p. 1 | SIGNS OF THE TIMES by Editor

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Aug 28, 1853

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

By Editor

BY THE EDITOR.

[Continued.]

5. The gospel of the kingdom preached in all the world for a witness. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come." Matt. xxiv, 14. This is the first sign given by our Saviour in answer to the question in the third verse of this chapter, "what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world."

The text is often used to prove the doctrine that all men will be converted, and that there will then be at least one thousand years in which all will "know the Lord from the least to the greatest."—But it comes far short of proving all this. In order for it to sustain the modern doctrine of a temporal millennium, and harmonize also with the idea that nothing is to be known relative to the time of the Second Advent, it should read something as follows:—This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, every individual shall hear it, and become converted, and made holy by it, remain so one thousand years, and then no man shall know anything about the end! But the text only states that the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world; and the object stated, is, "for a witness unto all nations."—"Then," not a thousand years after, "shall the end come."

Is this the gospel in its common acceptance?—Or is it a particular part of the glad tidings? It was spoken in reference to the question of the disciples, "What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world;" therefore it seems proper to apply it to the proclamation of Christ's second coming.

But if it be applied to the gospel in the common acceptation of the word, the circulation of the Scriptures in so many different languages and dialects during the last half century, and missionaries sent to all the nations of the globe, are sufficient to fulfill the text. The heads of all the missionary departments tell us that there is not a nation on the earth to whom the gospel has not been preached.

"J. O. Choules, author of the greatest work ever published on missions, giving their history, from the Apostolic age down to the present day, being asked in May, 1842, if he knew of any nation which had never received the gospel, replied that he did not. Mr. James, agent of the American Bible Society, being asked the question, gave the same answer."

The truth of this matter is well expressed by William Miller in his Lectures published in 1841:—"Is not this sign already accomplished? Bible translated into more than 200 different languages; missionaries sent among all nations known to us on the globe, and reformation succeeding reformation in every town, nook or corner in this land. The gospel has now spread over the four quarters of the globe. It began in Asia. In the Apostles' days, that quarter was full of light. From thence it went into Africa; and, for a number of centuries, Africa stretched out her hands unto God. Europe, too, has had a long visitation of gospel blessings; and now America, the last quarter of the globe, is reaping a harvest of souls for the last day. The gospel, like the sun, arose in the East, and will set in the West."

But if Matt. xxiv, 14, be applied to a particular part of the glad tidings, namely, the second coming of Christ and the end of the world, the fulfillment is equally evident. The following is from Wm. Miller's Lectures, page 238.

"One or two on every quarter of the globe have proclaimed the news, and agree in the time.—Wolfe, of Asia; Irwin, late of England; Mason, of Scotland; Davis, of South Carolina; and quite a number in this region are, or have been, giving the cry."

The Advent Shield, Vol. I, No. 1, pages 86, 87, says:

"We look upon the proclamation which has been made, as being the cry of the angel who proclaimed, 'The hour of his judgment is come.' Rev. xiv, 6, 7. It is a sound which is to reach all nations; it is the proclamation of 'the everlasting gospel,' or 'this gospel of the kingdom.' In one shape or other, this cry has gone abroad through the earth wherever human beings are found, and we have had opportunity to hear of the fact. Within the last six years, publications treating on the subject, have been sent to nearly every English and American Missionary station on the globe; to all, at least, to which we have had access."

E. R. Pinney, in his Exposition of Matthew, Chapter xxiv, says:

"As early as 1842, second Advent publications had been sent to every missionary station in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, both sides of the Rocky Mountains. Joseph Wolfe, the Jewish missionary, we find from the journal of his labors, visited most of the missionary stations in the East, from 1831 to 1834, and preached this doctrine. He had free conversation with the Missionaries, and also with the Jewish and Mohammedan priests. We find this doctrine in Tartary, about twenty-five years ago, and the time for the coming of Christ to be in 1844. This fact is obtained from an Irish Missionary in Tartary to whom the question was put by a Tartar priest, 'When Christ would come the second time?' And he made answer that he knew nothing at all about it. The Tartar priest expressed great surprise at such an answer from a missionary who had come to teach them the doctrines of the Bible—and remarked, 'he thought that everybody might know that, who had a Bible.' The Tartar priest then gave his views, stating that Christ, he thought, would come about 1844.—The Missionary wrote home a statement of the facts, which were published in the Irish Magazine in 1821. The commanders of our vessels and the sailors, tell us that they touch at no port where they find this proclamation has not preceded them, and frequent inquiries respecting it are made of them."

