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
"Very soon lights were seen floating about the room, apparently
phosphorescent. At first they were small, just visible, but gradually
they became larger, attaining the size and general outline of hands;
but I could not distinguish any fingers. These lights usually showed
themselves first behind and between Leah and Kate, near the floor. Then
they rose; sometimes remaining near Leah's head, sometimes near her
sister's. One of them was nearly as large as a human head. None of these
touched me, though one approached within a few inches. Another made
circles in the air just above our heads. After floating about for a
brief space, they usually seemed to return either to Leah or Kate.
"While the hands of the circle remained joined, I looked under the
table[15] and saw lights, as many as ten or twelve times, on or near the
floor, and moving about. Once, while I was looking intently at such a
light, about as large as a small fist, it rose and fell, as a hammer
would with which one was striking against the floor. At each stroke a
loud rap was heard in connection. It was exactly as if _an invisible
hand held an illuminated hammer and pounded with it_. Then, desiring
conscious proof of what I saw was not by human agency, I asked
_mentally_, 'Will the Spirit strike with that light three times?'
which was done forthwith; and then, after an interval, repeated.
[15] This is literally exact that Mr. Owen "looked under the
table," but it omits to say _how_; and I the more readily
supply that omission, because he himself, after his book was
published, expressed regret that, in his cultivation of
brevity, he had not explained himself more fully. To speak of
having looked under a table rather suggests the idea of having
stooped down for that purpose. The following was exactly the
way in which it passed. Mr. Owen desired to look under it and
thought of so doing, when the table, which was _an
extension-table_, opened itself, its two halves being drawn
apart, so as to enable him to see through as well as under it,
through the wide opening thus made--evidently by the Spirits
who had seen his thought. As this was a distinct phenomenal
fact (and one not without its interest) Mr. Owen regretted
afterward that he had not stated it precisely as it had
occurred.
"When, a second time, the light was seen and I was noticing the
corresponding sounds, some one said, 'Can you make it softer?'
"Almost instantly I saw the light diminish and strike the
floor, at intervals, with a soft and muffled sound, just
distinguishable."--"Debatable Land," p. 348.
IV.
MOVING PONDERABLE BODIES BY OCCULT AGENCY.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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