The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-02-16

ly ON the under side Although concluded that
such n sound might be made by machinery, could
see no possible motive in the family taking s,
much pains 10 deceive people, and they received
nothing but annoyance and trouble in return for
their pains. proceeded to ask some questions
and they were answered very freely and correct
ly. asked if it would rap my agei II was
done correctly. J then took my memorandum.
book from my pocket and urote my questions, 50
that no other person should know the nature OF
the questions would write, "rap four times
rap one; rap six rap seven" and to each and
every question got correct GnSpcr then
laid aside my book and proceeded to ask similar
test questions mentaliH and as before, received
correct answers.
al could not believe that persons presen, had
the power to discern my thoughts and make these
sounds IN answer, for the sounds have peculiari
ty not easily initiated. To suppose this to be
the case would make the matter still greater
mystery. knew they could not give those ans
wcrs, for there were questions answered which
they could not know anything about.
AT another time | tried the experiment Of
counting in the following manner took several
shells from a card basket on the table (smal lake
shcll.) closed my hand and placed it under the
table entirely out Of sight and requested as many
raps as there were shells. II was done correctly
As knew how many shell there were in my
hand, resolved to test it in another way to see
If there was possibility Of my mind h. wing any
influence III the matter ! took Il handful of shells
without knowing how many took myself Still
the answers We're correct. then requested n
friend WHO sat by the table to put his hand III the
basket, take out some shells without knowing the
number, and pass them into my hand which ] i'm
medEtely closed and placed in position where
none could see it. The number was told as cor
rcctly as before. We continued this class of ex
periment for a long time, without the least failure
III getting correct answers
There could he no mistaking these tests They
could not be Influenced bv our minds, for we did
not ourselves know what the answers should be
This places quictus ON It's beng ANYTHING gov.
erned by the minds Of those asking questions Of
those who hear it most freely. The proofs Of get
ting answers and correct ones tomcntal questions
and to thoughts where questions are not asked is
as plain as even the rapping itself
ave have known several persons TO be sitting
around n table in conversation, and when they
ceased the signal for the alphabet would be called
for and a sentence would be spelled like this
-. lnaming one Of the company J thinks so and
So mentioning exactly what their thoughts were
AZ one time several persons were present one
wrote on piece OF paper to another, something
about two other members Of the company which,
although unimportan. they did not wish the Others
to know but, ~ If 10 convince US all Of their
power To tell our thoughts the signal was given
for the alphabet and the same spelled out that
they had written. THIS has 80 often been the
case Of similar occurrences that it is placed be-
yond dispute by those who have tried the cxpcr
Imcit Of getting answers to mental question"
tl,. . ,
they Good or Evil Spirits Z" whc make .hesc de
mon'tratons-a question hardly in order Il, yet
with those WHO have not decided that they are
di,cmbodi"d spirits at all. The writer contends
that they are good, because they always do good
that is. their intorpostion in human affair, uni
formly tends to the avoidance Of evil or the sccu
ring ui rood This i an excellent touchstunc aud
we have no disposition To cayil at the conclusions
thence attained The following is one Of the ga
scs cited in evidence, (p. ca }
"On one occasion gentleman of Rochester
was indebted To woman who wa, in great need
Of the money. The spirits directed her little sis.
ter To go to such place III the street at certain
hour in the day and She would meet the man
who would pay her three dollars for her sister
The little girl did not know the man who owed
the money Nut went as directed At the appuin.
ted time ,he met a man who said to her, Are vou
tie girl that live, with Mrs -, She replied
IN the affirmative. Here are three dollars wish
'ou would take to her said the man, handing her
a LiIl and passed on
The pamphlet admits, what tie reports Of IN
vcstlgatIng committees given in oar columns have
already set forth, that tie dircctioas gire, by these
I"ocimgs' are not rcijdJie, Jw otten erronco,v.-
As tIi, Is rather important, let US hear what the
writer has to oilcr upon it (p CO.
We sec no reason for surprising that, because
4 man has passed from this stage Of existence. he
has become at once the most perfect OF prophets,
without regard to his condition here. There
are, undoubtedly, spirits who desire to be noticed
and To answer questions who are too ignorant to
give any instruction, and who would he as likely
to tell right as WRONG We do not believe these
To hc willfuliy vicious, these errors arise from
their ignorance and We are answered that they
Will ultimately progress to II state of intelligence
purity and happiness equal TO those who pass
from here under more favorable circumstance
Swcdenborg says there are some spirits So igno.
rant that they do not know but they are the ones
called for, when another is meant This may be
So We are inclined to think it is for we have
known attempts to be made to initiate the signal
which we always get when we call for friend
Nearly ercry person who has called frequently
for some particular spirit gets n signal whereby
that particular spirit Is known. This signal i
different for different spirits, and although it is
frequently attempted We have never known these
Signals initiated We do not think there is dan
ger of being deceived by ignorant spirits when a
person becomes acquainted with these commune
cations. The sound made by an ignorant spirit
is quite different from the Others. lIhRe tie
sound mdic By Intelligent spirits is clear and E,e.
ly The sound mdde By the igHordH ones is iou
and mnHeR like tie striking ot the hand on a car
pet. We are confident that, with due caution and
care, intelligent and upright individuals will get
correct answers. Much depends upon the mind
and disposition Of persons at the time Of asking
the questions for ns all the Universe goes by ai-
iinticS, it needs II pure mind, calm thinker and
deliberate qucstioncr to get communications from
spirits Of a high order"
These spirits, or whatever they may be, it
seems have n theology, ii such it may be called
as it is ranifestly proper that spirits should have
II it should seem rather scant pattern, tie read
er will please lay the fault at their door or their
cxpositors, mt all events not ut ours. Whether
the sounds whereby the following answers were
communicated were clear and lively or low and
muiiled, this deponcnt 'hi,h not We only quote
from the book, which says:
Their general theology is that Of Davis, Swe.
dcnborg, and others who have claimed to receive
their impressions from spirits. They generally