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

OF Tin; EXrSTENCK OF SPIRITS. 293tion. It moved entirely across the room, dragL:;iiig mc along with it, myfeet .sliding on the carpet. I resisted the motion of the table with all thepower I could command, and no visible being but myself had any contactwith it,the table.excepting the medium, whose hand (not hanch) was on the top of1481. "I then said, ^If I sit on the table, will you throw me off'?'Ansiccr. Yes. I at once sat on it, and the medium placing her hand asbefore, I said, '/ am recall/,'' and almost instantaneously the table wasturned over on its side, of course, throwing me off. All this occurred ata private house ; the room w^as light enough to read small print, and therewas entire freedom to search for trick, machinery, &c. There was to meevidence of an intelligent, invisible power, giving us the tests we suggestedand asked for,to prove its presence and power.1482. '^ On another occasion, there were present, at the dwelling ofanother friend of mine, my friend and his lady, also a lad learning businesswith him, and myself, the apprentice lad being the medium. AVesat inthe parlour in the afternoon, windows open, room well lighted.1483. "Among other manifestations which occurred was this : I placedon the centre of the large dining-tablea glass tumbler, on which I placeda compass, the needle being one foot in length. On the periphery of thecompass, the alphabet, as well as the various points, was painted, and ateach letter there was a small metallic pin permanently fixed. Afterchanging the compass freely, to see if the needle worked free and true, Ileft it so placed that the needle pointed due north, according to the pointsmarked therefor. We then removed our chairs from the table some distance,no one being in contact with it. My friend was on the east, hislady on the south, the medium on the west, and myself on the northof the table. I then requested that the spirits would move the compassneedle to such points as we might designate; and naming north, south,east, west, north-east, south-west, &c., perhaps, in all, nearly twenty differentpoints, I saw the needle promptly and quickly moved to each point,as and when designated by me, and there held steadily for a brief time ;on each occasion, after having been thus held, I saw it fly back to thenorth point.sideandI also requested that they (the spirits) would spell John bymoving the needle to the letters,and I saw the needle prom.ptly moved tothe several letters required to spell the name, stopping at each, tippingand touching the small pin opposite the letter, and then immediately returningto itsposition due north.1484. "This manifestation I was compelled to regard as clearly provingthe action of an invisible, intelligent power, present with us,and purportingto be a disembodied spirit once known among us as a man. Therewas here also perfect freedom to search for trick, machinery, &c. ; and allthese suggested explanations occurred as clearly to my mind as to mengenerally, and were duly cared for by me; for I was then aninvestigator