Materialized apparitions : $b if not beings from another life, what are theyBrackett, Edward Augustus
Religion
Materialized apparitions : $b if not beings from another life, what are they
Brackett, Edward Augustus
Apparitions; Spiritualism
To go to seances as an ordinary visitor was, to me, to throw time away.
If the manifestations were genuine, and my personal relations with the
medium not objectionable, I saw no reason why I should not obtain
privileges without which, to my skeptical mind, it would be useless to
pursue the subject.
I therefore continued my visits, having this object constantly in view.
Otherwise I remained perfectly passive, neither demanding nor asking
anything.
Several times I was surprised by finding thoughts to which I had given
no outward expression anticipated by what claimed to be "the control,"
that is, the spirit alleged to hold possession of the entranced medium.
I had not asked, although greatly desirous, to be taken into the cabinet
during the seance. While thinking this, "Auntie," Mrs. Fay's "control,"
said, "You shall come in."
The forms were coming quite freely to me, and one said, "You may go in
with me." As I entered, the control greeted me in a friendly way, saying
that she liked me; that I was a skeptic, but an honest one.
While talking with her, I had my left arm around the waist of the form
that took me into the cabinet. With my right hand I reached out and
satisfied myself that the medium was sitting in her chair, entranced.
There could be no mistake; there were four of us in the cabinet,--the
two forms that appeared to be materialized, the medium, and myself!
I know how two got in, but where did the other two come from?
Taking advantage of the expressions of kindness on the part of the
control, I sought an early opportunity to express to the medium what I
desired. To my surprise, she made no objections, saying that she was
entranced, and did not know what the forms were, nor was she conscious
of taking any part in what came before the audience; that she was simply
the instrument, not the operator. I thanked her, saying I trusted that
I should do nothing which would be distasteful to her or the control;
that the first step would be a thorough investigation of the cabinet.
On my first visit to Mrs. Fay's, the cabinet consisted simply of a
curtain drawn across the corner of the room. It was soon after changed
to a light, portable structure, which could be easily moved to any part
of the room.
I had this cabinet moved out, the floor, wall, and everything connected
with it thoroughly examined. There was no chance for confederates to be
used here. I have since assisted in moving it out for the satisfaction
of others, and have seen it placed in the opposite corner of the room,
where it remained for weeks without in the least affecting the
manifestations. Whatever may be the cause of these phenomena, they are
certainly not due to confederates.
I herewith submit a carefully drawn plan of the cabinet and its
surroundings, made by a competent architect, who has never seen any of
the manifestations, and consequently is not a believer in them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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