Chapter XIX: Part 19

1616. “6. Mankind are by nature one family of brothers and sisters, the offspring of a common Father in heaven, whom they ought to love with all their heart, and each other as themselves. The good of each is really the good of all, and that of all the good of each. Therefore, no one can injure another without injuring himself in the end. All kinds of tyranny and oppression are utterly sinful. So all war, violence, revenge, and vindictive punishment. So all intemperance, debauchery, and sexual pollution. So all falsehood, covetousness, fraud, extortion, and pecuniary taking of advantage. So all pride and domineering of superiors over inferiors. So all religious bigotry, thrusting down, persecution, and sectarian bitterness. So every thing contrary to personal holiness, to the piety which loves God supremely, and man as a brother, whether friend or foe. These reliable spirits are everywhere reformers, regenerators of the world, individually and socially. They are for the reconciliation of all things—for universal harmony—on the great principles of truth, purity, justice, love, and wisdom. And they all predict a better future for the human race here on earth, as well as in the future state.

1617. “7. It is the imperative duty of every human being to exercise his own powers, faculties, reason, and judgment, with modesty, humility, and firmness, and not to be overawed, borne down, or led away captive, by any assuming spirit in or out of the flesh. Every one is accountable for himself, and ought both to judge and act for himself, with supreme reverence for God and his moral perfections, according to his own highest convictions of truth and duty. Thus he should examine the Bible and all books. Thus all human governments, authorities, powers, constitutions, laws, customs, and usages, in church and state. Thus try all spirits, and their communications—all pretended prophets, philosophers, and teachers—all professions and assumptions whatsoever. No one should imperiously dictate, or cower down before another. But truth, rectitude, reason, and the suasion of wisdom, should alone sway the minds of moral agents.

1618. “Such is a fair digest and summary of the principal doctrines put forth in ninety-nine one hundredths of the communications of reliable spirits throughout the country. I have stated them in my own language, as I have understood them. It will be seen that they differ in some respects from every sectarian view of theology, religion, and morality now popular in the world.”

_The Hon. J. W. Edmonds’s Testimony._

1619. To those who have not seen the original statement of the benevolent and distinguished Judge Edmonds, respecting his conversion, the subjoined account, taken from the introduction to his work on “Spiritualism,” may prove interesting.

1620. “It was in January, 1851, that my attention was first called to the subject of ‘spiritual intercourse.’ I had, in the course of my life, read and heard from the pulpit so many contradictory and conflicting doctrines on the subject (of man’s future existence) that I hardly knew what to believe.

1621. “For about four months I devoted at least two evenings in a week, and sometimes more, to witnessing the phenomenon in all its phases. I kept careful records of all I witnessed, and, from time to time, compared them with each other, to detect inconsistencies and contradictions. I read all I could lay my hands upon, on the subject, and especially all the professed ‘exposures of the humbug.’ In fine, I availed myself of every opportunity that was afforded thoroughly to sift the matter to the bottom. I was all this time an unbeliever. At length the evidence came, and with such force that no sane man could withhold his faith.

1622. “To detail what I witnessed for those four months, and recorded, would fill, at least, one hundred and thirty closely-written pages. I will, however, mention a few things, which will give a general idea of that which characterized interviews now numbering several hundred. Most of them have occurred in the presence of others. I have preserved their names in my records. * * * * * These considerations grow out of this fact:

1623. “First. That I have thus very many witnesses whom I can invoke to establish the truth of my statements.

1624. “Second. That if I have been deluded, and have not seen and heard what I think I have, my delusion has been shared by many as shrewd, as intelligent, as honest, and as enlightened people as are to be found anywhere among us.

1625. “My attention was first drawn to the intercourse by the rappings, then the most common, but now the most inconsiderable, mode of communing. Of course I was on the look-out for deception, and at first relied upon my senses, and the conclusions which my reason might draw from their evidence. * * *

1626. “After depending upon my senses as to these various phases of the phenomenon, I invoked the aid of science, and, with the assistance of an accomplished electrician and his machinery, and of eight or ten intelligent, educated, and shrewd persons, examined the matter. We pursued our inquiries many days, and established, to our satisfaction, two things: first, that the sounds were not produced by the agency of any person present or near us; and, secondly, that they were not forthcoming at our will and pleasure. In the mean time, another feature attracted my attention, and that was ‘physical manifestations,’ as they are termed. Thus, I have known a pine table, with four legs, lifted up bodily from the floor, in the centre of a circle of six or eight persons, turned upside down, and laid upon its top at our feet, then lifted up over our heads, and put leaning against the back of the sofa on which we sat. * * * * I have seen a mahogany centre-table, having only a centre leg, and with a lamp burning upon it, lifted from the floor, at least a foot, in spite of the efforts of those present, and shaken backward and forward, as one would shake a goblet in his hand. * * * *

1627. “I have known a dinner-bell, taken from a shelf in a closet, rung over the heads of four or five persons in that closet, then rung around the room over the heads of twelve or fifteen persons in the back parlour, and then borne through the folding-doors to the farther end of the front parlour, and then dropped on the floor.

