W

'

YALE MEDICAL LIBRARY

HISTORICAL LIBRARY
The Gift of

JOHN FARQUHAR FULTON

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in

2012 with funding from

Yale University, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library

Open Knowledge Commons and

http://archive.org/det3ils/rapperteri00sear

CASTING OUT THE EVIL SPIRITS

*
4*

TABLE

TIPPING.

THE RAPPERS:
OR,

THE MYSTERIES, FALLACIES, AND ABSURDITIES OF

SPIRIT-RAPPING, TABLE-TIPPING,

AND

ENTRANCEMENT.

BY

SEARCHER AFTER TRUTH

NEW-YORK:
H.

LONG
121

&

BROTHER,

NASSAU-STREET.

Entered according

to

Act of Congress, in the Year One Thousand Eight Hun-

dred and Fifty-four,

by H.

LONG & BROTHER,

in the Clerk's Office of

the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of

New

York

TO

t]

people

o f

1]

Un

t c

b '5

t e

THIS
is

B K

respectfully dedicated,
WILL FORM A MITE TOWARDS
IS

WITH THE EARNEST HOPE THAT

IT

DESTROYING A DELUSION WHICH

EVIL AMONV.

DAILY WORKING

THOUSANDS.

CONTENTS.

BOOK

I.

A CIRCLE OF VISITS AMONG THE RAPPERS.

CHAPTER
The Believers and

I.

their Belief.
II.

CHAPTER
The

Travelling Spirit.
III.

CHAPTER
The Young

Girl Mediums.

CHAPTER
CHAPTER
The

IV.

Grand Circle of Mediums.

V.

Evil Spirits.
VI.

CHAPTER
The
Spirit of the Rev.

John N.
VII.

Maffit.

CHAPTER

Oliver Blodge, the Murderer.

CHAPTER
CHAPTER

VIII.

Pocahontas, and other Indians.

IX.

Spiritual Conference, Spiritual Believers, and Pickles.

VI

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER
The Spheres
of the Spirit

X.

World

The

Lower, or Infernal

Sphere.

CHAPTER XL
The Dream
Spirit

CHAPTER
Spiritual

XII.

Husband.
XIII.
in the Attic.

CHAPTER
The
Circle in the Parlor

The Circle
XIV.

CHAPTER

Family Raps.

CHAPTER
The Lying

XV.
XVI.
Fudge.

Spirit.

CHAPTER
The
Spirit of

BOOK
CALLY,

II.

THE RAPPERS CONTEMPLATED PLEASANTLY,

PHILOSOPHI-

AND THEOLOGICALLY.

CHAPTER
The Rappers
in the

I.

Congress of the United States.

II.

CHAPTER
Philosophical

Rap

Preliminary.
III.

CHAPTER

A Series

of Philosophical Raps on the Rappers, or a Digest

of Opinions.

CHAPTER

IV.

Digest of Opinions continued --A Scientific Solution.

CONTENTS.

VU
V.

CHAPTER
Another

Scientific Solution.

CHAPTER A
Little

VI.

Philosophy and some Illustration of Spirit Language,

Literature and Tactics.

CHAPTER

VII.

Ancient Rappers, Table Tippers, and Speaking Mediums.

CHAPTER

Vlir.

Demonology, Witchcraft and Spirit Rapping, Tipping and Entrancement.

CHAPTER
Comments on

IX.

the Author's Visit

among

the Rappers.

CHAPTER
The
Religion of Rappers, and

X. The Religion

of Christ.

PREFACE.

In presenting to the public

" Modern Spiritualism," as a few words to say.
the
it

this
is

volume on the subject of

author has only

called, the

He made
in

the series of visits

among
single

" Rappers,"

comprised

Book

I,

with

the

purpose of seeing and testing the nature of the " wonderful

spirit

manifestations" alleged to proceed from tables and en-

tranced persons, and he has written

all

down

faithfully

and truly

that he

saw and

heard.

He

has purposely mingled some

pleasantry in

his descriptions, but

has never suffered that

pleasantry to falsify a single word or manifestation alleged to

have been uttered or exhibited by a

tipped, or as the

spirit.

As
it,

the

table

raps came, he has described

and as the
it

alphabet or the entranced

fur

medium

spoke, he has given

word
and

word.

If the whole appears absurd on the face of

like

it,

the alleged spirits look

very poor imitations,

to

it is

not the

author's fault

but

it

must be charged

the account of the

tables, the raps,

fact to

and the enhancements

different

must

be ascribed in

some other and very

causea than voices from

X
the spirit world.

PREFACE.

The main

part of the second book of this

volume,

is

a compilation of the various philosophical theories

in

which have been broached by others,

" spiritual phenomena," and
the author's visit

explanation of the

this compilation, together

with

among

the " Rappers," and

religion of

the

contrast

which he has drawn between the "

Rappers and

the religion of Christ," will, he trusts, present the subject in a

complete and satisfactory light before the reader.

BOOK

1.

A CIRCLE OF VISITS AMONG THE RAPPER8.

THE RAPPERS.
CHAPTER
I.

THE BELIEVERS AND THEIR BELIEF.

In the city of

New

York, to which

circle

our personal

investigation has been confined, there are, at the least

calculation, forty

thousand sincere believers

in Spiritual

Rappings.

We

cannot pretend to give the number of

the disciples of this

new

Spiritual

doctrine,

scattered
It is suffi-

throughout other parts of the United States.

cient to say, that
it is

immense, and

far greater than the

public generally imagine.

These believers are to be

found in every class of society from the highest to the

lowest,

and among minds of every degree of capacity

and cultivation, from the most accomplished scholar

down

to the

most ignorant of the

ignorant.

The rush

to consult the spirits, both in

what are called public and

private circles,

is

so great, that, could

New York

be

unroofed, either in the day or at night, a spectacle uf

Spirit

Rapping would be exhibited, which would astound

the public by the magnitude of its extent and almost

14

THE RAPPERS.

ceaseless continuance.

From morning
until

until noon,

from

noon

until night,

and from night

morning

again, in

parlors where flashing mirrors

velvet,

reflect

rosewood, and

and

silver,

and gold

in

humble rooms where

the floors and walls are bare, the tables are placed, and

around them,
out,

men and women,

if

with their hands spread

and eyes fixed as

on vacancy, are seated, wait-

ing for communications from the Spirit World.

And your true believer in Spiritual Rappings is a man to be noted and marked wherever he goes Spirit:

ual

Rapping with him

;

is

a religion not put off and on at

his belief,

intervals

he

is

no Sunday professor of
in
it,

but

an every day worker

the solitude of his

sitting motionless alone in

own room, going

to private circles
his

where he can get admittance, and spending

freely at public ones

money

seeking and asking only for raps

spirits

and communications from the

of the other world.

until

And from morning

morning, whether he
in his bed, or at

until night,
is

and from night

at the circle, or sitting alone, or

is

work, he

expecting these raps and

communications
on
tables,

he

is

expecting to hear the spirits rap

;

and from thence receive messages from them

feel

he expects to hear them tap on his bedpost, to

grasp, or jostle, or knock

them

him

in the street, in his store

or shop, in his
is

room

at all times

and in

all

places, he

confidently expecting at any

moment

to be

subject
sub-

to direct spiritual influence

the world's materia]

stances and the bodies of so

mankind

also are, to him, but

to

many

objects for the spirits of the other world

knock upon and thus communicate with mortals.

Of

THE RAPPERS.
such believers as above described, there are. as

15

we

said
I

before, not less than forty thousand in the city of

York.

We have,

during our investigations, seen a num-

ber of this description

seen them

in circles

and

in pri-

vate, conversed with them,

and read the

spiritual

com-

munications which they say, and sincerely believe, they

have received.

And we have

seen such believers not

only in the persons of young and credulous

maidens, but in the persons of

men and men and women where

set the seal

gray hairs and hard wrinkles had

incredulity; and in
all,

of age and

the devotion

was complete and

let

the

faith

boundless.

Such being the believers,

us

turn to a brief synopsis of their belief.

The

disciples of the

Spiritual

Rappings believe

that,

on the death of the body, the

spirit passes into

another

world, the position of which, in the sphere of worlds, or

the particular nature of which, they do not pretend to
describe.

They say
not

that

it is

not Jleaven, neither

is

it

Hell
a

midway between the two. and it is not They say it is rather place where God can be seen. school of progress, where the spirit, when it first be;

it is

comes a

real spirit, that

is,

when

it

is

freed

from the

body, goes to learn and advance higher and higher, until

it

reaches perfection.

They

believe that this spirit

circles

world has seven spheres, and each sphere seven

they believe also that the world of mortals ha

spheres and circles, and that in both this world and
the spirit world, the spirit of
in

man
its

occupies a higher or

a lower sphere, according to

capability and purity.

They

believe that

when

man

dies his spirit passes into

16

THE RAPPERS.

that sphere of the spirit world corresponding the nearest

to the

sphere which he

left in this

world.

Thev,

therefore, as
spirit

a natural consequence, believe that the

is

world

a most heterogenous place, full of good

spirits

and bad ones, highly developed and very igno-

rant ones

all,

however, mixing together, knowing of

each others'

movements

some quite
in a

miserable,
state

some

supremely happy, and others

all

medium

but

advancing, learning and growing better, through the

successive circles and spheres, until they shall go be-

yond the seventh.

At

this

seventh sphere, the Spiritual

as far as

Rapping believers pause: they profess,

we

are

now

informed, no knowledge of the spirits beyond the

seventh sphere of progress, as there has been no com-

munication from the

spirits

on the subject.

This latter point leads us to the belief of the Spiritual

this

Rappers on the subject of the communication between world and that of the spirits. They believe that

the inhabitants of the Spirit

World

are ever wandering

about

this

that not only the spirits of a man's dead

at least
is

relatives
to

and friends are around him, or

his call,

ready
to

answer

but that any other

spirit
;

ready

answer him, and communicate with him

unteer to do so, even at the time

nay. even vol-

when he

is

seeking a com-

munication from the

earth.

spirit

of one

whom

he

knew on

this

They

believe also that

some

spirits

of the Spirit
is,

World, who are not very highly developed, that

not

much
will

better than
to,

they were when they

trifle

left

the earth,

lie

abuse and

with,

those of this world

when they

are in the act of seeking spiritual

communi-

THE RAPPERS.
cations.

17

Even good

spirits,

with mortals, will often joke.

disciples believe

when holding communication The Spiritual Rapping

that

communication with the Spirit

particular mor-

World can
what
tal to
is

only be had through the intervention of

called a

Medium
for

that

is,

some

whom
Many

either the

spirits

take a fancy, or

who

is

spiritual

enough
are

them

to hold direct

intercourse
it,

with.

Mediums without knowing

find

but

it is

supposed that sooner or later they will

it

out.

The

Mediums
with those

place their hands on a table, in connection

who

seek communication, and the table

it

tips,

or raps are heard on

testify their

or under

it,

and thus the

spirits

presence and willingness to be interrogated.

;" one,

Three raps or taps mean " yes

"
I

" no ;" and two,

don't know,"

or

" doubtful."
if it

When

the

spirit

speaks by raps, the answer,

be a name or place, or

date, an alphabet constructed

by the Mediums spells

out the meaning.

cates

Often, however, the spirit

communi-

by taking possession, according

to the belief of

the Spiritual Rapping disciples, of the

Medium, and
So

compelling hirn to write what the spirit would say.

much

for Spiritual

Rapping

belief.

There

are,

according to this Spiritual

:

theory,

six

kinds of Mediums, viz

Rapping Mediums,

being
spirits

those

persons

through

whom

the

suppo-ed

manifest

themselve-

sounds on the table or other places.

Tipping Mediums, being those persons through

whom

the supposed spirits manifest themselves by tipping tables, <kc.

18

THE RAPPERS.

Speaking Mediums, being those

spirits

whom

the supposed

throw into a state of entrancement, and then

speak through them.

Singing

Mediums

are those through

whom

the sup-

posed

spirits sing

by means of entrancement.
take possession, and compel them to

Writing Mediums, being those of whose hands the

supposed
spirits

write as they, the spirits, dictate.

Impressible Mediums, being those

whom

the sup-

posed

spirits

impress to think as they, the

spirits, wish.

THE CIRCLE.

The

first

Spiritual

Rapping

Circles to which

we

shall

take the reader, were public ones.

public circles pays a small admission
being, that the

The
fee,

visitor to the

the philosophy

Mediums, although

in daily

communi-

cation with the Spiritual

World, have not yet arrived

which will enable them to
;

at that degree of spirituality

live
tals

without food and clothing

that they are

still

mor-

and must work,

like all mortals, for

money.
the bell of

In the early part of an evening,

we rung

fine three-story house,

and were ushered

into the pre-

sence of Mrs. B., a public

Rapping Medium.
if

We
the

expressed our desire to be introduced,

the spirits, and
circle

possible, to
to join

were accordingly invited

which was just at that

moment

forming.

We
four-

entered a room, neatly furnished, and found

teen
persons,

some

male and female, seated around two

tables,

one of them covered with a green cloth, the

other bare.

The

party, this evening, being rather too

THE RAPPERS.
large for the usual
table employed,
ironing-table,

19
the second one,

which was a

common

had been, on the

spur of the moment, pressed in from the service of the

kitchen to the service of the spirits.

Before Mrs. B.

took her seat to preside over the circle, and while she

was absent

for a

moment

in

another room, a respectable

old gentleman very solemnly placed his hands on the

table

and suggested that probably,

his

if the rest

of the

company followed
the

example, they would get a comB., intimating at

munication without the help of Mrs.

same time,

that Re believed he

was something of a
hands as the

medium

himself.

The

circle placed their

old gentleman wished, but the spirits were as silent as

the grave.

Mrs. B.

now

appeared.

She

is

a fine-looking

woman,

portly in person and bearing, with jet-black hair, and an

intellectual expression of countenance.

She was richly

dressed, and bore in her hand a gold watch, to which

was appended a massive gold

time

chain.

The watch was

to
;

not

the spirits

but

each mortal in the Circle

is

for each

mortal in Rapping Circles

often apt to talk

so long to the spirits, that he interferes with the rest of

his brother seekers after spiritual

knowledge.

Mrs. B.
all

having taken her seat at the centre of the two tables,

hands were spread, and the performance or ceremony

commenced.
First Gentleman

" Is there
1

any

spirit

here wishing to

communicate with

me

?"
distinct,

Three raps ("yes,") loud and

table.

under

the

20

THE RAPPERS.
curious observer, in a large overcoat, here peered
feet

under and around the table, but the

were

all quiet,

and the prospect, so far as any explanation of the

man-

ner in which the raps were produced was concerned,

was a

perfect blank.

First

Gentleman here wrote inquiries on a paper,

;

which he kept concealed

and the answers

to them,

made by

the raps,

which were now again resumed, were

declared by the gentleman to be wrong.

Second Gentleman

Called

up a musical

spirit,

and

asked him to rap a tune.

first in

Hail Columbia was rapped,

in quick,

slow measure' and then

and excellently

well rapped in both.

Third Questioner

Was a lady, dressed

in

mourning,

young and

interesting in appearance, with a high, pale

forehead, and a bright speaking eye.

little

She asked

if

her

daughter was present.

Three raps answered that she was, and would make

her

mother a communication

sometime during the

evening.
"

Have you been

with me,

little

daughter,

all

day,

and did you come here with

Three raps " yes."

me f"
with you

Are your guardian One rap " no."

It

"

spirits

seems, according to the Spiritual Rapping belief,

that the spirits in the other world have also their guardian angels.

"

Do

you know how many came here with me

"Yes."

THE KAPPEES.
"

21

Can you name them

?"

"No."
The
little

spirit,

however, did afterwards (so the

of them correctly.
*
for the

questioner said)

name two

Fourth Questioner
spirit

gentleman,

who asked

of his father and mother.

The answer was

the

mingled rapping of two distinct rappers, and the gentleman not being able to make out
matter up, and expressed himself
not say.
Fifth Questioner
either,

gave the

satisfied

how, he did
of his father,

Called
fifty

up the
his

spirit

who, when asked what was

age when he died, gave

answer that

it

was

years, which

was

five

years

beyond the correct answer.

remarked

One

of the circle here

that the spirits in the other world kept

no

account of time, that time was only kept in this world

and that one

spirit

had answered him that he (the

in the Spirit

spirit)
for-

had been so happy

gotten
all

World,

that he

had

about
all

his

age and

life in this.

This was

of any consequence that was done at

Mrs.

B.'s

circle,

while

we were

there present.

The
to

spirits, it

was remarked, did not appear on that night

left.

be very communicative, and we accordingly

vious, however, to our leaving,
it

Pre-

was stated by some

room.
his

of the circle that several nights previously a remarkable

Spiritual manifestation had

taken place

in that

highly respectable physician of

New

York, with

wife,

was

present, and

wore

gi

uoes;

each

gaiter

was fastened with twelve buttons; and,

while the physician was seated at the table, another

22

THE RAPPERS.
of the circle present asked a spirit to unfasten
it

member
present.
gaiter

the doctor's gaiter and hand

to another

gentleman
it,

Before the doctor

knew anything about

as directed.

the

was unfastened and handed

Spiritualist

The next
in his

public Tipping

whom we visited was Mr. C, a Medium. He is a young man, pleasing

manners, slight in person and complexion.

circle,

We

found three gentlemen at his

five others,

and some four or

both ladies and gentlemen, just on the point

of leaving. a

Mr.

C.'s

room was

plainly furnished, with

common

black walnut table in the centre, covered

with slips of paper and lead pencils.

First Questioner

"Is

there any spirit present

who

wishes to communicate with me Three tips of the table, " yes."

V
names
on

Who

is it ?"

Mr.

C. here told the questioner to write the

living persons,

of four or five

and

of one dead,

separate slips of paper, double them

up so that no

one could see them, and then throw them on the centre
of the table.

This was done by the questioner,

slip

who

wrote on the
"

Now,"

said

of the dead the name Mr. C, " we will take each paper and
of his brother.
slip

ask the spirit present to pick out the

written
the

on which

is

name

of the dead

friend

or relative of

whom you
tag."

(the questioner) are at this

moment

think-

Mr. C. did so, and when he held up the wad of paper on which the questioner had written the name of his

THE RAPPERS.

23

dead brother, the table tipped three times, to signify

that that

was the one.

C. at
this
;

The arm of Mr.

seized with a violent

moment seemed

to

be

spasm

he caught hold of a pencil

and wrote away with a spasmodic rapidity, that to the

observer appeared as
erratically
if

streak

of lightning

was

amusing

itself

with tracing pot-hooks and

hangers.
First Questioner

" Mr. C, what

some
I

is

the matter
1

you

seem
"

to be writing under
spirit
it

slight excitement ?"

I

The

has possession of me, and

must write

whatever

dictates.

have a communication for you."

And, by the time he had thus answered, he ceased

writing, and read to the questioner the following

com-

munication from his mother

My

Dear Son
will

am happy

that

you are willing

to

receive truth, and the happy hour that reunites mother

and son
,

be looked forward to with pleasure.

(Signed,)

A.

Questioner

" Can

my

mother

spell

me

out her

name

1"

One

tap of the table, " no."

Several names, and

among them

the

name of

the

mother, were then written by the questioner on

slips

of

paper, and doubled up as before, so that no one but

himself could see or

at the right

know

their contents.

The

spirit,

name, tapped three times, as much as to

the right one.

say, that

is

24

THE RAPPERS.
the spirit

The same questioner was now answered by

of his brother, whose
told correctly

the

name he had before written, and name of the place where he died,
The
spirit also, after

which was spelt out by alphabet.

having answered several other questions without making

a mistake, again invisibly took possession of Mr. C.'s

arm,

and sent the

following

communication to the

questioner

Dear Brother
answer
part,
I

You ask
that
I

for evidence. Spirits

cannot

all

questions, as their friends desire.

am happy

can control

this
I

For my medium's
want you
and be

hands, to convey

my

thoughts on paper.

to give a careful investigation to this subject,

slow to receive
nize with

digest nothing which does not harmo-

your reason.

This communication was signed with correct initials

of the questioner's brother's name.

So the questioner
he was

acknowledged

in the presence of, the circle.

To

the

question

of which

sphere

in,

the

brother answered *that he was in the fourth, and he sent

the following communication

Dear Brother
supposed
it

Death
It is

is

different

from what
it

to be.

only the waking up, as

were,

from a long dream.

spirit

In

whatever stage of progress the

it

was when

in the

body, that sphere

enters in the

Spirit

World.

Cultivate your spiritual faculties, and

never heed the dogmas of the day.

Questioner

"

want a

just idea of

God."

THE RAPPEES.
(Spelt out by alphabet.)
" Is there a personal "
I

25

"
1

do too."

God V

believe
;

shall

see a personal

God, but never

have
"

the spirits do not see God."

" Is there a personal devil ?"

No

the idea of a personal devil

(to
^

Second Questioner
mental questions
" Yes."

Mr. C.)

"May

is

humbug."
I

ask

some

And

the questioner, after writing

some questions on
and no.
he had

a paper, remained silent for some time, during which

the table at intervals tipped the answers* yes

The questioner having

finished,

he was asked

if

received correct answers.

He

answered by reading

the following question, as one which he had put

"

Was

it

spiritual

agency that caused the ship Great

Republic to be burnt

V
was " Yes."
any
not favor the circle with

The answer

to the question

This questioner did

m.ore of his questions or answers, and

we

are therefore

not able to give the nature of either.

The above was

all

of any note that occurred while

we were
in

at

Mr.

C.'s circle,

and we

left

with our budget

of spiritual information.
writing this chapter,

The reader

will

observe that

we have adopted

the language of

the Spiritualists, and said the spirit says so and so.

We

do not mean by

this to assert that it

was

really a spirit

who answered tin- questions and made tions; we mean only to say that it was
iaj>s on,

the

communica-

the voice of the

and the

tips of the table, as interpreted

by the

26

THE RAPPERS.
spirit for

mediums, and we have only used the word

convenience.

Our own

ideas on the matter

we

shall

give at the proper time.

Meanwhile we are on a tour

is

of investigation, and the above

facts,

our

first

instalment

ol

of which

we have

personal knowledge.

THE RAPPERS.

27

CHAPTER
THE TRAVELLING

II.

SPIRIT.

Our
called

third visit

was

to the

rooms of Mrs. C,
in

a public

Rapping Medium.

The apartment

which Mrs. C.

up the

spirits, or

rather in which the spirits were

called up, through the

large, well

medium of

her presence, was

furnished one, having a round table in the

centre,
slight

covered with cloth.

Mrs. C.

is

woman

of

and

delicate,

but well-formed
features,

figure,

with small

and regularly chiseled

complexion clear and

white, auburn hair, and eyes large, blue and expressive.

She

is,

in

her appearance, decidedly spiritualjust such

spirits, if in

a looking person as one would suppose the

reality

they do select any mortals for their favorites,

likely to choose as the
this world.
five

would be

medium
first

of their comus, that it

munications to
is

Mrs. C. informed

now

nearly

years since she

discovered that
In this

she Was a
wise.
spirit

medium, and the discovery was made

lady asked her to
sit

up

at the table,

when

present informed her. to her astonishment, that

she was a medium.

During the

first

year afterwards,
indefinite

the spiritual manifestations to her were by

sounds of various kinds, which accompanied and were

28

THE RAPPERS.
Since then,

heard around her, wherever she might be.

she has become a regular medium, and the spirits not

only rap, in general at her request or the request of

others
her,
It
.

when

she

is

present, but they take possession of

and through her hand write communications.

was evening when we

full,

visited

Mrs. C. and the

cir-

cle

was very

some fourteen

or fifteen being around

in the

the table.

The most marked individual

group

was an elderly gentleman, with

hair as white as snow,

forehead finely developed, and features giving evidence

of great energy and decision of character.

This gentle-

man

had a sheet of paper before him, and was, as

we

entered, busily engaged in writing

to the spirits,

down

his questions

and

their answers.

There was a profound

silence in the

room, as the questions which the elderly

gentleman put were entirely mental, and therefore

known by none
as

of the

company but

himself.

His eyes,

he put the questions, were intently bent on the

paper before him, with an expression which seemed to

say, that while his ear

was open

to catch the faintest

rap or sound, his soul was also open and waiting to

receive

some

test, if

he could possibly get one, of the

it

presence of a spirit which should convince him that

was

in reality a spirit

with

whom

he was holding com-

munication.

The elderly gentleman, metaphorically

speaking, had evidently taken off his coat to the spiritual business before him, and had determined to find out

something

if

he could.

In the deep silence of the room, the raps in answer to the elderly gentleman's mental questions,

were clear

THE RAPPERS.
and
distinct,

29
Somedoubt

and given with great promptness.

however,

times

the

questioner,

would be

in

whether the taps were two or three, and he would then

in a sonorous voice say*, " Will the spirit repeat that answer and rap the answer distinctly ?M and the answer

would be three loud raps given

with
great energy, as
if

in

quick succession and

its

the spirit intended that

" yes" should be emphatic.

Suddenly the

raps,

which had been continuous, ceased

altogether, and the elderly

gentleman with

his pencil

was brought
paper
there
in

to a stand

still.

He

looked up from the

his question,

amazement, and repeated

but

was no response.
C.

Mrs.

Perhaps there
well,

is

a spirit present that will

it

communicate with some of the other gentlemen, and

would be
therefore,
for

the

circle to

pass the

question around.

young lawyer of
and estimable

New

York, whose profound legal

qualities are
in

ability

social

universally

acknowledged, but whose

faith

Spirit

Rappings

is

somewhat

less extensive than the

Russian Empire, even

without the addition of Turkey, here took up the questioning of the spirits rendered vacant by the cessation

of the spiritual communications to the elderly gentle-

man.
Lawyer.

Will any one

talk with

me?
even
the law-

The

table gave forth no sound in answer, not

the faintest intimation of a raj)

was heard, and

yer was nonplussed as he continued

ted voice and

in a slightly eleva-

somewhat of a

professional tone, "

Won't

>

30

THE RAPPERS.
But the table was
to
silent as

you come and answer?"

before
;

the witness refused

appear, and as there

to

was no competent judge present

the lawyer gave
it

compel attendance,
in

up, and leaning back

his chair,

looked at the gentleman next in order in the

that
legal resignation of countenance,

circle,
is

with

which

always

in court

understood to say to the opposite counsel " The

is

witness

yours, sir."

Before,

however, the next gentleman took up the

question, Mrs. C. suggested to the lawyer that he had

not asked the spirits in exactly the right form, and peras "Is there any

haps

if

he would put the question

spirit

in the usual

manner,

present that will communicate

with

me

?"

he would get an answer.

smile illumined

the countenance of the

young lawyer

as he

complied

with the medium's suggestion, but the spirits remained

silent as before,

and the young lawyer had no rap or

raps.

The
by

question, " Is there

any

spirit

present that will

in

communicate with
all in

me

?"'

was now asked

succession

the circle, Mrs. C. included, but the lawyer's

fortune attended the whole, and the spirits appeared to

have taken their departure entirely.

Various opinions
sence of

in

regard to the unaccountable ab-

all the spirits,

and the abrupt departure of the

one which had been communicating with the elderly

gentleman, were expressed by several persons at the
table.

Mrs. C. herself remarked

it

was an unusual

cir-

cumstance, while one gentleman suggested that possibly

the spirits were keeping

New

Year.

THE RAPPERS.
All
spirits

31

remarks,

however,

on the

movements of

thf

were suddenly checked by a nervous motion

the part of the

arm

of Mrs.
in

C, and

all

eyes were im-

mediately fixed on her,

order to see what result the

nervous motion would produce.

"

spirit

wishes to write a communication to some

it is,"

one here, and we shall soon see who

said

Mrs

seizing a pencil and piece of paper, which latter article

seemed involuntarily

to fly

towards the elderly gentle-

man who had been

whole
"

asking the mental questions, which

the spirit had so suddenly ceased answering, leaving the

circle in silence.

It is

for you, sir," said

Mrs. C, " and possibly we

shall
spirit

now
with

see the cause of the abrupt departure of the

whom you

were communicating," and Mrs.

C.'s

hand wrote with the rapidity of a race horse, and

with a series of jerks far outrivalling those of an omni-

bus, sleigh over the crossings of the streets at the

end of sleighing.

The

spirits

having finished jerking the arm of

C, and her pencil having performed its work, the manuscript was exhibited, and it was found to be writtel
only backwards but bottom upwards.
itors

None of the
enough to de-

present, of course, were

it

linguists

cipher such writing, although

was handed round

table and subjected to the closest scrutiny.

Wo

our-

selves examined
like

it,

and

it

appeared

to

us very

much
that

what a telegraphic dispatch, announcing the destructower of Babe), would have been
of tongue^,
in

tion of the

of the confusion

supposing that the

32

THE RAPPERS.
in

Babelites had advanced so far

knowledge as

to possess

a lightning express in good working order.

But the
Ian

communication of the
guage
to all the rest

spirit,

although an

unknown

around her, was simple English to

it

Mrs. C, and holding

read as follows
:

up

to the elderly gentleman, she

Dear Brother
tain
it.

have been

to see

and he

will re

(Signed)

Eliza.
in

The communication, although now read

English, was
(as
it

plain

still

Greek

to all

around with the exception

appeared from

his

looks) of the elderly gentle-

man.

He

sat for a

moment

with his head leaning on

his hands, his eyes fixed with an intense gaze

on the table

before him, and

thought.

his at

whole manner betokening deep

length,
his

Seeing,

the

looks

of

curiosity

around him, he raised

" This
is

head and said to

I

this effect

astonishing, and
I

will

now

tell

the

company

the questions which

have mentally asked, and written

down on
it

the paper before

me

as

have asked them, and

the answers to them.

I first

asked the spirit which said

(the

was conversing with me,

the spirit,)
if it

gentleman did not

spirit

name

was the same

it

with

whom

I
I

had conversed a week ago, and

answered " yes."

in

had asked

this spirit, a

week

ago,

another

circle,
it

within what time a certain

event took

place, and

announced three weeks.

spirit the

this

evening asked the same

same

question, and

it

answered four weeks,

which makes

the answer as correct

I

now

as

it

was a

week ago.

The next question

asked was of the spirit

THE RAPPEES.
of

33
tell

my

mother.

asked her

if

she would

me

about

a gentleman in

North Carolina, and whether he would

retain a certain thing.

The
all

spirit

answered "no," and

then, gentlemen, as

you

know, the raps on the table

I

ceased, and neither

tion until

you or

could get any communicaseized,

Mrs.

C.'s

arm was

and the communito

cation of
seen.

my

sister Eliza

was written

me

as

you have

She took the mission which

to

my

mother refused,
and

and her going

I

North Carolina

to gain the information

desired, accounts for the stillness at the table,

my
I

inability to

get

any more raps while she was gone.

test

These questions of miiw have been

consider that
the matter.
I

ones, and

have had proof of spiritual agency

one at
this table
I

in

No

but myself knew or

could

know

the questions

asked, and yet

I

you see your-

selves, the

marvelous answer

have received."
his

The elderly gentleman having thus opened

to the

budget

whole company, and explained the perfect prowhich was before

priety of his sister Eliza's answer,

incomprehensible, and the company themselves having

seen the communication signed " Eliza" by Mrs. C, and
learned that the elderly gentleman had
in

truth a sister

by that name

all this

being developed before the per-

sons present at Mrs. C.'s table, there was, of course, a

variety of expressions in the faces of
all.

Some
if

looked

astonished, others looked blank, one or two smiled, and

the

young lawyer with

spirit

solemn

face asked,

there was

yet any

which would

communicate with him.

in

But the
of
its

spirits again

repudiated the law

the

pi

young representative, who again leaned back

in

34
his chair

THE RAPPERS.
and
left

the

same question

to

go round the
in the case
its

whole

circle

with the same success, except

of

one quiet

little

man

to

whom

a spirit .professed
little

wil-

lingness to communicate.

But the quiet

mm

had

no questions to ask

said " he'd rather not,"

and there

was

silence again in the circle.

.

The

silence
if

was broken by the elderly gentleman,

the
spirit

who asked
present,

of his sister
in

Eliza was
the

still

and on being answered

the spirit of

affirmative,

asked

if

Mary Jane was

present.

The

answer was " Yes."

" Will she communicate wfth
" No."
"

me

?"

Will you write out the reason why

"Yes."
Mrs.
C.'s

arm was

again seized, and a second tower

of .Babel dispatch writing was the result. being interpreted, was as follows
:

The writing

Dear Brother
because she
is

Mary

Jane

will

not communicate

not progressed far enough.

The
fied,

elderly gentleman again expressed himself satis-

saying that the answer was appropriate, as

died.

Mary

Jane was but an infant when she

The next questioner, who was so fortunate

communication with a
sister the
spirit,

as to hold

asked of the spirit of his

name

of the person

with him.

After writing

down

who came into the room a number of names on

namo
of the rkflt one.

a slip of paper and pointing to each one in succession,

the spirit indicated by raps the

THE RAPPERS.
This
spirit also

35

rapped out correctly her own name, the

name

of the place where she died, the

names of her

children living and the places where

they

now

live.

The questioner
tion

told the writer of this that every ques-

was true

to a hair.
this

The

spirits after

appeared

to

have entirely de-

parted, for no one at the table could get the smallest

possible rap.

taking the

The circle, therefore, broke up, and arm of our friend, the young lawyer, we
where living
spirits

issued into the street,

were slipping

upon the sidewalk most ungracefully.

"
M

What do you

think of the

it

?" said we.

Humbug," was

young lawyer's answer.

We

neither assented or dissented, for

we were on

tour of investigation, and our opinions were under lock

and key

until we had finished our investigations. With our young friend the lawyer, we adjourned

to

the

rooms of another medium, but was not fortunate

to find him in. After we separated from our we proceeded homeward. We asked mentally

euough
friend,

as

arrived

we passed along the street, and even when we home and were snugly ensconced in bed, that
give us with

the spirits would

some strong manifestation

by grasping
us,

of their

presence

us,

rapping

00 our bed-post, or doing anything which would astonish us

;

but there was no answer, and

we dropped

orl

into a Bweet sleep, undisturbed

by any manifestations,

but watched over,

will,

we

hope, by a guardian angel,

in all things.

who

we

trust,

keep us straight

36

THE RAPPERB.

CHAPTER

III.

TWO YOUNG GIRL MEDIUMS.

Our

fourth visit

was

to a private circle at the house

of a Mr. T., to which

we had been

invited

by

that

gentleman.

friend,

with small faith but

immense

whiskers, accompanied us.

The house,

at the door of

which we rung, was a plain two story wooden one, and

evidently the residence of those in the middle walks of
life.

We

were received by a lady of

figure

tall

and comintrocircle,

manding

and intelligent countenance, who

duced us immediately into the room where the

she informed us, had been already formed.
the room, which

We

found

was not

large,
full

but furnished with the

In the corner

most scrupulous neatness, was a large

and around which some

of people.

circular table, on which rested a large bible,

fifteen

persons, both male and

female, were gathered, with

before them.

their

hands spread out

The remainder of the company surrounded some

standing,

the circle at the table, in close phalanx,

some

sitting,

and

all

evidently anxiously waiting

some

manifestation of the spirits.

in the

There was a dead

silence

room

as

we

entered, and

we

ourself,

together

with our friend with the whiskers, endeavored to break

THE RAPPERS.
the stillness as
spirits, if
little

37
in

as possible,

order

that

the

there were any present, should not have cause

to say that
ness.

we drove them

off

by our noise or abruptwhich we accepted, and

Mr.

T., the gentleman of the house, politely

offered us his seat at the table,

our friend
his eyes
us,

in the

whiskers having noiselessly, but with

his seat close

somewhat expanded, taken

to look

behind

we had an opportunity

more

closely around

us.

The members of

the circle, in the midst of which

we

were seated, were persons respectable in appearance,

plainly but neatly dressed, and evidently

those

who
were

were no strangers
looks of

to daily honest labor.

The devout
incredulity,

many showed
circle,

that

sincere

believers

plenty at the

while

some shades of

which
that

we

detected on the faces of others, especially on

of a middle-aged

gentleman with a very high

peaked 'forehead, told us that unbelievers and curious

inquirers were also present.

Directly opposite us sat

an elderly lady, with one of the neatest of caps bordering a face mild and benevolent in
distinctly
its

expression, but so
belief as to

marked with firmness of

the

be

re-

marked by

most casual observer.

She informed us

at a later period of the evening, that she

was a medium.
us,

Seated at our

left

hand and next adjoining

were

two

girls, the
first

one

fifteen the

other sixteen years of age.

in

The

was short and stout

person, with black hair

and eyes, the bloom of the rose on her cheek, and her
whole manner
arid

expression of countenance artless and

that

^sophisticated.

The arm

was extended towards

38
the table

THE KAPPER8.
was
full

and round, and apparently of

consi-

derable muscular strength, while the hands, which were

spread

out

on the

table,

although

small

and

well

formed, were evidently hands accustomed to the broom

and brush.

Mr. T. informed us that she was as she was and had

the

appeared, artless, possessed only of a plain education,

and accustomed
for

to daily labor, but that she

some time been a medium, through whom

spoke and sang,
to

spirits

whom

they

sometimes

revealed themselves in palpable shape and form.

The

second

girl

was

slight id

figure,

with light hair and

eyes, pale complexion, artless in look and

manner

as

her neighbor, and evidently of the same class and with

about the same amount of education.

She also was, as

Mr. T. informed
other.

us, a

medium

of the same kind as the

The
after

silence which reigned in the

room

for

some time

we were

seated was at length broken by sundry

manifestations of impatience on the part of

circle,

some of the

especially

by the middle aged gentleman with

the peaked forehead, the twinkle of whose large piercing

eyes

seemed

to

say
to

as

plainly

as
all

words, "I
this,

don't
if

exactly

know what
coming
I

make

out of

but

the

spirits are

wish they would come."

The middle-aged gentleman with the peaked forehead

however, did not content himself with looks; he spoke,

and

in a

sonorous tone asked

if

there

was any

spirit

present which would

communicate with him.

Here-

upon, the elderly lady with the mild face, slapped her

hand vigorously on the

table, ejaculating at the

same

mis RAPPEES.
time " No."
lady,

39

lie of the peaked forehead looked at the

we

looked, and our friend in the rear, with the

whiskers, also looked, and

we

all

looked inquiringly,

but the elderly lady with her month firmly compressed,

preserved the silence into which she had

ately after speaking her emphatic
i;

foil

en immedi-

No."

We hereupon

took

it

upon ourself

to speak.

Oursdf
table

" Madam,
'

how does your

slapping on the
invisi-

mean
no,'

no V

We

have been told that one

ble rap (supposed to be that of a spirit) on the table

means
nor
tell

'

and when a person cannot see who raps,

the rap
is

how

produced, the rap then seems to

as
it

be and mean something, inasmuch

given by no mortal hand.
table as

appears to be

But any one may rap on the

and, as a test, the rap

you have done

amounts

to nothing."

Elderly
hand, and

Lady
I

i;

The
as

spirit
it

took possession of

my

must rap

directs/'

Various persons

in

the circle

now

expressed them-

selves to the effect that they wished that the spirits

would come
tion of "
is

in

some shape or

other.

The usual
will

ques-

there any spirit present

who

communiand the

cate with me]*'

was passed round the

circle,

Mediums asked
and firm on
that
rits
if

the spirits to tip or rap on the table.

still

But there was no response, and the table remained

The we would not make

its legs.

elderly lady here sugL

r
<

quite so

much

noise, the spi-

would probably manifest themselves.

was heeded, and deep
At
this

The sugin

gestion
circle.

silence reigned

the

moment our

friend in the whiskers, with

TILE
his

RAPPERS.

eyes more expansive than ever, touched us on the

shoulder, and told us to look at the girl the light hair. Our eyes were already
rection.
i.

Medium

with

fixed in that di-

The

girl's figure

seemed

to be intc

all

She bent her arms and twisted her body into manner of shapes, the muscles of her face
This was suc-

convulsively and her eyes rolled wildly.

ceeded by her striking

in

quick succession her hand up

table, not only with all na-

and down on the edge of the

tural strength, but apparently

superhuman
would

force,

which

seemed every moment

laceration
of*

as if

it

result in a terrible

hand.

We

the flesh and breaking of the bones of the curself were shocked, and reached forth our
s

hand

to end...

rd and
i
.11

downward
with almost

strokes of the girl's arm, which

the rapidity

and thumr

f the

beam of a steam

engine.

Our

interference,

however,
to stop a locom.

much
and
a

avail as if

we had attempted
it

govt
_

up, turning from the u:

and endeavor;:

ver ourself

somewhat bv
i

templative survey of the incomparal

1

of

in

the rear.

Our

firioWs
fairly to

ere dilated to

their

utmost capacity, seemed

crack and snap,

and

to

be just on the point of jumping beyond the line

girl.
-

of his whiskers on to the

rned

to v.
;

our friend, our

10se

around that we did not much relish the looking

at the
el

young

girl

thus apparently bru^

( the

um
hurt her<

quietly remarked, that the girl

spirit

would not

which had

mm

THE RAPPERS.
her " would see to
that.*'

41

We

of course had nothing to

after

answer to such a clincher, and

we had

taken the

short survey of our friend's eyes and whiskers,

we

again

turned back too look more composedly on the young

Medium.
up

The

strokes of the

arm became

less frequent,

the face settled into a

h-.

more composed

state,

and casting

the girl said in a slow, distinct voice, but

different

from the one

in

which we had before heard

her speak. - Not one ray of hope."

The

spell

seemed

now suddenly

to leave her, and giving a slight shrug to

its

her whole frame, her face assumed

natural expression,

and she took her seat with an

air of slight

embarrass-

ment

4i

Hjlv<

hurt yourself

"N Do
_

you remember anything you have been saying

or don

.-

little

numbedness when the

spirit first

of me."
I

this

moment,

the girl

Medium

with the dark hair,

I in like

who

sat

imme
Her hands
;

man-

ner as the other had been.

at first be
lied fear-

tremble, then her whole frame

fully,
.

Ik

and her urns

with
all

as bars of iron.

our force, but could not bend her arms.

_
i

of her whole

and a throwing out

as if she

was

in the

un-

y as
the other had
J
.

le.

Finally, as below

M
spasm,
if

THE RAPPERS.

we may

so call

it,

became

less violent,
in this faith)

and a
spoke

spirit (so

supposed by the believers

:

through her as follows

11

She would

resist

me, but she cannot.

She made up
spirits.

her mind that she would not be influenced by the

Some
There
There

say that the departed are not allowed to return,

but they do return to communicate with their friends.

is

such a thing as progression, but not a devil.

is

no
is

fire

and brimstone.
Adieu,

Spirits can progress.

friends."

My
the

name

Sarah.
cousin.

my

Sarah was

medium's

After thus speaking, the

medium shook

herself,

and
T.

came out of

the trance as the others had done.

this

Mr.

informed us that

medium had been

in his circle, for

a speaking one

and had spoken only

about a year past.

During the time

that she

was

in the

above trance, she

reached forth and clutched the Bible convulsively, extending

it

towards one outside of the

circle.

The

per-

son took the Bible, commenced reading, and continued

to

do so

until the

Medium spoke
elderly lady

as above.

This led us

to ask the question, if the spirits taught the religion of

Medium answered that such was her belief, and of many others. At tliis moment the First Medium was again taken
the
Bible.

The

possession of

by

the spirit, but not in so violent a

man-

ner as before.

Her

face
soft

wore a smile, and her eyes

and
blissful

were uprolled with a

expression, as

if

she was contemplating

some

sight of beauty.

Waving

her hand, she said

tite

Rappees.

4-3

"All

is

bright and happy within the gates of that

great city.

How

they sing praises

r. o

The Medium here shaded her eyes

for

a moment with
still
;

her hands, then clapped them, and then stood

at this

and

moment

the Second

Medium was

again seized

by the

spirit, (in

the language of the believers.) and

c

shouted out, u

t Medium

Come
i:

Second

That's mamma." Medium" That's you

A
her

lady here approached the First

she could describe Heaven.

Medium, and asked

dwell in

if

I-dium

Yes

'tis

with Jesus that

those regions where angels are ever on the wing."

The Medium here made a motion with her hands,

si-

milar to the flapping of wings, accompanying it with the ejaculation. u Ever on the wing, ever on the wing."

Lady

,;

Do you

see

grandma
I

Yes.

see grandma.

think she will be here to-

Lady
I

Does

little

Charley want to come back

;

V
is

>,

he don't want to come back

the Savior

teaching him."

The Second Medium here commenced

This lasted for

striking out

her arms in front of ber with the most fearful violence.

some moments, when she changed

the

motion, and slapped her breast with both hands with

great force for about five minutes.

nished at this
involuntarily

new change of

operation,

Somewhat astowe ejaculated

something very much like a "halloo,

what's to pay

now

and ventured afterwards respect-

44
fully

THE RAPPERS.
to inquire

the

meaning of these strange move-

ments.

Mr.

T.

"The

doctor has possession of her now.

When
to

he was alive he prescribed for her, and continues

do so now.

He

has often taken possession of her,

and gives her emetics, &c, when necessary.

She has

now
idea,

a very bad cold, and he

is

taking care of her."

like the
:

Ourself

" Well, this

like to

is

something new, but we

and should

have a doctor on the same terms

for cheapness, if nothing else."

JElderly

Lady Medium

"

There

is

too

much

talking

and laughing around the

likely to

table,

and the

spirits will

be

go away."
silenced,

We

were

and just at that moment, the

the doctor
herself,

seof,

cond Medium,

whom

was taking care

was evident

suddenly ceased slapping

contortions of her
the emetic

and from the violent

that

mouth and
itself in

face, it

was

in

process of being

swallowed, and

would soon manifest

spiritual

something more than a

manner.

