MRS. GOURLAY’S NARRATIVE. 921. The following is a narrative of the circumstances which led to the conversion to a belief in Spiritualism, of my esteemed friend, Mrs. M. B. Gourlay, through _whose_ high attributes as an intellectual medium, I am in a great measure indebted for _my_ conversion. I do most devoutly believe that the information received from my spirit father, through her mediumship, would, if duly credited, be of more value to true religion and morality, than the forty millions of dollars annually expended upon the Church of England. PHILADELPHIA, May 20, 1855. _To Professor Robert Hare_: 922. _My Dear Sir_: Pursuant to your request, I have the pleasure to present you the following particulars of my experience and observation in relation to the phenomena of spiritual intercourse,—phenomena which engage, at the present time, the serious and profound attention of thousands of intelligent minds; manifestations that are rapidly and steadily spreading their influence over the entire continent, and carrying with them the evidence of their spiritual origin, while impressing receptive minds with the truth of their sacred importance to an extent unexampled in the history of any other movement. 923. My attention was attracted to the phenomena in question, about five years since, by reading sundry reports in the New York Tribune, of certain mysterious sounds which had occurred in the city of Rochester, and purported to have been made by the spirits of the departed. 924. I regarded the subject at first with great distrust, supposing it a mere imposition on the credulity of the public, and considered it entirely unworthy of serious thought. 925. Finding, however, that it was eliciting considerable notice, and knowing that _facts are sometimes stranger than fiction_, I deemed it consonant with reason to suspend my judgment till more conversant with the facts. 926. Having been admonished by a much-loved, intelligent, and, I would add, _practical_ Christian mother to worship at the altar of truth, while exercising my reason on all subjects presented to my mind, I was, as might be presumed, nearly, if not entirely, free from the shackles of bigotry, superstition, and dogmatism, and was thus prepared, so far at least as these barriers to mental and moral progression are concerned, to investigate any subject within the range of my capacity. 927. Hearing of the spread of the manifestations, and their actual occurrence in the city of Bangor, Maine, where I then resided, I resolved, with the first favourable opportunity, to investigate the matter for myself.