The New York herald., 1851-11-01
fIs ROCHESTER KSoCINcs IXPOsED.
Tho oerti6 Gates and Authorities.

Our HOstOn Correspondence.
BosroN, Oct. y, 1851.
To JAMES GORDON BENNETT, ESQ,
EDITOR OF THE NEw York HERALD;
MY DEAR SIR-The plans embracing the grand
secret are placed in your for oarefu con-
sideration. They are at your disposal
Perhaps it is full time that an impartial disclo-
surs should follow, disclosure based solely upon
personal observation and experience.
II is now upwards of two years since the disco
very of certain "Mysterioas Sounds" or "Spiri
tusI Rappiugs," or Rochester Knockings," as
they are classed, occurred Embracing such range
of singular manifestations the subject in question
attracted at the outset the attention OF the public
to such degree as to call forth calm investigation
vain and interminable dispute. At the present
date the subject is regarded as one Of powerful in
port, having thousands OF believers, who, in their
belief sre as firm as the very hills themselves.
As mysteries become a matter Of science, it
clearly follows that the mind Of man will not be-
come contented without explanation. This is uni
versal. Hence arose the question at once" How
are these mysterious sounds produced! how these
singular rappings how the method, and what Is
the secret or are they spiritual manifestations %
Man asked man, yea, the world ut large. pause
"A long pause ensued, and even to day the quss
and wild projects have been advanced; but Its
proper application, in plain English, the mystery in
all its bearings, is what the world wants 70 KNOW
The task imposed is to reveal tie secret
According to statistical records, We must surely
be breathing in an age when humbug seems to be
reigning in It's very zenith. Although 1t has been
publicly stated by persons OF humbug, or, II you
choose, pocket notoriety, that these mysterious
sounds were not Of this earth, by Others that they
were produced by the joints of the toes, OF the
knee, of the elbow, and 20 on, allow an mpie Ia
dyidua to say that their theory IN toto s theory
based wholly upon guess work, and nothing more.
There is no philosophy in their theme to maintain
such an argument.
Before procee ding, let me say that consider it
duty owe to the public and to myself, frankly aAd
fully TO unfold the principles profess, and the end
l propose to attain Let ridicue and vain boasting
remain uncalled for. All demand is, that as other
writers have been heard upon this same notorious
subject grant me the same common civility.
The idea that these mysterious sounds are
spiritual or suFe ratura'-thst they are attributed
to disembodied spirits which once inhabited human
bodies-is totally absurd N the extreme. And it
is, indeed sir sorrowiul thought, that the subject
in vogue has done so much mischief already amid
the ranks Of the human family, especially in creat
ing serious irjury- even alteration Of mind. May
this mischief, embracing much artful hypocrisy,
be checked for ever.
MIR. Bennett, here is the whole grand secret !:
These sounds-shese mysterious rappings- are pro-
duced by electricity IL is caused by the electricity
passing of from the system-even from the thumbs
ard fingers.
Bst, sgain. Here is the main hidden treasure.
OF course, you will now ask, that if We consider
Sir, electricity, when brought in contact with
hard substance, produces a sound.
Ii is now upwards Of two months since throwei
aside my books, having, by close study, for many
weeks prior to that period Of time, come to tho
cluson to base my whole faith upon the idea
caught in regard TO this one point; Electricity,
when touching a hard substance, produces sound:
At that very moment, ielt convinced that | held
the secret in my hand. Here were NY impartial
reasons.
Electricty was once considered as an Isolated
subject-a branch 20 be studied by isself-possess
ing, like the other divisions its special inves
tgators, cultivated BY particular observers aud
perimentalists, IN complete Independence Of all
other sciences. This, mark you, was before Cal
yaDi and Volta But, to-day, IL is universally ad-
mitted that electricity ana magnetism constitute
enc and the same section Of science, and that the
true principles OF vitaIty-the vital force-is cleo
trioity. All the pheEomeua Ct magnetic polarity,
attraction, and repulsion enter into the domain OF
electricity. Even you may consult Badeley, Can
tab, Meunier, or Soy, aud the same principles are
endorsed. Paige, whose study, for years, was upon
mental and physical ele;iropatby, or electricity
ably declares thus -
"Electricity is the fourth p .oTa g.safFS eSbgsHc
FIRST three. The frat comprises all the solids as
they exist, whether organized or unorganized, inert
or in motion, animate or inanimate. This elemen.
has its laws, through which, when un iersteod we
can organize or destroy. IL gives visible form to
our bodies, and for their existence, DO lies are
dependent upon its lave. so, too, with water or
the aqueous element IL has its laws, and an int-
in them, having, for wise purp.se, insinuated it.
self into every part IL constitutes the principal
part of our weight, and about the same proportion
Of the earth's gravity. Upon it, too, and it, laws
our bCdes are consequently dependent.
"Our argument Is, electricity controls the mi.
nutest particle Of organized IN ittsr and the ele-
ments which constitute that particle. A sturb-
ance in this element we.keus its grasp, and changes
its relation 10 the constituents OF our bo lies IL is
the mtdiUm elemeLt-the connecting link bet ween
the higher element-mind-and the grosser ele-
ments Of earth.
a. But how is the system supplied with this agentl
And from whence is il obta aned How does Il be-
come disturbed And how may IL be restoredl IL
Is evident, force continually employed, as has
been suggested, would soon be exhausted, were
there no means for constantly wing the supply
g Nature has provided three avenues through
which the animal functions are furnished with this
LIE important force First, the stomach and its
appepdages. Both solids and fluids are possessed
OF electricity in large quantities. When either are
received int the stomach, electricity is received
and when digestion or decom position takes place
this L. set az liberty, and diIused through the sys
tenn, impartipg strength, vigor, and warmth-the
vital force. The quantity OF this subtle agent thus
received into the system At a single meal is truly
astonshirg. Every article Of food is charged with
y but as an Illustration Of the quantity thus sup
piled, We will refer particularly to natures beverage
water. Professor Farrsday asserts, that from
actual experiments he finds that a single grain Of
cold water is possessed Of electricity enough to
charge 100000 Leyden jar, Of the usual dmensiontl
receive in drinking a full glass,
Electricity, in point of rarity, II not expansive
ness, "a ss much above the element Of air, as the
stmesphsre s above the 81 lids and fluids of earth
It's subtle grssp 10 fixed upon the minutest atom tb i
floats in space, and upon the solid granite at the
mountain base. For numerous experiments prove
1t to be alike the power Of attraction-the substance
OF the universal law aud the organizing, animat-
ing and sustaining power II this be so, planets
IN their revolutions are governed by its power, as
veil a. the heay,ng ocean, and the beating heart.
~ II, In the hands Of Deity, worlds are made crys
tails formed, vegetables animated, the animal me.
chsnsm organized, the vital functions established
and sustained
might cite from other high authority Of various
countries, lift were needed But passing now from
this 10 the method Of obtaining the rap tap
allow me in plain manner to note precisely as the
subject asinvestigs stsd. Having become Acquaint
cd with . middlesged gentleman who was well
versed with the subject of animal magneti,m, I,