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

316 ADDITIONAL CORROBORATIVE EVIDENCEEvidence affoviled lnjthe Rrv. J. B. Ferguson.1586. The following is the summary of the result of the investigationof spiritual manifestations by the llev. Mr. Ferguson, of the BaptistChurch, Nashville, Tennessee.1587. His sentiments arc of a nature to need no recommendation, asthey appeal to the head and the heart. He is one of the advocates ofSpiritualism of whom we have reason to be proud. It is from his work,entitled "A Kecord of Communications from the Spirit Spheres,'' thatthis summary is quoted :1588. "You will now allow me to sum up briefly the phenomenalhave witnessed since my investigations began :1589. " First. I have seen tables and other furniture moved, with andwithout hands; heard distinct and sometimes loud raps on the ceiling,floor, and furniture of various rooms, which were changed from one localityto another, as doubts arose as to any unobserved causes, to which we wouldhave attributed them but for the transition ; have heard them upon myperson, clothing, pillow, pulpit, and still have them in almost every serioushour of thought and meditation, and have them near me as I write ; andI find this experience to be that of hundreds who, with me and others,believers and skeptics, have witnessed or realized all I here state tobe true.1590. ^'' Second. I have heard, in the presence of scores, whose namesare at any man's command who may desire them for an honest reference,native Americans, who never spoke a word of German, discourse for hoursin that tongue, in prose and poetry, in the presence of native Germans,who pronounced their addresses pure specimens of the power of their language.I see, daily, lengthy essays and books written under what claimsto be spirit intelligence, above, far above, the capacity and culture of theinstruments through whom they are written. There is scarcely a da}'' inwhich I do not receive such communications ] and if a day passes withoutit, it is my neglect, not that of the intelligence, that seems ever ready tospeak when a proper medium can be secured. At home and abroad, inthe houses of strangers and acquaintances, such mediums havedescribedthe age, appearance, time of death, and the peculiarities of character ofthe deceased relatives of persons present, and where they could have hadno acquaintance with them, and, in many instances, could not have knownof their existence or death. I have had meetings of mediums who knewnothing of each other occur at my house and elsewhere, without theirknowledge, and to which they were brought from a distance of miles, andwhich seemed as inexplicable to them as to me, until after some efi"ectfortheir benefit was secured by their meeting, and explained by their spiritmonitors. To prove the identity of spirit intelligences, communicating tome through others, they have detailed private conversations held with me