accounts, appear to me unwarrantable. I agree that “_a_” representing a particle of matter, and “_m_” representing its properties, it is only with “_m_” that we have any acquaintance, the existence of “_a_” resting merely on an inference. Heretofore I have often appealed to this fact, in order to show that the evidence of imponderable, no less than of ponderable matter, is precisely the existence of properties which can only be accounted for by inferring the existence of an appropriate matter to which those properties appertain. Yet I cannot concur in the idea that, because it is only with “_m_” that we are acquainted, the existence of “_a_” must not be inevitably inferred, so that bodies are to be considered as constituted of their materialized powers. I use the word “materialized,” because it is fully admitted by Farraday, that by dispensing with an impenetrable atom “_a_” we do not get rid of the idea of matter, but have to imagine each atom as existing throughout the whole sphere of its force, instead of being condensed about the centre. This seems to follow from the following language:

1781. “_The view now stated of the constitution of matter would seem to involve necessarily the conclusion that matter fills all space, or at least the space to which gravitation extends, including the sun and its system; for gravitation is a property of matter dependent on a certain force, and it is this force which constitutes matter._”

1782. Literally, this paragraph seems to convey the impression, that, agreeably to this new idea of matter, the sun and his planets are not distinct bodies, but consist of certain material powers reciprocally penetrating each other, and pervading a space larger than that comprised within the orbit of Neptune. We do not live upon, but within, the matter of which the earth is constituted, or rather within a mixture of all the solar and planetary matter belonging to our solar system. I cannot conceive that the sagacious author seriously intended to sanction any notion involving these consequences. I shall assume, therefore, that, excepting the case of gravitation, his new idea of matter was intended to be restricted to those powers which display themselves within masses at insensible distances, and shall proceed to state the objections which seem to exist against the new idea as associated with those powers.

1783. Evidently the arguments of Farraday against the existence, in potassium and other masses of matter, of impenetrable atoms endowed with cohesion, chemical affinity, momentum, and gravitation, rest upon the inference that in metals there is nothing to perform the part of an electrical conductor besides continuous empty space. This illustrious philosopher has heretofore appeared to be disinclined to admit the existence of _any_ matter devoid of ponderability! The main object of certain letters which I addressed to him was to prove that the phenomena of induction could not, as he had represented, be an “_action_” of ponderable atoms, but, on the contrary, must be considered as an _affection_ of them consequent to the intervention of an imponderable matter, without which the phenomena of electricity would be inexplicable. This repugnance to the admission of an imponderable electrical cause, has been the more remarkable, as his researches have not only proved the existence of prodigious electrical power in metals, but likewise that it is evolved during chemico-electric reaction, in equivalent proportion to the quantity of ponderable matter decomposed or combined.

1784. According to his researches, a grain of water, by electrolytic reaction with four grains of zinc, evolves as much electricity as would charge fifteen millions of square feet of coated glass when supplied by a plate machine of fifty inches in diameter. But in addition to the proofs of the existence of electrical powers in metals thus furnished, it is demonstrated that this power must be inseparably associated with metals, by the well-known fact that in the electro-magnetic machine—an apparatus which we owe to his genius, and the mechanical ingenuity of Pixii and Saxton—a coil of wire, being subjected to the inductive influence of a magnet, is capable of furnishing, within the circuit which it forms, all the phenomena of an electrical current, whether of ignition, shock, or electrolysis.

1785. The existence in metals of an enormous calorific power must be evident from the heat evolved by mere hammering. It is well known that by a skilful application of the hammer, a piece of iron, between it and a cold anvil, may be ignited. To what other cause than their inherent calorific power can the ignition of metals by the discharge of a Leyden battery be ascribed?

1786. It follows, that the existence of an immense calorific and electrical power is undeniable. The materiality of these powers, or of their cause, is all that has been questionable. But, according to the speculations of Farraday, all the powers of matter are material; not only the calorific and electrical powers are thus to be considered, but likewise the powers of cohesion, chemical affinity, inertia, and gravitation, while _of all these material powers only the latter can be ponderable_!

1787. Thus, a disinclination on the part of this distinguished investigator to admit the existence of one or two imponderable principles, has led him into speculations involving the existence of a much greater number. But if, while the rest of the properties of the metal are represented by Newtonian atoms, the calorific and electrical powers be both material and imponderable, and of these such enormous quantities exist in potassium, as well as in zinc and all other metals, so much of the reasoning in question as is founded on the vacuity of the space between the metallic atoms is groundless.

1788. Although the space occupied by the hydrated oxide of potassium comprises 2800 ponderable atoms, while that occupied by an equal mass of the metal comprises only 430, there may be in the latter proportionally as much more of the material, though imponderable, powers of heat and electricity, as there is less of matter endowed with ponderability.

1789. Thus, while assuming the existence of fewer imponderable causes than the celebrated author of the speculation has himself proposed, we explain the conducting power of metals, without being under the necessity of attributing to void space the property of electrical conduction. Moreover, I consider it quite consistent to suppose that the presence of the ethereal basis of electricity is indispensable to electrical conduction, and that diversities in this faculty are due to the proportion of that material power present, and the mode of its association with other matter. The immense superiority of metals will be explained, by referring it to their being peculiarly replete with the ethereal basis of heat and electricity.

1790. Hence Farraday’s suggestions respecting the _materiality_ of what has heretofore been designated as the _properties_ of bodies, furnish the means of refuting his arguments against the existence of ponderable impenetrable atoms as the basis of cohesion, chemical affinity, momentum, and gravitation.

1791. But I will, in the next place, prove that his suggestions not only furnish an answer to his objections to the views in this respect heretofore entertained, but are likewise pregnant with consequences directly inconsistent with the view of the subject which he has recently presented.

1792. I have said that of all the powers which are, according to Farraday’s speculations, to be deemed material, gravitation can alone be ponderable; since, according to his speculations, gravitation, in common with every power heretofore attributed to impenetrable particles, must be a matter independently pervading the space throughout which it is perceived. This being the consequence, by what tie is gravitation, or, in other words, weight—indissolubly attached to the rest? It cannot be pretended that either of the powers is the property of any other. Each of them is an _m_, and cannot play the part of an _a_, not only because an _m_, an effect, cannot be an _a_, its cause, but because, according to the premises, no _a_ can exist. Nor can it be advanced that they are the same power, since chemical affinity and cohesion act only at insensible distances, while gravitation acts at any and every distance, with forces inversely as their squares; and, moreover, the power of chemical affinity is not commensurate with that of gravitation. One part, by weight, of hydrogen has a greater affinity, universally, for any other element than two hundred parts of gold. By what means then are cohesion, chemical affinity, and gravitation inseparably associated in all the ponderable elements of matter? Is it not fatal to the validity of the highly ingenious and interesting deductions of Farraday, that they are thus shown to be utterly incompetent to explain the inseparable association of cohesion, chemical affinity, and inertia with gravitation, while the existence of a vacuity between Newtonian atoms, mainly relied upon as the basis of an argument against their existence, is shown to be inconsistent both with the ingenious speculation which has called forth these remarks, and those Herculean “researches” which must perpetuate his fame? (See Appendix for Farraday’s Speculations on Electric Conduction and the Nature of Matter.)

_On Whewell’s demonstration that all matter is heavy._

1793. While the speculations of Farraday, isolate gravitation, as the only matter endowed with weight, and treat all other matters as weightless, those of another eminent philosopher, Whewell, would tend to prove that _all_ matter is heavy.

1794. This subject may be interesting now, when we are anxious to understand well the nature of matter, which Comte would represent as the _basis of mind_, and when it becomes a point of departure in forming ideas of spirit and mind, as they must be contemplated by Spiritualism. I therefore subjoin a critique upon the allegation that all matter can be heavy, and on the relation between _vis inertiæ_ and _gravitation_.

1795. One consideration seems to be usually overlooked in contemplating these forces. It is forgotten that _inertia_ is the property of one body, while gravitation requires two for its existence. If there were only one body in nature, it might move on, in obedience to its _vis inertiæ_, for any length of time; but, during an isolated existence, could neither attract nor be attracted. Whewell’s theorem, in his own language, is as follows:

1796. “We see,” alleges Whewell, “that the propositions that all bodies are heavy, and that inertia is proportional to weight, necessarily follow from those fundamental ideas which we unavoidably employ in all attempts to reason concerning the mechanical relations of bodies.” (See Demonstration that all Matter is heavy, by the Rev. William Whewell, B.D. Silliman’s Journal, vol. 42, page 265.)

To PROFESSOR WHEWELL: 1797. DEAR SIR: I thank you for your kind attention in sending me a copy of your pamphlet, entitled a “_Demonstration that all Matter is heavy_,” comprising a communication made to the Cambridge Philosophical Society.

1798. I conceive that to demonstrate that all matter is heavy, is, in other words, to prove that all matter is endowed with attraction of gravitation, or that general property which, when it causes bodies to tend toward the centre of the earth, is called weight. Hence to assert that all matter is heavy, is no more than to say, that attraction of gravitation exists between all or any masses of matter.

1799. You say, “it may be urged that we have no difficulty in conceiving of matter which is not heavy.” I have no hesitation in asserting that there should be no difficulty in entertaining such a conception; since I cannot understand why any two masses may not be as readily conceived to _repel_, as to _attract_ each other, or _neither to attract nor to repel_. Is it not easier to imagine two remote masses indifferent to each other, than that they act upon each other? Is any thing more difficult to understand than that a body can act where it is not?

1800. It is also mentioned by you, that it may be urged “_that inertia and weight are two separate properties of matter_.” Now I will not only urge, but also, with all due deference, will undertake to show, that the existence of inertia may as well be proven, and its quantity estimated, by means of repulsion as by means of attraction.

1801. Suppose two bodies, A and B, to be endowed with reciprocal attraction, or, in other words, to gravitate toward each other. Being placed at a distance, and then allowed to approach, if, after any given time, it were found that they had moved severally any ascertained distances, evidently their relative inertias would be considered as inversely as those distances.

1802. In the next place, let us suppose two bodies, X and Y, endowed with the opposite force of reciprocal repulsion, to be placed in proximity, and then allowed to fly apart. The distances run through by them severally, being, at any given time, determined, might not their respective inertias be taken to be inversely as those distances; so that the question would be as well ascertained in this case as in that above stated, in which gravitation should be resorted to as the test?

1803. It seems to me that this question is sufficiently answered in the affirmative, in your second paragraph, page 7, (p. 269,) in which you allege, that “_one body has twice as much inertia as another, if, when the same force acts upon it for the same time, it acquires but half the velocity. This is the fundamental conception of inertia._”

1804. In the third paragraph, fourth page, (p. 261,) you say, “_that the quantity of matter is measured by those sensible properties of matter which undergo quantitative addition, subtraction, and division, as the matter is added, subtracted, or divided, the quantity of matter cannot be known in any other way; but this mode of measuring the quantity of matter, in order to be true at all, must be true universally_.”

1805. Also your fourth paragraph, fifth page, (p. 268,) concludes with this allegation: “_And thus we have proved, that if there be any kind of matter which is not heavy, the weight can no longer avail us, in any case, to any extent, as the measure of the quantity of matter._”

1806. In reply to these allegations, let me inquire, Cannot a matter exist of which the sensible properties do not admit of being measured by human means? Because some kinds of matter can be measured by “those sensible qualities which undergo quantitative addition, subtraction, and division,” does it follow that there may not be matter which is incapable of being thus measured? And wherefore would the method of obtaining philosophical truth be “futile” in the one case, because inapplicable in the other? Because the inertias of A and B have been discovered, by means of their gravitation, does it follow that the inertias of X and Y cannot be discovered by their self-repellent power? Why should the inapplicability of gravitation in the one case render its employment futile in the other?

1807. It is self-evident, that matter without weight cannot be estimated by weighing, but I deny that on that account such weightless matter may not be otherwise estimated. The inertias of A and B cannot be better measured by gravitation than those of X and Y by repulsion, as already shown.

1808. You seem to infer, in paragraph second, page sixth, (p. 268,) that we should be equally destitute of the means of measuring matter accurately, “_were any kind of matter heavy indeed, but not so heavy, in proportion to its quantity of matter, as other kinds_.”

1809. If, in the case of all matter, weight be admitted to be the only measure of quantity, it were inconsistent to suppose any given quantity of matter, of any one kind, to have less weight than an equal quantity of another kind; but upon what other than a conventional basis is it to be assumed that there is more matter in a cubic inch of platinum than in a cubic inch of tin? in a cubic inch of mercury than in a cubic inch of iron? Judging by the chemical efficacy of the masses, although the weight of mercury is to that of iron as 13.6 is to 8, there are more equivalents of the latter than the former in any given bulk, since by weight twenty-eight parts of iron are equivalent to two hundred and two parts of mercury.

1810. Weight is one of the properties of certain kinds of matter, and has been advantageously resorted to, in preference to any other property, in estimating the quantity of the matter to which it appertains. Nevertheless, measurement by bulk is found expedient or necessary in many cases. But may we not appeal to any general property which admits of being measured or estimated? Farraday has inferred that the quantity of electricity is as the quantity of gas which it evolves. Light has been considered as proportional in quantity to the surface which it illuminates with a given intensity at a certain distance. The quantity of caloric has been held to be directly as the weight of water which it will render aeriform; and has also been estimated by the degree of its expansive or thermometric influence. What scale-beam is more delicate than the thermoscope of Melloni?

1811. In the last paragraph but one, seventh page, (p. 270,) you suggest, that “_perhaps some persons might conceive that the identity of weight and inertia is obvious at once, for both are merely resistance to motion; inertia, resistance to all motion, or change of motion; weight, resistance to motion upward_.”

1812. I am surprised that you should think the opinion of any person worthy of attention, who should entertain so narrow a view of weight, as antagonist of momentum, as that above quoted, “_that it is a resistance to motion upward_.” Agreeably to the definition given at the commencement of the letter, weight, in its usual practical sense, is only one case of the general force which causes all ponderable masses of matter to gravitate toward each other, and which is of course liable to resist any conflicting motion, whatever may be the direction. When, in the form of solar attraction, it overcomes that inertia of the planets which would otherwise cause them to leave their orbits, does gravitation “_resist motion upward_?”