It

did so

and a moment afterwards,

the

Medium

threw from her mouth a large quantity of

it

phlegm, which

was evident, from her violent coughand did

ing sometime previously, ought to have been so thrown

off.

The doctor was

manner.

right,

his

duty

in the

most

scientific

We

consider

him a better doctor

time, the eyes of
line of

than

many

live ones.
in

During

all this

our friend

the whiskers were far

beyond the

the longest hair of his facial ornaments.

The Medium now came out of her

T. had a

trance,

and Mr.

communication from the

spirit

of his wife

THE RAPPERS.

45

through raps on the table, and spelt out by alphabet.

She

said she

was happy, and was glad

to

be there and

see him.

Both Mediums were now again

cond

affected,

and the

se-

Medium

rose from the table and marched with

erect figure
soldier,

and measured tread after the manner of a

the at-

drew her imaginary sword and assumed

titude of

command.

Thus she spoke

Right to the

" That ain't right.

left, left

to the right.

Two,

four, eight, four to

the center, two to the left

eight, face left, forward."

The Medium spoke some time

ample.

in this
is

way

of giving
for ex-

words of command, but? the above

enough

We
it

ventured to inquire what

spirit

had

now

posses-

sion of her,

and were answered by the elderly lady, that

of Washington,
the

was the

spirit

who

often

came

into

their circle.

The eye of

man

with the peaked foreintelli-

head twinkled with a peculiar twinkle at the

gence, and our friend of the whiskers wa^s

dumb

and did

not open his mouth

large.

his eyes,

however, continued very

We

ourself inquired

if

Jackson ever came up,

and were answered that he

did,

and Webster

also.

It

was likewise stated

that

Webster and Clay were

when we were pleasantly

in

lower spheres than Jackson, to which we slightly de-

murred, as rather

unfair,

told

by the elderly lady Medium that we must not

tics in the

talk poli-

presence of the
of

spirits.

The

spirit

Madame

Malibran

(at least, so

we were
first

informed by Mr. T.,)

now

took possession of the

46

THE RAPPEES.
talking in a sprightly style

Medium, and she commenced

and
in

broken English.

Mr. T. informed us that the

would play on the piano and

spirit of

Malibran often took possession of both of the

that they

Mediums, and
sing,

and sometimes

talk French, although neither of

state,

them, when in a natural

could play, or sing, or

speak any language but their own.

The second Medium here suddenly broke out

rich Irish brogue.

in a

" Faith and

how

are you

Madame

Malibran, what
1

makes you look

you."
First

so prim like, devil a bit

care for

Medium.

" How

d'do, Patrick, can

you

talk

French

Second Medium.
will

" Devil
I

a bit can

do that same,

you tache

me f

First Medium.'I

" Yes,

will,

good

night,

must

go,

stay too long."

We
that
it

here asked

who Patrick

was, and were informed

was a /unny Irishman named Mulligan, who

often took possession of the

the spirit of Malibran

Medium.

We

also asked
in

where and when she sang

Lonthat

don, and received for answer, through the

Medium,

she did not know, she was so happy in the spirit world
that she had forgotten all about

what took place when

in

she was in
this

this,

and knew only what was going on

here, as she did that evening.
friend of ours in the

when she came

if

We
spirit

asked her

she

knew any
tell

world, and she answered that she did not, but would
inquire for them and

us another time.

THE. RAPPERS.

47

The above was about

all

of importance that took

In

place at the private circle of Mr. T.

answer

to

some

remarks which we made, Mr. T. informed us that raps

were frequent around the house

and night
;

at all

hours of the day

that he

and other members of the family

spirit

had had astonishing revelations from the

that they had once been told

world

by

the spirits that certain

other spirits would, on a certain night,

come

into the

house and

fly visibly

about in the shape of doves.

it

The

day appointed came, and with

flying about the
like illuminated

came three doves,

but seeming

room palpably

visible,

shadows of doves.
still

The candles were

the doves, with a

withdrawn from the room, but

beautiful halo of light surrounding them, flew noiselessly

about the apartment.

Mr. T. seems an honest, sincere

man

his family

and the rest of the persons in the room

us.

produced the same impression on

THE RAPPERS.

CHAPTER

IV.

GRAND CIRCLE OF MEDIUMS.

On

a certain morning, notwithstanding the heavens

above were dark and lowering, and the earth below

muddy, splashy and abominably unpleasant

upon,

to

walk

we entered the rooms of Mrs. C, the public Rapping Medium, of whom we have before spoken, with our ideas extremely elevated, and our mind in a most
sublime and happy
for
state.

We felt,

in fact,
;

very spiritual,
in-

how
to

could

we have

felt

otherwise

we had been

vited to attend a grand spiritual circle, where the circle

was

be composed of none but spiritual Mediums, and

those
tion,

Mediums were
and no one
else.

to

be of the
it

fairest part

of crea-

Why,
turn
set

was enough

to

make a
a

confirmed Alderman

spritual,

although such

change would have to be

ful

down

as the

most wonder-,

miracle since the days of Friar Tuck. Laying aside,

however, everything relating to aldermen as not being

a very spiritual subject to discourse upon, and confining

matters to ourself,
C.'s

we

entered, as

we

said before,

Mrs.

rooms very

spiritually inclined, because, in

to see

view of
it.

what we expected

and hear, we could not help

half
rilled,

We

found the

room already

and for some

THE RAPPERS.

4:9

moments
in,

after

we

entered, those invited

came pouring

until every available spot of space in the

room was

occupied.

There were but few gentlemen present, and

after the uncloaking

and unbonnetting, and the kisses

fair spiritualists

of greeting between the

had been gone

circle.
all

through with, Mrs. C. commenced arranging the

Some

fifteen

of the principal

Mediums

present,

young women, were placed around the

balance of the company,

table, while the

among whom
two more

also there

w ere
r

Mediums, formed
the
first.

at least

circles,

surrounding

It

was a beautiful and an imposing array. There

were Mediums from Boston and Hartford, and many

other places, beside

New

York, and never has

it

been our
brilliant

privilege and good fortune to look

collection

upon a more

than they presented, of large, dark,

dreamy

and

flashing, light

and laughing eyes

of glossy ringlets

and Madona

curls, black,

brown, auburn and golden,

clustering on the sides of cheeks rivalling the

the rose, or

bloom of

parted simply over brows, pale, high, and

polished as alabaster.
tiny

And

such a collection of white,

in a circle
dis-

and tapering hands as were spread out

!

on that table

We

never before saw so brilliant a

play of hands, and

we thought

within ourself, as our

eyes had a battle with themselves, whether they should

look the most at the beauty of the faces above or the

beauty of the hands below, that

if

the spirits

would not

come
them.

at

the

call

of such a pressure of such hands as

was then

inviting them,

nothing mortal

could

bring

The

circles

having been formed, there was silenco for 8

50
a

THE KAPPERS.
fair

moment, during which a

auburn
little

Medium, with a

rich pro-

fusion of

ringlets, which, together with a

most

exquisite

bonnet, formed a very pretty frame to a

very bright

face,

took a seat at the piano and

commenced
cir-

a plaintive and soothing spiritual song.

cle joined in the singing,
all

The whole

and the

effect

was very

fine, for

the voices

were melodious and the harmony complete.

of delicious
influence

We,
will

ourself, really felt a sort

creeping over us as

we remember that we

listened.

The

reader, however,

said

we

felt spiritual

before

we

entered the house, which will account for this susceptibility of ours at the very start.

At
here
there

the conclusion of the song, the usual question

circle

round the

of Mediums at the table "

went
spirit

Is

any

who

will

communicate with
silence

me

?"

Strange to say,

was a dead

Black eyes, blue eyes, hazel eyes

not a rap or sound was heard. looked astonished

all

and there was a great shaking among the such galaxy of Mediums, and not one
ringlets

curls

and

spirit

to

answer

to

their

call

it

was wonderful.

If

some
would

6tern skeptic had knotted

face,

tighter the wrinkles of his

it

and asked
all

for a spirit to talk with him,

spirits, in

have been

very natural for the

a body,

either to repudiate or to snub

him

but for the spirits to

make no answer
it

to such a
;

grand

circle of fair

Mediums,
so.

was really too bad

at least

we thought

The

question was again passed round, but again there was

no answer.

At

this

moment,

Medium, w
jet,

ith in

a slim, graceful

fig-

ure, and hair black as

parted

Madonna-like curls

THE RAPPERS.
over a
its

51

fair

forehead, which crowned a face regular in

its

features and pensive in

in

expression, was seized

with a slight tremor

the

hand, and an instant after-

wards she seized the pencil and wrote several words

with the rapidity of lightning.

Then looking

at

what

she wrote, she said in a soft voice, "

The

spirits

say that

we must join
the result

hands."

And
that

the hands were joined, but

was the same.

;

There was now considerable,

the circle

confusion
right,

some

said

was not seated

and changes were accordingly made; and then

several of the

Mediums

tried,

without success, to write,

and there were talking and some laughing, varied with

small spells of silence, but
all to

no purpose

the spirits

would not come.

At
figure,

this juncture, a

Medium, with

full

commanding
harmony, that

auburn hair plainly dressed, and with large blue

said
:

and speaking eyes,

the spirits

" Sing a song of

may be

harmonized."

Mrs. C. immediately

took a seat at the piano, and in a very sweet voice com-

menced
whole

the song "

What fairy-like
joined
in

music," &c., and the

circle, as before,

the chorus.
a short time

The singing had continued but

when our

eyes were called from the general survey of the whole

circle in

which they had been engaged, by the appear-

ance of the
hair.

Medium
risen

with the

full

figure

and auburn
rig-

She had

from the

table,

and now stood

if in

idly upright, with

bliss,

her eyes fixed as

a trance of

and her

lips

moving nervously but uttering no

forth in a high, clear,
all

sound.

Suddenly her voice burst

and rich strain of melody, which silenced

the other

62

THE RAPPERS.
all

voices around her, and caused the looks of

to be

turned upon her.

The
:

following will serve as a sample

of what she sang

Yes, high

is

the passage bright land,

To Heaven's
And

Spirits are calling,

Joining heart and hand.

The

love of bright angels

Descends from on high,

The bright day And Heaven

is is

shining,

nigh.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!

Shout

to the

Heavens above,

In gratitude and love to God,

For God

is

love.

As suddenly
ceased
;

as

she

had commenced

to

sing, she

the fixedness of her eyes relaxed, and she reif

sumed

her seat with a shrug, as

sleep.

she had just awakened

from a deep

In

answer

to

our inquiries,

we were
in

informed that she remembered nothing of what she had

been singing, that

fact the spirit

it

was altogether impromptu, that

her,

was singing through

All

and that she was

a singing Medium.

we have

to say, is that she

was

a very good singer and something of a poet, whether

the spirits inspired her or not.
.

The
there

spirits (so said

to be)

seemed

to

wake

up, for

was now a quantity of

raps, on the table,

under the

table, in the corner of the

it

room

in fact all over.

for.

But
spirit

was impossible

to tell

who

they were

here wrote, through one of the Mediums, ns follows

THE RAPPER8.
"

DO
circles,

Many

spirits

are here from

many

and they

do not harmonize."

At thisTnoment
table,

there

came

three distinct raps on the

and each one

at the table
l<

asked

if it

was

for her,

and was answered

the question, and

no."
it

The outside

circle then

asked
as-

when
it

came

to our turn

we were

tonished to find that

several

was

for ourself.

We then wrote
a paper, and the

names of

living persons on

name of
the

a deceased relative, and pointing to each asked

it.

the spirit to designate

"When our pencil pointed to

answered
AVe asked

names of

the dead, three raps on the table

that that one

was the

spirit

now

present.

the spirit to

communicate

to us,

when

the black haired

Medium
cil

with the

Madonna
after

curls caught hold of the pen-

to

write, but
it

considerable trembling of the

we received no communication. Mediums here asked the Spirits if they would have the kindness to tell why those present had not more satisfactory manifestations. No sooner was
hand, gave
up, and

One

of the

the question asked, than one of the

Mediums, Miss

E.,

dressed in black, with black hair, high forehead, pale

features,

and large spiritual-looking eyes, was seized with

a trembling of her whole frame, which soon gave place

to a

calm

rigidity,

and with her eyes

fixed, as if

on a
it is

vacancy before her, she spoke (by the direction, as

said, of a spirit,) as follows
:

Medium depends
I

" Those assembled here are harmonious, but each has

different motive,

and one

too

much

on the other

not

passive enough.

could speak vol

54
uraes, but there are

THE RAPPER8.

many

excellent spirits to speak with

you

all.

desire that each one of

you should ask ques

tions, for
spirit."

every individual here has attracted a congenial

Having spoken
pretty

thus, the

Medium recovered
as the singing

herself in

much

the

same manner
her.

Medium

had done before

Whether
that

in

answer

to the spirit

who spoke through

but certain
it is

Miss E., or not,

we

are unable to

tell,

off in a trance, her eyes

when Miss E. ceased speaking, Mrs. C. also went became closed, and she groped

around the room, touching every one with her hands,

came to a fine looking woman dressed in black, who (we have forgotten to mention it before) had preuntil she

viously been asking, at several times, in an affectionate

voice, if her little daughter
her.

would communicate with

this

When

Mrs. C. reached

lady she laid her

the act of bles-

hands gently on her forehead, as

sing,

if in

and then

left

her,

went

to the table,

opened her

eyes, raised

them upwards, then

seized a pencil, traced

some words on a
laid

piece of paper, then went to another

table and returned with a small miniature, which she

on the table the

circle

surrounded.

At this moment
pale, her

the cheeks of the lady in black

became deadly

whole frame appeared convulsed, and she broke

into deep and

forth

heavy sobs.

So violently was she

affected,

that she

was borne from the room, but was soon brought,

still

back somewhat calmed, but

apparently unconscious

of what was going on around her.

Suddenly the

sing-

THE RAPPERS.
ing

55

Medium
in the

with the auburn hair, rose, faced the mother,

in a majestic attitude,

and extending her hand over her

sang

same

clear rich voice as before

Weep When

not,

mother dear,
cheer.

Spirits of infants are near,

For words they bring of good

Thus can

approach thee, mother dear,

I bring thee,

Glad song of love

When
!

am

hovering near.
!

Love Love is a beautiful Heaven is open to man,

Rejoice, mother dear, while

thing,

I sing,

And my

spirit is

hovering near.

Much more
down
seat.
in

she sang in the

same

strain,

and the tune,

to say, set

which was a beautiful one,

is not,

we venture

any of the books.

The mother awakened with

a smile, from her trance, and the

Medium resumed

her

Mrs. C. again
closed eyes
;

went

off in

a walking

trance with

but this time she laid her hands on a short

stout gentleman in spectacles and whiskers and a

ven
was

small slightly elevated nose, bearing no affinity to the

classical pattern

of either

Greece or Rome.
built after

It
a

truly an

American independent nose,

on
its

tern

and

a broad

full

peculiarly

own.

We

moon may as

foundation of face
well

here

remark,

according to the information which we received on the

subject, that in the blind walking trance which
full

now had

possession of Mrs.

t ,

the disciples of spiritualism

56

THE RAPPERS.

believed that a spirit wished to communicate with some

one

in the

room

that the spirit through Mrs. C.

would
Mrs.

point out the desired person, and lead him to the

Medium

through

whom

the spirit wished to speak to him.

C. picked out the

little

gentleman with the spectacles and the

nose, and having picked him- out, she passed her

his forehead,

hand gently over

which operation, the genlike

tleman with the spectacles and the nose seemed to

greatly
glasses,
;

for his

eyes

twinkled

brightly through his

tip

and the elevation of the

of his
to

little

nose

seemed (we may

increased.

have imagined

it)

be greatly

Leaving

his forehead, the

hands of Mrs. C.

sought those of him of the spectacles and the nose, which

having found, she led and seated him, by the side of one
of the most spiritual-looking

Mediums
his.

in the
It

room, and
a beautiful

placed the hands of the latter in

little

w as
r

hand and

soft as velvet,

and while the brilliancy

of eyelight, gleamed

more

intensely than ever through

the spectacles, the little nose this time fairly trembled.

There was a blush also on

his face

for he

seemed a

bashful young man, and altogether he was in a very nervous position. With the most profound respect, however, he bent over the hand which he held, and

waited for the voice of the spirit through the Medium.

The hand of the

a trance

latter

trembled violently for a few

as if she also

moments, and she seemed

was going

into

p but

it

passed

off,

and he of the nose and specthe table, no

tacles retired to his position outside of

wiser than before.

More songs were sung

more attempts made

to gain

THE RAPPERS.
some remarkable
manifestations
;

57
but without avail

The general opinion seemed

to be that too

many Medi-

ums were

present, and that the eagerness of all to have

communications, was productive of a want of harmony,

which prevented any great

place.

test manifestation

from taking

58

THE RAPPERS.

CHAPTER
THE EVIL
In our tour

V.

SPIRITS.

among

the Spiritual

Rapping

Circles of
visit

New
the
girl

York, we a few evenings since paid a second

house of Mr. T.

to the private circle at the

We

found

room and

table, as before,

crowded.

The two young

waiting,

Mediums were there and were seated at the table, we presume, for spirits to take possession of them. The rest of the company consisted mainly of the same persons whom we had before seen there. Two
particularly
attracted

individuals

our attention

the

one was a pale-faced gentleman with a goat (we beg

pardon

we mean
:

small tuft of cultivated hair.) under

in per-

his chin

and the other was a gentleman rotund

son, with a

broad

face, rosy in

complexion, and beaming

with good nature.

He

with the pale face and the goat

the stretch of inquiry,
if

looked as

if his

mind was ever on

while he of the rosy face looked as

his

he generally kept
in

mind

perfectly easy, and

it

was not

the habit of

stretching

on any but extraordinary occasions. Having

taken our seat,

circle,

we remained
for,

silent

with the rest of the

in

during a space of some five minutes,

which the

spirits

were waited
silence

but did not come.

The

was broken by the gentleman with the

TllK
goat,

RAPFEB8.

59

who addressed

to the

gentleman with the rosy face

some remarks on

the subject of spiritual rappings, which

led to a short animated conversation

parties.

between the two

The gentleman with

spiritual

the goat

was a firm believer

in

not

only in

rappings,
all

but

mesmerism,

clairvoyance, psychology, and

appertaining.

unto each of these

all

He

evidently went in for

the

new

doctrines of the day, and

the belief that he

was profoundly impressed with

of each.

knew something
tell

The

gentle-

man

with the rosy face, however, was to us a puzzle.

We

could

not

whether he believed

in

Spiritual

Rappings or
pleasantly,

not,

and although he talked freely and

through, the

when he was

company were
were

about as wise

in regard to his real opinions as they

before he opened his mouth.

He

was evidently of the

non-committal order of meD, and was therefore a wise

man.

The learned conversation of

length interrupted

the above parties

was

at

by

the appearance of both the girl

Mediums, who, by

the nervous motions of their hand^

faces,

and the twitchings of the muscles of their

gave

evidence that they were about to be taken possession of

(as
it

is

said)

by

spirits.

The hands of both were soon

thrashing up and

down

the edge of the table in the

manner

as

we have previously
first visit

described

it

in

th

account of our

to the

house of Mr. T.

This

violent motion soon subsided, and then the

Mediums

suddenly locked their light hands together and extended

them towards the man with the rosy

M

Well, and what do von want with

mo?" Mid

lie

of

60
the rosy face.
cate with

THE RA.PPER8.
" Is there any spirit wishes to

communi

me V

The Mediums opened not their mouths, but knocked " Yes." their hands on the table, as much as to say
Although the Mediums would not speak,
gested to the
it

was sug-

man

with the rosy face that he should ask

fit,

whatever questions he saw

and wait
it.

for his answer,

in whatever form he might get

He did so by

writing

down

the Christian names of several living persons and

one dead one, and then pointing to each successively, he asked the Mediums if that was the spirit which wished
to

communicate with him.

When

he pointed to the

Christian name of the dead person, the hands of the

Mediums thumped
thereby ," Yes.
1'

three times on the table, meaning

the rosy face looked

The man with

rather astonished; for he

alone in the

room saw

the

names which he had written, or knew which belonged The answer, however, was right, to the living or dead.
and the man with the rosy
matter,
nice, still

further to test the

now wrote on

another slip of paper the surChristian ones.

names belonging to the the Mediums thumped

The hands of
surname.
aston-

"

Yes"

at

the right
still

The man
ished,

with the rosy face looked

to put

more

and proceeded

more

questions, but did not

receive

much more
some

information, except that the spirit

was

his guardian spirit,

and would communicate with

him

further at

future period.
their hands, the

The mediums now suddenly unlocked

eldest girl recovered her consciousness
;

but the younger

one rose from the table with

all

the features of her face


THE RAPPERS.
convulsively twitching, and her arms

61
thrashing wildly
to

around

her.

She appeared

at

the

same time

be

in

pain and distress, and in the act of a desperate resist-

ance to some evil influence.

We

ourself felt alarmed,

and many, even of the firm believers at the table who

are seldom frightened at what they see, appeared to us
as
if

they did not

feel

quite at their ease.

The man

with the goat looked calmly on with an inquiring, but

not a troubled eye, while he with the rosy face rather
quickly said
"
:

For God

sake,

what does
it if

all this

mean

She

will

hurt herself; stop

possible."
it

Some one
evil spirit

here suggested that

was probably some

which had taken possession of the Medium,

and an
" It

effort
is

was made, but

in vain, to

hold her.
here remarked
so impress
it

probably an undeveloped

spirit,"
I

the

man

with the goat, " and probably

may

her, after the psychological

manner, as

to cause

to

leave her," and the

man

with the goat

made some few

your theory

other remarks in the same strain.

" Suppose
is

you

try your hand, and see if

right," said

he with the rosy face to

him with the

goat.

The man with

hia chair,
fastly in her face,
l

the goat rose very deliberately from

girl

approached the

Medium, looked
young woman
;

stead:

aud said pretty much as follows

;

Evil

spirit,

please leave this

retire,

go away, you are subjecting her to distress

therefore depart

will

you

62

TirE

RAPPER8.
in

not very profitable to talk to evil people on earth

such a polite manner as this
;

but that commanding,

effective,

knock-down methods of speech were more

and he supposed that
evil
spirits also

required some-

thing stronger than polite requests.

The

girl

Medium,

in the

meantime, thrashed about as

with the goat took his
seat,

wildly- as ever,

and the

man

with the knowledge that the evil or undeveloped

spirit,

whichever
"
I

it

may

have been, was too

much

for

him.
face,

have a mind," said the

man

with the rosy

I

rising

from

his

seat,

" to try

my

hand now.
I

don't

know that I shall accomplish to make the trial."

her in a

anything, but

am

curious

Thus speaking, he approached the

girl,

stood before
in

commanding

attitude,

looked her steadily

the face, and

making before

her, with his hand, the sign

:

of the cross, said in a stern voice

M If
girl, I

you are an

evil spirit that possesses this

young

command

you, in the

name
girl

ot the

Father, Son,

and Holy Ghost,

to leave her."

In an instant, the

arms of the

dropped loosely by

her side, the rigid tension of the whole muscles of her

frame ceased, her face assumed

sion, she

its

usual calm expres-

sank into a chair, closed her eyes for a mo-

ment, and then opened them again with a confused look

around the room, as

sleep.

if

she had just awakened from

She remembered nothing of what she had been

incident formed the occasion of

doing, or of what had been going on around her.

The above

striking

considerable conversation

among

the

company.

very

THE RAPPER8.
pleasant old lady, in a neat cap, and

63

whom we

alluded

to in a former account of this circle, as being a

Medium,
violently

remarked that the

seized

girl

Medium had been

to

by an

evil spirit before,

and that she had been

;

quieted by the reading of the bible

which remark

he of the rosy face answered that he did not doubt that

the reading of the bible

would do just as well as what

he had done, that he had only used, by

way

of experi-

ment, the old form employed by the Primitive Church

to exorcise evil
spirits,

and that the company had seen

the result.

He

of the rosy face soon afterwards retired, and

we

accompanied him, and have written down the account

of this incident in our Spiritual Rapping tour, just as
occurred.
it

THE CIRCLE
In

IN DARK.

company with

a well-known public

Medium, and

with a friend whose faith in Spiritual Rappings has no

limits to its fervor

and

sincerity,

we

paid a visit to the

house of a private Medium, where,

tabic

we were

told, the

was

in the

habit of performing curious antics, and

where strange
the

spiritual lights

were

to be seen,

After

ceremony of our introduction wat over, and we were

the

made acquainted with who joined the circle,

spirits

Medium and

several

others

the

room was darkened, and the

asked

if

they would

make themselves
to
tip
it

manifest.

The

table immediately began

and dance about,

rape wen-

heard on

it,

and

finally

was raised above

the heads of the party, lowered

down, legs uppermost,

64:

THE RAPPER8.
to
its

and then returned

right position.

The

table

was

a small mahogany one, and no hands of the party present had any agency in

moving

it.

assured.

In the meantime, one of the

Of this we feel Mediums present

for there

were several exclaimed, " See what beauon the table

!"

tiful lights

We

looked, and saw some-

thing in the shape of a small star flickering around the

table,

but whether

it

came from a crack

in the

door or
could

window, or was a
nut decide
;

reflection of

some

glass,

we

it

looked very pretty, however, and might

In the

well pass for a spiritual manifestation.

mean-

time, several present exclaimed that they were touched

by

the spirits, and

faith.

among

the rest our friend with* the

if

boundless

We

were asked

we had not

felt

our

self touched,

but not having to our knowledge been thus

obliged to respond " No."

honored,

we were

No
On

other manifestations of any consequence

circle in the dark,

took

place in the

and we returned home.

our way, in talking to our friend with the boundless

faith,

we remarked

that

we had heard

that he had
spirits,

many

wonderful communications from the

some of

them quite amusing. " Spirits are sometimes

he answered, with the
ness what
I

jocular as well as mortals,"

simplicity, " as wit-

most perfect

had one day just before dinner.

The com-

munication was written as follows

"
'

Friend,
;

it

is

about dinner time

don't forget your

dinner

go right off to your dinner.

(Signed)

Booth.'

"

THE RAPPEES.
"

65

And," added our

friend,

" the signature

was hardly

traced before a postscript was added

"
'

Yes

don't forget

your dinner, and go

(Signed)

dust's.

to WinHamblin .' "

-

66

THE EAPPERS,

CHAPTER

VI.
N.

THE SPIRIT OF THE REV. JOHN"

MAFFIT.

During our
Rappings,

investigations into the subject of Spiritual

often

we

had occasion to

visit

the

rooms of
have be-

Mr. C, the public Tipping Medium,

whom we
visit,

fore spoken of in the first chapter of this book.

We

think

it

was

at

our second or third

that we were

particularly struck with a gentleman present

who was

completely
pressed
the
its

in

a fog with

reference to a spirit that ex-

desire to

communicate with him.

We

saw
Mr.

same gentleman almost every time we

in the

visited

C, and he was
until

same

fog about the

in

same

spirit

on a certain

night,

the fog,
is

some measure,
singularity
in the fog,

cleared away.

As

there

considerable

ahout the manoeuvres of

this

gentlemnn

with

the spirit which befogged him, tne matter, as far as

we

shall relate all

about

we

ourself

was an

actual witness.

The gentleman

to

whom we
a

have alluded above, and

whom,

for

want of

more

distinctive appellation,

we
us,

shall call the

gentleman

in the fog,

appeared before

when we

first

saw him, as a very pleasant personage

to

look upon.

He was

dressed in deep black, his foreintellect

;

head was high, and gave evidence of

his

eyes

THE RAPPERS.
were
large, very expressive,
all

67

and the light which shone

obscured by a light pair

out from them was not at

of steel spectacles.
cled with well laid

His

face

was round and

full,

encir-

out and

thickly populated black

whiskers; his person was stout and well conditioned,

and
his

in

addition to the intellect exhibited by his head,

air

whole

denoted that he was one of the best na-

tured fellows in the world.

tially

His hands rested reverenaround was curious and

as an investiga-

on the

table,

and

his look

inquiring.
tor,

We

at once set

him down

which opinion was confirmed, when in answer to

a question put to
in Spiritual

him

as to whether or not he believed

:

Rappings, he answered

"

neither believe nor disbelieve, have not any opinit,

ion about

am

open to conviction, open to

spirits in the spirit land

all

kinds of
in

knowledge from
this
;

and mortals

the spirits

may

talk to

me, or knock on me, or

grasp me, or rap around me, do anything they please,

only
if
I

they will identify themselves as spirits

ask of them, so let them

it

will

be

all

come on and give

Mr. C,
is

proof, that's

what

am

after

therefore,

if

you

have no objection,
here

I will

now

ask

if

there

any

spirit

who wishes
in

to

communicate with

me

And

the

gentleman

the fog had no sooner uttered these last

words, than the table tipped up and thumped very emphatically three times,
" Well," said

meaning thereby

to say

" yes."
I

the gentleman

in the fog, " if

write

some names on
The answer

several slips of paper, will

is

you

tell

me

whether either of them

the spirit

now

present ?"

to this question

was

" ys,"

and the gen-

68

THE RAPPERS.

tleman wrote several names of living persons and the

name

of one dead one on slips of paper, rolled them

tightly up,

threw them on the

table,

and then pointing

to each

successfully, asked if that

was the one.

up, and

The

table tipped three times to one of the slips of paper,

and the gentleman

opening
it
it,

in the fog

took

it

was about
opened

when Mr.

C. suggested that before he

spirit to spell

he had better ask the

out by alphabet

the

name on

the paper.

The question was asked, the

spirit (so-called)

answered " yes," and the calling of the

alphabet having been commenced, a

out, which,

name was

spelt

on being compared

to

that in

the paper,

proved to be the same, and the name of the only dead

person
paper.

among

those written on the several

in the

slips

of

The gentleman

fog here asked

questions of the spirit

nicp.ting

who

professed to be

many commuwe

with him, but from the expression of his face

his

and the twinkle of his eyes under

spectacles,

were under the impression that he thought that the

answers did not amount to much.

At

this

moment Mr.

C.'s

arm began
was

to quiver,

and

his fingers to twitch, as if he

in haste

to beat a

lightning tatoo.

Having, however, grasped a pencil,

the lightning tatoo resolved itself into a lightning dis-

patch by writing, which, being finshed by an eccentric

whirl of the pencil, read as follows
:

subject.

Dear Friend Go on,

am

glad you" are investigating this

will aid you.

(Signed,)

John.


THE RAPPERS.
"

69
in the fog.

For whom
loud

is

that

V
if

said the
C.

gentleman
;

"For you," answered Mr.

three
tips,

and the table gave

C.'s

as

in

endorsement of Mr.

words.
"

For me f

said the

gentleman

in

the fog, and his

eyes opened so wide that a semi-circle of white ap

peared above and below the rims of his spectacles.

"For me?

pshaw!

you must be mistaken;

do not

know any dead John."

Again the table gave three bumping
to say that the gentleman in the fog
tips, as

much

as

was mistaken, and

that he did

know

a dead John.

" the

do not know you, friend John," again reiterated

in the fog,

gentleman

and again came three bumps

in the fog

of the table, meaning that the gentleman

did

know
his

friend John.
in the fog here,

The gentleman

very resolutely, took

hands from the table, and, running them deep into

leaned back and said, " This
I

his pantaloons' pockets,

is

very strange
this

emphatically assert that

I

do not know
I

John, and he insists that

do.

Well,

will

ask

him one more question.

the kindness to tell

Friend John, will you have

1"

me

your surname
tips,

The
"

table

answered with two

meaning thereby,

Not now."
The
fog gathered deeper and deeper about the gentlein the fog,

man

and he appeared to be nonplussed.

But

he tried again
" Friend John, will

you

tell

me

your surname 1"

"Yes."

70

THE RAPPERS.
tell

"Will you
" No." " Will

me

here?"

you

tell

me up

at

my
my

house ?"

"No."
" Will

you come up

to

house and rap on the

head-board of

my bed V

"Yes."
"

Am

Medium f
tips this

" Yes,"

and the three

time almost turned the

table over.

"

When
Yes."

will

you come up and rap

at

my

house

within a
' ;

week

?"

"

Will you
tell it to

spell out

your name by alphabet when

you
" "

me ?M
I

No."

How,

then, shall

find

it

out

1
1

Will
?"

it

flash across

my

mind, and you then confirm

it

" Yes."
" Have you anything more "No." "
to say

now?"

Then good-bye,

friend John,

and permit

me

to say

you are a very curious fellow."

And, as the gentleman
in the fog bid

John

adieu, the

semi-circle of white above and below his spectacles

was

very large, and the fog was so thick before him that he
evidently thought he could cut
it

with a knife.

Such

is

a literal account of

what we heard and saw

when we
table.

first

met

the gentleman in the fog at

Mr.

C.'s

THE EAPPER3.

71
the gentleman

Two weeks
in the fog at

elapsed, and again

C.'s.

we met
still in

Mr.

He was

the fog. and sat

back from the table, looking very inquiringly on, but

asking no questions.

Snddenly, however, the table tipped very loudly three

times, and, all around
for
it

having asked

if it

was a
it

spirit

any of them, and having been answered

was

not,

the gentleman in the fog very modestly

remarked that
friend

possibly

it

might be some

spirit for

him

perhaps

John.

The

table

now

fairly danced, as

much

as to say that

the spirit

was

for the

gentleman

in the fog,

and was no

other than the veritable John.

Like a warrior buckling up his armor before he goes

forth to the fight, the
his coat,

gentleman

in the fog

buttoned up

drew

his chair

up

to the table,

and prepared to

attack

John

this

time

in right earnest.
';

" Friend John," he said,

you

stick to

me

like

wax
imita-

now

manifest yourself

tell

who you

are."

C.'s

arm and hands were immediately no bad

tion of chain-lightning,

and the express, when deciphered,

read as follows

My Dear

Friend

am
I

the individual against

whom,

while on earth, you wrote so severely.

injury while on earth, and
evil.

You

did

me

an

am now

here to do good for

(Signed,)
I

Jony.

"John, you are mistaken;

have never written

against any John in any newspaper."

72

THE BAPPER8.
table tipped that

The
tips

John was not mistaken, and the

were emphatic.

" John,

how have
clue 1"

written severely about

you

give

me some
as follows

The answer, written through

"

the

hand of Mr. C, was

You were
I

not aware of what you were doing

you

wrote unthinkingly."
"

did not do

it

then maliciously

"

And again the answer came in writing No you did it to make a good article
:

you news-

paper people are the kindest people in the world."

" John,

you are rather

satirical."

" Yes, sir."

" But, John,

for evil ?"

how

are

you going

to return to

me

good

''By helping you to investigate

this

subject,

and

making you of service John

said

to

mankind."
to the

much more

gentleman
a

in the fog, in

and another

spirit (so-called)

made

communication

writing to the gentleman in the fog, signing the initials

B. D., and telling

him

that he (the

gentleman

in the fog)

was destined

to be a shining light in Spiritualism,

and

that he (the spirit

B. D.) would help John

the fog in his

in serving
after

the gentleman in
spiritual truth.

investigations

" But, John," again said

the gentleman in the fog,

"

you have not yet

told

me

your name

you are

all

wrong

never knew you, never wrote a

it

line against

any John, and

strikes

me, John, (excuse

me

if I

use

THE RAPPEES.
a very
that

73
it

common word
table tipped
I
ll

here on the earth)

strikes

me

you are humbugging me."

No."
;

The
"

But

think you are, John

;

you have

told

me what
in

was not true

papers, but
I

others

may have

abused you

news-

never have, and besides you promised to

not,

come and rap on my bed and you have

all

and above

you resolutely refused

I

to tell

me

your surname so

that

can identify you.

you
"

tell

Now, once for all, John, will me your surname at this moment and satisfy
the answer tapped

me?"

No !" was

by the

table,

and then

the circle broke up,

and the gentleman

in the fog de-

parted with the

rest.
this,

A
C.
lie

few evenings after

full circle,

we were

sitting

with Mr.

and a

around the table of Mrs.

B., the

pub
the

Rapping Medium of whom we have before spoken.

looking about,

On

we found
to us,

thai the

gentleman

in

fog was seated next

and

in

answer to a question

whether he was

still in

a fog with reference to his friend

John, he answered with a pleasant smile, "Yes."

side the
in

Be

gentleman

in the fog,

there

was another person

This was a

the circle

who

attracted our attention.

lady, delicate in figure, with very black hair and eyes,

and a
pretty

full

supply of (lowers on the inside border of her

bonnet.

little

The lady was evidently an unbewhite

little,

liever, for she twirled her pencil in her

hand,

and said with an

I

air

of slight contempt

have never had any satisfactory communications,

the
spirits,

and

as they call them,

have told

me some

74

THE KAPPERS.

;" and then turning to an inmost tremendous untruths at the table, she asked, " Do gentleman telligent looking

you

think,
is

sir,

that spirits

would lie]"

"It

was the
and

effect, not impossible," or something to that truthful, answer; "finite beings are not always

spirits
I

not yet developed,

it

may

possibly speak
is

falsely.

do not think

strange, perhaps there

no

one at

this table,

who

has not either uttered or thought

an untruth to-day.
not."

No

one

is

perfect and all spirits are

bonnet the black hair and the flowery she that said and mouth, pretty drew up slightly a very an day, that thought, or did not think she had uttered gentleman's the with untruth, and that she did not agree

The lady

in

doctrine about the spirits. The gentleman, here referred

to,

now

asked some

answered by frequent questions mentally, which were to us to be under the appeared and loud rappings, which What the foot. his on said were
table,

but which he

questions were

we

did not learn, but the answers to

them

appeared to be satisfactory to the asker.

He

had also

brother, spelt out by the ala communication from his both in language and pretty phabet, which was very

sentiment.

Each one around the table now successively to the turn of the questioned the spirits, until it came
gentleman 3
in the fog.

" Is there

any

spirit

here for

me?" asked

the gentle-

man
table

in the

on the fbg,and " yes" was the answer rapped fog. the in gentleman directly in front of the

"

Is

John

hei\

THE BAPFSB8.

75

And

three loud raps conveyed the information that

John was again on hand.

"John,
" Yes."
will

you

tell

me your surname now]"

"Will you
" No."

spell

it

out]"

"

If I write

down
?"

number of surnames,

will

you rap

at the right

one

"Yes."

The gentleman
struck him, wrote

in the fog, as if

some sudden

idea had

down

several surnames, so that no

one but himself could see them, and then pointing with
his pencil to each, asked the spirit to rap at the right

one.

The rap came, and

prised,

the gentleman looked rather sur-

and said
identify yourself to

"John, can you

me?"

The answer
"
I

spelt out

by alphabet was
fair testing."

can convince you by

it."

"Well, do

And
"I

again the answer, spelt out by alphabet, was as

follows, directed to Mrs. B.

will give

him some hard knocks

if

you

let

some
in

one hold your feet."

Mrs. B. here expressed a wish that the gentleman

the fog

would not hold any further communication with

she feared
it

this spirit, as

was not a very good one, but

the gentleman in the fog thought

John would turn out

a pretty good spirit after

all.

"John," he

said,

"I wave

the holding of Mrs. B.'s

76
feet,

THE RAPPERS.
so knock

me

as hard as

you please and make your-

self manifest."

But there were no knocks from John on the person

of the gentleman in the fog, but the alphabet
for

was

called

by

the spirit, and the following communication spelt

out:
"

My
I

Friend

am
I

a preacher.

M'ish

had ten
I

thousand tongues, and

would undo
I

all

the wrongs

did

when

lived in your sphere.

could easily identify

I

myyou

self if

you remember

the scar.

cling to you, as
I

appear to be a sincere seeker after truth.

to manifest

am happy
his chil-

my

presence to circles
to all.

who

are unprejudiced
all

and charitable

God

is

merciful to

dren, and before his throne I

all

humbly bow

in

prayer for

who

are willing to be blessed."

"(Signed,)
"

"J. M."
to that

Does

the initial of the

surname correspond
spirit

which you wrote and to which the

rapped?" asked

Mrs. B.
" Yes,"

answered the gentleman

is

name

suppose

John

Maffit,
I

in the fog, "and the who was once a cele

brated Methodist preacher, for

wrote the surname of

it

Maffit on the slip of paper, and the spirit picked

out.

The name

flashed across

my

mind and

wrote

it."

The

table gave three loud raps in confirmation of the

in the fog.

words of the gentleman

" But," said he, "
I

never saw Mr. Maffit when

alive.

Has he

a scar I"

THE RAPPERS.

77

Some gentleman
nad one on his
"
lip.

at the table

answered that Maffit

Did you have a middle name

;

?" said the

gentleman
spirit.

in the fog

addressing himself to the so-called

"Yes."

And
other

the correct

name was

indicated by raps, several

it

names having been written down with

John, answer

and

pointed to with a small pencil, as before.

"Now,
see you ?"
"

me

these questions

did

ever

No."

"

Did

ever persecute you ?"

" No."

Have you anything more "No."

'
:

to say ?"

"

Then good night," and the gentleman

the gentleman in the fog

in

the fog bid

the circle good evening and departed.

Whether

is

in the fog still,

we

are at present unadvised, but

we have

written

down

the whole spiritual scenes in regard to John

and the

gentleman

in

the fog, just as they occurred, and thus

place them before the reader.

78

THE KAPPER8.

CHAPTER

VII.

OLIVER BLODGE, THE MURDERER.

One
zest,

afternoon, having partaken, with great zeal and

of an excellent dinner, and feeling perfectly at

all

peace " with

the world and the rest of mankind,"

fit

we were
listen

consequently in a most

frame of mind

to

complacently and impartially lo any information

spirits as

which might turn up concerning the world of

interpreted

by the

Spirit Rappers, into the mysteries of

whose

faith
It

we were making
was our
still

our philosophical investi

gations.

fortune, while the

good

effects of

our good dinner were

pleasantly with us, to drop

into the office of a friend,

where the mysteries of Spiritin

ual Rappings and Table Tippings and Turnings were

process of being discussed, and

we accordingly pricked
language of the immorit."
its

up our ears and prepared,

tal

in the

Mr. Bunsby,

to "

make

a note of

our friend's

office

exhibited

among

The party at members just

such a variety of opinions on the subject under discussion, as to

render the conversation very entertaining,

and withal extremely unctuous.

On

the faces of several

of the persons present there was a pleasant smile of

incredulity
;

one or two looked slightly contemptuous

THE RAPPEES.

79

some presented on

their countenances a sort of either-

way-edness expression, strikingly suggestive of the idea

of a fence with a sitting occupant of an accommodating
disposition
;

some looked
and with

trusting and believing, others

wonder-struck, while one individual leaned back cozily

in his chair,

his

hands folded comfortably over

most portly corporeal rotundity, presented to the gaze of the company a round expanse of face, which we
a

cannot better describe than by saying that

perfect blank as far as
it

it

seemed a

exhibited any index of the

workings of

his

mind.
speaker
in

The

principal

the party

was a man
flaxen

of

intellectual appearance,

and although the

mous-

tache and imperial, which graced his upper lip and chin, gave evidence that he heartily repudiated all modern
hair-dyes,

the

zeal

and earnestness with which he

was thoroughly colored with the dye of Modern Spiritualism, that he loved the dye, and had no desire to wash it out.

spoke, showed that bis soul

W
rial

hile the
in

man

with the flaxen moustache and impe-

was

the midst of an animated

in

account of
the portly

his

rience

spiritual

manifestation,

man

with the blank face suddenly roused himself up and exclaimed in a jocular tone
:

do not believe

all

you haw
i

fog,
...

do you? are you not given

awafc

to

dreaming w u

"Believe

it,

sir
it,

as firmlj
1

help believing

because

have had Midi astonisl

I

and convincing proofs: ami

wish to believe

gO
in Spiritualism, for

THE RAPPERS.
the spirits have done

me

an im-

mense deal of good."

"

Done you good

how

?"
;

" In

more ways than one

spirit t-ook

why,

it is

but a few days

ngo that a

away my

cigar,

and

have not

smoked since." 11 Took away your cigar % Please give us that story slight twinkle in the eye of the in full," and there was a

man with the blank face, as he made this request. "The story," answered the man with the flaxen
moustache and imperial, " is simply this. I was smokat my table, and ing one day while I was writing
the cigar having occasion to get up for a moment, I laid I reached after instant an when and table, the down on

out

my

hand

to pick

the cigar

up again,

it

was gone.

and There was no other person but myself in the room, away cigar the taken have no one but a spirit could
so mysteriously.
I

considered
for

it

as an intimation

from
I

a spirit that

it

was best
and
I feel

me

not to smoke, and

it."

have

not since,

better for

"Well, you
blank
nice.

will do,"

answered the
in,
I

man

with the

"You
all

have gone

see,

completely,
as

moustache, imperial, and

all; but,

by the by,

you

must know
tell

about the Spiritual Rappers, can you

me

Blodge,

anything about a certain spirit called Oliver to investigate a I have begun the murderer?
table rapping and
I

little this
I

turning business, and sinee

considerable
spirit

commenced

have heard

about one
(as

Oliver Blodge, a rather remarkable

he

is

TIIK

RAPPERS.

81

called)

who

has

made some queer

answered the
;

manifestations in cer-

tain circles.

What do you know

"
I

about him

V
I

"A
tell

great deal,"

man
There

with the flaxen

will

moustache and imperial

have seen him, and

is in

you

all I

know about him.

acquainted, and

this city

highly respectable private

circle

of spiritualists with
are

whom

am

among whom

some

musicians and actors of note.

