The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-02-22

ly it answered with three knocks, just in
the same place. 1t was more loud and |
fierce if any one said it was rats, or any |
thing natural.
81 could tell you abundance more of it,
but the rest will write, and therefore it
would be needless. I was not much |
| frighted at first, and very little at last, but
it was never near me, except two or three
times, and never followed me, as it did my
sister Hetty. have been with her when
| it has knocked under her; and when she
has removed it has followed, and still kept
just under her feet, which was enough to
terrify stouter person." Opp. 270 to
272)
Under date January 10, I'LL, Mr..
Samuel Wesley, Jr., wrote to his mother,
propounding certain questions, to which
she most satisfactorily replied, adding,
But. wthal, 1 desire that my answers
may satisfy none but yourself; for l would
not have the matter impaired to any"
From q memorandum of Mr.. John
Wesley, detailing the general circum-
stances, of which most if not ali the fami-
Iy were frequent Witnesses" extract as
follows:
Before it came into any room, the
latches were frequently lifted up. the win
dows clattered, and whatever iron or brass
was about the chamber ruug and Jared
exceedingly.
"When it was in any room, let them
make what noise they would, as they
sometimes did on purpose its dead, hollow
note would be clearly heard above them
all.
"The sound very often seemed in the
air in the middle Of room; nor could
they ever make any such themselves, by
any contrivance.
cit never came by day till my mother
ordered the horn to be blown. After that
time scarce any one could go from one
room to another but the latch of the
room they went to was lifted up before
they touched it.
at never came into my fathers study
till he talked to it sharply, called it deaf
and dumb devil, and bid it cease to dis
turb the innocent children, and come to
him in his study if it had anything to say
, to him.
"From the time of my mothers desiring
, it not to disturb her from five to six, it
, was never heard in ter chamber from five
till she came down stairs, nor at any 9th.
er time when she was employed in devo-
t tion." PIP. 2S4, 2S5.)
1t remains to be stated that one men,
Der, at least, of the family, Emily Wesley,
| portion of whose letter on the subject
t has already been given, conceived herself
to have been followed by the Epworth
spirit through life. DR.. Clarke states
s that he possesses an original letter from
. that lady to her brother John, dated Feb.
n 10th, l750,-that is, thirty four years
2 after the preceding events happened,--
e from which letter he publishes the follow.
ing extract:-
h Il want sadly to see you, and talk some
d hours with you, as in times past One
}, doctrine of yours. and of many MORE
namely, no happiness can be found in any
= or all things in the world: that, as have
o sixteen years of my own experience which
g lie fatty against it, want to tslk will
Y you about it, Another thing u.s. that won
J, derful thing called by us jeffrey. Yor
e won't laugh at me for being superstition
II if tell you how certainly that something
!, calls on me against any extraordinary new
o afaiction; but so little is known of I'll,
II invisible world that /, at least, am nc
It able to judge whether it be friendly o.
(, an evil splrit"*
e AS to the causes of these disturbances
n DR.. Clarke has the following:--"For
D, considerable time all the family believed
e it to be trick; but at last they were al
satisfied it was something supernatural
'r "Mr. John Wesley believe,
d that it was messenger of Satan sent t,
n buffet his father for his rash promise o
l. leaving his family, and very improper con
m duct to bis wife, in consequence of he
is scruple to pray for the Prince of Orsng
it as King of England" 'Wil
E. Others the house was considered as haunt
|. ed" "Dr. Priestley think
y the whole trick an irposture. 1t mus
n be, on his system of materialism: but thi
k does not solve the difficulty; it only cut
re the knot" y Mrs. Wesley
" opinion was different from all the rest, an
was probably the most correct: she sup
it posed that these noises aud disturbance
le portended the death of her brother, the
ct abroad in the East India Company's sci
e. vice. This gentleman, who had acquire
E. a large fortune. suddenly disappeared
* and was never heard of more,-at leas
IS as far as 1 can find from the remainin
Is branches of the family, or from any {
is the family documents. Opp. 2S7 t
g. 2s9.) a.. sag laEs s.a...
ee These disturbances, though not SO pei
IN sistent as those of Tedworth, extende
o. through two entire months,-a perio
as sufficient, it would seem, FOR family S
ID strong. minded and stout hearted as th
Wesley's to detect any imposture Ant
ne unless we arc to suspect Emily Wssle
Id of superstition which her letters OF
tn verv far from Indicating nhenomana of