1813. In the next paragraph you allege, that “_there is a difference in these two kinds of resistance to motion. Inertia is instantaneous, weight is continuous, resistance._”

1814. It is to this allegation I object, that as you have defined inertia to be “_resistance to motion, or to change of motion_,” it follows that it can be instantaneous only where the impulse which it resists is instantaneous. It cannot be less continuous than the force by which it is overcome.

1815. Gravity has been considered as acting upon falling bodies by an infinity of impulses, each producing an adequate acceleration; but to every such accelerating impulse, producing of course a “_change of motion_,” will there not be a commensurate resistance from inertia? and the impulses and resistances being both infinite, will not one be as continuous as the other?

1816. I have already adverted to inertia as the continuous antagonist of solar attraction in the case of revolving planets.

1817. Agreeably to Mossotti, the creation consists of two kinds of matter, of which the homogeneous particles are mutually repellent, the heterogeneous mutually attractive. Consistently with this hypothesis, _per se_, any matter must be imponderable; being endowed with a property the very opposite of attraction of gravitation. This last-mentioned property exists between masses consisting of both kinds of particles, so far as the attraction between the heterogeneous atoms predominates over the repulsion between those which are homogeneous. It would follow from these premises, that all matter is ponderable or otherwise, accordingly as it may be situated.

1818. Can the ether by which, according to the undulatory theory, light is transmitted, consist of ponderable matter? Were it so, would it not be attracted about the planets with forces proportioned to their weight, respectively? and becoming of unequal density, would not the diversity in its density, thus arising, affect its undulations, as the transmission of sound is influenced by any variations in the density of the aeriform fluid by which it is propagated? With esteem, I am yours truly, ROBERT HARE

(See appendix for Whewell’s Essay.)

_Additional Remarks on the Speculations of Farraday and Exley, above noticed._

1819. Is it possible for a mere centre to be endowed with a force? or reasonable that language should not make a distinction between something and nothing, between cause and effect, between matter and the properties of matter? _m_ being the properties, and _a_ the Newtonian atom, of which they have been considered as the attributes, I cannot concur in the reasoning which infers that where we can only perceive phenomena, we are to dispense with the idea of _causation_, because that causation is not directly perceptible. It seems to me, from the meaning of the words, that no cause can exist without some effect, nor can any effect exist without a cause. Language founded on the existence of ideas cannot be disused. Can there be any reason for considering any thing as endowed with existence which gives no evidence of existence? We distinguish between the thing which causes and the effect which it produces. The cause evidently has a centrality; the effect, though it indicates by the direction in which it arrives, the centre whence it proceeds, is remote from that centre. The existence of this centrality seems to be recognised in the suggestion that atoms are centres of forces. This implies that the source or cause is at the centre in each atom, and, of course, the phenomenon, being more or less remote from the centre, cannot be the source or cause, and hence has been treated as an effect or property.

1820. The suggestion that the office of atoms may be performed by centres of forces, in fact, assigns to a _mere centre_ the part now performed by a Newtonian atom. But it must be evident that the centre is that point within any rotating mass, which does not turn therewith; and which, where neither of the opposite motions resulting from rotation take place, can neither have length nor breadth. This reduces the idea of a centre to a common definition with a mathematical point; which is nihility in the extreme. An absolutely void space may be identified with nihility, and a mathematical point is a portion of that space, without length, breadth, or thickness. To endow centres with forces is to disregard the axiom, “Out of nothing nothing can come.” Moreover, wherefore should there be a force at _certain_ mathematical points, and yet others be destitute of the same attribute? Manifestly, if some _mathematical_ points are deficient of powers with which others are endowed, there must be something associated with one, which is not associated with the other. This justifies the Newtonian idea, that the force, though proceeding from the centre, is, like the terrestrial attraction of gravitation, the resultant of the complicated attraction of the whole of a body surrounding the centre. But the centrality of the force does not seem to accord with the idea of the inferred diffusion of properties. In the instance of gravitation it does not account for those attributes by which this globe acts as a solid mass within its material superficies, and yet, according to the Farradian definition, reaches beyond the moon!

1821. But the idea of that polarity, of which Farraday has done so much to establish the existence in all matter, in one form or another, seems to involve that, to constitute atoms, there must be two centres of _analogous_, but _opposite_, forces in each: whence it ensues that crystals shoot in prisms or spiculæ, as water is seen to shoot in freezing; and through which salts, as deposited by the evaporation of the solvent from a solution of them, are seen to travel over the sides of the vessel; and upon which property the phenomena of electricity and magnetism appear to be dependent. How is this to be reconciled with this notion of each atom existing in a diffusible penetrable state throughout the space in which its properties prevail? Since these opposite polarities are energetic in their reciprocal polar attraction, what keeps them together, yet prevents them from so uniting as to produce neutralization?

1822. Mr. Exley’s ideas, if admitted, leave no alternative but either to place a Newtonian atom within each of his concentric spheres, or to assume that nothing can have properties, or that effects can exist without causes. What is to cause a force at any mathematical point more than at any other? How, in case of a moving body, are the forces to appear successively to proceed from various centres, if there be nothing in which it is inherent, which moves and carries its forces or properties wheresoever it goes? Does not this suggestion that atoms are centres of their forces, by making the cart draw itself, force the effect to be its own cause? It is quite consistent with the Newtonian definition, that the resultant of the action of every part of a mass should comport as if it proceeded from a common centre, as does terrestrial gravitation; and of course, whether we have the Newtonian idea or that of Boscovitch, Farraday, or Exley, we have forces proceeding from centres. The great difference is that agreeably to the one these forces emanate from nothing; agreeably to the other, from something. I used to define matter to my pupils as that which has properties. In the mind, is not force distinguished from some moving power which gives it rise? Is not this distinction inevitable? and were the word force employed to designate the moving power which exercises force, would it not confound ideas, without altering the actual state of the case? Would it not impoverish language, without improving science?

_Of Mundane, Ethereal, and Ponderable Matter, in their Chemical relations._

1823. The bodies which occupy the attention of a chemist are found in one of three states—those of solidity, fluidity, and elasticity. Ice, liquid water, and steam exemplify these different states. The fact is thus illustrated, that the same chemical compound, consisting of oxygen and hydrogen, may exist in either state, according to the temperature to which it may be subjected.

1824. Experience justifies the surmise, that scarcely any body in nature is utterly insusceptible of these three states, provided it were heated or refrigerated with an unlimited power.

1825. Beside the property of gravitation, of which the energy is inversely as the square of the distance, however great, (as when it enables the two suns, apparently forming but one—the double star, 61 Cygni (1340)—at the distance of six thousand millions of miles, to attract each other so as to revolve about their common centre of gravity,) atoms are endowed with a force called attraction of aggregation, which operates only at insensible distances, so that when brought into due proximity they unite and form a coherent mass. Again, they are endowed, as already mentioned, with chemical affinity, which varies with the kind of particles in which it exists as a property; being the characteristic by which they are distinguished one from the other.

1826. According to the doctrine which chemists have heretofore suggested for the existence of matter in the elastic or gaseous state, each aerial or gaseous atom was conceived to be enveloped in an atmosphere of fluid called caloric, resembling the ether in the self-repellent power of its constituent particles. This atmosphere has been assumed to impart to atoms which it envelopes its own inherent power of reciprocal repulsion, like that which those of the ether have. But Dalton showed that there was no repulsion between gaseous atoms when _heterogeneous_. Two or more such gases, hydrogen and nitrogen, for instance, being comprised in the same cavity, there would be no repulsion between the atoms of hydrogen and those of nitrogen, but only between those of the same gas. This has been held to be equally true, however many gases might be mingled, or whatever vapours might be superadded.

1827. The idea is thus refuted, which ascribes the repulsive power to the same elastic fluid, since in that case the diversity of the gaseous atoms could not so affect the repulsive influence as to nullify it between heterogeneous atoms, while sustaining this repulsion, where the atoms should be alike.

1828. Moreover, as the rays of light have been found to be mere undulations in the ether; the rays of heat, being perfectly analogous in their attributes, must also be due to ethereal undulations. But vaporization may be affected by radiant heat, and gases owe their aeriform state to the same cause as vapor or steam; yet transient undulations evidently cannot form a permanent combination, so as to confer the durable elasticity of a permanent gas.

1829. It appears, then, that neither the doctrine of caloric, nor the undulatory doctrine, as it is received, will explain the creation of permanent gas. Under these circumstances a modification of the existing opinions is called for. It has, for some years, occurred to me, that the Newtonian doctrine of radiation might be associated with that of undulation.

1830. The fact that radiant heat could be collected by a mirror so as to raise the temperature of bodies placed in the focus, and that this process could take place in vacuo, as ascertained by Sir Humphrey Davy, had been adduced as unquestionable evidence of the materiality of caloric, the supposed fluid cause of heat. But as the cold proceeding from a snowball or any cold body could be collected by the same process, it was urged by some chemists that the evidence of the materiality of the cause of cold must also be admitted. Prevost met this argument by suggesting that no body in nature is absolutely cold. Every body, however refrigerated, is not so cold as to be incapable of greater refrigeration. Hence all bodies being absolutely above the zero of nature, are throwing off rays to each other, and where there is equality of temperature, they do not cause any change in their relative temperatures. The rays thrown off by A are compensated by those which it receives from B, and _vice versa_. But if A throws off to B more than B reciprocates, the temperature of A must fall until an equilibrium is attained. Thus, A being the mirror and B the snowball, the mirror is refrigerated, and causes a greater radiation from any body situated about its focus. This explanation was generally received, but to me, the following rationale, which I advanced, appeared preferable:

1831. I assumed caloric to exist throughout the sublunary creation, as the luminiferous ether is assumed to be diffused throughout all space by the undulationists; the diffusion arising from the reciprocal repulsion of its particles being similar to that which had been supposed to cause the diffusion of caloric. There is the greatest analogy between this diffusion and that which is known to exist in the case of gases. The process is the same, whether the gas be dense like chlorine, or thirty-six times as rare, as in the instance of hydrogen, and in the luminiferous ether resembles the process by which hydrogen is rarified, or might be rendered more rare, were the pressure of the atmosphere removed.

1832. It is known that in any gas or gaseous mixture like that which we breathe, if a deficit of pressure be caused in any spot, the gaseous particles will quickly move toward it, in order to restore the equilibrium of pressure, and that if, on the other hand, any augmentation of pressure be produced at any spot, the gas will move outward to restore the equilibrium.

1833. The particles being symmetrically arranged in lines, a row of particles may be conceived to lie between every two remote points. If we suppose any number of points in the focal body, and a corresponding number in the surface of the mirror, it may be conceived that the intervening ethereal or calorific particles will move in rows one way or the other, as the pressure in the focal space may become greater or less. Thus an effect is brought about, equivalent to that which the Newtonian idea of radiation involves; lines of particles proceed from the hotter points to the colder ones.

1834. The arrangement of the particles of caloric, which was originally, in my view, confined to the sublunary creation, appears of necessity to belong to the luminiferous ether, required by the theory ascribing light to undulations, though the last-mentioned medium must be endowed with ubiquity as above stated, so as to abound in every part of space through which light reaches the eye.

1835. The undulatory hypothesis supposes that a wave-like motion being imparted to a row of particles, by a luminous point in the surface of the luminous body, is transmitted, like the sound producing waves in the air, to the other end of the row.

1836. This undulatory progression has been roughly illustrated by the transitory serpentine movements which may be made in a cord, stretched like a clothes-line between the tops of posts.

1837. In order to make this illustration elucidate the conception which I advance, we have only to suppose that the cord, instead of being attached to the post, should be drawn rapidly over pulleys, and, while thus actuated, be subjected to a cause of undulatory vibration. It may be conceived that, by this process, the ethereal particles, while performing all which the undulatory theory requires, might at the same time perform all required by that of emission and material calorific radiation. Directed upon a vaporizable liquid, the undulations might perform the part of sensible heat; the ethereal particles, successively combining, might furnish the latent heat requisite to the constitution of vapour.

1838. Agreeably to Newton, the seven colours of the spectrum are due to as many different kinds of radiant particles of various refrangibility, or susceptibility of being bent from the rectilinear path when passed through the same refracting medium.[40]

1839. According to the undulatory theory, the colours are caused by diversities in the undulations producing them. Retaining this feature, the last-mentioned hypothesis, as modified by myself, appears to be competent to explain the phenomena of light as well as those of vaporization, produced by calorific radiation, since not only is any vaporizing liquid subjected to the transient effect of the undulations, but also may combine with the ethereal particles as they come into contact with it.

1840. Thus modified, the rationale of the rainbow, or prismatic spectrum, would not be that the colours indicate as many varieties of original radiant particles, but that they are to be explained agreeably to the undulatory hypothesis, which ascribes them to as many varieties in the undulations, just as the notes in music are ascribed to diversities of vibration.

1841. The ether, under this view, performs the part heretofore assigned to latent heat, by combining with solids so as to render them susceptible of expansion, and of electrical conduction by being liable to the polarization which constitutes electricity.

1842. Sensible heat, according to this aspect, is due to the vibrations of the ethereal fluid, which is sustained by the sun, by ignition in the interior of the earth, and by chemical reaction, including combustion and respiration.

1843. The correctness of the inference, that conductors owe their conductive power to ethereal matter entering into their composition, has been insisted upon in my strictures on Farraday’s speculation in some of the preceding pages. The facts admitted by this distinguished investigator of nature’s laws, gave to me a basis on which to rest an argument in favour of the existence of an imponderable cause of heat and electricity in metals, which seems to me unanswerable.

1844. Agreeably to the hypothesis respecting which the preceding preparatory suggestions have been made, gasification is not due to a repulsive atmosphere of ethereal matter, severally appropriated to each ponderable constituent atom, but to an attraction for every such atom exercised by the ethereal fluid, such as water exercises toward sugar, quick-lime, salt, or any soluble substance. The ether attracts the particles of certain solids, and is of course reacted upon by them. The particles thus attracted naturally distribute themselves throughout it, at symmetrical distances. Hence the law of Pettit and Dulong is verified, which, at least, holds good with all gasifiable atoms, that their capacity is inversely as their atomic weight.

1845. The atomic weights of hydrogen, nitrogen, and chlorine being severally 1, 14, 36, when associated with equal volumes of the _imponderable_ ether, they will have still the same weight. Equal volumes will weigh the same as the atoms with which they are associated; and the capacity for heat, being directly as the volumes, will be inversely as the weights, the calculation being the same, whether ether or caloric be the imponderable principle to which they owe their gasification. By concurring with those chemists, who estimate the atoms of oxygen at 16, instead of 8, this gas will come into the same calculation.