They meet once

the habit of

a week,

and have had some wonderful manifestations.

other spirits

Among
communi-

who have been

in

cating with this circle, that of

Ben Jonson has been one

of the most frequent.

He

has manifested himself under

is

four different names, one of which

S.,

O'Shucks.

Mr.

member

of the circle,

who

is

a good

medium, has

been often favored particularly with the communications

of O'Shucks,

in fact

O'Shucks declared himself

to be

the guardian spirit of Mr. S., and Mr. S. received and

acknowledged him as such.

meetings of
rit

At some of
I

the earliest

this circle to

which

refer,

besides the spi-

of O'Shucks, another remarkable spirit manifested

signing his

himself,

name

Oliver Blodge, and making

some communications not very choice in language or When questioned as to who and what he pure in tone.
had been while he was
in his

mortal form, he answered

very bluntly that he had been hung for murder,

half a century ago."

some

We

will

continue this part of the narrative of the

in

man

with the moustache,

our language.
his eharaeter,

From

the time

Blouse thus announced

he kept continually thrusting himself, as above referred

82
to,

THE RAPPERS.
on the
circle,

making communications

at inopportune

timesmaking them sometimes in profane and somemanifesting times in abusive language, and always so
circle himself as to render himself disagreeable to the communialthough frequently, even in his outrageous

cations, he

was amusing.
seated,

At
his

length, one evening,

when

the circle were

S.,

Blodge took possession of Mr.

and wrote out through

''Wouldn't you like
spirit ?"
1

hand

as follows

:
for

me

better than O'Shucks

your guardian

Mr.
"

S.

answered that he " liked O'Shucks very well."

like

But wouldn't you

me

as well ?" asked Blodge.

" answer. Mr. S., in a laughing way, returned Yes" for " Then won't you take me for your guardian spirit, Blodge. for O'Shucks is a humbug?" again asked
" Oh, yes," again laughingly answered Mr. S. " Then write down on a piece of paper that you will

do so," said Blodge. Mr. S. did as Blodge requested, and asked the
if

latter

he saw what he had written.

" Yes," answered Blodge, " but that
is

not

enough

you must Mr.

S.

sign it."

made

the required signature of his name, and

"ever since that time," said the

man

with the flaxen

on his moustache and imperial, laying great emphasis communicate words, " O'Shucks has not been able to

through Mr.
him.
S.

S.,

so completely has Blodge monopolized

indeed signs O'Shucks'

name sometimes
his

to
is

communications written

through

hand, but

it

THE RAPPERS.
Blodge who does
ture."
14

83
signa-

it,

and counterfeits O'Shucks'

Terrible!" exclaimed, at this point of the narrative,

the

man

with the blank

face,

who had

paid the most

strict attention to all

the above account of Blodge the

murderer, given by the

perial.

man

with the moustache and imI

" However," continued he of the blank face, "

it.

like to hear

Is

there any

more

to

come 1

think

you

said
44

you saw the

spirit of this

awful Oliver Blodge."

"

So

did," answered he of the moustache.

I

Wait

minute and

will
I

come

to that part.

Soon

after

Blodge

had thus, as
dium, Mr.
O'Shucks'

have

said,

taken a monopoly of the Meit

S.,

and made

a practice to counterfeit
S.,

name through
in

the hand of Mr.

another

Medium, who was

of discovering

the habit of attending the circle,

had a spiritual communication which told him the secret

when O'Shucks' name was forged by

at a

Blodge.

And

subsequent meeting of the

circle, the

Medium

referred to,

by way of experiment, asked Mr.

O'Shucks, as
lie

S. if he could give the signature of

had

before been in the habit of doing before Blodge had obtained control of him.

Mr. S. answered

that he could,

but the other

Medium
and

doubting, asked him to try.

after a convulsive effort

Mr.

S. took a pencil,

wrote the

name O'Shucks.
it,

The Medium took

is

the paper,

examined
tr\

and
1
'

said,

"This

not

O'Shueks'

signature;

again.

Mr.

S, did so several times,

and each time the

ted.

forgery of O'Shucks'

name

The Medium

now commanded
God,

the spirit, in the

i" write his (the spirit's)

name of the living own name. And imrae-

84
diately,

TIIE

RAPPERS.
S.,

through the hand of Mr.

Oliver Blodge.'
in

was written the

ad-

name
defied
S.

'

The Medium then again

dressed Blodge,

the

name
the

of the living God, and

him

to write again

was immediately convulsed,

name of O'Shucks. Mr. his pencil moved over

the paper without writing anything, and Oliver Blodge

was overcome
all at

in his forging propensities.

At
I

this

time

the table felt an unpleasant influence about them,

and

myself,

who was

present, although

did not see

anything,
that

felt as if

a form, not mortal, was

by me, and

form was Oliver Blodge."

see Oliver, after all,"

" Then you did not

exclaimed the

man
"

with the blank

face, as

he slightly shifted the posi-

tion of his folded

hands and looked up inquiringly.

;

Do

not be in quite such a hurry

did

see

Oliver

Blodge, but not then.

at the circle,

few days after

in

this

occurrence

when

1
I

was alone

my

room, and wide

in the corner
spirit

awake

as

am now,
His

saw a form standing

of the room, which

Oliver Blodge.
to look at

knew

at

once to be the

of

face

was disgusting and revolting

red, livid

and bloated, and he had a green

patch over one of his eyes.

pea-jacket, such as
I

He
I

was dressed

in a

coarse
in

suppose he wore when he was

mortal form on the earth.

did not wish to have any

I

thing to do with such a spirit so

with a strong

effort

of

my

will, to go,

commanded him, and not come to

me

again.

He
I

disappeared with a whirl, and on lookafterwards at the bell-wire, near which

in" a

moment

he had stood,

found that

it

was

all

twisted into a heap,

THE RAPPERS.
and no other but the
done
'
spirit

85

of Oliver Bludge could have

He was

probably very

mad

because you sent him

away
face,
office

so unceremoniously," said the

man

with the blank

in

and the conversation on spiritualism

then

our friend's

came

to a close.

The above was what we heard from

the gentleman

with the flaxen moustache and imperial, in reference to

the spirit of Oliver Blodge, the murderer.

We

come

now
same

to

what we

oursclf were witness to in regard to the

so-called spirit.

few evenings after the above conversation, in our

friend's office,

we

visited the residence of

Mr.

J. F.

W.,

and were introduced

to a private circle of spiritualists,

who were
around,

in the habit

of assembling there.
that
a

On

looking
public

we

discovered

very worthy

M
our

lium of this city was present, and also our acquaint-

ance, the

man

with the blank

face,

whom we

had seen at

friend's office

when
1

the

man

with the flaxen mous-

and imperial gave

spirit

his experience in regard to the

of Oliver Bloc
all

Although
ladies

the persons (consisting about equally of

circle

and gentlemen) assembled at Mr. W.'s

plainly of intellectual
iculaily

and refined character,

struck
ly in

with

two

individui

the

bloom ofyouth and beauty.

in

With dark
clear and

glossy hair parted

graceful curls

<>\\

noble forehead, beneath which

two piercing

black

laughingly and kindly out from under

-f

long silken eye-lashes, and with a whole expression

86

THE EAPPEES.

countenance which said plainly that she was possessed

of a lively intellect and great amiability of disposition,

we thought
fect

that the spirit could not choose a

to

more
if

per-

Medium
was

communicate with mortals,

indeed

they do hold such communication.

that she
a

We

were informed
the spirits not
in

Medium, through whom

only spoke, but to

visible shape

whom

they manifested themselves

and form.

The other person who

attracted

our attention, was a middle-aged man, whose peculiar

characteristics

were a subdued manner when talking of

or to the spirits, and an eye which

beamed with

kind-

ness and sensibility.

alism.

He was

a firm believer

in spiritu-

" Is there any spirit here

who wishes

to

communicate
face.

with

me 1"

asked abruptly the

man

with the blank

The
"

table,

which was a large circular mahogany one,

tipped emphatically " yes."

Who

is

it

?"

and the words had hardly

left

his

mouth, before the hand of the Public Medium,

whom

we have
seized

noticed as

being present, was immediately

spirit,

by the supposed
" Oliver Blodge."

and the hand wrote the

name
blank

" Ah, Oliver,

face,

you are

here, are

you ?"

said he of the

very composedly.
to
stick to you,"

" Yes,

and mean

was the answer

written out

by the hand of

the Public

Medium whom
as well say here

we have
that
all

before mentioned.

(We may

the answers

by Oliver Blodge

to the

man

with

the blank face were written through the hands of this

Medium.)

THE RAPPERS.
"
face.

87
said he of the blank

You mean
"

to

stick to
;

me V

Well, do so

and now give

me some

physical

manifestation of your presence."

" You'll have " Well, do

it

it

on your head soon."

now."

But the promised manifestation on the head of the

man
'-'

with the blank

face,

was not given.

Oliver," continued the

afraid
is all

man

with the blank

face, " I

am
and

you are a bad

that
I

fellow.

Were you
tell

a murderer,

heard a gentleman

about you the

other day, in

my

friend's office, true?"

"Yes."
''

Oliver, do
I

you

fear

God

V
V*

"

have yet to

find

Him."

"
' ;

Then you have never seen God

No."

Do

you expect

to see

Him

1"

" Don't know." u

Then you do not

fear

Him F
I

the
11

w listen same reason

N<

to

my
I

answer.
love

do not

fear

God

for

that

Him."

very good answer, Oliver, for you to

make

but,

Oliver, give

me some

test

that

you are the

spirit

you

represent yourself to be."

'

Look under your

chair."

The man with

and after looking

the blank face looked under his chair,

in
is

vain for something, Baid

" Oliver, there

" Neither
is

nothing there."

there anything in your head," was Oliver's

'

88
answer.

THE EAPPERS.
The man with
it

the blank face evidently had the

worst of

at this point of the conversation.

face,

"Oliver," continued he of the blank

fooling

"you

are

me."
not

" Yes, birds of a feather flock together." "

Why, you do

mean

to

say that

am

a mur-

derer V
" Yes, a murderer of " Will

you

tell

common sense." me how I have murdered common

sense ?"

" No, because you have not progressed far enough to

comprehend
"

it

if

should

tell

you
in

you want someof."

thing which you are very

much

need

What is that ?" "You want more

"

confidence in spirits and less in

theology."

Do you
You

think

am
;

churchman f
is

"

are worse

your mind

shackled by the gall

ing chains of error and

superstition, because

you sup-

pose that the invocation of the Trinity can cast out evil
spirits."

"You
leisure."
'

are

still

severe on me, Oliver."

full

" I wish to

pump you

and then drain you off at

"
"

What will be left when you have An apology for common sense."

done

?"

Do
I

you mean

to

say

that

have no

common

sense ?"
"

mean

to say that

you are

full

of

common, and

short of sense."

THE RAPPER8.
t;

89

What do you mean by

I

the

common, of which you

say

am

full

" Early prejudice."

" "

What sort of a fellow am I, any way ?" One whom the spirits will soon handle

as they

please."

" Favorably ?"

" Yes."

" Oliver, have you gone yet "

V
I

No

and you'll

find

out soon that

have only just

begun."

'You say that you are going to stick to me.

Do
?*'

you intend
"

to try to exert a
is

bad influence over

oil'."

me

My

business

to get the bark

" Is there any bark about

me

?"

"Yes, and considerable wind, too."

"You are getting saucy, Oliver; and as you let me see you, would ask how you look
1
'."'

will not

"Like
would
you."

hell

and the devil."

" Oliver Blodge,

retire;
I

you are

bad

spirit,

and

wish you

do not wish

to say

anything mere to

"I only mentioned those names to see what

devil,

effect,

which

is

not to be found, and a hell which has no

existence,
"

would have upon you."

arc
^

Wbal sphere
I

ou

in,

<

Hiver

.''"

"
in

never learned

to count, but

should judge that

friend,

was

lympathy with you; but my

and
will

you are
1

a fine

fellow,

one day make a

line spirit'

"Oliver, are you happy ?"

90
"
ful

THE RAPPEES.

Ask

the mariner if he rejoices at the

after
let

dawn of a beauti-

morning,
" Will
"
I

having been tempest-tossed for weeks."

you

me

see you, Oliver ?"

1

would

willingly, if

you would disperse

the mist of

doubt which intervenes."

During the above conversation between the man with

the blank face and the so-called spirit of Oliver Blodge, the lady Medium-, with the dark hair and bright eyes,

frequently remarked, as she gazed apparently on va-

cancy, that she distinctly saw before her the spirit of

Blodge.

When

he

first

appeared

in the circle, she said

that he stood behind the chair of the

Medium

through
in

whom
jacket,

he was writing, and that he was dressed

a pea-

had a patch over

his eye,

but that his face was

not very repulsive. During the communications between

him and
chair of
at him,

the

man with the blank

face,

face, she said that

Blodge

frequently changed

his position, often standing behind the

him of the blank

sometimes shaking

his fist

and sometimes looking pleasantly.

Towards the

end of the communications, she said that Blodge appeared in a new dress, consisting of a flowing purple
robe, with a silver

band around

his waist,

and a crown

of gold upon his head.

"

And now,"
face, "

continued

the

lady Medium,

when

Blodge had ceased communicating with the man of the

blank
tiful

Now

see

him (Blodge)
with
little

retire into a beau-

arbor, which

is filled

children clothed in
is

white.

He

holds a book in his hand, and

reading to

the children.

The place

is full

of other spirits also, and

a lovely female, dressed in a flowing robe of white,

THE RAPPERS.
stands
in the

91

among

the children.

She puts a sparkling jewel

ones,

hand of each of the

little

and sends them on

a mission to earth, bidding them to return to her.

And

now the
ning
all

little

white-robed children are

in this

room, run-

about, and

now

the white-robed female

of each, where just

there
is

they move away and return to who awaits them. In the hand now sparkled the glittering jewel,

now

a lustreless bauble.

The female
away."

spirit

breathes upon the baubles, and immediately they change

into bright

and beautiful

birds,

which

fly

The above concluded

ing in question.

all

the manifestations which oc-

curred at the circle at the house of Mr.

W.

on the even

92

THE RArPERS.

CHAPTER

VIII.

POCAHONTAS AND OTHER INDIANS.

It

was a dark muggy night

the heavens

were black
light,

above, and the city lamps below gave no sign of

because they had been put out by a city law, made after a Common Council almanac, which said that the moon

would shine that night, and therefore

sary for the city to
there would be moonlight ready
the

it

was not necesBut

go to the expense of lamplight when

made

to

hand.

moon

did not shine, according to

Common

Council

calculation and

economy, and therefore the

and ourself
in the

citizens of

New-York
the dark
;

in general,

in particular,

were

in

and alone

dark with the drizzling rain

beating in our face,

we walked down Chambers-street, through College-place and down Robinson-street, until we came to the residence of Mr. L. T. Not a single person did we meet on the way, although it was only We looked around to see if we half past nine o'clock.
could discover a police star shining out in the darkness,

but even

this

consolation was denied us

the police
if

stars, like all other stars,

had vanished, and

feel

we had

been murdered that night, we

assured that the mur-

derer would never have been discovered, unless some


THE RAPPERS.
spirit witness

93

should have

day.

As, however,

we

did not feel

made a manifestation next we were as usual on a spiritual tour much afraid of being murdered, and with
little

our coat only a

damaged by

the wet, and our boots

somewhat

soiled,
T.'s.

we

entered the spiritual circle assem-

bled at Mr.

The two
scribed,

girl

Mediums, whom we have before

de-

were present as usual, and the room was more

crowded with inquirers and spectators than we had ever

before seen
it.

"

Is

there any spirit here

w ho wishes
T

to

communicate
and
" If there the

with

me ?"

said we, seating ourself at the table,

taking the hand of the youngest girl

is,

Medium.

please take possession of this

Medium and make

communication."

The

girl

immediately began to twist and turn her

the muscles of her face,
it

body and move

and

finally

snatching her hand from ours, struck

violently on the
it

table several times, and then extended

us.

back again to

We
"

clasped
spirit

it

and said

Does a

wish

now

to speak to

us?"
it,

The
on the
"

girl struck

her hand, with ours in

three times

table, which,

taking of course as an affirmative

answer,

we continued
is

Who

the spirit?

Is it

Oliver Blodge,

who mani-

fested himself last

week

at

Mr. W.'s, when we were

present ?"
"

No."
it fche

"Is

Rev. John Maffit, who also has manifested

himself

in

several eireleg where

\w have been present f

94
" No."
"

THE KAPPER8.

Who

then

is it %

Will you spell out your

name by

alphabet?"

"Yes."

And the alphabet being called, we proceeded to put down the letters designated by the so-called spirit; but
the result, after a few

moments' steady work, was

the

ex-

tremely complicated

in

way

of letters, and some-

.what funny in the appearance the letters made.

We

have seen many hard-looking Dutch names written, and some Hottentot ones, which no one but a man with an im-

mense flexibility of tongue, capacity of throat and strength of jaws would undertake to pronounce but Dutch and
;

Hottentot were nothing to words which the

spread before
rit's

spirit

now
sp-

us.

There were three words

to the

name

as spelt out, but

last,

which read, as

we have room only near as we could make

we

for the
it

out

" Lotohotowosky."
"

What

nation do you belong to 1" asked

the name.
"

despair
1 for

ingly as

we gazed on

Are you Polish

your name looks a

little

that way."

"No."
" Well, then

we

give

it

up.

Please inform us, for

we

cannot guess."
" Indian,"

"

was the answer spelt out by Did we ever know you ?"

alphabet.

" Yes."

You must be mistaken we never knew any Indians, and all the Indians we ever saw were at Barnum's Mu"
;

seum, and of their being the real Simon Pure

article


THE RAPPERS.

95

certain waggish persons have expressed great doubt.

They looked
approved

Indian, however,

and whooped

in

the
;

most
but,

style,

and therefore we were

satisfied

friend Lotohotowsky,

we .must

say again that

we never

knew your

Indianship.

"You

did."

" Well, Lotohotowosky,

how and where

me."
;

did

we

ever

know you V " You talked English

"

for

Ah,

this is

news indeed

but although

we have not

when we ever talked English for you or any other Indian, you may have it your own way. But tell us, if you please, what you want with us
now."
"If you don't look out,
" Lotohotowosky,
I'll

the faintest idea where or

knock you on the head."

we are ready to receive any physical demonstration in proof of spiritualism."

knock away

But the knock was not given, and we continued " Lotohotowosky, will you knock us now ?"

"No."
" Will you do
" Yes."
it

to night ?"

"Here?"
" No."

"Will you do "No."

"

it

when we walk up Robinson

.street?"

street?"

When we

walk up Chambers
Up Broadway?"

" No." M Wli.n w.'

pro

96
"Yes.
"
1 '

THE RAPPERS.

When

you knock us down

in

Broadway,

will

you

leave us to take care of

ourself ?"

" No."
" Will " No." "

you

call a police officer ?"

Would

one come

if

you did V

" No."

"
"

Do

they ever

come when they

are wanted ?"

"

No." Lotohotowosky, you do not appear to think much

of the
'
;

New York
girl

police."
all

Indian scare them

with a whoop."

The

Medium

here unloosed our hand, gave a

slight shrug, recovered her natural state,

and Lotohotoafter

wosky of course was gone.

departed.

We

ourself soon

We may
posed
spirit

state here, that all the

answers of the sup-

of Lotohotowosky, to our questions, were

spelt out

by alphabet.

We

voluntarily subjected ourself to the inconveni-

ence and unpleasantness of walking up the whole length of Broadway, in order to give Lotohotowosky a chance
to knock us as he

down, and
represented

test the vigilance of the

it.

police,
in

had

But we reached home

from the safety, without the sign of a knock, either of a rowdy. spirit of Lotohotowosky, or from the hand

We
A

considered the last exemption

more remarkable

than the former.

few evenings after the above occurrence,

we were

present at
others.

ere

we

found,

among

Mr. C. a Medium of oar acquaintance, and the

to

whon
rhen

qnnat

an account of the
vera presrefer:

iet this

seeing and speaking

looked very duferenc from wheat rirst

saw

her.

The same black an

indeed th
:

brill:..

ssion which attra*:

her.

Her eyes

and whe:
addressed her
-

ur hand

red
14

Joa;

and

e tur

oeen

possess..

.ral

character, and

98

THE RAPPERS.
was answered
as if Poca-

that every question asked her.

hontas was speaking through

Pocahontas." said we,

her.

"do you

talk Indian

V
better

Pocahontas talk very good English;

talk

Can you give a war whoop, Pocahonta

Pocahontas gave a whoop

itly.

which made us

jump
;

It

takes a great deal to

make

us

jump

but

we must
that

confess that Pocahontas's

startled.

whoop was

so good,

we were somewhat
Pocahontas* do you

remember John Smith T

;

Yes. Pocahontas remember him

;

Pocahontas love

him

Pocahontas love you

circle

all

do

ou much good."
table, in

was now formed around the

a
seat, laid

which

Pocahontas took
before her,
still

her hands mechanically

keeping her eyes fixed on vacancy.

spirits

Do you see any

around

us.

Pocahon:

asked one of the company.

Yes, Pocah

myriads

the room
1"

is

full."

-Is King Phillip or Ma>saso;t here

asked we.

Powhatan
will

is

here." answered Pocahontas,

"and he

soon
this
f
les

make

himself known."
lady, with a pensive
at various
:

At

moment, another young

countenance,

whom we

have noticed

which we have v^ited. particularly

from her

Mr.

\\\.

and who was also a Mediui

ha]

chair,

and commenced flapping her

f

Mr.

C.
the

The Medium with

to flap her

..ued

hands before the face and over the he

THE RAPPERS.
Mr.
C. for at least fifteen

99

minutes, without flagging in

the least.

During

all

this

time Pocahontas kept her

eyes steadily fixed on the motion 0/ the hands of her of

the pensive countenance, and

when about

fifteen

minutes

had elapsed, she suddenly exclaimed:

'That's right,

Powhatan; do your

duty.*'

"Then
asked we.

the person
is

who

is

now

flapping her hands

before Mr. C.

possessed by the spirit of Powhatan ?"

M Pocahontas sees

Powhatan

he

is

here,

and

will

do

something,

1
'

was the answer.

therefore for granted that
it

Taking

it

was the

spirit

of Powhatan

who was

flapping his hands through the

person of her of the pensive countenance, over Mr. C,

we we

waited to see what Powhatan would do, although

confess

we were deeply
C. closed
his

in

t\e fog as to

what were

his intentions.

Soon Mr.

eyes

then his whole frame

fell

became convulsed, and then

and aU, on the
fluor.
is

instantly he

over, chair

" Pocahontas, what

Powhatan doing with Mr.

was the answer

C. ?"

asked one of the company.

'Wait and you

hont

shall see,"

<f

Poca-

We

did wait, and

all

we looked

at
if

Mr.
it

C.

extended on

the floor, to

appearance dead,

had not been for

a slight twitching of his

muscles, which convinced us

that he

was

still

alive.
of," said

"Perhaps he had better be taken care

one.

some

100
"

THE RAPrKRS.
Powhatan
he was
will kike care of

him

let

him

lie,"

said

Pocahontas.

And

left,

-according to the directions of Poca-

hontas, with his head in the lap of Powhatan, or rather

of the lady of the pensive countenance, through

whom
sud-

Powhatan was
Mr.
and

said to be operating.

C. laid thus for

some
floor,

ten minutes,

when he

denly rose up from the

his

gave his shoulders a shrug,

eyes a convulsive opening, and leaning against

the mantel-piece, he

came
a

to

himself,

wondering what
of course did

the spirits had been doing with him.

We

not know, and

after.

it is still

mystery what Powhatan was

The

circle at the table,

which had

in

some measure
the

been broken up by the operations of Powhatan with Mr.

C, was now resumed, and no sooner was such

case,

than

Pocahontas rose

up,
:

extended

her hand

towards a lady present, and said

" Pocahontas
will

do you much good.

will.

You

will

accomplish what you

You have

a good heart, and

God
"

will bless you."

1

Then

shall

be the happiest of mortals," said the

lady.

"

It shall

be so

Pocahontas has said

you.

it,

and PocaI

hontas loves you

;

God loves

mean what I say, thrills I know it. Bless you !" Whatever it was that Pocahontas knew thrilled through the soul of the lady, we of course cannot tell we only know that the lady appeared to understand
!

You know what through your soul. Aha

THE RAPPERS.
Pocahontas; that
heart
;

101
a chord in

it

seemed

to touch

her

for

we saw

a tear falling

down her

cheek.

After this there was a circle formed in the dark, to

see if the spirits would manifest themselves through the

medium
lights

of lights.

We
said,

were of the number; but no

came

after a sitting of
finally

some

half hour's duration.

circle

The

spirits

by
on

raps, that the

calling on

was
for

not formed right, and

information as to

the

spirits

who should and who should not be

circle,

members ot the number who had

we found

ourself

among
in

the

to leave.

And

so

we

departed.

few evenings after the above manifestations,

the

com-

pany with
imperial,
g<> to

gentleman with the flaxen moustache and

have before mentioned, we started
to

whom we

the residence of

Mr. W.,
still

in

order to see whether

the spirit of Pocahontas

kept possession of the lady

with the dark hair and the bright eyes.

On

our way,

however, we stopped

at

the hall

in

Broadway, near

Eleventh-street, where the Spiritualists hold a oonfer-

ence every Tuesday evening.

"We found the

ing to speak.
rit

hall

crowded, and a young

man

attempt-

He

professed to be possessed by the spi-

of Shakspeare, and although we could not recognize

in his

much of Shakspeare
convinced
Ik*

language or ideas,

felt

was himself unconscious of what he was

_.

and

that

some

Influent

bis

trol

impelled him to speak.

-

We

believe that he could

to

not have mustered coui

Igfa

do

it

it'

he had

been

in

his natur.
in his natural

\tremeh
state oould

young, and not one who

102

THE RAPPERS.
The audience, however,
and manifested
their their wish

an audience with a speech.

seemed not

inclined to hear him,

disinclination

by

hissings

and other signs of

not to hear him.

All this was very wrong, especially for a body of pro-

who should, we think, listen to everything purporting to come from spirits. The issue of the matter was, that the young Medium talked away for
fessed spiritualists,

some time amid much confusion, and then sat down. The next person who stood up to address the audience,
was the lady with the pensive countenance,
iously possessed with the spirit of Powhatan.

whom we
The
spirit

mentioned above as having been a few evenings prev-

Henry Clay was said now to possess her by entrancement. At least she announced herself as Henry Clay,
of

and what she

spiritualism.

said,

was mainly on the

subject

of

The manner

of her delivery was graceful

and sometimes sublime.

In the course of his speech,

Henry Clay, through the lady, denounced the course which had been pursued by the audience with reference
to the

young man who had before spoken. There was another speech made by another lady MeF.,

dium named Mrs.

who came, we

believe,

from

Pitts-

burgh, and had already created some excitement

the spiritualists of

among

New-York

as a speaking
learn,

Medium.
but she
spiritual-

What

spirit

animated her we did not

poured forth a stream of pretty words about

ism, but said nothing very tangible for us to chronicle.

After the conference had concluded its sitting, we proceeded with our friend with the flaxen moustache

THE RAPPERS.
and imperial
to the residence of
circle.

103
Mr. W., where we

found a crowded

Among
as

others were the lady

Medium, whom Pocahontas,

taken possession
of,

and the

we before have said, had lady who had spoken at the

Henry
Clay.

conference in the character of

spirit of

But

the

Pocahontas had departed from the one, and

the other, and both had re-

that of

Henry Clay from

sumed

their natural characters.

In the centre of the table

around which the

flowers,

circle

was

seated, there

was a pretty bouquet of

which had

been presented by a gentleman to the lady

Medium

who had been

Pocahontas.

the medium of the communications of As soon as the circle had been formed,

there was silence kept for the space of

in

some moments,

order to produce harmony

in

the circle and give the

spirits, if

they so chose, an opportunity to manifest themsilence

selves.

The

was

at length broken

by

the rising

of a very interesting looking lady, with black hair and

eyes, and a spiritual cast of countenance,

who approached

a gentleman of pale countenance and very large eyes,

and commenced making passes before him with her

hands.
his

When

the passes ceased, the gentleman opened

mouth and spoke.

Most of what he

said

was on

the

theory of

spiritualism, and as he

spoke

continually
all

during the evening, to the exclusion of almost

manifestations, and as

other

cord half of what

purport.

lie

we have not room enough to resaid, we can only <j;ive the general
in

He
in

spoke, successively,

the characters of
ECean.

Swedenborg, Shelly, Milton and Edmund

Be

said,

substance, that the

-Mv.it

law

ofGod was

104
love,

THE RAPPERS.
and that the law of
;

men

should be love to one

another

that the flowers on the table

were emblematic

of the purpose for which the circle had met that night
purity
;

that poisonous laurel

was the wreath was

for

the

conqueror's brow, but that flowers were the wreaths for

the pure.

That the mission of

spirits

to elevate

mankind.

That

spirits

sometimes assume other names

than their own, assuming

names well known

in

order to

attract that attention which their

own unknown names

names

would

fail to

command, but

that in such cases the

of others were assumed by the authority and with the

knowledge of

their rightful owners.

He

said also that

a majority of the
tical tricksters,

members

of Congress were

mere

poli-

and that spiritualism would soon change

for the better the

complexion of that body.

(We
right.)

here

mentally hoped that the gentleman might be

The

gentleman Medium, with the large eyes, also gave an

extract from one of Daniel Webster's speeches, and a
recitation of a few lines

from the soliloquy of Shakto be."

speare's Hamlet, "To be or not

The

soliloquy,
it

as far as given,

was not correct

to the text, but

was

very near.

Perhaps

Edmund

Kean, who was supposed

in

to be speaking,
his not

was rather rusty

the text,

owing

to

having practised the histrionic art in the

spirit

world.

These speeches of the gentleman Medium having been

finished,

Pocahontas suddenly took possession of the

she had before chosen.

lady

whom

Elevating her hands

and eyes to Heaven, she said

" Pocahontas repeats

what she has before

said.

Mor-

THE RAPPERS.
tals

105
Pocahontas

know

little

of the beauty of angels.

flower.

will give

you each a

Josy (meaning herself

does not like to break the bouquet, but Pocahontas says

she must."

And
to the

kneeling

down, Pocahontas (Josy) took the

it

bouquet from the center of the table and reached

forth

gentleman speaking-Medium,

telling

him

that she

gave him the center flower, which was a japonica.

The gentleman Medium thanked

her,

and spoke as
in

if

he was a young Indian who had known her

youth and

wandered with her through the woods

for the flowers.

He

also again

made

a few very pretty

remarks on the

emblematic language of flowers.

Pocahontas now told the gentleman
rate

Medium

to sepa-

the

bouquet, reserving the japonica for himself.

This was done, and Pocahontas, taking the japonica in

her hands, raised

it

upwards and
all

said

"Thus

fall

away

earthly pleasures, (meaning the

separation of the rest of the flowers from the japonica)

leaving only hope."

She then gave back the flower

dium, shook hands with
chair,
all in

to the

gentleman Mefell

the circle,

into her

gave a slight shiver, and Pocahontas had gone,

herself.

and Josy was once more

No

other manifestations of any interest, occurred dur-

ing this evening.

106

THE RAPPERS.

CHAPTER
SPIRITUAL
PICKLES.

IX.

CONFERENCE, SPIRITUAL BELIEVERS, AND

We
ings

pause here, to rest a

the spiritual

moment from our

and

journeyin a

among

circles,

to indulge

didactic rather than in a wonderful manifestation chapter.

We
cal

one evening took our way to Dodworth's Musi-

Hall, in

Broadway, where the

Spiritualists

every
the

Tuesday evening hold a conference.

Hall
with
full

We

found

full

of intellectual
cast,

looking

faces,

mingled

many

of a skeptical

and sprinkled with a

goodly number of bright eyes and chiselled features of

female beauty, where a mixture of mortal and
spirit,

gave the whole "form," as the

a magnet of attraction
earthly organs of vision.

spiritualists

would say,

which pulled hard upon our

As we

entered, a fine

looking

elderly

gentleman,

named Dr. Hallock, occupied

one of grave import
alists

the stand.

The substance

of his remarks was, that the subject of Spiritualism was

;

that the object for which spiritu-

met

in

that hall,

was not so much

for spiritual

manifestations, as to relate facts in regard to Spiritual-

THE RAPPEES.
ism, of which the relators had
build the foundations of this

107

been witness, and thus

strata of

phenomena on a

truth which cannot be gains%yed.

He

referred to
in

some

manifestations which
their last meeting,

had taken place

the Hall at

and while he did not doubt the hontheir full develop-

esty of the

Mediums, he doubted

ment.

Dr. Hallock was followed by Dr. Gray, who appeared

to us a thorough-going, but reasonable spiritualist.

The

purport of his remarks was that the world had been

governed too long by authority

by king
that

this

and

that,

by

that

author

and

this

author;

names were
was

nothing, as long
elicited
;

as truth, consonant with reason,

spirits in

and that

advanced stages of a Medi-

um's development, never communicated by names.

Dr. Gray was succeeded by an old gentleman
long coat, whose
in a

name we
to

did not learn.

He

appeared
evi-

from

his

broken accent,
in

be a foreigner, and gave

dence that
his coat.

point of acuteness, his head was as long as

said
that he did not like
to

He

be hum-

bugged, and that he had been at a certain place a few

evenings before, where he thought they were trying
fcc

humbug him.
the spirit

person pres.

:;ded
spirit,

(as

the

speaker thought,) to be possessed with a

and that
at

was talking through him.

I

"I just looked

him," said the speaker, "and

thought he opened hito

I

and

peeped

little

around

see

tin-

effect

of

what he was saying produced.

and
Tin*
said,

So

walk
is

Mr.

'Mr.
;

that fellow

humbugging."'

gentleman

"

the long coat and with the long head.

108
said

THE RAPPERS.

much more

in

the

same

strain,

and

we came

to the

conclusion that although he

was

a firm spiritualist on rea-

sonable grounds, he was not one

over whose eyes the

wool could be pulled to any great extent.

The
Mr.
the

old

gentleman

in the

long coat was followed by

interesting remarks on
said

Ira

Davis,

who made some

subject

of Spiritualism, and

what we were
that
it

much

pleased to hear.

He

said, in

substance,

would be well
from

for spiritualists

to put

in practice

the

true principles of their theory, and unite in endeavoring

to raise
false

and unhappy positions those who

society,

were outcasts from

simply because, although

society said to them, "

Why

do you not change your

position and adopt another course of life?" society did

not

make

the first practical effort to help

them

to

do

so.

Mr. Davis took the ground of expansive charity combined with material help, and called upon
ists to practice
all spiritual-

with their pockets and hands what they

preached with their mouths.

Thus much
It> is

for the spiritual conference.

a fitting -place here to record the result of our

in

observations

reference to

one particular phase of

Spirit Rapping, viz: the different classes of believers

which we have met at the various

ited.

circles

we have

vis-

These classes are three

require a test
;

first,

believers

who always
but what
is

second, believers
will listen

who

style themselves

''elevated," and

to

nothing

spoken through speaking Mediums and clothed

in the

most flowery language; and

third, believers

who

believe

THE KAPPEKS.

100
is

everything, and never stop to inquire whether there

reason in their belief or not.

We

have seen the believers of

table,

all

these three classes

circles

assembled at one

and we have seen

In
all,

com-

posed almost entirely of each.

the study has

been curious.

And

first

of the Test Believers.

These are generally

sit

very composed-looking individuals, who

table with
inspires
least

around the
it

a calm,

business-like

air,

which, while

confidence, shows that

anything wearing the

appearance of humbug, will not do.

" Is there

any
is

spirit here

who wishes

to

communicate

with
all

me ?"
is

the question which, after the manner of

If the

other inquirers, these Test Believers ask.

" yes," they do not take
it

answer

for

granted that

the spirit

who answers,

is

the one which they wish, and

which the

spirit represents itself to be.

"Give me your

signal

knock," (or
it

tip,

as

the case
tip-

may

be, according to
is

whether

was a wrapping or

ping Medium,)

the

answer which we have often heard

If

by these

test

inquirers.

the signal rap or tip was

given, or any other manifestation,

by which the inquirer

it

could identify the

the inquirer
his

spirit,

was

afforded,
if not,

was

well,

and

was satisfied; but arms and said he was nut

light.

the inquirer folded

satisfied,

and we think he

was

The second
that they

class of believers

style themselves,

"elevated."

we have styled, as they They are so elevated

any communications,
those

do not wish

to Listen to

except those which purport to

come from

who

110

TIIE

RAPPERS.

while "in the form" (as the spiritualists say) bore great

names, such as Shakspeare, Svvedenborg, Milton, Daniel

Webster, Henry Clay, and a host of other names of the

like calibre.

Guardian

spirits

of those loved on earth

to,

are forgotten, and no spirit will be listened

except

it

comes under an imposing name, and announces

a beautiful rigmarole of words.

itself in

We

have been present

evening after evening when such communications were

the impression which " elevated

made through speaking Mediums, and we have watched those communications made on
believers."
lips," has

"

Did ever such language

fall

from mortal

been the enthusiastic exclamation

which we have heard a hundred times.

Last of
thing.
all

comes the

third class,

who

believe every-

We have
spirit

seen this class at a spiritual circle.

"Is the

of

my

little

daughter here?" says a

mother, bending over the table with folded hands, and

the tears trickling

down from

her eyes.

" Yes,"
is

is

the

answer, and the tears flow afresh, and the head

with a deeper reverence.

bowed
long

And

then

follows

communication from daughter

to mother, during

which

the tears are changed into sobs.

pathize

We
be.

confess

we symour

with

such

parental

feelings,

whatever

opinion of the spirit answers

"
Is

may

the spirit of

my

wife here ?" asks another, and

gray hairs are on the brow and wrinkles on the cheek

of the inquirer.

"Yes,"

is

the answer, and then follow

communications, which cause the wrinkles to be less

apparent, and the face of the questioner lights up with
joy.

We

sympathize with the feelings of

this

class

of questioners also.

TBI RAPPERS.

HI
matter what
spirit

"h
comes

there

any

spirit

which wishes to communicate

with me?" asks

another, and no
is satisfied.

up. the inquirer

In reference to such

an inquirer we have a tact to

told

record, which
- Is there

we were
spirit

by the inquirer himself.

to

any

who wishes

communicate with

me ?"
tion

said one of these extremely credulous believers,

while seated in a circle and waiting for any manifestawhich might take place.
spirit spelt

a Yet," was the answer, and the supposed out by the alphabet, the name of
' ;

Pickles."

- Well,

who

is

Pickles

said one,

and ha

ha

laughed another.

But the sober inquirer and

answ

unhesitating

believer

"Never you mind about

Pickles

'Pickles;'
shall

it

is

all

right.

means something, and we

means."

one day find out

what

it

now," said this believer in the spirit of 'Pickles." appealing to us, in a conversation which we
afterwards held with him,

'And

"what do you think I have

"
is

found out what

*'

'

Pickles' is."

"" don'l
at that."

who

be
in

Look

was the answer, and the believer M a letter.

bat the writing

K
>nd
it

the letter;
four

m*

awful

n,vv.l

Md

of a

1.

written.
M

|,y.
o.

it

is

signed with the nmroeof 'Mango

Park'"

51 id w

112

THE &APPEB8.
it

"Of course
it

is," said the

'

unwavering believer, "and

;'

explains

all

about

Pickles

just as

said

'Pickles'

has turned up right."

We

endeavored

to read the letter, in

the,
it

order to find out

who "Pickles" was; but

phics to us, and
" Let
believer.

whole

letter

was hierogly-

we gave
it

up

in despair.

me
it,

read

for

you," said the unwavering

He
plant,

read

and the purport of

it

was

that

Mungo

Park had discovered,

called
in the

in the interior of Africa, a strange

Arabic or some other language,

" Bickles," which the unwavering believer interpreted " Pickles."

Mungo

Park, in his

letter, said

that this plant Bic-

cles or Pickles,

was of rare

virtue,

and that the unwa-

vering believer would be

its

made

the

medium

of making
to

virtues

known

to the world.

Whether he was

go

into the interior of Africa to accomplish this result, the

letter did not state,
in the city of

and the unwavering believer

York.
this letter

is still

New

"

Where

did

you get

of

Mungo Park

f"

said we.

"Through

the post-office, "

was the answer.

At

this

point of the conversation,

we suddenly we have

sepasince

rated from the believer in "Pickles;" but

learned from him, that two pails of pickles were actually delivered at his feet,

by some unknown person, who

spirits.

he declares was sent by the

113

CHAPTER
:"?!?. :">.!

X.
THE LOWER, OR

THE SPHERES OF THE SPIRIT WORLD

I

:-;-;z.-.z.

z evening

we

found ourself in the midst of a

pri-

vate

circle

of Spiritualists, to which
previously.

we had been

The company present was very large ; so numerous that not one half could sit at
invited

some time

the table, which

was a

than

the habit of seeing at the various places which

visited.

we have been in we have

not above eighteen years of age.

The Medium present was a young girl, apparently Her hair was black,

parted simply over her forehead.

Her

face

was

full

and round ; the bloom of health was on her cheeks, and

a beautiful pair of black eyes looked timidly out at

those

by whom she was surrounded.

nfessed to ourself that

Her hands were

:

small and well formed, and as th

on the
seen a

table,

we had seldom
in

more

perfect

model of a female hand, cast

a mould of

beauty, with a well-rounded palm and tapering fingers.

She

sat perfectly passive, and waited with those around

her for the manifestation

of whatever
presence.

spirit

should

choose to make known

its

114

THE RAPPERS.

" Let the spirits take their

own way,"

said the gen-

tleman

at

whose house we were a

visitor, "

and we

shall

get better communications."

We,
for

of course had no objections to the spirits doing

just exactly as they pleased, and while

we were

waiting

them

to

do something, w e cast our eyes around the

r

circle to take a note of the

persons

who composed

it.

All the persons about us had the appearance of firm

believers and sincere-hearted individuals.

They did not

;

belong to

the

aristocracy

of

New York

but they

belonged to that worthy middle class which every country should cherish
;

for

they were of the number of the

citizens

working and producing

with

whom

honesty

and truth are virtues to be loved and with

for themselves alone,

whom

labor

is

a thing which brings self-respect

and public honor.

One
in

individual, however, alone of the circle, struck us

such a light as to occasion particular remark in this

chapter.

And

he drew our attention, from the interest

in the subject

which he manifested

of spiritualism, and

the reasonable light in which, although he appeared to

be a firm believer, he viewed the whole phenomena as

we would
The

say,

and the
call

spiritual manifestations, as the

spiritualists

would

them.
in question
of,

face of the individual

was
what

encircled
is called,

and adorned with an immense pair

sandy-colored whiskers
his
;

his hair

was of the same hue

little,

face

pale, but

he possessed a pair of gray,

twinkling eyes, which kept moving around the circle as

if

he knew what he was about, and which

we

thought,

THE RAPPERS.
displayed a remarkable degree of intelligence.

115

He was
spirits,

dressed in a gray sack-coat, gray vest and gray pantaloons.

Whether

or not he

was

partial to

gray

such as Shakspeare mentions,

it

we know
in the

not, but certain

is

that this gentleman in gray was, to use a

modern

classical expression, "

around"

way

of Spiritual-

ism.

The
tions,

circle

waited some time for spiritual manifesta-

and the

man

in

gray cloth and with sandy whis-

kers, spread his

hands reverently on the table and waited

patiently with the rest.

But the
in

spirits

would not come.

At

length the

man

gray throw back his head, and commenced singing a

character.

plaintive song of a spiritual

There was a
spirit

deep

silence,

and we expected some very sober

itself,

would have presented

but there came instead one

the girl

who announced himself through

rich brogue, which left
his

Medium

in

no doubt but that while on

earth,

home

in the early part of his life, at least,

had been

the green isle of Erin.

" Faith, and see

how

are

you?

Here

am

sure,

come

to

you," said the supposed spirit of the Irishman,

girl

through the mouth of the

Medium.
and

"How

do you do, friend; but who are you addressfat little

ing?" answered a

man, with an apple

face

a pair of small steel spectacles stretched across the top

of

it.

The

fat little

been so quiet

in

every

We

are under the

man had not spoken before, and had way that we had not noticed him. impression that he had not much faith
if his faith in

in spirits,

although he looked as

the exis-

116
tenoe of markets,

THE RAPPERS.
was
lively

and not to be argued out

of him.

"Faith,

came
flit

to see
little

ye

all,"

was the

Irish

spirit's

answer

to the

man

with the apple face.

long desultory conversation here followed between

the spirit of the Irishman and various persons around

the table, during which the spirit of the Irishman main-

tained the proverbial wit of his race.

He

also

gave

his

name, which was one of those very

Irish people,

common among

the

but which did not identify him to any of

those present, as no one of the circle had ever

known him
was

on earth.

It is

not in accordance with our views to give

the majority of
it

the whole of this conversation;

mere pleasant badinage between

in

the spirit and the

face.

man

gray and the

man
it

with the apple

We shall only

give that part of

which bears directly on the subject

of spiritualism, which
"Patrick, (his
did "
first

we

are investigating.

you get
I

in the

name was Patrick) Patrick, how room V said the man in gray.
;

came

in

with the atmosphere, sure

popped

in

when
"
in,

the door
I

was open."
it

But

have not seen that

was open when you came

or even for

some time

before," answered the

man

in

gray.

"Sure
what was

it

has been open to-night, hasn't

it,

boss; and

to hinder

me from coming
;

in

thin?"

