Immortality proved by the testimony of sense : $b In which is contemplated the doctrine of spectres and the existence of a particular spectreCummings, Abraham
Religion
Immortality proved by the testimony of sense : $b In which is contemplated the doctrine of spectres and the existence of a particular spectre
Cummings, Abraham
Apparitions; Immortality; Spiritualism
Her next words were spoken to me in particular. “Do you not remember
what I said on my death bed?” I answered, yes, I do remember that
you then said you desired peace while you lived. Yes, I did, said
she, yes I did.--Sometime before this the spectre had sent this
token to me, which, though not certain, had yet been attended with
such circumstances, as rendered the use of it for deception utterly
improbable.
August 13, we went again. The spirit then asked if we wanted to see
her, and we both said no. Did I ask you in your last sickness, said I,
whether you was willing your child should live? The voice answered,
“yes, yes, and I told you I should be a vile creature to desire the
life of the child.” [For that was the time in which it was God’s will
it should die.[48]] I asked this question for further satisfaction,
knowing that this very question and answer had passed between us.
The spirit then told us that she had not freedom to converse on the
night of August 9, by reason of disorder and profanity, and expressed
her liberty and joy in discoursing with christians. In the midst of her
discourse with others, I silently indulged my painful reflections on
the distress of her last sickness. Suddenly I was surprised with these
words of the voice to me, “Mourn not for me, for I am a happy soul.”
Capt. P. S. observed that her free conversation with us was a great
wonder. “Yes, a miracle, said she, such as never was since Christ was
upon earth.”[49] When she had told us that without a change of heart,
mankind would be miserable, I desired Mr. Blaisdel to ask her when she
experienced her own change. He asked, and she answered, “When I was on
my death bed.” Mr. D. proposed this question, “Do I believe that you
are such as you profess to be?” Her reply was, “You have believed, and
you have not believed, and satan will tempt you again.”[50] Then he
asked, “Was you ever at my house in your lifetime?” “Yes, once, yes,
once,” said she. I knew the time of this visit, for Mrs. M. and I were
there with her. By my desire therefore, Mr. D. asked, “Who was there
with you.” “My mother and Mrs. M., said she, when your wife was sick.”
Then Mr. D. told the people that he remembered she had been there at
that time. Have you been any where but here, said he, since your death.
Yes, she answered, to five places.
Mr. Blaisdel’s family being now excluded from that apartment where the
spirit was, she told us that Mr. Blaisdel’s family were innocent. “They
say I am a witch and a devil, said she, and they said that Christ was a
devil. It is reported that some of this family have raised me, but it
is not in the power of man or devil to fetch a soul from heaven.”
After much more conversation the spirit told us that she would walk
with us to Capt. M’s, and to another house beyond it; but she only
walked with us to Capt. M’s, and there talked with him and Capt. P. B.
to convince them who she was.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account