1846. When heterogeneous gases are confined within the same cavity, that they should not react with each other is no more wonderful, than that the same mass of water may at the same time hold different substances in solution, which may add to its hydrostatic pressure though they have no reciprocal reaction.

1847. Sensible heat appears to be due to vibrations in the ether, kept up by the solar rays or central ignition within this globe. By the heat thus acquired the self-repellent power of the ether is augmented. When by refrigeration this source of repulsion is diminished beyond a certain limit, the atoms of certain vaporizable particles, such as those of steam and other condensible vapours, are approximated sufficiently to attract each other, and consequently coalesce and are condensed.

1848. It follows that light is due to _undulation_, sensible heat to _vibration_, and electricity to the _polarization_ caused in the ethereal medium, while either in a free, or in a combined state. Thus this luminiferous ether performs the part heretofore attributed to latent heat or caloric in one state; in another state, that of sensible heat.

_Suggestions of Massotti, respecting the Nature of Matter._

1849. Massotti has suggested that all bodies consist of two kinds of ultimate particles; that any two or more particles of one kind are repulsive of each other, while any two or more of different kinds are reciprocally attractive. Hence atoms are formed, consisting of one atom of one kind and one of the other kind. Of course, were the opposite forces exercised by the heterogeneous and homogeneous equal, the resulting atoms would be neither attractive nor repulsive; but assuming the attractive power to have the ascendency, the hypothesis would account for the property of gravitation.

1850. Let the suggestions of Massotti be modified, so far as that the extremities of each particle, whether of one or the other kind, are to be considered as endowed with opposite polarities, like those of the magnetic needle, as already suggested in the case of matter in general. Then in one relative position of the extremities they may be reciprocally repulsive, in the other reciprocally attractive; likewise one of the kinds of matter, like the light-producing ether of the undulationists, may pervade the universe, and be condensed in a peculiarly great quantity within perfect conductors: all this being premised, it may be conceived how the waves of opposite polarization, which proceed from oppositely electrified, or in other words, oppositely polarized bodies, cause the matter through which they pass to be decomposed or explosively rent.

1851. As elsewhere stated, in large bodies of water, waves are the effect of transference of motion successively from one part of the mass to the other; the rolling of the wave causing nothing to pass but the motion, and of course, the momentum is invariably consequent to motion. The waves by which sound is transmitted, are analogous; nothing being transferred excepting a vibration of the air, capable of affecting the tympanum of the ear with the impression requisite to create in the sensorium the idea of sound.

1852. Any affection of matter, capable of existing in successive parts of a material body, so that while the body is stationary, the affection passes from one part of the mass to others, may be considered as a wave of that affection, as reasonably as the affection called momentum is considered as producing a wave in water, when passing through it, as above described. It is in this way that I consider that the term wave of polarization may be applied to an affection of matter consisting of an abnormal position of the poles of the constituent particles, successively induced in rows of atoms, so as to proceed from one part of the series to the other.

1853. And as two sets of waves, of which the hollows of one should correspond with the elevations of the others, would, by being associated, produce an even surface and equalization of the momentum in the aqueous liquid, so, in opposite polarities, there might be reciprocal neutralization by the coming together of the polarities.

_On Electro-polarity as the Cause of Electrical Phenomena._

1854. Agreeably to the view which I take of the present state of our electrical knowledge, the phenomena designated under the name of electricity are due entirely to a process which I designate as polarization, and the consequences thereof. Those attractions and repulsions which have been found to exist between particles of matter, instead of being an endowment of the whole mass of each particle, seem confined, as already suggested, to particular terminations or spots, as we see this property on a larger scale in the loadstone or natural magnet. In the body long known under this appellation, the attractive power which it exercises is displayed usually at two distinct portions of its superficies, which are called poles. When a piece of steel wire is duly rubbed by either of these poles, it acquires a similar attractive polarity, which always appears at the extremities. When formed into an appropriate shape and freely suspended, such a wire magnet constitutes the compass needle, having the wonderful and all-important faculty of arranging itself within a meridian plane, so as to be always nearly north and south; the same pole invariably pointing in the same direction. The poles are named from the quarter to which they point, one being called the north pole of the needle, the other the south pole. This involves that the north pole of the earth itself has nominally south polarity; the south pole, north polarity.

1855. When two suspended compass needles are sufficiently approximated, it will be seen that between the poles which point in the same direction, there is repulsion; between those which point in different directions, attraction. When the dissimilar poles are brought into contact, they adhere; and if left cohering, will continue attached for any length of time; and while in that state of coherence, the magnetic power of the poles thus touching, being neutralized, disappears.[41]

1856. If two needles be laid parallel, an interval between them, the extremities being made to communicate by applying two wires of suitable dimensions, also parallel to each other, the magnetic power will be neutralized.

1857. It is inferred that analogous phenomena take place in the particles of masses or surfaces which are endowed with chemical affinity or even cohesive attraction.

1858. It is to the existence of the power by which these effects are caused, at opposite terminations, that bodies, in congealing or freezing from the state of liquidity, shoot into prismatic, oblong, regular forms, called crystals. This is illustrated in the formation of ice, which is seen to shoot into such prismatic crystals.

1859. When a pane of glass is so situated as to have the focus of a solar microscope thrown upon any spot, so that the glass thus affected may be between the eye of an observer and the microscope, any small crystals formed are greatly magnified. Hence if the focal space be moistened with a solution of certain salts, the solvent evaporating, crystallization ensues, and is seen to form appropriate figures for each salt employed. It is owing to this property that when certain solutions of various substances are evaporated, the soluble solid, as it is deposited from the solvent, arranges itself longitudinally; one atom attaching itself to the pole of another, until it creeps over the sides of the vessel in great quantity. The appearance of arborescence in certain minerals is thus accounted for. When an amalgam of mercury with silver is hung by a platina wire within a bottle of a solution of silver in nitric acid, there is formed a beautiful branching of silver filaments. These are longer, though more slowly formed, as the solution is more dilute. In very dilute solutions I have seen prisms of silver of more than an inch in length, so delicate, that but for the brilliancy of the surface they could not have been detected by the eye.

1860. Farraday distinguished two kinds of polarity—ferro-magnetic and dia-magnetic. That above described as taking place between steel magnets is designated as ferro-magnetic. Dia-magnetic particles under magnetic influence take position at right angles to that which would ensue from ferro-magnetism.

1861. This explanation being premised to enable the student to comprehend what is meant by polarity, I will proceed to explain electric phenomena, according to the theory which I hold.

1862. It is expected that the preceding discussions have prepared the reader to conceive that the atoms of all ponderable matter are endowed with two analogous but opposite polar powers, which we term polarity. That in any two atoms the dissimilar polar powers tend to make them unite, the similar powers having the opposite tendency. That in any inert mass the opposite powers or polarities are in contact, and thus reciprocally neutralized.

1863. It will be also understood that the ethereal fluid which pervades the universe as the means of illumination is assumed to consist in like manner of atoms or particles which are endowed with polarity, so that when the opposite poles are in proximity, there is neutralization: repulsion, and disturbance, when similar poles are approximated. This being premised, the allegation may be intelligible, that when bodies are electrified, the poles of the component atoms or particles are conceived to be deranged from their natural position of reciprocal neutralization, so that they react with exterior bodies, disturbing the poles of their constituent particles, and thus electrifying them by induction.

1864. This abnormal state of disturbance, is conceived to be produced on glass or resin, or any electric, when duly subjected to friction.

1865. Thus when in an electric machine a vitreous surface is rubbed by a leather cushion, the particles both of the leather and glass surfaces are deranged from their natural state of reciprocal neutralization, and present their poles in an active state, and the glass surface, moving through the ethereal medium, (812) polarizes it as it passes, the ether resuming its normal state till the ethereal atmosphere over the conductor is reached. To that it imparts durable polarity; the metallic superficies of the conductor taking the opposite state, so that the charge is retained until the glass goes to and returns from the cushion, with a farther supply of polarity.

1866. The charges of polarization received by the plates at each succeeding revolution of the plate or cylinder, is divided with the ethereal atmosphere over the conductor, and this process is reiterated till the frictional power has accomplished its maximum effect. Then the conductor is said to be charged positively, according to the theory of one fluid, and vitreously, according to that of Dufay, or the theory of two fluids. Meanwhile, if the cushion communicates duly with an insulated conductor, a process perfectly analogous to that just described has been charging that conductor, _pari passu_, with the one first mentioned. By these means we have two excited or charged conductors.

1867. If, before charging these conquerors, two scalps of hair be severally situated on them, it will be perceived that, as the charging proceeds, the hairs on each of the scalps rise, and endeavour to keep away from each other. But, meanwhile, the whole of the hair on either is attracted by that on the other conductor. Moreover, on touching both conductors with any metallic rod, simultaneously, the whole of the excitement disappears, and the hairs assume their normal position.

1868. In producing this discharge, iron is not more effective than any other metal. It is, in fact, known to be less competent for this species of conduction, than copper, silver, or gold.

1869. When the conductors are excited they have a powerful effect upon gold leaves, suspended as in the electrometer.

1870. The state of the conductors, when excited, as described here, is said to be _static_. Such a state of excitement is distinguished as a _statical_ charge of electricity.

1871. In the next place, if we procure a horse-shoe magnet, lay it on a table, cover it with a sheet of paper, and then sift over it iron filings, we shall see the shape of the magnet delineated upon the paper, by the filings arranging themselves above its corners in preference. But as the sifting proceeds, the filings will be seen to extend themselves in filaments, so as very much to resemble the electrified hair above described. A tuft of the ferruginous filaments will be formed upon each pole of the magnet, each filament avoiding its neighbours, as far as possible. But while each filament, in either tuft, avoids every other in its appropriate tuft, the whole of the filaments in one, are attracted by those in the other. Thus, the charges of polarity which cause each similarly polarized filament to avoid those in the same state, induce those polarized by one of the poles of the magnet, to attract such as are polarized by the other pole of the magnet.

1872. Here is, so far, a great analogy between the phenomena of the polarization of filings and the polarization of the hair, above described. But then there is this difference: excepting iron, cobalt, and nickel, there is no metal which can, by contact with the poles of a magnet, neutralize the polarity by which the iron filings are affected; and even these metals produce this result by a process, the inverse of that by which charges of statical electricity are neutralized. In fact, the magnetic metal, far from acting as a discharger, acts as a keeper; and a piece of iron, of a suitable shape, applied to the terminations of a horse-shoe magnet, prevents the gradual diminution of the magnetism, which otherwise ensues. Hence the name keeper is applied to it, as well as armature, derived from the French.

1873. It will be perceived that, in a steel magnet, the charges are sustained at the terminations of a conductor, which, as estimated by Cavendish, conducts electricity with a velocity two hundred thousand times as great as water.

1874. The charge of the conductor of the machine is superficial, a gilt globe of glass holding as good a charge as a solid globe of metal; and, moreover, in this superficial charge, the ether and the air participate, undergoing a polar affection, analogous to that of the filings exposed to the influence of the magnet.

1875. On the other hand, in the use of the steel magnet, the charge is internal, and, other things being equal, increases with the quantity of iron charged; neither the air nor the ether participate in this magnetic charge. There is no mode in which the charges of the poles of a magnet can be made to pass from one to the other, through any interposed conducting mass.

1876. The retention of the charge seems to be dependent upon a state of the particles in which they are capable of being deranged from their normal position with a certain degree of extraneous influence, and can only resume their natural relative position by a contrary application of a similar agent. Although steel differs from iron only in containing, as an ingredient, one-fiftieth of carbon, this gives it the highly valuable property of hardening, when suddenly refrigerated; a result which may be accounted for by supposing that, in consequence of the sudden exposure to a powerful conducting medium, there is a sort of a jerk by which the particles loose from their midst an undue portion of their ethereal constituents, and cannot recover their normal arrangement after the refrigeration. When this effect is reached to a maximum, the steel is so brittle as sometimes to fly into two or more pieces when left to itself. When soft iron is subjected to the magnetizing process, it exchanges one polarity for the other with such speed, that, in some electro-magnetic instruments, this reversal is effected more than one hundred times in a second; but precisely in proportion as the magnetism is readily received, it is more readily lost. On the other side, when hardened to a maximum, steel can scarcely be magnetized at all. Thus, to have a permanent magnet, we must employ the metal in a state of induration between the extremes. These facts tend to corroborate the inference that magnetism is dependent on the relative position of the ferruginous particles. It is presumed that the ferruginous particles of which the filings consist indicate, by their direction, as seen externally, the direction in which the constituent particles of the magnet are situated beneath the metallic surface.[42]

1877. If to a wire, connecting the poles of a galvanic battery, iron filings are applied, each ferruginous particle becomes a little magnet, and displays exactly the same disposition to unite in filaments as has been represented to take place when they are exposed upon a sheet of paper, to the influence of a magnet supporting it. But while this affection is thus identical with that induced by the steel magnet, it differs therefrom, in its being as transient as the galvanic discharges to which it owes its existence. These, at the lowest estimate, are sufficiently rapid to go round the globe in two seconds; whence it may be conceived that the time taken to percur a few inches of wire must be almost infinitely brief. Hence, although the filings continue in a state of magnetization so long as the action of the battery is sustained, and the wire kept in due contact with the poles of the battery, it is only by a rapid reiteration of discharges, that this result is effected.

1878. As the relative position of the particles composing the steel magnet has been inferred to be indicated by that of the movable filings which they influence, we may suppose the position of the particles composing the wire, to be indicated by that which the filings take by which it is encircled. These are situated always as if forming tangents to the circumference of the wire, and hence it may be perceived that the metallic particles, forming the wire, have been shifted from their normal position, parallel to the axis, so as to take that tangential direction which the magnetization evinces.

1879. On one end of the wire being in communication with one pole of a voltaic series, on touching the other pole of the series with the other end of the wire, filaments of the particles previously situated parallel to the axis, are jerked out of the normal position with an inconceivable quickness, the discharge, however, not affecting successive parts of the length absolutely at once, but successively; so that there is a time required for the process, however inconceivably minute it may appear to us. The effect upon the filaments of filings, at the different ends of the wire, are perfectly simultaneous, and the effect analogous, but different in this respect, that the positive poles are presented externally at one end, the negative at the other, so that, when the polarizing affections meet at an intermediate point within the wire, neutrality ensues.

