Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-04-10
From the New York Tribune.
Spiritual ManifeStatiOus.0 -


The following is letter, written in answer to
an urgent request for relation Of the writer's per-
sonal experience, (Which we had vaguely heard
was remarkably with reference to the 'Rappings'
or vibrations which have been attributed to the a.
gency of disembodied spirits. Although thus writ
ten solely as private tetimony we have since OBJ
tanned permission to publish it, if we thought any
good end would thereby be subserved Verymany
of our readers will recognize the name of the wr-
ter as that of lady of the highest character, who
holds an honorable rank among the Poetical wri-
tiers OF our country. Ed. Tribune.
Providence, R. l., Sunday March, 9,1S5l.
HORACE GREELEY, Esq.-Dear SIR: Mr. C. has
recently reminded me of my promise to write to
to you in relation to the Spiritual Phenomena in
which am so much interested. | should have
done so many weeks ago, in compliance with a
wish which you intimated to Miss P, but testimo-
las to the verify these mysterious demonstrations
have accumulated so rapidly of late that ina
gined anything might have to say to you on the
subject would be merely repetition of statements
previously made by others. If a brief account of
my initiatory experience can be of any value to
you, shall be most happy to impart it.
My intention was first called to these mysterious
sounds in the Autumn of 1949, about three months
before any intelligence had reached me of the sim
guar manifestations in Rochester noticed them
for the first time within twenty-four hours after the
death of friend. Since that period, have heard
them almost daily both when alone and when in
company with others. They generally occur in some
remote part of the room-oftenest when am think
ing of these manifestations, and, not unfrequently
as if in reply to some mental question Even now
while am writing to you, hear succession of
of slight sounds, which seem to proceed from the
center of table which stands at the distance of
four or five feet from the desk at which am seated
am alone in the room and the MONDAY sun is shi-
ming brightly into the apartment There is no appa-
rent cause for the production of these sounds. They
have been repeated after the interval of few Sec
onds, for ten minutes. This is a new experience
have never before heard them so continuously and
for so long time. In October last, noticed that
these apparent responses to my thoughts came
more frequently, and more promptly, in the pres
ence of NJ, young girl who has lived many years
with my mother. She has never outgrown an in
stinctive dread of the supernatural, evinced from
her childhood and it with difficulty that OBJ
tanned her reluctant consent to sit with me an hour
every evening, for the purpose of observing more
critically the effect her presence might have on
them For the first week or two they were heard
as before at distance-either on the walls, the
floor or the furniture one evening asked men
tally, that if these sounds caused by invis-
ible intelligence, | might receive some evidence OF
it by hearing them made near my person, on an OBJ
ject that would mentally indicate. In less than
a minute heard three low but distinct raps on the
back of my chair This experiment was several
times successfully repeated | then sought to ELI
cit the sounds by requiring NJ. to place her hand on
table, but failing in the attempt discontinued it,
aud some weeks elapsed before these seeming res
ponses to my thoughts occurred with any certainty
or regularity in the presence of this young girl
In the meantime, however had an opportunity of
hearing alleged spiritual responses, and even d.
rect communications, made through the alphabet,
at the house of Mr.. W. and at other places. Nv
private experience had prepared me to observe
these manifestations attentvely, and critically, but
without incredulity. When the persons presiding