1628. “I have known persons pulled about, with a force which it was impossible for them to resist; and once, when all my strength was added, in vain, to that of one thus affected.

1629. “I have known a mahogany chair thrown on its side, and moved swiftly back and forth on the floor, no one touching it, through a room where there were, at least, a dozen people sitting. Yet no one was touched, and it was repeatedly stopped within a few inches of me, when it was coming with a violence which, if not arrested, must have broken my legs.

1630. “This is not a tithe, nay, not an hundredth part, of what I have seen, of the same character. At the same time, I have heard from others, whose testimony would be credited in any human transaction, and which I could not permit myself to disregard, accounts of still more extraordinary transactions; for I have been by no means so much favoured in this respect as some.

1631. “Intelligence was a remarkable feature of the phenomenon. Thus, I have frequently known mental questions answered—that is, questions merely framed in the mind of the interrogator, and not revealed by him or known to others. Preparatory to meeting a circle, I have sat down alone in my room, and carefully prepared a series of questions to be propounded; and I have been surprised to find my questions answered, and in the precise order in which I wrote them, without my even taking my memorandum out of my pocket, and when I knew that no person present knew that I had prepared questions, much less what they were.

1632. “My most secret thoughts—those which I never uttered to mortal man or woman—have been freely spoken, as if I had uttered them.

1633. “I have known Latin, French, and Spanish words spelled out through the rappings; and I have heard mediums, who knew no language but their own, speak in those languages, and in Italian, German, and Greek, and in other languages unknown to me, but which were represented to be Arabic, Chinese, and Indian, and all done with the ease and rapidity of a native.

1634. “I have seen a person who knew nothing of music, except a little that he had learned at a country singing-school, go to the piano and play in perfect keeping, as to time and concord, the several parts of an overture to an opera.

1635. “When I was absent last winter, in Central America, my friends in town heard of my whereabouts, and of the state of my health, seven times; and, on my return, by comparing their information with the entries in my journal, it was found to be invariably correct.

1636. “I went into the investigation, originally thinking it a deception, and intending to make public my exposure of it. Having, from my researches, come to a different conclusion, I feel that the obligation to make known the result is just as strong. Therefore it is, mainly, that I give the result to the world. “J. W. EDMONDS.”

_Testimony of Henry Lloyd Garrison._

1637. Mr. Garrison is spoken of as a man of unimpeachable veracity and independent mind. His testimony will have weight with one class of inquirers, if not with another. The following is from the “Liberator” of March 3, 1854.

1638. “We are often privately asked, what we think of the ‘Spiritual Manifestations,’ so called, and whether we have had any opportunities to investigate them.

1639. “When we first heard of the ‘Rochester knockings,’ we supposed (not personally knowing the persons implicated) that there might be some collusion in that particular case, or, if not, that the phenomena would ere long elicit a satisfactory solution, independent of all spiritual agency. As the manifestations have spread from house to house, from city to city, from one part of the country to the other, across the Atlantic into Europe, till now the civilized world is compelled to acknowledge their reality, however diverse in accounting for them—as these manifestations continue to increase in variety and power, so that all suspicion of trick or imposture becomes simply absurd and preposterous—and as every attempt to find a solution for them in some physical theory relating to electricity, the odic force, clairvoyance, and the like, has thus far proved abortive—it becomes every intelligent mind to enter into an investigation of them with candour and fairness, as opportunity may offer, and to bear such testimony in regard to them as the facts may warrant, no matter what ridicule it may excite on the part of the uninformed or skeptical.

1640. “As for ourselves, most assuredly we have been in no haste to jump to a conclusion in regard to phenomena so universally diffused, and of so extraordinary a character. For the last three years, we have kept pace with nearly all that has been published on the subject; and we have witnessed, at various times, many surprising ‘manifestations;’ and our conviction is, that they cannot be accounted for on any other theory than that of spiritual agency. This theory, however, is not unattended with discrepancies, difficulties, and trials. It is certain that, if it be true, there are many deceptive spirits, and that the apostolic injunction to ‘believe not every spirit,’ but to try them in every possible way, is specially to be regarded, or the consequences may prove very disastrous.

1641. “We might write a pretty long essay on what we have seen and heard, touching this matter; but this we reserve for some other occasion. We shall now merely describe some of the phenomena which we witnessed in New York during our recent visit to that city.

