Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

SQ COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE SPIRIT WORLD.not arising solely from the spirits, but from the inquirers also. The greatmotive in the firstinstance for witnessing spiritual manifestations was thelove of the marvellous, or the desire to expose what was deemed jugglery.The mere movements of tables,without any reference to spiritual agency,was the great object of attention. Though I was present where tableturning was discussed, if I ever heard the idea of spirits being thecause,it left no impression on my memory, as has already been stated. (134.)403. But after alphabetical communication commenced, it was performedso slowly, that tho replies were often brief, and made with a view toestablish identity of the spirits with the individual whom it professes topersonate; or to test the existence of a spirit by the replies given to inquirersrespecting facts which could not be known to the medium. Atthe first recognition, the spirit would occupy the time mainly with statementsvery natural and amiable, but not instructivebeyond the degree ofconfirmation thus afibrded of the great fact of such intercourse being possibleon the part of friends who have quitted this stage of existence.404. Communications through spelling and writing media very muchfell short of the expectations which the name assumed by the spirit wouldawaken.405. As soon as convinced that the phenomena were due to the shadesof the dead, I looked with eagerness for some consistent information oftheir abodes, modes of existence, of the theological doctrines entertained bjthem, and the actual diversities of their situation consequent to variousdegrees of moral and intellectual merit.406. It was with regret that I found in the published accounts, nothingsatisfactory, nothing precise, nothing connected. In no publication did Ifind any satisfactory statements of the location of the spirit world, or ofitssubdivision into spheres.407. Urging this deficiency of information upon those spirit friendswho seemed to have selected me as an instrument in promulgating the invaluabletruths of Spiritualism, I obtained information, as early as May,1854, respecting the situation of the spiritual spheres, or country ofspirits, relatively to the earth ; but about the latter part of October myfather commenced writing on the subject through a medium of the othersex, but the ideas furnished were too much blended with her own prepossessions,with which her mind was replete. Hence, although manypages had been written, they wererejected, and resort was had to anothermedium—Mrs. Gourlay.The result thus obtained was afterwards read tothe author, at the disk, so as to have every paragraph scrutinized.408. Under the following head will be found my father's communication.