Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-06-11

Some pretend TO say thaL tnese physica
manifestations are made by electricity! shoulc
like to know by what laws of Electricity knowr
to us, a table is at one time riveted, as it were
to the floor against all the force that could be
exerted to raise it; and at another time raised
entirely from the floor with more than two hun
dred Of pounds weight upon it!
At subsequent meeting Calhoun directed
me to bring three bells and a guitar. brought
them accordingly. The bells were of different
sizes-the largest like small sized dinner bell
He then directed drawer to be put under the
square table. Iput under bureau drawer
bottom side up. He directed the bells to be
placed on the drawer. The three ladies and
myself were seated at the table, with our hands
and arms resting on it. The bells commenced
ringing sort of chime. Numerous raps were
made, as if beating time to march. The bells
continued to ring, and to chime in with the beat.
ing of time. The march was slow and solemn
1t was beautiful and perfect The most fasti-
dious ear could not detect any discrepancy in
it.
The raps then ceased, and the bells rang vio-
lently for several minutes. A bell was then
pressed on my foot, my ankle, and my knee
This was at different times repeated. Knocks
were made most vehemently agaist the under
side of the table, so that large tin candestick
was, by every blow, raised completely from the
table by the concussion.
afterwards examined the undersde of the
table, (Which, it will be recoected, was of cher
ry,) and found indentations in the wood, made
by the end of the handle of the bell, which was
tipped with brass. Could electricity make
those violent knocks with the handle of the
bell, causing ndentations and raising the cam
dlestck from the table at every blow? Or was
it done by the same invisible power that rivet-
ed the table to the floor, and again raised it,
with all the weight upon it, entirely above the
floor?
Here the ringing of the bells ceased, and
then felt sensbly and distinctly the impress
sion of hand on my foot, ankle and knee
These manifestations were several times re-
peated.
l was then directed to put the guitar on the
drawer. We were all seated as before, with
our hands and arms resting on the table.
The guitar was touched softly and gently,
and gave forth sweet and delicious sounds like
the accompaniment to beautiful and exquisite
piece of music. 1t then played sort of SYM
phony, in much louder and bolder tones. And
as it played these harmonious sounds, becoming
soft and sweet, and low, began to recede, and
grew fainter and fainter till they died away on
the ear in the distance. Then they returned
and grew founder and nearer, till they were
heard again in full and gushing volume as when
they commenced.
lam utterly incapable of giving any adequate
idea of the beauty and harmony of this music.
| have heard the guitar touched by the most
delicate and scientific hands, and heard from it
under such guidance, the most splendid perfor-
mances. But never did hear any thing that
fastened upon the very soul like these prophet
ic strains drawn out by an invisible hand from
the Spirit World. While listening to it was
ready to exclaim, in the language Of the Bard
of Avon:
"That strain again--it had dying fail;
o, it came DER my ear like the sweet south,
That breaths upon bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odor."
After the music had ceased, the following
was received:
"This is my hand that touches you and the
guitar. John C. Calhoun
At another time, the following physical man.
Hesitation was made in the presence Of Gen.
Hamilton, Gen. Waddy Thompson, of South
Carolina and myself:
We were directed to place the Bible on a
drawer under the table. placed it there COM
pletely closed. 1t was small pocket Bible,
with very fine print Numerous raps were then
heard beating time to "Hail Columbia which
had been called for. Soon the sounds began
to recede, and grew fainter and fainter, till, like
the music of the gutter, they died away in the
distance. The alphabet was then called for,
and it was spelled out "Look." looked on the
drawer, and found the Bible open. took it
up, and carefully kept it open at the place |
found it. On bringing it to the light, found
it open at st. Johns gospel, chapter II being
on the left side, and chapter Ill being on the
right side. | said, "Do you wish US look at
chapter liz" Ans. "No." "Do you wish us to
|ook at chapter III!" Ans. ayes" And it was
then said "Read." commenced reading the
chapter, and significant and emphatic raps were
given at many verses; and at verses 8, II, l9,
81, most vehement raps were given. BY look
ng at these verses you will appreciate the sig-
,i6cancy and the intelligence of this emphatic
demonstration. The manifestation purported
o come from Calhoun, who had previously
invited up three gentlemen to be present at
particular hour.
In rejecting on the preceding manifestation,
,ne cannot but marvel at the power by which
hey are made, and the intelligence by which
hat power is directed. And it would seem
impossible for one to doubt the source of that
Intelligence. If however, doubt should still
emain on the mind of any one acquainted with
imilar manifestations, that doubt must be en-
irely dispelled by the account of the manifes-
ations which follow:
l was present, by Calhoun's appointment,
With the Misses Fox and their mother. We
we're seated at the table asheretofore, our hands
md arms resting uponit. was directed to put
'aper and pencil on the drawer. placed
everaI sheets of unruled letter paper, together
With wooden pencil on it. soon heard the
ound of the pencil on the paper 1t was then
apped out, "Get the pencil and sharpen it." /
ooked under the table, but did not see the
'encil. At length found it lying diagonaliy
'efore me, three or four feet from the table
l. 1