1642. “The medium in this instance was Mrs. Brown, formerly Mrs. Fish, of Rochester. The circle was composed of six gentlemen and four ladies. The table was of ample dimensions, so as to accommodate the party without inconvenience. We sat around it in the usual manner, (the hands of each individual resting upon the table,) and engaged in social chit-chat. While waiting for some demonstrations from the invisible world, we had our right foot patted as by a human hand, and the right leg of our pantaloons strongly pulled, by some unseen agency. This was done repeatedly, though we said nothing at the time; but, thinking it might be possible that the foot of some one of the company might undesignedly be in contact with our own, we cautiously felt around to ascertain if this were the case, but there was nothing tangible; and the moment we put our foot down, the same familiar tappings and jerks followed. Still, we made no disclosure. Raps were then distinctly heard, and the alphabet was called for. Letter by letter, it was rapped out that the medium must put her feet in the custody of one of the party, and then we were told to wait for demonstrations. This was evidently done to convince every one present that the medium had nothing to do with the phenomena, by way of fraud or collusion; and, during the entire sitting, (a protracted one,) before any remarkable feat was performed, the medium was invariably ordered to take such a position as to render it clearly impossible for her to be privy to it. The presence of several spirits was indicated during the evening, and satisfactory tests were made; but the most communicative and efficient one purported to be that of ‘Jesse Hutchinson.’ It was he who had been playing bo-peep with us under the table; and, now that the medium was secured, to the satisfaction of all present, he renewed his salutations, not only to us personally, but to nearly every one of the circle. The ladies had their dresses, and the gentlemen their pantaloons, pulled, and their feet patted, in the most emphatic manner. Heavy raps were now made on the floor; and, on being requested to that effect, ‘Jesse’ beat a march—it seemed to us Washington’s march—in admirable time, and in the most spirited manner; no drummer could have done it more skilfully. He was then asked to beat time, while the company joined in singing several tunes—‘The Old Granite State,’ among others—which he did to perfection. He then spelt out the following communications by the alphabet: ‘I am most happy, dear friends, to be able to give you such tangible evidence of my presence. The good time has truly come. The gates of the New Jerusalem are open, and the good spirits, made more pure by the change of spheres, are knocking at the door of your souls.’

1643. “Isaac T. Hopper now indicated his presence to his daughter, who was at the table, and made some physical demonstrations. His message, as rapped out, was as follows: ‘I am truly happy to echo back joy and gladness from my happy home. Truth is bearing its way on gloriously, and the subject of Spiritualism will work miracles in the cause of reform. My friends, the rock of prejudice begins to yield to the hammer of truth; and, now, with the aid of good spirits, you can blast it without the use of powder.’ And he subsequently added, ‘I want you to see that spirits have power to move matter.’

1644. “It was next rapped out, ‘Put the bell under the table.’ We, accordingly, took the bell, (an ordinary table-bell,) and put it down at our feet. In a few moments, it was smartly rung by an unseen power, and then fell to the floor. This was done again and again—the bell making the circuit of the table, and ringing so loudly that the servant-girl, in an adjacent room, supposing she was needed, came in to inquire what was wanted.

1645. “Next, a cane with a hooked handle was laid on the carpet, under the table. Immediately, it struck the table violently, and rubbed along the under surface its entire length. It then fell to the floor, and traversed over and under the feet of several of the party, like a living snake—in one or two instances the foot being involuntarily lifted to enable it to pass under. Its movements were exceedingly curious. At one time, we caught hold of the handle as it protruded itself by our side, and endeavoured to pull it from under the table; but the resistance was as strong as though another hand was grasping it at the opposite end.

1646. “We were now directed to put several 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 the most careful search. On again resuming our seats, we were told to take another look; and, behold! there was the penknife, precisely where it had been originally placed!

1647. “Next, we were directed to lay some writing-paper, with a pencil upon it, under the table. This was done; and, in a few moments, on being told to look, we found the word ‘Jesse’ written upon it in a scrawling hand, as though made with great difficulty. The same experiment was again made, and ‘Isaac T. H.’ (Hopper) was written very legibly, and in a different hand. A third time this was done, and ‘Mary Jane’ was recorded,—the name of a young lady who had been communicating with a gentleman present. The first two autographs we have in our possession.

1648. “We now made two requests of ‘Jesse,’ to convince us yet more strongly of his presence. The first was, to press our right foot firmly to the floor, and to make loud raps directly under it. This was quickly done, the foot being grasped as by a mortal hand, and vibrating to the raps thus strangely made. The second was, if possible, to take us by the right hand with his own, so as to make the touch palpable beyond a doubt. Keeping the hand carefully in custody between our knees as we sat—the hands of all the company, including those of the medium, being on the table—we, in a few moments, had it patted, first on one side, then on the other, briskly and repeatedly, as if by another hand, having a negative feeling, as though there was no warmth in it, but natural in every other respect. For the general gratification, the same thing was done to others of the party.

1649. “How shall demonstrations like these be accounted for, except on the hypothesis of spirit-agency? If we cannot positively affirm that Isaac T. Hopper and Jesse Hutchinson were present on that occasion, we are, at least, prepared to declare, as our own conviction, as well as that of the entire company, we believe, that invisible spirits, not of this mundane sphere, performed the phenomena we have thus briefly narrated to our readers.”

