The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-04-20
VOL. Vino. 343.
SUSPENSION OF VITALITY.
from the Yankee Blade.I


From the Yankee Blade.l
Mr.. Edaor,-An article has been widely
copied from an English Journal on the "Sus-
pension of Vitality" Noticing it in your pa
per of a recent date prefaced with the remark
that you well knew what Spiritualists would
say, but at the same time expressing douI,
whether anything so apparently marvelors
had occurred in the phenomena recognized
by investigators as produced by Spiritual in.
tellgences, take the liberty of stating few
facts that have come under my own obserya.
ton in connection with the subject. 'E
A lady, whom for convenience sake will
call H., is trance medium. Through her our
spirit friends have at various times personified
their sickness and death. All the various
symptoms, every peculiarly of their last
hours in the earth form were given, though
II. knew not the person, neither had ever met
those for whose satisfaction the proof Of the
spirits presence was given. These symptoms
were followed by the death-scepe. The head
fell back, the hands lay motionless, the
breathing gradually grew less and less dis
tinct, and finally one gasp was given, and
after tina: we could not neither could Ply
scian who was present. observe the least
pulsation. The form grew rigid, SO far in
fact that we could not in the least bend tho
limbs at the joints. The lips were parted,
and n sweet smile rested on the calm, pale
features. "Death," so called, was before us.
Then We were presented with the awaken
ing spirit. She spoke as if her eyes had been
opened upon the realities Of the spirit world;
greeted her friends from whom she had long
been parted; then addressing her earthly
friends, compared her home on earth with the
home she had found, and told them that she
had carried with her to her new abode all the
affections that filed her soul while here.
On several occasions II. has been used as
battery by which spirit attendants have bene.
licially operated on the physical systems Of
those who had met. On one of these occa-
s6ns the body was Strengthened out as
straight and rigid as a board, and was quite
cold. When consciousness had returned, the
faculties were one by one restored. Sight
came, but all other faculties were dormant.
She gazed vacantly around. As one by one
the faculties were restored evidence was given
us Of the absence of the others. She attempt
ed to catch hold of the flame of the lamp;
took up book, gazed idiotcally at it, then
dropped it careessy upon the floor brushed
the contents of the table of, as small child
would in its nfantile gambos; and, though
in her own house, gazed around and asked
what this and what that aas for In about
half an hour she was herself again.
In all these events neither II. nor her
friends have the least fear of evil conse-
quences, but have perfect confidence in those
guardian ones who, though unseen by our
material vision, are seen by her quickened
spiritual perceptions, and who have in innum-
cradle ways given evidence of their constant
watchfulness and care. They have relieved
II. of a distressing throat complaint, have
suppanted a light and fragile frame by
strong and vigorous one, and 10y such acts,
and others which time would full me to men-
ton, have secured our trust
This is but one phase Of the Spiritualists
experience, and to many minds perhaps an
uninteresting one; but to that person, whose
thoughts have philosophical turn and would
seek to know tie mysterious workings Of
unseen powers, such facts commend them
selves. .s
| have mentioned it because our journals
seem to register the article from the English
papers as very wonderful. The fact is tho
same occurrences, and many ten times as
strange, are daily transpiring in ten thousand
places in our very midst and not only so, but
the whole philosophy and explanation of
them are given by those who produce these.
to our eyes, singular conditions. ...
Truly Yours, Us. A.
Chelsea, March 20, 1855.