"I noticed in a late number of the Voice of Truth that a brother traveling on the lakes, met with a Russian gentleman, direct from his country, who informed him that the doctrine of 'Christ's coming and the end of the world,' had been preached there, but was received only by the lower classes. Rev. Mansfield had an interview with a Moravian missionary, stationed in Antigua, who said that several years since, the doctrine of the immediate coming was extensively preached in Germany, and that the whole of the south of Germany was aroused upon the subject."

"At the Turks Islands, Rev. M—, also met a Wesleyan missionary, who assured him that at the time fixed upon by the Adventists in the U. S., the following incident occurred, which illustrates the extent to which the doctrine of Christ's immediate coming had been diffused."

"During a most terrific thunder storm, some of the members of the Wesleyan church who had been at variance, thinking the Lord was actually coming as the American Adventists expected, ran to each other and confessed their faults and begged forgiveness, that they might be ready to meet Christ."

F. G. Brown, in an article published in the Midnight Cry of Feb. 15th, 1844, writes thus:

"During our Conference [New Bedford, Mass.] we were favored among other good brethren whom we love, with the presence of Bro. Hutchinson, of Montreal, Editor of the Voice of Elijah. His powerful presentation of scripture truth, and his brief recital of what he had suffered in its defense, thrilled every heart, and drew the silent tear from many an eye. Bro. H. occupies the most favorable position for distributing the light throughout the British Possessions and Europe. Having a large acquaintance in Europe, and as papers can be sent from the Canadas thither free of postage, he has embraced every opportunity of sending large supplies by each returning Steamship. He has forwarded them to the Canadas, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, Constantinople, Rome, &c."

The Midnight Cry of Sept. 21st, 1843, thus remarks:

"We learn from a letter received from James Perrin, who is captain of a canal boat running between Albany and Buffalo, some very interesting facts. After relating the manner in which he was led to an examination and a belief of the truth of the Lord's speedy coming, which was first by hearing a minister denouncing it, he relates some interesting facts in reference to some emigrants from Norway, who took passage with him from Albany to Buffalo. He says: 'Three of the number could speak English. I spoke to them concerning the coming of Christ this year, asked them if they had heard anything on the subject in their own country. They asked if it was Mr. Miller's prophecy. I told them that it was so called. They then said that almost every paper among them, last Fall and Winter had more or less to say on the subject. I then showed them the chart I had on board. The moment they saw it, they said that they had seen it in their own country.' To what an astonishing extent has this unutterable subject spread, and with what rapidity. Has not 'this gospel of the kingdom' of heaven at hand, been well nigh preached in all the world as a witness?"

J. W. Bonham, in the Midnight Cry of Nov. 28th, 1844, remarks:

"On my passage to London, I distributed among the passengers, several second Advent papers and publications. Some of Bro. Litch's German Tracts I sent to Holland; some copies of the Midnight Cry I sent to Van Dieman's Land, and others to different parts of England, by persons who were going on visits to their friends. Several copies of the Cry I sent to Norfolk, which were the means of causing the subject of the Advent to be agitated previous to its being visited by Brn. Winter and Burgess. . . . I was often much cheered by receiving letters from the brethren who were laboring in the country, with heart-cheering intelligence of the progress of the Advent cause. In some places as many as five or six thousand persons were assembled to hear on this all-important subject; some of whom embraced the truth with joy. I was, also, much cheered by receiving letters, stating that much good had resulted from reading the letters and papers which I had sent to England. One copy of the Cry containing Bro. Storrs' lectures on the visions of Daniel, was taken to India, and another found its way into one of the theological Institutions in Bristol, and the inmates declared that it threw considerable light on many parts of scripture, which before were considered as wrapped up in mystery."

