Prophecies of Mr. Miller.--His computation of time.--Management to suit his own particular views.--Keeping the world standing thirty years on a simple _if_.--Various blunders and mistakes. --Confession of his errors.--False information respecting signs. --Disappearance of stars.--Of the Aurora Borealis.--Shooting stars.--Sun and moon turning to blood.--Darkness of the sun.-- Its cause.--Remarkable appearances in various ages of the world. --Opinion concerning Halley's comet.--Ignorance of the constitution of comets.--The comet of 1770.--Tests of signs that shall indicate the end of time.--Scientific men stationed in various parts of the earth.--No such changes as have been spoken of by the second advent preachers, observed by them. 102 CHAPTER XV. INTERCOURSE WITH DEPARTED SPIRITS. Spirits, ghosts, and spectres seen in all ages.--Account of the magic crystals, or divining glasses.--Seeing spirits in Egypt.-- Lady Blessington's crystal in England.--Spirit of Lord Nelson described.--The Latin language commonly used by spirits.--An account of spirits that live in the SUN.--Spirits conversing with human beings.--Mode of communication by letters of fire, or large printed _capitals_.--Interview with the spirit of _Pharaoh_.--His present dwelling in the planet _Jupiter_.-- Information gleaned in conversation with him.--Swedenborg's account of Sir John Franklin.--Describes his situation, blocked up by _ice_.--Spirits do not understand about _latitude_ and _longitude_.--Description of the spirit of Socrates, his dress, &c.--Account of the emperor Alexander in the spirit world.-- Dickens's account of fashionable dupes in England.--The sciences of astrology and magic.--Practices of high titled ladies in London.--Account of famous conjurers, or fortune tellers.-- Account of the "rappers," or "knocking spirits."--Children frightened by their noises.--Snapping of fingers, and clapping of hands, imitated by the spirits.--Mrs. Fox asks questions of a spirit.--Answers given by a succession of _raps_.--Account of a ghost that appeared in Waltham, Massachusetts.--Conversation with the ghost by a gentleman.--Said he had been murdered, and told by whom.--Tones of the ghost, (unearthly,) its mode of walking, &c. --Great excitement on account of the ghost.--Mode of communication with the _rapping_ spirits.--Tables and chairs moved, sounds heard, &c.--Band of music, beating of the _bass drum_, and roar of artillery. --Guitar played by unseen hands.--Ladies' hair taken down and braided by spirits.--People touched by unseen hands.--How spirits produce the sounds of _music_.--How they make the _rapping_ noises. --Account of an interview with the spirit of Dr. Franklin.-- Sounds heard like trying the batteries in the telegraph office.-- Occupation of Franklin in the spirit world.--Getting up a line of communication between the two worlds.--Dr. Franklin predicts great changes in the nineteenth century.--Connection of _magnetism_ with