" Well, Patrick,

"Faith, the same

how will you get out ?" way I come in do you hear
but suppose the door
is

that,

boss?"
" Yes,
I

hear

it;

not opened

THE RAPPERS.

117
it?"

how
in

then, Patrick, will

you manage
if

and the man

gray leaned back, as

he thought he had asked

Patrick a clincher.

"The door
will be afther

'11

be opened, boss, sure; for some of ye

I'll

going out, and thin

go

out, too."

The man
face,

in

gray looked at the

man

with the apple

at

and the man with the apple face looked back

the

man

in

gray, and apple remarked to gray that he

did not think Patrick was very clear on the subject of the entrance and exit of spirits.

" Patrick, what sphere are

" "
It's

you

in

asked apple-face.
in,

the sixth sphere, sure, that

I'm

boss."

What
if

kind of place

is

Heaven, Patrick?"

"It's

a beautiful place, boss, and ye'll be a

happy

man
be
"

ye get there.
get in."

Pray

to the Lord, boss,

and

may

ye'll

What

sort of a place, Patrick,

is

the

first

sphere of

the spirit world ?"

" They're not happy, a

bit,

boss

they want something

which they cannot get."

"

How

is

the second sphere ?"

" Jist a

little better,
is

boss."

"How
"

the third sphere?"

to put

"They're trying

up a

bit,

boss."

How
Not

is

the fourth sphere ?"

;

"

quite so bad, boss

pray to the Lord, boss

lovo

the Lord, boss."

"

How

the

fifth

?"
;

" Middling good, boss

but not so good as

it

might

be

pray to the Lord, boss."

118
"

THE KAPPERS.

How

the sixth ?"

" That's

where

am, boss."

And

Patrick here ceased his communications about

the spheres.

" Patrick," continued " do

the

man

with the apple face.

you see any

spirit
;

around me?" one standing behind your

" Yes, sure, boss

chair."

there's

"

What

does he look

like,

Patrick ?"
if

" Faith,

and he don't look as

he was

much

he's

got a long black

so that "
"
I

gown
his

on,

and he holds his head down,

can't see his face, boss."

Ask him what

name
girl

is,

Patrick."
spirit of Patrick,

There now," said the supposed

speaking through the

Medium, who looked

at the

back of the chair on which the

sat,

man

with the apple face

spirit

and seemed

there stationed,

to

be addressing the invisible

" there

now, d'ye hear what the

;

gin-

know your name hould up 1 your head then and tell it like a man sure you're not afraid to let the gintleman know your name." But the spirit with the black gown and hang-down
tleman says
he wants to
;

head,

whom

Patrick said he saw standing behind the

chair of the fat

his

man

with the apple face, refused to give

name.
then there followed from the Irish spirit a long

And

series of

commands and

requests to the spirit with the

tell his

black gown, that he would

"

name, and

if

he wasn't

ashamed of himself," make known who he was.

The whole

resulted in the

announcement by Patrick,

THE RAPPERS.
that the black

119
that he

gown had

finally said
is,

had been,

while in the form, (that

certain

when he

lived on earth,) a

clergyman who had been quite famous.

But the

man
black

with the apple-face requiring

some

test that the

gown was

the spirit of the clergyman

whom
test,

he

professed to be, Patrick said that he (the black gown)

still

kept his head down, and would give no

and

the

man

with the apple-face then said that the black

;

gown might go
bad

for if he

was a

spirit at all,

he was a

an<J lying spirit.

This latter remark of the

to

man

with the apple-face, led

interchange of ideas
in.

a short argument, or

rather

between him and the gentleman

of requiring tests from
spirits, in

gray, on the subject

order that the inquirer

might know whether the

spirit

with

whom he was talking,

spirit

was or was not the one which that

itself to be.

represented

The man with

tests in
all

the apple-face contended strongly that

' :

cases should be required

for," said

he,

"even

spiritualists say that spirits are continually

com-

ing up, assuming

names which do not belong

lies.

to

them,

and often

telling

up and down

Now, I do
If

not under-

stand such a course of proceeding on the part of the

inhabitants of the
to cut such capers,
a
spirit world.
it

they are permitted

is

strikes

me

that the spirit world

very queer place, and not

much

better than

this
lies

world, where
to one truth.

we

expect to hear about one hundred

sir, if

No,

spirit

wishes to communi-

cate with me, he

must

identify himself, if he professes to

;

ho one

whom

have known on earth

and

if

he

is

120
stranger, he

THE RAPPERS.
must
tell

me

something that
of fine
in

don't know,

and not give

spirit
fine

me

a long rigmarole
fifteen

words.

If

can speak ten or

minutes

a rigmarole of

words about

flowers,

and the beauty of heaven, and

give the future triumph of spiritualism, that spirit can

me some

test that

it

is

spirit.

require a

test, sir

would not take for law and gospel, suck

express myself,
ntrreed with
all

in, if I

may

so
it

a supposed spirit told me, without

the reason and

common

sense which
it

God
plain

Almighty has given

that
it

me

or without
spirit

made#

it

was not a mortal, but a

I

from the other

this latter

world that spoke.

have seen much of

phase

as the of drinking in pretty words, and taking them language of immortals. I have seen circles sit with

open mouths and

ears, listening to a

rigmarole of words,
lips,

and exclaiming that it when at the same time

could not
I

come from mortal

have heard and read language

in sentitwice as beautiful, and ten times as reasonable ment and philosophy, from nothing but mortals. But
if

you were

to place this

handsome and more reasonable

blind language and sentiment of mortals before these require I it. at hoot disciples of spiritualism, they would
tests, sir,

and

tests

must have."
ftie

A spirit now spoke through himself as William Scott, who

the

professed to have
circle of

Medium, announcing known

which we
asked where he
at the diggings

gentleman of the house where the

visitor,

were the

was formed.
that he
;

When
that he

knew him, he answered

in

knew him

California, at St.

Mary's

(William Scott,)

THE RAPPER*.

121

died in crossing the Isthmus, and that he belonged to

Liverpool.

The gentleman of
the spirit of

the house, after

some

reflection, said
;

that he thought he recollected

Scott in California

but

William Scott departed without making any

further communication.

The

spirit

of Scott having taken his leave, the girl

for

Medium was
cence.

some moments

in

a state of quies-

Soon, however, her hand began to slap on the table

violently,

and her frame

to

be violently contorted.

Then

she

sobbed and groaned, and appeared altogether in

great distress.

The general opinion around

spiritualists,

the table,

among

the

was

that

she was possessed

by an unde-

veloped

spirit,

and some one suggested that a few passa-

ges out of the Bible should be read.

The man with

gestion,

the apple face complied with this sugat

and having opened

random

to the part of the

New
ject.

Testament which speaks of the raising of Lazarus

from the grave, read a few verses relative to that sub-

The Medium gradually became more

which was, that

quiet,

and at

length broke out into a sort of prayer, the purport of

God would

banish the evil influence then

earnest, the tears

around the

circle.

The prayer was long and

to
it,

and while the Medium gave utterance

rolled

down

her cheeks like rain.

Who is this spirit V

circle.

was the question asked by some

8

one of the

122

THE RAPPERS.
I

"Shadrach Smith," was the answer; "and

never communicated with mortals before."
"

have

Who
He
is

is

Shadrach Smith ?" was the question asked

face.

by the man with the apple

"
the father of the

Medium,"

said the

gentleman

of the house.

The

girl

Medium now suddenly jumped from

comer

the table,

ran to the

of the room, and shading her face with

her hands, exclaimed

"

What

a funny place
;

see

it

can't

be that any one

!

lives here

what a funny

little

place oh
violently

oh

!"

Then suddenly she became

casting up her hands, as
if

agitated,

and

to

express her horror, she

circle

screamed

in a voice
!

which affected the whole

!

" Oh, dear

spirits live.

oh, dear

it

is

the place
;

where the bad

oh, dear
!

am

right

among them

oh

oh

oh

!"

and the

Medium

shrank into the corner of the

if she room, making violent motions with her hand, as look would repel the advance of something horrible to
at.

Then she continued

"

Oh
;

oh

oh

never knew a thing that had but one

;

head
its

it

has seven heads

it

will bite

me
1

it

will stick

great horns in

me!

Oh, what horns!

Why

did
I

they send

me
I

here in this awful place

What

have

done that

should be sent herel"

And

again the girl

Medium
until

shrieked and screamed,

and continued so to do,

suddenly she came out of

sobs, she threw herher trance, and then with tears and of her female friends, self into the arms of some one

exclaiming

THE RAPPERS.
"
to

123

Oh

it is

horrible

will

never have anything more

do with
"

spirits."
is

What
The

the

meaning of

all

this?" asked the

man

with the apple face.

u
spirit of Isaiah has often

been up here," said the

to

gentleman of the house, " and has promised

this

show
I

Medium

awful sights

if

she did not believe.

pre-

sume he has now shown her some of

the lower spheres into which those

the mysteries of

who have been bad

on earth at
veloped

first

pass

the region, as

we

say, of unde-

spirits."

The man with

soon
left,

the apple face

made no answer, but

and we went with him.

a faithful record of what
circle.

This

is

we

witnessed at the

above private

124

THE RAPPERS.

CHAPTER
THE DREAM

XI.

SPIRIT.

The

private circle, following occurred at a strictly

consisting of four persons,

whom we
and
4.

shall designate

who were all Mediums, and as Mediums Numbers 1, 2, 3

their places,

As soon

as the four

Mediums had taken

each one in succession, the question was asked by communicate with me t" there a spirit here who wishes to

"Is

The

to table tipped an affirmative answer

Medium No.

2.

that the spirit would give its It was then requested of the alphabet, name, and, in order to avoid the trouble paper and put of slips upon written several names were consecutively up picked on the table. The papers were discussion but no response was rendered.

by No.

2,

then arose as to what

said
it

it

could mean,

the spirit

having

" Is the

would point out its name. name amongst those written

"Yes."
spirit was dewas then suggested that perhaps the pick out should No. 2, sirous that some one else, and not
It

the papers with the

names written on them.

:

This sug-

gestion

was adopted

No.

shut his eyes, and took up

THE RAPPERS.

125

the papers singly, until the table tipped thrice, (yes,)

meaning

that the paper which

No.

at that

moment
George"

held in his hand was the right one.

The paper was then opened, and

was found
"
It is

the

name

"

to

be the one written within.

1,

your cousin," said Medium No.

"

addressing

Medium No. 2. Medium No. 2 answered,

George, for he
is

It

cannot be

my

cousin

alive."

the

Medium No. 1, addressing the supposed spirit: "Is name and relationship correct? Are you, as No. 2
still

has said,

alive 1"
in answer,

The
"Yes."

table,

tipped three times, meaning

No. 2 shook

his

head

in

doubt

the alleged fact that

the spirit of his live cousin was there and wished to com-

municate with him, was rather a puzzler even for so firm

a believer as he was.
" Perhaps," said

Medium No.

1,

addressing

Medium
his

No.

2,

" perhaps the spirit of your cousin has left the

visit

form (body) and came here to

or body
is

you while

form

asleep."
as to the correctness of this supposition
1

The question
on the part of

Medium No.

was then put

to the table,

and the answer, returned by taps, was that the supposition

11

was

correct.
in the spirit

Are you

world

?"
it

The

table tipped twice,

by which

was understood

that the spirit intended to answer " partially."

126
No.
spirit
1.

THE RAPPER8.

" Do

you mean

to say that

you are of the

world while absent from the body

" Yes."

No. JL"You are not dead

" No."

?"

No.
"

2.

" You

are in a

dream

?"

As you would

say in a dream."

This latter answer was written through the hand of

one of the Mediums present.

"

You mean,"

said

Medium No.

1,

"that

we

call it

dream, but that you are positively present?"

" Yes." " Well,
I

don't understand this," said No. 2

"

never

heard of such a circumstance before.

rit

How

can the spi-

be here and the body

still

alive

V
Medium No.
1,

"Is there any mistake?" said

dressing the spirit.
"

ad-

No."
1.

No.
"

"You are deceiving us?"

it," said

No."
the

" Let us test

Medium No.

4.

This suggestion was adopted.

places were then written,

The names of several and when London, which was

the

among them, was pointed out by one of

the spirit indicated that that

Mediums,
place.
in

was the correct

The occupation of
this the

the spirit
correct,

was then asked, but

as
it

answer was not

had been

in the

case of residence.

On

inquiring the reason,

the following answer

was

written through the hand of

Medium No.

THE RAPPERS.
"
Is it for

127

want of harmony, auJ because of the doubt

to

existing,

which makes the power

communicate

diffi-

cult."

No. 2

"

admit

was not

in

harmony
is

the appear-

ance of the
that

spirit

of a living friend

so extraordinary

feel quite at fault

with

:'

it.

Will you write through one of us the reason why

?"

you come here

" Yes/'

The following communication from

written through the hand of

the spirit
1
:

was then

Medium No.
is
?

"

Do you

not

know

that the spirit

the same, whether

that
si.

in the

form or out of the form

should be governed by

Do you wonder

spirit

its affinity

that

it

seek it?

You know how

you know
;

loved you even in the plea-

sant days of childhood; and

desired,
little

now
I it

in

our prime
to

have

how

have desired

be with

you before

and now only has

been permitted

me

to

accomplish that which has been for some time

est wish.
I

my

earn-

am

with you, and you

"
that he

Here

the

medium's arms became so heavy

lift

was

alarmed, and he endeavored to

his

arm with

the other

hand, his countenance at the same time exhibiting an expression of pain.

pain, but seeing the

Medium No.
awkward
when N

2 not observing the of No.

1

effort
1

to
I

lift

his

arm began

to laugh,
so.

implored him
the
pi

sake not to do
viness on the
ting.

At

this
1

moment

arm of No.

!th it

his wri

The sentence of

the spirit communication

128
finished

THE RAPPERS.
by impression
(as

the spiritualists say) as

fol-

lows

"And you
sence."

will

not receive me, but doubt

my

pre-

No. 4 again suggested the

test as to the

name.

This

was acceded
the

to,

and No.

1,

with closed eyes, picked out

same name

several times in succession.

conver-

sation then ensued as to the singularity of the circumstance,

when

it

was proposed
It

that the

same

test

should

again be tried.

was then observed that one of the

;

papers were missing

the

the question was proposed whether

name was amongst

those remaining.

"No."
The papers were then
all

opened, and the

name George

was not found among them.

Search was then made and at
last the

missing paper

was found

in the hat of

No.
said

2.

"Is this the

name?"

Medium No.

2,

holding up

the missing paper.

"Yes."
"

Will you communicate to

me

the impression

you

have received to-night?"

" Perhaps."
the table.
"

This answer was given by two tips of

Will you be impressed

to

convey to

me when you
that
it is

write such intelligence as shall

really

make me know

you who

are present?"

"Yes,

if possible."
1

Medium No.

then spoke to a spirit

who had been

THE RAPPEES.
communicating with him, and asked
if

129
she saw the spirit

-Y

Will

in

pw
it

him

to

remember

that

which he

:en to-night,

when he awakes out of his drear

be in the nature of a dream !"

-Y
;
*

He w

Will

Y
2

^nall

we

hear from him (George)

to this efie

"Yea,"
" Y'ou are not deceiving

m:

-N
ou are truthfal, you^ill touch me."

And Medium No.

was touched immediately on both

hands, at least so he said, and the touch continued while

lowing questions were propounded:

You

are touching

rr.

Y You know whe: Y

Will you answer where
?*'

"Yd
::

my

head

-N
"

Monti
No."
\

130

THE RAPPERS.

"Yes."

"The answer,"
sensation
I

said

Medium No.

1,

"is correct, the

experienced was as though some person had

lightly spread a

hand over both of my hands."

up, and the several

The

circle

now broke

members

remarked

that

they should

look

for

a letter from
as they think,
his spirit
circle

" George" in London, confirming the

that while his

fact,

body was asleep

in

London,

was

here in

New- York with

his cousin

and the

above

referred to.

THE RAPPERS.

131

CHAPTER

XII.

SPIRITUAL HUSBANDS.

We
circle

were present one evening

at

a private spiritual

composed of some ten persons.

that

The manifesta-

tions (as they are called)

which took place, were among

collected for our spiritual

the

most curious

we have

budget.

When

the circle had been formed,

and we had time

us,

to take a glance at

those

who surrounded

two

per-

sons of the number particularly attracted our attention.

The one was a young man

abstracted

slight in person, with large

dreamy eyes which he kept devoutly

gaze

fixed

with an
as
if

on the table

before

him,

he
it

expected every
to greet his

moment

a spirit would start out from

sight he was evidently the firmest kind of a believer. The other was a short, stout man, of middle age, with a keen eye, and a face on which " don't
believe it" was written as plain as
if

the letters had

been stamped

in the flesh.

All those around the

table, as

usual

in

such oa

asked

in

succession

if

there were any spirits there

;

who

wished

to

communicate with them

nti]

but the table gave

the

man

with the large

dreamy

132
in

THE RAPPERS.

a low, reverential voice, inquired whether the spirit

of any one of his friends was present.

The
tips to

table in answer, immediately gave the three usual

express an affirmative.

"Do
"

you desire

to talk with

me?"
?"

" Yes."

Can you

tell

me

your name

" Yes ;" and the alphabet having been called

by

suc-

cessive tips of the table, the letters " K. A. T. E."

were
with

those designated
the

by

tips of the table,

his finger

when

the

man

dreamy eyes pointed

through the alphabet,

as the letters which

spirit.

formed the Christian name of the

"Will you
initial

tell

me,

if I

point on the alphabet, the

of your surname ?

" Yes."

The gentleman with

the

dreamy eyes again pointed

to the different letters of the alphabet, until he

came

to

K, when the table tipped, meaning thereby to say that

K. was the
"
initial

of the

spirit's

surname.

When

in the

form, were you married, as

we would

say ?"
" Yes."

"How many
" Twice."

times?"

"Well, what was your husband's name?"

certain Christian

alphabet, which Christian

that of the
first

name was then spelled out by the name the spirit professed was
his

husband.
the

The man with

dreamy eyes opened

organs of

THE RAPPEE8.

133

vision a slight degree wider, and said that, as he did not

know

the Christian

name
tell

of the spirit's

first
it

husband, he

could not, of course,

whether or not

was

correct.

But he knew the surname, and would therefore ask the

spirit the initial
tion,

of that.

He

accordingly put the quesspirit

and the

initial

was given by the

through the

alphabet.

The man with

the

dreamy eyes now asked

the

the

name

of the spirit's second husband, which

alphabet, and the

was spelled out by

said the

mau with
The

dreamy eyes
names
as

answers were correct.

it is

circle

being a private one,

not proper for us to give the

we heard

them.

The man with

' Is either

the

dreamy eyes now asked, we thought

with a slight anxiety of face

one of these persons who were your husaccording to the marriage rites of this

bands on

earth,-

world, your spiritual husband according to the laws or

customs of the
u

spirit

world

?"

No."
a spiritual husband, and do

"Have you
to

you

often go

him
"

in

order to be present with and around him?"

Yes."

Does

the relation of husband and wife

exist in the

spirit world ?"

"How through affinit

M Yes." "
It

does not

th-n

follow that they

who

are married

134
in

THE RAPPERS.

the flesh, or in this world, are also married spiritu-

ally ?"

"No."
" Is

your
?"

spiritual

husband with you

in the

spirit

world
"

"No."

Do you know
initials

the

name

of your spiritual husband?

if so, tell its

name."
of the

The

man

with the dreamy eyes was

spirit,

then given by the supposed

alphabet.

by means of the

A
been

sublime smile irradiated for a

moment

the counteif

nance of the
for

man

with the dreamy eyes, as

he had

some time longing

to be the spiritual
if

husband

of the spirit

now

present, and as

he was

now sublimely

content with the announcement that he was indeed what

he wished to be.
"

Did you,"
"
I

said he, " write the piece of poetry to

me

commencing

thus:
;

knew thee on earth I loved But now more dear to me

:

thee then,

Death can not sever the bond of love

It

cannot through eternity.

!

Hasten

oh, haste

for I

would have
:

Thy
Hasten

spirit freed
!

from clay
!

oh, haste

yearn for thee

In everlasting day."

The table tipped emphatically,

the spirit had

as

much

as to say that

most

certainly written the

above piece of

poetry to the
learn

man

with the dreamy eyes.

We

did not

how

the spirit wrote the said

piece of poetry to

THE RAPPERS.
the

135
it

man with

the

dreamy eyes; but we presume

was

either

by way of impression, as the

spiritualists say, or
It

through the hand of some writing Medium.

not,

matters

however, which

it

was, so long as the

it

man

with

the

dreamy eyes believed

to

be a simon pure

article,

and that he did so believe

it,

was evident from the pro-

found air of reverence with which he received the com-

munication of the

spirit

to that effect.

But although
direct from

satisfied that the consolatory stanzas

came

the spirit, the

man

with the dreamy eyes seemed to

;

wish for some additional information

"
Is this

for he asked

piece of poetry which

you sent me, truth V

"Yes."
"

Do you

ever deceive

me ?"
to

" No."

The man with

the truth of
spiritual

the

dreamy eyes seemed now

it

be

perfectly satisfied as far as

it,

regarded both the poetry,

and

all else

that related to his being the

husband of the
ourself,

spirit.

As

for

we

listened very attentively to the

spiritual

whole colloquy on the

husband mystery, and

we could not

help drawing a comparison between the

this

male Mormons of
the spirit land.

world and the female

spirits of
;

We
it.

may have
Utah

been irreverent

but

we

could not help

in this

world, with one

man

surrounded with a bevy of wives, and the spiritual land

with one

woman

in

the middle of a

bevy of husbands,
in

seemed

to rise before us,

and we had mixed them up

Olir

strange confusion,

when we were routed from

revery

136

THE RAPPERS.

by the voice of the man with the dreamy eyes, who

asked the
"
spirit the question
:

Have you
No."

seen

God

?"

"

"
"

What

sphere are you

in ?"

The seventh."

"

You mean

that

you have not seen God personally

I"

" Yes."

" But you have witnessed God's doings, have you

not?"

"Yes."
"

Have you

seen Christ ?"

" Yes -" "

Was

the spirit of Christ the spirit of

God

!"

"Yes." "Is the

spirit of Christ the

same

as man's spirit?"
spirit

The
"

table tipped twice,

by which the

meant

to

answer " partially."

Do

you mean that man's

?"

spirit is

an emanation

from God
"Yes."
"

Were

Christ's teachings truth ?"

"Yes."
"

Do

you mean as man

translates

them

to

the

letter ?"

" No."
" In the spirit ?"

" Yes."

The
eyes

spirit

who had chosen

the

man
now

with the dreamy

bid "

for her spiritual

husband,

good night"

THE RAPPERS.
to

137

the circle,

by means of

the alphabet, and the

man

with the dreamy eyes could get no further communication

from

her.

He

seemed, however, to be in a state of

ecstatic content with

what he had received.

the keen eye, and

The

little

man with

whose

face

betokened that he was a skeptic

in Spiritual

Rappings,

now
"
I

said

should like to see this table tipped up instead of

it

down, as

has been

all

the evening."
;

No
The
would

sooner said than done

for the table

immediately

tipped up instead of down.

little

man

then said that he wished the table

its

tip

on each of

sides successively.

The

table complied with the little man's request, and

its

tipped up on each of
little

sides in

succession,
if

and the

man

leaned back in his chair, as

he were in some

slight degree in a

mist of wonder.

138

THE RAPPERS.

CHAPTER
THE CIRCLE
IN

XIII.

THE PARLOR
that

THE CIRCLE IN THE ATTIC.

Miss K. F., a celebrated
in

Having been informed

public rapping

Medium, was

the city,

and ready to

receive visits from those desiring to investigate the subject of Spiritual Rappings,

we

of course

made
us,

it

a point

to call

upon

her.

The room

in which

Miss K. F. received

was a good

sized parlor, splendidly furnished, with figured silk curtains,

carved rosewood arm-chairs, rich carpet, and a

large highly polished and square

centre.

mahogany

table in the

At
some
their

the head of the table

sat the

Medium, Miss F.
were occupied by
evidently, from

herself,

and the seats

at the table

fifteen ladies

and gentlemen,

all

dress and manners, belonging to the upper and

wealthy ranks of society.

Miss F. seems very young, and her claim

cannot be disputed.

to

beauty

Her

hair,

which
in

is

black as the
curls,
fair

wing of a
after the

raven,

was parted
style,

two simple

Madona

giving striking effect to a

forehead of an intellectual character, although not very

high or expansive.

Her

eyes, like her hair, are of the

THE RAPPERS.

139

deepest black, shaded by long eyelashes, and although

possessing no small share of brilliancy, give out a rather

pensive expression than otherwise.

The

rest of her

features are regular and well chiselled,

and a healthy very modest,

bloom

is

on her cheeks.

Her manner

is

almost approaching to diffidence.

plaflfily in

She was dressed

black

silk,

and the only ornament that we

cross,

noticed

was a golden

suspended from her neck.

chairs,

On
a
F.,

one of the large, well cushioned rosewood

little

removed from the

is

table, sat the

mother of Miss
in

who

woman somewhat advanced

years, pos-

sessing a pleasant face, and interested us by the sincerity

of her manner, and the deep affection which she mani

fested towards her daughter.

When we
table,

entered,

a gentleman at the corner of the

in

immediately next to Miss F., was

communica-

tion with a spirit (so called.)

pencil,

He

held in one hand a

and

in the

other a slip of paper, on which he was

spirit to pick

marking various names, and asking the

the right one.

out

The supposed

spirit did

not appear very

accommodating, for when three raps came on the table, meaning " yes," the gentleman said it was not correct,

and when one rap came meaning "no," the gentleman

said that
it

was

as far

from the truth as the other.

Fi

nally he leaned back in his chair, and

in

seemed

to give uj>

despair

all

idea of getting any satisfactory answer.

"

You must not be

discouraged,
spirits,

sir," said

Mrs. F. from
often

her easy chair,

"the

at

the

start,
1

get

wrong; and when they commence wrong,

have always

140

THE EAPPEKS.

noticed they continue so during the whole communication."

"Well, Madam," answered the gentleman, "it seems

to

me, such being the

" Believe in them, sir?

case,

you cannot believe

in

spirits."
I

believe that these manifes-

tations

come from
;

spirits, as

firmly as

believe

my

0V11

existence

have had every evidence that a mortal

could have that they do

believe so,
I

come from

spirits

if I

did not

could not face the public as

do now with

my daughter; it is the truth which enables both her and me to sit in public, where we are thrown in contact with
all

kinds of minds, and where, sometimes, our position

is far

from a pleasant one."

ourself, inquired of

We,
any
"

Mrs.

F., if she

had ever seen

spirits.

No," was her answer,

if I

" but I have had as strong a

spirit of

proof as

had seen him, that the

my

grand-

father has been near me, and in the

same room.

One

evening,

when

had retired to bed, and while the candle

I

was on the bureau,

I

heard raps on
spirit of
I

my

headboard, and

asked

if it

was the

my

grandfather.

Being

answered

in

the affirmative,

asked him to take the

it

candle out of the candlestick and put

down on

the bu-

reau

it it

was done, although was accomplished.

did not see the agency

1

by

which

then asked him to rap

with his finger-nails on the bureau, which he did so

plainly and distinctly that
"
I

could count every nail."

often have such physical

Do

you or your daughter

manifestations as these

THE RAPPERS.
" No, not now,
tions

141

we used

to have, but the manifestain

have latterly much changed

their character.

We

have now, as a general thing, only raps."

in his

Another gentleman now took the alphabet card

hand, and asked
to
if

the spirit

who

professed to be ready
spell out the

communicate with him would

name

he

wished.

The

table

rapped yes.

and the gentleman

pointed over the card with his pencil until the table had

wrapped
said

to a

number of

letters,

which the gentleman

formed the correct name of which he was thinking.

This process of spelling out names by the alphabet

formed the main part of the manifestations of the evening.

Some

of the inquirers said that the

names they

sought had been designated correctly by the raps, and

others said that their answers were altogether incorrect.

The

correct and incorrect

all,

were about equally divided.

seat at the table, and asked

Last of
that our

we took our

name should be

spelt out.

The supposed

spirit

treated us very badly, mixing

up

its

raps in strange con-

fusion and giving us only a few letters correctly.

We

took occasion to rebuke slightly the

it if it

spirit,

and

to request

could not

tell

the truth, not to say anything, and

our communication ceased.

After
this,

Miss F. proceeded
in

to

show

that the spirits

at her call

would rap

any part of the room.

They
if

did so rap on the floor, on each of the doors, and

recollect right, one or

we

two of the

chairs.
visit

Passing up Broadway a few evenings after our

to the parlor circle of

Miss

P.,

we were

attracted by a

orilliant transparency, jutting

on the sidewalk not far

142
from the Broadway
it

THE RAPPERS.
theatre.

At

first sight,

we

thought

was simply a gas announcement

light,

that oysters

were

behind or under the

or that

some new Barnum

and we were

had entered the

in

field of

extraordinary curiosities, either

the animal, vegetable or

human

line,

about to pass on without particular investigation, when

the words " Spiritual Manifestations," in very lengthy

black letters, caught our eye, and

we of course stopped.

Our stoppage was

moment

afterwards followed by our

ascent up several long flights of steps until

we thought
found at
to the

we must be

near the top of the building.

We

the door, which announced that

we had come

end

of our journey, a

little

man

with Judge Edmonds' work

on spiritualism before him, and a box of small change

beside him, which seemed as
if it

was gaping

for

more.

We
bulk,

contributed twenty-five cents towards

its

further

and entered.
ourself in a very small room, looking very

We found
much
young
table,

like

an attic apartment, plainly furnished, with a

black walnut table in the center, at which was seated a

girl.

The

sides of the

room,

in

the rear of the

were lined with females, while two or three genin

tlemen occupied as many chairs

front.

The

girl

Medium was
to

plain

in

appearance, but had a pleasant

if

smile on her countenance, as

aid
all

she

felt

very happy

investigators

into

spiritual

rapping myste-

ries.

very bulky man, with light complexion and

hair,

and a very positive manner about him, took

the table and asked for a spirit.

his seat at

THE RAPPERS.
The
table immediately

143
as if

slammed up and down,

it

the spirit

meant

to say, that

was not only

there, but

determined to be heard.

The bulky man then inquired who

at the

it

was, calling over

same time various degrees of

relationship, in

none
spirit

of which he found the spirit claimed to be.

at length

The

announced himself by violent

tips of the table,

as seemingly a friend, and the tips also designated the

name among a number of others which the bulky gentleman wrote down on a slip of paper. The bulky gentleman also found out in the same manner when his
right
friend had died.

"Now,

then," said the bulky gentleman, "if

you are

the spirit of

my

friend,

you can give

by

me

a test; give

me

the

telegraphic

signal,

writing

through

the

medium."
But the telegraph
all

wires, this time refused to

off,

work

communication was suddenly cut

and the bulky

gentleman was nonplused.

By
sumed
The

this

question of the bulky gentleman,

we

prein

that he either
office,

was or had been an operator

his friend

telegraph

and that

had been the same.

test for the

signal

would have been an excellent

it

spirit friend to give^ but

was not

given.

Several other persons asked questions, and although

the table in

the attic tipped with extraordinary vigor,

nothing satisfactory was obtained by the questioners.

gentleman present, noticing that the table always

it

tipped one way, (towards the Medium,) asked

to tip

144

THE RAPPERS.
It

in an opposite direction.

slammed,

in answer, every-

way.
This was
all

that occurred during our visit to the cir-

cle in the attic.

THE RAPPERS.

145

CHAPTER

XIV.

FAMILY RAPS.

On
spirits,

a very cold evening,

the

when we were somewhat

The

fearful that

keenness of the air might freeze the

we

again visited the rooms of Mrs. B.

table

was

fully surrounded.

Two members

of the circle
a round

particularly attracted our attention.

little

One was

man, with

thin black hair, black

mustaches and
gentleman, with

whiskers.

The other was an

elderly

hair white as the snow, and a serious, reverent air, which

told that he

was an old and firm believer

in spiritualism.

The round
alism,

little

man was

evidently a novice in spiritu-

and neither believed nor disbelieved what he

about.
I

knew nothing
"

What

shall

do

how
slip

shall

begin ?" said the round

little
cil in

man, turning a
the other.
if

of paper in one hand and a pen-

"

Ask

there

is

a spirit here

who wishes

to

commu-

nicate with

you," said Mrs. B. very pleasantly, and

all

endeavoring

she could to help him along.

the round little man, and

The question was asked by

from the
to talk to

three very loud raps on the table informed him* that one
spirit world, or at least the raps,

were ready

him.

14.6 "

THE KAPPEliS.

Now

write

down

several

names and point

to

them,
1 '

and the
Mrs. B.

spirit will

probably rap at the right one,

said

The round

little

man

complied, and finally found out

that the spirit professed to be that of his father.

He
was

asked several questions of his father as to what

his (the gentleman's)

name, and also what business

indicated aright

he followed.

The name was not

raps informed
little

by the

raps, while as to his (the gentleman's) business or profession, the

him
said

that he

was a broker.
thing,

This the round

man

was no such

and

rather repudiated all connection with brokers.

The next gentleman who questioned

spirits,

the supposed
the

was a middle aged person, with something of

air

of an old bachelor about him.

He

desired
;

some

information respecting a lady recently married

but the

information was not forthcoming

the

spirits

on that

head were not communicative.

The next questioner received the following communication, spelt out

by the alphabet, which was

called

by

Mrs. B.
" I have visited you in circles, but have found
ficult to
it dif-

converse with you.

want

to

make my

influ-

ence

felt

when you
is

are engaged in important matters.

will confront the deriding

The time
coward
ness,

coming when you

for skeptic he is not

with
much

unflinching bold-

when

the enraged bigots will brow-beat

you

for

investigating a subject which so

prejudices."

conflicts with their

The

receiver of the above communication desired the

THE RAPPERS.
spirit

147
spell out
its

who

professed to send

it,

to

name;

but the

spirit,

or rather the raps, refused to do so, and

the questioner, with the air of one

who

did not exactly

to him, said

know how
The

the

communication applied

he

had finished

his inquiries.

elderly man, with the

snow white
and

hair

and reve-

rent demeanor,

now

said

" Daughter, father, grandfather,

all

sister, if

you are

here,
will

wish you would unite

in

a communication to

me;

you do

so ?"
all

A jumble

of raps,

of different degrees of force, but

given at the same time, was the answer which the elderly

gentleman received.
and afterwards
the

Then
was
I

three single raps were given,

to

following communication
spelt out
first.

the

elderly gentleman,
"

by alphabet

Dear Father

come

Grandmother says

the

least shall be the greatest."

The name
but
it is

to this

communication was also spelt out

not appropriate that

we should

publish

it.

This communication was no sooner finished, than the alphabet was again called
for,

and the elderly gentle:

man received another communication, as follows "Dear Brother E. has delivered her message;

tell

H. her
to

sister is

progressing very

fast,

and she must try

keep pace with her, so that she can be able to enter

her class in heaven."

This also was signed by the correct name.

This also was followed by another communication, as

follows
"

Dear Grandson

delight to linger near you, and

148
listen

THE RAPPERS.
to

your
this

conversation.

You

are

advancing
in
in

rapidly to
after
life,

knowledge, which will serve you

fit

and

you

for

an

elevated

sphere

heaven."
This also was signed by a name, and was followed by
the following

"Dear Son
To

love you and yours, and

in

we

shall all

meet and know each other

heaven.

Amen."
same
to the first ques-

the latter part of this communication, the

jumble of raps responded as they did

tion of the elderly

gentleman.

The

elderly gentleman

now seemed supremely happy

that he had thus had an united communication from the

spirits of his family in the spirit land.

He
all

asked no
the time

more

questions, but

remarked that during

the communications had been coming, he felt himself

touched by the spirits who gave them.

Many
of the

other questions were asked

by

other

members

circle,

but nothing was

elicited,

and when the

raps on the table spelt out " done,"

the spirits had departed, and
also.

we concluded that we might as well leave

THE RAPPERS.

149

CHAPTER XV.
THE
L1TING SPIRIT.

We
ing,

attended, one evening, a circle at a private dwell

where the following so called manifestations took

place.
table,

When

the circle had been formed around the

we man who

noticed

among

the

company

the

same

gentle-

related to us the story of his having seen the

spirit of

Oliver Blodge, the murderer.

We

have given

the story, as told by this gentleman, in a former chapter of this

is

work.

The gentleman referred

to,

and who

also a

medium, had no sooner

:

settled himself in his

seat,

than he said

Is

there any spirit here

?"

who wishes

to

communicate

with

me

"Yes."
" Will you touch

me

?"

"Yes."
"

Then do

it."

The medium immediately shrunk back

as
if

for

an instant,

he had experienced some unpleasant sensation.

He
"
as

then stretched his hand to the

I

company and
it felt

said

was touched here on

my

hand, and

very hot,
it.

if

a burning substance had been applied

to

See

here."

150

THE KAPPERS.
as the

And
back of

medium
size,

spoke, he pointed to a red spot

of considerable

which was plainly visible on the

his hand.

The medium then addressing himself to

spirit,

the supposed

continued his questions

"

What

sphere are you in ?"

"Third."
"

Are you

sure

V
name
?"

"Yes."
" Will you spell out your
"

No."
all

(The above answers, together with

in this report,

those recorded

were given by

tips of the table.)

After a few other questions, while the table or the

supposed
the

spirit

did not answer with

much

willingness,

medium

said to the supposed spirit

"

Can you read

my mind ?"
it?"

"Yes."

"Will you read

"Yes."

The medium here paused a moment,

as

if

he was sub-

mitting his thoughts to the examination of the supposed

spirit.

The medium then continued addressing

spirit,

the sup-

posed
"

as follows

Now

you read

my

mind thoroughly, do you

?"

" Yes."

"Then, by what you saw,

to speak the truth,

in

and answer

my mind, I charge you my questions. Will you

answer truthfully ?"

" Yes."

THE RAPPERS.

51
in

Is it

owing

to the

power of what you saw

my

mind, that you will answer truthfully 1"

-

Yes."

You dare not disobey me, dare you?" "No."

"

Was

not your touch, on

my

had just now, hot

?"

-Yes."
"

Did you burn me

?"

- Perhaps."

"

You

see this

mark on my hand

did

you make

Yes."

Now
Can
I

what sphere are you in?"

-The En
*

do anything

for

you

to ameliorate

your

diiio-.

The Medium asked

sphere
is

this last question

because the

first

supposed by

spiritualists

to be the

k
1

sphere, in fact, in which undeveloped spirits dwell.

1

an I do anything to ameliorate your conditio ..

"Yes."
"

What
Yes."

can

do

fur

you

pray

for

you

?"

" Will that help you

Yes."
spell out

"Now

your name."
the alphabet card, and dato the letters, which,

The Medium here took out

table tipped

when he pointed

when

put together, spelt the

name

of " Oliver Blodi:

"Did
e<

not chari:

nM

the

Medium.

M nev.

me

near

mc

152
"Yes."
"

THE RAPPERS.

Why

have you come then

Was you

sent for !"

" Yes."

"

For what

to

make

physical manifestations If

"Yes."
"

Did you ever appear before

spirit

in

any

circle

and say

you were the

" Yes."

of Shakspeare

?"

"Are you Shakspeare?"

"

No."

"

Do

you wear a crown of gold on your head and

dress in a purple robe ?"

" No." "

Did you ever appear

No."

to

Miss

wearing such

a crown and dress ?"

" "

How

was

it

then

was

it

only a spectral illusion

before her eyes

" Yes."
'

?"

Was

that illusion

formed by you
?"

for the

purpose of

deceiving Miss
" Yes."

"

For what purpose

1

in

order

that

your presence

might be permitted V

"Yes."

We have before
mer
reports.
thin,

described the appearance of Oliver

,

Blodge, to the vision of Miss

in

one of our

for-

wiry person, whose expression of face was of

that hard
that he

and impenetrable nature, which betokened

likely to believe anything

was not

he could not

TUE BAPPUKS.
see or feel, here

153

remarked

that he should be pleased to

see the table tip from the

In a

medium.
was raised up instead of being

moment

the table

depressed.

"Tip
The

the table quickly," said. the

table

Medium.
by some unseen
fro

was immediately

raised

power, rapped down on the

with great velocity.

floor,

and rocked to and

The

thin,

wiry man opened

his

eyes and gazed at the

antics of the table with astonishment.

" Well," he at length said,

when he had recovered

';

his

somewhat suspended
nary.
I

breath,

this

is

most extraordi-

I've often tried to get such manifestations before.

have been to a great

many

circles,

but

have always

until

now

failed."

M
in

It

has doubtless been owing to the want of

harmony
your

the circles which

you

visited that has caused

failure,"

remarked the Medium.

The
"
I

thin wiry

man now

again said

should like to see the table rear up on the oppo-

site side,

where no person

is

seated."

After some apparent effort the table suddenly and

with violence raised up on the side indicated by the thin

wiry man, and

wiry
itself

in its raising

up nearly knocked the

thin

man

over.
leg,

The

table then for a

moment

balanced

on one

and then resumed

its

natural position.
test questions, as

The

thin wiry

man

then asked

some

they are called, such as his father's and his child's name,
all

of which were spelt out correctly, as he said, by the

alphabet.

The

thin

wiry

man

then

left,

and we soon

followed him.

154

THE RAPPERS.

CHAPTER

XVI.

THE SPIRIT OF FUDGE.

A few evenings
Spirit," an

after the manifestation of the "

Lying

account of which

we have

given in the pre-

ceding chapter,

we were present

at another private circle

six or eight
all

where the table was surrounded by some

persons.

There were several mediums present,

of

whom
The

were men.
circle

had no sooner been formed, than the

tips

of the table announced that some spirit was present,

who wished
"

to

communicate with somebody.

Who

is

the spirit ?" said

Medium No.

1.

"Is

it

this ?"
slip

and the Medium,

as he spoke, wrote a

name on

of paper.
this,

There was no answer to

except that

Medium
he was

No.
in

had no sooner asked the question than he made

his throat a singular sort of a chuckle, as if

endeavoring to suppress laughter.

astonished, but the

The company looked

the company,

Medium continued to chuckle, and who were mostly Spiritualists, came to

it-

the conclusion that the spirit which had manifested

self,

whoever

it

was, was chuckling for some particular

reason through the throat of the

Medium, and

that the

Medium

could not help chuckling.

THE RAPPERS.
" Well, chuckling spirit
!

155

since

we cannot

find out

your name, please

tell

us what sphere you are in," said

one of the company.

"First," answered

posed the chuckling

spirit

Medium No. 1, whom it was supnow possessed and, when he

;

had made
again.

this brief

answer, he

commenced

to chuckle

Another Medium present,

as

whom we

shall designate

Medium No.

2,

here gave evidence, by those violent

in

spasms of the hand, which we have often described

these reports, that the spirit
write.

was about

to

move him

to

The spasmodic

influence finally resulted in a

dash at a piece of paper, and on the piece of paper

Medium No. 2 wrote

a name.
he, holding

"Is that your name?" said

up the paper
spirit

and addressing himself to the chuckling

which
1.

was supposed

to hold its influence

1

over

Medium No.
off,

The chuckle of Medium No.

phatic " Yes."

broke short

and

from the mouth of the said Medium there came an em-

And the chuckle went on again. The name which Medium No. 2 wrote on his paper, and which the chuckling spirit in Medium No. 1 answered was
his

name, was "Fudge."

conversation
as
to

now
the

followed

among

the

members

of

the circle

character and
called

intentions of this

chuckling spirit

who

himself " Fudge."

Some

said that they thought they

were being humbugged, and

slight manifestation of feel-

others remarked, with

ing, that

some

they did not wish the spirit to

make

fun of

thorn,


156

THE KAPPEKS.
1

Medium No.
face, as if

at this

hands, twist himself, and

moment began to wring his make sundry contortions of his

he wished to relieve himself of the influence

of the chuckling spirit called "Fudge."

"Spirit of

Fudge!

will

you

write, if

you have any-

thing to say to us

said one of the circle, addressing

Medium No.
After

1.

some

hesitation,

Medium No.
:

wrote, with

spasmodic

effort,

as follows
I

"As
I

know, that
It is for

can

tell

you,

can say only what

know.

you

to digest that

which

is

given to

you.
spirits

You
say.

are not so blind as to believe literally all the

If

you

do,

you have yet

(Signed)

to acquire

your

A, B, C.

Fudge."

More

conversation here ensued around the circle as to

the nature of the spirit " Fudge,"

when suddenly Mealleged

spirit

dium No.
operating,

1,

through

whom

the

was

became convulsed, and a loud Ha! ha! ha!

lips.

burst from his

" Well, Fudge, what do you

mean by ha

ha

ha ?"

asked one of the

"
I

circle.

am

impressed," answered
in

Medium No.

1,

or rather
all

"Fudge,"
fools."

Medium No.

1,

"to say that you are

" Is the impression of

Medium No.

correct ?" asked

another of the

circle,

addressing himself to the table.

The

table tipped once, meaning, thereby, "

!

No."

Another ha

ha! ha!

now

rung from the lips of Me-

THE KAPPERS.

157

dium No. l,and soon afterwards he wrote spasmodically

as follows
"
said
:

You
I

desired, if

impressed the Medium, when he

all fools.

had told him you were

I

His impression
it

was
rect,

correct.

answered just now that

it,

was not

cor-

because you desired

for a reason

and

it

would amuse you.

You wish
curiosity

why

I consider

you

fools

ask

your own hearts.

?

