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

314 ADDITIONAL CORROBORATIVE EVIDENCEat wliat he lias witncssetl, and Lord Brougham achnovrlcdgcs himself tobe thoroughly nonplussed. Both of these noted men brought the wholeforce of their keen discernment to bear upon the solution of the phenomena;but the presence of substantial, actual hands, and the demonstrativestrength of the spirits who thus clothed themselves for the time andmoved material objects about the room, proved to be too much of a questionfor them to master.1578. Time will not allow me to mention the various interesting sittingsI have had, nor the many distinguished personages who have been incircles during my short stay in London. I am at present enjoying thequiet of an English country home.ourThe gentleman with whom I am stopping(Mr. llymer) is one of the most distinguished solicitors in London.lie has been a materialist, or disbeliever in a future state, all his life previousto witnessing these demonstrations of spirit existence. He is now abeliever (or rather a hnowcr') of the future life. The manifestations, sooften scoffed at by professing Christians, have done for him, as they havefor upward of twenty-five thousand infidels and atheists in America, whatno power of the pulpit or doctrine of evangelical religion could ever haveefiected.1579. Is not this one fact alone a suflficient reply to the oft-repeatedquestion of ^^ What good does it all do V^ There is many a broad-lovingsoul that, failing in the efibrt to narrow itself down to the limits of a dogmaticalcreed, has ended in infidelity or blank atheism; but the numberof these is becoming steadily less by the influence of the spirit manifestations,which are to them what the placing of the hand in the spear-woundwas to Thomas. Mr. R., since his conversion, has given a lecture on thesubject, and will give another.1580. One thing I will not omit. Mrs. Trollope, whom Americanswill be apt to remember, came, with her son, from Florence to London forthe express purpose of seeing the manifestations. They were accordinglyinvited to spend a few days with me at my village home; and, I must say,I was agreeably disappointed in her. My previous ideas of her had notbeen such as to prepossess me in her favour, but I have become an admirerof her private character. She has none of the stiffness of the authorabout her, nor any of the ^'blue-stocking.'' She enjoys the realities ofexistence more fully than any one I have ever met in a circle.1581. The seance with her was one of strange interest. Her son wasan unbeliever, and his mother was very desirous that he should be'' brought to a knowledge of the truth." When at length the light didbeam upon his soul, and the chords of his spirit vibrated in unison withthe celestial harmonies that ushered in the birth of faith through theshadows of his old unbelief, the result was too much for his stoicism, andthe tears of holy joy coursed down his manly cheeks. Her joy was toogreat for utterance, and her rapturous emotions seemingly too great to be