11.07.2015 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

INTUITIVE EVIDENCEOF THEEXISTENCE OF SPIRITS.NARRATIVE OF THE AUTHOR'S EXPERIMENTALSPIRITURALISM.INVESTIGATION OF122. The first fruit <strong>of</strong> my attention to <strong>the</strong> phenomena <strong>of</strong> table turning,was <strong>the</strong> following letter. I trust I shall not be considered as self-complacent,when I allege itto be an exemplification <strong>of</strong> icise ignorance^ which isabout equivalent to folly. The wisest man who speaks in ignorance,speaks foolishly to <strong>the</strong> ears <strong>of</strong> those who perceive his ignorance. Thegreat mass <strong>of</strong> men <strong>of</strong> science appear in this light to <strong>spirit</strong>ualists when<strong>the</strong>y argue against Spiritualism. Men who are only noininalhj KnowNothings have proved a formidable party in politics; unfortunately. Spiritualismhas, in its most active opponents, real Know Nothings, who willnot admit any fact <strong>of</strong> a <strong>spirit</strong>ual origin, unless such as <strong>the</strong>y have beeneducated to believe.In that case, many have powers <strong>of</strong> intellectual deglutitionrivalling those <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> anaconda in <strong>the</strong> physical way.Letter in reply to an Inquiry respecting <strong>the</strong> influence <strong>of</strong> Electricity inTable Turning.Philadelphia, July 27, 1853.123. ^^Dear Sir: I am <strong>of</strong> opinion that it is utterly impossible for sixor eight, or any number <strong>of</strong> persons, seated around a table, to produce anelectric current.Moreover, I am confident that if by any adequate meansan electrical current were created, however forcible, it could not be productive<strong>of</strong> table turning. A dry wooden table is almost a non-conductor,but if forming a link necessary to complete a circuit between <strong>the</strong> sky andearth, it might possibly be shattered by a stroke <strong>of</strong> lightning ; but if <strong>the</strong>power <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> galvanic apparatus ever made was to be collected in onecurrent, <strong>the</strong>re would be no power to move or o<strong>the</strong>rwise affect such a table.124. " Frictional electricity, such as produced by electric machines,must first be accumulated and <strong>the</strong>n discharged, in order to produce anystriking effect. It is in transitu that its power is seen and felt.* It is suggested that <strong>the</strong>se words may be misapprehended. I use <strong>the</strong>m in <strong>the</strong> sensegiven by Johnson :"Siyht <strong>of</strong> any thing, commonly mental view."I understand that evidence to be intuitive which is obtained by <strong>the</strong> simultaneous action<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mind and <strong>the</strong> sight, and, <strong>of</strong> course, <strong>of</strong> any o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> tho senses. Intuitive is derivedfrom <strong>the</strong> Latin word intuo, to look upon. "Intucre cocluin" according to Cicero,means to look at <strong>the</strong> sky. 35

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!