1880. Thus it will be perceived that no current passes through the wire, any more than the water which is seen to form a wave, on one side of a lake, passes with the wave which is seen apparently to proceed to the other side. Notoriously, in this case, nothing passes but the momentum, which is successively imparted to successive portions of the intervening water; so, in the galvanic discharge, successive portions of the intervening wire are affected by the original disturbing jerks, of which the power passes from each portion to that next beyond it, just as the momentum in the case of the aqueous wave.

1881. Upon these considerations I hold myself as warranted in calling the affections of the wire, as described, _waves_ of polarization, not that the affection of the wire has the smallest similitude to that with which water produces waves, but that, in both cases, there is a successive communication of a property. It is well known that there is this analogy in the two cases; in either, opposite waves, on due meeting, produce reciprocal neutrality.

1882. The neutralization of the electro-polarity induced upon the charged conductors (1867) by touching both at the same time by a conducting rod, is effected in some degree analogously to the process in the voltaic discharge; since waves of opposite polarization are produced at each extremity, and, rushing toward an intermediate point, are neutralized by meeting. But the polarization in the case of the conductors, as has been stated, (1874,) is superficial, and extends not only to the surfaces of the conductors, but likewise to the surrounding ether and air, and does not affect the ponderable atoms of the wire unless the charge be too great to pass in this superficial manner. In that case, being condensed upon the wire to a state of great intensity, it causes a polarization of the atoms composing it, similar to that of the voltaic discharge, though less durable.

1883. From the preceding exposition it follows that the conduction and insulation of that species of electricity which is excited by an electrical machine or other frictional processes, exists upon the superficies of insulated masses, or that of the circumambient particles of the air or ether. This frictional electricity likewise passes preferably over the surfaces of conductors, so that the moistened surface of glass, or other non-conductors, conveys it with enormous facility. It is notorious, that when the air is moist, electrical machines are paralyzed. But this cannot be in consequence of the moist air acting as a conductor. Agreeably to some experiments which I made, a fog from hot water does not act as a conductor. Evidently, were a fog or a cloud a conductor, the air and moisture forming a thunder cloud could not be electrified, so as to give the discharges which constitute lightning.

1884. It is well known that a tube will carry more lightning than a rod, of which the sectional area should comprise the same quantity of metal. Yet, when the wire is too small to carry a charge outside, it is acted upon intestinally and may be explosively deflagrated. But while the existence of a film of moisture upon the glass legs of an electrical machine, may paralyze its power, to a powerful galvanic battery moisture is well known to be essential.

1885. If the poles of a powerful voltaic series, while highly charged, were severally to have a conducting communication with the conductors of an electrical machine, it would discharge them so rapidly, that the most active working would not enable them to give a spark; yet at the poles of the same series there might be charges accumulated which would, in effecting chemical decomposition, heating, deflagrating wire, or inducing magnetism, be immensely superior to that created by a machine.

1886. Farraday’s reasoning and observations, founded on the idea that the only difference between galvanic and frictional electricity was that between quantity and intensity, led him to take up the idea that a grain of water with an equivalent of zinc would evolve as much electricity as sixteen millions of square feet of coated glass, charged by a powerful machine of fifty inches in diameter. I am surprised that Farraday did not consider his premises erroneous, when he found them involving such startling conclusions.

1887. The source of this startling inference was, I think, as follows: Farraday entertained the opinion, that the only difference between voltaic and frictional electricity was that of quantity and intensity. He went so far as to intimate that this opinion would be entertained the more confidently as the electrician forming his decision should be better acquainted with the subject. I advanced what appeared to me unanswerable objections to this conclusion, but such as were not deemed by him worthy of reply. Unduly confident in his postulate, Farraday first ascertained the greatest effect which could be produced by a certain number of turns of a powerful machine, with a fifty inch plate, in causing a deviation of the galvanometric needle, and then, comparing the quantity of zinc and water required to produce the same effect through galvanic action, by a rule-of-three statement the result above mentioned was obtained. In my view the error arose from overlooking the fact that in the one case the whole discharge was exercised in polarizing the ponderable matter, while in the other only a portion of the discharge was thus employed, being only a secondary effect of the polarization of the circumambient medium. Only that portion of the charge which was forced into an association with the ponderable matter, had any effect on the galvanometric needle.

1888. According to Gaziot’s experiments, a Grove’s battery of 320 pairs would not give a spark before contact at any distance, although frictional machines, proportionally powerful, have given sparks at twenty inches.

1889. Thus the laws of conduction and insulation, as respects the two kinds of electricity in question, are different; the waves of polarization are in the case of the galvanic circuit confined to absolute contact with conducting ponderable matter. It cannot pass through the electrical medium or the air by the disruptive process. When once a passage has been made for it, it may pass convectively, carrying with it the polarizable matter, as may be seen in the arch formed between the poles of a powerful voltaic series after contact.

1890. This arch cannot be formed between two metallic points, because none but those of a most fixed and infusible nature can support the heat produced. It is only between charcoal points that it can be created, because no other competent conductor is infusible at the temperature of its volatilization. It is in fact only by the process in question, that charcoal can be volatilized _per se_. It may be inferred that as those waves of electro-polarity which require the presence of ponderable as well as ethereal matter cannot pass over an interval without the assistance of ponderable matter such as is supplied by the coal. On contact with each other, the points completing the circuit are subjected to an intensity of the polarizing power which causes the carbon of the points, in the state of vapour, to become associated with the ethereal waves, and thus produces the flaming arch, which distinguishes the scene of reciprocal neutralization.

_Of Mind, as existing independently, and as distinguished from Matter._

1891. Three ideas must coexist in every rational being; nihility, mind, and matter. We can, of course, conceive of a perfectly void space, and likewise of a mathematical point, which designates a position not an entity. Yet, position cannot be determined without surrounding entities, between which this point exists, without having claim to any portion of those entities, whether there be only one actual material surface, or where several are cornered together. Of such points we have already treated, as forming at the immovable centre of a rotating mass, so that a centre is, of course, one state of the existence of such a point.

1892. After the considerations already presented, it will be seen that there is great difficulty in conceiving of the existence of an atom of matter endowed with polarity, and of course with two centres of two analogous, but opposite and irreconcilable forces. And we must consider that there are more than fifty such heterogeneous elementary atoms, all endowed with various degrees of affinity, so as that two may unite energetically to the exclusion of a third. This is designated as a case of decomposition, and may be exemplified by the process in which water is explosively decomposed by potassium, with which the oxygen of the water unites to the exclusion of hydrogen. When we see that from seven parts, by weight, of charcoal, and about nine parts of water, sugar ensues; that the sweetness with which this sugar is endowed, is the result of a difference between this substance and starch, in the proportion of the watery elements: starch consisting of less water than sugar, with the same amount of charcoal; when we learn that twelve parts, by weight, of charcoal, fourteen parts of nitrogen, and one of hydrogen, constitute the deadly prussic acid; and when, in fact, we discover that the atoms of matter which compose our flesh are capable of entering into as many active chemical combinations as the beads of a kaleidoscope can be productive of figures, then it will be manifest that the phenomena characterizing what we call matter, as well as the powers of that matter, are such as to prove our utter incapacity to comprehend the powers and properties of material atoms, and that we must not object to any wonder that nature may produce, because it is beyond our comprehension.[43]

1893. The belief in the powers displayed by matter does not then result from their being explicable, but from their being evident, just as the elaboration of the chick from the egg demonstrates the fact that the yolk and the white have been converted into a chicken without our being enabled to comprehend the process by which it has been effected. Such being the imperfection of our knowledge respecting the intricate nature of matter and its reactions, it seems to me inconsistent that there should have been such backwardness to believe in the independent existence of mind, of which the phenomena and properties are quite as evident as those of matter, the mode of existence and operation in either case being inscrutable.

1894. The great distinction between mind and matter is the presence of will on the one side, and the absence of it upon the other. _Vis inertiæ_ is the antipodes of will; and if gravitation have any association with will, it will be that of the Creator; but in the inert mass actuated, it serves only to add to the evidence of incapability of self-actuation.

1895. Passion and reason, the parents of will, are properties as manifest as those which, surrounding a centre, give to it that idea of a central force which indicates the presence of material atoms, though it does not constitute them, as I have urged.

1896. The existence of _vis inertiæ_, gravitation, and chemical affinity, is not more evident as properties of ponderable matter than reason and passion and consequent will are of mind; nor is will less evidently the offspring of reason and passion, than momentum is of _vis inertiæ_ and gravitation. The existence of these attributes of mind is as evident as is the existence of those of ponderable matter, and the incomprehensibility of their origin or mode of operation should no more be an obstacle to belief in the former case than in the latter.

1897. Nothing is more thoroughly fundamental and essential in the doctrine inculcated by revelation than the omnipotency of the will of God. According to Scripture, the whole heaven and earth, and all that is in them, sprung into existence in consequence of the fiat of the Deity, whose will, under the designation of “overruling providence,” is alleged to regulate every thing, even to the fall of a sparrow, or the advent of a pestilence. It follows that the suggestions which I have made respecting the powers of mind are perfectly orthodox, so far as the mind of the Creator is concerned; and as, according to orthodoxy, man is made after God’s own image, however humble and minute may be the being so made, his mind, so far as it exists, must be, within the sphere allotted to it, existing upon an analogous footing to that of its author. The idea of all things coming from the creative power of God as the first cause, involves the existence of the divine-will power, of the first cause; and consequently, beings endowed with an analogous will, must, so far as they have any available existence, be endowed with will-power, of which the potentiality may be more extensive in spirits than in mortals.

1898. It is because there is no other imaginable power which can be productive of the rationality of the universal creation, that forms the great argument for assuming the will of a reasoning Deity to be the cause of causes. Vain were it to appeal to any irrational force under the name of odylic, or any other, to explain the divine attributes on which this argument reposes. In like manner, the assailants of Spiritualism cannot find any nominal force, whether new or old, which can explain the rationality of the results which I have submitted to the public in this book, as coming from the minds of my spirit friends.

_Of Spirit independently, or as distinguished from Mind and Matter._

1899. It has been alleged above, that three ideas must exist in the conception of every rational being; nihility, mind, matter.

1900. Mind is distinct from matter in its usual acceptation; but it also differs from nihility. There are some attributes common to mind and matter; since they cannot be considered as nothing, they must both be something. Therefore, the word thing applies to either, and thing is sometimes received as synonymous with matter. But between these two kinds of things, mind and matter, we have an intermediate thing called spirit, which is sometimes confounded with mind. In its original sense, this word merely denoted a thin or refined matter, such as air, wind, breath. In chemistry, it has been applied to every thing obtained by distillation, as, for instance, spirit of wine, spirit of salt, spirit of nitre, of vitriol, spirit of turpentine.[44]

1901. Hence, by analogy, when the mind of a mortal, after death, was seen, or supposed to be seen, in a shadowy form called a ghost or shade, it was conceived to be the spirit or essence of the mortal body which it had inhabited. It was the body which the mind took or kept for its integuments after abandoning its perishable mundane _casket_, as the spirits are wont to call the carnal body.

1902. It is difficult for us mortals to conceive of mind without such a spiritual body. Yet, agreeably to information from my spirit friends, the substances of which the bodies, the country, and habitations of spirits are constituted, seem to have the attributes of materiality no less than the substances of which the bodies, the territory, and the habitations of mortals are constituted. Their spiritual substances perform for them the same offices as our material substances do for ours, yet it is expedient to distinguish them by different appellations, and those cited here have been sanctioned by custom at least as far as the time of St. Paul, or when these words in Genesis were first used: “The spirit of God moved on the surface of the water.”

1903. Hence, the words materialism and materialist have been made synonymous with unbelief or unbeliever in a future state of _spiritual_ existence.

1904. Spirit has also been confounded with mind or soul, or so associated that we speak of the spirit of a friend, when intending to convey the idea of soul or mind.

1905. The soul seems to be understood as the basis both of the passions and the reason, uniting both the power of thinking and reasoning with those of loving and hating, of benevolence and malevolence, so that even the soul of Jehovah has been represented in Scripture as being actuated by jealousy, wrath, and vindictiveness.

1906. According to information from the spirit world, spirit is viewed as the clothing of the soul, and is not constant in its characteristics; but, on the contrary, varies with the plane which it occupies, so that its density is inversely as the rank attained. It is on this account that the inferior spirits cannot rise above the level to which they rightfully belong.

1907. The impression is conveyed that there is a state to be attained in the spiritual heaven, wherein the tenuity of the integuments of the soul are still more refined.

1908. According to the speculation in which I indulged in a previous page, a centre cannot differ from the nihility involved by the conception of a mathematical point, without a circumambient something, to which the difference is due, and, however difficult to conceive in what way the attributes of a human soul are associated about the centre whence their influence proceeds, this difficulty, having been shown to exist no less in the case of ponderable atoms, would be an objection to the existence of matter as much as of mind.

_Of the Soul, as distinguished from Mind and Matter._

1909. The word mind is much used as synonymous with intellect or understanding, though it seems to me we consider it as more or less associated with the passions which actuate it. The word soul, on the other hand, involves the association of every thing which distinguishes a being capable of passion, and competent to reason, from a corpse. It is remarkable that, as spirits become more pure and intellectual, they should be alleged to become more refined in their spiritual integuments, thus removing further from the mundane state, and becoming less capable of giving those manifestations in which violent movements are witnessed.

_On the Odic, or Odylic, Force._

1910. There never was perhaps a more eloquent exhibition of that which has been designated as _ratiocinatio verbosa_, than in the appeals made to the odic force as the means of explaining spiritual manifestations. It may be inferred, from the speculation into which I entered, when treating of mediumship, (806,) that there is a spiritual light and spiritual electricity, which performs for spirits in the spiritual world what our electricity and light does for us in this world. It was pointed out that the term magnetism had been applied to mesmeric phenomena rather in consequence of an analogy between them and those of electro-magnetism, than from any identity. To this spiritual electricity, mortals, in their spiritual organism, which coexists with the mortal body, during mundane life, are liable; being unconsciously under its influence.