Do

you come
to learn,
%

to learn, or

from

If

you come

why

is

it

that

you

seem but
they

to indulge curiosity

Know you
fall,

not that

who

desire to learn

do not

dictate, but wait for the

crumbs of knowledge, even as they

and receive

them with thankfulness

(Signed)

Fudge."

The supposed
from
after

spirit of

Fudge here paused a moment

take rest
;

his epistolary labor, as if to

but soon

wrote again through the medium, as follows

desires to teach

"

When man
shall
it

a child, does not the

child
1

teacher lower his

mind

to the capacity of the

spirits

Then

be wondered that the

should take

the ingredient they find, and

until
it is

mould

it

by gradual shaping,

fitted to
?

receive the impression intended to be

to

conveyed
the

The mind
child.

be teachable, must be even as

mind of a

will,

will

the strong exercise of its own how can it be accessible for impression? When man learn that imperativeness is not the most
If in

teachable commodity.
(Signed)

Ila

ha

ha

Fudos."

158
The
spirit

THE KAPPER8.
of " Fudge"

now departed.

Medium No.

ceased to chuckle, and resumed his natural grave de-

meanor.

Another

spirit
if

was now

called

up by one of the circle,

who asked
sphere

the spirit which he the

spirit of
?

was addressing, was

to

acquainted with

"Fudge," and

what

"Fudge" belonged

The answer given by

spirit questioned,

tips

on the table, and by writing

through one of the mediums, was in substance, that the

was not acquainted with the

;

spirit

of
be-

" Fudge," but had seen him

that "

Fudge" did not

long to

trie

first

sphere, as he had stated, but that he

spirits
;

belonged to a very high order of

tion as to the

that the solu-

answer which " Fudge" had made, that he

was

in the first sphere,

was

to

be found

in

the peculiar
circle at that

phase of the minds of the members of the

particular time, and that
it

was

idle for

any

member

of

the circle to inquire for the sphere of the spirit as for

authority

but the proper and true mode, was to judge

its

a spirit by

communications; for untruthfulness

spirits as

is

sometimes as characteristic of
This was
spirit of "
all

of mortals.

that occurred

at the circle

where the

Fudge" manifested

itself.

BOOK

II

THE KAPPEKS
CONTEMPLATED PLEASANTLY, PHILOSOPHICALLY, AND
THEOLOGICALLY.

THE RAPPERS.

161

CHAPTER

I.

THE RAPPERS IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.

We stated in

the

commencement of our

tour

among

the " Rappers," of the extent to which the doctrine of

the " Rappers" had

spread over the country, and the

its

immense number of
this, it

proselytes.

As

illustrative of

will

be appropriate here, at the

commencement

of our comments, for us to record, that the " Rappers

have deemed themselves of

sufficient

importance to ask

the attention of the Congress of the United States.

On

the 17th day of April, 1854, the " Rappers" rapped on the
floor

of Congress,
effect.

in the

following

manner and

to the

following

On

the day referred to, General Shields,

Illinois, in
:

United States Senator from

Executive Session

of the Senate, spoke as follows

"I beg leave to present to the Senate a petition, with

some

fifteen

thousand names appended to

it,

upon a

very singular and novel subject.

The petitioners repre-

sent that certain physical and mental

phenomena of
in

mysterious import, have become so prevalent

this

country and Europe, as to engross a large share of public

attention.

partial
first,

analysis of these phenomena,

attest the

existence,

of an occult force, which

is

162

THE BAITERS.

exhibited in sliding, raising, arresting, holding, suspending,

and otherwise disturbing ponderable bodies, appa-

rently in direct opposition to the acknowledged laws of

matter, and transcending the accredited power of the

human mind.

Secondly, lights of different degrees of

intensity appear in dark

rooms, where chemical action

or phosphorescent illumination cannot be developed, and

where there are no means of generating

producing combustion.

electricity, or

of

Thirdly, a variety of sounds,

frequent in occurrence, and diversified in character, and

of singular significance and importance, consisting of

mysterious rapping, indicating the presence of invisible

intelligence.

Sounds are often heard

like

those pro-

duced by the prosecution of mechanical operations, like

the hoarse

murmur

of the winds and waves, mingled with

the harsh creaking noise of the

masts and rigging of a

ship laboring in a sea.

Concussions also occur, resem-

bling distant thunder, producing oscillatory

movements

of surrounding objects, and a tremulous motion of the

premises upon which these phenomena occur.

nious sounds, as those of

Harmo-

human
fife,

voices,

and other sounds

resembling those of the

drum, trumpet, &c, have

Fourthly,
are influ-

been produced without any visible agency.

all

the functions of the

human body and mind

to

enced in what appear

be certain abnormal states

of the system, by causes not yet adequately understood

or accounted
for.

The

occult force, or invisible power,

frequently interrupts the normal operations of the faculties,

suspending sensation and voluntary motion of the

to a death-like coldness

body

and

rigidity,

and diseases

THE RAPPEJM.

163

hitherto considered incurable, have been entirely eradi-

cated by this mysterious agency.

The

petitioners pro-

ceed to state that two opinions prevail with respect to

the origin of these phenomena. the

One

ascribes

them

to

power and

intelligence of departed spirits operating

all

upon the elements which pervade

natural forms.

The other

rejects this

conclusion, and contends that all

sat-

these results

may be

accounted for in a rational and

isfactory manner.

The memorialists, while thus disa-

greeing as to the cause, concur in opinion as to the occur-

rence of the alleged phenomena; and in view of their

origin, nature

and bearing upon the

for

interests of

man-

kind,

demand

them a

patient, rigid, scientific inves-

tigation,

and request the appointment of a scientific comI

mission for that purpose.

have now given a

faithful

synopsis of this petition, which, however unprecedented

in itself,

has been prepared with singular ability, pre-

senting the subject with great delicacy and moderation.

I

make

it

a rule to present any petition to the Senate,

its

which

is

respectful in

terms ; but having discharged

i

this duty, I

may

be perm ted to say that the prevalence

of this delusion at this age of the world,

among any

con-

siderable portion of our citizens, must* originate in

my

opinion, in a defective system of education, or in a partial

derangement of the mental

faculties,

produced by a
I

diseased condition of the physical organization.

not, therefore, believe that
it

can-

prevails to the extent indi-

cated in this petition.

Differeut ages of the world have

had their peculiar delusions.

attention of eminent

Alchemy occupied
;

the

men

for several centuries

but there

164

THE RAPPERS.
in

was something sublime

alchemy.

The

philosopher's

stone, or the transmutation of base metals into gold

the elixir vitcB or

"water of

life,"

which would preserve

age, decay,

youth and beauty, and prevent old

and

death, were blessings which poor humanity ardently desired,

and which alchemy sought

to discover

by

perse-

verence and piety.

Roger Bacon, one of the greatest

alchemists and greatest

men

of the thirteenth century,

while searching for the philosopher's stone, discovered

the
telescope,

burning glasses, and gunpowder.

The

prosecution of that delusion led, therefore, to a

number

of useful discoveries.

In the sixteenth century flourished

Cornelius Agrippa, alchemist, astrologer, and magician,

one of the greatest professors of hermetic philosophy

that ever lived.

He had

all

the spirits of the air and

demons of

the earth under his

in the

command.

Paulus Jovi-

ous says that the devil

shape of a large black dog,

attended Agrippa wherever he went.

says, at the request of

Thomas Nash

Lord Surrey, Erasmus, and other

learned men, Agrippa called up from the grave several

of the great philosophers of antiquity

Sully,

among

others,

whom

he caused to deliver his celebrated oration

the Emperor, Charles IV.

for Roscius, to j5lease

He

summoned

king David

and king Solomon from the

tomb, and the Emperor conversed with them long upon

the science of government.
tion of spiritual power,

This was a glorious exhibithe insignificant

compared with

manifestations of the present day.

I will

pass over the

celebrated Paracelsus, for the purpose of making allu

sion to

an Englishman, with whose veracious history

THE RAPPERS.
every one ought to

165
In the
in

sixteenth century, Dr.

make himself acquainted. Dee made such progress

the
to

talismanic mysteries, that he acquired ample

power

hold familiar conversation with spirits and angels, and to

learn

from them

all

the secrets of the universe.

On

the

occasion, the angel Uriel

gave him a black crystal of a

convex form, which he had only to gaze upon intently,

and by a strange any

spirit

effort

of the will, he could

summon
day

he wished, to reveal to him the secrets of futuin

rity.

Dee,

his veracious

diary, says that one

while he was setting with Alburtus Laski, a Polish noble-

man, there seemed

to

come out of the oratory

a spiritual

creature, like a pretty girl of seven or nine years of age,

with her hair rolled up before and hanging

with a

down

behind,

gown of
train.

silk,

of changeable red and green, and

to play

with a

She seemed

up and down, and

to

go

in

and out behind the books, and as she seemed to

get between them, the books displaced themselves and

made way
books
felt

for her.

This

call

a spiritual manifestation

of the most interesting and fascinating kind.

Even

the

the fascinating influence of this spiritual crea-

ture; for they displaced themselves and

her.

Edward
statement

Kelly, an Irishman,

made way for who was present, and

to

who
ter's

witnessed this beautiful apparition, verifies the doc;

therefore

it

would be unreasonable

doubt a story so well attested

witness was an Irishman.

particularly

when

the

Dr. D. was the distinguished

favorite of kings and queens

a proof that

spiritual sci-

ence was
Elizabeth.

in

high repute

in

tho goud old age of queen

But of

all

the professors of occult science.

166

THE RAPPERS.

hermetic philosophy or spiritualism, the Rosicrucians

were the most exalted and

possession

refined.

With them
was
to

the

of the philosopher's stone

be the

means of health and happiness

an instrument by which
all

man

could

command the

services of superior beings, con-

trol the

elements, defy the abstractions of time and

space,

and acquire the most intimate knowledge of

the secrets of the universe.

These were objects worth

struggling

for.

The

refined Rosicrucians

were utterly

disgusted with the coarse, gross, sensual spirits

who had
day
;

been

in

communication with man previous to

their

so they decreed the annihilation of

them

all,

and

substi-

tuted in their stead, a race of mild, beautiful and beneficent beings.

The

spirits of the

olden timew ere a maligT

nant race, and took especial delight in doing mischief;

but the new generation
is

mild and benignant.

indulge
in

These
inno-

spirits, as this petition attests,

the

most

cent amusements and

harmless recreations
tables,

such
;

as

sliding, raising and tipping

producing pleasing

sounds and variegated

sights,

and sometimes curing disand

eases which were previously considered incurable

for the existence

of this simple and benignant race our

petitioners are indebted to the brethren of the rosy cross.

Among the modern

professors of spiritualism, Cagliostro

In

was the most justly celebrated.

ladies he sold immortality, and

Paris his saloons

were thronged with the rich and the noble.

to the

To

old

young ones he

sold beauty that would endure for centuries, and his

charming countess gained immense wealth, by granting

attendant sylphs to such ladies as were rich enough to

THE RAPPER8.
pay
a
for their services.

167
des Contempores,
to consult

The Biograph.es

work which our present mediums ought

with care, says there was hardly a fine lady in Paris

who would not sup with

apartments of Cagliostro.
officer

the shade of Lucretius in the

There was not a military

who would not

discuss the art with Alexander,

Hannibal or Caesar, or an advocate or counsellor who

would not argue

These were

legal points with the ghost of Cicero.

spiritual manifestations

worth paying

for,

and

all

our degenerate mediums would have to hide

their demolished heads in the presence of Cagliostro.

It

would be a curious inquiry

all
its

to follow this

occult

sci-

ence through

phases of mineral magnetism, aniuntil

mal mesmerism, &c,

and slowest phase of
have said enough
to

we

reach the present, latest

manifestation
;

all spiritual

but

show

the truth of Burk's beautiful

is

aphorism, "the credulity of dupes

the invention of knaves."

as inexhaustible as

pleasant debate followed after Senator

Shields*

speech.

Mr. Petit proposed

to refer the petition of the

Spiritualists to three thousand clergymen.

Mr. Weller

proposed to refer
tions, as it

it

to the

Committee on Foreign Relato inquire

might be necessary
this

whether or not
citizen

when Americans leave

ship.

world they lose their

it

Mr. Mason proposed that

Affairs.

should be

left to

the

Committee on Military

Gen. Shields himself

t<>

said he had thought of proposing to refer the petition

the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, because

there

may

be a possibility of establishing a spiritual

telegraph between the material and spiritual worlds.

168
The
petition

THE RAPPERS.
was
finally,

by a

decisive vote, laid

upon

the table.

nation at this

Senate,

table did not, as we learn, tip in indigsummary disposal of Spiritualism in the by which we must infer that the spirits, if there

The

were any

in the Senate at that time,

all right.

endorsed

its

action

and considered the same


THE RAPPERS.

169

CHAPTER

II.

PHILOSOPHICAL RAP PRELIMINARY.

In this chapter,

we

shall let an English author, J.

G.

Mac Walter,
they are

rap a few paragraphs for us, simply because

appropriate, and

form just the introduction

:

which we wish.

Mr. Mac Walter says

" The great celebrity of table-tapping, et cetera, not surpassed,

is

if

equalled by the vast diversity of opinion

it.

which

is

abroad regarding
is

The only unanimity

it

has provoked

to disagree.
Of

No

set of

men, usually

found to agree, hold similar views upon this subject,

and each clings to an adopted notion with a pertinacity

worthy of a better cause.

tions
to
its

course, there are excep-

this

rule.

There are some who only ponder

its

upon

general effects without either questioning

its

genuineness, or doubting

falsity

they are open to

conviction, arc impartial and deliberate.

others,

But there are

who

declare

the whole thing incredible

a monproduce

strous

imposition.'

Because thej

here never seen a

table turn without physical action

employed

to

motion, therefore no table has been turned after any

other manner.

They never heard a

table-tapping

170
never
witnessed

THE RAPPER3.
any of these alleged

wonders

and
no-

therefore, with generous grace, they place all the alleged

facts to the

account of over-excited imagination

natural.
!

mere

absurdities, neither Satanic nor

In

fact,

thing but a huge and glaring mistake

feel that as

Others, again,

thousands of unimpeachable witnesses, with

testi-

intellects
fied to

every whit as keen as any skeptics, have

these marvels, they

ing seen

them

even without themselves ought not

It is

actually hav-

hastily to
all

throw

an atmosphere of doubt over each and

those cases

which have been made public.

understand

not, indeed, easy to

how

great and penetrating men, like Judge

deliberately
fabricate
'

Edmonds, could

wonders,' or

lend themselves to propagating as facts things of which they have even a shadow of doubt.
reject

Besides,

if

we

the credibility of credible

men, because
that for which,

their

testimony appears strange,

we do

when

pushed to

its

logical conclusion,

we

should be sorry

we

practically cast

from beneath us a grand and honored

to
re-

support.

Many, doubtless, wishing, bjt unable

fuse this evidence, fancy that all these trustworthy wit-

nesses have not sifted the matter sufficiently, or thcy

might have detected, at least

effect

in

the table-tapping, the

of an ingenious mechanism

some

toe-tapping,

knee-rapping, bone-cracking, or crafty doings of the media,

still

by means of some ingenious machinery.

Others

consider the ta,h\e-turning as the consequence of

unconscious muscular action

so

unconscious, indeed,
it is

that determined skeptics can hardly deny that

truly

strange, and nearly sufficient to work conviction.

This.


THE RAPPERS.
perhaps,
is

171
and does

more

plausible than

satisfactory,

not at

all

account for t&ble- tapping.

" There are others, who, while they confess to a belief in

extraordinary manifestations, hesitate to ascribe

origin
to

their

mechanical,
fearful,

natural,
sensitive,

or

supernatural

agencies.
lous.

They are

and over-credutowards the

all;'

Inclination

induces

them
is

to lean

notion that mere mechanism

'at the

bottom of

but experience will not sanction what might appear an

agreeable conclusion.

These people are

in

mist,
light

which they reluctantly prefer to that unclouded

which a highly-wrought imagination renders them apprehensive of beholding.

"

Another section boldly declare that

to

all

is

plain

enough

them

in the matter,

'

as clear as 'noon-day,'
'

without
not.

explaining whether
that

noon-day

be misty or

They observe

strange

nay,
all

astounding,
reason, take

'manifestations,' such as are beyond

place without the possibility of collusion, and tl.ey ask

How

can these be else than supernatural

that

But even

more than
Satanic;
that the

they avow that

neither
is

it

has been 'satisfac-

torily settled,' that all

in

are evil c/ewo?<strations

really

fact,

more nor
at hand,

less

than a 'sign'
that

end of the world

foe

and

OUT great

spiritual

makes
Oil

his

presence manifest through the

dine

y&ry tables

which

\se

and sup. and which we

turn to a variety of other pleasing purposes.

Some
others.

wiser people
differ

shake

their heads

significantly,

and widely

from the conclusions formed

bj all the
irrational,

They upbraid one party

hasty

172

THE EAPPEEfi.
;

obdurate, and skeptical

they
falls

tell

another that

its

theo-

ry of muscular pressure

to

the ground if a very

weighty table moves

touched

nay,
;

lifts itself

up, which

is

only

by

a feeble girl

and that such theory, morerappings

over, cannot explain the

the

peculiar rap-

pings

which accompany these movements.

feet, left

As

for the

tapping with the

and similar kinds of imposture, the

nicest tests have

put the possibility of such collusion

the mystery so far undis-

out of the question, and

turbed.

Respecting

spirit

interference,

and

all

similar

speculations, the

singular evidences of deterioration in

learning

in fact, the inexcusable ignorance

which the
r

supposed

spirits exhibit, are justly held

up as a practical

refutation of
It
is,

any such notion.

singular that

in truth,

men who w ere

own names

here of

high attainments, turn out at the rapping seances to be

hardly able to spell even their
Besides, the
correctly.

presumed presence of

spirits is quite

incom-

patible with all revealed knowledge.

rationally think, hold, in
rists,

Those who thus

all

opposition to

other theo-

that the several conditions upon which the so-

called manifestations depend,

are
to

human and
disembodied

earthly,
spirits

and can
that,

in

no wise be attributed
effects

though the

appear so

startling,

they can be

traced to

known

natural laws, and are the effects of a

simple cause.

THE RAPPEES.

173

CHAPTER

III.

A SERIES OF PHILOSOPHICAL RAPS ON THE RAPPERS, OR A DIGEST OF OPINIONS, PRO AND CON.
" Alas !" exclaims the American, Hawthorne, in his " Blithedale the
evil

Romance," when touching

:

incidentally on
fallen

subject

" Alas

methinks we have

on an
at the

age

If these

phenomena have not humbug

us.

bottom, so much the worse for

What
it

can they indi-

cate in a spiritual way, except that the soul of

man

is

descending to a lower point than

while incarnate?
in the eternal

has ever reached

We

are pursuing a

downward course
in

march, and thus bring ourselves into the

same range with beings whom death

their gross

and

evil lives

requital of has degraded below humanity.

we must
vile than earthly
all,

To

hold intercourse with spirits of this order,

stoop and grovel in

dust.

some element more

if

These goblins,

they exist at

are but the

shadows of past mortality

more refuse
as the

stuff,

adjudged

unworthy of the eternal world, and

most favorable

supposition, dwindling gradually into nothingness.

less

Hie

we have

to say to

them, the better,

lest

we share

their fate."

174

THE RAPPERS.
Mr. Cooley, of
Springfield,

An American medium,

admits that these phenomena are of

human

origin

that

they are the result of electric or magnetic conditions,

and that there

is

every possibility of reducing them to

demonstration, and as this

obtaining ground,
it

mode

of solution

is

gradually

is

probable that the tone of the

" Kappists" will gradually lower in proportion as they

find themselves unsupported.

Man, however,
when
do so

is

an im-

partial creature, and especially

cited.

his-curiosity is ex-

What

he cannot decide upon for himself, he

feels thankful if

any other

will

for him.

A Rev.

Mr. Godfrey propounds a theory of satanic

of- tables,

agency, energizing itself in the inert legs

finds the spirits of the swine

and

synonymous with epilepsy

Mr. Godfrey,
"

and madness.

"

The

table," ,says

was

more sagacious than a dog, and more obedient than a My impression is, that the placing the hands on child.
the table,
is

a sort of incantation.

By

it

the sitters sig-

nify their wish to be brought into

communication with
observed by

the

spirit-world.

They

sit

until they are

some one of the wandering

the table,
in.

spirits,

making

it

crack at the
it

who thereupon enters moment of its entering

The reason why

be true,

will

not obey any commands,

unless
if it

hands are placed

is

on, has suggested an idea, which,

It

a very solemn one.

'

occurred to me,
the laying
'

while writing, that the table

on of hands'

moved simply by

'This moral

nothing,' (the table,)

to live

on the

imposition of your hands, begins

this is the

Can

it

be that

beginning of Satan's last struggle that on the

is

imposition of hands, the table

endued with power from


THE RAPPERS.
the devil, as the Lord's servants, on
the imposition

175
of

Lands, were, in the apostle's days, endued with power

from on high?

merely ask, can

it

be?"

An European
well-known, and,

Journal, called the Zoist, a tolerably

in

some

respects, a well-edited journal,

strenuously advocating the doctrines of Mesmer, waits

upon a medium, and gives

us,

with a certain significance

:

of meaning, the preliminaries this wise

at times dilatory in

"

The

spirits are

making
in

their presence

known, which
as the pro-

the

medium

accounts for

some such way

phet of old sarcastically hinted at the absence of Baal,

but sooner or later they arrive, sometimes not

an-hour has elapsed, and then expectation
highly worked up, and so
rigorous examination.
table
:

till

half

is

the

more
for

much
is

the less lime is left

There

heard a faint rap at tho

so faint perhaps that the

I
it,

medium
it

says,

'

Hush

stop:
hears
all

heard a rap.'

All listen;

is
it,

repeated; one

and then another also hears

and so on,

till

agree that the rapping has begun, and the spirits

have certainly arrived.

are attentive.

All are

now amazed, and

is

all

The gentlemen become grave;

are satisfied that there
like the

the ladies
in
it.

pale; and

all
is

something

The sound

pecking of a bird; like a

slight

striking of the edge of a finger-nail

upon

hard subhit-

stance; and sometimes the sound

ting;
all

is

of a stronger

may

be well imitated by striking the edge

force.
in

finger-nail

upon a table with various degrees of

The

idea of an\ thing peculiar, awful, unearthly

is

the

sound,

ridiculous.

There are

plight

raps from

little

176

THE RAPPERS.
from gentlemen
spirits,

children, strong ones

and

soft

raps from lady spirits."

The

result

was a

tissue of hazarded solutions to quesvile spelling

tions put, in

which bad grammar and

were

only surpassed by the ludicrous extent of the mistakes.

gentleman at the conclusion took a

letter
if it

from

his

pocket, and the spirit present was asked

would be
once

so kind as to

tell

the

name

of the writer.

It at
:

knocked assent, but made a most unlucky miss

neither
;

surname nor Christian name was rapped

words were rapped out as
different

right

and

from the true as

Jeremy Diddler
medium could

is

from Isaac Newton.

And, why?

" Because he held the alphabet under the table, so that the
not see
it

in his hand,

and he kept

his

eyes

fixed on one spot."

Now

however ungallant such a

it is

proceeding might have been,

quite evident that the

"dominant impression" of the

acute

visitor is

caught by the

medium, who, with a

certain force of character,

must read
and

the questioner, and if he or she cannot anticiis

pate the question, every care

tion,

taken to direct the ques-

to

have

it

put, varied, shifted,

and repeated

in
is

such form that the general correctness of any replies

thus
"

by no means difficult to be accounted for. Household Words," by Charles Dickens, has not
The grave irony of
fierce
this ad-

been much more favorable to the pretensions of the

" spiritual manifestations."

mirable periodical
bitterness in

is

deepened into a

and sarcastic

Blackwood, who, laughing at the whole

theory, practice, professors, and visitors, as dupers and


THE RAPPERS. 177

dupes, pours the whole phial of his ungovernable wrath

on

their

devoted heads.

In " Chambers' Journal,"

we

find that the

;

examination

has been conducted with considerable care

and an

evi-

dent desire to be assured of the conscientious truth prevents the writer from coming to an actual decision,

whereby
all

spirits

and " mediums" receive the benefit of

exist in their favor.

doubts that

may

An M.

A. writing from Cambridge, describes, at some

length, the results of an interview with a

medium, Mrs.
in the

H., and bears testimony to the

rity

fact,

that,

majo-

of instances, the questions (of an intricate kind, too)

;

which he propounded were satisfactorily answered

while something like a suspicion

and
that

came over him,

while the replies were being given, the solution of the

mystery was

to

be found

in

the circumstance of his

pausing on such correct letters as a quick-sighted and

practised
tived,

medium might
the card

easily notice.

This was nega-

however, by the fact that replies were also cor-

rect

when

was hidden.

Even

questions asked

mentally, by himself and others present, and whose veracity he could trust
factory manner.
in,

terminated

in the

same

satis-

"At
M.
to

a third interview," continues our Cambridge

A.,

"my

time for questioning was very limited, but

:

the following curious circumstance occurred

resolved

have some communication with which

my own mind
1

could have nothing to do in the

ceived the following, which
I

way

of influence.
it

re-

give exactly as

was

rap-

ped OUt, that

is.

without any distinction of words or Ben-

178

THE RAPPERS.
all

tences [a necessary feature in

these communications,
'

as the reader will at once perceive.]

What

say estth
\v as
I

ouaproof broth ergodwill give you?'

not clear (indeed
I

The sense

thought

it

was

all

nonsense that

was getting)
it

until the

end of the communication, when

:

appeared that the communication was

1

'What
!

sayest

thou
'

a proof, brother, God

me
as

will give

you

The word

brother' struck

merely a aommou formula ; and,

not having the most distant idea to

for this

whom
'

was indebted

communication,

asked

if the

invisible'

would

favor

me
as
I

with his name.

did not, at the

The answer was 'James."

Now

moment,

recollect

any friend
I

of mine in the spirit-world of that Christian name,

im-

mediately thought of an old college friend of mine, who,

however,
relation
%

is

still

living.

So

next asked

if it

was any

'Yes.'
this

was not

till

What moment

relation'?

'Brother.'

And
that

it

that

it

occurred to
I

me

had a brother of that name who died when

was only a

few months old, of whom, therefore, as the reader

suppose,
I

may

am

not

much

in the habit of thinking."

Strange as

all this is, it is

not so entirely inexplicable

In
is

but that the

the

spirits

may

be wholly dispensed with.

it

scheme of Mesmerism,

is

admitted that there

such a thing as thought-reading, besides the striking phe-

nomena of clairvoyance

so that while the mesmerized

patient can pierce walls and space, and give a catalogue

of the furniture of a strange house, or describe correctly

persons

who

there may be reason

known
to the

to

suppose

have not
the

before been

patient, he

(or she, for

female

is

more

susceptible to the magnetic current than

THE

K...

the male) can read the thought and reply to the un-

spoken question that

is

passing in the mind.

in

The pulpit has not been slow,

eminent instances,
that the

to accept the spiritual explanation, but insists

spirits are
evil,

and that the whole

is

of satanic origin.
clerk, in

Some

time back, the Rev. Dr. Tyng, an Episcopal

.n,

and rector of St. George's church.

a sermon, warned his hearers against having aug:

say or do with the^t

denying or ap-

pearing to doubt the whole allegement of facts, he seems

to have taken

the

them for granted. power of the a prince of the

it

that difficult if

air*' is

admitted to pos-

and energy as formerly.

Paris Journal of Magnetism," a periodical

of considerable pr
extract,

we

feel

tempted to take an

which

still

more reduces

to the magnetic influ-

ence the bold claims of these manifestations to spiritual

and with such

:.ee
]

as can be expected from a

work
netic the

to the propagation of the

mag-

sooner or

later,

y points out where the solution is, to be found by those an inter.

it

Th
Blackwell/'
sion
writer,
ing, at

"I have myself been

|

appears under the signature of "

p

Anna

one occa-

of mine, a distingi

whom you
Mr. S:

well

know

yourself, at a private meet-

d upwards

c:

hour-

apping could or would be hear J

and

di-

A
i.ondon, in

second medium, a

whvm

the fa

180

THE RAPPERS.

has recently declared itself spontaneously, and

present, told us that

who was

we must be
'

patient

for

they would

soon have prepared

the

battery,'

and that already a

crowd of our friends were there, and ready to

communi-

cate with us as soon as the telegraph should be in a state

to act.

During

this

long suspense, the table frequently

became

as if charged with electricity, and

we
r

felt,

in-

stead of shocks, a series of continual vibrations, as well

as in the floor, the chairs, &c.

Another

table, standing

between ours and the windows,

vibrate,

was likewise made

it,

to

and distant taps becoming audible from

it

we

seated ourselves round

to

try

whether

it

might not

succeed better than our own.

Shortly after the taps

ordered the young

girl to go,

with the rest of the operafluid

tors, into another room, saying that her

thwarted

that of

Mrs. Haydon, the medium of Mr. Stone, and that

they would talk with us as soon as

alone w
T

we should be

left

ith

them.

This was done, and strange noises,

first

which we heard
sounding
all

for the

time, filled the apartment,

so that
it

at the

same time,

was not easy

to distinguish

one of them from another.

But having

contrived to learn the taps from

clared themselves
to be

some

friends

who
as

de-

there

an

easy matter, since

the

each
voice

tap has

its

own

note

as distinguishable

held with several of these strange communica-

tors entire conversations,

lectual,

some of them absolutely

intel-

which

fully

convinced

me

that

was occupied

with a being perfectly acquainted with

my former career,
In reply

and thoroughly sure of what he was saying.

to

my

mental questions, they quoted proper names,

THE KAPPERS.
dates,

181

&c spelled

by means of the alphabet with perfriend herself

fect accuracy.

As my

was ignorant of the

greater part of the faets alluded to by the taps, and as

Mrs. Ilaydon,

whom we
than herself,

both saw for the

it is

first

time,

knew no more
unless

evident that the medium,

endowed with

the faculty of clairvoyance to an

it

almost miraculous degree and

possess
it

appears she did not

in these

at

all could take no part

answers.

"Frankly speaking, Mr. Editor, you yourself, who

have long known

me
?

as a rational person, can

I felt,

you bea hand

lieve that on that evening

or thought
the

I felt,

upon
side,

my

left heel

The pressure of

thumb on one

that

and of the fingers on the other, was so well copied, I at first imagined that somebody had stolen be-

neath

my

chair,

and yet there was no one there; and

it

would have been

ladies to touch

impossible for either of these two

in

me

that

manner, without stooping

at

even
table.

had

not

their hands been

the time on the

another lady of my acquaintance, whilst she was trying to hold a table which would not be still,
" Since then

and on which she had

laid

her hands, had that hand

severely pinched, and a ring which she wore was pulled with so much violence as to be broken in two.
pieces were
altered, that

These

drawn out
it

in

length another shape, so

to join

much

was impossible

them."

182

THE RAPPERS.

CHAPTER
DIGEST OF OPINIONS CONTINUED
It is well that
far

IV.

A SCIENTIFIC SOLUTION.
any we have as yet had

we

can direct attention to arguments

more

stable and tangible than

to deal with.

Mr. E.

C. Rogers, an American writer, has

a very able and elaborate explanation of the spiritual

rapping phenomena, which

we

shall

now

briefly notice.

Mr. Rogers credits the existence of a newly discovered physical

agent,

" distinct from

electricity,

but
is

closely allied with animal

identical with the

magnetism," and which

od or odylic force of Baron Reichen-

bach.

This force can be traced in two distinct forms of

;

operation
telligence

one

is

totally independent of a presiding in-

the

other exhibits the

it.

phenomena of

intelli-

gence ruling and guiding

It

thus becomes prevision

intelligent clairvoyance

acts at a distance through

all

matter and space, and thus produces

the

phenomena

that have been attributed to direct spiritual agency.

We
in

are led on by a series of the nicest deductions,

through a whole mass of attested physical phenomena,

which

electricity can

be clearly discovered as primary

causation, until

we

arrive at that point

where the

line

divides the invisible and the impalpable from the mate-


mi: rappee
rial

183
boundary,

and the actual

and

-that
;

transition

where
in a

spirit

body blend

where the one becomes

manner

the other, and the positive characteristics of

both are ondistinguishable and undefinable by any tech-

nology yet invented.

ries

Jf

we remember

that the myste-

of alchemy have been transferred to the precise

laws of chemistry, and that the fearful wonders of astrology have assumed the sublime principles of astrono-

my, we

shall

not be

much mistaken

if,

sooner or

later,

the mysteries of electro biology and odylic

phenomena

be not reducible to as exact proportion, and become

subject to laws as well defined, as any that are recognizable in the arena of the material world at the present

hour.

Science and discovery have done so

(alleged)

der the

impossible possible, that

much to renwe neither

doubt nor despair.

Let us notice, then, the tendency of

Mr. Rogers' doctrines.

The somnambulic
tion of

trances,

and odyle-magnetic condiin ad-

Angelique Cottin, and of Frederica HaulTe,

dition to others of less magnitude, but equal importance,

are taken as the text of certain corollaries to be

deduced

therefrom, which
itself is

amount

to

the

following.

The

fact

very evident, that physical agents

at

subtle, uni:

are every where

rules the motions of
is

work.

"Force shows

mcrville remarks, "in everything that exist*

in

the

heavens or on the earth.

It

pervades every atom

;

animate and inanimate beings

of a rain-drop, as

and
the

as

sensible

in

the descent
in

in

falls

of Niagara

the weigh! of the air as in the peri-

of the

moon."

There

is

a physical power which

184
"not only binds

THE SAPPERS.
satellites to

their planet,

and planets

with suns, and sun with sun, throughout the wide extent
of creation, which
is

the cause of the disturbances as

it

well as of the order of nature," but

physically binds
as " every tre-

man mor
to

to
it

man, and man

to nature.
is

And,

excites in one planet

immediately transmitted
oscillations,

the furtherest limits of the system, in

in

which correspond

their periods with

the cause pro-

ducing them, like sympathetic notes in music, or vibrations

from the deep tones of an organ," so every

is

vibra-

tion thus excited,

transmissible to the delicate centres

of every organic being, provided the repulsive agent of

those beings
is

changed

in its relative condition, so as to

admit the

influx.

That the characteristics of

those of electricity, as

this

" force" differ from

commonly

educed, appears from

the circumstances attending the touching of Angel ique

Cottin,

when a person would

receive what really

seemed

a true electric shock, yet

Arago could not

detect the

characteristics of electric agency.

He

noticed that the

north

pole of

the

magnet gave Angelique Cottin a

effect

powerful shock, and the south pole produced no

upon her

but he could not detect the least influence

;

from her organism upon the magnetic needle

a powerful force from her

and yet
tables,

body would overturn

and raise a heavy weight without contact.

so,

Not only
of

her towards them " Thus," argues a sound professor

but at times

these outward

things would attract

science, "demonstrating the action and reaction of the

same

agent, and that, whatever the force was,

it

acted

THE RAPPERS.
from
it

185

the tables

and other

objects

upon her

resided with them as well as with her

it

that therefore consethat

sus-

quently,
ceptible,

was a common inorganic, physical agent,

under favorable circumstances, of a most pow-

erful action

from the laboratory of the animal organs.

facts

Moreover, the

throughout show that the condition

is

required for this unusual evolution of force,

variation of the organism from
is

a specific
It

its

normal condition.
is

evident, therefore, that this agent

it,

not the vital oris

ganic agent, nor a part of

though the former

asso-

ciated with the latter in the organism.

We

are not to

conclude, however, that this

is

the only inorganic agent

It
is

which

is

associated with

the vital force.

its

well

known

that electricity has

place

among
nature."

the other

forces in the animal

economy

so

has heat
in

but

they

are "principles found universally

"Vitality," says Dr.

Wm.

F. Channing, "is depenits

dent on physical conditions, and performs

functions

by the agency of physical

exists

forces.
itself

distinction thus

between the principle

its

and the agents by

which

results in the living structure are accomplished.

is

This distinction
basis of

an essential one, and constitutes tho

to

any system which proposes

act

directly on

the vital forces.

The

agents employed by the animal or-

ganization, are principles found pvivbrsally in

nauke;
Now,

and. in

addition to these, a force which

is

peculiar to

living structures, the special agent of vitality."'

it

might reasonably be expected,

other

that

if

electricity,

among

agents found " universally

in

nature,"

is
it

also associated with the agent of the animal economy,

186

THE RAPPERS.
its

might, under favorable conditions, exhibit

istic
It

character-

phenomena.
is

well

known

to

every chemist, that wherever

is

there is chemical action, there

city.

an evolution of electrikeeping
it

Now

the vital force

is

constantly

up

a chemical action in the animal

organism

must

there-

fore follow that there

is

a constant evolution of electric

agency

in that

organism.

The experiments of Matteucci

ele-

upon the muscles of animals, show that they act as

ments of a
terior

voltaic pile.

Thus, when we

connect the in-

and the surface of the muscles of a living or

recently killed animal by

means of a conducting
is

arc, the

existence of an electric current

then vigorously de-

monstrated.

The current

is

always directed from the

interior to the exterior of the

same muscles.

It

exists

without the direct influence of the nervous system, and

is

not modified even

It is not,

when we destroy

the integrity of

the latter.

however, from the nutrition of the

muscular system alone that the evolution of electricity

takes place; nor
is
it

to chemical action

alone that

it

can be attributed.

It is

well

known

to philosophers that
slight,

every change of matter, however

electric

occasions an

development.

There

is

not a muscular move-

ment, voluntary or involuntary, that does not break up

portions of the organism
into
particles.

Neither

is

there a motion of the brain, indeed, by thought, passion,

or emotion, that does not produce the

same

effect.

This

change of matter
tegration,

in

the organism

this constant disin-

must therefore constantly evolve

Respiration, circulation,

the electric

agency.

digestion, secretion,

THE RAPPERS.
and so
forth, are constantly giving

187
this force.

freedom to

These opinions, the

fontaine,

many experiments
in

of Thilorier, La-

and others, confirmed

a lengthy paper laid

.are

before

the

Academy

of Paris.

These

essentially

affirmative of Reichenbach's odic force, the

more

en-

larged features of which are

its

independence of the

usual conductors, or rather

its

capacity for transforming

like.

negative into positive conductors, and the

Reich-

enbach found

this force as

it

emanated from the organ-

ism, transmissible " not only through metals, but also

glass, rosin,
silk,

dec, as if they
is

were perfect conducall

tors."

The analogy here

beyond

question on this

ground.

MM.

Thilorier and Lafontaine, with their

new
the

agent. Matteucci, with his

anomalous agent, and Reiehin

enbach, with his odyle,

free odic force
is

met

common.

When

thus accumulated in a body,

it

it is re-

tained in
escape,

it

in
is

such a manner that

the

does not readily

This
is

as

case with

electricity.

what

takes place in the case of

some mediums, who become

it is

powerfully charged with the odic force; and

the circumstances of a sudden

under

change of the nerve

centres of the organism that this force escapes, as was

witnessed

in

the case of Angelique Cottin.

in

Atone mo-

ment, there were

a

her case, severe nervous paroxysms,

tremor of the muscles, and at one instant everything

would be overthrown which -hr touched, or even approached

without touching.

Now,

the

difference betl.

tween the case of Angelique Cottin and that of

called
ii

mediums' of

the

present day, with

force,
is

regard

t<>

the

discharge

of the odic

this:

With

the

188

THE RAPPERS.

former, the cause of the discharge lay wholly in the

sympathetic and spinal nerve-centres.

cumulation of this
force, in

The unusual
place,

ac-

the

first

was caused

by a peculiar abnormal action of the lower sympathetic

nerves, mostly connected with the uterine functions.

This accumulation of force arrived at

its

maximum

beIts
its

tween the hours of seven and nine

in the evening.

infringement upon the spinal system at the time of

discharge,

caused the spasms.

it

The muscles
r

also be-

came charged with

causing their tremor
tion, the

from the sympathetic centres,

and, what
is

w orthy of observa-

parts where the

discharge of this force was

very intense, would have a peculiar trembling, " which,"

says Arago, "communicated itself to the head which

touched the parts."

this case

We

say that the difference between

in

and the " mediums of the present day,

whose

presence tables are moved, sometimes without touching,

is

that the force

in

the case of Angelique, discharged

the psychological centres;

itself

by causes acting below

mediums,"

whereas the discharge of the force from the organism of

the "
is

more

at the

command

of the brain

centres.
It is clearly established, at all events, that the

magnet

which has been developed in the experiments of mesmerizers

ism, but
as the
is

not an exclusive agent of the

a universal force in nature.

human

organ-

is

That, inasmuch

human

nerves, and the centres of the brain, are

its

peculiarly susceptible to

influence, the

whole outward
of this agent,

material world

is,

through the

medium

brought into an intimate relation to the centres of the

THE RAPPERS.

189

human organism.
stands in a than
it

Furthermore, as one human brain

relation
to

closer

another
it

human

brain
it

does to a mere inorganic point,

its

follows, that
;

should be more susceptible to

this influence takes place

influence

and since

without necessarily involving

it

the action of the mind, that

rily

is

not therefore necessa-

connected with the spiritual world.

subject debated

The

by Rogers, regarding the

force

which was developed without an intelligent direction,

soon opens out into proportions
and introduces us to a
force, far

more important,
in essence, that

the

same

has an intelligent direction.

The grand question now, and

nity
is,

that ;vhich the

commuanswer

most aiwdously wait upon

for a satisfactory

Whence this intelligence] How is the table, the And chair, made to move as by a law of intelligence ? how is it that the medium's hand is made to move, without his own free-will, with tenfold the rapidity in intelligent words than the medium can voluntarily execute? In short, Whence is all this apparent intelligence, without the conscious effort of any mortal present
?

Carrying the argument

still

farther, to the theory of

impressions as giving dominancy

to

the

mind

in

an

automatic and pre-sensatorial

state,
:

we

think

that the

idea can be very plainly stated thus

That an impression may be made upon the brain, or

any part of
it,

in

accordance with the law of sympathy,

reflected
in

and then outwardly

involuntary action, has

been often demonstrated.

Iodine and bromine on the

of
light,
re-

daguerreotype plate, through the medium

190

THE RAPPEB8.

ceive an impression of objects brought within the focus

of the camera.
law.

This

may

be said to be by a chemical
is

True, and so when an image

impressed upon
It
is

the retina of the eye through the

same medium.

not only, however, through the

medium

of light that

impressions are made, but also through the

medium
agency

of

every

form

of

imponderable or primary
electricity,

through heat, magnetism,

In this process the

and odyle.
that trans-

same thing takes place

it is

pires every day

so that

not necessary that a perin

son should be thrown into a mesmeric trance

that an impression

order

may
It
is

be made, or a predilection of
strange that
it

the brain effected.

has not been

extreme

seen that the mesmeric phenomena are

butthe

developments of the
the law, says
is

common

principles of

humanity
life.

Rogers, of every man's every day

It

the property of the brain to receive impressions, but

the prerogative of the self-conscious, self-determin-

it is

ing, disciplined

mind
is

to reject or to receive their influ-

ence.

And

this

the reason

why

a highly-disciplined

mind prevents
therefore

a person from becoming a

medium.

An
in

undisciplined mind has not a control over the brain,

it

cannot prevent the influence of others

it;

making impressions upon

outward world.
a
is

and,

when made,

it

cannot

prevent their reflex action, or reflection back upon the

This
is

also

why,

in

order to develope

medium, a suspended
found necessary.

state of the mind, a passive will,

This condition

is

precisely

the

same with that which the mesmerist requires.

The

pre-established conditions are, therefore,

first,

THE K A ITERS.
non-controlling state of the

191

mind

as to the action of the

;

brain under the influence of external agencies

second,

a consequent readiness, on the part of the brain, to be

played upon by the external agencies

and, third,

promptness of the brain

impr..
ick

to give a reflex action of these

upon the outward world, through the

in the
it

medium
from
it.

of the automatic apparatus,

bodily frame,

or through the odylic force, that,

is

clear,

emanates
it

Coming now

to

the

i;

intelligent

power,"

follows that the material agent that produces the raps

atrollable

by the peculiar changes

that

take place

in the organs of the brain.

To have

this fairly under-

stood, a fact, familiar to all scientific persons,

stated.
It
is

may

be

this

whenever a change of matter takes

especial!

place, the
to that

primary physical agent that

is

form of matter

evolved.

For

illustration:

if

you take a

strip of sheet iron,

about three-fourths of an
it in

inch wide, by four or five inches long, and hold

the

magnetic dip of the earth, so that tho lower end

shall

reach within an inch of the north-pole of a magnetic

needle, and, in
this condition,

give

it

a Ridden

twist

(one hand being at each end of the iron) the needle will
act as
if

struek with
it.

a stick,

when

in<l.

risible

thing has touched

In such experiments over a deli

sogers,

by

varied twii
irly

the

iron

under varying cireu

vai
\

a hundred
mind
i

ing results

upon the
prerogath

It

not, the

or ipirit to control the motions,

ntly
but.

the

changes of hia brain within prescribed limits

whni

192

THE RAPPERS.
is

the condition of the latter

such as a mesmeric trance

is

and
its
it

the like, the

man's own personality

suspended
influence

in

prerogative action.

The predominant

upon

then becomes material

sensuous.

Then

the reflex

action of another's brain will readily take place.

other's

Anif

wish or request will act as law.

in the physical

But

we
to

assume the agent engaged

be a
spiritual agent,

phenomena

independent of the medium, then,

allowing the will of the

a

medium

to control

it,

we have

human

will controlling

an independent
is

spirit's will.

