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

OF THE EXISTENCE OF SPIRITS. 3291G40. " We were now directed to put Kovcral things under the table,observe how they were placed, and wait for results. When told to look,we found that a penknife was missing, nor could it be discovered by themost careful search. On again resuming our seats, we were told to takeanother look ; and, behold ! there was the penknife, precisely where ithad been originally placed !1G47. " Next, we were directed to lay some writing-paper, with a pencilupon it, under the table. This was done ; and, in a few moments, onbeing told to look, we found the word ^ Jesse' written upon it in a scrawlinghand, as though made with great difficulty. The same experimentwas again made, and ^ Isaac T. II.' (Hopper) was written very legibly, andin a different hand. A third time this was done, and Mary ^ Jane' wasrecorded,—the name of a young lady who had been communicating witha gentleman present. The first two autographs we have in our possession.lC-18. "^Yo now made two requests of ^ Jesse,' to convince us yetmore strongly of his presence. The first was, to press our right footfirmly to the floor, and to make loud raps directly under it. This wasquickly done, the foot being grasped as by a mortal hand, and vibratingto the raps thus strangely made. The second was, if possible, to take usby the right hand with his own, so as to make the touch palpable beyonda doubt. Keeping the hand carefully in custody between our knees as wesat—the hands of all the company, including those of the medium, beingon the table—we, in a few moments, had it patted, first on one side, thenon the other, briskly and repeatedly, as if by another hand, having a negativefeeling, as though there was no warmth in it, but natural in everyother respect. For the general gratification, the same thing was done toothers of the party.1649. " How shall demonstrations like these be accounted for, excepton the hypothesis of spirit-agency ? If we cannot positively affirm thatIsaac T. Hopper and Jesse Hutchinson were present on that occasion, weare, at least, prepared to declare, as our own conviction, as well as that ofthe entire company, we believe, that invisible spirits, not of this mundanesphere, performed the phenomena we have thus briefly' narrated to ourreaders."Testimony of Mr. and Mrs. Newton.1650. The following is extracted from a highly interesting letter, entitled,'^ The Ministry of Angels Realized," addressed by Mr. and Mrs.Newton to the Edward's Congregational Church, Boston, of which theywere members. Mr. Newton is editor of the '^New England Spiritualist,"and sustains a reputation for high moral and intellectual attainment.1651. '' The results, however, of this first investigation, at the time, were(for reasons not then apparent, but which have since been made plain to us)far from satisfactory. Though we witnessed some striking evidences ofinvisible intelligent agency, there was nothing by which this agency could