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

OF SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS. 171her mother for her brother, had so much more ftnail-like sympatliy, withme at Cape Lshuul, than with the ideas she believed to proceed from hermother, that she would interrupt the one forthwith, to attend to the otherat tliat particiihirly inconvenient time ! Meanwhile, the phenomenon ofthe index of my disk being moved independently of any efiort of mine, sothat I can make oath that no mortal moved it, is not taken into view.Surely if by such means a message respecting a pecuniary affair couldawaken sympathy, there arc many messages which it would be of immenselymore importance to convey, than that which I sent in the instancein question.882. But how comes it that neither I nor any other of her friends cansend messages to Mrs. Gourlay while in the same city with her ? Musther friends go to Cape Island for the purpose ? AVill this erudite and ingeniouspsychologist inform me by what means I may bring about thisobject, which, on business account, would be more convenientthan sendingnotes by penny post ?883. Am I to go through the same process of sitting down at my spiritoscope?Will this learned assailant of Spiritualism inform me why I mustdo this, and must wait till the index moves ? Wherefore should it moveafter a quarter of an hour's invocation, when it will not move at first ?884. Again, I wish the circumstance I am about to mention to be explainedby psychology : I was sitting in my solitary third-story room atCape Island, invoking my sister as usual, when to my surprise I saw Cadwalladerspelt out on my disk. " My old friend, Gi-eneral Cadwallader ?"said I. " Yes/^ A communication ensued of much interest. But beforeconcluding, I requested him, as a test, to give me the name of a personwhom I met in an affair of honour more than fifty years ago, when he(General Cadwallader) was my second. The name was forthwith given,by the pointing out on the disk the letters requisite to spell it.885. Now as the spirit of General Cadwallader, during more than fifteenmonths that other friends had sought to communicate with me, had nevermade me a visit, why should his name have been spelt out when I had notthe remotest hope of his coming, and was expecting another spirit, theonly one who had been with me at the Cape?886. Further, the breakfast bell having rung, I said, " General, will youcome again after breakfast?" I understood him to consent to this invitation.Accordingly, when afterward I reseated myself in statu quo, Ilooked for the General, but, lo !Martha, my sister's name, was spelt out887. I challenge this psychologist to put his hypothesis on paper, inorder that I may psychologize him into a more consistent assumption of premisesand conclusions.888. Let him show his hand by reducing his sophistry, as I conscientiouslyconsider it, to black and white. He may learn the difference betweentalent and judgment. I am aware that he shows a vast deal more of the