1911. The phenomena of mundane light being ascribed to the undulations of an ethereal fluid pervading the visible universe, (1831,) and electricity being ascribed to the polarization of the same fluid, so the spirits ascribe _their electricity_ and _their light_ to the undulation and polarization of an analogous ethereal fluid. It is to this ethereal fluid of the spiritual world, that the phenomena called odic belong, as I conceive. We may speak of that ether as the odic fluid, and we may designate the light and electricity which it produces as odic light, and odic electricity.

1912. But the use of the term force, as applied either to the ether appropriate to this mundane sphere, or to that which belongs more especially to the spirit world, seems to me erroneous. Imponderable fluids may be instrumental to forces, but, _per se_, cannot have force. No imponderable material fluid can _per se_ have any force, unless that of the reciprocal repulsion of particles, which causes their equable diffusion and resistance to condensation. Electricity has less force in proportion as it is more isolated. In vacuo it passes more diffusely and with less noise in proportion as the vacuum is more perfect. The violence of electrical phenomena is always dependent upon the reaction of the ponderable masses upon or between which it acts. In proportion as the matter on which it operates is more favourable to its condensation therein, or thereupon, the more violent is the deflagration or explosion which results. But in all the phenomena which have hitherto been recognised as the objects of strict physical examination, _vis inertiæ_ has been indispensable to the exhibition of force. “Give me but where to stand, and I will move the world,” was the exclamation of Archimedes; but the conviction thus expressed, of the necessity of a resisting basis, is universally recognised. In other words, there can be no action without reaction, whether chemical, mechanical, or muscular force be applied. Of course, it is preposterous to speak of an _isolated_ imponderable physical fluid, as possessing force _per se_. When left to itself it would remain inert, like any other inanimate matter. Clearly, isolated action on the part of such a fluid cannot be shown in any case whatever.

1913. Reichenbach alleged the substance or principle to which the name odic has been given to be visible, but he did not adduce any instance of its acting as a moving power so as to justify its being designated as the odic force.

1914. It is, however, unnecessary that those who admit the existence of an invisible ethereal medium through which, _without muscular contact_, or agency, effects are produced by will, should concur in their opinions respecting the nature of that imponderable principle. The question between those agreeing in the preceding principles, is whether it is to the will of mortals or to the will of disembodied spirits that such manifestations are to be attributed. I should think that no person who shall have read the communications which I have introduced into this work, as coming from my spirit friends, can ascribe those communications to the medium and myself. They must either suppose that there is a wilful manufacture of the wonderful and interesting information therein contained, setting aside the test conditions, through which they are sanctioned, as unreliable; or they must ascribe a wonderful fertility to the minds of the media and myself, through whom they have been obtained.

1915. So far from the ideas being obtained from my mind, which proceed from my spirit father, that he and I cannot come to one opinion on some points after much discussion. My father and sister have, by reiterated communication, as well established a conviction on my mind of their being that which they allege themselves to be, as if a correspondence had been carried on with them for the same space of time, say eighteen months, while they should be residing in another part of the country.

1916. But the whole superstructure built up by the most confident among the recent assailants of Spiritualism, Mahan, rests on the error already exposed in the case of its commission by Dr. Bell.

1917. It is assumed that spirits can never tell any ideas which do not exist in the minds of some persons present. Who was present when my spirit messenger conveyed to Mrs. Gourlay the request to send her husband to bank to inquire when a note would be due? Again, when cards were selected without the denomination having been seen by any mortal present, how could the denomination of the cards be spelt out upon the alphabetic disk?

1918. In his work, Mr. Mahan assumes that the odic force is identical with that which is the immediate cause of the spirit manifestations. Agreeably to the considerations above presented, no imponderable material principle, such as the ether of the undulation theory is supposed to be, can be a force. The only part which it can perform is that of being a medium of force. The fluid of electricity was never assumed to be a moving power, neither according to the Franklinian hypothesis of one fluid, nor that of two fluids, according to Dufay. Without chemical or mechanical disturbance, they would be as still as the water in a pond during a perfect calm.

1919. There is evidently, however, in nature, an imponderable cause of motion, and of other changes, more complicate than simple motion, and, I believe, only one such cause, and that is mind. No one who attributes the creation to the mind of the Creator, but must admit that the mind of the Creator and Ruler of the universe is the moving power of the universe. It must also be admitted that the mind of man, as a moving power, is very minute in comparison with that of its Author, or Source, but still resembling it so far as it reasons, and obeys the dictates of that reason, and causes matter to move in consequence of its designs, desires, wishes, or emotions.

1920. But if this will of the Creator exists, it must have some medium through which it reaches the objects which it influences, just as the ether of the undulationist is necessary to the transmission of light. It is through this medium that gravitation exists as one of the effects of divine will, since, although it appears to be a property of matter, it is inferred to be no less the effect of an habitual exercise of volition, than the erect posture preserved in man, by analogous means, unconsciously; whence, in him, it ceases with sleep. The human will, within its comparatively minute, humble sphere of action, must require also a medium analogous to that through which God acts; otherwise, how does a thought so quickly move the toe? While encompassed by its perishable tenement, there is a certain extent of this will-power enjoyed through the laws of God; but on casting off this envelope, the spirit, to be qualified for its new state of existence, becomes endowed with more extensive power of the nature in question.

1921. This power of the will exists and is displayed in the mesmeric phenomena, where the will of one individual dominates over the limbs of another. The power of the will of an individual over his own muscles, not only in the usual movement, but in producing a rigidity of the muscles of the arm or thigh, is of course notorious. But it appears that there are some persons morbidly susceptible of this rigidity, or at least preternaturally liable to it. Again, others have a will which is, in some degree, preternatural; hence, when such persons are in proximity, the one can actuate the muscles of the other, and even modify the impressions on the brain.

1922. Spirits, as above stated, appear to be endowed with this will-power to an extent proportioned to their necessities. Hence it was substantiated by my spirit father in the first instance, and by the convocation of spirits in the second, that they, like the genius of Aladdin’s lamp, can create, in their own world, the objects of rational desire or fancy by a _fiat_, but their will-power cannot directly move mundane bodies. In order to effect this, they must avail themselves of the coarser medium of the human will-power, in which case they act, as one mortal may act upon the will-power of another in proximity. The will-power aura of human beings and of spirits seems to emanate from their organism respectively, and, no doubt, connects duly with that of God. Hence, there is thus, that association of the divine will, with all animated beings, which is suggested by the popular theology. The will, and the aura through which it acts, varying with the organism with which it is associated, it requires a certain coincidence in the attributes of a spirit and a mortal, to enable the former to use the aura of the latter to produce any manifestation of its will or ideas. But so far as this coincidence exists, the power is enjoyed. That such coincidences have arisen, I conceive must be evident from the careful consideration of the facts which I have recorded in this work.

1923. The question is put by the Rev. Mr. Mahan, why the odic force, existing in nature, may not be productive of the results ascribed to disembodied spirits? He overlooks the fact that no inanimate imponderable principle can be, _per se_, a moving power; that inanimate matter does not move itself. Then, as I understand, agreeably to another phase, he inquires why may it not become an instrument to the minds of the mortals concerned?

1924. In the first place, there are facts within my experience which cannot be explained by any possible exertion of any mundane mind, were those concerned to concur in striving to accomplish the result. Thus, how would it be possible for Mrs. Gourlay and myself to have brought about the result of which an account has been given in the supplemental preface of this work, and upon which remarks have been made in other pages? It is utterly impossible that, by any imaginable process, Mrs. Gourlay, having no previous hint, could have become the instrument of my volition at the distance of nearly a hundred miles from Philadelphia, and when, at the time, she was intently engaged in receiving, as she alleges, a communication from her spirit mother to her brother, who was her visitor from his abode in Maine.

1925. Again, it cannot be imagined that things would be communicated by my spirit father and others, of which I was ignorant when they were made. The same may be said of Mrs. Gourlay, as she knew nothing of the facts communicated to her, for me. Then, when the narrative of those facts was read over to the spirit, there were often things to be explained and views to be justified, in opposition to my previous impressions. Conversing frequently with Mrs. Gourlay, I know that she had none of the important impressions respecting the spheres, which were conveyed through her for my edification.

RELIGIOUS ERRORS OF MR. MAHAN.

_Proposition of Mr. Mahan._

1926. “Evidence that the Scriptures are given by inspiration of the Spirit of God, as contrasted with the evidence, that the spirit manifestations are from the spirits of men.”

1927. The Rev. Mr. Mahan, not satisfied with endeavouring to refute Spiritualism directly, devotes some pages of his work to the object of bearing it down by the weight of Scriptural superiority, both as to the evidence, and its moral tendencies. This renders the expediency of the strictures which I have made, or may make, on the other side of the question, unquestionable.

1928. There are several truths, which I deem to be axiomatic, which are irreconcilable with the truth of Revelation, (18 to 20.) Merely to state them is to refute Mr. Mahan’s allegation above cited. With readers who will not admit the axioms to which allusion is made, I must agree to differ. (See page 34.)

1929. In the first place, I have represented it as a contradiction to allege that an omnipotent, omniscient, and prescient God can subject any thing to probation, (1380.)

1930. In the next place, I hold that an _omnipotent_ God cannot wish men to have any religion, without that object being effected.

Will not any event arrive For which both will and power strive? Must not any result obtain Which power unites with will to gain?

1931. I answer these queries in the affirmative, and of course consider the theology of Revelation as involved in a contradiction, so far as it represents an _omnipotent and prescient_ God _as wishing any creed to be adopted which has not been adopted_.

1932. As a corollary to these axioms, it results that God never has performed any miracle for the purpose of conveying a knowledge of the true religion; simply because all that have been alleged to have come from God have only produced religious discord. Of course God, foreseeing the failure of those miracles, would not have resorted to them.

Did God a special creed require, Each soul would he not with that creed inspire?

1933. This I answer affirmatively. The truth of the affirmative is as clear to my mind as any of Euclid’s axioms.

1934. Another conclusion I consider as inevitable: that no document can be substantiated by the facts of which it furnishes the sole evidence.

1935. In this predicament I place the Bible, the Koran, the Shaster, or Veda, and the Zendavesta, or any religious record of antiquity.

1936. Manifestly, a record made by man can have no higher authority than that of the men whose testimony it records, and those by whom it was recorded.

_Of the origin of the Books of Moses no higher evidence exists, according to the testimony of the Bible itself, than that of an obscure priest and a fanatical king._

1937. If we are to judge of the Jewish priesthood by the example afforded by Samuel, we have no more reason to trust a Hebrew pontiff than a Romish pope, (1091.) Bishop Hopkins has sufficiently shown how far priests are to be trusted, (1296.) What would be said of any book, alleged to be due to Divine inspiration, if it had, agreeably to its own authority, an origin no more reliable than the allegation of a priest that it had been found in a temple or church, there being no other evidence of its not having been forged by the priest, or his accomplices, than his own allegation? What better evidence would there be of the sacred origin of such a document, than there is of the Book of Mormon—the Bible brought forward by Joe Smith? Yet the following quotation will show that there was no Bible in use in Judea in the reign of Josiah, 350 years after the reign of David, and just before the Babylonian captivity; and that, in consequence, idolatry had to a great extent superseded the true worship.

1938. Under these circumstances, the high priest alleged a copy of the Bible to be found, and sent it by a scribe to the king. This monarch had lived in such ignorance of the existence of this holy code, that he was thrown into a state of such deep penitence for the sinful omissions arising from his ignorance, as to rend his clothes by way of expressing his sorrow. Moreover, orders were forthwith given to have the abuses abated, which had been introduced solely through ignorance.

1939. I view this evidence of the highest importance at this time, when such men as Mahan, and the anonymous author of the parodied letter, (1182,) are appealing to the Bible as the inspired word of God, and thus making God sanction a catalogue of atrocious crimes and indecencies, and when this imposture is to sit as an incubus on those truly moral impressions which the blessed spirits of the immortal Washington and other worthies, as well as my honoured father, would communicate for the amelioration of the religion and morals of mankind. I repeat, that I consider it of immense importance that attention should be called to the questionable foundation on which these pretensions to inspiration are erected. I shall, therefore, not only quote a portion of these pretended _words of God_, but also that part of a chapter in the Book of Josephus which narrates the same all-important occurrence more fully and satisfactorily, though giving the same evidence essentially.

_Scriptural Account of the Finding of the Books of Moses by Hilkiah, the High Priest._—2 Chron. xxxiv.; 2 Kings xxii.

1940. “And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses. And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan. And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it. And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen. Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king’s, saying, Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel, and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book. And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect. And she answered them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah: because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched. And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard; because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord. Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again. Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book. And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the Lord their God. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.”

_Account of the Finding of the Books of Moses, by Josephus._

1941. “The repairs of the temple being completed, and all expenses defrayed, Hilkiah, in conformity to the king’s orders, took out the money for the purpose of converting it into vessels for the use of the temple; and, upon removing the gold, happened to discover the sacred books of Moses. This he took out and gave to Shaphan, the king’s secretary, to peruse, who, upon reading them over, went to the king, accompanied by Hilkiah, who told him that he had executed all his commands relative to the reparation of the temple, and at the same time presented the book to him in great form, assuring him what it was, and where they had found it.

1942. “The king ordered Shaphan to read a part of the contents, which being done, he rent his robes, in dread of the heavy curses denounced against a wicked generation. In the height of his affliction, he desired the secretary, with Hilkiah, and several priests who were present, to go to the prophetess Huldah, the wife of Shallum, a man of eminence, and unite their endeavours to prevail upon her to make intercession with God for pardon toward himself and his subjects. He told them there was great reason to apprehend that the vengeance of Heaven would fall upon the present generation as a punishment for the iniquity of their progenitors, and particularly their neglect and contempt of the laws of Moses; and that, without obtaining a reconciliation, they should be dispersed over the face of the earth, and terminate their lives in misery.

1943. “Hilkiah, with those who were appointed to accompany him, immediately repaired to the prophetess, and having related the cause of the king’s affliction, and his earnest desire of her intercession with Heaven in behalf of him and his subjects, she bade them return him this answer: That the sentence already pronounced was not to be recalled on any supplication or intercession whatever. That the people were to be banished from their own country, and punished for their disobedience with the loss of all human comforts. That the judgment was irrevocable, for their obstinately persisting in their superstitious and idolatrous practices, notwithstanding so many warnings to a timely repentance, and the menacing predictions of the prophets, if they persevered in their abominations.