An English writer Mourant Brock, thus remarks:

"It is not merely in Great Britain that the expectation of the near return of the Redeemer is entertained, and the voice of warning raised, but, also in America, India, and on the continent of Europe. I was lately told by one of our German Missionaries that in Wirttemberg there is a Christian Colony of several hundreds, one of the chief features of which is, the looking for the Second Advent.—And a Christian Minister from near the shores of the Caspian Sea, has told me that there is the same daily expectation among his nation. They constantly speak of it as 'the day of consolation.' In a little publication, entitled, 'The Millennium,' the writer says that he understands that in America about 300 ministers of the Word are thus preaching 'the gospel of the kingdom;' whilst in this country, he adds, about 700 of the church of England are raising the same cry."—Advent Tracts, Vol. II, page 135.

6. Spirit Manifestations.—"And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. viii, 19, 20.

"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2. Thess. ii, 9–12. See, also, Rev. xiii, 13, 14; xvi, 13, 14; xviii, 2–4; 1 Tim. iv, 1; Matt. xxiv, 23, 24.

We give the above texts as a portion of those scriptures which distinctly foretell the strong delusions of the last days, now beginning to appear in what is called Spiritualism, or Spirit Manifestations. That the texts do apply to the last days, and also to these so-called Spirit Manifestations, we think will yet appear plain.

But it may be expected that we should give some account of the rise and progress of Spiritualism. For the benefit of those who have not had an opportunity to become acquainted with the facts in the case, a very brief history is here given. The following is from a candidly written pamphlet, published by D. M. Dewey, Rochester, 1850, entitled, History of the Mysterious Noises, &c.

"The sounds were first heard in a small village named Hydesville, in the town of Arcadia, Wayne county, New York. The house where they were heard was occupied during a part of the years 1846 and 1847, by Mr. Michael Weekman. During this time, Mr. W. states that one evening about nine o'clock, as he was preparing to retire for the night,

he heard a rapping on the outside door. He opened it, but saw no one. In a few moments, the rapping on the door was repeated, and was louder than at first. He immediately stepped to the door, and opened it; no person was to be seen. He went into the street and looked about the house, and returned without seeing any one. Soon the noise was repeated, and, failing to see any person, he placed his hand on the latch of the door, in order to open it immediately, should the annoyance be continued. Again the rapping was heard—he felt the door jar, and sprang into the street. No person was to be seen anywhere, in the vicinity.—Excepting a manifestation to the daughter of Mr. W., then some eight years old, nothing unusual is reported to have been seen or heard by him, while he occupied the premises.

"The family of Mr. John D. Fox moved into the house on the 11th of December, 1847. Their former residence was Rochester. They heard the rapping first, the latter part of March, 1848, one evening, after they had retired for the night. It seemed to be in one of the bed rooms, and sounded as though some one was knocking on the floor, moving chairs, &c. Four or five members of the family were at home, and they all got up, to ascertain the cause of the noise. Every part of the house was searched, yet nothing could be discovered. A perceptible jar was felt by putting their hands on the bedsteads and chairs; a jar was also experienced while standing on the floor. The noise was continued that night as long as any one was awake in the house. The following evening they were heard as before, and on the evening of the 31st of March, the neighbors were called in for the first time."

"The following is an extract from Mrs. Fox's statement, made soon after the occurrences narrated took place:—'On Friday night, we concluded to go to bed early, and not let it disturb us; if it came, we thought we would not mind it, but try and get a good night's rest. My husband was here on all these occasions, heard the noise and helped search. It was very early when we went to bed on this night; hardly dark. We went to bed so early, because we had been broken so much of our rest that I was almost sick."

"My husband had not gone to bed when we first heard the noise on this evening. I had just laid down. It commenced as usual. I knew it from all other noises I had ever heard in the house.—The girls, who slept in the other bed in the room, heard the noise, and tried to make a similar noise by snapping their fingers. The youngest girl is about twelve years old; she is the one who made her hand go. As fast as she made the noise with her hands or fingers, the sound was followed up in the room. It did not sound any different at that time, only it made the same number of noises that the girl did. When she stopped, the sound itself stopped for a short time."

"The other girl, who is in her 15th year, then spoke in sport and said, 'Now do just as I do.—Count one, two, three, four, &c., striking one hand in the other at the same time. The blows which she made were repeated as before. It appeared to answer her by repeating every blow that she made. She only did so once. She then began to be startled; and then I spoke and said to the noise, 'count ten,' and it made ten strokes or noises. Then I asked the ages of my different children successively, and it gave a number of raps, corresponding to the ages of my children."