_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 they were 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 of invisible intelligent agency, there was nothing by which this agency could be possibly identified; and the conclusion seemed most in accordance with our previous opinions, that, if any agency beyond that of human beings was concerned, it was that of evil and seducing spirits. Some months subsequently to this, we were led to attempt the investigation under circumstances more favourable to arriving at a satisfactory conclusion. * * * The results of this interview were of the most surprising, yea, astounding character. An intelligence, claiming to be that of a venerated parent, who had long since passed within the veil, manifested its presence, and addressed to one of us a communication glowing with parental affection, and breathing the very spirit of the upper realm. This was accompanied by the statement of a number of facts, pertaining to his earthly life, none of which, we were fully satisfied, could have been known to any person, bodily present, except the inquirer, and some of them unknown even to him. Although the investigation had been approached with minds on the alert and perceptions sharpened to detect collusion, imposture, deception, or diabolism, in any of its forms, no trace of them could be perceived; all was conducted with evident frankness and candour, on the part of those concerned; and no solution of the mystery was then arrived at, and no adequate one has since been offered, which does not recognise the agency of intelligent beings. A trumpet-blast from the clouds could scarcely have been more startling to our prejudices and unbelief than was that message from the hidden world. * * * As may be well supposed, the interest awakened by this occurrence was sufficient to lead to a further investigation. But a truth so novel and startling could not at once be received, however demonstrative and convincing the evidence on which it rested. Nor was it until evidence had accumulated upon evidence, and proof become piled upon proof—not until manifestations of the most marvellous character had been repeatedly witnessed, under a great variety of circumstances, and notwithstanding the application of every conceivable test—that we could consent to acknowledge, even to ourselves, a belief in the agency of spiritual beings. That belief, however, in spite of prejudice and skepticism, in spite of the general cry of “humbug” and “imposture,” in spite of all attempts of scientific men to explain the marvels on the basis of materialism, (which explanations we found in every case to be wholly inadequate to account for what we witnessed,) that belief became at length forced upon our minds by irresistible evidence.

1652. “But the question still pressed upon us, who were these invisible beings? and what their character and designs? They claimed to be the spirits of departed human beings. Some of them insisted that they were our relatives and friends, and they furnished most startling and inexplicable proofs of their identity. They professed to be thus manifesting themselves to our outward senses, for the purest and holiest of purposes. * * *

1653. “The most favourable of opportunities were offered us for making investigation, and they were carefully and prayerfully improved.

1654. “For several months did we continue to apply to what was transpiring under our notice, through the mediumship of others, the keenest powers of observation, and the highest exercise of moral perception, which have been granted us; ever seeking light and aid from Him who has said, ‘Ask, and ye shall receive.’

1655. “At length, these intelligences from another sphere began to manifest themselves to us in a manner most unlooked-for and diverse from any thing we had elsewhere witnessed, in the quietness and seclusion of our own home, and without the intervention of any other person. From small and gentle beginnings, they have gone forward, as we were able to bear the increasing light, to give greater, and higher, and clearer proofs of the reality of their presence, their identity, and their heavenly mission; until, through a period of six or seven months, we have been permitted, as we believe, the almost daily enjoyment of the sweetest and most intimate communion with the spirits of ‘just ones made perfect above.’ “A. E. NEWTON, S. J. NEWTON.”

_Testimony of Members of the New York Circle._

1656. The following is a statement of facts by Mrs. Charles Partridge, taken from the minutes of the New York circle, attested by several highly respectable and credible persons, among whom is my personal friend, Doctor Gray.

1657. “Persons at the circle have been unexpectedly turned round in the chairs in which they were sitting, and moved to and from the table. Chairs and sofas have suddenly started from their positions against the wall, and moved forward to the centre of the room, when they were required in the formation of the circle. The persons in the circle have each successively lifted his own side of the table, and the invisible power has raised the opposite side correspondingly. Occasionally the spirits have raised the table entirely, and sustained it in air, at a distance of from one to three feet from the floor, so that all could satisfy themselves that no person in the flesh was touching it. Lights of various colours have been produced in dark rooms. A man has been suspended in, and conveyed through, the air, a distance of fifty feet, or more. The communications have been given in various ways, but chiefly in writing, and by the rappings through the ordinary alphabetical mode.

1658. “At the close of the session held on the 17th of November, 1851, the spirits, through the alphabet, and in their usual manner, said, ‘We wish to give you a sentence for you to find out and remember;’ when the following was communicated: ‘_Debemos amar á todo el mundo aun á nuestros enemigos._’ No person present on that occasion understood a word of this language, but we were subsequently informed that it was Spanish.

1659. “During the session on the 19th of January, 1852, the spirits signified their desire to make a communication in Hebrew. Mr. Partridge asked who should call the alphabet, and received for answer, ‘The only person present who understands it—George Bush.’ Professor Bush thereupon proceeded to repeat the Hebrew alphabet, and a communication in that language was received.

1660. “Many additional facts might be given to show that spirits communicate in various languages through E. P. Fowler; but the above will suffice for the purposes of this statement.

1661. “We cannot allow the present occasion to pass, without an expression of the entire confidence and unqualified esteem with which Mr. Fowler is regarded by the members of the New York circle, and by those who know him generally. We have had an intimate personal acquaintance with him for two years past—some of us for a much longer period—and we have only known him as a high-minded and honourable young man. From the beginning, he has steadily refused to accept the slightest compensation for his time and services while employed in the capacity of a medium; and we deem it but an act of simple justice to Mr. F. to record the fact that, on all occasions, we have found him entirely unassuming in his deportment, and eminently truthful in his life.