This absurd and quite untenable notion

tically

very dogma-

held

by many

spirit-rappers,
it

the table, or whatever

may

be,

who contend that "moans and speaks"

spirits
!

under the compelled influence of disembodied

Speaking of a

fictitious identity

induced into the brain,

which loses

all

apprehension of

self,

and becomes

indivi-

dualized with that of another,

by which
in a sort

there arises

synchronism of thought and idea

transport,

of prophetic
instances, a

Mr. Rogers

says, that, in

some

diseased action induced upon the organ adapted to the

mind's sense of personality,

will,

in

forms of
in

this

dewill

rangement, represent

itself as

God,

another
in

represent the personality of our Saviour,

another that

of a mouse, and so on to a toad, a

a

shilling bit, a stone,

nothing, according
subject,

to the

accompanying conditions.

The same
lism,

thing takes place in sleep, trance,

somnambuin

and clairvoyance. Professor Gregory,

speaking

on such a

mentions several illustrative cases.

that of a clairvoyant,

Among them was

state described

who

in

this

a locality in CarTraria.

While

describ-

THE KAPPER8.
ing

193
air,

himself as flying through the

to

he

all

at once

began "

appear uneasy and alarmed, and told me,"

says the Professor, " that he had fallen into the water,

and would be drowned

if I

did not help him.

com-

manded him
brink.

to get out of the water, and, after

much

actual exertion and alarm,

he said he had got to the

He
at

then said that he had fallen into a river in

a place where a friend of his was born.

Caffraria,

What seemed
woods, as
if

very remarkable was, that he spoke of

the river, the field, farm-houses, people, animals, and

perfectly familiar to

him

and told

me

he

had spent

many

years

in

that country, whereas he has

never been out of Scotland." Now, no one will contend

that this state of the

young man belonged

to the per-

sonal, conscious self, the identical

me of

the

man.

The

action of that rod yielded to the suspension of the nor-

mal consciousness, the reason, and

under the influence of impressions.

the

will.

The

remaining action, therefore, was that of the brain centred

Mr. Rogers has known persons, on

jects of the " intelligent"

first

becoming subthe " raps," to

phenomena of

exercise a conscious control, as to the character or

man-

ner

of phenomenal

developments, but, on becoming

the brain

more deeply inducted,

cific

became

subject, in spe-

ways, to external influences, entirely independent

of the "desire, or "wish," or "will" of the medium.

Then,

all

seemed so foreign from the

real personality of

the individual, as to induee

ject to the

him

to believe himself sub-

influence of heavenly visitants.

The same
"
It
is

thing has been observed by

Mr. Ballou.

re-

194
markable
ring the
fact,"

THE RAPPERS.
says he, " that some mediums, who, du-

first

few days or weeks of their mediumship,

to

knew themselves

have considerable power over the

manifestations, have gradually

become

clear

and passive,

and found themselves, at

last,

utterly unable to affect

the responses and communications

made through them.

For several weeks

could get very
pleased.

after he

found Mj#self a medium, he

much

suchf^answers to questions as he

During

that stage of his

mediumship he
he began to
it

felt

quite confident the whole thing

was but a new species

fail

of " mesmerism."

But

after a while

of

controlling the agency, and at length found

entirely independent of his

operating

most determined " wishings

is

and willings."

The power

allowed within the

influ-

ence of the " wishing" and the " willing" energy.

The

" wishing" and the " willing" are within the consciousness.

But

it is

the " wishing" and the " willing" that in

directly.

any case produce the phenomena

ing"

The "wish-

and the " willing" cannot take place in the brain,

without at the same instant effecting a change of the

matter of the brain.

And

it

is

by a change of matter
is af-

that odylic agent (as in the case with electricity)

fected

eliminated.
three will be

Now, whether

this

change of mat-

ter takes place in

consequence of an action of the " will,"

or a "wish," or a conscious emotion, nothing but one of

these,

known

to

the mind, whereas the

change of matter will be unconscious, and the conse

quent emanation of the physical agent

will,

therefore,

bo unconsciously

affected,

unless

it

interfere with the

THE RAPPERS.
sensorium.

lVU

But avoiding

this,

there will be no conscious

knowledge of the physical emanation.

This fact
is

clearly exhibited

where the medium's

is

characteristic, M raps."
for

bad orthography,
is,

distinguished

in

the
will,

There

however, no wish, Jho desire, no

such a

result.

There the habit of action

lies in

the

brain

the tendency of the organ of language

manner when
excited
is

to act in a

particular

also there.

We

find,

then, that certain

words are always unconsciously spelled

wrongly, whether the

medium
In

writes or spells the words

is

vocally in the usual state, or whether she

acting in

her professional capacity.

this latter case,

she does

not think of the words that are to be rapped out, nor of

the letters that are to be thrown together to

compose
to

these words, and yet her orthography

the

comes out true

;

habit of her orthographic organ

otherwise,

why

should the " raps"

come on
word

precisely those letters she

if

would herself use

in a

writing to a friend?

In the face of such scientific evidence alone, that the assumption

we reckon
la

of a supernatural ag
It is

abto

surd as

it

is

dangerous.
the

worse than precipitate

disembodied
spirits,

attribute

to

influence of
lies

that

which so evidently
organization,

within the sphere of the

human

human

relations,

and mundane agec

r.

Applying the arguments thus based, and any

inference deducible therefrom, Mr. R

an

anaU>
ted

v.

it

appears

be

mod

by the

to

the prin-

ciples which produced that

dominancy

the pb
tic

of the divining rod

trances, not

196

THE BAPPERS.

only of the Delphic Pythoness, but of the Seeress of Prevorst.

It is inferred that all

those cases where the phe-

nomenon of the movement depends upon a

movement

of the divining rod takes place,

specific relation of the
this

nervous system to the emanation of

mundane

agent,

as the emanation of od from metallic substances

and

subterranean currents of water.

that
it is

It

follows, therefore,

the

same mundane agent

that Reichenbach has

it

discovered and named Od.

served, that
it

But here

must be ob-

is

not the external od alone,

it is

that
It

in conjunction
is

with the od of the

human organism.
and
it is

the latter, then, that gives the characteristic phenomestick

;

non of the movement of the

because the
related

od force from the particular locality

to the

is specifically

od force of the organism, and the action of the one

moves.

in relation to the action of the other, that the stick

In haunted houses the like conditions are fulfilled

namely, the emanations of mundane force

specific conditions of

in relation to

human

organisms, especially the

nerve-centres.

Where

these conditions are permanently

established, a dwelling will be permanently "haunted."

And

not only dwellings, but particular

especially,

localities, in hilly

and mountainous regions

spots.

will

be haunted

In such a place a

man

will not only hear strange

sounds, but he will (as Goethe and the Seeress of Prevorst at one time,) see his

own

ghost.

For

it is

in this

mundane imponderable
and
is

that the organic form of animal

man

can reflect

itself

with

all its characteristics.

It

on

this that

every human being impresses the peculife in

liarities

of his

the world

so that, after the mate-


THE EAPPEES.
rial
its

197
station

form
ghost

itself
still

has gone to dec^

exists,

as that of the star,

its

Alpha L

which would
:ar itself

still

play

influence twenty years

had been blotted out of existence.

is

When

the nervous organization of an individual

brought into
the action of

rapport with this

mundane imponderable,
its

the former will have

exact counterpart repeated in

another place, even at a distance.

Strange as

this

may
thoua fact

seem

who have never thought upon the sands of phenomena attestir.. nevertheless
to those

of nature.

198

THE RAPPERS.

CHAPTER

V.

ANOTHER SCIENTIFIC SOLUTION.

Another American author, Mr. J. B. Dods, explains modern spirit manifestations as they are called, such as rapping, writing, moving furniture, &c, on the princithe
ples

of what he calls the voluntary

and involuntary

powers of the mind.

are produced

He

says that these manifestations

the involuntary powers of the

by allowing

mind

in the

back brain to take the place and execute

the office of the voluntary powers of the

mind

in

the

front brain, and through the muscular and nervous force

to give

motion to the medium's foot or any part of the

body, over which the medium, at that instant, has no

more

control than any other person "

who may be

in the

room with him.

The manifestations," says Mr. Dods,

" are occasioned by too great a redundancy of electricity,

congregated upon the involuntary nerves, through the

passivity

of the

mind, and

thus imparting to

them
be,

extraordinary nervous force.

And

this

force

will

more

or less, in the

same

ratio that they are

thrown

out of balance with the voluntary nerves.

dition, an electro-magnetic discharge

In this con-

from the fingers or

toes of the

medium may

often produce an audible snap,

T1JK

KAPPEBS.
in

199

or even sound,

by coming

contact with surrounding

substances favorable to the propagation of sound, and

be heard at considerable distances.

And, moreover, the

the very spot

souud
it

will

appear to originate

in

where

is

heard.

Or

this electro-magnetic force,

by endea-

voring to equalize itself throughout the nervous system

of the medium,

may

occasion a snapping in the head, or

a striking together of the joints, that can be heard in an

adjoining room, and even appear to be in the room.

And

while these phenomena are transpiring, that part

of the body in which they occur will be entirely destitute of feeling at the very instant that each

sound or

rap

is

given.

The

entire passivity of the voluntary

the voluntary nerves is the

ers of the

mind and of

an
an
ffi

unduly charging

the involuntary

powT% with
result
is

too great

dectro-nervous force,

and

the

tho^e

manifestations that are so confidently attributed

V of spirits.

to

the

Alter being thus charged, the volunin

tary

powers have, doubtless, some agency

producing

the sounds
tin-

by a concentrated expectation, thus aiding

for

involuntary powers to produee an equilibrium,

is

there
forces.

a sympathetic connection

between

the

lienee persons

who

are in a perfectly eatalepl

time, attended with a brilliant

and which
clair\

is,

at the

same

mutinies

capable
their

of

prod
iflvolui

electro-magnetic

sounds from

own

nervous
tance.

force,

so as to be beard at a oonsiderabh
i

And

being so near a state approaching the

en

and so ty m pathetically affected

with

tin-

200

THE K A ITERS.

dying, that they often receive an impression, not only

of the time the person dies, but also that the departed
spirit,

on

its

journey to future scenes, appears

to,

and

addresses them."

Mr. Dods thus explains

"

his

theory of the voluntary

:

and involuntary powers of the mind

We

move

the head, the eyes, the tongue, and lips,

by the voluntary powers of the mind, and by the same

power we move a

finger, or

the hands and arms to

handle, and the feet and limbs to walk.

At

will

we

bend the body and ply every joint of the entire system.
This, all are aware,
is

effected

by the voluntary powers

of the

mind

residing in the front brain, acting through

the voluntary nerves.

But over the motions of the

heart, lungs, the circulation of the blood, the digestion

of the food

by

the stomach, and

life

all

those

movements on
these

which the functions of

depend

over

we have
the phe-

no voluntary control.
tinues to beat

Awake whether we will

or asleep, the heart con-

or not, and

all

nomena of
All these

life

proceed as usual in their destined course.

are produced
in

movements

by

the involuntary
brain, acting

powers of the

mind residing

the back

through the involuntary nerves, and are not the result,

as

has been uniformly supposed, of

mere organic

life

entirely distinct from mind.

That these two forces both

from

belong to mind

is

certain, because take the spirit

the body, and all motion, both voluntary and involuntary, instantly ceases.

Hence,

all

the energies of reason,

thought, understanding, consciousness, and will, belong

exclusively to the voluntary powers of the mind.

And

THE RAPPEES.
all

201

the
all

movements on which

the functions oflife depend,

and
ing,

the instinctive energies or intuitions of our be-

belong to the involuntary powers of the mind.

Hence,

man

has his instincts superior to

all

creatures in

existence, and mind, like every other faculty in

man,

is

double.

"

We perceive,

then, that the voluntary

power of

the

mind can move or suspend motion, can

acting, can reason, think, understand,

act or cease
will,

and

or sus-

pend

all these,

as in sleep.
its

But the involuntary power

ceaseless self-motion through

of the mind continues

every period of existence, when we are asleep as well

as

when awake.
is

It

has no power to stop, because moits

tion

an

inherent attribute of

nature.

Seeing,

hearing, feeling, taste, and

smell, belong

to the invol-

untary powers of

the

mind,
first

where

all

impressions
thence

through the senses are

received, and from

are instantly transmitted to the voluntary powers of

the mind, where they are
ideas

compared and formed

into

by

the

power of what we term reason and

the voluntary and involuntary

asso-

ciation.

Though

powers

of the mind are entirely distinct attributes, belonging

to

two

distinct brains, yet

there

is,

at

the

same

time,

an indissoluble connection existing between the two,

and also a strong sympathy to concur together

in

one

common

state

and

mode

of action, through indulgence

and habit."

Mr. Dods

cites

a great

many

striking illustrations
his

from ancient and modern history to prove

Qi

theory,

that all the spirit manifestation! which have transpired

202

THE RAPPERS.
as involuntary writing, involun-

among mediums, such

tary

mesmerizing,

involuntary

speaking,

involuntary

table-tipping, involuntary rapping, arise

from the mysthe involuntary

invol-

terious

movements and operations of

powers of the human mind, acting through the

untary nerves.

He

accounts for the intelligence con-

nected with these involuntary motions in the following

manner
"

Every part of the human system, we may

say, is

double.
taste,

We have
its

two hands, two

ears.

feet,

two glands of
is

two eyes, and two

The heart
ventricles,

double,
is

having

two auricles and two

and so

even the circulating system double

venous.

the
it,

arterial

and
is

The human brain

is

likewise double, and so

the mind, that pervades

and actuates

also double.

The positive and

each
other,
reality,

negative forces respond to,

all

and balance
have,
its

and pervade

nature.

We

in

two

distinct brains, each

performing

own

distinct office, so long as they are kept in proper har-

mony
which

with each other.

lies

The one

is

called the cerebrum,

in

the front part of the skull, occupying the

its

greater portion of
cerebellum,

cavity

and the other

is

called the
skull.
its
is

and occupies the back portion of the

is

The

front brain

perfect
its

by

itself,

having

two
the

hemispheres, and also

lobes.

It is

double, and

organ of

all

voluntary motion, by which alone

we move
This

the head, the hands, the feet, or the whole body.

front

brain

is

the residence, the earthly house of that

that exercises volition,
If

part of the

mind

thought, under-

standing, and reason.

one-half of this brain be para-

TttJS

RAPfB8.

203

lyzed,

it

renders half of the system useless, so that

we
its

are unable to

move

it.

The back brain

is

also perfect

by

itself,

having

own

distinct lobes, is likewise double,

and
It

is

the organ

of involuntary motion and organic

heart,

life.

throbs the

moves

the blood, gives

power

to the to

stomach

to

digest its food,

and imparts energy

secretions.
It

the glands to
residence,

produce their

is

the

the

earthly house of that part of the

mind

that exercises

involuntary power in accordance with the

the universe.
It

harmony of

moves,

it

rolls

on with external nature,

drinks
the

in,
r

and

feels
its

her impressions-, and scans them by

intuitions.

pow er of
all

own

This part of the mind

contains

the instincts of our nature.

Hence

it

does

not

will,

understand, and reason, as the voluntary dein

partment of the mind

intuitively

the front brain

reasons.

It

knows,

or

involuntarily

reasons.
like the

Under
mesmeric
compels

certain circumstances

and conditions,
it

or psychological

state,
its

takes

the throne,

reason to
of
its

bow

to

mandate, and with the

the voluntary

brighti.. ss

blaze throws

all

powers of the

soul,

residing in the front brain, into comparative dark:

and pours out the eloquence of truth

clear as crystal,
is

like a river of

life,

from

its

throne.

When

the back brain

thus roused into action, the front brain

its

knows

DOtl

of

secret doings,

its

intuitive powers,
its

and instinctive
intelligence
it

energies.

Each brain may manifest

impressions separate and independent, as

other,

were, of the

yet there

is,

at

the

same time, an undisturbed

between the

harmony,

a sympathetic connection existing

204
t

THE RAPPERS.
The
first

two.

manifests
reason.

itself

by the involuntary
itself

power of thought and

The second manifests

intuition

by
r

the involuntary
so,

power of

and

instinct,

and

w hile doing
ledge of

the^rs^ has no remembrance, no knowThis

is

its acts.

a state well-known to medical

men and

physiological writers,

who

call it

double conis

sciousness.
double, as a

Please to bear in mind that the brain

meet tabernacle adapted

is

to the living spirit

or

mind

as its inhabitant, which

also double.

Seeing,
If
is

hearing, feeling, taste, and smell, are involuntary.

our eyes are open, we cannot avoid seeing;

if

there

a
is

sound near
an odor,

us,

we cannot

avoid hearing

and

if

there

we

cannot avoid smelling.

As our

senses are

involuntary, so they belong to the involuntary power.

Hence
first

all

impressions, received through the senses, are

conveyed to the involuntary department of the

in

mind

the back

brain as the

grand magazine

the
the

kitchen

where

they are prepared, and then passed on

reason,
in

to the fields

of volition, thought, and

front brain, to be digested

and manufactured

into ideas

by the power of
wise

association."
in

Mr. Dods applies his theory to a writing medium

this
:

"

The medium,

for instance, sits

down and

resigns all

power over the voluntary nerves, under

that

the impression

some immortal

spirit will

move

the hand to write,

and thus make some communication through him.

He

assumes a
motion of
indifferent.

state of entire passivity, and, so far as the

his

hand

is

concerned, he remains perfectly

He

does not will nor exercise even the

THE RAPPEES.
slightest

205
But soon the
far

mental

effort to

move

his hand.

hand does move, either more slowly or with

than ordinary rapidity,
But,
in

more

and a sentence

is

produced.

the production of this sentence the

medium,

really

and honestly, had no more conscious volition

than any other person present.

"

How,

then,

it
1

may

be asked, did he form letters

is,

without thinking
tively

The answer

that

it

was

intui-

produced by the involuntary powers of the mind,

through the nervous force of the arm, and by a nervous

sympathy they would produce such

voluntary powers of

letters only, as

by

long-established habit he had uniformly written

his

by the

mind."
is,

The sum of Mr. Dods' theory

that

"The

so-called

spirit-manifestations are produced

by the involuntary

powers of the human mind through the nervous force of

those persons only

who

are either in the electro-psycholo-

gical state, or in the mesmeric state, or in an entire or

partial cataleptic state
ditions,
it

these

three.

These three con-

is

to be understood, involve not only

trance, but every

somto

nambulism and

abnormal condition

which human beings

may

be subject."

206

THE RAPPERS.

CHAPTER

VI.
SPIRIT

A LITTLE PHILOSOPHY AND SOME ILLUSTRATION OF LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND TACTICS.

We

shall again let an

English writer on spiritualism

it is

rap for us, in this chapter, as

our design to give to

the reader as complete a view of this subject as possible.

The English

writer raps philosophically and illustra-

tively as follows

The

"

modern mystery" no doubt comprehends

the

whole phenomena of clairvoyance, magnetism,

spirit-

rapping, table-turning, and spectral illusions in every

form.

How

are these produced

1

Whence

arise they

Are they

real or illusive

Are they

the offspring of as

yet unexplored natural laws, or are they the genuine

product of deception and credulity

Let

it

not be unre-

marked

either, that the

believers are few, the disciples

limited, or the secret in

a nutshell

facts

which three-

fourths of the world overlook.

The normal
dant health
corpore sano.

condition of

man

is

that of full and abun-

health of body and of mind

The opposite
to this
is

mens sana in

disease, not of the

incidental and usual kind, but organic and chronic.

The

THE EAPPEK5.
functions disturbed,

207

the tension of nerve and muscle

relaxed, the cerebral system deranged, the stomach ab-

normal, and as

it

were, teeming with vapors

like the

that

wrap

up and blind the senses,

phantasm a of

sleep, all
all

these prepare an individual to think differently from

other people

to see in a

shadowy manner

to receive

strange and fantastic impressions, and to be affected

by

them.
rents
;

They

are subject to electric and magnetic curfluids testify their

and the

presence in ways

now
to

so well known, that only the rarity and isolation of such

abnormal cases render them comparative mysteries

the uninitiated,
nity.
i.

e.

to

the great

body of the commuthis

Insanity, in its mild forms of dementia and hallu-

cination, is but another of the

modes of

abnormal

development.

The

brain-struck, the

dupe of an exagger-

ated nervous temperament, believes as firmly in the

fancies that beset

him

vague, shadowy,
as

and unreal as

they

are

as

firmly

sanity

believes in substance,
milliner in Bedlam,

weight, proportion.

The demented
is

waving her sceptre of straw,

as veritable to herself as

ever was the Queen of Sheba, or even Victoria.

These

are suggestive enough of agencies acted upon by laws,

chemical and

organic, but

also occult

and unknown.
diseased,
ts

What

is

our inference, then?

he inssni
.

Are
thrir

the

the

in

moi

and

condition, such

precedents and laws which, taken for

granted, shall rule the

man and

nature, or are
|

they limply exoej

their

tilings

uut of

common
make

proportion, u like

lis

jingled out

of tune,"

a discord at once hideous and

revolting

; ;

208
in the

THE RAPPERS.
sublimely harmonious working of the great uni-

verse, animate

and inanimate?
is

These things occurring, however, where knowledge

rare,

and science vague,

fall

under the observation of

"

fraud and cunning.

translates

Some

medium"
to the

starts forth,

and

words and actions

wondering crowds
to ac-

and the process of imposture thus begun, continues

celerate, like a ball rolling

down

hill, till

the surround-

ing masses are leavened with fear, and

awed with a

" blind belief in divinities," like the superstitious

man
in

of Theophrastus.

There

is

a principle of epidemic
;

whatever verges on the supernatural

that there
all
is

and the very

fact

an absence of

all

reasoning, a negation of

judgment, and an implicit and unquestioning dependin

ence on the part of witnesses and hearers, only aid

the

propaganda

fruitful as it is in all those

moral
is

evils

which accrue to the world when deception

and credulity dominant.

rampant,

Now
must

belief, to

be

effective,

should have the sanction

conviction,

of the larger number.

arise

Whatever can carry

from a vast unity of opinion.

the day," starting
first

That the

"mystery of
dition of

with a diseased conattracted so

body and of mind, should have

is

great a degree of attention,

at,

the

more

to be
all, its

wondered
sphere
is,

when we remark, how

limited, after

how

few, comparatively speaking, the electrical agents,

the odylic bodies, are.

The magneto-dynamic forces ap-

pear to

affect,

here and there, a few solitary individuals

but as

this furnishes a stock-in-trade to the " thirty thouit is

sand media" of the United States,

a justifiable infer-

THE RAPPERS.
ence, that

209

where there

may

exist a little truth, as con-

nected with nervous patients, and persons highly ob-

noxious to electrical influences, there must also be a

vast deal of cheatery and imposture practised
these

among
amount

same

thirty thousand, to
far.

make

so small an

of wares go so

gloomy

cast of thought generates

the
is

same

tene-

brous fancies.
fertile

febrile

constitution
visions,

creative and

in

imaginings.

What

what rappings,
ex-

what converse with the shadowy spectres of another

istence,

what communings with the radiant jEons, or

flitting like lost souls
life,

what ravings with demoniac images

on the Plutonian shores, when a vicious

and intem-

perance, has deranged the fine corporeity of matter and

spirit, all

these have and hold, the doctor, the nurse, the

full well.

watcher by the sick-bed, know

Was

the com-

munion of Socrates and

Swedenborg,
of falsehood?
in his

his

demon
some

all fiction?

Did
tissue

rapt ecstasies, merely

weave a
vague

Have we

not

faint,

idea, all

of

us, that in sleep the soul

has consciousness of another

essences,

life,

of dwelling with

other

of

" spheres,"

" zones," and

" circles," as
If

the priesthood

of

spirit-

rapping phrase if?

very

we do concede
we
too

to the theorizers

much

that
it is

may go
because

to establish the audacious claims

they make,

know, that " there are

more

things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in

any philosophy."
supernatural,
sult arising

What

then?

That which they term

re-

we

claim to be natural, the invariable

from the same invariable causes.

Did

the

modern Psychopanniehists ever draw more marvellous

210

THE RAPPERS.

utterances from the spectral lips they would have us

believe
in,

than are gathered from the lips of fever, or

1

from a raving poet's rhapsodies

When
is

Coleridge was

under the influence of opium (which

vellous in
its

far

more mar-

working, than the vulgarities of table-

turning,) he wrote a

wondrous piece of melody, without

Is

meaning, known as " Khubla Khan."

there

more

meaning derivable from darkened rooms, where

fires flash to

electric

and

fro,

from furniture overthrown, from a

discord of horrible noises, or from the laughable replies

given to questions, spelt in defiance of grammar, and

spoken without
eliminated
?

logic,

which trance

after trance

have

To show how easy

light, to

it

is

to

arrive at darkness from

convert the common-place into the mysterious,

and to ally disease with the demon, we could give examples enough.
It is

not against the data, but with the

protest.
It
is

deduction,

that

we must
initiative

because the

world take the

the

from the impudent assertion of

not, or
in

mesmeric or spirit-rapping quack, and asks

itself,

judges not for

this

that

we

feel

our way cautiously

dark labyrinth.

We

do not laugh or scorn men's

easily impressions,

hallucinations,

knowing well how

bright or black, are made.

in point,

Here

for instance, is a case

extracted from Mrs. Crowe's remarkable work,

"The

Nightside of Nature."
Bardili had a case in

"Dr.

the year 1830, which he

considered decidedly to be one of possession.

tient

The

pa-

was a peasant woman, aged

thirty -four,

who never

had any sickness whatever,

and the whole of whose

THE KAPPERS.

211

bodily functions continued perfectly regular, whilst she

exhibited the following strange phenomena.

She was

happily married, had three children, was not a fanatic,

and bore an excellent character for regularity and industry,

when, without any warning or perceptible cause, she

seized

was

with the most extraordinary convulsions,

whilst a strange voice proceeded from her, which

to be that of an unblessed spirit,

assumed
in-

who had formerly

fits

habited a
entirely

human
lost her

form.

While these
individuality,

were

on, she
this

own

and became

person.

On returning

to herself, her understanding and

character were as entire as before.

cursing,

The blasphemy and

and barking and screeching, were dreadful. She

falls

was wounded and injured severely, by the violent

and blows she gave herself; and when she had an
mission, she could do nothing but
told her
self.

inter-

weep over what they

in

had passed, and the state

which she saw her;

She was reduced

to eat, the

to a skeleton

for
in

when she
her hand,
allliction

wanted

spoon was turned round

for

and she often fasted

days together.

This

lasted for three years, all remedies failed,

alleviation she obtained,
est prayers of those
this

and the only

was by the continued and earn;

about her, and her own

for

although

demon

did not like prayers, and violently opposed

fits

her kneeling down, often forcing her to outrageous

of laughter,

still

they had a power over him.

It

is

remarkable that pregnancy, confinement, and the ironing

of the child,
tion.
fell

made
*

not the least ditlerenee in her condi-

At

length, being

monetized, she
which another

into a partially

somnambulic

state, in

212
voice

THE RAPPERS.
was heard
to

proceed from

her, being that of her

protecting spirit, which encouraged her to patience and

hope, and promised that the evil guest would be obliged

to vacate his quarters.

She often

fell

now

into a

mag-

netic state, without the aid of a magnetizer.

At the end

of three years, she was entirely relieved, and as well as

ever.

What would

the

medium have made of this ? Would

its

he not take her ravings as invocations, and knowing the

nature of a paroxysm, and
suit his

occurrences, would he not

subject or his question to the crisis and the

hour 1

Or would he not give strong

uttered,

local coloring to

what was thus

and

skilfully

adapt such to the

?

impressionability of his audience or hearers

When

spirit-rapping had

established itself both in

theory and practice, after so

many

years of slumber,

it

was found
perhaps,
it

that,

while being tedious, though startling

limited.

was empty and very

it

The

following,

for instance, while

embodies the whole

essentials of

spirit-rapping, its origin, range

also,

and

characteristics,

shows
its
it

as

we

shall

presently see, that large as was

it

scope and action, and wonderful as

might seem,

was also as equivocal

poses.

as

it

was

insufficient for all pur-

Mr. Hammond, a clergyman, of Rochester, (U.

of a third
visit paid to a

S.,) details the particulars

family

(the Foxes,) in

whose residence the mysterious sounds

had been heard.

we now
"
I

refer to,

He

says
di-

was selected from half a dozen gentlemen, and by these sounds

to
retire to

rected
in

another apartment,

company with

the 'three

sisters'

and their aged

THE RAPPERS
mother.
It

213
in the evening.
table,

was about eight o'clock

lighted candle

was placed on a large

it.

and we

seated ourselves around

table, the

occupied one side of the

right,

mother and youngest daughter the

sisters the left, leaving the

ana

two of the
the

opposite side of

table vacant.

On

taking our position, the sounds

to multiply

were heard, and continued

violent,
until

and become more

every part of the room trembled with

their demonstrations.

They were

unlike anything

had

heard before.

Suddenly, as
next to
it

table, I felt the side

we were all resting on the me move upward. I pressed

passed out of the reach of
least four

upon
us

it

heavily, but soon

six feet

all,

full

from me, and at

from the
it

person nearest to
situated

it.

In this position
'

was

when

the question

was asked,
it

Will the

spirit

move
it

the table back where

it

was before?'

And

back

came, as though

were carried on the head of some

one who had not suited his position to a perfect equipoise, the balance being

sometimes
it

in

favor of one side,

its

and then the other.

But

regained

first

position.

In the meantime the demonstrations grew louder and

louder.
song,'

The family commenced and sung

the

'

spirit's

and several other pieces of sacred music, during

table, causing
it

which accurate time was marked on the

to vibrate
;

a transparent hand, resembling a shadow,

itself

presented

before

my

face.

felt

fingers taking

hold of a lock of hair, on the

ing an inclination of several
like

left side

of

my

head, causcold-deathface,

inches, then a

hand was drawn designedly over

raps over

my

three

gentle

my

left

knee,

my

right limb forcibly

214

THE RAPPERS.

pulled against strong resistance, under the table, a violent shaking, as though

two hands were applied

to

my

shoulders, myself and chair uplifted, and

moved

back,

and several slaps as with the hand on the sides of the

head, which were repeated on each one of the company.

During these manifestations, a piece

of pasteboard,

nearly a foot square, was swung with such velocity before us,
faces, a

as to throw a strong current of air into our

paper curtain attached to one of the windows,

was

rolled

up and unrolled

twice, a lounge

immediately

behind
in a

me was
;

shaken violently.

Two

small drawers

bureau played back and forth with inconceivable

a sound resembling a

rapidity

man

sawing boards, and

;

planing them, was heard under the table

common

spinning-wheel seemed to be in motion, making a very

natural buzz of the spindle
;

a reel articulated each knot

wound upon

it,

while the sound of a rocking cradle indiI felt

cated maternal cares for the infant's sliynbers.

perfect self-possession, except a

momentary

chill

when

the cold hand was applied to

tion
I

my

face, similar to

a sensa-

have realized when touching a dead body."

let

And now

us see

how
its

"spirit-rapping," under the

for itself

judicious training of

media, created

new

methods of development, and rendered the business of

the

medium more

complicated.

Between the souls of

will

the living

and those departed, we

assume, from the

in

solemn yearnings, the promises of dwelling together

future state, and

from a number of other indications of a

like nature, that, if there be

is

no

direct
it

communion, there
exists.

ground

to believe

the wish for

Now,

if

THE KAPPERS.
whatever
arises
difficulties lie in the

216

way, be removed

if

there

one who and

can stand between, and interpret the

question

the

answer,

tell

the desire,

and make
its

known

the revelation, the desideratum

has at once

accomplishment.

Whether we believe

the fact or no,

such persons have asserted themselves.

The

spirits are
it

not to be controlled

by the medium, though

never thrown away.
if

would

seem

that

they are sensible to entreaty, and that an

is

excess of politeness

The medium

cannot

command
its
is,

a presence, nor
(alleged) usual

there be a presence,

can he compel
it

mode

of signifying that

that
Now,

the spirit

is

there.
is

the alphabetical order of rapping

its

not only

well

known, but

tediousness has been experienced

in

and commented upon

progress

many

a daily journal.

The

made

in

this

round-about manner, gives some

Consequently, as the method
is

240

letters in an hour.

diffuse,

and time

is

exhausted, the most

momentous reveas yet

the

lations

been

recorded

none of the remotest consequences have can never be made, unless

can, like chapters in a serial, be

comin

munion

"continued

our next."

A sort

of oral short-hand would have been

desirable, only that the thing

would be so

full

of breaks

and incoherences, as

to render that impossible.

Philosophy resolves
conquers
all

many

difficulties.

Persever;n.<
the

obstacles.

The proper study of

medium

was

spirit,

and he ingeniously constructed a card, with

it,

the letters of the alphabet upon

as an experiment, to
do,
try.

be

laid aside if

it

failed.

AYe know not what we can

till

like the

Hibernian with the double-bass,

we

216

THE RAPPERS.

During a communication between the medium and the

supposed
spirit,

the former passed his hand

over the
irresisti-

alphabet, until he found his finger sensibly and

bly arrested at a certain

letter,

and so on,

until the

word, the sentence, was completed.

What

sort of

com-

munications these turned out to be, read

published on the subject, and

all

the works

laugh.
thus calmly given over to

The hand of the medium

the devices of the " spirit."

is

This chronic power extends

over

its

brawn and muscle, without aught that we know

of intervening between.
tlo

Sometimes

it is

mild and genothers

it

sometimes
and the

violent and rude.

At

hesi-

tates,

digit

hovers in suspense over the magic

letters.

These

letters are spelt with

immense

rapidity

for the

most

part,

and the words, as

spelt, are called

out

and

it is

said that an expert

penman would be puzzled

the

to follow the dictation,

when

"steam"

is

really on. objec-

To

this
;

system there arose many very serious

tions

besides that, the revelations

made through two

flatly.

mediums
In this

contradicted each other very

modus operandi of
Improved

the revelation there

it

was yet

a hitch.

as the system was,

yet

failed, after

having worked well for a time, to satisfy the avidity of

the curious.
It

was but a small

difficulty to

obviate,

the trouble of being, in a manner, one's

own

decipherer.

The same
to spell a

influence that could leave the sphere, through

odylic attraction, with the

medium, and compel

his

hand

meaning and a phrase, could dismiss the more

for

cumbrous machinery, and make the same hand write

itself.

Cest unfait accompli. The thing was done ; but

THE RAPPERS.
no sooner had one written on
writing mediums, like so
field.

217
than a score of

this hint,

many

Richmond's, were in the

As
It

credulity enlarged

itself, in

some

degree,

it

must

have puzzled the mediums to keep pace with

its

march.
after

was a bold hazard

to urge a belief

upon audience

audience,

who assemble

to

behold a
this

man

sitting at a

table to write, that he did

self,

with an abnegation of

with a negation of
effect

all will,

and that what resulted,

inspiration.

was the

of a plenary and spiritual

its

They explained
ment

mysteries thus : The spirit gave the

hand.
is

medium mind and

One

is

paralyzed

for the

mo-

the

other

active.

The hand thus

active, is
it.

active only
is is

by the

spirit

power which urges

There

a discrepancy about the manner in which this power

used, whether internal

rents through the muscular tissue

by volition of cur or by a sort of domielectric

In

nant but unseen outer force.

these things simplicity

and plainness would lose their

statement, simply

effect,

and the result of a

and lucidly made, would have pro-

voked laughter and scorn.

What
second
seeing

wonder, then

if

the

appetite of the curious

predisposes them to believe in supernatural agencies, in

sight,

clairvoyance,
there

magnetism,

and spectre-

that
does.

should be no lack of food and pro?

vender for so rabid a taste

such a thing as being
e>t

We

know

too well, that

rapport with a person can exist.

Nay,

it

Is

not this the whole secret of tho attraclife

?

tion and the repulsion of

electric

It

is

the characteristic of

phenomenn

to exhibit itself in noise

and lomin

10

218
ous
flashes.

THE RAPPERS.

What

can this have to do with rapping,

\

card-spelling, and the like

Even

the hierophants of

the system do not explain the connexion.

that " spirit"-rapping be a positive actuality,
its uses,

Admitting

where are
1

what

its

tendency, and what

its

value

If it

be portions of an unexplained phenomenon, which has

not yet attained
full

development,

how

is

it

that,

with
1

the discovery alone, the whole of

its

results terminate
its

Without entering here

priety

into

the question of
it
is,

pro-

without inquiring whether

and unholy
art,

or

is

not, porfeel sur-

tion of a forbidden

we can
for

yet

prised that, with so

much

parade, there should be pro-

duced such

imbecile

consequences

any tangible

good

not

to speak here of those deplorable casualties

which the annals of insanity or coma but too terribly

point out.

The invention of a language for

a thing that might have been
written

the spirit-spheres,

was
is

earlier hit upon.

It

by

the

medium, but

in

no recognized characters,

antique or modern.

On

the shores of ancient Nile,

no

sign or carven stone, no mystic tongue of the priest-

hood, nor Coptic letters, give the faintest foreshadowing

of

it.

young lady
this

(so

says

the "Spiritual

Tele-

graph") translates

undiscovcrable tongue into the

" Ki-e-lou-cou-ze-ta," and

sounds of a short sentence,

again renders this Ethiopian
chorus, to which
it

serenaders' burthen of a
alike, as follows:

seems most

"As
home
in

heaven or the spirit-spheres are

of
all

to be the future
to

mankind, so

is
;

knowledge

accompany them

the paths of

wisdom

while peace and love, in a chain

THE RAPPERS.

219

of goodness, shall bind the universal whole in the bonds

of harmony."
loot you," as

very

fine

phrase this

"goot

'orts

Captain Fluellen said

and

proves the

compressible elasticity that can comprehend some sixty

round syllables within

short-hand
back.

six,

and

is

doubtless the oral

we lamented

the absence of

some few pages

They have,

as a part of the

mode, the incantation, and

the invocation.

There must be incense, adulation, and

in

poetry too.

As

the spheres they have music, and

musk, ambergris,

fans,

and

fine clothes, so

have the neo-

phytes an affectation of fumigation, singing, and other

modern modes of
and

divination.

To contemplate

the ex-

cessive air of satisfaction with which the geographical

social details of the circles

and zones are given,

to us,

is

a matter of pure
gift

wonderment

who have not

the

of singing, and whose

imaginations are pitifully

restricted, all

we

fear,

of small avail.

Why
spirits

is it

that

we hear
fessors

so

little

of spirit-rapping just now, compared to

?

what we did a few months past

gone to "star
it"

Are
Is

and pro-

elsewhere?

the delusion on

the decline, and the system fallen in speedy decadence?

Has ingenuity exhausted itself, and failed to go farther One by one the pretences have been stripped, and laid
aside.

Collusion has been exposed, and the machinery of

Electric

a rapping-table proved an ingenious knavery.

shocks, and the dislocation of knee-caps, have been

more

than spoken
in

of,

and Poltergeist himself has taken shel tor

jar.

Franklin's Leyden

They

are

not to be compared,

we

think,

with

tho

220

THE RAPPERS.

marvellous verities of Doctors Kerner and Reichenbach,

in the

matter of Angelique Cottin, and Frederica Hauffe.

is

Truth
lism,

stranger than fiction, and catalepsy,

like, are

somnambu-

and the

mysteries far more awful,

we

believe, than spirit-rapping, or tions that

any of the communica-

have descended from any sphere.

is

Between
;

knowledge and ignorance, a strong race

whether
this is to

running

and

be an age of credulity and imposture,

or one of calm inquiry, where doubt itself holds a rev-

erend
to be

air,

and skepticism shrinks abashed, as yet remains

seen.

Meantime,

let

us proceed with our investi-

gation of the mystery.

While considering

the claims of the spirit-rappists, in

all

every possible way, and giving them ungrudgingly

the advantages they can prove, and even more, the

fact

must not be overlooked,

that all the marvel, the

woncon-

der, the astounding part of spirit-rapping,

and

its

geners, lie

less

in

its

de facto

existence, and

literal

aspects, than in the prose-poetical coloring

litterateurs of that doctrine

which the
an admir-

have presented
is else

to

ing, and let us hope, (or their labor

thrown away)

a grateful world.

To

read the writings of Adin Ballou,

gazettes,

and of the

spirit journals,
is

and other spectral

bulletins of the States,

like reading a

new

revelation.

The story of Cupid and Psyche

old mythology
Nights,
all

the splendid fables of

the gorgeous habiliments of the Arabian

our mundane eyes. Mystery
is

pale "their ineffectual fires" before the glothe

ries thus indicated to

arch enchantress in

all things,

material and immaterial

fire

and so Zoroaster taught that

was the

principle of

THE RAPPER8.
life,

221
lord and master

and mounts upward

to

meet

its

and Plato peopled space with a teeming mass of breathing

creatures, the

minute atoms of an invisible universe,

surrounding and pervading even us.

So

also,

according

to the fanciful jargon of the old Platonic schools, fire,

air,

and water, owe

;

their origin to the principle of the

scalene triangle

that the

earth

is
;

created from
that

the

principle of right-angled

triangles

sphere and

pyramid symbolize
while air
is

in

themselves the figure of flame;

figured in the octahedron, and water

;

by

the

icosahedron, and the like

beautiful
all

that the sphere images the

and the

true, as containing

and comprehending

things and principles that are or can be suggested

by

geometric formulae.
of mystery,
it

Now,

carrying out this principle

is

easy to

understand

the

solemnities

of the Eleusinian mysteries; the fulgid splendors, playing in keen and darting
rated the neophyte
fires,

as the great veil that sepain

from the hierophant,

the

Temple

of

Isis (the
;

mysteries of knowledge only being foresha-

dowed)

the sphinx-like riddle of the Coptic Zodiac, so

easy of solution, being a meteorological alphabet of the

seasons, better explained in

symbol and hieroglyph than

It is

by any other known method.

the thirst to know, the

easy to comprehend
the ardent ap-

awe with which

proached such lofty secrets as these, and how Delphic

Apollo, Dodonian Oak, Ephesian Diana,

and

Roman

Sybil became, in the eyes of the unlearned world, the

august impersonations, and the incarnations of mystery,

which
It

in fact

they were.

has been thus through every age downward.

The

222

THE RAPPERS.
is

human mind

the same.

Its senses, passions,

and ex-

tremes of belief and doubt, precisely the same, only that

the conditions are changed.

We now learn

for ourselves,

and trust
errors

little

to tradition.

The experiences of

past
the

warn

us,

and that which comes to us with

it,

all

pretence of a mystery about

at,

we gaze

coolly enough
be,
it,

however ghostly the aspect of the thing may

question
it,

and
per-

we

examine
baffled;

it,

probe

it,

wonder
it

at

haps,

and

feel
it

but
to

we
be

call

no mystery.
but not for

Whatever
long

may appear
or later

for a time,

sooner
it is it
is

we

shall

know
is

it

for

what

it

is,

and in another instance discover that our knowledge of

the laws of natural
plete as

phenomena
it

by no means

as com-

desirable that

should be.

Now,
about.

the laws of spirit-rapping, table-turning,

in
all

and intercommunion, that we are at present

doubt
these
oc-

We

do not deny the possibility of

three taking place, and being

among

the

uncommon

currences of

life

but

we do

not go so far as to insist

to

upon
truth

their existence either.

The due regard we owe

the knowledge at

least that

nite mutations,

and the continued

still

we have of the infinew forms of matter,

fresh combinations, and

other ultimate elements,

science and
like

discovery, should deter us from anything

to

dogmatism, either to assert or

deny.
exist,

Spirit-

rapping, table-turning, and

magnetism
is

and do

occur without doubt

rapping.

that

to say, so called " spirit-

Why

is it

necessary that this process, so ludi-

crous

these spirit-communications, so jejune and vague,

so contradictory, and so destitute of the meanest logic

THE RAPPERS.
these magnetic

223
electric
affinities

phenomena, and the

which are subject to the laws of the physical universe,

should be attributed to supernatural interference, and

have a supernatural origin

They
pay

are not a whit the

more

respectable, and in the majority of instances, lessen

the reverence that

we

intuitively

to the awful voices

of the sou],
the eternity

when

in

prayer, meditation, and in dream,

its

beyond the grave discloses

us.

grand and

imposing portals to

We
word
all.

term the best known of those forces which rule

the material world, the laws of gravity, and so on, by the

physical.
It

may mean
it

nothing direct, but

is

it

implies

Like the great Pan,

is scientific,

the comprehension of all

all

that

natural, and in accordance with

hu-

man

experience, from the days of the Deluge and on-

wards.

Chemical

forces, those of light, caloric,

magne-

tism, all belong to the physical.

Higher
and the
this

in

the scale,

and

less

known

to

the learned
vital.

scientific, are

those forces termed

Under

term, are comthe'

prehended the succession of seed-time and harvest,

ripening

summer, and

the vigorous winter that cleanses,

it

preserves, and purifies the ground, and gives

those
na-

nourishing virtues which

make

the great

bosom of

ture so benign and beneficent.

To

this

belong decay

and reproduction, and with

it,

life

and death are as the

mysterious
t<>

opposite poles, of a certainly

procession.

mot

circle
t

of

Beyond

these relations

tin*

vital

are those of the brain and nerves, the

will,

phenomena of
U ntly

and the muscular volition that waitit.

upon

Will but to raise the arm, or

lift

the leg,

224
it is

TIIK

KAPPEKS.
forces, too,

done.

There are organic

will.

quite inde-

pendent of the

The

systole and diastole of the

heart, the diffusion of

tact

oxygen through the blood by conperistaltic motion,

is

and absorption, the

and the con-

vulsive

cramp of

epilepsy, which

a derangement of

the general working of these forces, are so .many familiar

illustrations.