"I then asked if it was a human being that was making the noise, and if it was, to manifest it by the same noise. There was no noise. I then asked if it was a spirit, and if it was, to manifest it by two sounds. I heard the two sounds as soon as the words were spoken."

"Mrs. Fox asked if the noises would continue if she called in the neighbors that they might hear it. There was rapping the same as when it was supposed affirmative answers were given. Mrs. Redfield, the nearest neighbor, was first called. The children had informed her previously, that strange noises were heard in the house and she went, thinking to have some sport with the family. She found the girls very much agitated. Mrs. Fox said, 'Mrs. Redfield, what shall we do? We have heard the noise for some time, and now it answers all our questions and we cannot account for it.'"

"Mrs. R. heard the sounds and commenced asking questions, which were answered correctly, greatly to her astonishment. She says the girls continued to be much frightened, and she told them not to be afraid; if it was a revelation from the spirit world, it was not to injure them. One of the girls said with much feeling—'We are innocent—how good it is to have a clear conscience.'"

"Messrs. Redfield, Duesler, Hyde, Jewell, and their wives were subsequently called, during the same evening. They asked many questions and received answers. Questions relating to the age, number of children, &c., of the persons present, are said to have been answered correctly. Mr. Fox and Mr. Redfield remained in the house through the night. Mrs. Fox and her daughters spent the night at the house of one of the neighbors."

"A report of the strange noises heard in the house of Mr. Fox, spread throughout that part of the town the next (Saturday) morning, and a large number of persons assembled and remained at the house during the day. No noises were heard until evening, when the sounds commenced as before. A committee was appointed to investigate the matter, and a great variety of questions were asked and answered."

"On Sunday morning, April 2d, the sounds were heard, and they continued to be made throughout the day. This is the first instance in which they are reported to have been heard in the day time.—Sunday evening and throughout that night, no noises were heard."

"In a pamphlet, published at Canandaigua in 1848, by E. E. Lewis, certificates corroborating the foregoing statements are given, signed by the following persons: 'John D. Fox, Walter Scotten, Elizabeth Jewell, Loreen Tenney, James Bridger, Chauncey P. Losey, Benjamin F. Clarke, Elizabeth Fox, Vernelia Culver, William D. Storer, Marvin P. Loser, David S. Fox and Mary Redfield."

"At one time, when those investigating wished to ascertain a certain name, the spirit was asked if it would rap for the initial letters when they were named. The reply was in the affirmative; and when the alphabet was called over there was rapping at particular letters. Soon the experiment was carried still further, and by request entire names and sentences of considerable length were spelled out. A signal for the alphabet is made when the spirit desires to communicate in this way. This signal is five raps in quick succession."

It is stated by Mr. Dewey that soon after the occurrence of these events, a part of the Fox family moved to Rochester, and that the rappings were then heard in both places. The next place where they were heard was in Auburn.

"After nearly a year had been spent by a few individuals in Rochester and vicinity, in investigating the mystery, the following communication was spelled out in the presence of several persons who had assembled for the purpose of prosecuting their investigations: 'You all have a duty to perform. We want you to make this matter more public.' Every individual to whom the message was addressed objected to having any agency in bringing the subject before the public. They knew the odium that would attach to any person who should attempt to prove, in the presence of a public assembly, that the sounds they heard were made by spirits. While speaking of the opposition they would incur, and the difficulties in the way, the alphabet was called for, and the following communication spelled out: 'That will be so much the better—your triumph will be the greater.' This occurrence took place in November, 1849."

"Several of the persons designated to assist in bringing the matter before the community, continued strongly to object, until the most positive assurances were given that the rapping should be heard in the hall, by the audience, in response to the lecturer, and that the result would tend essentially to the better understanding of the whole subject. The lectures were finally delivered by Mr. E. W. Capron, of Auburn. The following account of the investigations had at that time, appeared in

the New York Weekly Tribune, of Dec. 8th, 1849."

