Spirit Manifestations at Buffalo.
By Editor
"Having wound our devious way up four pairs of stairs, we entered a rather rough looking room, about twenty feet square. At a large, heavy, round table in the centre, sat two harmless looking boys, one, I should judge, about fifteen and the other seventeen years old. On the table were two violins, a guitar, a small tea bell, and a large tin speaking trumpet. Around the walls were seated, on benches and chairs, twenty-six ladies and gentlemen, waiting for the time—half-past seven, P. M.—for the "performance" to begin." "Third test---A "strong-minded" woman desired to set between the boys and hold their hands. The aforesaid working tools were all placed on the table, the audience seated, and the lights put out. In a moment one of the most unearthly blasts or bellowings was heard through the trumpet, that ever greeted my ears! The "strong-minded" woman was brave, but was probably unprepared, as well as myself, for such a demonstration. She quaked a little, and a voice through the trumpet immediately said, "I meant to scare her, and I succeeded perfectly." The instruments were then played upon, or rather twanged, in every part of the room; the bell was rung constantly; the violin hit me several times in passing round on the knees, and was finally put into my hands, and taken violently away. The bell was put into the lap of a lady in the corner of the room, then thrown upon the floor; then the guitar was thrust against me. I caught a firm hold of it, and after a strong pull, succeeded in holding it, but it evidently displeased the "operator," for a blow with a violin, which may have been aimed at my head, nearly demolished both instruments. This "demonstration" was too striking, so the lights were called. Fourth test.---The boys were held by disinterested persons; the lights put out, and it was announced through the trumpet that we should have "Spirit lights, an earthquake, and Spirit walking." Soon the stove began to shake violently, then the table and instruments, and finally the whole floor. Then a bright spark darted in every direction across the room, and a voice through the trumpet said, "All clap your hands;" we complied and set up an applause that would have added three years to the life of an actor. The light increased in brilliancy and activity in proportion to the noise we made. Then there was a terrible tramping over the floor, sounding to my ears like the war dance of twenty Indians. "Finally it was announced through the trumpet that he would give us "a snow storm and then retire." Mr. Davenport explained: a snow storm meant a tremendous rattling, thumping, flying about of all the instruments, &c. Sure enough, such a "hilabloo" I never heard before. All that had been done before was repeated at once. The "horn" was talking, the bell ringing, violins and guitars twanging and whistling about in every part of the room. Then he called out "light" close to my ear. The cover was raised from the light instantly, when every instrument dropped to the floor just in that part of the room where it happened to be, and the table was thrown half across the room, falling upside down; the trumpet fell at my feet. "This closed these most remarkable mysteries: I have not exaggerated in the least; on the contrary, many side tests were tried, equally wonderful and successful, that I have not mentioned. W. D. Cross." [Christian Spiritualist. We might ask with what propriety those spirits which would utter such "unearthly blasts" and create such a perfect "hilabloo," could pretend to be spirits of light and glory. And why do they "choose darkness rather than light?" But all such questions will readily suggest themselves to the minds of our readers.—ED REVIEW.