1944. “This unchangeable decree was to show, by the event, that there is a just and overruling Disposer of all things, and the predictions which he delivered by the means of the prophets will be infallibly verified, as the certain indications of his whole will respecting mankind. The prophetess added, ‘Tell the king, however, that, in consideration of his own pious and virtuous example, the judgment shall be averted from the people during his days; but that the day of his death shall be the eve of their final destruction.’

1945. “As soon as Josiah received this message from the prophetess, he immediately despatched messengers to the several cities within his dominions, commanding all the priests and Levites, and men of all ages and conditions, to repair with the utmost speed to Jerusalem. These orders being obeyed, and the people assembled, the king went to the temple, where, in the hearing of the whole multitude, he caused the laws of God, as contained in the books of Moses, to be distinctly read; after which he bound himself and the people, with their universal consent, by a most solemn oath, strictly to observe every article contained in the sacred books, respecting the laws and religion established by Moses. This solemn oath was followed by prayers and oblations for the divine blessing and protection.

1946. “The king strictly enjoined the high priest to take a particular account of the plate and vessel in the temple, and to cast out so many of them as they should find to have been dedicated by any of his ancestors to idolatrous services. Those that were found were reduced to dust, and in that state thrown into the air. All the priests were likewise put to death, that were not of the flock of Aaron.

1947. “Having effected this reformation in Jerusalem, Josiah made a progress throughout his whole dominions, where he destroyed all the relics of Jeroboam’s superstition and idolatry, and burnt the bones of false prophets, upon the very altar which that impious king had set up. Of this we have taken notice before, as well as the intervention of the prophet, with a prediction in the hearing of the multitude, at the time when Jeroboam was offering sacrifice, ‘That one of the race of David, Josiah by name, was to do this.’ The prediction was verified, by the event, three hundred and fifty-one years after it was foretold.

1948. “So ardent was the zeal of Josiah for extending the great work of reformation, that he went in person to several of the Israelites who had escaped the Assyrian bondage, in order to dissuade them from continuing in superstition, and prevail with them to embrace the pure religion of their forefathers, according to the long established custom of their country. Nor did he rest here, but caused the towns and villages to be searched for the discovery of any remains of idolatrous practices that might lie concealed. The very figures of the horses over the porch of the temple, which their forefathers had dedicated to the sun, and all the monuments to which the people had ascribed divine honour, were, by his special order, taken away and destroyed.

1949. “Having thus purged the whole nation from idolatry, and fully restored the true worship of the one only and true God, he called an assembly of the people at Jerusalem, for the purpose of celebrating the passover, the time for that festival being near at hand. On this occasion the king gave out of his own store, for paschal sacrifices, thirty goats, a thousand lambs, and three thousand oxen. The heads of the priests presented to the others of the sacerdotal order two thousand six hundred lambs, and the chief of the Levites gave to their tribes five thousand lambs, and five hundred oxen. A solemn sacrifice was made of these victims, according to the precepts of Moses, and the ceremony was performed under the direction of the priests. From the time of the prophet Samuel to that day, there had never been a festival celebrated with equal solemnity; for this had the allowed preference, because the whole was conducted in strict conformity to the very letter of the laws, and the precise mode of their forefathers. Josiah, after the accomplishment of a work of such moment and importance to the nation in general, enjoyed his government in honour, peace, and plenty, till he closed his life.”—Book 10, page 153.

_If the Pentateuch had been previously known to the Jews, it is incredible that it could have become_ obsolete _and_ forgotten _prior to the alleged discovery of it in the Temple, in the reign of Josiah_.

1950. After the Pentateuch had been viewed as the word of God, made known to a people as their peculiar inheritance, lifting them, in their own estimation, above the rest of mankind, as God’s chosen people, this code being the sole authority for their _bloody_ and _rapacious_ course toward their neighbours, is it credible that such a document, had it ever existed, could have become both obsolete and forgotten?[45] Yet we have no alternative but to admit this absurdity, or to conclude that the Bible has no better authority than the Book of Mormon; the one being no more than the other the work of a designing priesthood and would-be rulers.

1951. What credit would be given to any work having no better authority for divine origin than that of the allegation that some pope had found it in a cathedral or in the Vatican, and had sent it to some monarchical bigot as the mislaid testament of the Almighty, given by inspiration through some ancient predecessor of his holiness?

1952. It may be difficult to conceive that Hilkiah and his associates, in writing a book, as proceeding by inspiration from Jehovah, could have fabricated any facts so derogatory to an immaculate Deity as those mentioned under the authority of Moses. How impious must have been their conceptions, to represent him as authorizing them to borrow trinkets of the Egyptians, in order to purloin them; the sanctioning the cold-blooded murder of three thousand people for religious error; the slaughtering of whole nations, even to their suckling babes, as in the case of the Midianites, Canaanites, and Amalekites, with the setting aside virgins for the fate from which the Roman Virginius relieved his daughter by his dagger! It is difficult to conceive that an idea, so derogatory of God, could have been entertained by his _chosen_ people. Yet, on the other hand, inasmuch as they _were written_, there must have been some mind so impious as to have originated them; and it may be a less wonder that such fabricators should have existed in a cruel and barbarous age of the world, than that, in the present age of superior morality and civilization, they should find endorsers in the professed ministers of the Being whom they have thus misrepresented.

1953. Mr. Mahan alleges: “Every reader will agree with us in the assumption that the incorruptible God has never performed and never will perform a miracle in attestation of that which is unreal or untrue. A religion really and truly attested by divine miracles must therefore be admitted to be true.”

1954. To this very admissible _truism_, I add that an omnipotent and _prescient_ God could not have any occasion to perform miracles in attestation of any thing, since, by the premises, his will must be carried out without miracles. That any thing should, even for an instant, be contrary to his will, is inconsistent with his foresight and omnipotency. It would be a miracle _that any thing counter to his will should exist_.

1955. The next postulate of Mr. Mahan is: “_No religion attested as true by divine miracles can be false._”

1956. Was this proposition ever impugned? No one would resist the unquestionable dictates of God, however conveyed, whether by miracles or any other means. The question is not whether a religion _attested by divine miracles should be accredited, but whether there were ever any miracles, attesting any religion, performed; and if so, what religion has the peculiar merit of having been thus attested?_ Millions, who believe in other religions, deride those miracles of revelation which Mr. Mahan would adduce; and Protestants do not admit many which the Romish Church sanctions. For one, I deny that any miracle has ever been performed with the view of attesting any religion whatever. No miracle could be necessary to attest the will of Omnipotence any more than to enable a man to wave his hand. But, admitting that it ever has been necessary, no miracle has ever been resorted to for the purpose in question, since none has answered the desired end. This would not have been the case had miracles been resorted to by _prescient_ omnipotence.

1957. A miracle, as defined by this author, on page 345 of his work, is an event “_whose existence and characteristics can be accounted for but by a reference to the direct and immediate interposition of creative power, as their exclusive cause_.”

1958. I reassert that, where omnipotence and prescience are concerned, such interposition could, in no case, be requisite. The miracle would be, that there could be any thing so contrary to omnipotent will as to require any miraculous interference to set it right!

1959. Instead of assuming, with orthodoxy, that our heavenly Father is _quite_ omnipotent, spirits hold that his powers are only such as this magnificent and almost infinite universe involves; consequently, there is no necessity on their part to admit that every thing must be exactly as God wishes it to be. They are not obliged to consider him as allowing mischievous ignorance, sin, and misery to exist, while by a _fiat_ he could correct them; and still less are they involved in the necessity of supposing that, while able to make every thing _perfect_, he, from choice, makes them imperfect, and yet has had to resort to drowning his creatures by a great flood, and subjecting whole nations to degrading captivity; authorizing one nation to massacre another, even to each suckling babe, for wrongs done centuries before.

1960. By Spiritualism, the Deity is represented as operating by general laws, from which, consistently with his attributes, he cannot deviate, having to perform no miracle to attain his ends; and that through these laws he is incessantly acting for the good of mankind; and the whole universe is progressing under his benign controlling influence.

1961. Thus we have the two systems, that of progression last mentioned, and that of probation above objected to; which last, being in diametric opposition to an axiomatic truth, is, on this account alone, manifestly absurd.

1962. But, admitting that miracles could, without inconsistency, be supposed to be resorted to by prescient omnipotence, in order to produce or prevent some consequence of a general law, in the making or carrying out of which an all-wise and all-powerful being inconsistently displays a want of wisdom and foresight, it must be perfectly clear that a prescient being would resort to such miracles as would produce the desired effect; not such as would be only partially seen or believed, and would become a new source of discord. Omnipotence could certainly devise miracles which could be seen and be believed in by all men; and which would so impress their minds, as to make them believe in what they should hear and see. By a single fiat, God, if as omnipotent as represented in Scripture, could make all his people of one mind. He would not send them a “_sword to separate father from child, mother from daughter, mother-in-law from daughter-in-law_,” and to make _the subordinates of each household rise in rebellion against their master_. A prescient God would not perform miracles of such doubtful character as, for want of evidence, to oblige one of the miracle-makers to enforce a belief in them by treacherous and cruel assassination, as did Moses. God would require no evidence of his miracles but such as could be recorded in the minds of believers. He would not have the records of his will so situated, as to be liable to be confounded with the fabrications of priestcraft. If devils were to be cast out, he would not have drowned a herd of swine, merely to give those immortal miscreants a ducking.

1963. So far are the miracles narrated in the gospel from commanding my credence, that the account of them proves to me, that the Evangelists were men without discretion, in recording any thing so absurd and _incredible_, and so _useless_ to the _main object_, of giving a _knowledge of God_, and of the _means of reaching a future happy state_.

1964. How absurd to represent God as performing miracles remotely and indirectly bearing upon his object, instead of exercising his omnipotent power universally, effectually, and at once!

1965. If God were to adopt any miraculous means to make his will known, they would not be such as would fail in attaining their end. None but an idiot would resort to measures foreknown to be incompetent to the object for which they should be devised. As no miracles that have been alleged to have been performed have been productive of general conviction of the truth of the creed which they have been alleged to support, it follows that they could not have had a divine origin. A prescient God would not have resorted to incompetent miracles.

1966. This reverend author is likewise of opinion that nothing but miracles can be appealed to as evidence of the divine origin of Christianity or of any other religion.

1967. When miracles are appealed to by different sects, in support of their conflicting pretensions, it must result that, if religion is to be founded only on miracles, that religion only can be recognised as true whose miracles are so pre-eminently evident as to abrogate all others that conflict with it. But it is notorious that the miracles brought forward by each sect are denied, if not ridiculed, by others. Appealing to miracles is, in fact, appealing to the human evidence on which they depend. In like manner, any religion which rests on assumed inspiration, rests, in fact, on the evidence proving that the inspiration claimed ever took place.

1968. But are we to believe in all miracles which have been alleged by men to have happened? Are we to believe any book to be inspired, because men, who contradict each other, alleged it to be inspired? and if several books are alleged to be inspired, how are we to choose between them? Is a man’s choice of these books to be governed by his education? If brought up in Turkey, is he to believe that the Koran is the word of God; if in Christendom, the gospel? If all who surround him were to treat it as impious to doubt that _a book_ is the word of God, is he to submit to this dictation, or is he to exercise his own judgment, and examine whether the Bible of the Christian, and the miracles on which it rests, are not more likely to be true than the Koran and the miracles on which it rests? But if, after having examined both of these works, he finds that the miracles on which they rest are, in both cases, entirely dependent on human testimony, and that this testimony is disputed on one side by the Mohammedans, and on the other by the Christians, and that each party only admits such miracles to be true as harmonize with his own religion; that miracles told by profane writers rather tend to discredit than to corroborate the occurrences with which they are associated,—will not the inference naturally arise that the belief in miracles is the result of religion, not religion the result of belief in miracles?

1969. An analogous result may be perceived in relation to any extraordinary manifestation in Spiritualism. Scarcely any one will believe that the spirit hand (1513) has been seen and felt at Koons’s establishment in Ohio, unless previously a convert to Spiritualism. Thus he does not become a spiritualist by reading the account of that manifestation, but believes the manifestation because he has been converted to Spiritualism. Did the truth of that manifestation rest upon the evidence of only one set of eye-witnesses, even spiritualists had not believed in it. As miracles have ever been alleged to have been seen only by very few persons, and have never been of a nature to be seen by a succession of observers, I cannot conceive why any man, in any age or time, could be reasonably expected to display a credulity, the inverse of that now exhibited, as respects this spiritual manifestation. Scarcely any person, without being an eye-witness of the fact, has been brought to believe that tables move without human contact. By recurrence, the reader may perceive that in my letter of February 3, 1854, I use this language in my letter to Mr. Holcomb: _You believe that tables move without contact, because you have seen them so moved; I am skeptical, because I have never seen them moved without contact, though I have been at several circles_, (698.)

1970. When I stated to my friend, Professor Henry, the experiment illustrated by plate 3, with the utmost precision, made twice on two different evenings, he said: “I would believe you as soon as any man in the world, but I cannot believe that.” Yet the result of that experiment was nothing more than the fact of bodies moving when uninfluenced by any apparent mortal agency, accompanied by a demonstration of a governing reason; a result which has been established again and again by myself with the greatest precision, and by many other investigators. Evidently, if this had never been repeated, it would have been treated as a mental hallucination on my part by my comrades in science and all the rest of the community.

1971. Such is the difficulty of inducing credence, in enlightened minds, of any thing which is inconsistent with those laws of nature with which they have become familiar. Clearly, in the present advanced state of the human mind, no miracles would be believed on hearsay testimony.

1972. It seems as if facts, incredible at first view, are always believed when they are confirmed by being seen by independent and disinterested and intelligent observers sufficiently often, and under such modifications, as to make all such observers believe in them. We are willing to believe in a mysterious fact as _one_ of a _genus_, but not when isolated. If I may judge by the incredulity with which my observations in Spiritualism have been met by those who had previously considered me reliable, I should deem it utterly impossible among intelligent, well-educated people of the present day to induce a belief in an isolated miracle; and, as respects ignorant, bigoted sectarians, the difficulty to obtain credence would be at least as great.

