Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-07-20
The Stratford Mysteries.

tnepS, Oh StFdllOIu, - q oHS uiSsl ePAo'iN
will be read with interest:
Messrs. Editors-Public attention has been
called Of late to certain strange manifestations
which have been denominated "NIysterious
Knockings" They first began to attract at
tenton in the city of Rochester, between two
and three years ago. Since that time similar
manifestations have been made in the cities OF
Auburn, Syracuse, and in other places in West
ern New York. and recently in several places
| Ohio, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachu-
Sets For several weeks past, something OF
| the same character has been witnessed at my
house 1t commenced on the 10th OF March
last, and continued, with slight Interruptions,
from two to three months. For the frst lve
or six weeks, no communications were made
that we could understand; but the phenomena
consisted in the moving of articles Of furniture
in manner that could not be accounted for
Knives, forks, spoons, nails, blocks OF woods,
etc., were thrown in different directions about
the house. They were seen to move from
places and in directions which made it certain
that no visible power existed by which the mo-
ton could be produced. For days and weeks
| together, watched these strange movements
! with all the care and caution, and close atten-
| ton, which could bestow. I witnessed them
hundreds and hundreds of times, and l know
| that in hundreds of instances they took place
| when there was no visible power by which the
| motion could have been produced. Scores OF
persons of the first standing in the community,
whose education, general intelligence, candor,
veracity and sound Judgment, none will ques-
ton, were requested to witness the phenomena,
and, if possible, help us to a solution of the
mystery. Butas yet no such solution has been
obtained. The idea that the whole was a "trick
of the children"-an idea which some Of the
papers have endeavored with great zeal to pro-
mulgate-is, to every one who is acquainted
with the facts, as stupid as it is false and in
furious. The statement, too, which some Of
the papers have reiterated so often, that "the
mystery was found out" is, regret to say, un-
true. With the most thorough investigation
which have been able to bestow upon it, aid
ed by gentlemen of the best talents, intelligence
and sound judgment, in this, and in many neigh
boring towns, the cause Of this strange phe-
nomena remains yet undiscovered.
About the middle of April, gentleman who
was spending the night at my house, proposed
to try the method of Interrogation which had
been adopted in Western New York, and to our
utter amazement, a series of responses were re-
turned, from which the inference was irresisti-
BILE that they must have been produced by
being which possessed intelligence. For seve-
raj weeks communications were made in this
way, relating almost wholly to matter in which
certain members of the family are supposed to
have an interest; at the same time the other
manifestations continued, and very great an
noyance was experienced The mode Of COM
munication was by some persons repeating the
alphabet, and the letters of the word to be ut
tered were indicated by rap from some invisi-
bic agent. l tried by all the methods | could
devise, to find what the power was by which the
rappng was produced. have heard it hun
dreds of times, and have done my best to as
certain the cause, but as yet have not sue
ceeded. have been often asked if / believed |
it was the work of spirits. have as often re-
piled that do not know what it is. have
never seen a spirit, and do not know what |
spirit could do if it would, or what it would do |
if it could The facts, however, are Of such a
nature, and have transpred under such circum-
stances, as to render the idea of trick or design
ed deception wholly inadmissible. Still, how
ever, have become satisfied that no reliance |
whatever is to be placed on these communica-
tions, either as a source of valuable informa-
ton, or as means of acquiring truth. 1speak
of what has transpired at my house, and have
the fullest confidence, that if it is the work of
they profess to be wicked spirits in state of
by redressing the wrongs of which they were |
guilty in life. / have watched the progress of
this matter with great care, and have done the
best in my power to learn what these strange
things mean and although have not yet been
able to ascertain the cause, am satisfied that |
their communications are wholly worthless
~, ro of+ an yroyn f,lca |
frequently prove trhng and nonsenscal, and
more in character with what might be expected
of company of loafers on spree, than with |
what might be expected from spirits returned
from the world of retribution, to "tell the se-
crets Of their prison-house."
Similar manifestations are now being made |
in many other parts Of the country. According |
to information which suppose to be authentic,
they are witnessed in from $50 to 200 different
places at the present time. In many Of these |
places, they are said to advance ideas on the
doctrines Of religion, wholly at variance with
the teachings of the Bible, and subversive Of
many essential truths which the Bible reveals. |
Under the impression that whatever is commu-
nicated by a spirit must Of course be true, many
persons are receiving these communications as
the truth of God-as new revelation from the
spirit-world. But it should be remembered that
there is no. proof that what purports to be .
revelation from spirits, is the work Of spirits at
all. The most that can be said is, that we do
not yet knoao how or by whom these commu-
nications are made. If they be made by spirits,
we have no proof that they are good spirits
The presumption is that they are bad spirits
lying spirits At my house they often accused
each other Of lying-contradicte at one time
what they affirmed at another inflicted injury
on property in the most wanton manner, and
have given throughout, conclusive evidence that
the discipline Of he'll, which they profess to
have experienced for several years, has yet been
wholly Intellectual in improving their characlers,
and qualifying them for the ahigher sphere" for
which many suppose that the discipline after