Psychomancy: Spirit-Rappings and Table-Tippings ExposedPage, Charles Grafton
Religion
Psychomancy: Spirit-Rappings and Table-Tippings Exposed
Page, Charles Grafton
Spiritualism; Table-moving (Spiritualism)
Imbued deeply ourselves with an ardent _penchant_ for novelties upon
every subject, and a determination to _ferret out_ the extraordinary
pretensions of this new wonder, we have taken occasion to inquire
of persons, from all parts of the country, where these exhibitions
have been made, and we assure our readers that although the time may
thus have been profitably spent, the inquiry became tedious even to
disgust. We heard substantially the same story from all; viz., that the
tables tipped and moved about "without visible agency," and yet, in
almost every case, upon close sifting and careful cross-examination,
we found that somebody had hands upon the table during the whole of
its gambols. Surely the _devil has to do with table-tippings_, for
we have never seen honest-minded persons so unfair and oblique on
any other subject before. Not that the fiend tips, kicks, or propels
in any way the tables, but that he tips either the conscience or
the judgment to a deplorable extent to sustain the cheat. In every
inquiry and investigation we have found gross and weak exaggeration,
and have fully resolved that we will maintain, to the last extremity,
the position of unqualified, uncompromising denial and opposition, to
the _highest testimony of earth_, as to the verity of _table-tippings,
spirit-rappings, or any kindred chicanery of miraculous or spiritual
purport_. We were much gratified recently at the remark of an
experienced friend, that "he would not believe these things, even if he
saw them with his own eyes." There was meaning in the remark. He would
not admit the testimony of others to such an anomaly, and he would not
trust or believe _himself_ if he should give way to the conviction that
all of mathematical and mechanical science, all of religion and bible
teaching, and all of common sense, was to be contravened and exploded
by these new manifestations, promising endless perplexity, confusion,
crime, and insanity, and no good to any body. Our friends repeatedly
say to us, "we don't see how these things can be, but we cannot
discredit the opinion and testimony of Mr. A., Dr. B., Prof. C., Rev.
Mr. D., Judge E., Hon. Mr. F., &c." "We think it hard to impugn such
testimony, and why should not their word in this matter go as far as
yours?" Our plain answer is this: if we tell you that black is white,
and white is black, we do not expect our testimony to be regarded; and
we take the same privilege in repudiating all testimony, from whatever
source, of a similar character. It was a strong, though reverential,
position of St. Paul, that "even an angel from heaven would be accursed
if he preached any other doctrine than that which he, Paul, had
preached," for he well knew that an angel from heaven could not preach
any other.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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