1973. Were our heavenly Father now to cause miracles to be performed as wonderful and as isolated as those mentioned in Scripture, as no one would know any thing of them direct from God, excepting those by whom they might be witnessed, it would only cause the narrators of them to be ridiculed, as those spiritualists were ridiculed who first asserted their belief in spiritual manifestations. In order, therefore, that miracles should be believed in by an enlightened community, belief would have to be instilled by education or supported by reiterated observation, since, in enlightened communities, no miracles would be believed in but those which should come within these conditions.

1974. There is not a single miracle mentioned in the gospel which tends to throw light upon the alleged object of Christ’s mission. The object of their performance was mainly to prove his supernatural power to those who should believe in them, and thus to cause him to be accredited as a missionary from God. So far from their ever having had an effect of this kind on my mind, gospel miracles tended only to destroy my confidence in the veracity or discretion of their narrators, upon the same principle that spiritualists have lost weight with their intelligent friends by mentioning manifestations which were considered by these as incredible.

1975. I can foresee a great triumph for spiritualists, sooner or later, in the world to come, if not in this; but this result will not flow from the conversion of their skeptical friends to a belief in the manifestations which may have been viewed by the narrators, as described. The conversion of skeptics will arise from their own observation, with the concurrent testimony of many reliable witnesses, all tending to the verification of analogous phenomena.

1976. The miracles of Scripture never have had nor never can have this species of corroboration, and of course will make but little progress among people educated under conflicting impressions. In this age of bigotry in favour of all educational mysteries and extreme skepticism as to innovations, the last thing which could obtain credence would be miracles of the nature of those which Mr. Mahan assumes to be the _only_ foundation for religious belief.

1977. It has already been urged that Moses was, _by his own account_, a worldly man, who, as I conceive, was guilty of a misrepresentation in alleging that the Creator of the hundred millions of solar systems comprised in this universe (1342) made him and his people especially the object of a partiality, authorizing them to plunder and extirpate all the neighbouring people: moreover, that Moses was worldly-minded in the _extreme_, and so intent upon acquiring lands in this world, as to neglect his opportunities, if he had any, of learning from Jehovah, in frequent alleged intercourse with him, any information respecting the immortality of the soul, (1091, 1098, 1271.) My attention has been recently turned to the 24th chapter of Exodus. It is there mentioned that Moses, with more than seventy elders of Israel, went up the mount, and there had an interview with the God of Israel, when “_they saw God_.” It is then stated that “_The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering. And this is the offering which you shall take of them, gold, silver, and brass, and blue and purple, fine linen, and goats’ hair_,” &c.[46]

1978. There are then two or three chapters occupied with the specification of the various valuable articles of gold, and precious wood, and stones, required by an _omnipotent God to furnish a tabernacle_. Such is the misuse made by this pretended missionary of God, of the opportunity of learning that _which is above all price_. How many thousands of human beings have been willing to lay down their lives for religious truth!—and yet this pretended favourite of Jehovah, by his own account, spent his time in getting baubles, making the Almighty his agent. It may be that the whole is a fable, and that the account originated in the time of Hilkiah, when the Pentateuch was acknowledged to have been found accidentally. But if Moses and the elders really ascended the mount, and represented themselves as seeing God, and receiving those directions, evidently they were all a set of impostors, who resorted to this mode of obtaining furniture for the tabernacle.

_Great Importance attached to a Belief in Immortality by Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, as contrasted with the recklessness of Moses respecting the same Belief._

1979. Among the errors propagated industriously by fanatical sectarians, is that of representing the Old and New Testament as of inestimable importance, as the only source of our knowledge of a future state of existence, of which heathen writers are mentioned as deficient. In refutation of the calumny thus promulgated, I deem it expedient to quote the following sentiments ascribed by Xenophon to Cyrus, King of Persia, in _addressing his children_:

1980. “Think not, my dearest children, that when I depart from you, I shall be no more: remember that my soul, even while I lived among you, was invisible; yet by my actions you were sensible it existed in this body. Believe it, therefore, existing still, though it still be unseen. How quickly would the honours of illustrious men perish after death, if their souls performed nothing to preserve their fame! For my part, I could never think that the soul, which, while in a mortal body, lives, when departed from it, dies; or that its consciousness is lost when it is discharged out of an unconscious habitation; on the contrary, it most truly exists when it is freed from all corporeal alliance.”

1981. Let this be compared with the inexcusable inattention of Moses, taking his own narrative to be true, in communicating with God about every thing else, almost, excepting that which concerns immortal life. If the despicable criminality of Abraham in putting his wife at the pleasure of two heathen kings successively, and _their repugnance_ to have violated his connubial rights, be taken as a fit test of comparative morality, if these sentiments of King Cyrus be compared with those of the Jewish lawgiver as respects immortality, the chosen people of God were much below some neighbouring heathens both in morality and religion.

1982. This inference will be fortified by comparing the portraiture of the Deity as given by Moses (1140) and Samuel, (1091,) with that given by Seneca, (1224.)

_The Worship of a Book, Idolatry._

1983. Much has been said in Scripture and by its votaries against idolatry, but I do most seriously consider the Old Testament as a more pernicious idol than any image or statue can be in the nature of things.

1984. An image or statue does not speak; it suggests nothing cruel, unjust, or indecent to the worshipper; neither do any of the objects usually treated as idols. It must evidently be an error to accuse idolaters of contemplating the inert image to which they kneel, as their God. They must see that it neither does nor can do any thing. They must perceive that, fixed in one place, the image cannot have that ubiquity or efficacy, essential to divine power. It follows that the object of adoration must be an invisible power associated with the idol, which may occupy the image only when invoked. In every temple devoted to Jupiter there might be a statue of Jupiter, and yet it was never held that there was more than one Jupiter. From the verses subjoined, from Pope’s translation of the Iliad, it appears that Homer gave to Jupiter a supremacy which made the other deities bear to him no higher relation than that which the archangels do to God, according to Christianity:

1985. “Let down our golden everlasting chain, Whose strong embrace holds heaven, and earth, and main; Strive all, of mortal or immortal birth, To drag by this the Thunderer down to earth. Ye strive in vain. If I but lift this hand, I heave the heavens, the ocean, and the land; For such I reign, unbounded and above, And such are men and gods compared to Jove.”

1986. But when a book is made the word of God, which patronizes men as belonging to a _chosen_ seed who are guilty of cruelty, robbery, fraud, massacre in cold blood, it becomes a more active and mischievous idol than any dumb beast, image, or statue can be. An idolater worships a silent idol as the representative of God. The idol cannot say, “_I am a jealous God: I wax hot in my wrath_.”

1987. Mr. Mahan urges, that the sufferings undergone by martyrs to Christianity is evidence of its truth, whereas, it seems to me that it only proves the conviction of the parties, which, if displayed by a dervise or a fakir, would be called bigotry. But if suffering in a cause is evidence in its favour, there have been sufferers on the other side, as well as on that which this author has undertaken to uphold. It is but fair, if those who suffer for one side should have their suffering held up as proof of their conscientiousness, the same conscientiousness should be conceded to those who have suffered for the other. The author of the pages I am about to quote, the Rev. Robert Taylor, was, for want of a better answer to his publication, condemned to Oakam Jail, in England, for one year. It was there he wrote his Diagesis, copies of which may be had of Mr. Curtis, No. 34 Arch street, as well as other books which may assist readers to form an opinion for themselves. I shall quote some pages from this work, which, being studied after reading Mahan’s arrogant allegations, will make good the old saying, that “One story is good until another is told.”

1988. “The ordinary notion, that the four gospels were written by the persons whose names they bear, and that they have descended to us from original autographs of Matthew and John, immediate disciples, and of Mark and Luke, contemporaries and companions, of Christ, in like manner as the writings of still more early poets and historians have descended to us from the pens of the authors to whom they are attributed, is altogether untenable. It has been entirely surrendered by the most able and ingenuous Christian writers, and will no longer be maintained by any but those whose zeal outruns their knowledge, and whose recklessness and temerity of assertion can serve only to dishonour and betray the cause they so injudiciously seek to defend.

1989. “The surrender of a position which the world has for ages been led to consider impregnable, by the admission of all that the early objection of the learned Christian Bishop, FAUSTUS the Manichean, implied, when he pressed Augustine with that bold challenge which Augustine was not able to answer, that,[47] ‘It was certain that the New Testament was not written by Christ himself, nor by his apostles, but a long while after them, by some unknown persons, who, lest they should not be credited when they wrote of affairs they were little acquainted with, affixed to their works the names of apostles, or of such as were supposed to have been their companions, asserting that what they had written themselves was written ACCORDING TO those persons to whom they ascribed it.’

1990. “This admission has not been held to be fatal to the claims of divine revelation, nor was it held to be so even by the learned Father himself who so strenuously insisted on it, since he declares his own unshaken faith in Christ’s _mystical_ crucifixion, notwithstanding.

1991. “Adroitly handled as the passage has been by the ingenuity of theologians, it has been made rather to subserve the cause of the evidences of the Christian religion than to injure it. Since, though it be admitted that the Christian world has ‘_all along been under a delusion_’ in this respect, and has held these writings to be of higher authority than they really are; yet the writings themselves and their authors are innocent of having contributed to that delusion, and never bore _on_ them, nor _in_ them, any challenge to so high authority as the mistaken piety of Christians has ascribed to them, but did all along profess no more than to have been written, as Faustus testifies, not BY, but ACCORDING to, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; and by persons of whom indeed it is not known who or what they were, nor was it of any consequence that it should be, after the general acquiescence of the church had established the sufficient correctness of the compilations they had made.

1992. “And here the _longo post tempore_ (_the great while after_) is a favourable presumption of the sufficient opportunity that all persons[48] had, of knowing and being satisfied that the gospels which the church received were indeed all that they purported to be; that is, faithful narrations of the life and doctrines of Christ _according_ to what could be collected from the verbal accounts which his apostles had given, or by tradition been supposed to have given, and, as such, ‘_worthy of all acceptation_.’

1993. “The objection of Faustus becomes from its own nature the most indubitable and inexceptionable evidence, carrying us up to the very early age, the fourth century, in which he wrote, with a demonstration that the gospels were then universally known and received under the precise designation, and none other, than that with which they have come down to us, even as the gospels, respectively, _according_ to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

1994. “Of course there can be no occasion to pursue the inquiry into the authenticity of the Christian Scriptures lower down than the fourth century.

1995. “1. _Though_, in that age, there was no established canon or authoritative declaration that such and none other than those which have come down to us were the books which contained the Christian rule of faith.

1996. “2. And though ‘no manuscript of these writings now in existence is prior to the sixth century, and various readings which, as appears from the quotations of the Fathers, were in the text of the Greek Testament are to be found in none of the manuscripts which are at present remaining.’—_Michaelis_, vol. ii. p. 160.

1997. “3. And though many passages which are now found in these Scriptures were not contained in any ancient copies whatever.

1998. “4. And though ‘in our common editions of the Greek Testament are MANY readings which exist not in a single manuscript, but are founded on MERE CONJECTURE.’ —_Marsh’s Michaelis_, vol. ii. p. 496.

1999. “5. And though ‘it is notorious, that the orthodox charge the heretics with corrupting the text, and that the heretics recriminate upon the orthodox.’—_Unitarian New Version_, p. 121.

2000. “6. And though ‘it is an undoubted fact that the heretics were in the right in many points of criticism where the Fathers accused them of wilful corruption.’—_Bp. Marsh_, vol. ii. p. 362.

2001. “7. And though ‘it is notorious that forged writings under the names of the apostles were in circulation almost from the apostolic age.’—See 2 Thess. ii. 2, _quoted in Unitarian New Version_.[49]

2002. “8. And though, ‘not long after Christ’s ascension into heaven, several histories of his life and doctrines, full of pious frauds and fabulous wonders, were composed by persons whose intentions, perhaps, were not bad, but whose writings discovered the greatest superstition and ignorance.’—_Mosheim_, vol. i. p. 109.

2003. “9. And though, says the great Scaliger, ‘They put into their Scriptures whatever they thought would serve their purpose.’[50]

2004. “10. And though, ‘notwithstanding those twelve known infallible and faithful judges of controversy, (the twelve apostles,) there were as many and as _damnable_ heresies crept in, even in the apostolic age, as in any other age, perhaps, during the same space of time.’—_Reeve’s Preliminary Discourse to the Commonitory of Vincentius Lirinensis_, p. 190.

2005. “11. And though there were in the manuscripts of the New Testament, at the time of editing the last printed copies of the Greek text, upward of ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THOUSAND various readings.”—_Unitarian New Version_, p. 22.

2006. “12. And though ‘the confusion unavoidable in these versions (the ancient Latin, from which all our European versions are derived) had arisen to such a height, that St. Jerome, in his Preface to the Gospels, complains that no one copy resembled another.’—_Michaelis_, vol. ii. p. 119.

2007. “13. And though the Gospels fatally contradict each other; that is, in several important particulars, they do so to such an extent as no ingenuity of supposition has yet been able to reconcile: after Marsh, Michaelis, and the most learned critics, have stuck, and owned the conquest.

2008. “14. And though the difference of character between the three first Gospels and that ascribed to St. John is so flagrantly egregious, that the most learned Christian divines and profoundest scholars have frankly avowed that the Jesus Christ of St. John is a wholly different character from the Jesus Christ of Matthew, Mark, and Luke; and that their account and his should both be true is flatly impossible.[51]

2009. “15. And though such was the idolatrous adulation paid to the authority of Origen, that emendations of the text which were but suggested by him were taken in as part of the New Testament; though he himself acknowledged that they were supported by the authority of no manuscript whatever.—_Marsh, in loco._

2010. “16. And though, even so late as the period of the Reformation, we have whole passages which have been thrust into the text, and thrust out, just as it served the turn which the Protestant tricksters had to serve.

2011. “17. And though we have on record the most indubitable historical evidence of a general censure and correction of the Gospels having been made at Constantinople, in the year 506, by order of the Emperor Anastasius.[52]

2012. “18. And though we have like unquestionable historical evidence of measureless and inappreciable alterations of the same having been made by our own Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, for the avowed purpose of _accommodating them to the faith of the orthodox_.”[53]

_Evidence of Josephus and Gibbon_ vs. _Mr. Mahan_.

2013. The silence of Josephus respecting Christ induced some Christians to concoct the pious fraud of interpolating in his history a notice of the career and crucifixion of Christ, but subsequent Christian writers have detected and exposed the interpolation; so that the history alluded to, written soon after Christ’s death by the distinguished Hebrew, contains no notice of those events; and, from the following passage in Gibbon, it appears that it did not awaken much attention among the Romans. Yet Mahan, assuming the opposite to be true, urges it as evidence of the evangelical account, that the phenomena drew universal attention.

