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Powers, the sculptor, with GhOstIy
Visitors - His Relation of Some
Strange Mantle stations : He Be
Iieves I'm spoOks.
DR.. Bellows contributes to appleton s
Journal q paper entitled "Sittlngs with
Powers, the Sculptor" In the course of
conversation, Mr.. Powers relates the
following spiritualistic experiences:
These spirituslistc phenomena have
| always interested me, although | have
/ never been in the least carried away by
them. ] Irecollect we had many "sean-
ces at my house and others when Hume
was here. | certainly saw, under cir
cumstances where fraud or colusion, or
prearrangement of machinery was impos-
sible, in my own house, among friends in
capable of lending themselves to impos-
ture, many very curious things. That
hand floating in the air, of which all the
| world has heard, have seen. There
was nothing but moonlight in the room,
it is true, and there rs every presumption
against such phenomena under such cir
cumstances. But what you see, you see,
and must believe, however difficult to &C.
count for it. ] reoollect that Mr.. Hume
sat on my right hand, and beside him,
there were six others round one
half o circular table, the empty
half toward the window and the
moonlight.
All our hands were on the table, when
hand, delicate and shsdowy, yet defined,
appeared, dancing slowly just the other
side of the table, and gradually creeping
up higher, until, above what would have
been the elbow, it terminated in mist
The hand slowly came nearer to Mrs.
-, at the right side of the table, and
seemed to pat her face. Gould it take
q fan p cried her husband. Three raps
responded "Yes," and the lady put fan
near it, WHICH it seemed trying to take.
"Give it the handle" said the husband.
The wife obeyed, and it commenced
slowly tanning her with much grace.
Could it fan the rest of the company =
some one exclaimed, when three raps
sguiGed assent, and the hand, passing
round, famed each of the company, and
then slowly was lost to view.
. | felt, on another occasion, little
haud-it was pronounced that OF lost
cbiId-patting my cheek and arm. 1
took hold of it. 1t was warm and .evi-
dently child's hand. did not loosen
ny hold, but it seemed to melt out of
my Gluten. Many other similar ex-
periences I have had. # is interesting
to know that the effect is not TO create
supernatural terrors or morbid feelings
MY children, who knew all about it, and
were present, never shoyed any signs of
trepidctipn, such as ghost stories excite
in sensitive and yopng brains.
| have always thought that there was
something yet inexplicable about the
nervous ORGANIC alton which might even
tualy show US TO be living much nearer
to spiritual forms than most believe, and
that not impossible opening Of our in
ner senses might even here enable us to |
perceive these forms. When we see a
man in his flesh and blood we see his
outward Tobes II his nervous system
we're alone deliostely sspagstel oEt from
his body it would have the precise form
of bis body, for the nerves fill not only |
each tissue of the body, but extend even
to the epanel of the teeth and the fbres
of the hair, tbeFs 10 40 gsFt ef the hu- I
man frame that Is not full OF these raai-
fcations Show US man's nervous sys-
TEN, and, fmy as it might be in parts,
bis form would be perfectly retained,
even to his eyss. Now this is one great
step towards bis spiritual body. 4 little
further refinement might bring Us to
What il Seneath the nervous system, the |
spiritual body, ana il might still have the
PRECISE form Of the man. | belieye IL
possible for this body to appear and, m
der certain states. to be seen. | do not
often mention waking vision enjoyed
more than twenty years ago, but | will
lell it to you. 1t happened five and
twenty years ago.
i he'd retired at the usual hour, and, as
blew out The eand,e sal cot into bed,
looked upon our infant child, sieer'rg
calmly on the other side of the mother,
who also was sound asleep As lay
broad awake, thisking on many things, i
BECAME suddenly conscious of a strong
light il the goGm, and thought | must
have forgotten 10 blow o4t the ssrdle.
| looked ct the stand, hut The candle vas
out. gun, tbe light increased, and I be-
gan TO fear soMesnlnR Eag on hre 10 me
room, aud looked over toward my Elie's
side to see if it were SO. There was no
sign Of Ere, bat, as cast my eye upward.
and as it we're to the back of the bed,
sev a green hillside, on which two bright
figures, . soSnc man aDd young wo-
man, their srhs aetess esch others
were standing ahq loosinE
down, with countenapces full Of love aud
grace, spon our sleeping infant.
T a glofious brigitless seemed to elo,he
them and to shine in upon the feom.
Ihinging it possible that / was dreaming,
and merely fsneying myself awake ltor
he vision vanished in sbogt the time
have been telling yop the story aid Jeff
me vouderine), felt my pulse 10 see
whether had any fever. Ny pulse was
IS calm as clock. never was broader
awake in my life, and | said to myself,
Thank God, what / have been longing
ior years to enjoy has st length been
granted me-a direct look into the spirit
isl yorld r | was so moved BY the re-
lections excited by this experience, that
o-,l1 rof ~aofras, r.,voaIf frnra nEaEIur ]