“R. T. HALLOCK, M. D.,
J. T. WARNER, M. D.,
ALMIRA L. FOWLER,
A. G. HULL, M. D.,
W. J. BANER,
JOHN F. GRAY, M. D.,
SAMUEL T. FOWLER,
MR. & MRS. CHARLES PARTRIDGE.”

_Testimony of the Rev. D. F. Goddard, Boston._

1662. “This is to certify that, during a long investigation of the modern phenomena which are now attracting attention in our own country and in the old, I have repeatedly seen my own table, in my own room, to which I know there is no nice machinery affixed for purposes of deception, without any contact whatever of earthly kind, raised, tipped, moved about the room, as if a strong man was there at work. Also, a piano-forte played upon in the same way, without mortal contact, producing most beautiful music—an ocean piece, in which a storm was represented succeeded by a calm. These phenomena occurred in the presence of several other individuals of both sexes, all of whom saw, and all of whom are ready to testify. I have also received from a medium, who never saw me before, and knew nothing of my family, the fact of my father’s death, his name, and a perfect _fac-simile_ of his handwriting; and this when I was not expecting such handwriting, and could not have possibly imitated it, without a copy, in the labour of three months. D. F. GODDARD.”

1663. As this work may be read by many who have not perused any other book on the subject of which it treats, I hope that those who take it up, having a knowledge of the most important spirit manifestations heretofore published, will excuse my quoting them here. My object is to furnish the readers of this volume a reasonably, comprehensive view of Spiritualism, without the necessity of their referring to works which may not be easily accessible.

1664. To the cool Yankee sagacity of Mrs. Fox and her daughters, the world is indebted for the happy result that these manifestations did not, like those which preceded them in other parts of the world, end in a mere inexplicable mystery, and erroneous inferences as to their origin. I allude here to the well-known fact, that similar manifestations were made in the early part of the last century, in Epworth, England, at the mansion of the celebrated clergyman, Wesley, and that one of his daughters was endowed with the attributes of a medium for many years, without the art of alphabetic communication having been suggested.

1665. I might here republish the history of the famous “_rappings_ and _knockings_” at Hydesville and Rochester, in the State of New York; but as regards evidence, they amount to about the same thing, only not so concentrated, as those demonstrations which occurred at the residence of the Rev. Dr. Phelps, in Stratford, Connecticut. The doctor, who is a Congregationalist, and one of the most worthy men in the world, became a convert to Spiritualism in consequence of these manifestations, an account of which is subjoined. I quote it from the excellent work of E. W. Capron, Esq., entitled, “Modern Spiritualism, its Facts and Fanaticisms.”

1666. I omit quoting the history of the abortive effort made by the spirits to communicate with the Wesleys, but refer the reader to the account published in a work entitled, “Memoirs of the Wesley Family,” by Adam Clark, LL.D., second edition, 1846; or to the work of Mr. Capron, already specified.

_Manifestations at Stratford, Conn., in the House of Rev. Eliakim Phelps, D.D.—Remarkable Exhibitions of Power.—Singular Occurrences.—Image-making.—Destruction of Furniture.—Incendiary Spirits.—The Spirits identified.—Unhappy Spirits, from the remembrance of wrong done in this World.—Wrong-doing revealed.—Directions given for restoring ill-gotten Gains.—Discontinuance of the Manifestations._

1667. “While these strange occurrences were taking place at Rochester and Auburn, and the press and people were busy in trying to account for them on strictly mundane principles, making all manner of insinuations against the character and motives of those who even dared to investigate for themselves, some manifestations took place at Stratford, Conn., which attracted attention to that quarter, as well on account of the character and standing of the gentleman at whose house they occurred, as the very strange, boisterous, and violent character of the manifestations. I have been allowed to examine all the records kept of the occurrences by Dr. Phelps, and shall be able, therefore, to present the history with more minuteness and accuracy than has ever before appeared.

1668. “The first disturbances took place on the tenth day of March, 1850, at the house of Rev. Eliakim Phelps, D.D. The house had been occupied by him from the 22d of February, 1848. It is a large and genteel country mansion, separated from the street by a fence forty-five feet in front of the house; which is thirty-two feet in front, and, including the piazza, seventy feet deep, with a hall thirteen feet wide, running through the whole depth of the building. Adjoining, and opening from this hall, are two parlours and a dining-room. On the second floor are five sleeping-rooms, and on the third floor two. The kitchen is in the basement. The house was built about the year 1829 or ‘30 by a Captain Dondall, who for several years commanded a vessel in the China trade, and who died in the Bay of Canton within two or three years after his family had taken up their residence in the house. The property then passed into the hands of another sea-captain, by the name of Purcell, who, with his family, occupied it for several years. Captain Purcell dying suddenly in New York, the family removed, and the house was occupied by an Episcopal clergyman for a school a year or more, and afterward by a Mr-—-, also as a school for boys.

