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

THE EXISTENCE OP SPIRITS.Glhappens not to have seen or learned, that I will quote hero liisaecount oftlie niauifestations which he has described, after having observed themwith great circumspeetion :284. ''Dr. Bell eomnienced (at a meeting of hospital directors) by expressinghis surprise that at the meeting, last year, of so large a numberof persons whose lives were spent in investigating the reciprocal influencesof mind and body, scarcely a single member had given a moment's attentionto a topic directly in their path, which, whether regarded as merelyan epidemic mental delusion, or as a new psychological science, was producingsuch momentous effects upon the world.It was now said to numberovertwo millions of believers, had an extended literature, a talentedperiodical press in many forms, and had certainly taken fast hold on manyminds of soberness and power. He was well aware how easily it wasturned to ridicule, and that there were many who would be ready to ask,when they saw hospital directors seriously discussing the spiritual phenomena,Quis custodiet ipsos custodes ?285. '' But if there was any class of men who had duties in this direction,it was those of our specialty. Our reports contain the record ofmany cases of insanity said to be produced by it. It was important,whether true or false, or mixed, that its precise depth, length, and natureshould be studied out. As is well known, mystery always loses its terrificcharacter when boldly met and opened to the light of noonday.286. '' Dr. Bell remarked, that on his return home from our meeting at"Washington, he had a peculiar wish to verify his previous observations onwhat are technically known as the physical manifestations of this newscience. He could not pretend that he could doubt his repeated personalobservations, addressed to his sight, hearing, and touch, and separated, ashe believed, from any possibility of error or collusive fraud. Yet theoffer, by Professor Henry, of a large sum to any person who would makeone of lih tables move in the Smithsonian Institution, and the ob\aousincredulity of many of the 'brethren,' had induced the desire again to seesome full and unequivocal experiment in tahle-moving.287. " An opportunity was not long wanting. On the occasion of thevisit of a well-known gentleman, long connected with the insane, and whonever had seen any of these phenomena at the asylum. Dr. Bell invitedhim to go to a family where a medium of considerable power was visiting.The family was one of the most respectable of the vicinage, the head of itbeing a gentleman intrusted with millions of dollars of other people'smoney, as the financial manager of a large banking institution. He andhis wife had for some years been perfectly convinced of the spiritual characterof these manifestations.The medium was a young lady of eighteenor twenty, of very slight figure, weighing eighty or ninety pounds, and haddiscovered herself to be a medium while on a visit to these distant relatives.A family, from character and position, more entirely beyond the suspicion