The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-06-22
70
Accordingly, l determined to investigate


deal of enthusiasm in my composition, |
believe could enter upon the invesliga-
ton without much danger of beng car
ried away by any delusion.
In this frame of mind | commenced the
investigation ofthis subject; being IN en-
tire unbelicyer, but entering upon it with
sincere desire to ascertain the truth.
will not trouble you with the facts which
were developed in the progress ofm in
restigation. Suffice it to say, they were
of the most astounding character. I soon
became satisfied of two things: first, that
the medium" did not know from whence
the craps" proceeded; secondly, that she
did not know from whence the communi-
cations came. Perhaps ought in this
connexion to observe that, in pursuing
this investigation, all my questions were
propounded mentally. The medium did
not and could not know what they were.
and of course could not tell what answers
to give, or what would be appropriate
responses to the questions thus mentally
propounded.
Objectors cannot deny that these an
swcrs come from an inteiiiqent source: but
they sometimes say that they arc to be
found in the mind ofthe interrogation 1t
is true that the interrogation oftentimes
knows the answer to the question naentaIyu
propounded by him; and it is equally
true that he frequently does not know
what the appropriate answer should be
but ascertains its truth afterwards. Nei-
thcr can he in any way anticipate many
communications which are made without
any questions being asked. | have fire.
quently received such communications of
an elevated character, and far above the
capacity OF the medium. | conclude,
therefore, they do not come from the me-
d:um nor from the mind of the inter
rogator.
These communications too, are perfect
ly characteristic of the individuals from
whom they purport to come. have had
iequent communications purporting to
come from my old friend, John G. Cal
houn, which his intimate friends would
pronouce perfectly characteristic of him;
and some OF them, both in style and SEN
ti,nent, worthy of him in his pamiest days
in the Senate of the United States. /
have had similar ones purporting to come
from Henry Clay and Daniel Webster,
OF the same elevated order, and peculiarly
characteristic of the individual. | can
make the same remark of other indiyid-
!, ais.
have seen rapping mediums, writing
mediu. rs, and speaking mediums, and
have rcce. we'd communications through all
of them. | hive witnessed physical man
ifestations, such as The movement of ia
bles, without any risiln lnle agency. These
physical manifestations are more salts
factory to the mass uf ma. rkind, because
they appeal directly to the lenses. ! am
better pleased myself with the morut, i'll
may so call them, than the phys. zeal man
itestations.
The next question is, from whence do
these manifestations, whethe PHI ysica ,nr
moral, proceedl Judge Edmonds was told
that they were all acnrdmg to natura laws,
which in due time would be fully developed
and he was directed to read Won Reichen-
bach's Dynamics of Magnetism and Elec-
tricity, Ia book he had never heard of be-
fore, as means of enabling him to un-
derst and these laws. have read the
book myself The writer proves conclu-
sively the discovery of new element, |
which he calls Od or the odic force. He |
proves that this element prevades not
only the human system, but the material
world and the whole universc. lie finds
1T in the rays of'ti,e sun, moon and stars.
Late English writer's Of high reputation
consider the existence Of the odie force as
well established as that Of magnetism and
electricity. 1t combines many of the
qualities Of the two latter, and is antago.
nistic to some of them. 1t may be pre-
sumed, therefore, that this newly discover
Ell element enters, in some sort, into these
manifestations. 1t is sad that this accounts
for the physical manifestations. But no
one can show how this force produces
them. And even if this were proved, it
still remains to account for the intelligence
IN the communications which are received. |
That intelligence does not come from tables
or chairs, or other material objects. 1t |
must come from mind, or from a spiritual |
source. This new clement may be the
medium of conyying tito us. TO illustrate |
let me suppose that friend in New York
wishes to communicate with me in Wash
lngton. He sends his communication to
Inc though the electric telegraph. The
communication is received and written
down here the same as a communication
Is received and written down though the
rapplng medium. / ask how is that com.
munication from my friend conveyed to
me! The answer is, by the electric fluid.
But does the electric fluid make the COM
inuncationl The answer is no; the mind
OF my friend does that. so in the case of
the rapping medium, the communication
comes from some source of Intelligence.
This intelligence, as every one knows who
has investigated these matters, does not
come from the table that is moved by
some invisible power, nor from the medi-
nnm, nor from any one present 1t is there
fore to be inferred that il comes from
spiritual source; and more especially when
communications are received on subjects
exclusively known to those communica-
ting.
Some have attempted to account for all