"Some two weeks since, we were in company with some persons who were getting communications from this invisible communicator, when a message was spelled out to us to the import that the matter should be made more public—that the time had arrived for the people to investigate the whole affair—that it was a thing which will ultimately become known to all men, and that we should immediately take measures to have it investigated. The directions were then minutely given by these spirits, as they purport to be, and which we are willing to believe are, until we have as much proof to the contrary as it required to bring us to that conclusion. These directions will appear in the following history as they were fully and strictly followed. The great object was to start investigation and clear those who had been hearing of it for the last two years from the imputation of fraud and deception."

"Accordingly on the evening of November 14th, a lecture was delivered in Corinthian hall, in the city of Rochester, and a full history of the rise and progress of these manifestations given. During the relations of these facts the sounds were distinctly heard by the persons in the hall."

"After the lecture, a committee was chosen by the audience, composed of the following persons:—A. J. COMBS, DANIEL MARSH, NATHANIEL CLARK, ESQ., A. JUDSON, and EDWIN JONES."

"On the following evening the committee reported in substance, as follows: That without the knowledge of the persons in whose presence the manifestations are made, the committee selected the hall of the Sons of Temperance for investigation—that the sound on the floor near where the two ladies stood was heard as distinctly as at other places, and that part of the committee heard the rapping on the wall behind them. . . . The ladies seemed to give every opportunity to the committee to investigate the cause fully, and would submit to a thorough investigation by a committee of ladies, if desired. They all agreed that the sounds were heard, but they entirely failed to discover any means by which it could be done."

"After this report, and some discussion on the subject, the audience selected another committee, composed of the following persons: Dr. H. H. Langworthy, Hon. Frederick Whittlesey, D. C. McCallum, William Fisher, of Rochester, and Hon. A. P. Hascall, of Le Roy. At the next lecture this committee reported that they went into the investigation at the office of Chancellor Whittlesey, and they heard the sound on the floor, on the wall, and door—that the ladies were placed in different positions, and, like the other committee, they were wholly unable to tell from what the sound proceeded, or how it was made, that Dr. Langworthy made observations with a stethoscope to ascertain whether there was any movement with the lungs, and found not the least difference when the sounds were made; and there was no kind of probability or possibility of their being made by ventriloquism, as some had supposed—and they could not have been made by machinery."

"This committee was composed of Dr. E. P. Langworthy, Dr. J. Gates, Wm. Fitzhugh, W. L. Burris and L. Kenyon. This committee met at the rooms of Dr. Gates, at the Rochester House, and appointed a committee of ladies, who took the young women into a room, and examined their persons and clothing, to be sure that there was no fixtures about them that could produce the sounds.—When satisfied on this point, the committee of ladies tried some other experiments, and gave the young ladies the following certificate:—When they were standing on pillows, with a handkerchief tied around the bottom of their dresses, tight to the ankles, we all heard the rapping on the wall and floor distinctly.—Signed—MRS. STONE, MRS. J. GATES, MISS M. P. LAWRENCE."

"In the evening the committee, through their chairman, Dr. Langworthy, made a full report of their examinations during the day. They reported, they excluded all friends of the two ladies from the committee room, and had the examination only in presence of the committee of gentlemen, and ladies chosen by them. Notwithstanding all this precaution, these sounds were heard when the ladies stood on large feather pillows, without shoes, and in other various positions, both on the floor and on the wall—that a number of questions were asked, which, when answered, were generally correct. Each member of the committee reported separately, agreeing with and corroborating the first statements."

"Thus, by three days of the strictest scrutiny, by means of intelligence, candor and science, were the persons in whose presence these sounds were heard, acquitted of all fraud."

"On Friday evening, after the lecture, three of the committee, viz: Hon. A. P. Hascall, D. C. McCallum, and William Fisher, repaired to the house of a citizen, and pursued their investigations still further. There were nearly a score of persons present. The members of the committee wrote many questions on paper, which no person present knew the purport of, and they were answered correctly. At times they would ask mentally, and receive the answers with equal correctness, and they were fully satisfied that there was something present manifesting intelligence beyond the persons visible."

"One of the committees tried the experiment of standing the ladies on glass, but failed to get any sounds; but the same was subsequently tried in presence of a large number of persons, and the sounds were as loud and distinct as before, on the floor, as usual."