1669. “None of the families who had thus far occupied the house had ever been disturbed, or witnessed any thing aside from ordinary events. At the death of Captain Purcell it became the property of the two daughters, of whom Dr. Phelps purchased it during the month of November, 1847. For two years previous to this it had been unoccupied. Dr. Phelps and family commenced their residence therein on the 22d of February, 1848. Nothing occurred to excite the attention of the family out of the ordinary course of events until the 10th of March, 1850; and, as before stated, nothing can be learned of any strange or unusual events occurring there previous to that time. It will be observed by the dates given that Dr. Phelps had occupied the house more than two years, had found it an agreeable and quiet place of residence—having never himself or any member of the family been disturbed or alarmed by unusual occurrences. On the 10th of March, as above stated, it being the Sabbath, Dr. Phelps and family, consisting of Mrs. Phelps, two daughters, and two sons, the eldest a daughter aged sixteen, a son of twelve years, and a second daughter of six years, children of Mrs. Phelps by a former marriage, and another son of Dr. Phelps by the present marriage, not then three years old, all attended church; and an Irish servant girl, who had been employed in the family some six months, and had shown herself to be honest and trustworthy, had gone on that day to Bridgeport, to attend the Catholic church. On leaving the house in the morning, it appears that the doctor had secured the chamber doors, and put the keys in his pocket; those which could be were locked inside and the keys left in them. The only door by which the chambers could be entered was locked, and the key taken by Dr. Phelps. He also locked the front door inside, left the key in the lock, and, passing out at the back door, locked that, and placed the key in his pocket. On returning from church at noon, the front door was found standing open; the chamber doors, which were left fastened, were now open; and in the nursery the furniture was thrown about in disorder; chairs on the bed, and thrown down upon the floor; the shovel, tongs, and poker, with other things, were in unusual positions and places, every thing showing unmistakable signs of the work of some rude hand making mischief in their absence. Upon discovering the disorder here, Dr. Phelps passed into other rooms on the same floor, but could see no further evidence of intrusion. The first supposition was, very naturally, that some person or persons had entered and robbed the house. Search was immediately made in the closets where silver plate, spoons, forks, etc., were kept. All were found safe and undisturbed. A gold watch, left in an exposed place, remained there as left. The impression still remained that burglars had been in; and, on examination of the windows, one was found that could be raised from the outside, and though there was no evidence of entrance having been made there, no doubt existed that this was the place of access. Thinking they might return during the afternoon, Dr. Phelps remained at home, the other members of the family going again to church. Being left alone, the doctor armed himself, and, selecting a secluded position, awaited the return of the burglars. There was no disturbance during the afternoon; no sound of footfall; all remained quiet. On the return of the family, after the service, usually closing at three o’clock, several other articles were found out of place, but not in a way to make it certain that they were not moved in the morning. Articles of kitchen furniture were changed about. A teakettle, which had been used at dinner-time, was found hidden behind some boxes in the cellar. The bread, sugar-bowl, eggs, and numerous other things kept in the kitchen, were found where they did not belong, and where they had evidently been placed in some way which the family could not account for. Upon entering the middle chamber, occupied as a sleeping-room, a sheet was found spread over the bed outside the counterpane, and beneath which was a nightgown and _chemise_ laid out with the arms folded across the breast, with stockings placed in a position to represent, as it seemed, a corpse disposed as is usual before placing it in the coffin. On the wall were written characters resembling those said by certain clairvoyants to belong to a spiritual language, but which none of the family were able to decipher. Whether they had any significance, or how they came there, was alike an unanswerable question by the family; they had not observed them before. Occurrences ceased for that day and night, yet, no one thinking of any mystery in the matter, they imputed it to roguish boys, or others, who had effected entrance with false keys, for mischief rather than for robbery, and that the culprits would soon be detected. The next morning, March 11th, when the family went up stairs, after breakfast, the middle chamber had again been visited, exhibiting much the same scene of disorder presented the previous day. A sheet was spread out upon the floor, the washstand laid upon its back upon the sheet, a candlestick set upon the stand, the washbowl placed upon one side, and the pitcher on the other. The nightgown and chemise, used on the previous occasion to represent a dead body, were found one in the bowl, the other in the pitcher. It appears that these articles of clothing were not then in use; they had been placed in a trunk which stood in a closet adjoining that room. They were replaced in the trunk when removed from the bed the day before. As they were conversing in relation to the disposition of the things as above stated, Mrs. Phelps looked under the bed, and discovered articles there, partially concealed by the bed, resembling those in question. They were taken out and pronounced to be the same. Dr. Phelps had not before examined them, but then took them, noted the name and number on each, as they were marked, folded and placed them again in the trunk, remarking that he would put them where they would stay; did not lock the trunk, not having a key, but locked the closet and placed the key about his own person; then requesting the family to all leave the room first, which they did, the doctor, following, locked the door of the room, and kept the key. Having observed that Mrs. Phelps seemed a little troubled as to the mystery, he thought to convince her that there was no mystery in the matter, and, having secured the closet and room, he descended to the rooms below, following them all. After the lapse of some fifteen minutes, some person spoke to the doctor, upon which he went up to the chambers. At the head of the stairs, out in the hall, he found the same articles which he had left as before stated. He examined them, and was _positive they were the same_. He went to the door, found it locked, entered by applying the key from his pocket, went to the closet, found it locked, took the key from his pocket, opened the door, looked in the trunk, and the articles were gone! Dr. Phelps states that he was confident there was no deception in the case, and that he then, for the first, felt that there was a mystery about the affair. He had never believed in the appearing of ghosts or departed spirits, warnings, or any thing of that nature, and, at the age of threescore, had never seen or heard any thing connected with that class of phenomena. The evidence upon which such superstitions, as he termed them, rest, he had never examined, and, while he had no proof positive that they were impossible, and never did occur, he had no evidence to found a belief upon that they ever had. His idea of spiritual manifestations seems to have been that most, if not all, followed by a strict scrutiny, might be accounted for on natural or known principles, or some physical means, which would disrobe them of the mysterious altogether. But it was not to rest here. On the same day (March 11th) the moving and throwing of furniture commenced. An umbrella, standing at the end of the hall, leaped, without visible assistance, a distance of at least twenty-five feet. Dr. Phelps saw the movement, and knows there was no perceptible agency by which the motion was produced. A bucket, standing at the head of the stairs, was thrown into the entry below. Smaller articles, such as nails, forks, knives, spoons, bits of tin, iron, and keys, were thrown from different directions about the house. He says, ‘There were times when they came from such directions that they _might_ have been thrown by some person in the house’—at least, that may be admitted; but in very many cases the motion and point of starting were such as to preclude all possibility of deception on the part of persons in the rooms. During the afternoon, Dr. and Mrs. Phelps had occasion to go to Bridgeport, a distance of some three miles. During their absence the shovel and tongs, standing in the dining-room, were thrown violently down the basement stairs; a piece of mourning-crape fastened to the knocker of the back door, and the mirrors in the front chambers covered with sheets and tablecloths, as is the custom in some parts of the country while a person lies dead in the house. The crape on the door Dr. Phelps did not see, but the covering on the mirrors he removed with his own hands. The position of the mirrors in one room was such that the coverings could not, without great difficulty, have been placed there by any person about the house. Various articles were said to have been thrown about the room—the phenomena continuing in his absence about the same as when he was present in the fore part of the day. Soon after sundown all was again quiet, and so continued through the night.

