Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-01-29
THE SPIRIT-RAPPEPs

One of the papers of the "spirit-rappers y NIL,
pretends to be informed of the affairs of tho 'l
states that Napoleon and Wellington are on ,So
relling about the affair at Waterloo. Tb;s;a 1I@'
bad-to fight in this world, and then dispute ?
the next as to who was whipped.
By the way, we may as well state thattba t.,,
rapping spirit has extended to our quiet ~,
City. We have heard of numbers who have ~:E
it; and it is said, on good authority, to be ~
that the table moves round, tits up on throo J..
and that it actually goes through tie lpocEa1.
process. We pretend to utter Ignorance on 81
subject. It may be so, or it may not-tbat : u
table may move as the result of electric maso,.,
or spiritual power communicated to it, or thu '
cular power of certain pretty hands may be- 81 u
bottom of the secret.
BE it remembered, however, we are nou.con,...
tai on the subject. When we see it. and MI
stand it, we shall believe it. When we sbon
the hands applied, and, after given time, tba ss
bic move, and move, too, beyond question wtbos,
being lifted, or pressed this way or pushed tb.s
when weshaI see this, we repeat, we shall conoI,,
that the table moved -! Aye, we shall insist ~
it moved, and we shall be ready to dispute r;a
any one who may aver to the contrary. Ana =,
we should hear knock, what then Wby l..'
knock-we are not to be frightened by its knasl
not we. How do we know whether it-tb.t
the table knocks, or some ones knuckIes2 Ill.,
the question.
We have another remark to add on this spli.,.
as follows: If even one-half of the stator,on.
made by the spirt-rappers and table-baDdIers :.
the North and West should turn out to be ven
founded, the whole face of society would at on.,
be changed. Suppose that, in fact, the sprtsof
the departed could manifest their presence-vo3,
not say come back, for we have right as an ind.
pendent American citizen to believe with 3EIon
that
millions of spirits walk the air unseen,
Both when we sleep and when we wake -
Suppose, say, these spirits could talk to the Er
ing by means of raps tables or on any thing els.
what would be the result? Would not every one
be at once interested in the matter Would MT
all the labors of this life cease, and all minds he
directed towards the revelations of the next
The present age is, in many respects wise
above what is written.' The secrets of tie other
world, good reader, will be spread out before you
when you die, and not before 1t is enough for
you to know that your body will only perish and
your spirit if in state of happiness after leaving
the body, will hardly be disposed to knock on
tables for the edfcation of the curious and inous
tive in these low grounds of sorrow" IF miser,
able, and your old master the Devil should perform
his duty with halfthe watchfulness which is genera
y attributed to him, you will have no opportunity
to indulge in these interesting exhibitions of spirit
ual power.
But what are you writing about, some one may
nquire-what do you mean by the table expert
nent We mean this: Two or three very hand
some young ladies, as many children, ready for
fun, and two or three very clever and promising
young gentlemen-all of them, except the CHILDREN
ust as romantic as possible together on some
pleasant afternoon and determine to have talk
with the spirits. Well, they procure a light
table, and they all crowd round it, put their hands
upon it, and hold them there just thirty or thirty
hree minutes, as the case may be, when the table
begins to move! 1t moves all about. 1t tits up
IN three legs, but says nothing. Presently it
Knocks Some one asks it how many persons
here are in the room, and it strikes tweve-O
clock !
You may put spirits on that table, but not in it.
The truth is, the whole affair is in direct oP-
position to the Resolutions of '98 and 49, and tie
Declaration of Independence. We believe not one
word of it.