The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-09
WASHINGTON. ID. G.
TO DAIMoNION" OR THE SPIRITUAL ME-
dunn

The existence Of surprising physical and
psychological phenomena, Familiarity known as
the Rapping Spirits, is now 80 oft repeated in
various parts of tho country, that the facts
cannot be questioned Tables have been
moved very oddly, letters have been written,
and singular developments have been made.
and the public mind has been disturbed by the
ioar that the spirits from beneath were osca-
ping from the bonds in which they have been
heretofore confined. Now here is little
work, full Of learning and varied research,
showing that although these Rapping Spirits
and their ways Of working are new to us, they
are as old as the Pyramids; and the author
gives citations from the writings Of Moses,
Zoroaster, Galen, Plato Xenophon, Virgil, Hor-
ace, Cicero Josephus, and Pliny the natural
ist, showing that what is 80 novel to our mex
perienccd eyes is among the arts which have
aourished in far remote antiquity, and which
still lives in India and Egypt in more wonder
ful manifestations than anything yet shown in
our land Aud indeed the author shows us
that tho phenomena Of the present day does
not surpaSs those witnessed during the Salem
Wtchcralt concerning which he says
Violent motions in objects around IN if
attracted aud impeIled by some mysterious
force were witnessed A staff an iron hook
shoes kegs, and even a chest, were seen to
movo. ~ if tossed by an invisible hand A
bed, on which a sufferer lay shook most viO-
loutly, even when several persons were seated
on it. Stones wero hurled against houses and
persons articles Of iron, pewter, and brass,
we're tossed about, a candlestick bong thrown
DOWN n spit flying up the chimney, and a
pressing iron "A strrup and even IA small an
rtor being moved Of which facts many per
sous were eye-witneSses" INDUSTRIOUS rap
Djugy we're also heard Wonderful
powers Of thought and force Of expression
were exhibited by the most ignorant
and of one person it il recorded he
had a speech incessan< and volnblc, and (as was
Judged in variOHs languages
Mysterious kIoWisdge, Ike those now called
CidUU0ydale are reported by the coolest wit
nesses lhosa who have been skeptcal of the
truth Of Rev Mr.. Phelpss statements Of what
hupponed to hjIn at StratOrd will find that
SolomUn's proyerb will DO found true up to the
present time 49, There's nothing new under the
sun
The Inst letter is we'll worth perusaI We
have witnessed the evil effects of tamperng
with this mysterious agent, known for want
of II more correct expression, rs the nervo,"
prinapie.
IL is dangerous 10 experiment with our own
vital organism especially with our nervous
energy. The whole history Of similar develop
ments in distant ages and nations seems to in
dictate that these manifestations are the work
ing OF our nervous organism. The whole pro-
cess Of their excitement the character of the
persons.atTectcd, the mode of inducing the in
huenoo by forming circle Of postiyes and neg
atiyes, the sitting in fixed abstraction, during
which the generated nervous influence must
accumulate in the system, ~ in al isolated |
Leyden jar, the correspondence OF the charac-
tor of tho responses gwen to the inquiries made |
the whole process Of the excitement, confirms
tho conviction that the agent is the nervous
principle Most of ALL the effect of this inGu-
ence on the persons practising it, is precisely
that Of other modes OF nervous excitement The
poet, the orator. writing and speaking under n
strong ScltmOuSrd enthusiasm, tho raving Sybil |
the masmerlor the prdctiHer of the spiritual
rappings all alike find nervous exhaustion to
bo the result
Even since these letters 10 you were com
menced, Charles. other minds, studying the !
mysteries which are now beginning to produce !
IN alarming aud Salem-like excitement in our
community, have been tending to the samo
track of Thought which wo have been pursu-
ing Thore has just come from the press. for
instance, II work on the Philosophy of Mys-
terous Agents. Philosophy Of Mysterious
Agents, Human and Mundane; or the by
mamie Laws and Relations of Man, embracing
the Natural Philosophy of Phenomena styled
Spiritual Manifestations BY r.. C. Rogers
In five parts No l. Boston, 1882 Though
differing in many vital points fresh this author
va may, with Cicero rejoice when extreme
theories meet IN thor practical conclusions.
The business OF oW main position that II posi-
bic oa,t5e, shown by history 10 be c0nfurmed 10
universal facts, is n practical proof that these
manifestations are Hdiludi--thls position in con
lirmed from Harschel, who savs that the detec-
ton Of II possible cause must lend either to n
real cause or to an abstract law Of nature -
lbld. /. See Discourse on the Study of MAJ
urul Philosophy, by Sir j. + Herschel 1862
SEQ also Letter Third That these mysterious
manifestations are facts, that the experience
of them depends i'm part on ones nervous or
gan!sm, and that tho agent through which
they are produced il not electricity, but like
il IN some Of it, modes of action, are all int
muted.--Qhid, y "a, 81, 63, 65) The case.
cltcd, though all OF the present day, are select
ed from those examined in France, Germany.
and elsewhere, by scientific men; and they ave
oil in harmony with the extended history which
it has been our chief aim to trace They are
manjfcstly the undue, the dangerous excite
mani of pur tnarvn,,u ,,rinoirla
"Now, Charles, it IL dangerous to oxpcriment
thus with oar nervous principle. Il was placed
within us by the Creator, 10 be the steady. con-
slant and mighty, but perfectly controlablc
mover of the body, which il now the mind h
machinery. II ! uso 1t carefully never over
charging the delicate organs IN which it il
generated and by which it in conducted
through my frame, all will Inst and keep time
like cIock-work Let me allow myself TO ex-
cite this influence tlll it oyerilows aud escapes
from my fingers, or other organs, in snaps like
electricity from the bands of factory. wheel or
I'LL Il sots my ARA " quiyerng in mgoyernaLlc
spams aud shall find that might as safely try
the experiment of ovcrheatiug and ovcrstrain-
ing u steam boiler Mark the inyariable result
of any undue mental excitement, and especial
" of perseycring attendance ON the circles
now SO common in our community. On first
entering, no impression is made upon M. Soon,
however, our nervous organism begins to feel
the general impulse rhoro is magnetic
crawling aud creeping sensation in the larger
muscles, ~ of the arm, till il increases as we
become more impressed As we daily como in
10 join the circle, the influence s not felt till
we have waited Tor its generation and then
every Time moro readily and more powerfully
il it excited till raps echo for M, and the table
moves at our will And now the confirmed
medium cannot rid himself of the influence
when away from the circle lilo il nervous
All his senses being unnaturay acute, he natu-
rnllv and nnres,irilv hnnrs sirnn rn nnl,nha .,r.