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

OP MEDIUMSIIIP. 161the aftirmativc, and accordingly she met nic at an appointed hour, and myapparatus was actuated cflfectually under test conditions.(Plate 4, dd, ii, hh.^81G. After I had read over an exposition of my information respecting;the spirit world to the spirit of the illustrious Washington, I requestedhim to give me a confirmation while the medium should be under testconditions. (Plate 4, Z;^.) I placed the hand of the medium upon theboard lever of the instrument, of which a representation has been given,(Plato 1, Plate 4,) so as to be on the outer side of the fulcrum, and requestedhim to attest the reliability of the medium during the previousintercommunion. In reply it was alleged not to be within his power togive me that test; I urged that this test had been given in his presence." We had an employee^ ilierij' was his rejoinder. Fortunately I had contriveda test instrument requiring less of the mechanical power, so thatby means of ithe was enabled to perfect the evidence by bringing the indexto the affirmative, under conditions which put itthe medium to produce that result.out of the power of(See Plate 4 and description.)817. These facts make the subject of mediumship a most complicatedmystery; but the creation teems with mystery, so that inscrutability cannotbe a ground for disbelief of any thing.The only cases wherein thereis absolute incredibility, are those in which the definition of the premisescontradicts those of the inferences or conclusions.818. It is evident from the creative power which the spirits aver themselvesto possess, that they exercise faculties which they do not understand.Their explanation of the mysteries of mediumship only substitutesone mystery for another.819. If we undertake to generalize, it must come pretty near what Ihave said above, that spirits are endowed, as my spirit father alleges, witha " magic icillj' capable of producing, as they allege, wonderful resultswithin their own world, (452;) nevertheless that this will does not act byitself directly on mundane bodies. An intermedium is found in the haloor aura within or without certain human organizations. The halos thusexisting are not all similarly endowed ; some having one, some anothercapability. Some are better for one object, some for another object.Again, the will-power varies as the sphere of the spirits is higher or lower,so that the medium suited for one isnot suited for another.820. Thus the means by which they are capable of communicating isvarious, and moreover precarious, according to the health and equanimityof the mortal being under whose halo they may strive to act.821. Evidently, the ponderable elements recognised by mundane chemistscannot contribute to any of the bodies of the spirit world, since theirgravity must disqualify them for use in a world where every thing is, incomparison with them, weightless. Accordingly, one of the queries put byme to the convocation of spirits (574) was, wbethcr any of our elements,being ponderable, could act as such in the imponderable spiritual creation.11