Smyrna times., 1866-06-13
WHOLE NO. 61O
Getting Rid or,he Spirits.

When Spiritualism first made It's appearance
IN the village of -, old Deacon lsaacs, a
wealthy man who had stood by the church for
nearly three-ScOrG years, Was exceedingly bitter
against all believers III the I" devils work, as
he called it, and denounced spiritualists and
Spntuallsm III no very gentle language. Ina
glne the deacOn's anger then, when six months
atterward he found it had worked its way into
his own family, and not only were his wife and
daughters believers, but ouE Of tn II was me-
dlun, and possessed full power ~ converse
with the spirits OF those WHO bid departed to
that bourne from which No Traveller raturus.'
Deae0n lSaacS was luad-drcadtuuy mad-
but he had wit enough NOT " show it, and he
bore the taunts Of the uugOdly viii meek
spirit lie knew it would bv uselsa. 80 declare
open war, for Mrs. lSaacs alone had always
! proved more than match for hiuI aud he Was
| sure to be defeated lie NUT "cirvumycnt
the crttGr, as he expressed it, and " thiA end
he set himself to work. lie was rlau Of
sound Judgment, and hiS worldly experience Of
fifty years was not thrown away. From the
day it first came to his knowledge that his wife
and daughters were Spirituallsts, Le never
spoke u word against nor did he ever allude to
it, except in general terms III his morning pray
erS; but any one could see that it troubled him,
for he was absent minded, his eyes wandered
restlessly, and his cUuutenance locked care
| worn.
| The deacon witnessed one or two " Siitings'
at his own house, and was satisfied that if he
possessed a little more knowledge he could get
! rid OF the annoyance. 80 Uue morning he
! started for the city, detCrluiued to thoroughly
! investigate the subject before Ae rctWncd.-
! After visiting two Of the most popular medi
ums, and paying his money, hc returned home
| satisfied that he could q" see through it.
! There was sitting" at the deacon house
on the night he returned, and his daughter
| Mary-the medium-inyited the deacon to take
u seat at the table, which, to hex qualification,
was accepted. The spirits were i'll good tune
and SO exceedingly communicative that the
! deacon was induced to ask few questions,
which were readily answered, and wife and
daughters were III ecStaclcs at the thought that
father would yet be a believer, and urged the
deacon on i'll his inquiries.
: Has my wife always been true true to her
marriage vows" asked the deacon
To this question there were no raps in re-
turn, while Mrs lsaacs sat tramstiXcd with hO-
ly horror that such a thought should eutcr her
! husband ) mind.
How many years have passed since she
was untrue p
Answer by single raps. Then came slowly
and solemnly. one, two, three, four and 50 on,
until they reached twenty.
How many who claim to be arc nos your
childrenY'
Again the spirit rapped--one, two.
Mrs. lsaacs looked dumbfoUnded
Mercy - said Mary.
(Which are they?" asked the deacon, who
now seemed so intent on his subject that he
paid no attention to his companions.
9 Mary-Sarah," raped the *pirits-the
names of the two daughters, the older OF whom
was under twenty.
Mrs. Isaacs could stand it no longer.
1t S lie {! [ didn't It's lie J. she shrek
ed, rising from the table, :, they are your chill
dren Deacon Isaacs, and God knows it.,
But the spirits affirm differently said
the deacon in solemn voice.
Then they lie y said the wife.
9 But if you believe them in everything else,
why not in this?"
" But don't believe in them at all it is all
: foolery.
Nor I!'' shouted Mary.
Nor - added Sarah.
Then said the deacon while 4 smile illumi-
mated his cOuntenancc, We VIII bd them
: good-by, and leave those things which God has
: wisely hidden from lis to be revealed in HIS
: time
The dcacon's evening devotions were charac,,
e terized with more earnestncSS than usual, and
the family returned fully satisfied that the splr-
its and mediums did not always reveal the
D truth. ,
f Mrs. Isaacs was so glad that none of the
! neighborS were present; but somehow the St0-
ry got wind, and so fearful were the spirit
? DANES of N that they might be caught in
t the same trap which the deacon had set, that
: Spritualism was driven entirely from the vii
lage.