The Missing Link in Modern SpiritualismUnderhill, A. Leah (Ann Leah)
Religion
The Missing Link in Modern Spiritualism
Underhill, A. Leah (Ann Leah)
Fox family; Spiritualism
"During these manifestations, a piece of pasteboard, nearly a foot
square, was swung with such velocity before us as to throw a strong
current of air in our faces; a paper curtain attached to one of the
windows was rolled up and unrolled twice; a lounge immediately behind
me was shaken violently; two small drawers in a bureau played back
and forth with inconceivable rapidity; a sound, resembling a man
sawing boards and planing them, was heard under the table; a common
spinning-wheel seemed to be in motion, making a very natural buzz of the
spindle; a reel articulated each knot wound upon it; while the sound of
a rocking cradle indicated maternal care for the infant's slumbers.
These were among many demonstrations which I witnessed that evening,
amid which I felt a perfect self-possession, and in no instance the
slightest embarrassment, except a momentary chill when the cold hand was
applied to my face, similar to a sensation I have realized when touching
a dead body.
"That any of the company could have performed these things, under the
circumstances in which we were situated, would require a greater stretch
of credulity on my part, than it would to believe it was the work of
Spirits. It could not, by any possibility, have been done by any of the
party of individuals present, nor even attempted, without detection.
And I may add, that near the close of the demonstrations at this visit,
there was a vibration of the floor, as though several tons in weight had
been uplifted and suddenly fallen again upon it. This caused everything
in the room to shake most violently for several minutes, when the force
was withdrawn.
"I have also tested the intelligence of these Spirits in every way my
ingenuity could invent. On one occasion, I wrote a word on a slip of
paper privately, placed it in my wallet, went there, and the sounds,
through the alphabet, spelled that word correctly as I had written it.
That word was 'Sybil.'
"On the 20th of February, inst., the two youngest sisters made my family
a visit. Here the sounds were heard, questions involving subjects wholly
unknown to them were answered, a large heavy dining-table was moved
several times; and on expressing thanks at the table to the Giver of all
good, some six or eight sounds responded to every sentence I uttered, by
making loud and distinct sounds in various parts of the room.
"Yours truly,
"C. HAMMOND."
LETTER OF JOHN E. ROBINSON.
"D. M. DEWEY:
"SIR--As you have requested of me some recital of my acquaintance with
the phenomena known as the 'mysterious knockings' or 'rappings,' as the
popular term is, the following is cheerfully placed at your disposal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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