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

niEFACE.If)I sincerely believe that I have communicated mth tlie spirits ofmy parents, sister, brother, and dearest friends, and likewise withthe spirits of the illustrious Washington and other worthies of thespirit world; that I am by them commissioned, under theirauspices, to teach truth and to expose error. This admitted, Imay be reasonably inspired with the sentiment authorized in thepreceding credentials, that I hold my office to be greatly preferableto that of any mundane appointment, and for the reasonsabove given in those credentials. But how vast is the differencebetween this estimate and that which must ascribe these impressionsto hallucination ! mj position being that of a dupe or fanatic. Yetthere can be no man of real integrity and good sense, unimpairedby educational bigotry, who will not respect sincere devotion tothe cause of piety, truth, and human welfare, here and hereafter,however displayed. Hence, although the foregoing prefatorypages should have no other influence, they may operate to showmy own deep conviction of the righteousness of my course, founded,as I believe it to have been, on the most precise, laborious, experimentalinquiry, and built up under the guidance of my saintedfather, as well as under the auspices of Washington and otherworthy immortals.Those who shall give a careful perusal to the following workwill find that there has been some "method in my. madness;" andthat, if I am a victim to an intellectualepidemic, my mental constitutiondid not yield at once to the miasma. But let not thereader too readily "lay the flattering unction to his soul" that 'tismy hallucination that is to be impugned, not his ignorance of factsand his educational errors.The sanction of the spirits, as above given, was obtained undertest conditions ; so that it tvas utte7'ly out of the poiver of any mortalto pervert the result from being a pure emanation from thespirits whose names are above given.It ought to be understood that the sanction given by the spiritswhose names are attached to the preceding certificate, was obtainedunder test conditions, as explained in paragraph bb., dd., in thedescription of Plate iv. Moreover, I placed my hand on the instrumentillustrated by Fig. 2 in same plate, soas to question thespirits directly as to the reliability of the affirmation, previouslygiven to me, and the fidelity of the medium generally. In bothcases the index moved so as to give an affirmative reply.