We will not weary the reader with further testimonies relative to the rise of what is called Spiritualism, though they might be given to almost any length. What we have presented is sufficient to show the small beginning of what is now agitating the civilized world. From one obscure family the Spirit Manifestations have spread all over this Continent, and also Europe. Neither shall we enter into the particulars of the progress of these manifestations, which, for the last five years have differed in character, and have been becoming more and more mysterious. Almost every day new wonders are heralded through the land. A short time since Mysterious Rappings only were reported, and the people cried, Humbug! Now there are not only rapping, but writing, speaking and healing mediums, and tens of thousands believe, and the people look on and acknowledge these things mysterious. The future will be watched with the most intense interest.

Says Hon. J. W. Edmonds, Judge of the Supreme Court:—

"Scarcely more than four years have elapsed since the 'Rochester Knockings' were first known among us. Then mediums could be counted by units, but now by thousands—then believers could be numbered by hundreds, now by tens of thousands. It is believed by the best informed that the whole number in the United States must be several hundred thousands, and that in this city [New York,] and its vicinity there must be from twenty to twenty-five thousand. There are ten or twelve newspapers and periodicals devoted to the cause, and the Spiritual Library embraces more than one hundred different publications, some of which have already attained a circulation of more than ten thousand copies. Besides the indistinguishable multitude there are many men of high standing and talent ranked among them—doctors, lawyers, and clergymen in great numbers, a Protestant bishop, the learned and reverend president of a college, judges of our higher courts, members of Congress, foreign ambassadors, and ex-members of the United States Senate."

We will here give the testimonies of Hon. N. P. Tallmadge, and Hon. J. W. Edmonds, relative to the manifestations, witnessed by themselves. We could give testimonies from others which seem to be more wonderful; but these are more reliable, coming from men of high standing. The following from Hon. N. P. Tallmadge, dated Baltimore, April 12th, 1853, is addressed to Mrs. Sarah Helen Whiteman, Providence, R. I.

"DEAR MADAM! I seize a few leisure moments, while detained here a short time on business, to give you a more extended account of the 'Physical Manifestations' to which I alluded in a former letter. In this account, I shall confine myself to those which purport to come from the spirit of John C. Calhoun."

"I have received numerous communications from him, from the commencement of my investigation of this subject down to the present. Those communications have been received through rapping mediums, writing mediums, and speaking mediums. They are of the most extraordinary character. In style and sentiment, they would do honor to him in his best days on earth."

"After the arrival of the Misses Fox in Washington City in February last, I called on them by appointment, and at once, received a communication from Calhoun. I then wrote down and propounded mentally the following question:"

"Can you do anything (meaning physical manifestations) to confirm me in the truth of these revelations, and to remove from my mind the least shadow of unbelief? To which I received the following answer. 'I will give you a communication on Monday, at 7½ o'clock. Do not fail to be here. I will then give you an explanation. JOHN C. CALHOUN.'"

"It is proper here to remark, that all the communications referred to in this letter, were made by Calhoun after a call for the alphabet, and were rapped out, letter by letter, and taken down by me in the usual way. They were made in the presence of the Misses Fox, and their mother. I called on Monday at the hour appointed, and received the following communication. 'Mr. friend, the question is often put to you, What good can result from these manifestations?' I will answer it: 'It is to draw mankind together in harmony, and convince skeptics of the immortality of the soul. JOHN C. CALHOUN.'"

"This reminds me that in 1850, at Bridgeport, in the presence of other mediums, among many questions put and answers received, were the following—the answer purporting to come from W. E. Channing. Q.—What do Spirits propose to accomplish by these new manifestations?"

"A.—To unite mankind, and convince skeptical minds of the immortality of 'the soul.' The coincidence in sentiment of the answer of J. C. Calhoun and W. E. Channing in regard to the object of these manifestations is remarkable, and worthy of particular notice. The concurrence of two such great minds, whether in or out of the body, on a subject so engrossing, cannot fail to command the attention of every admirer of exalted intellect and moral purity."

"During the above communication of Calhoun the table moved occasionally, perhaps a foot, first one way and then the other. After the communication closed, we all moved back from the table, from two to four feet—so that no one touched the table.—Suddenly the table moved from the position it occupied some three or four feet—rested a few moments—and then moved back to its original position. Then it again moved as far the other way, and returned to the place it started from. One side of the table was then raised, and stood for a few moments at an angle of about thirty-five degrees, and then again rested on the floor as usual."