Because, howT ever, these are organic, and because they

do act and work with a miraculous accuracy,

for the

space often of " threescore years and ten," there must

be something acting on these

viscera

heart, lungs, brain,

and

which

is

equivalent to the will.

%

supplementary power then

What is this What renders us liable to

many Ley den
is,

generate caloric so largely, and to become transmuted

in

abnormal instances

into so
it

jars,

so

many gymnotic

eels, unless

be that force termed by

allied to the na-

Reichenbach as Od, or Odyle

that

ture of magnetic electricity, but regarding the sources,

nature, qualities, and extent of which, the philosophers

have not yet decided'?

premature

The

spirit-rappists

have been

in their conclusions,

we
all

think,

and speaking

of them and their theories, with

the respect

we
by

can
their

muster,

we w ould
r

say that they had been led

very vivid imaginations to step aside from the path of

truth,

unintentionally very likely, and in order to acfor

count

what was

else unintelligible, settled

the doc-

trine of spirits, spheres,

and the

like,

and so produced

the prolific results already seen, but which results

we

must take leave

golden
sovereign

to

say, are like exchanging a

good

for

twenty of the

most spurious

THE RAPPERS.
shillings that

ever

came from
all

the forger's crucible

and hence, saddling us with

duped.
In the
spirit-spheres

the consequences of being

there

is

a progression through
spirit,

degrees of perfection, until the expiating

leaving aside
arises at the
its

gradually

grosser weight of impurities, finally

highest

acme of

that refulgent glory its

starward aspirations are bent upon.

to quarrel with in this theory,
if,

There

is

nothing

as the indication very

strongly points out,

we

are content to dispense with

Scriptures, and conform to a

in the

United States, at the

office.

new revelation, published "Penny Celestial Spheres'

is

Journal"

The

idea of expiation
it

agreeable to
after death.

the sinner, supposing

to be tenable

ground

On
can

the other hand,

we
it.

require better proofs, a larger

possess, before

amount of information than we now

subscribe
to

we
will

Ignorance

and fanaticism

always become proselytes to the most agreeable doctrine

and to do away with perdition and the pandemosouls, is the

first

nium of lost
denying

step to win

their favor;

but unfortunately, we cannot annihilate St. Paul's by

its

existence, or proving in
it

the Aristotelian

fashion, that

never was erected.

old
writers,

We
'

learn from

through the pages of

of

Gibbon and
a singular trances, of

others, that the

monks

Mount Athos had

into ecstatic
in the

method of throwing themselves

dreaming dreams, and dwelling
unfolded

bosom

of an

hallucination that

them

like a glory.

When

alone

in

the cell, they closed the door, and seat-

ing themselves apart; sought to raise the

mind above

all

THE RAPPERS.
things vain and transitory.

Reclining beard and chin

on the

breast,

and turning eyes and ^thoughts to the

region of the navel, they sought there for the seat of the
soul.

At

first, all

was comfortless and dark

but per-

severance brought by degrees an ineffable joy, and no sooner had the soul discovered the place of the heart,
than
it

was involved

in

a mystic and ethereal

light.

On
name
dis-

this account,

those harmless ascetics obtained the

till

of Quietists,
the winds

their idiosyncracies

were scattered to

by

edicts

and violent hands.

Anarchy

placed JEstatica, and the soul became troubled and dark.

This mystic and ethereal light

serted,

we should

add,

was

as-

and believed to be synonymous with the lumin-

ous transfiguration on Mount Tabor.

The

crystal, the

drop of water, the fixing of the eyes

upon an object so long that there ensued a certain temporary derangement of the nervous organs,
dently allied with, and the clear precursor
is
of,

so evi-

animal

magnetism, that no arguments seem necessary to prove

the intimacy of the connection.

Jamblichus, who was

the theosophist of the Platonic doctrines, bears apt tes-

timony
thusiast.

to the alleged divine afflatus pervading the en-

" Man," he says, " has a double

life,

one annexed to the

*
*

body, the other separate from everything bodily.

In sleep

we

have the capacity of being wholly

spirit,

loosed from the chains that confine our

and can

make
tion.

use of the

life

which
is

is

not dependent on genera-

When
then

the soul
that

thus separate from the

body

in

sleep,

(latter)

kind

of

life

which usually


THE EAPFKHS.
remains separable and separate by
itself,

227
immediately

awakes within
*
the

us,

and acts according

to its

proper nature,

and

in that state

has a presaging knowledge of

future."

Then,

omitting

a distinction between

sleeping
latter, in

and waking inspiration,

which, also, the
:

and coming to the

afflati

have a presaging power,

he proceeds

Yet those

(latter) are so far

awake

that

they can use theirs>ffses, yet are not capable of reasoning

;

* ^*""K)r

they
to

neither

(properly

speaking)

sleep

when they seem

;

do

so,

nor awake when they

foresee,

seem awake
are they

for they

do not of themselves

nor

moved by any human instrumentality; neither know they their own condition nor do they exert any
;

prerogative or motion of their

own

but

all this is

done

under the power and by the energy of the deity.

that

For

they

who

are

so affected, do not live an ordinary

animal
with

life, is

plain, because

many

of them, on contact

fire,

are not burnt, the divine inward afflatus reif

pelling the heat; or,

it
;

they be burnt, they do not

prickings,
their

feel

neither do
tortures.

they feel

or scratchings, oi
actions

other

Further, that
is

are

not

(merely) human,
their

apparent from

this, that

they

make

way through
fire,

pathless tracts, and pass hari:

in

through the

and pass over rivers

a wonderful
in the
live, is

manner, which the priestess herself also does

Cataballa.

By

this

it is

plain that the

life

they

not human, nor animal, nor dependent on the use of

senses, but divine, as if the

soul were taking

soul.

its

and the deity were there instead of the

I

Various

there are of those so divinely inspired, as well by

228

THE RAPPEES.

reason of the varying divinity of the inspiring gods as of

the

modes of

inspiration.

These modes are of

this sort,

either the deity occupies us, or

deity, &c.

we

join ourselves to the

diversities?
in-

According to these

there are different signs, effects, and

works of the

spired

thus,

some

will

be moved

in their

whole bodies,

others in particular
motionless.

members

others

again, will

be

Also, they will perform dances

and

chants,
will
;

some
seem

well, to

some

ill.

The bodies
walk in

again, of some,

dilate in

height, of others in
to
air."

compass

and

others again, will

seem

To be
to

insensiin that

ble to pains, prickings, shakings,

condition so familiar to us all

&c,

is

be
is

when a

patient

seized

with convulsions, cramp, epilepsy and the

frenzy of inspired dancing, are as well
scholar

like,

and the
to the

known

who has

read of the Corybantes, the Maenad es,

rites, as to

and the Bacchic

the young,

who have read

of

David

in a sacred furor dancing before the ark.

Now,

the spirit-rappists scorn to be outdone

by the

dancing manias of the middle, and even of later ages,

familiar to the readers of history.

Could such an im-

portant section of spiritual, angelic, or demoniac pheno-

mena be by any possibility omitted? As the mediums have made over to the spirits of the spheres, all the
modern musical instruments
natural that those
in

vogue, and have heard

it

the ravishing concerts which are there held,

was but

among

us

who were

at all en rapport

with the denizens of the spheres, should follow an example so worthily set in old traditions, and in the annals

of witchcraft.


THE RAPPEES.

229

As

"

Rapping" was speedily superseded by the card

alphabet writing, by clairvoyance, and by other forms

of the spiritual presence, dancing soon followed as another

phase of manifestations, and

affected

it

was remarked

that those

by the

spiritual impulse, illustrate the

manner

and

the.

individuality of a deceased person so faithfully,

that those acquainted with the departed, recognize the

person at once.
the

All this
true,

is

very

pitiful

for,

admitting
to

whole to be

from the

spirit

down

the

dancer, through every grade and agency, what satisfies

us

what good, what

benefit, present or to

come, are

we likely to obtain? One locality of the persons who have been

persons of
all ages.

States can boast of a hundred

thus influenced.

They comprise
too,

They must have music

impromptued.

and the

strains of Strauss or Jullien give animation to the dan-

ces thus said to be

Is

it

not gratuitous,
the
spirits?

however, to attribute anything here

to

Where

is

the difference,

w e should
r

like to

know, bespirit

tween the dancing of one assembly where the

and of another where the
spirit-dance
is

w,

spirit is

not?

Possibly the

known by

its

eccentricity, its

movements
is

as often graceful as ungainly.

"Eccentric"

the

word

used to express the same.

in

There were impure dances

bo

pagan times, as
wrote

in
it

the early days of Christianity

its vilifiers

down.

There was the Witch Sab-

bath of the Broclten, where dances under baleful mastery were held.

Pass

to-day

through some

Hindoo

jungle into the sacred space where the temple stands.

and there they yet hold their orgiac dances.

The

lion

i-

230
ble

THE RAPPERS.
obscenities of the

Morai are on record.

salles

New Zealand dances What do they say of

London
1

in

their

the low
is

of Paris, and the cancan, whose repute

more

than enough

what of the casinos of

is

What

amount of seduction
delusion, vice

required to ally impurity with

the strong ruling

with ignorance, and

guile,

hand of knowing cheatery and

plastic material to

when

it

has such

work upon

as the gullibility of the

public, as well as its heedlessness,

tite for

and

its insatiate

appe-

novelty in any form

These dances we hold then to be among the most

equivocal portion of spiritual manifestations
of.

we know
deducnever
is

Analogies from the same cause and

effect,

tions

from the same

veritable
to

premises,

are

wrong.

The very

inclination

be contradictory,

proof of the rule,

and of our assertion.

We

do not
;

accuse these people of erecting schools for crime

but

why do
between
"

they or their spirits

evil lives,

make
?

such an easy peace

and a lenient future

they do
Is
it

nay, a perfect
?

happy land"

as

from conviction

Human

hardihood, even with a knowledge of the laws

life

of the Creator, can live, and has lived a

of profligacy
!"

and crime, has even " cursed God and died

to learn

Are we
religi-

now

that a

knowledge of the moral and

ous laws hinder a

man from

being the high priest, the

?

hierarch, the tutor

and the teacher of vice

is

To

the

plausibility of the " spirit-rappists"

added a great

deal of shallowness.
vice to

We

must not permit systematic

to

become an adjunct

immoral growth, even

if

we

are premature, in being doubtful and suspicious.

THE RAPPEES.

231

We

must, however, return awhile, in order to examine

as closely as possible the analogies that

may
is

exist be-

tween the od or electro-magnetic

spiritual

force,

and the so-called

not easily

influences,

and whether the one

convertible into the other, the mysterious giving

that,

way

to

which
us,

if

not thoroughly known, will not so far

experiment,
that

elude

but that study,

and
yet

minutest

examination
hidden.
It
is

may

disclose all

as

remains

held that the forces are visible and invisible

they are also voluntary and involuntary voluntary forces are,

in

and while the

it is

a greater or less degree, under

that

cognizance, the involuntary are not, and hence

their

working constitutes a mystery

the occult powers un-

that influence them, belong to the

phenomena of the
to

known, and
nature,

as a corollary

when seeking
the search,

know

their
it

we

either give

up

or assign

to

"spirit-manifestations" at once, and so forever settle

the difficulty by a designation
act rashly
it

does not define.

We

and

illogically, thus to establish

an

evil pre-

cedent which bolder theorists take advantage

erect a

of,

and so

cumbrous and unwieldy

finally

edifice

of superstition,
the multi-

which becomes

more confounding than

the

tudinous incarnations of Vishnu, or

myriad-sided
to

forms under which Hindoo mythology seeks

speak to

man.
Desiring, however, to obtain
vital forces

some

insight into those

which

move

tables, chairs,

&c, and

induce

coma and

the like, and which are so closely allied to the

life,

productive principle of

we ascend

to loftier ground*)

232
of inquiry, and on
larges
itself.

THE 11APPERS.
all

sides

around us the horizon

that

en-

Experiment proves

the vital force

which gives

rise to

a rotatory or progressive motion in an

reference to the electrical
condi-

inert body, has

some

tions of the agent that acts,

and the factor that transfers

the energy from the person to the substance.

in the

There

is

turning of the table, an unconscious muscular ac-

tion,

without doubt, exercised.

This unconscious mus-

cular action has a tendency, like 'all motion gravitating

round a centre, to be circular

in

its

operations, such as

we observe

in the tendrils of certain plants,

whose maga

netic affinities with light

and

heat,

may have
referred

common
to.

origin with those of the vital force

We

observe singular instances of a vital and involuntary

force actively at

work

in

persons

who have

received a

sudden injury.

Shot through the heart, a

man

has

made
have

a convulsive leap he could not otherwise have accomplished.

Animals struck

at the region of the brain,

spun round and round.

The paroxysms of

insanity,

while being perfectly involuntary, indicate an accession

of the vital force equivalent to that possessed by four or
six
it

robust
to

men

in a

normal

state of physical health.

Is

be wondered that under a condition (nervously)

familiar to us, the energy of this power, as in the battery

of animated
latent forces
of,

hands laid on the

table, should exhibit

and unknown powers never before dreamed

in

and flow

a plenteous magnetic current through the

six

fingers,

and that four or

persons,

whose united
sufficed
it

strength, voluntarily exercised,

to

would not have

move

a table, should yet involuntarily compel

to

THE RAPPERS.
whirl,

233
it

and to move onwards, as though

1

were a toy

in

a child's hand

It is to the delicate

experiments and to the persever-

ing course of observations undertaken

that

by Reichenbach,

we

are

chiefly

indebted for having throwr n some

light on the subject,

is

by

his

theory of the

Od

force.

It

to this theory of a resistless current

is

an

invisible,

but

extraordinary agency, which

netism, but which partakes
latter than

not electricity, nor magthe

more of the character of

that

of the former

we may

assign the ori-

gin of the involuntary and " vital" forces which have

puzzled

more

than

the " spirit-rappists' themselves.

in

Who

would suppose that

experiments

made upon

the magnetic currents of the muscles, this (Od) agent,

while playing

among

the rain-drops of a

summer's day,

can shake the earth and the very heavens T'

Whoever

imagines that because Reichenbach was not capable of

such mastery over his discovery, as that of showing his
"

Od"

capable of making a table dance,

it

is

not after

all

the said

Od

that does

it

It is

not always clear that

their integrity

analogy and
value.

fact

are seen in

all

and
lu-

Odic smoke or ether, can be made to play

minously on the surface of bodies, but he must be a bad

arguer, and

know

little

of the theory of

atoms and the

that will sseerl

porosity of the
this ether to

most concrete substances,

be incapable of mingling with matter and

it,

thoroughly permeating

Trivial

discrepancies

can
farts,

only modify to superficial eyes the fundamental

just as exceptions prove a rule.
If

got a elue to natural

we have at the least phenomena that may dispense

234

THE RAPPER8.
let

with spiritual agency,

us

more consonant with

into the impalpable

reason.

make The

the best of that as

palpable

may

glide
dis-

by such gradations
;

as have

no

cernible line of demarcation

but they are connected

and related, as the brain to the brawn, the will to the

deed, the soul to the body.

The
like,
is

literature of spirit-rapping, table-moving,

and the

not the least curious part of the matter under

debate.

While

it

appears steadily to ignore mere vulcorroborative, as well as correla-

gar matter, so

many

tive ties of relationship

peep out now and then, as clearly

show a lack of

decision,

and a latitude of allowance.

The very
the

fact that spirits

meddle

in

what we

may term
bread-

hucksterings

of our physical

tax-paying,

earning existence, shows some such contact with the

material that
is,

to say the least of

it,

suspicious,

and

calculated to throw doubts upon the intact impalpability

spirits

may

lay claim

to.

In closing this chapter,

we

cannot,

we

think,

do better

than to give our readers a specimen of this strange

literature,

and of the logic of the " spirit-world."

Spirit- world,"

The
of

work " Light from the

American
origin, to "
is

(of course,

go a-head,"

after the

most

consis-

tent fashion,)
cise

asserted to be written without the exer-

of will or volition of any kind.

The medium did

The
sus-

uo more than submit himself

to the afflatus, or the influ-

ence of the spirit he was in communication with.

hand was surrendered to the

pended, and the
time.
It
is

spirits, the will

was

medium became an automaton

for the

professed to have been

published without

THE RAPPERS.
alteration or correction
plicitly

235
This

of any kind.

we

will imspirit-

credit

for

the following specimen

of

eloquence

satisfies

us that in

many
his

respects, especially

those of composition, meaning, and

is

grammar, the mortal

in the

immeasurably superior to
Here, then,
is

shadowy kindred

spheres.

a luminous exposition of the

spiritual idea

of wisdom, the premises, argument, and

corollary of which

we

should be very glad to see con-

travened, if there exist one daring enough to venture on

the desperate attempt of challenging a spirit on his

own
is

ground
"

not

Wisdom is wisdom. folly. Wisdom wills

is right.

All

is

not wisdom.

All

good.

Folly wills otherwise.

One

One

is

wrong.

Wisdom
is

will

do

right.

Folly will do wrong.

heed.

He
to

that

wise, let

him take
let

He who is
it

unwise,

let

him get wisdom. And

him get
it

where

it is

be found.
in

Let him not seek for

of understanding in

in the folly of fools,

but

men

spirits

commissioned by God,
in darkness.

to give light to those

who

grope

Let him cast

off the shackles, tear

asunder the false robes, rend the galling chains, and

burst the bonds that enslave his captive soul.

Let him

launch his mind into the stream of wisdom flowing from

the fountain of God, and bathe in the limpid waters, that

he

"

may be healed. Wisdom is not

is

selfish.

Wisdom

is

not partial.

Human wisdom
their

both.

Men

are considered wise, but

wisdom

is

comparatively foolishness.

Men

are wise

only as they gain knowledge.

they neglect what they need to

Men
make

are unwise when

thorn wise.

Men


236
are wise

THE RAPPERS.
when they do good

unwise when they do

know
is

evil.

Men
edge
save.

are wise in what they

unwise
is

in

what they

do not know.
is

Knowledge of God
Knowledge
will cure.

wisdom.

Knowlwill

power.

good.

Knowledge
will

Knowledge
the

Knowledge

do what
is

ignorance cannot do.

Hence knowledge of God,

the

wisdom of God,
God.

power of God, and the goodness of

Neither could wisdom exist without God."

Light from the Sjririt-world, pp. 39, 40.

The names of Paine,

the truculent, Calvin, the

uncom-

promising, Edgar Poe, the poet, whose genius was so

brilliantly
erratic,
!

and whose great talents were obvices,

scured, alas

by degrading

of Washington, of

Franklin, of
fully

Adam

Clarke, and of others, occur plenti-

as dictating dispatches

from the spirit-world.

the
craft

A
of

strong current of worldly

wisdom and

the earthly wise, run through them.

self-interest,

They savor of

and are as transparent as the Visions of Main trance

homet, who

beheld what he wanted ordered for

him by

the fiat of Gabriel, or

any other handy deus ex

machind

or

precisely in

the

same manner that the

Mormon

leaders have the nous to assign for their

own

uses, through prophetic revelation, the choicest

goods of
the ad-

the community, the high places of

life,

and
it

all

vantages that can accrue to cunning, when

rated itself into
blind belief, a system, and
asserts

has elabo-

mastery over

ignorance and error.

One more extract from these spirit-metaphysics, and we enter upon another part of the subject. The " Mind"
is

the

theme thus

loftily

descanted upon

THE RAPPERS.

237

the production of thought

The noble powers of mind, how much debased to bemeaning to its purposed
!

dignity

" Mind, the quickening principle of

in

w hich
r

originates

God, and

is

designed to range the majestic universe,

to gather strength

from every dropping sand within

its

sphere

from the contemplation of every moving atom

in the vastness of

unmeasured space
thing

ing principle of every living

from from the

in

the animatlote

and
life

mollusca, through the ascending degree of higher

and expanding intellectually,

to the flaming seraph

attends the Creator at his throne

its

man

is

who wounded
and,

by the deadly and demoralizing nature of

goodness, and
is

sin against
;

thus prevented

lofty ascent

being impelled
force of evil,
dice,

in pursuit
is

of fancy pearl by the motive

rendered a penal slave to vice, prejulife.

and vain ambitious

is

Hence, from

its

secret
vin-

chambers

poured forth a chaotic mass of garbled

dictive imprecations, terminating in oppressions, ambitious cruelties,

and the catalogue indicative of a mind

in

perfect wreck, driven and dashed against the fatal rocks

that rend in sunder the noble form and despoil the gar-

nished soul of the

human body.
its

" Mind, designed to harmonize in

own movements,
portals of wis-

and

in

ascension wing

its

way through

dom, bearing along by attraction the weaker elements

around,
is

crushed and welters in gore at the base of

of
that
sin,

the mountain

and tending

to the dark abyss,

its

drags with

it

embraced by the power of

influ-

238

THE RAPPERS.
you not admire
all

Do

this,

good reader?

Are you
must have

quite insensible to the taste, the propriety, the prose-

poetry of these ambitious

sentences?

It

been a love of hard words and sounding syllables alone

that could not content itself with simple

expressions,
?

conveying a simple meaning.

If spirits

But what would you

do speak or

dictate,

we

cannot expect them to

indite, or

otherwise act like your mere mortal.

What,

in that case,

would

their superiority consist in

THE RAPPERS.

239

CHAPTER
MEDIUMS.
In this chapter

VII.

ANCIENT RAPPERS, TABLE-TIPPERS, AND SPEAKING

we

shall give the reader a

peep into the

antiquity of Spiritual Rappers.

By

" Rappers,"

we

mean
ment.

of course, every phase of modern spiritualism,

such as rapping, tipping, and speaking under enhance-

In ancient Greece, centuries

on centuries ago, there

was a magnificent temple

at Delphi, built over the sa-

cred well of Cassotisf which was supposed to emit an

entrancing vapor, which inspired those

who

inhaled

it,

with prophetic inspiration.

In the centre of this templealtar

was a golden statue of Apollo, before which was an

on which there always burned a
rel
fire

of firwood and lau-

leaves.

Before the altar was the sacred well, and

over the well was a tripod.

its

This temple, with

its

its statue,

sacred well,

its

altar

and

tripod,

was the seat of

priestess of the

the

most famous oracle of Greece.

The

oracle,

when

the

same was consulted, crowned her head

with laurel, seated herself on the tripod, inhaled the va-

por from the sacred well, and was seized at once with a
fit,

as

modern

spiritualists

would

call

it,

of enhance-

ment.

Her

face

changed color, her limbs were violently

240

THE RAPPER8.
sentences,

convulsed, and with howlings and disjointed

she spoke the oracle, gave to those,
to their inquiries, which

who asked, an answer

as a voice

was received by them

In

from another world.

language of modern

other words, she was, in the

spiritualists, a

speaking medium,

through which immortals were supposed to communicate

to mortals.

This

is

the oldest form,

by way of enhance-

ment, of modern Spirit Rapping.

Next comes a voice from

tury, about A.

the middle of the third cen-

D. 250.

Tertullian, one of the fathers

this period,

of the church,
"

who wrote about

says

Do

not your magicians

call

ghosts and departed

their infernal

souls

from the shades below, and by

infinite
all

charms, represent an

number of delusions 1 And

but by the assistance of
they are able to
?"

how do
evil

they perform

this,

angels and demons, by which

MAKE STOOLS AND TABLES PROP&ESY

This
is

the

first

mention made of table-tipping.

The
360.

next, in order of time, is a table-turning developis

ment, the date of the occurrence of which

about A. D.

At

the time

we

refer to,

Valens was Emperor of

Rome, and he consulted two

then called.
sultation took place, there

soothsayers, as they were

In the centre of the

room where

the con-

stood a three-legged table,

table

made of
cloth,

laurel-wood.

The

was covered with a

on the edge of which the

letters of the alphabet

were marked, and over the centre of the table a metallic

ring

was suspended.

Two men named

The

Patricius and

Hillarius, officiated

on the occasion.

Valens asked who

would be the next emperor.

table tipped, the

rm g

THE RAPPERS.
vibrated,
longest,

241

and the

letters over

which the ring rested the

were spelt

out, as T.

H. E. O. D.
in his

Valens

left

the circle

and put every one

find,

dominions

to death,

whom
O. D.

he could

whose name began with T. H. E.

1

Theodosius, however, was the next emperor

who
Re552,

ascended the throne.

This

is

the only account of tableit is

tipping which we can find, and rum Gestarum of Ammianus

recorded

in the

Marcellinus, page

Paris edition, 1681.

Next

follows, in point of time, a rapping development.

in

Rushton Hall,

Northamptonshire, England, was long

the residence of a family

by the name of Tresham.

Sir

In
oc-

the reign of

Queen Elizabeth,

Thomas Tresham

cupied the mansion.

He was

a pedant and fanatic.

At

a short distance from

built
out,

the old Hall, there

was a lodge,
with-

by

Sir

Thomas, the walls of which within and

all

were covered

over with emblems of the Trinity.

He
in

took this pictorial

the
Trinity.
in

mode

to illustrate his firm belief

About twenty years

letter,

ago, there

was

found secreted
amptonshire, a

a wall of this old mansion, in Northwritten

and dated A. D. 1554,

ing extract
"
I

Thomas Tresham, from which we make the followby

Sir

usually having
it

my

servants to read to
that Fulcis,

me

an hour

after supper,

fortuned

my

then servant,

reading in the Christian Revelation and Proof that there

is

God, there was upon the wainscot table, at that

instant, three loud

knocks (as

if

it

had been an iron

hammer)

given, to the great amazing of

me

and

my two

servants, Fulcis and Nilkton." 11

242
This
first

THE RAPPERS.
account of rappirj^s, as the reader per-

ceives, of the date 1554, three

hundred years ago.

The following

is

of a few years' later date, about the

It is

beginning of the 17th century.

Baxter, in his "Historical
as quoted

related

by Richard

Discourses of Apparitions,"
his

by

De

Foe,

in

"Life of Duncan Campthis occurrence,

bell" (p. 109).

The date of

was about
is

the middle of the

16th century.

"There
man,

now

in

London an understanding,

sober, pious

oft

one of

my

hearers,

who

has an elder brother, a gentleman of

considerable rank,

who having formerly seemed

fall

pious,
;

of late years does often

into the sin of drunkenness

in his brother's

he often lodges long together here

house,

and whensoever he

is

drunk and has slept himself sober,

his bed's head, as if one

something knocks at
a wainscot.

knocked on

When

they remove his bed,

it

follows him.
is,

Besides other loud noises on other parts where he

that all

the house hears, they have often watched him,

lest
it

and kept his hands

he should do
to

it

himself.

His
a

brother has often told

discreet

me, and brought

his wife,

woman,

to

attest

it,

who

avers moreover, that

as she watched him, she has seen his shoes under the

bed taken up, and nothing visible

to touch

them.

They

brought the man himself to me, and when we asked him

how he

dare sin again after such a warning, he had no

excuse."

We
still

come now

to another rapping

development, of a

later date.

The
was

celebrated John Wesley's family,

it is

notorious,

for a considerable time, subject to strange

annoyan-

THE RAPPERS.
ces,
tic

243

somewhat
of the

like the

sounds and rappings characteris-

modern mystery.

So serious did the great

the

founder of Wesleyanism

deem

manifestation, that

he took up his pen to relate

all

he knew about them.

:

The

history of these noises

is

very briefly as follows

father, the

In 1715,

when John Wesley's

Rev.

S.

Wes-

ley, resided in the glebe

shire,

house of Epworth,

in Lincoln-

sundry curious noises were repeatedly heard by

several

members

of the family,

who

carefully concealed

the matter from old Wesley, lest he might think, as

they thought, that these were forewarnings of his ap-

proaching death.
tinued, as

This course could not be long con-

the disturbances
to

became daily
head of

greater,

and

more

inclined

make

the

the house hear.

;

When

he

did,

he was rather amused than alarmed

for

he considered certain young gentlemen,

tive to his daughters
in

who were

atten-

by day, meant
night.

to

compliment them

that curious

manner by
this

The daughters, who

a

felt

persuaded that

was too pleasing

key

to the

puzzle, rather encouraged the

good man's notion than

it

disabused

it.

Once, however,

occurred that, after he

went

to bed, a singular tapping in the next

its

room

induc-

ed him to leap up and discover

cause

but neither

then nor afterwards did he find any clue to the noise.

The

children,
all

who were
afraid,

at

first

little,

and by de-

grees not at
the noise

had a very decided belief that

called Jeffery,

was occasioned by an old man

;

who

died in the house

and they were accustomed to cry,

when

the tappings were heard, "

Here comes

Jeffery,"

observing,

"He

is

early" or." late to-night," as the case

244

THE RAPPEES.
be.
It

may

was not

for a long

time easy to convince

members of the family that the noise was not In occasioned by some ingenious trick of the younger.
the elder

order to be quite certain, Mary, the eldest daughter,

contrived to remain up once, instead of a younger
to
sister,

remove her

father's candle

when he had gone

to bed.
:

John Wesley
noise below.
noise was, but

fully relates his sister's adventure

She
into

had no sooner taken away the candle, than she heard a

She hastened down

it

stairs to

where the

was then
it

in the kitchen.

She ran

the kitchen, where

was tapping
it

the inside of the screen.

When

she went round,

was drumming on the outside

and when the knocking
it
;

then she heard a knocking at the back kitchen door.

She ran

to

it,

unlocked

it

softly,

was repeated, suddenly opened

be seen.
again.

but nothing was to

the knocking began

As soon
to

as she shut
it

it,

She opened
"

again, but

could

see nothing

when she turned

and continued.
" she

go to bed, the knocking recommenced

that time," writes her brother,

From

was thoroughly convinced there was no imposture

in the matter."

As we have
and
in telling

said, the

family got quite accustomed

to,

lost all terror in the disturbances.

us

so,

adds

" A

John Wesley,
chil-

gentle tapping at the

dren's bed-head, usually began between nine and ten at

night
is

they then
;

commonly

said to each other,

'

Jeffery

coming

it is

time to go asleep.'

And

if

they heard
sister,

a noise in

the day, and said to

is

my

younger

'Hark, Kizzy, Jeffery

knocking above,' she would run

THE RAPPER8.
up
stairs,

245
to

and pursue

it

from room

room, saying she

desired no better diversion."

We

might go on multiplying instances of the above

kind occurring about the same time, but

we

stop here, on

the boundary which divides ancient from

modern

en-

trancement, table-tipping and rapping.

246

THE RAPPERS,

CHAPTER
DBMONOLOOY,
WITCHCRAFT,
PING,

VIII.
TIP-

AND SPIRIT RAPPING, AND ENTRANCBMKNT.

the

Old mythology
very
far

has not removed

real,

spirit-world

from that of the

in

even in what

may

be

spoken of

the abstract as a measurable distance.

Like the necropolis, where the dead slumber, and the

weary are
and
in

at rest,

it

is

but as without the city walls,

many

a Mirza-vision the rapt and

dreamy

spirit-

ualist

of old would go forth in the cool of the evening,

and, under the watching stars,

by wild

incantation cast

the

sombre

pall aside,

and gaze with an awful gladness

which he was preparing

into the mysteries of a life for

himself by fast and

vigils,

by unbridled imagination,

and by potent

spell.

ages of mysticism and symbol,

accidents,

Would not the " spirit" theory in when the sciences were
would not
its

and the half of the common, of a supernatural

vulgar
;

cast, strike the

inventor impress
his doctrine

the seal of his spirit on the age,

and make

work anything he pleased

of persuasion
1

in the

way of conversion and

Could he not lead the multitude as he

are the

pleased?

What

names of Zoroaster, of Pytha-

goras, of Plato, Zeno, Epicurus, and the rest, but indi.

THE RAPPERS.
cations

247
is

of such teachings?

Their immortality

the

symbol of creeds
ere,

that ruled thousands in their age, and

and long

after.

Could but the priestly lore of

see in the
first

Egypt be deciphered now, we should

of their theosophists those

names
creeds,

who formed her

and blended on one stock the stupendous

in

grace and

grandeur, with the lowest and most debased forms of

belief in the
sign.

invisible,

through symbol

and

through

Crude

at

first,

these ideas

became

polished, perfect
established, the

agencies; a genealogy of gods once

qualities of
life,

motion, and matter, rendered imperson-

ation

necessary,

hence,

gods,

demigods, messengers,

attributes, life in the air, earth, sea,

and

fire, life in

the

stem and

the

leaf,

the grass,

and
all

descending dews.
with a tenderness,
the

Poetry awoke and consecrated

grace, and beauty, that

recommended

system

in

various

modes

to all the

human

race.

Creating thus a future home, an Elysian garden,

dwelling not

"a

made with hands," where

the souls of

heroes and good

men were

to dwell,

and which the

it

wicked, after long expiation, might attain,

sary
that messengers,
interpreters,

was necesministering
so

and

angels should stand between

man and Hades, and

dwell there.

expound
who, and

to his
in

tumultuous and thirsty mind what and

spirits

what manner

So arose

the priest,

the hierophant, the

possessed, the magician,

the wizard, sorcerer, and the long train of good and bad
agencies, that have since filled

the world with

wonder

and with

awre.

248
It

THE RAPPERS.
was not
till

after the

advent of the Saviour that

religion, grafted

on paganism, took, with depraved and

vulgar minds, those awful and harrowing depths of

woe

and despair which characterized the ages after the

church was established.
Tartarus and
its

fiery

lakes

surrendered to the penal Hell, to the " second death"

of Irenseus, and to the expiatory pains of purgatory.

Then, indeed, did the shadows of darkness

fall

on the

moral world.

The

beautiful and

benign

system of

atonement, as taught by the Scriptures, was hidden and

encumbered by dread and

gave place

terror.

The gospel of
and

love,

preached but to a few, and not

those,

comprehended even by
to the dread

to a gospel of terror,

anathemas of a church that

to splendors

sacrificed its divine

this.

kingdom

and

to

domi nancy over

The haunted

precincts of existence poured and vomited forth spectres

and horrors, wraiths, demons, ghouls, and vampires.

the passions of the people

To play with
Blue
fires,

was not

difficult.

subterranean, as also superterranean noises,

ghastly midnight visitants,

little

were easily worked.

enlisted

The

science that

was known was

by the crafty

in this

reign of terror, where they were potential, and

panic became a moral chronic

among men.

For every

thing that was grisly and appalling, the

Witch of Endor

served as a
king whose
sions.

text.
life

Sorcery had been forbidden by a

pas-

was one long struggle with insane

Violent and haughty, he had disobeyed the comof the

mands
was
at

Most High, and

sight,

the hour of retribution

hand.

His Nemesis was stalking noiselessly

but she was already grasping

behind him, out of

THE RAPPEES.
at the royal
fillet.

249
murof

To
foes

his palace gates rose the

:

mur

of advancing
;

around him
his

were

cries

mutiny

and the horizon of

hopes grew dark, and

dread, and hopeless, so that his bold soul shrank with a

deadly and ominous

fear.

No
in

longer came the warning

reply to prayer.

dream, the voice of Urim

The
and,

warnings of the prophets had been neglected, shrouded

in

gloom and
whose

despair, he sought the dwelling

of the creature

lips

he had sealed with a sign,

In disguise

whose
he

arts he

had suspended by a word.

commands

her to foretell to him his future.

edict,

He

is

reminded of the king's

but in the tone of a king

(which she could not mistake) he bids her fear nothing,

and assures her of protection.

of him
if

The form and bearing

who stood
else,
;

colossal in the tents of Israel might,

nothing

have taught her who the visitant was.

affects to

The hag begins

is

behold

spirits ascending,

and

ordered to

call

up the

spirit

of Samuel.

After cries
in

of terror, she describes him as an old

man enveloped

a mantle, which to Saul's excited imagination, became

identical with

Samuel.

It

was easy

to predict the fate

of one so beset and so crushed by misfortunes.

ComIn his

mon rumor might

tell

the witch the few chances in his

favor, the certain reverses gathering against him.

great anguish and despair the monarch-soldier laments

that

God

has forsaken him, and she confirms this despair

by her sentence.
the battle.

Like a lion at bay she turns him

in

He

beholds his

army

beaten, his sons slain,

falls

and,

disdaining to be taken captive,

on

his

own

11*

250
sword, and
dies, as

THE RAPPERS.
long after
it

was the " high

Roman
rest,

fashion" to die.

Sorcery, witchcraft, magic, divination, and the

became, on such authority as

the middle ages.

this,

the great manias of

in

What was
the

grand

Greek and other

here.

antique mythology

became hideous

Nemesis

pursuing crime

Eumenides lashing with remorse

fatal sisters

and terror the wicked and the doomed, the

presiding over birth, and destiny, and death, have something grand about them, something suggestive in their

separate spheres of action

but in the witch sabbaths,

and demon

revels, ghostly hauntings,

and other church-

yard horrors of succeeding ages, nothing but the lowest

elements of the horrible are perceptible.
In reading of these delusions of the past,

by which

the structure of society

tion

was shaken

to its basis, civilizainjured,

retarded

and otherwise
life

fatally

and the

whole business of

paralyzed,

we cannot

help being

struck with the occasional developments of insanity that

occurred on such scales of magnitude, and so repeatedly.

Free as we are from any such tendencies

at the present

day

though

spirit manifestations did

indeed threaten

a revolution of the popular mind,

it

seems one of the

marvels of the impossible, that thousands of persons

no rank, no condition, no age or

seize a belief, a

sex, excepted

should

mania

like the plague,

and act and argue,

as if they were in the literal bonds of the Evil One.

The

stories told

would be

all

very well as the ingenious

these traditions of
truths,

exercises of a fantastic mind, but

diablerie

handed down, are incontrovertible

and

THE BAITERS.

251

cannot but impress us with a pity for the imbecility of

human
say of

intellect
its

at different stages,
in

whatever we

may

powers

other respects.

Periodical insanity on a gigantic scale there undoubt-

edly was, and wisdom and eld

to follow the hysterical

left

aside duty and labor

troop that, dancing, and some-

times naked, went like frantic Corybantes through the

streets of

European

capitals.

In

hysterical catalepsy,

they were borne off to wizard heights,

"

With birch and with broom,

Over
stick,

over stone

;"

where Pandemonium had sent a deputation to meet

them, and where they held their dreadful orgies.
This

was

the active

development of those delusions.

asceticism,

Melanthe

choly madness, dementia,

fanaticism,

scourge, fasting, exacerbation, and the rest, completed

it,

and exhibited

its

passive phase.

We

have nothing

that

we know

of, in

the shape of treatise or discourse

written at those periods, that serves to cast a judicial or

clinical

light
is

on the matter.

verbose record of the

for

events

all,

and these are many,

the manias are

many.

Their

name was
In

legion.

In

one instance thou-

sands of children went wandering through the oountry,

and died
lashing
streets.

in

groups.

another, crowds of

men went

and scourging themselves through the public

These anarchies were composed of indecency,

obscenity, blasphemy, and disease, such as

we have no

other parallels on record for

tures

unless, indeed, the Scrip-

may

supply us with circumstances approximating

252

THE RAPPEBS.
leprosy, demoniacal apos-

the worshipping of Moloch,

session,

and so
reason

forth.

One

why

such a mania, when

it

occurred,

grew apace so

rapidly, and infected such numbers, was,

doubtless, the ignorance that existed as regarded mental

pathology, and

the consequent

lack

of asylums and

mad-houses,

where
it

the

mischief

might

have

been

checked ere

grew

to a head.
cloister,

There was no want of

room.

Convent and

monastery and cathedral

appendages, would
hospital.

have suffered for the temporary

There was no want of men and

women good
in

and zealous, as human nature has ever shown

times

of great requirement, but there was a total lack of the

physician to watch the diagnostics of the disease.

There

was a

lack,

perhaps, in the therapeutics of the day,

though few drugs or mandragora would have been

required.

The frenzy had

it.

its

way.

Time and

intelli-

gence alone could cure

The lazar-houses held

theirs.

their
all

share, the barren wastes

The tomb covers

now, and only the memory (a sad and mournful one

enough) remains to mark the events that passed by like
a convulsion, and carried
its

victims off with

it.

The apparition and

the

phantom were other crude

deposits of these monstrous things.

We

have some-

thing like a knowledge that only a thin tenebrous veil

lies

between us and that solemn land, where each spectre

its

takes

solitary
Isis,

way

to grief or glory.

But

this veil,

like that of
for

has never been lifted up.

assert the possibility

At times

we cannot deny nor

repeat,

at times,

we

dusky

visages,

shadows of shapes, glaring

THE KAPPEB8.
forms,
far

253
veil,

may come to make themselves

the other side of the

and so

palpable to us

so far even as to

touch with a breath

to startle with a sigh, to

condense
is

that essence to the sense of touch, or to

what

to the

imagination

its

equivalent
the

and thus

to give us all the

impress and

all

awe of a communion near

or distant

with the spirits of those

who dwell beyond

'the portal,'

where we should have thought no

ties

cares, instincts,

and
left

of this

life

would have entered, but have been

behind, like the Christian's burden, at the foot of the

Cross.

Palingenesey, or the reproduction of the original to

infinity,

from

its

ashes, if not the real

groundwork of
it

the theory of apparitions, at least gave

ness,
force,

consecutive-

and

the direct influence of collateral evi-

dence.

One

portion of these theories, too, was to insist

soul, which,

upon a kind of material

attraction,
the. force
still

by some inherent
sphere, and,

lingered in the

mundane
is

by

of an attraction which

a part of the
it

mysloved

terious whole,

was

still

drawn towards those

;

and dwelt with upon earth

signs of
welfare.
its

and,

if

nothing more, gave

in

existence,

its

anxiety and interest

their

Lavater, at a later time, and with

him Mesmer, so
was capable,

we take

it,

gave to the strength of the imagination a magnetic

force,

controlling

by which

it

at

any distance, of impressing and influencing the

emotions
in

like

other

individuals.

This

idea

has

been
it

expanded by the founder of the Odylic theory,

has

until

become one of

the logical

weapons

in

the hands of

254
the magnetist,

THE EAPPER6.
and manifestor, or medium.

On

the

other hand, science has treated apparitions with a lofty

sort of scorn, and,

by creating

for

itself

an hypothesis,

has talked learnedly of latent impression, of optical delusion, of the retina of reflection, refraction

what not

In this respect, however, science has

It

done good

service.

has prevented us from rushing into delusion head-

long.

Has
doubt.

it

done a corresponding

evil, that

of making
1

men

rush into the extreme of doubt and skepticism

We
air

Lenses, concave mirrors, the forming of phantoms in the

by some simulacra cast from a

reflecting body,

might

do much to move wonder and excite the mind. The repetition

of these weakened the results

for

they required a

kind of animation, and the figures of colossal gods ever so

grand and august,

if

they

move

not, speak

not, thun-

der not, become like the productions of the chisel, mighty

and supernal sculptures, awakening admiration

beauty and proportion.

at their

The supernatural

dies

away.

But

fiery lights, corruscations, figures in motion, re-

vive what was decaying.

to be perfect.

The conjuror must

learn

more

Yet more revelations of the

ere

spirit-land

must be granted,
The
mire for

man
is

will

totally

be subjected.

fable of the Dioscuri

its

one that
;

several striking graces

we cannot but adbut if we attempt

to account for their

appearance

in

the capitol, or at the

great battle, striking and strident, by the theory of optical delusion, practised

by some sage Jlamen,

all

that

we

have gained

in the

impress of the sublime and the awful,

perishes under the arid mathematics of light and shadow,

THE RAPPEES.
and we are once more of the earth
contrary,
if

255

earthy.

On

the

the spiritual vision cannot be argued away,

is

what an increase

there to the faith that only wanted

its

the slightest confirmation to carry

tent

belief to any ex-

To reduce

this to

theory

to bring

it

within the bounds

:

of probability

let us imagine the following

A
som

son mourning for a beloved parent

or a

husband

sorrowing in a sobbing anguish for the wife of his bo-

or a

father, in love

and awe,

in the

unspeaking
that apple

pains of separation from that

bud of promise,
in

of the eye which

is

now growing

the garden of God,

face

shall in lonely meditation dwell

upon that

and form,
all

which now no more, were dearer to him than

the

world beside.

Surrounded by the silence of

twilight of a

his

room, while the cool

summer

bathes his brow, he gazes abstract-

edly through the opened

flooding the

window

at the
;

coming

stars

azure floor of heaven

pressed by thick

coming
ries so

fancies, he surrenders

himself to those

memofancy)

dear

is

hears

one by one the tones wake, the

sweet voice flow, the oral music loosed

hair wave, eyes flash,

sees
it

(in

and smiles dimpling the cheek.

dream-land, seeking fur his child
is

The parent
but that he
all

lost

in

beloved, and with a consciousness that

is

near him,

also nearer to earth, he casts himself with

the

force of a will
is

becoming entranced,
i
;

into the

search his soul

now, with

>rt.

making.
car.

And

dear remembrane
as pass

mbraces, fund

between

child

and parent, come with a redoubled

256
reality to

THE RAPPERS.
him.

The scene changes

touches his knees

light
:

is

broader.
is

The sun
play
;

shines on that fair forehead

laughs,
all
it
!

the child

at

it

What,
gaze with

at

once,

makes the man

start,

turn pale,

all his

soul into space, and experience an awe,

thrill

half terror, half love, as the nerves

and the hair

is

creeps
heart,

Tears are in his eyes, palpitation

at his

and the globus hystericus well nigh chokes him.

!

He

has seen his dead darling

He

has heard that

soft,

soft voice again.

The

tiny hand has touched

him

Such may be the

rationale of a spirit visit, which

taking other coincidences of time into consideration, no

argument, or any usual means

will ever persuade
too, that the in the

of conviction

adopted,
is

me

to the contrary.