1670. “The next morning, (March 12th,) soon after the family were up, the same phenomena began again; knives, forks, spoons, blocks of wood, nails, etc. etc. were thrown from different directions, and with increased frequency, attended by still stranger circumstances, and those of a still more mysterious character. Mrs. Phelps expressed some alarm, and a wish that some of the neighbours might be called in. Dr. Phelps called on a retired clergyman of Stratford, a man of extensive information, much experience, and sound judgment, who was universally admitted to be capable of rendering correct judgment and good advice in such a case. He requested him to call and spend an hour at the house, to which he cheerfully consented. Dr. P. told him that his family had been a little excited by some occurrences in the house, but did not state any of the details of the matter, but desired that he would sit with them for a short time and witness for himself. He remained all day, but was, at first, firmly of the opinion that the occurrences were produced, in some way, through the agency of the girl, or some other person about the house, and his main attention was directed to the girl in the kitchen, or the children, in the expectation that he should detect them in doing it.

1671. “The door leading from the parlours to the kitchen was, by his request, locked, and all communication between it and the other parts of the house cut off; still, the throwing of articles went on as before. The children were sent out of the room, and the doors locked; but this made no difference. He stayed through most of the day on Thursday, and returned soon after breakfast next morning, and remained most of the time for nearly three weeks. He became satisfied, before the close of the second day, that neither the girl in the kitchen nor the children had any agency in producing the strange movements. During the day (March 12th) some of the neighbours were in the house, and small blocks of wood were seen to fall in different places in their presence; but only one person noticed them in a way to excite inquiry, and that person was requested not to mention what she had seen.

1672. “On Wednesday, March 13th, the manifestations commenced early in the morning, in the middle chamber, the room in which two children slept, and began while they were both asleep. A book, standing in the library, ten or twelve feet from the bed, leaped from the shelf into the middle of the room. The blower, which was in the grate, leaped out on the floor, a distance of at least six feet, the noise of which first awakened the children. At the breakfast-table several articles were thrown; among them a large potato, which had been sent from Pennsylvania, and laid up in a closet in the east chamber, fell on the table directly by the side of Dr. P.'s plate, in a manner that no person could have done it without instant detection. The doctor’s curiosity was much excited, and he watched, with all the scrutiny he was capable, every person in the room. He took up the potato and let it fall from different heights, in order to determine how far it must have fallen to have made the concussion that it did; and it was adjudged by all that the distance could not have been more than twelve or fifteen inches.