2014. “How shall we excuse,” says Gibbon, “the supine inattention of the pagan and philosophic world to those evidences which were presented by the hand of Omnipotence, not to their reason, but to their senses? This miraculous event, which ought to have excited the wonder, the curiosity, and the devotion of mankind, passed without notice in an age of science and history. It happened during the lifetime of Seneca and the elder Pliny, who must have experienced the immediate effects or received the earliest intelligence of the prodigy. Each of these philosophers, in a laborious work, has recorded all the great phenomena of nature—earthquakes, meteors, comets, and eclipses—which his indefatigable curiosity could collect; both one and the other have omitted to mention the greatest phenomenon to which the mortal eye has been witness since the creation of the globe.” (Gibbon, vol. ii. chap. xv. p. 379.)

_The Worshippers of the Golden Calf more righteous than their Assassins._

2015. The example is set in the Old Testament of attributing the worst motives to every one who does not concur with the accusers in religious opinions. I conscientiously believe that the Israelites who made the golden calf were at least as righteous in their worship as those who treacherously and cruelly massacred them in obedience to an order strangely represented as sanctioned by Jehovah: “_Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out of the camp, and slay every man his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbour; and the children of Levi did according to the words of Moses, and there fell of the people on that day about three thousand men._”

2016. Obviously, the only way in which those who, with Mr. Mahan, can find any pretence for ascribing this horrible sanguinary order to the inspiration of God, is by treating idolatry as so wicked as to be punished, not only in the immediate transgressor, but in his offspring to the third and fourth generation. Is it not a fairer way of viewing this affair to infer that Moses and his partisans were covetous, unprincipled men, who did not hesitate at _swindling_, _lying_, _massacre_, or any measures requisite to give him and them ascendency? Was there ever a greater analogy between the measures of any two evil-doers than those of Mohammed and Moses, both professing communion with God, which we now know could not have taken place, and both pleading his commands to exercise the most horrible intolerance at home, as well as cruel rapacity abroad?

2017. Mohammed appears to have been more successful than Moses in convincing his followers of his mission. There seems to have been a great distrust of Moses, which he artfully always ascribes to the impiety of the unbelievers; like all other religious impostors, identifying his word with that of God. Nothing but his inability to convince the skeptics of the divine origin of his mission could have induced them to worship idols in opposition to his remonstrance; and the fact that Aaron assisted them in casting the golden calf, can only be explained by his participation in the heresy. Does not this alleged conduct on the part of Aaron render the whole affair so absurd as to throw doubt over the whole history? Moses, while killing the malcontents, could hardly avoid punishing their ringleader. Moreover, how could one who would assist in idolatrous worship, be fit to hold the office of high-priest, into which he was soon afterward installed with great pomp?

2018. It is perfectly clear, to my mind, that a pagan who sincerely worships any thing as his God, really worships God. He stands in the same relation to his God that a debtor stands to his real creditor when paying a forged draft.

2019. Wicked priests have raised a cry against idolaters, as the real thief strives, by calling after some innocent person within view, to divert the hue and cry from himself. As an exemplification of this species of wickedness, I quote here a speech made to the Emperor Constantius by Julius Firmicius Maternus, (Taylor’s Diagesis, page 144:)

2020. (Addressing the Emperor Constantius.) “Take away, take away, in perfect security,” exclaims this self-called Christian priest, “O most holy emperor, take away all the ornaments of their temples. Let the fire of the mint or the flames of the mines melt down their gods. Seize upon all their wealthy endowments, and turn them to your own use and property. And, O most sacred emperor, it is absolutely necessary for you to revenge and punish this evil. You are commanded by the law of the Most High God to persecute all sorts of idolatry with the utmost severity; hear and commend to your own sacred understanding what God himself commands. He commands you not to spare your son or your brother; he bids you plunge the avenging knife even into the heart of your wife that sleeps in your bosom; to persecute your dearest friend with a sublime severity; and to arm your whole people against these sacrilegious pagans, and tear them limb from limb. Yea, even whole cities, if you should find this guilt in them, must be cut off. O most holy emperor, God promises you the rewards of his mercy, upon condition of your thus acting. Do, therefore, what he commands, complete what he prescribes.”

2021. It should be recollected that this diabolical address was made to the Christian son and successor of Constantine. Can there be a more shocking picture of the mischievous consequences of the example and doctrines of Moses as respects idolaters? Certainly, Constantius was not any better for his Christianity, when he could listen, without indignation, to such wicked suggestions!

2022. It is alleged that in the city of Thessalonica the Emperor Theodosius put to death all the pagans that breathed, in obedience to Christianized Mosaic intolerance, which in modern times was carried out in the massacre of St. Bartholomew’s day, and the Inquisition. Such were the effects of the propagation of Christianity, with the appendage of the Pentateuch to the swordlike attributes with which Christ endowed himself: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I come not to send peace, but a sword!” Matt. x. 34.

2023. Shakspeare truly makes one of his characters say that whosoever takes away the good name of another commits a more wicked theft than one who takes a purse. But in this portrait of the effect of calumny there is one important feature omitted, which is sometimes the most injurious: I allude to the pain of mind created by a false accusation. If, as I have before urged, it be wrong to hurt the flesh by a blow, is it not wrong to hurt the soul by calumny? The sting of the fangs of the viper, no less than the paw of the lion, may give a mortal infliction; but no less painful may be the effect of a false human tongue. Is it not as great a wrong to wound a man’s soul as his flesh? Yet there never has been any hesitation on the part of sectarians to express any painful opinion as to heretics or idolaters. The word _infidel_, so much more deserved by themselves for their violation of the precepts they profess, is used as a matter of course, and, coupling with an error in worship a heinous sinfulness, the idolater is always in the wrong. But reasonably, upon the grounds which have been advanced in the preceding portion of this work, (1245,) idolatry may be an imputation against the intellectual pretension, but not against the integrity, of the worshipper; and for one I consider the propensity to the worship of idols displayed throughout the whole of the Jewish history, and even by Solomon the “_Wise_,” as a strong proof that there never was sufficient evidence presented to the Jews of the divine origin of the books of Moses, or any others represented as conveying God’s holy word.

2024. It is not doing as we would be done by to accuse any worshipper of bad motives, for the reasons which I have above given; and when it is considered how unwilling people are to part with their property, the fact that the Israelites gave their gold ornaments to enable Aaron to cast a golden calf, shows that they sincerely believed that their worship would be acceptable to some deity who had the best claim to their acknowledgment. If they mistook the object, it must have been an error of the understanding, which it would have been evidently more reasonable to have corrected by reasoning and evidence, than by punishment.

2025. While such eminent men as Mahan, and the learned Goliah of my mundane guardian spirit, will hold up this, to my mind, barbarous and preposterous Pentateuch as the word of God, I am obliged to meet them upon the ground thus stated; but there are other highly respectable clergymen, who concur in questioning that the Pentateuch existed until after the return of the Jews from their captivity; and there is evidence, agreeably to the quotations I have made, that this alleged work of divine inspiration, or _word of God_, as stated in the Second Book of Chronicles, and 22d chapter of the Second Book of Kings, has no better foundation than the word of the priest Hilkiah and his accomplices.

2026. The Rev. Mr. Norton, in a laborious investigation, shows that, according to internal evidence, almost all the important facts stated in Genesis and Exodus are inconsistent with each other or the circumstances under which they are alleged to have happened.

2027. Mr. Mahan conceives that the willingness of the believers in the gospel to sacrifice their lives in testimony of the sincerity of their conviction proves the truth of revelation. Wherefore, then, does not their exposure to the slaughtering sword of the partisans of Moses prove the sincerity of the Israelites in their worship of their idol? No wise knave would do any thing so absurd. History shows that many of those who have been most willing to make sacrifices for their belief have been great fanatics. Their willingness to suffer only proves the intensity of their belief, not the truth of the miracles which they believe.

2028. Having first assumed, contrary to the fact, that the mission of Christ was generally accredited in the contemporaneous pagan communities, Mr. Mahan claims this to be evidence of the facts stated by the evangelists.

2029. But if the belief in a mission by contemporaries is evidence in its favour, is not the disbelief of contemporaries evidence on the other side? Is not the fact that Moses could only expel idolatry from the Hebrews by the sword, a proof that he was unable to convince them by any adequate evidence of his claims to inspiration?

2030. This surmise, respecting the inadequacy of the facts and reasoning which Moses had to advance in favour of his pretensions as a missionary of Jehovah, appears to be fully justified in the history given by Josephus. From the following language, which this distinguished Jewish historian alleges to have been held by one of the Israelites, it is evident that Moses was then viewed as no better than Mohammed or any of the usurping popes of Christendom. While Protestants sanction such religious despots as Moses and Samuel, they ought not to complain of the papal despots of Christendom, (note to 1091.)

_Just denunciation of the religious imposture and usurpation of Moses, by noble-minded Israelites._[54]

2031. “Corah, an Hebrew of great wealth and influence, and famous for his eloquence, becoming jealous of the dignity to which Moses had attained, raised a clamour against him among the Levites who were of the same tribe, by suggesting to them, in an occasional harangue, ‘That it redounded to their dishonour thus tamely to suffer Moses, under pretence of the divine command, to retain unlimited authority, vest the priesthood in his brother Aaron without their suffrages, and bestow places of honour and profit at pleasure.’ He added, ‘that these measures were the more oppressive and grievous as founded on the arts of sophistry and insinuation; that those who are conscious of deserving posts of dignity endeavour to obtain them not by force, but mild persuasion; that it was the interest of a state to check the ambition of such aspiring individuals, before they acquired an influence that might prove destructive.’ He demanded by what authority Moses had conferred the priesthood on Aaron and his sons, enforcing his own title as superior to theirs, both by descent and property.”

2032. In consequence of this, Moses addresses the following prayer, which certainly is as remote from the sentiments which the precepts of Christ would call for, as any which can be imagined:

2033. “Testify thy wonted kindness to the Hebrews by inflicting condign punishment on Dathan and Abiram, for suggesting that thy purposes are opposed by my arts. Visit these detractors from thy glory with exemplary vengeance. Let the earth on which they tread swallow them up, _with their families_ and substance, to the manifestation of thy power, and as an example to posterity not to think unworthily of the Majesty of heaven.”

2034. Mr. Mahan urges that those who sacrificed their lives for a cause must have had good reason for their course. What are we, then, to think of Zimri the Hebrew, who used the following language to Moses, and was, as well as those who concurred with him in opinion, murdered in consequence, not after trial, but by Lynch law, as will appear from the sequel?[55]

2035. “‘Moses, you are at liberty to contend for the use and observance of your own laws, which have obtained a sanction and authority by long custom alone, or you would have been brought to merited disgrace and punishment, and found, to your cost, that the Hebrews were not to be deluded by your arts. I will never subject myself to your tyrannical decrees, assured that, under a pretext of regard to religion and law, you seek to enslave us, and establish a supreme authority over us, by denying us those liberties to which all free-born men have an undoubted right. Was there a more grievous oppression during the whole course of an Egyptian bondage than the power you usurped of punishing every man by laws of your own formation? You particularly deserve punishment for abrogating and annulling those customs, laws, and privileges which are authorized and established by the common consent of nations, and preferring the suggestions of your fancy to rules so generally followed and rationally founded. Conscious that I have done nothing wrong, I now frankly declare, in this assembly, that I have married a strange woman. This I confess with an honest boldness, and would do the same in the face of the world. I also worship the gods whom thou hast forbidden to be worshipped, as I do not hold myself bound to submit to your arbitrary sway either in matters of law or religion, but must assert the liberty of investigating the truth for myself, and directing my own personal concerns.’

2036. “Zimri, in this speech, delivered the general sentiment of the whole faction, while the multitude silently waited the issue of his presumptuous conduct, for they apprehended much confusion would ensue.”

2037. But one of Moses’s partisans did not allow this noble asserter of the rights of human nature to survive this bold stand long, as will appear from the rest of the narrative, which thus proceeds:

2038. “His contumacy and flagrantly insolent behaviour to Moses raised the resentment of one Phineas to the highest degree. He was a youth eminent for the dignity of his family, his singular prowess, and his personal virtues. Eleazar the high-priest being his father, he was nearly allied to the great lawgiver. Sensible that to suffer such indignity to pass with impunity would bring both the religion and the laws of the Hebrews into contempt, he determined to make an example of the ringleader of the faction, as his exalted rank would cause that example to have a greater influence on the minds of the people. His resolution being equal to his zeal, he repaired, without delay, to the tent of Zimri, and at one stroke slew both him and Cobi his wife. This resolute act excited an emulation among those of his contemporaries who still maintained a regard for the honour of their country, to avenge themselves on those who had done it violation; inasmuch that they fell most furiously upon the faction, and put great numbers of them to the sword.”

2039. Where is the true-hearted son of Columbia who would not have been among those who fell with Zimri, for the right of choosing his wife and his religion according to his own judgment?

_Remarkable observance of the Golden Rule by Moses, in his last advice to the Israelites._[56]

2040. “‘Wherefore, to avoid this danger of apostasy from the worship of the God of your fathers, suffer not any of your enemies to live after you have conquered them; but esteem it highly conducive to your interest to destroy them all, lest, if you permit them to live, you become infected by their manners, and thereby corrupt your own institutions. I do further exhort you to overthrow their altars, temples, groves, and indeed to exterminate their nations with fire and sword. By these means alone the permanency of your happy constitution can be secured to you.’”

2041. Let these sentiments of Moses be compared with those of the great Cyrus, in which he justly adverts to the immortality of the soul. Moses was always worldly, and, as respects the lives of neighbouring pagans, so called, displayed no better morality than Thuggism on a great scale.

_Straining at Spiritual Gnats, while swallowing Scriptural Camels._

2042. The question is put, Wherefore can spirits cause tappings on or tilting of tables, only when a medium is present? To those who believe in the Old Testament as the word of God, it may be in point to inquire, Wherefore the mere elevation of the hands of Moses, on a hill remote from the field of battle, enabled the Israelites to overcome their enemies, when the opposite result ensued when the hands of the veracious prophet were lowered, as agreeably to verses 11 and 12,