"The table was a large, heavy, round table, at which ten or a dozen persons might be seated at dinner. During all these movements no person touched the table nor was any one near it. After seeing it raised in the manner above mentioned, I had the curiosity to test its weight by raising it myself. I accordingly took my seat by it—placed my hands under the leaf and exerted as much force as I was capable of in that sitting posture, and could not raise it a particle from the floor. I then stood up in the best possible position to exert the greatest force—took hold of the leaf, and still could not raise it with all the strength I could apply. I then requested the three ladies to take hold around the table and try altogether to lift it. We lifted upon it until the leaf and top began to crack, and did not raise it a particle. We then desisted, fearing we should break the table. I then said, 'Will the spirits permit me to raise the table?' I took hold alone and raised it without difficulty. After this the following conversation ensued.—Q.—Can you raise the table entirely from the floor? A.—Yes. [Continued on page 62.]"

Q.—Will you raise me with it? A.—Yes; get me the square table.

"The square table was of cherry, with four legs; a large sized tea table. It was brought out and substituted for the round one, the leaves being raised. I took my seat on the centre; the three ladies sat at the sides and the end, their hands and arms resting upon it. This, of course, added to the weight to be raised, namely, my own weight, and the weight of the table. Two legs of the table were then raised about six inches from the floor; and then the other two were raised to a level with the first, so that the whole table was suspended in the air about six inches above the floor. While thus seated on it I could feel a gentle vibrating motion, as if floating in the atmosphere. After being thus suspended in the air for a few moments, the table was gently let down to the floor! Some pretend to say that these physical manifestations are made by electricity. I should like to know by what law of electricity known to us, a table is at one time riveted, as it were, to the floor, against all the force that could be exerted to raise it; and at another time raised entirely from the floor with more than two hundred pounds weight upon it!"

"At a subsequent meeting, Calhoun directed me to bring three bells and a guitar. I brought them accordingly. The three ladies and myself were seated at the table, with our arms resting on it.—The bells commenced ringing in a sort of chime. Raps were made as if beating time to a march.—The raps then ceased and the bells rang violently for several minutes. A bell was then pressed on my foot, my ankle and knee. This was at different times. When the ringing of the bell ceased, I felt sensibly and distinctly the impression of a hand on my foot, ankle and knee."

"I was then directed to put the guitar on a large bureau drawer which was upon the square table. We were all seated as before. The guitar was touched softly and gently, and gave forth sweet and delicious sounds like the accompaniment to a beautiful and exquisite piece of music. It then played a sort of symphony, in much louder and bolder tones. And as it played, these harmonious sounds, becoming soft, sweet and low, began to recede, and grew fainter and fainter till they died away on the ear in the distance. Then they returned and grew louder and nearer till they were heard again in full and gushing volume as when they commenced."

"I am utterly incapable of giving any adequate idea of the beauty and harmony of this music. I have heard the guitar touched by the most delicate and scientific hands, and heard from it, under such guidance, the most splendid performances. But never did I hear anything that fastened upon my very soul like these prophetic strains drawn out by an invisible hand from the Spirit World. After the music had ceased, the following communication was received. 'This is my hand that touches the guitar.' JOHN C. CALHOUN."

"At another time the following physical manifestation was made in the presence of General Hamilton, Gen. Waddy Thompson, of South Carolina, and myself. We were directed to place the Bible on a drawer under the table. I placed it there, completely closed. It was a small pocket Bible, with very fine print. Numerous raps were then heard, beating time to 'Hail Columbia,' which had been called for. Soon the sounds began to recede, and grew fainter and fainter, till, like the music of the guitar, they died away in the distance. The alphabet was then called for, and it was spelled out 'Look.' I looked on the drawer, and found the Bible open. I took it up, and carefully kept it open at the place where I found it. On bringing it to the light, I found it to open at St. John's Gospel—chapter ii being on the left side, and chapter iii on the right side. I said: 'Do you wish us to look at chapter ii?' Ans.—'No.' Do you wish us to look at chapter iii?' Ans.—'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 perceive the significance 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."