1673. “Rev. Mr.—— came in soon after breakfast, and remained during the day. Several Bibles were opened at different passages, which seemed to be selected with a great deal of care, and indicated either by placing small pieces of paper on them or turning down a leaf. These things first occurred in the middle chamber, where the library stood. While the family were at dinner similar things were done in the parlour adjoining the dining-room. Two Bibles and an Episcopal prayer-book were opened at different passages, chairs turned forward on the floor, two solar lamps placed on the floor, a hat and man’s cap put one on each; nearly every thing in the room had been moved, and in so _short a time_, that it seems wholly inadmissible that any person about the house could have done it; beside, the whole household were in the dining-room, all seated at the table, except the servant, and she was employed waiting on the table.

1674. “In the afternoon the demonstrations were confined to the middle parlour; Dr. and Mrs. Phelps, and Mr.——, and, a part of the time, the eldest daughter, being present; in the absence of the daughter the doors were locked, and the three first named only were present.

1675. “The throwing of various things occupied the afternoon. The articles thrown were picked up and placed upon the mantel, and between the hours of one and four o’clock, the number amounted to forty-six; among which were nails, bits of tin, iron, keys, and small blocks, all of which were gathered from different parts of the house; most of them from closets on the second floor and the chambers. At one time, while Mr. M-—- was standing near the centre of the room, a padlock, which was known to have been in the closet of the middle chamber, fell at his feet. He took it in his hand, letting it fall from different heights, to discover the probable distance it must have fallen to produce the concussion. After various trials it was judged to have fallen not more than two or two and a half feet. As Dr. P. was sitting, perhaps ten feet from the piano-forte, he saw a small toy-mouse, which was on the piano, arise as if tossed, and, describing a parabola as it came, fall at his side, so near that he took it from the floor without leaving his chair. This he speaks of seeing as distinctly as he ever saw any thing, the whole being perfectly in his view. He also saw, in the same way, among other things, a nail, cotton-spool, and key, arise from behind the sofa, which stood diagonally across the corner of the room. He arose, went to the sofa, looking behind and under it, but could discover nothing which might give impulse to the articles. While examining the carpet about the sofa to find if any other things were there, without success, as his eyes were directed to one spot, there arose from that very point a piece of cheese-rind, perhaps eight inches from the floor; when he saw it first it arose four or five feet, passed over the sofa, and fell on the floor. He is positive it was not there when he was looking at the carpet, and knows there were no visible means of its moving.

1676. “Mr. M-—- suggested, as he was about to leave on Wednesday night, that if the strange phenomena should return, he would like to have some other persons called in. Early the next morning, Thursday, the 14th, the manifestations commenced about as they had on the previous day. Soon after breakfast a sheet was found spread upon the floor, several Bibles were opened at different places, the candlesticks, in a row, the highest in the middle, and covered with a sheet; other articles changed about the room, without any seeming design, more than to attract attention. Mr. M-—- proposed that notes be despatched to Rev. Mr. W-—-, Congregational minister, and Mr. Plant, a lawyer of high standing and respectability, which was accordingly done. It was at this time that they first began to hear rappings and heavy poundings. A loud sound, like some person striking the floor with some heavy substance, was heard, generally in the middle chamber. This was usually done when no one was in the chamber, and on any one entering all was still. In one instance a chair was seen to rise from the floor and beat down again, five or six times, with a violence which caused the house to tremble so as to be felt in all the adjoining apartments. A large plated candlestick, standing on the mantel, was moved by some unseen power to the floor, and then rose up and down, beating the floor, until the candlestick was broken. This was the first article that was damaged about the house. Several times during the day loud noises, like some one pounding with an axe or some heavy substance on the floor, were heard in different parts of the house, and several times the loud poundings terminated with a frightful scream; it was not a cry of distress, or any thing that could be easily imitated, seeming like something between the cry of a cat and the bleating of a calf, but louder than either. These sounds occurred in all probably twenty times while the manifestations were going on. Sometimes the screams seemed to be in the third story, sometimes in the front-hall chamber, several times out in the yard, and occasionally in other places. There was at no time any audible expression of words. The sounds consisted of poundings, knockings, and screamings. On this day the first images were found, which will be spoken of more fully hereafter.

1677. “In the evening of this day, just after some young ladies had called, Dr. P.‘s daughter returned to the parlour, it being between nine and ten o’clock. After seeing the young ladies to the door, an iron stand, in which stood the fire-shovel, tongs, and poker, leaped from the hearth, where it stood, into the middle of the floor, and rose up and beat the floor with a force that made a jar that could be felt, and the sound heard, in any part of the house. This was seen only by the daughter, but Dr. P. and wife heard the noise. The daughter ran through the dining-room to get up stairs, and, as she passed, a large table was standing, with the other furniture, arranged for breakfast the next morning. The table was three feet nine inches wide, and five feet three inches long, made of solid mahogany; and when she entered the room it rose up and beat five or six times against the floor with a force which made the house jar. The noise was heard by many persons in the house. Mrs. P. was alarmed, and screamed out, ‘Oh, take me from this place!’ This happened between nine and ten o’clock, P. M. Previous to this time all manifestations had ceased by sundown, or a little after.