Hydesville: The Story of the Rochester Knockings, Which Proclaimed the Advent of Modern SpiritualismTodd, Thomas Olman
History
Hydesville: The Story of the Rochester Knockings, Which Proclaimed the Advent of Modern Spiritualism
Todd, Thomas Olman
Spiritualism
Happily for the momentous work which the spiritual telegraphers had
undertaken to initiate in this humble dwelling, the first manifestations
did not appeal to the high and learned of the earth, but to the plain
common-sense of an honest farmer's wife, and suggested that whatever
could see, hear, and intelligently respond to relevant queries, must
have in it something in common with humanity; and thus Mrs. Fox
continued her investigations. Addressing the viewless rapper she said
"count ten;" the raps obeyed. "How old is my daughter Margaret?" then
"Kate?" Both questions were distinctly and correctly rapped out. Mrs.
Fox then asked "How many children have I?" Seven, was the reply; this
however proved to be wrong for she had only six living. She repeated her
question and was again answered by seven raps; suddenly she cried "How
many have I living?" Six raps responded. "How many dead?" a single
knock; and both these answers proved correct. To the next question, "Are
you a man that knocks?" there was no response; but "Are you a spirit?"
elicited firm and distinctive responsive knocks.
Emboldened by her success, Mrs. Fox continued her enquiries and
ascertained by raps that the messages were coming from what purported to
be the Spirit of an injured man who had been murdered for his money. To
the question how old he was, there came thirty-one distinct raps. He
also gave them to understand that he was a married man, and had left a
wife and five children; that his wife was dead, and had been dead two
years. After ascertaining so much, she asked the question "Will the
noise continue if I call in some neighbours?" The answer was by rapping
in the affirmative.
At first they called in their nearest neighbours, who came thinking they
would have a hearty laugh at the family for being frightened--but when
the first neighbour came in and found that the noise, whatever it might
be, could tell the age of herself as well as others, and give correct
answers to questions on matters of which the family of Mr. Fox was quite
ignorant, she concluded that there was something beside a subject of
ridicule and laughter in these unseen but audible communications. These
neighbours insisted on calling others who came, and after investigation
were as much confounded as at first.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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