Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations .. - New Age ...

PLATE II.
Description of the instrument by wkich spirits were enabled to move a table under the
influence of mediumship, yet in no wise under the control of the medium employed, even
clairvoyance being nullified.
(i) The table is about six feet in length, and sixteen inches in width, so contrived
as to separate into three parts for conveniency of carriage.
(/) The pair of legs under the right side are upon castors. Those on the left side
upon an axle, passing through perforations suitably made for its reception. The
axle consists of a rod of about | of an inch in thickness. The axle serves for two
wheels of about six inches diameter, of which one is grooved. A disk, already described
as appertaining to apparatus in a preceding page, is secured upon a pivot
affixed to a strip of wood, which is made to slide between two other strips attached
to the frame of the table just under the top board. By these means, the band embraces
both the hub of the disk and the wheel ; when this turns in consequence of
the shoving of the table horizontally along the floor, the disk turns with the wheel,
and as much faster as the circumference of the groove in the hub, is less than that
of the groove in the wheel.
(k) The index is in this apparatus situated precisely as in that described in Plate
I. ; and any mortal having due hold of the table, may, by shoving it one way or the
other, bring any letter under the index, so as to spell out any desired word. But no
person, sitting as the medium is in the engraving represented to sit, with the plate
on two balls, can actuate the disk so as to spell out words as above mentioned. Utterly
incapacitated from moving the table, it were manifestly impossible to actuate
the disk, or to interfere with the movements otherwise imparted.
(I) In the employment of the apparatus (Plate I.) it has been suggested that
through clairvoyance the medium might see the letters, despite of the screen, or
might learn them from the mind of the observer ; but in this case the medium sees
the letters without the aid of clairvoyancy ; but this power does not account for the
regulation of the manifestations ; since, even seeing the letters, they cannot control
the movements so as to give to the intuitive power thus exercised any efficacy.
(m) On the surface of the table, on the right, may be seen a board upon castors.
This was contrived as a substitute for the plate on balls. The castors, of course,
perform the same office as the balls in allowing a solid material communication between
the hands of the medium and the table, without giving the power to induce
or control the movement. Evidently, though by any horizontal impulse the medium
might cause the castors to turn and the board to move in consequence, the force
necessary to effect this must fall short of that requisite to move the table.
(n) In point of fact, the board, when under the plate, balls, and hands of the medium,
was often moved rapidly to and fro, without moving the table. To mo-re this
under such conditions without moving the board or tray, required a distinct spiritual
process, of much greater difficulty, and which some spirits were either unwilling or
unable to employ successfully.
See "Mediumship" in this work. See also 164, 166.