The paradox

same

individual

may

reject the ghost-theory

diffi-

main, and this proves not only the whole

culty of ever adjusting the matter while in uncertainty

he wavers between two opinions.

that the
in,

It is

only necessary

medium, with

his " manifestations," should step

and make of him a conquest to

his faith for ever.

During
and to

partial darkness, the

eye assumes certain im-

pressionable conditions.
collect

In order to pierce the gloom,

is,

whatever amount of feeble light there

the pupil undergoes an expansion to the whole width of

the
to

iris,

and

it is

shown

that in this state the pupil fails

accommodate
hand
;

itself to the clear perception

of any ob-

ject at

consequently, shapes and forms at a dis;

tance,

become vague and confused

at that distance,

we

calculate,

we

can best behold them.

In this state, the

eye

is

favorable to the production of any kind of opti-

Tin-;

KAPrERS.
state
too, the

257
imagination
is

cal delusion,

and

in

this

most

easily excited.

Now,

these spectral forms

assume

a white or greyish hue, as no actual color can be decid-

edly pronounced upon, and those objects which most

reflect the little

amount of corpuscular rays

in the

cham-

ber, or

which may be projected from aluminous ground,

or by anything animate that

tion,

may

actually, or

by

reflec-

pass across the surface of this ground, also assume

it is

that spectral aspect which

the province of the

illu-

sion to produce.

The

eye, strained to the utmost, dis-

cerning an inanimate object whose different projections

reflect light in different degrees, is

enabled to obtain a
;

more sustained and

collected view

but a constant evanalso

escence, and a constant recurrence

take place, and

the necessary change of outline following hard on this,

will

give

it

the semblance of a living or

it

moving form.

Meanwhile,

depends upon the coolness and courage of

to advance

the spectator
seized with
parition,

and dispel the

illusion, or,
it

a nameless fear, to transform

invest
it

into an ap-

and

with the features of the wellone, living or dead,

known form of some

most dominant
in

who dwells
This eluding
in
is

the spectator's mind.

and again consubstantiating form or shape, traced

such a twilight, would take such a gliding motion as
usually attributed to ghosts
;

and though there

spot, there
is

may
so

be

no actual movement from the

that
fect.
is

much

like

it,

as to render the delusive phantasy per-

Thus, then, those inclined to superstition, or

who

are

under the influence of dread, receive such confirmation

258
of their

THE RAPPEKS.
fears, as to create
;

grounds

for

an authenticated
integrity of the

ghost-story
narrator,

and add

to this the

known

when he

gives his assurance that such a visita-

tion or manifestation has been

made him,

that he

must

be skeptical indeed who will not go

far to give implicit

tale.

credence to the wildest and most wondrous

The apparitions of

Nicolai, the

German

bookseller,
to,

are too familiar to need

illustrations of the case

more than a
in point,

reference

being
re-

and evidently the

sult of optical delusion, arising

from the disordered

state of the nervous system, and a consequent derange-

ment

in the faculty

of sight.

Other very singular exam-

ples too,

may

be found in Sir David Brewster's work

on " Natural Magic."

Those who would argue the probabilities of a writing-

medium from some such event as

shazzar's palace walls,

the hand-writing on Belto the

and point out

unknown

na-

ture of the characters as a coincidence carrying proof, do

not hesitate to prove " possession," and from, the authority given in the narrative respecting the

demons of

the

Gadarene swine.
that

But such persons argue on grounds

to

assume more than we grant

all

them, for the

plain reason that

relative conditions

between man

and

his

Maker arc

so far changed as

to render such

manifestations unnecessary and unmeaning.

The writing

on the wall, and the possessed by Legion, the demons

and the swine, were

neither of which
or reason upon.
it is

all

necessary, and had a meaning,

our place or inclination to explain

THE RAPPER8.

259

CHAPTER
COMMENTS ON THE AUTHOR'S
RAPPERS.

IX.
VISITS

AMONG THE

So

far, in this,

our second book of the " Rappers,"

we

have given principally the theories and reflections of

others, in explanation of these

phenomena which we are

this course,

contemplating.

We have

pursued

because

we wished

to place the

whole subject completely before

the reader, in all the light of elucidation which has been

thrown upon

it

from any source.

We

shall

now

pro-

ceed to speak wholly for ourself.

In the

two preceding chapters we have traced the anand run

briefly over

cient history of " Rapping,"

the

whole ground of ancient demonology, entrancement, and

witchcraft.

We

have done

this

simply because
it is

we

con-

sider

"modern

spiritualism," as

called,

but a grand
all

sublimation, and reducing into something like form,

the

phenomena of ancient

oracles, raps, tips,

demon-

ology, divine ecstacy, &c.

rapping, tipping,

All the instances of ancient

cited

&c, which we have

is

are those

wherein no trick

discoverable, or at least proved, and

indefi-

have remained, since their occurrence, misty and

nite,

with nothing on their face but the allegation that

they were intelligences

from

another world.

These

260

THE RAPPERS.
modern

ancient rappings, which have been paralleled by

ones, have been taken

up by the enterprise and ingenuand made

to

ity of the nineteenth century,

come out of

the mist of indefiniteness, have had a form and a lan-

guage given to them, and a

religion, or, rather, a theory

It

of miscalled religion, built upon them.

was a low

and vulgar form of alleged

definite,

spiritual

agency to render
faith

and on which to build another temple of

to

supersede that temple of Jesus Christ, in which no

tables tip and

no raps are heard,

spirits

in order

to

open a

communication between

and mortals.

But mod-

ern spiritualists have chosen these low alleged spirit rap-

pings for their superstructure, and by them they must

be judged.
credit
it is,

To
of

the United States belongs the credit, if

first

reducing into form ancient rappings,

all

giving them a regular language, with

the adjuncts of

reading, writing, and arithmetic, and building on them,

as

we
The

said before, a
first

new

religious structure.

case of a " rapping" nature, of any great

notoriety, which

we hear

of in the United States, occura Mr.

red at Penobscot, Maine, and

Dods, (not the

in this

author

whom we

have before mentioned

volume,

but a merchant of the above town) was the " medium."

The

first

intimations

w hich Mr. Dods received of

T

the
in

honor intended
the wall,
in the

for him,

were conveyed by rappings

there

now

here,
spot.

now

evidently not one second

especially
at first
their greatest terror,

same

Although he

deemed

these noises very strange and very mysterious,

their frequency deprived

them of

and gradually reconciled the Dods' family

to their deter-

THE RAPPERS.
mined continuance.
indifference

261
at the

Perhaps displeased

growing
the

which the

Dods

displayed

towards

" rappings," the unseen agency

was driven
all

to exhibit the

presence of greater power.

At

events,

Mr. Dods

had reason to think

so.

One

evening, after having trans-

acted some mercantile affairs in town, he was returning home " as sober as a judge," when he beheld the schoolroom which was near his home brilliantly illuminated,
and,
to
all

appearance, the

scene

of great

festivity.

Amazed

that

any proceedings, on so grand a scale as

the aspect of the school-room denoted, could have been

contemplated,

much

less

going on, without his knowall

ledge, he hastened to the spot, and

became suddenly

dark

the

stars

quietly shining overhead

the

school-

house a gloomy spectacle, not enlivened by a solitary

light.

Under

the natural impression that such a change

could not have been so perfectly accomplished in so

short a time, he rubbed his eyes to ascertain
if

anything

had interfered with

search.

his vision,

but nothing satisfied the

He

next ran to the door, thinking that the

had, as

scholars, if they

was by no means

usual, colto

lected for a jollification,

might have been induced

extinguish the lights upon hearing that he approached.

The opening of

the school-door, and standing in the

midst of the room, was the work of an instant, but a

work which increased

was
stir

the

wonder of Dods,

as nothing

visible

but empty benches, barely seen, and not a

was heard.

This was a variation

in

the manifesta-

tions for

which the family were unprepared, and the

to nothing in its presence.

mere rappings dwindled

But

262

THE RAPPERS.

the rapping was also susceptible of a variation, and soon

declared itself like a heavy metal ball rolling along the

attic,

and reverberating through the whole house.

Not

content with this change, a

new phase was

adopted, in

the turning of tables, stirring of beds, running hither

and thither of

lights,

and endless other similar singular

these

demonstrations.
visited

The scene of

phenomena was
County
duty
to attend
trick,

by so many persons,

that the Clerk of the

it

Courts, with his assistants,

at the spot,
if

deemed

his

and endeavor to detect and expose the

a trick were detectable.

Mr. Dods permitted them

left in

to select their

own

apartment, where they were

quiet possession about 9 o'clock in the evening.

Havit

ing taken every necessary precaution, and seen that

was impossible

for

any human being to be concealed

in

the chamber, or able to obtain admission without their

knowledge

having also narrowly examined the entire

it

apartment, and found

retired,

free

from

all

machinery,

they
Soon

without having extinguished the candle.

afterwards, bed and bed-clothes

grew

so unmanageable,
freaks, that these

and went through so many strange

men, without obtaining the

gave up the adventure and

slightest clue to the

its

mystery,
It

object as

hopeless.

was

said, that in the

absence of Mr.

Dods

the manifes-

tations did not occur.

Many

cases of the like sort occurred in various parts,

it

creating considerable excitement, but

was not

until

the year 1848, that they reached their culminating point.

At

this

time certain mysterious noises were heard

in

the family of

John D. Fox,

at Rochester,

New

York,

THE RAPPERS.
and the fame thereof soon spread through the country.

Crowds

flocked to the residence of the Foxes, and the

knockings increased in frequency and force inside the

house, while wonder

and speculation increased

far

in

the

same proportion, both

dwelling, which

and near, outside the humble

became a kind of knocking Mecca to which

But

the eyes and steps of all the pilgrims of curiosity instinctively

were turned.

this time, the raps

were not

suffered to die

away and
raps

dissolve into air, without an

attempt, at least, to nail them.

By

a long series of

experiments, the

meaning
and "

" yes,"

and the raps

meaning "no," and the raps meaning "I don't know,"

" perhaps so," "
ful,"

may be

so,"

may be not,"

" doubt-

"partly so," and "partly not," were discovered, or

rather figured out, by the Foxes, and the spirits

now
here.

began

to

talk

with

the Foxes quite glibly, as far as

monosyllables went.

But discovery did not end

forth an

Yankee ingenuity brought

which they taught the

alphabetical card,
spirits,

and the Foxes soon had an interesting school of

in

spirits their letters.

The

spirits

learned rapidly and could soon spell out whole sentences,

for the edification of their

mortal hearers.

Arithmetic

was taught them by card

the spirits,
if

in the

same manner, and soon

know-

a mortal pointed to a figure on the card,

knew

it

in

moment, and rapped loudly

their

ledge thereof.
card, the spirits
their education,

From the alphabet and the arithmetical made suddenly a tremendous jump in
and seizing hold of the arms and hands
into

of their favorites, galvanized them

writing, which, to judge

a species of

by

its

eccentric lines and curves,

264

THE RAPPERS.

might have been produced by the powers of another

world, for no mortal keenness of perception, although
as sinuous and twisting as that said to be possessed

by

mortal lawyers, could read

tion thereof.

it

and give the interpreta-

But the same power which galvanized

the hands of the

mediums

into writing,

seemed

also to

galvanize them into perception, and no sooner was the

writing produced than the
print.

mediums read mediums

it

as plain as

And
the

thus the spiritual

write and read

little

at the present

moment, with perhaps a

improve-

ment on

commencement.
or rather the " rappers," did not stop

But the

spirits,

at reading, writing,

and arithmetic.

As, after the

Fox
tip-

development at Rochester, knockings and raps and

ping tables became frequent
all

over the country, there

in

was added another phase of progress

spiritual

this

so called
to

phenomena.

The

spirits

began

speak
roll

through mediums, dance through the mediums, and

and tumble about through the mediums.

In

other

words, the so called spirits " took possession" of the

mediums, spoke through them, and performed

ner of antics through them.
itual

all

man-

And

at this point of spir-

rapping history, the phenomena of ancient demon-

ology, witchcraft, and enhancement, joins, and becomes

blended with, the phenomena of ancient rappings and

table tipping.

And

thus blended, in our opinion, they

stand now, and stood when

we made our

visit

among

the "Rappers," the particulars of which are recorded in

the

first

part of this volume.

THE RAPPEES.
Looking back on our
cles" as they are called,
visits

265
the
" Spirit Cir-

among
in

and asking our readers also to

the faithful de-

take the
scription

same retrospective glance

we have given

of the scenes witnessed by us,

we

are struck, at the

first start,

and we think our read-

ers will likewise

be struck

in the

same manner, with

the

incongruity of rapping, tapping, and entranced manifestations, with the idea that these manifestations

emanate

from
in

spirits.

Did we

actually,
1

we

said to ourself,
in actual

come

contact with a spirit

were we

communi-

cation with the departed of earth, disrobed of their gross

corporeal forms, and standing around us, shadowy and

invisible, but still

whole and perfect forms of

spiritual

existence, talking to us or others near us,

making themit

selves manifest and

uniting palpably, as
?

were, the
it

land of spirits with the land of mortals

it

If

were

so,

was a grand and awful

be
in.

circle for us or

any other mortal

invisible

to

If

it

were

so.

would not some

power

of awe, and grandeur, and reverence, have chained the

soul of every one present
if
!

Would

not the atmosphere,

we may

so express ourself, of the land of spirits, have

filled

the room, and eve. v head been bent in involuntary

i

attention

We

think bo.

lint

our head was not bent,

our soul
breathed

was chained by no
spirit

invisible power,

we

felt

no atmosphere of
BUofa

land.

Gladly would we have

an atmosphere,

gladly
a

would we have

Mir soul

enchained by such
head
t->

power,

joyfully would
whom we
had
to the slight-

we have bowed our

loved on earth.
est

listen t" those

We

were passive,

open

impression, but the atmosphere of the spirit land

266
was not
there,

THE RAPPERS.

there

was no

spirit

power

or chain to

bend our head or bind our soul either

or fear.
tions
to
It is

in respect, in

awe,

easy for a believer

that

in

rapping manifesta-

say,

we were

not in a state to be imthat

this,

pressed, that

we were

too "positive,"
scoffer,

we were an
in

unbeliever,

or

even a
;

but

opinion,

amounts

to nothing

if

we had been
if spirits

in actual

nication with spirits,

had actually

commucome to

earth to talk to us, manifest themselves to us, and were

actually in the

room with us
to
feel,

for that purpose,

we should

have been made

farce of
spirit

else

why

did they enact the

feel,

coming ?

No, we did not

there was no
in-

power

or chain upon us from the fact of the

congruity of the manner of the manifestation with the

idea of spirits.
fear being

So
us,

far

from either respect or awe, or

upon

our mind involuntarily, as

we

sat at

the table and heard the sounds thereon, reverted back

to

the

negro melody which

we had

often

heard at

Woods' and
line of

Christy's Minstrels, the

is

most remarkable

which
"

Who's dat knockin' at de

door."

And

in this reversion of

our thoughts we could not help

coming

to the conclusion that there

was

as

much

of the

appearance of the influence of spirits about the stage of

Woods' and

Christy's Minstrel Hall as about the table

in

of the "Spirit Circle,"

It

which we were

sitting.

cannot be! this very low, vulgar, ludicrous, and at

times, revolting

manner of

the alleged spirit manifesta-

tions, by means of knocks, rapping tables, and contort-

THE RAPPEES.

267

ing the bodies of the Mediums, proves, at the very start,

a fatal
objection to,

and repels the mind against, the

idea that spiritual intelligences have any connection with

the matter.
" But," perhaps, says the reader, " that
is it

not strange

when a number of names of living and dead persons

slips

are written on

of paper, carefully folded up and

placed upon the table by the questioner,

who

alone

knows what

the

names

are,

is

it

not strange that the

table will tip or rap at the right

It
is

one]"

very strange at

first

sight,

we

admit, but expe-

rience
will

among

" Spirit Circles,"

this

such as

we have

had,

prove that in

matter of picking out names, the

often designated

wrong ones are about as

tips, as

by the raps or

the right ones, which fact robs the

its

phenomenon
it

of some of

strangeness, and throws about

an

air

of

chance which does not speak much, to say the least of

it,

for spiritual

knowledge.

The same remark when

applies

to the telling of ages,

places of death, diseases,

&c,

as

designated by raps or tips

the questioner writes

them down on a
pencil as

slip

of paper, and points with his

in

we have described

the

first

book of

this

volume.

"But"

again, says the reader, "is there not some-

thing mysterious in the

by Mediums, in the speeches

state

many communications written made by them when in a

of entrancement,

and do not these writings and

speeches exhibit an intelligence outside of and beyond

the

Mediums themselves?" In a few instances, we admit we have

seen

communi-

268
cations written

THE KAPPEK8.
by Mediums, and heard speeches
but
deli-

vered by them, which were characterized by a mystery

which we cannot pretend wholly to fathom

in

the

majority of the written communications and the speeches

which we have read and heard, there was nothing but

what any mortal might write or speak

character of
to
all

the

general

communications and speeches professing

our experience goes,

come from

spirits, are, as far as

either
rally
ther,"

common
&c,

letters of affection,

and addressed gene" dear fa-

" dear mother," " dear daughter," or

as the case

may
one
;

be,

but with no names

especially

either of addresser or addressed,

when

the

communication
dies, written

is

first

or else they are rhapsocollec-

and spoken and characterized by a

tion of fine words, and nothing but words, about the

beauty of the

spirit land, the future

triumph of
is

spirtual-

ism, and rejoicings that the subject

awakening so
infor-

much
rits

attention.

As

to

conveying any tangible

mation of practical

benefit, or giving tests that the spi-

speaking or writing are the spirits of those they

represent themselves to be, our experience has been

that such information or such tests are rarely given
;

on

the contrary the so called spirits are positively ugly on

this

point.
talk

They

will write

whole sheets of foolscap,

of subjects where words

and

by the hour on

all sorts

only are needed, but ask them to write or speak one

word, which will convey a test of their identity, and
they are silent.

The proof of

the

above remarks

will

be found

in

a careful examination of our tour

among

the

" Rappers."

THE KAPPERS.

269

"But," again says the reader, "can you explain that

scene of exorcism
in
in

your

visit

among

the "Rappers."
is

which

it

is

represented that an evil spirit

cast out

of the young girl

Medium?"
its face,
is

The scene
but we

certainly looks very startling on

think the explanation

easy.

The

girl

Medium

was simply

in a pscychological state,

and the mind of

him, at whose
state,

command

she returned to her natural

was stronger than

hers,

and according to rules of

therefore

pscychological science, produced

the

effect

which we

witnessed and have described.

There

is

another point on which

with our experience

in connection

and that

is,

that

we have

often

we have to remark, among the Rappers, noticed in our own visits,

Mediums,
that the

particularly

among

the public

Me-

diums had power

to stop the raps or tips at their will.

We

have noticed more than once, that when the time

devoted to sittings was up, or when a

Medium

did not
in

appear to be

in

a very good humor, or seemed

hurry to have the visitors leave, the raps suddenlystopped, and there was spelt out, or written out,
night," or the case

"good

" good bye," or " good morning,"

&c.

as

might be.

There was no use of trying

to get

manifestations, after such latter manifestoes from the

spirits as the

above.
part
<f

We
the

do not mean by

this to

charge

trick "ii

the

Mediums,

for

we

believe that
in
tin-

the

raps and tips

which we heard and saw

to,

pre-

sence of the

any trick;
tips are

Mediums referred but we mean only

were not produced by

>;iy

to

that

the raps

and

under the control of the Medium, which proves

270
to

THE RAPPEES.

our mind conclusively, that the raps and tips are

something emanating from, and are a part and parcel

of,

the

Mediums, how
T

or in

what manner they may not

know themselves, but still such an inherent, although mysterious pow er, belonging to them, and which they
control, as proves that the raps and tips belong to
alone, and spirits have nothing to
tion.

them

do with the produc-

We think,

in fact, that this

power of the Mediums

although there
is

to control the noises

and the

tables,

no

trick in the matter,

one of the most convincing proofs

influence.

of the absence of

all spiritual

And

the

Mewe

diums can
the

also control their hands and en tran cements in

same manner.

At

least,

so

we

think,

from

all

have seen, and we

have looked pretty sharply.

If

they

resist the influence that is seizing their

hand

to write, or

twisting their eyes and bodies into a trance,

often noticed that neither trance or writing came.

we have And
all

we have

again noticed them gliding into both with

the ease possible, as if they wished to do so, and

knew

they would not be disappointed.

Another singular development

in this

rapping pheno-

mena

strikes us as

we
If

look back on our

the reader will
in the

visits

among

the

" Spirit Circles."

peruse carefully

our account, he will find

alleged
spirits,

communications of the

such a collection of contradictions and

as any sane mortal

direct foolish
to utter.

lies,

w ould be ashamed
T

If they are spirits

lies,

who

utter these contradic-

tions

and

then demonology and witchcraft are true

spirits called

to the letter,

and these

up by modern Rapthat spirits of

pers are devils.

But we do not believe

THE RAPPER8.
any kind are connected with
lieve the whole
teries
this

271

phenomena.
still

We

be-

mystery

is in

the

unexplained mys-

of magnetism, electricity, clairvoyance and pschyif

cology, or rather in the mysterious mixture,

so express ourself, of the whole of these.
It is

we may

not to be doubted but that animal magnetism

(and, as a matter of course,

most of

its

modern

adjuncts)

has been familiar to the world under other names, and

in

the forms of demonology, witch-mania,

and the

rest.

This mesmeric phenomenon renders the patient insensible to pain.

It
is

in fact antalgic

but, in return,

it

asserts mastery over the

human
for

individual will.

The

clairvoyant has a capacity for speaking languages the

person has never

in

known

observing organic

di-

others

for seeing

beyond the limits of

vision

for

the faculty of sharing in

others, or of anticipating

some way

the thoughts

of

them

of

fire,

for

a period at least

for resisting the

in

&

for being

effect the

agent that acts between the immaterial and the material

worlds.

The clairvoyant cannot explain

reason for such.

the theory, or
is

give a lucid
able, except

The operator

as little
like.

by conjecture, comparison, and the

This condition
fixing

may be produced
upon an
object,

spontaneously.

By

the

eye

by concentrating
in

thought upon an idea, by isolating one's self

pit-test

the

manner from

all

surrounding and

extrai.
ft

things, the state of semi-trance

may

be induced,
is
[

is

thus that a concentration of the magnetic fluid

ered or absorbed, and the results are
in

like proportion.

writer plausibly asserts that this must have been

272

THE RAPPERS.

foundation of the epidemic manias, and that the contagion multiplied in its intensity of communication,
as

the

numbers

increased,

and

the

magnetic electricity

became centered among them.

We

tricity as

cannot but agree with those who refer to electhe generator and true motive-power of the
;

whole phenomena, witnessed and detailed

though the

manifestations that are produced are in so

many ways

dissimilar to all known developments of that fluid. " This interior concussion of particles," says an intelli-

gent

examiner of the system, " which occurs in the ordinary sounds (rapping, &c,) can be attributed to no other cause than the permeation and action of some subtle essence analogous to electricity. It is, accordingly, another

important

fact, that

persons of delicate

nerves can
action

generally

feel

abundant evidence of the

in

of such

an essence, while the phenomena

question are occurring.

is capable of gathering within it, and of giving out by contact, or by distant affinity, currents

That the system

of the electric
question.
that
is

fluid, is
is

now

a matter,

we

think,

beyond

This

termed

vital electricity,

and of a kind

not evolved in the

that agent.
it

common and
be

usual develop-

ments of

It is

controllable by the
;

mind of

another as often as

may

and certainly more so

if,

under the control of the person himself, especially

will is

in

addition to a susceptible organization, the strength of

more than usually marked.

current
is

In

this case,

how-

ever, a "reflex

also
it

continuously running
the consciousness of

back to the brain, to convey to

THE RAPPERS.
the act with the hand.
In

273
case of the so-called
originated
in

the

spirit-meetings, although the act

may have

the individual's

own

brain,

and a current passed

to the

hand, dictating the performance of certain acts or motions, yet

no current returns

to

convey an idea of the

performance of such acts by the hand.

The current
;"

may be supposed
reasoning from
tached
vital

to pass

off

from the person

and,
" delike

may be assumed that this electricity" may operate much in

this, it

manner on
It is,

the system of another.

therefore, this vital electricity, this odylic fluid,

that should

now occupy

the attention of the learned, of

the earnest, of the seeker after truth, unless

we

are con-

tent to stop short at the advent of a strange

and unac;

countable agent, and leave

it

to take

its

course

the

foolish to be deluded, the credulous to believe anything,

and the
a head.

indifferent to see a perilous matter

growing

to

By diligent observation and inquiry something more that we yet lack must ultimately be found out that something may lead us to the final principle which now eludes us. To the solution of this many years to come must be dedicated. And in future years, we doubt not, that the whole of the " Rappers" will
be
will

clearly

explained on such
all

scientific

principle
in

sweep away

ideas

of spiritual agency
reveals on
;

the

matter.

What

science

now

this

Bubject,

only

in part, will

be opened

in full

although the world

of various
kinds,

may
spirit

continue

full

of " rappings"

rappings will be no more.

12*

274

THE RAPPER8.

CHAPTER
RAPPERS.

X.

THE RELIGION OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE RELIGION OF

The

religion, of

which Jesus Christ was the great

is

founder and teacher,

simple and sublime.

It is

not
ar-

our province, neither

is it

our purpose, to enter into

gumentative details of

this religion, or give the various

it

phases of doctrine which

assumes among the many

different sects of its disciples.

hibit
it

We

design rather to ex-

briefly in its principal features,

and by way of

contrast to another religion which has been developed

in the nineteenth century,

we design

simply to place,

side

by

side,

the religion of Christ and the religion of

Rappers.

The
Bible.

text
It

book of the
is

religion of Jesus Christ

is

the

claimed by Christians, that

to

this Bible is

the inspired

word of God

man, spoken by God him-

self to prophets,

and by them recorded,

spoken by the
man,
It

Son of God
his apostles,

himself, while living on earth as a

to

and by them
it

also written

down.
are

mat-

ters not, as far as

regards the view

we

now

taking,

that this claim for the foundation of the Christian reli-

gion has been disputed by

many

in all

ages of the world.

Disputed or undisputed, one

fact stands out

bold and

THE RAPPEB8.
incontrovertible

no sophistry can sweep

its force.

it

away,
is,

no denunciation can lessen

origin claimed

That

fact

that the

for the Christian religion,

it

and the foun-

dation on which

is

made
is

to rest,

are in themselves

sublime
gion,

just such an origin and a foundation as a relito live

by which man

and

die,

should have
it

the direct

word of God

to

man, written,

is

true,

by

mortals, but dictated to the writers

by God

himself,
se-

a sacred charter of

faith,

delivered to

man by no
spirit

condary

spirit

from a lower sphere of the

world,

but dictated to man, and signed, sealed, and delivered

to

man, by God himself,

sitting

on his throne
for tbe origin

in

the

highest of the heavens.

So much

of the

Religion of Christ as claimed by

its

believers.

The
fold

religion of Jesus Christ teaches than

man
It

is

two-

mortal
when
the

and

immortal mortality

for

this world,

and immortality for the world of

that

spirits.

believes,

body

dies,

it

returns to dust, while the

soul passes into another world

the souls of the believ-

ing and the righteous into a world of bliss, and the souls

of the unbelieving and wicked into a world of misery.

It

teaches that

when

the designs of

God

shall be

accomtheiv
tbe

plished in regard to the

shall

human
rise

race,

that then

come
to
all

a day of general resurrection,

when
ai.

bodies of
united
united,

all

men

shall

from
that

their graves.

their

souls

and

then body and

soul

men

>hall stand before

God

in

general judg-

ment

the
1

believers and

the righteous to be
t

haven, and the unbelieving and the wicked

turned into Hell.

particular and

literal d<


^76

THE RAPPKBg.
between the death of

of the place of departed spirits,

the

body and the general

resurrection, and of the

Heaven
is

and the Hell which follows the general judgment,

given in the Bible
gives
is

not

the only description that

And
it is

the Bible

figurative language, expressing the greatest mi-

sery and the highest happiness.

for us here to enter into

not necessary

any of the many speculations

which have been broached on the subject of the particular nature of the place of

departed

spirits,

and of the
great docthis

Heaven and
trine
is all
is

Hell, set forth in the Bible

the

one of future rewards and punishment, and

with which we have

now

to do, in giving this brief

synopsis of the religion of Christ.

And

this

religion

of Jesus Christ has also a spirit

in its nature.
It

doctrine, the

most sublime and holy

teaches that a

Holy

Spirit,

not an indefinite impulse

or essence of good, but a real Spirit, equal with the

Father and the Son,

is

ever around and in

man

to

impel
evil

him forward
even the
soul and that the

to good,

and deter and save him from

spirit of the

Holy Ghost.

It

teaches that man's

body

are the temple of the

Holy Ghost, and

Holy Ghost
it

will not leave that temple, unless

driven from
ness and

by man

himself, through acts of wicked-

sin.

Thus, according to the doctrine of the

Christian religion,

God

himself, in the presence of the

Holy Ghost,

is

a spirit ever dwelling in man, talking to

;

him and communicating with him

spirit,

it

is

no secondary
manifests

but the spirit of

itself to

man

in

God himself, which man, and man can at any

it.

time

call

that spirit

up and hold communion with

Can any

THE RAPPERS.
spirit doctrine

'J

7 7

be more sublime than

og,

this

Again,

it

is

an old

beli

we

believe, almost every sect of

it

Christians, that the Bible, although

teach, leaves the reader to

does not directly

draw

a fair inference, that all a guardian spirit, an

men have

continually about
still

them

invisible but

real personal spirit,

not of a departed

mortal friend, but a pure immortal spirit of Heaven,

guarding and watching over them, and ever striving ou one side of man to counteract the influence of an evil
spirit

the

devil,

which

is

ever walking on the other

side.

This religion of Jesus Chiist stops not here

in the
It

mere promulgation
erects a
ligious

of certain doctrines for belief.

form of government
belief,
its

for Christians in their rein

binds them together

a church, with
its

Christ for

head, and laws and ordinances for

go-

vernance, and thus makes that religion one of order and

combined

practical effect

Centuries on centuries have rolled on, and this religion

of Christ has
al

orld.

working has be
race higher, and

iture as to ele-

he

human

make them
and an
ing
its

better than
It

other form of religion has ever yet done.

has

been
.

from

evil

incenti

and millions ha. dying breath.

in

truth with
shall
it

their

Shall

it

be

be
.

injured

the slight

nt

w
produce higher claims
ligion
for

religioi

and can

belief

than the old.

weep

it

awaj

278
it

THE RAPPEB8.
it

discards

and seeks
?

to introduce a substitute.
see.

What

is

that substitute

Let us

The

religion of

the Rappers has no text-book, has

it

no Bible, no charter, and

claims none.

But does
it

it

not claim an origin, a foundation, from which

springs?

Yes, and the origin and the foundation are, raps pro-

duced by invisible agency on

tipping

tables, walls,

&c,

tables

up

in

all

manner of ludicrous ways, speeches

through entrancement, and writings through the involuntary

raps,

movement
the tips,

of the hand.

And what

produces the

the speeches of entrancement and the

the

writing?

Do
No.

Rappers claim that God, through the

raps and tips, the entrancement and the writing, speaks

to

man

Do they claim,
1

that spirits

from around

the throne of God, and sent by God, speak to

this singular

man
man,

in

manner

No.

In the religion of the

Rapis

pers, the sublime doctrine of

cast aside

God speaking

to

as
God

far as

we have learned

the doctrine of the

Rappers,

has nothing to do with the manifestations.

The Rappers
God, or

say, that the raps, the tips, the entrancefar

ment, and the writing, so

spirits

from being produced by

which have never been mortal, are prospirits of those

duced only by the

mortal, but

who have once been

spirits are

who have departed

this life, or " left the

form," as they say

that

some of these

good,

some undeveloped
be better, and that
raps and
tips,

or rather half bad, but progressing to

all

of them, through the language of

as reduced to an alphabet

by mortals,

and though speeches of entrancement and written communications speak to man, sometimes the truth, some-

THE RAPPERS.
times
lies,

279

sometimes

in

contradiction of themselves,
often in a

often in a jocular and

tified

humbugging way,
in

mys-

manner, and sometimes

a strain of sublimity

a strange mixture of material rapping, turning over of

tables, ringing of bells, rhapsodies of speech,

and galvasuch the

nic writing.

And

yet such

is

the origin

of,

foundation on which rests that religion of "Rappers,"

which seeks to invalidate the religion of Jesus Christ.

As

it

regards the origin and foundation claimed by both

religions,

we

can only say :

look

on

this

picture and

look on that

the Bible direct from

God

himself on the

one hand

knocks,

dancing tables, and misty entrance-

ments on the other.

The

religion of the

Rappers teaches nothing more nor

less than

practical materialism.

The

scriptures are set

aside with the

most sublime

indifference

there

is

no
all

heaven, no

hell,

no future reward or punishment

restraint from acting just as they choose, while here

earth,
is

on
at

taken,

by

this religion,

from mortals
is

sin

pleasure, for the mortal

rity

man

here

but an immatuin

of development which shall become perfect

the

spirit land.

The
If

religion of

Rappers

is

thus an apoloit is all

gist for sin.

man

has been good on earth,

the better for

him when he dies and enters the

fanciful

collection of spheres into which the

spirit world.
If

Rappers divide the

he has been a bad

man on
in

earth,
;

why
it

then

it

will

not be quite so well for him at last

but

will nol be very bad,

and the progression

it

the Bpheres

will eventually

make

extremely good.
the sphere, hinges

On
all

this

acrell-

commodating By stem of

the

280
gion of the Rappers.

THE RAPPERS.
The following
of
the

description of the
:

spheres
"

is

in

the words
at

Rappers themselves

Commencing

the earth's centre, and proceeding

the surrounding space
is di-

outward

in all directions,

vided into seven concentric spheres, rising one above and

outside the other.

Each of

these seven

'

spheres' or

spaces
'

is

again divided into seven equal parts, called

the whole
'

circles,' so that

spirit-world' consists of an

immense globe of
globe
located.

ether divided into seven spheres, and

forty-nine circles, and in the midst of which our

is

own

The good,
*

bad, and indif-

ferent qualities of the spirits located in these seven sepa-

rate spheres are carefully classified.

Those

of the

first

sphere are said to be endowed with wisdom,

or seeking- selfish good.

Wisdom 3rd. Wisdom indecontrolled by popular opinion. pendent of popularity, but not perfected. 4th. Wisdom which seeks others' good, and not evil. 5th. Wisdom 6th. Wisdom in perfection, to prophesy. in purity. 7th. Wisdom to instruct all others of less wisdom. According to the new philosophy, when a man dies, his
wholly
selfish,

2nd.

soul ascends at once to that sphere for which

it is

fitted

by knowledge and goodness on

point

earth

and from that

ascends

or progresses outward

from

circle

to

circle, and from sphere to sphere, increasing in knowl-

edge and happiness as

circle of the

it

goes,

till it

reaches the seventh

the highest degree

seventh sphere, which

it

is

of knowledge and bliss to which

in the spirit-world.
all

is

possible to attain
is

They

assert that heaven

beyond
the

the

spheres, and

represent the

change from


THE RAPPERS.
281

seventh sphere to heaven, as equivalent to the change

from the

life

on earth

to a

dwelling in the lower spheres.

better.

They

are ever advancing and growing

all

They
their

can descend through

rudi mental,

the intervening sph*,;es to the

and help

their tardy brethren

wp ; yet

lower or vulgar

spirits

can never pull their more ad-

vanced brethren down."

The Rapping
social
affability

religion also speaks of a high degree of

existing

among
together

the dwellers

of

the

zones music,

dancing,
in the

with

very

praise-

worthy

efforts

educational rudiments of reading,

writing, and the like.

in

There

is

"

no marrying, or given
spirit

marriage,"

among them, but every

"has

its

partner of the opposite sex."

They have seldom been

united upon earth, a fact that implies a love of harmony,

and a distaste to recommence any past connubial bickering that

may have
most

existed.

These partners, however,

each other, been
inti-

have, for the

part,

known

mates,

fi

lends,

&c We

are also told by this religion

of the rappers, that the spirits

ating whatever they desire.
sire

"have

the

power of crede-

Whatever robes they

with the wish.

to wear, they possess

They
The

paint,

sculpture, write, or

compose music, and

their producartist
it

are as tangible to them, as ours to us.

by means of his
his friends,

will, paints a picture,

and shows

to

as

really

as

it

i>

on earth; ami the poel

lie

writes, and
here.

finds

admirers of his verses, as

desire, and

would
is

They enjoy whatever they

this

one

of the sources of their happiness.

They

cat fruit, or

whatever they

incline

to,

ami indulge their appetites

282

THE RAPPERS.
;

not however, from necessity

thirst,

they never

feel

hunger or

or cold

or heat.

*
it,

*
it

If
is

they wish for a

a reality

harp, they at once possess

and

a tan-

gible thing, and, to their perception, as nuich a material

substance as the things

we handle

here.
into govern-

The Rappers have no church, no reducing

of religion to elevate

mental form their religion, no ordinances, no exercises

man from
;

earth to heaven.
is

The

Rapper has no prayer

at least this

the legitimate

tendency of the religion taught by Rappers.

The

legs

of a table and enhancements and spirit-writings are both

the Rapper's
priest,

church

and

his

religious
for prayer,

services, his

and
?

his ordinances.

As

why

should

he pray

We

have done.
to be

We
its

consider the
all

religion

of

the

Rappers
delusions.

blasphemy, and

its

manifestations
it

What
it is

tendency must be, when thus

throws

oft* all

restraint

from man, can easily be seen.

in sublimity, in

Whether

worthy either

appearance

of truth, or in

the least element of practical good, to

Christ,

supersede the religion of Jesus

we

leave

the

reader to judge for himself, from the picture of contrast

which we have drawn.

FINIS.

THE LAWYER'S STORY,

OK,

THE ORPHAN'S WRONGS

BY A MEMBER OF THE NEW-YORK BAR.
Beautifully JHlustrateli.

The
public

publishers have great pleasure in introducing this "work to the

As

a family novel

it

is

unexceptionable, while

it

will

be found
ever

equally interesting and amusing by the casual reader.

No

tale has

been written which has attained greater popularity or been more eagerly
sought
for

while

in

the course of serial publication.

The perusal of the

introductory remarks will satisfy the reader that the Lawyer's Story contains incident of

more than common

interest

Some time
York Sunday
lation
:

ago, the following paragraph, copied

from

an English provincial newspaper, appeared in the

Dispatch,

New
circu-

and other journals of wide

A
"

Mysterious Affair.

We

find

the

following
it

curious story in one of our English exchanges, and as

relates to a couple of

Americans, we give

it

a place

The

quiet

little

town of Hemmingford Abbotts, near

visited

St.

Ives,

Huntingtonshire, was recently

the

by a

young lady and gentleman from

United States,

IV

PREFACE.

under circumstances that have created considerable excitement in the neighborhood.

The

parties are brother

for the large
situ-

and

sister,

and we believe are contestants

as the Fitzherbert

property

known

Manor Lands,
this

ated in this county, which estates have for a long time

been in dispute.
Fourth,
Esq.,

As

will

be recollected,

property

was formerly Crown Land, and was given by George the

when Prince Eegent, to Herbert Fitzherbert, who subsequently went to America. The right of

Crown Land was contested, and the thrown into chancery. Herbert Fitzherbert died, we believe, in the United States, and his heirs at law,
the Prince to bestow
estate
after the decision of the

long contested

suit,

entered into

possession of the property.

These heirs were a son and

daughter.

The

arrival of the

new

contestants for this

property created quite a stir among the fashionable circles. So far, however, but little has leaked out in reference to the real object of our trans- Atlantic
created the unusual
stir in

visitors,

who

the locality above indicated.

One

of our reporters called at the Hotel at which the

if possible,

strangers stopped, to gather the particulars,

but found the parties had taken their departure very

mysteriously, no one at the hotel having the slightest

intimation of their business or their present whereabouts.

It is said,

tinguished attorney from

upon what authority we know not, that a disLondon accompanied them, and that some parties were subpoenaed to attend a private examination, but failed to appear, and have not Altogether there since been heard of by their friends.
appears to be considerable mystery about this
affair."

Shortly afterwards, a letter was received by the editor of the Dispatch from a Eetired

member of the New York


PREFACE.
Bar,

who

stated that he

was perfectly acquainted with

the history of the incident so mysteriously alluded to in the English journals,

rative published

and who
title

is

the author of the nar-

by the

of the "Lawyer's Story,"

or the "Orphan's Wrongs."

Few

narratives have surpassed the Lawyer's* simple

it lias

story in the intense interest

tion of the reader
is

excited.

The

atten-

arrested

immediately upon com-

mencing the
menced, the

first

chapter, and once having been com-

tale is

read on with continually increasing

interest to its conclusion.

The following

is

the letter alluded

to,

in

which the

author gives permission to the Editor of the Dispatch to

publish the narrative
:

To

the Editor of the

Sir:
'patch,

Noticing in the

last

number of the Sunday Dis-

a paragraph copied from a Iluntingtonshire (Eng-

land) newspaper, headed a " Mysterious Affair," in which

two Americans, brother and Bister, are spoken of as playing a prominent part, I beg to inform you that I have had an intimate knowledge of the parties alluded
to for the last ten years, to cause an

and that

was the

first

person

investigation to be
also, I

made

into their claims.

For a short period

the case.
tery
" in

therefore can partially

was professionally engaged in dear up the Mysto the

which the matter, according

is

reporter of

the English paper,

involved.

If

give you permission to publish the uscript, containing the facta woven together

you think proper I accompanying manin the

form

vi

PREFACE.
I have

of a narrative.
will

no

be explained,

my

but as interest in the matter sympathies were from the first

;

connaturally enough enlisted in behalf of the American 1 and indisputable, testants, whose claims I considered took that con and therefore watched every action pro

Having retired from active place regarding their cause. made this case practice, some six years since, I have

my

hobby, and have but lately returned from Europe, in bewhere my services have voluntarily been rendered
half of the brother and
sister.

am happy

to say that

decided in the case has, after an arduous struggle, been are now in their favor, and that, so far as I know, they it was secure and happy possession of the property

sought to deprive them

of.

However, as

sufficient will find the narrative to contain its publication, justify to interest sufficient to possess name in you give I story. the anticipate I will not to be relied are statements that you order to satisfy that you should it is not perhaps necessary

presume you incident, and

my

my

on

but

publish

it,

therefore I sign myself,

A Retired Member of
February
6th, 1853.
published
in

the

New York

Bar.

The Lawyer's Story

or

is

one volume, paper covers, 50 cents,

bound

in cloth,

75

cents.

paid Copies mailed, on receipt of price, (post

addressed

L oNG & BROTHER,

121

NASSAU STREET.

THE GREAT EST ROMANCES OE MODERN DATS!

THE SISTERS;
(Complete)

Superior to "Valratine Vox."

THE FATAL MAKBIAGES. BY HENRY

COCKTON,
"

OR,

AUTHOR OF

VALENTINE VOX,"

THE STEWARD,"

SVLVESTER SOUND," ETO.

in this

ILLUSTRATED FROM THE ENGLISH EDITION. an 0rted m,rri ^ 9 are so truthfully and strikingly depicted J2?ZS\S* work, that cannot k^to exercise a beneficial influence upon
,

it

fa.,

H
I

JW /y
i

rZru^PoJI mh
t

tt
We

Writte

V ith ev
,

r >'

society At the same time e **"7 rf iie, ail that simplicity and beVut of " arnitiVe WhlCh PeCUlkrly

***!*&

Cocktom-/ -

r f " Videntine Vl,x " has

*F

8dili himself in the present

work.-^^

are always delighted with Cockton's writings; they dress Useful truths in such en-

THE STEWARD: ROMANCE EEAL

A OF
BY HENRY COCKTON,
1'
1

LIFE.

AUTHOR OF "SYLVESTER SOUND," "VALENTINE VOX," "THE

il

st' our eelingsU S3 life How We despise the hypocrite George; what loathing his deep Hwylnspires^How we admire the noble, true-hearted old Sir John, the manly, generous
,

?' " *< fMCl**g *<** a vivid and truthful picture of real r of simplicity and pathos worthy of Oliver Goldsmith -Jthruxu, became intensely nterested In this novel, which in style, and a In incident nciaent and narrative, reminded us stroney of the Vickarof Wk?fiiH somewl n> ul J ! drawn with artistic skill so perfect^ that they at enl

ILLUSTRATED FROM THE ENGLISH EDITION.' -

SISTERS," ETC.

lifJlol.f^r?^ tod n a style

life,

We

fT ^ a/spTrftedCh

A ROMANCE OF THE HIGHLANDS.

AUTHOR 09
There hat
"

KENNETH:
mon- ineceesful laborer
In

BY G. W. B REYNOLDS, MYSTERIES OF IHI OOOET OF NAPLES," " COURT OF LONDON," WITH NUMEROUS E N O R A V I N (, |,
TTw wild and fwfulsuperaUtioiisofto
the fruitful
ri.-i.i

hiV.

mane,

n< vet beea than our author.

,r

s-.-uio

i'i

la.

J:'.

H. LONG * BROTHER, __^____ 4 Ann-sir. el,

*.* Copies mailed, on receipt of the
i

\;\v VoiL.

| paid).

Accession no.

2l6l6

Author

H.Long & Bro.,N.Y. The Rappers,

Call no.

BF1251 854H