Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-11-21

| before she could summon messenger
TO dispatch it, spirit friend addressed
Mrs. Hardinge, speaking 20 her in the
usual analytical method adopted by her
| invisible guides, as follows:
"Whst are you going to do with your
iettersp'
| Mrs. Hardinge-You know very well
what they are, and why L send them
| hence.
Spirit-Your fire is low; the air is
chill! Will you oblige your spirit friends
by mending the fire with those papers
| Mrs. Hardinge-I will not-positively
not. You would not aid me to solve the
| mystery Of my tormentor's presence,
aud now you want me to burn his let
tiers. refuse you, as you have refused
me the help sought.
| Spirit-Spirit friends are not God, and
cannot control events nor yet other
| spirits than these associated with then
in the Divine plan. Will you not save
yourself from the commission Of great
wrong, and give your package to the
flames? See, now; they are fading for
lack Of fuel.
| Mrs. Hardinge-PrOve to me that l
should commit any wrong by sending
them where they are directed, and then,
but not till then, l will withhold them.
Spirit-We cannot now give you the
| proof you seek, but in six weeks hence
you will obtain it yourself-in sorrow
and remoTsa if you send your package
| forth; in perfect satisfaction if you will
stay your hand for that period only.
Mrs. Hardinge-I agree to do so, then,
for that period only. II at the end OF
six weeks am not satisfied, l will de.
liver that package as L design it, and
denounce the protection you now as
sumo to exercise over me.
Spirit--We clasp hands on your COM
pact.
Six weeks from that time did not
elspse ere Mrs. Hardinge was in Boston,
Massachusetts,, to fulfill lecturing en-
| gagement. The day after her arrival
she was waited on by lady who earn
estly solicited private interview. The
request granted, a highly interesting and
refined widow lady stated, in words
| broken by deep emotion and fast falling
tesrs, that herself and her mother (also
| a widow had been dependent upon her
| only brother, who had held most re-
! sponsible situation, and up to some six
teen months previous, had fulfilled all
his public and private duties ia the most
exemplary manner. The lady Mrs. c.
added that this dear relative had been to
both mother and daughter "the stay Of
their household, the light Of their eyes,
the Joy OF their hearts, beloved and re-
spected by all who knew him." The
whole family were splr1tualists, and
some sixteen months ago, for the first
time, had attended a course of lectures
delivered by Mrs. Hardinge in Boston.
About this time one Of those pernicious
theorists who attempt. to cover the
promptings CT licentiousness by the
gloss Of philosophy, teaching the
practice of sensuslity under the
pretense Of seeking ''true affinities,"
(?) informed Mr.. g. las a spiritual
communication Of high authority
that Mrs. Hsrdinge, the lecturer, was
his spiritual affinity, and that hence
forth he must dedicate his life to her.
Without presuming TO seek an interview
with the subject of this baseless revela-
ton, not even daring to inform her of it
IN the ordinary way of correspondence,
the del1ded man cherished his fantasy
for some time in private, until he worked
himself into the belief of its correctness.
Then, hearing that he should be spurned
with indignation if he openly urged his
fancied claim, he proceeded to consult
certain magnetiZers, and, through their
promptings, used the really strong pow
ers Of the clairvoyanoe which he pos.
sessed for the purpose OF establishing
spiritual communion with his supposed
affinity. To promote the most favorable
conditions for these exercises, the infst-
uated man devoted all his time to mag
netfc experiments, neglected his BUSH
ness, put himself upon the most alb
stemious regimen, and distracted his
sorrowing relatives by practices CORE
spending to those OF ancient ''magi-
clans" or modern "fakirs." Whether
he succeeded in establishing his spirit
usl freedom by the use of drugs,
magical, magnetic, or other prac-
tees the narrator could not
say, but she alleged that he now began
constantly to declare to his family that
he could visit the beloved object of his
insane purpose, however distant, when
ever or wherever he pleased. He fire.
quently described to his afflicted rela-
tives the dresses which the lady wore
on the occasion of his terrible visits;
also the persons by whom she was sur
rounded, and the details of her situa-
ton. Mrs. G. (the sister has preserved
notes of these statements, and when she
submitted them to Mrs. Hsrdinge, the
latter could no longer doubt the identi-
ty of the brother with the Mr.. @. who |
had so long tOrmented her. Not only |
was the name familiar, but the state |
ments themselves proved, in all their |
details, to be SO invariably correct that |
no doubt remained of the truth of the |
mans allegations. Many convincing |
evidences were afforded to the family OF |
this remarkable clairvoyant faculty, his |
unquestionable ability to send his spirit |
forth from his body, and, under favor |
able conditions, to exert that power at |
will. The effect of such practices, how
ever, upon his physical and mental sys- |
tenn were disastrous to the last extent, |
He had grown SO weak and debilitated |
that he could no longer pursue his usual |
avOcatiOns, added to which his mind |
was fast becoming more and more un-
balanced, so that confirmed lunacy |
might be expected to sHpervene as the |
final result. In this calamitous strait |
the unhappy mother and sister deter
mined to apply to the innocent and I'M
conscious cause of their misfortune, to |
solicit aid and counsel in their difficulty; |
and then it was that Mrs. Hardinge per- |
ceived the disgrace she would have en-
tailed on the respectable family of her
infatuated tOrmentor, had she exposed
llLu LIS l6Ll6IS the QAQUS
of the police; also how much cause she
had to rejoice that she had been with
held from heaping the additional misery
OF public prosecution ON the heads of
the unfortunate women, who were al
ready sufficiently overwhelmed nv the
existing facts. Every effort was made
that could be brought to bear, under the
to alleviate the distress
Of the family, and restore the unhappy
man to reason; the results do not belong
to history, but the details narrated above
are commended 10 the attention of the
reader for the following reason: First,
hey form an instructive example of the
abuse OF occult powers, and prove tn at
the same elements that could be exerted
Tor good, use, and enlightment, NAV,
when exercised in excess, or employed
Tor unhOly purposes, be prevented to the
of others and the injury
0f their possessUr. 1t can scarcely be
that any reasonable minds
would decry the power Of use of magne.
ism simply because it was liable to
Ibuse in unprincipied hands, any more
han they would forbid the use of steel
Implements in domestic life, because the
murderer might employ them to destroy
hat life. The second feature of interest
o be derived from this case is the abil-
ty which it displays for an individual,
y an act Of volitioD, to cause the mani
eststion of the Double" or, in other
vOr1a an IN y1rofaof fba ey,ir;t e., 81. |