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

MRS. gourlay's narrative. 189it incaut to die; I now know. It was tlic beginning of life ! I will comeagain soou and talk with you.Your niece,Almira ]>arnes."080. It was some moments before Mrs. W. could recall to mind thefact that her sister had lost a child,of the above name, about twenty-threeyears since, aged three months. Here is intelligence so clearly independentof our minds, that it is, in my opinion, entirely fatal to the theory of^' mental rrjlect ion" so ohen adduced by the unbelievers in Spiritualism.At the close of this communication the following; was received :981. " Dear Mother : I am happy to have this opportunity to send youa kind message. Although I am often with you, I cannot speak to youthrough your own mediumship. Oh mother ! what delight it would give mecould I make myself visible to you. What would you say if you shouldsee me sitting in the chair I so long occupied when an invalid ?in that chair, but you cannot yet see me.I often sitHave you not heard me rap toyou ? I have tried in various ways to make myself manifest. I think youhad better go South this winter. I think father's health would be betterthere. I will visit you, if you go. The climate where you now live is toobracing for father's lungs. When the warm weather returns, you can bidfarewell to the sunny South and seek your Northern home.I wish I couldspeak to you through your own dear hand, but that I cannot yet do.982. '^Dear mother, you will become a medium; then we shall havegood times. Good-by, blessed mother ! I look forward to a happy reunionwith all your loved ones here.Elizabeth Adams.^'983. The above, as may be seen, was from the spirit that Mrs. W.called for, and the communication was designed for the spirit's mother,who lived in the State of New York.The message was subsequently forwardedto her address. E. A., Mrs. Wightman, informed me, died aftera lingering illness of consumption. She occupied the arm-chair alludedto during the greater part of her sickness, and she promised her mothershe would come back and sit in it after her death, if she could. Her stepfather,whose indisposition she refers to, is affected with a chronic diseaseof the lungs. The loved ones are Elizabeth's brothers and sisters, all ofwhom, five or six, are in the spirit world. These facts were unknown tome at the time.984. Last January, my friend Mrs. Wightman brought two ladies towitness, for the first time, some of the phenomena of our beautiful philosophy.Their names were suppressed, to be disclosed by the communicationsthat might come from their spirit friends, in order to strengthen theevidences of spiritual intercourse. My hand being applied to the disk, theindex spelled out the following :985. ^'Dear Mother: I am not dead, but living in the love sphere ofmy Father in heaven When you laid my little body in the ground, itcaused you many tears. Kind friends wept. I see one here who was a