Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-17
PROGRESS OF HARMosrAL phu osonvv !,

Under TINS heading the SprinShel Mass Re.
publican has an article descriptive OF the o>na0 of
"harmonlal circle, twelve or fourteen OF wlr.,I
the editor understands, are now doing brisk trade
in that very spiritual line of business He describes
the performance at meeting of one of the circles al
which he was an invited guest being extremely rdcu
ousexceeding in absurdity any thing ever before wit
messed by him One two brief extracts may not be ont
Of place:
These manifestations are rarely made with the
rappngs, but spread themselves out in an astonishing
variety. Each medium has peculiar province One is
made by the spirits to stand up and speak and TO
the spirits impress him. Another is made 10 seize
pen and his or her hand is moved by spirits to write
Sometimes the writing is but unmeanng scrawl and
has to be read by medium, through the TOP of the
head Another has his her body taken possession Of
by the spirit of friend of present which makes
itself known by imitation of the dying agonies conor
tions and expressions exhibited by own body when
that body died The FRIEND for whose benefit this mani
tesaton is made recognises the identity by these signs
and holds conversation The different mediums are used
also to affirm deny statements made in conversation
the spirits wish to say that certain statement true
they raise the hand OF medium and pound il three
times upon table II false, they pound but once but
very false the way they bring down the hand is awful
After the meeting fairly organized helades form
ed circle around table, the gentlemen formed another
cirde enclosing the ladies, hymn given out and
sung during which the following took place. de-
scrbed by the Republican
saWe noticed lady growing excessively pale and
dayrous Then her hands began to witch and she COM
mened pounding upon the table Directly opposite her.
young woman was undergoing the process of being
maghezed by the spirits, while She inform
ed resisting them Her hands drawn under the
table by sudden and powerful jerks and every muscle in
her body seemed to be agtated with the powerful
comnotion, as she were acted upon in every part by
shocks of electricity This continued for fifteen
minutes, until she last in sta apparently resem-
bling the magnetic sleep.
g The famous medium, Gordon was there too and he
went through various contortons got down upon his
knees stood upon his seat and stretched up his arms and
fingers trembling all the while if in the highest state
OF nervous excitement Once he was twitched bodily
under the table, uttering he went At times
the different mediums would rise spread their arms slap
the table, and throw their hands into motions almost in
conceivably rapid
g One Of the mediums, young woman arose by the
dictaton and powerful urging of the spirits and delivered
rambling 1t abounded in quotations from the
Bible, and the doctrines Of Univeralsm We presume to
say that it the poorest sermon of the season We
think could preach better without the aid of spirits
" But was when the singing in progress that the
spirits and the mediums IN the highest state of &C.
stacy Then the latter would pound and throw their arms
around and point upwards in the most fantastic manner
possible. And thus with singing, and pounding and
reading the Bible, and writing and preaching the even
ing passed away; and while Cad Hundred was being
sung the spirits gave their good night to the circle
Something of similar spirit we remember to have
been manifested by the Mormons at the village Of Kirt
land Ohio their first land of promise and where they
erected their first temple noble structure now fast fall
ing to decay The manifestations which aude pre-
vailed there after the emigration Nauvoo and when
only meager handful of the disciples who were too poor
follow their unfortunate brethren remained in that to
them sacred sanctuary Of departed hopes The few who
left congrgated at each others houses some two or
three times week for the purpose of conversng together
upon religious matters and consOng another in their
Affections when one evening, upon occasion of
than ordinary excitement and interest and when the pre-
sence of the spirit manifest than usual one of
the most Jealous, woman in feeble state of health
dancing violently around the room speaking
at the time with almost inconceivable voluby in
the unknown tongue which of course comprehended
only by those permitted TO possess that power
Of extraordinary devotion to the cause and by whom il
duly translated for the edcaton Of the less spiritual
and holy. This was the dawning of new and potent
spiritual life, and any acted upon by this unseen but
almighty agent was believed to he better and favored
than the others The sick said to be healed by its
operations Of the wonderful cures having been
performed in the described It was finally stop
ped by means Of revelation through JoE SMITH whose
these things never failed reach and who doubtless
was alarmed lest rival growing up to strip him of
his honors. He said it manifestation of the evil
spirit and would be condemned of God probably as true
and harmless revelation was ever communicated to
him. 1t is by means necessary to speculate upon the
morbid religious sensibity that peryade commu
nifty in order to admit the complete success of such dia
bolical humbug and revolving to the feelings Of
every intelligent and woman so much to be depored
BY every christian.-Bg6aIo Commercial advertiser