Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-06-10
An,uuru1ss department.
TESTING THE SPIRITS.

TESTING THE SPIRITS.
When spiritualism first made its appear
ance in the village of -, old Deacon
1sascs, rich man who has stood by the
Church for nearly threescore years, was
exceedingly bitter against all believers in
the 'sdevils work, as he called It, and de-
nounced spirituaists and spiritualism in no
very gentle language. Imagine the dea-
cons anger, then, when six months after
ward he found it had worked its way into
his family, and not only we're his wife and
daughters believers. but one Of them was a
medium, and possessed full power to con-
verse with the spil it's of those who had de-
parted to that s'bo lrne from which no tray
eler returns. III. - ,.-'.. - Z
Deacon Isaacs Was mad, dreadfully mad ,
but he had wit enough not to show it, and
he bore the taunts Of the ungodly. with a
meek spirit. He knew 1t would be useless
to declare open war; for Mrs. Issaes alone
had proved more than match for him, and
he was sure to be defeated. He must s'cir-
eumyent. the critter," as he expressed it,
and to this end he set himselfto work. He
was q man 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 daugh-
tiers were spiritualists he never spoke a
word against nor did he ever allude to it,
except in general terms in his morning
prayers but any one could see that it
troubled him; for he was absent-minded,
his eyes wandered restlessiy, and he looked
care-worn.
The deacon witnessed one or two s'sit-
tings' at his own house, and was satisfied
that if he possessed little more knowledge
he could get rid Of them. So one morning
he started for the city, determined to thor
oughly investigate the subject before he re-
turned. After visiting two of the most
popular mediums, and paying his money,
he returned home, satisfied that he could
see through it, ."s .s -.
There was d s'sitting"' at the deacon's
house on; the night he returned; and his
daughter Mary-the medium invited the
deacon to take seat at the table, which,
to her qualification, was accepted. The
spirits were in good tune, and so exceeding
ly communicative that the deacon was IN
duceds to ask a.feH questions, which were
readily answered, and the wife. and .dangh-
ters were in ecstacies at the thought that
father would yet be believer, and urged
the deacon on in his inquiries.
"Has my wife always been true to her
marriage vows?" asked the deacon. ?.
To this question there were no raps in
return, while Mrs. Isaacs sat trans6xed
with holy horror that such thought should
enter her husbands mind. = 60. --r..
"How many years have passed since she
was untrue?'' T.. .~
Answer by single raps. Then came
slowly and solelnnly, one, two, three, four,
. and so ON, until they reached twenty.
"How many who claim to be are not my
children 2"
Again the spirits rapped-one, two.
Mrs. Isaacs looked dumbfounded. =:
"Mercyw said Mary. .: o..
(Which are they? asked the deacon,
who now seemed so intent on his subject
that he paid no attention to his companions.
.,!"Mary, Sarah, ;" raped the spirits, the
names Of the daughters, the elder Of which
was under twenty. -, ,.<.,
Mrs. Isaacs could stand it no longer.
"It's lie! I didn't lisa lie ~ she
shrieked, rising from the table. "They are
your children, Deacon .Isaacs; and God
knowsit." ..-~ O..
"But the spirits affirm differently" said
the deacon in solemn voice. 49,
"Then they lie !" said the wife.
"But, if you believe them in every thing
else, Why not in this?
"But I don't believe in them at all F.; it is
all foelery." IL. - .'s':.' =. 80
aNor1 r. shouted Mary.
ssNor r." added Sarah.
ssThen," said the deacon, while q smile
illuminated his oountenance, "we will bid
them goed-by, and leave those things which
God has wisely hid from us to be revealed
in his time
The deacon's evening devotions were
characterized with more earnestness than
usual, and the family retired fully satisfied
that the spirits and mediums did not always
reveal the truth.
Mrs. Isaacs was so glad that none of the
'neighbors were present; but somehow the
story got wind, and so fearful were the spir-
it thames of N-that they might be caught
in the same trap which the deacon had set,
that spiritualism was driven entirely from
the village. ,..,--. .-
B% General Slocum, in his lecture on
''Military Lessons of the War;" tells the
following story in reference to the battle of
Bull Run:
'sThe influence of our officers over their
men, and the state of our discipline, is best
illustrated by an incident which occurred
on the field in the heat of the battle. An
officer, who has since become very promi-
.nent and well-known throughout the coun-
try, was then in command of brigade on
the right of our line. While riding over