The following is from a letter written by Hon. J. W. Edmonds. He says:

"It was in January, 1851, that my attention was first called to the subject of 'Spiritual Intercourse.' I was at the time withdrawn from general society; I was laboring under great depression of spirits.—I was occupying all my leisure in reading on the subject of death, and man's existence afterward.—I had in the course of my life read and heard from the pulpit so many contradictory and conflicting doctrines on the subject, that I hardly knew what to believe. I could not, if I would, believe what I did not understand, and was anxiously seeking to know, if after death we should again meet with those whom we had loved here, and under what circumstances."

"I was invited by a friend to witness the 'Rochester Knockings.' I complied, more to oblige her and to while away a tedious hour. I thought a good deal on what I had witnessed, and I determined to investigate the matter and find out what it was. If it was a deception, or a delusion, I thought I could detect it. 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 on, on the subject, and especially all the professed 'exposures of the humbug.' I went from place to place seeing different mediums, meeting with different parties of persons, often with persons whom I had never seen before, and sometimes where I was myself entirely unknown—sometimes in the dark and sometimes in the light—often with inveterate unbelievers, and more frequently with zealous believers. 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, and tried the patience of believers sorely by my skepticism, my captiousness, and my obdurate refusal to yield my belief. I saw around me some who yielded a ready faith on one or two sittings only; others again, under the same circumstances, avowing a determined unbelief; and some who refused to witness it at all, and were confirmed unbelievers. I could not imitate either of these parties, and refused to yield, unless upon most irrefragable testimony. At length the evidence came, and in such force that no sane man could withhold his faith."

"Thus far, the question I was investigating was whether what I saw was produced by mere mortal means, or by some invisible, unknown agency; in other words, whether it was a deception, an imposition, or what it professed to be, the product of some unknown, unseen cause. I will mention a few things, which will give a general idea of that which characterized interviews, now numbering several hundred."

"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. But I was at a loss to tell how the mediums could cause what I witnessed under these circumstances:—The mediums walking the length of a suit of parlors, forty or fifty feet, and the rappings being distinctly heard five or six feet behind them, the whole distance, backward and forward several times; being heard near the top of the mahogany door, above where the medium could reach, and as if it was struck hard with a fist; being heard on the bottom of a car when traveling on a railroad, and on the floor and table when seated at lunch, at an eating house, by the side of the road, being heard at different parts of the room, sometimes several feet distant from the medium, and where she could not reach—sometimes on the table, and immediately after, on the floor, and then at different parts of the table, in rapid succession, enabling us to feel the vibration as well as hear the sounds; sometimes, when the hands and feet of the medium were both firmly held by some one of the party, and sometimes on a table when no one touched it."

"After depending upon my senses, as to those various phases of the phenomenon, I invoked the aid of science, and with the assistance of an accomplished electrician and his machinery, and eight or ten intelligent, educated, 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 second, that they were not forth coming at our will and pleasure."

"In the meantime 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 bodily up from the floor, in the center of a circle of six or eight persons, turned upside down and laid on 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 known that same table to be tilted up on two legs, its top at an angle of forty-five degrees, when it neither fell over of itself, nor could any person present put it back on its four legs. I have seen a mahogany table, having only a center 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, and the lamp retained its place, though its glass pendants rang again. I have seen the same table tipped up with the lamp on it, so far that the lamp must have fallen off unless retained there by something else than its own gravity, yet it fell not, moved not. I have known a dinner bell taken from a high 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 parlor, and then borne through the folding doors to the farther end of the front parlor, and there dropped on the floor. I have frequently known persons pulled about with a force which it was impossible for them to resist, and once, when all my own strength was added in vain to that of the one thus affected. 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."

"The Judge states that he has not alluded to any things which have occurred to him when he has been alone, preferring to mention only those manifestations which others have witnessed. He further states:"

"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 not a person present even knew that I had prepared questions, much less what they were. My most secret thoughts, those which I have never uttered to mortal man or woman, have been freely spoken as if I had uttered them. Purposes which I have privily entertained have been publicly revealed; and I have once and again been admonished that my every thought was known to, and could be disclosed by, the intelligence which was thus manifesting itself."

"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. So in my recent visit to the West, my whereabouts and my condition were told to a medium in this city while I was traveling on the railroad between Cleveland and Toledo."