The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-11-27

mine milne rnen men, = was Impossible that u could Do
IL can't believe that.0
'Oi course not. I nave-but IL 10 useless 70 go
On. ! VIII only tell you what have seen - Ply..
It." '' A"N ''1 ''"' N'"-' "--' 80 - :
plymouth cnurchr,
there i0r lew weeks past and the Developments
nave been interesting In The extreme for the reason
that there was not the slightest chance for
or uecelving. No sane person could possibly desire
70 get up en- excitcmenG surrounded Dy serious
circle Of sober deac0ns and direc
lots under Mr.. beecher's nose" 4.
Go on; This IL getting interesting"
'f0u know there are three reporters tables
standing against Mr. Beecher's platform. The mil
Ole table, directly IN line with Mr. Bcacher Is an
innocent looking AFFAIR OF pine stained to initiate
bla"k walnut. Some tour or I've weeks previous 10
commoton In The little circle OF reporters, and, as
had been seated by the usher In chair very near
going on. MIR. Beecner was in the middle OF his
long presernon prayer. As he uttered the words.
"Let the whole earth learn tho power OF love sucn
as Drought Christ TO earth to die for men, che
table moved slowly ana deliberately towards one OF
the ladies, and pushed so violently against her arm
as deliberately to the lady opposlte. You should
have seen the faces OF the reporters. They had evil
D nSs sssn 0s moving nsee OS
tns immense congregation Of Plymouth
s snarc We do e a5,s said plainly ws
moving u did, back and lorth, with o slow, mo-
notonous slide, TILL the prayer was nnishedv and
Undoubtedly somebody up stairs enaorses
Beecher said TO myself my eye sui on the table.
Then the hymn was given out: II was about Cd.
stanza closed with this Ene--
my day my strength shall be.
When that line was sung the table tipped 80 that
reporters VINO had evidently forgotten the spirits
Tor q moment In the music. gave ntt,e involun.
,asy start and LOOK Of norror tnas TO LOOK eron
perfectly. however, and took Their paper upon
hymn books IN their laps and pogan to WRITE Mean
NOT the hem OF o garment touched the table. they
even IAN their gloves upon the projecting rim OF
inc platform. Mr.. Beeoher preached one Of ms
most radical sermons thar day. lie spoke OF the
power Of brotherhood ana OF the love that
hopetn all things, Deheveth all Lhlngs. endureth all
prisons and all Its disciplinary machinery, and de-
plored that setsacrihcing love alone conld regene
very points where radical relorner would haze
wished TO applaud the table wod push win great
force one Of the reporters aud travel 10 the opposite
one, as II to say, THAT'S so thas the truth' That
the taple was not touched even the reporters raj
ment during The sermon would take my oath be-
fore any Court In the country"
'.How long dil this 20 p
''Unril the church closed for the summer and one
or two Sundays after the reopening.n
"HOw do you account for iJfn
u suppose the reporters all TO be more or less
mcdlumistIc."
s.What do You mean bv medlumistic?' '
$50 organized that spirits eau Denetrae their at
mo3phere. MIR. 3eecher has the same organization,
on,y IN q greater ue2rea, auu ne $1,000 Wnerc ne
could form part OF the circle. There were we'll
known sprllualssts in the immediate neighbour hood.
and the conditions were right for manifestations"
"iou never heard any rappnys tnere2"
"Yes once During the whole OF one sermon
there were low, but distinct raps not In the table,
bur III the PLATFORM MIR. Beechcr must nave heard
them he had not been so earnestly engaged In nus
Sermon
"How do you account for the cessation Of the
maniicstallonsr'
'.The tnlng was attracting so much attention that
tho reporters had decided 10 leave the table and sit
separately Ia The audience II 1t went Oh, and sup
pose Of course | d0n't expect you TO agreel that
tn r spirit friends didn'. visa to annoy them and
80 they restrained their WISH 10 communicate AL
this seems to you almost. or quite, In
credible. For my own part l am unable
to understand the difficulty which people have In
believing these things The Bloie Is S1ii OF spirit
uasnl. The Old ana New Iesaments speak con-
stanty Of angels appearing and OF devils possessing.
II Is no new thing and the sensible plan Is TO take
the g0d, II any is found after patient scientific
Investigation, ana throw aside the drOss 1t IL for
the philosophers to get out the wheat lest the weak
swallow husk and al and great mischief be done. y