, 1879-01-11

Ds. Charles Beechnr on aptrituAi Msntfsstas
elons-A Hook that Will Cseats Talk.
8oston Letter TO Hts rork Rtra'd.
The first book Of the new year Will be DR..
Charles Beecher'a "spfsftual Niaatfestatlous,''
which Lee s. Shepard will pabt!sh IN few days,
and which Is likely TO cause some coni-
s s''n .u'so: L s'0s2p s2p! 'ss; . ss'' that
a. sss s'*' repf.sen,.ss en- .. ss sss Church
viaibls Or invisible, ncr q big profe.slo1a!
asserting that sptritualsu,. or rather The BE-
lief In spiritual communication. scens no morn
Improbable that great MANY scientific hypothe-
sca. And says TINT there never has been tn his
ma s' :ea ss'' ss.ny q s 81 sD III
avcrs fha. tho abstract probability that
than Tie probattty thst there ara really such
ei"ims % to hive diseovssred, wihils = sress msny
persans eaT that they hs!e seen spirits. lie
apeaks Of tho many family histories OF mys
ttriuls occurrences which he has encountered
that thera arc lev households 10 which there
IA not some strange tale which they shrink
from making public. fle bcrins by telling
story which was repeated to him By Prof. AUS
curious noin,s Of resemblance 70 thc tate of t.a
ghost .feLlrey thu! ye1cd tho Wesley family. In
1851 prol. fnylps' father requested him 10 come
to stratford, Conn.,, to invesstgate eertuin
time supearei in his house. says Prot. Phelps:
1.-THE h1st thug TINT took placo Of An nnusu-
al nature was on certau SUNDAY. Tho fa.lilY,
Including tho servants, according to custom,
up. On returning they found sha front door
wide open. Tic tifst thought Nus that robbers
their presence appeared nntn they came
found thrss il .ults 81 h. clothes. stuffed dss oat
with old clnthss, stc., and laid out side BY 1tln
upon TUG 1oor, With boots, hats, etc., soule-
what ~ I have Feen then, after railluad col
general Impression vas TINT Ii mirht be tho
roguisn trick pf tbs boys or Of some ono
unknown. In the rourse Of the day, a my
father WAS walking across tho psrlor, no other
person beips IN the e. roo1' ksy 3 wa IT, thr9wn Ssu
a. tis feet. He plckeo 1t up md put It In l,fs
pocket. Soon after = nail WAS thrown In tiIs
san,u way. In tile evening, 40 the fatniiy wero
sos og;hsF m1 tFnp fell hran from to
hear little raps In various directions. Thuy tried
to trace them, but could pot.h
sir. phclj,s' barn was mystcsloualy burned in
a. was known. An leni.ed ne~Ipaper was
found under tic mattress OF \ cot bed occupied
by one Of tho chl'dreu who alept In Mr.. Phelps'
room. Onn night when tho no[scs wcre very
tr0uhleAoMe EfoI. lhc1pa and hl4 UNCLE 1oi-
lowed them nntl, they came TO the room OF
Mrs. phclps' oldest daughter, and then ono
stepped fnalde tho door aud tho other remained
outstde, and the knocking cama on tho door
between them each thinking u upon sne eur.
steppcd back Into the room 4 halFbrush flung
from tho door fell At bis fcet, thing which
su9xests to M unoel'eyer that very possibly tue
had little boy who had becn "tollowed .by the
knoeKinqs "haa grown tired Of rapping on tho
door casing al Prot. Phelpa' feet, 2nl had aung
tho brnsh Il hin ~ 4 csowntnx performance.
Moreover, not only was the kuock-pussucd
small toy In tho house to account for many
things, but also ewutn.n suffering from tho
fIrst approaches Of nalady which finally de-
stroyed her reason, and that woman dlslihcd
stratford, aud was anxious TO move to phila-
dolphin. Thls was Mr. rhctps' second wife,
10 whom and to hor children tic disturbance
was attributed BY tho unchasisabla. She was
much Rrteyed 1t tbs charge, and denied It
solemniy, a fact which, considering her nuntal
state, has no wetRht at al with tho most crelu.
lous porsou. Prot. Pheips himsolf thtnka that
the oreacnco Of bad Spirits 10 tho most prooa-
bic explanation Of the affair, Z fact that seems
to Indicate as tttle skepttctsm a. bis rcpark
that nobody Was near the barn whsn it was
burned. As a rule. tncendIar!esdo not at down
on campstoul and watch tho progress of their
work at : convenient distance, and II is Dossl-
olo that wloevor act tho .fro preferred 10 20
into the house and walt for further develop
! mouts. ConyeFsation WAS carried on with tho
spirit by rapt, and the fact tnat hs WAS In
hell and would like plcca ot pumpkin pio
xas ol!sits1, aud e,sas ss many eas liks
religious convictions. vera anchar,9ca by al
thls, although his yteHa on Hcfiptural Aclnon-
u.oEy wcre more distinct, and la belief TINT
botl' good and bad "splrts have access to us
| was strengthened" .......-
made hy tho apirft of the Duchass of suther-
| land, through platchette, to Airs. Stowe.
"We fear," said her Grace. "sorsow will leone
upon,, EpTiana bcfore f. many Years"
"Our Queen Will come to us, and You know
| IN what hands tho tiovcrnB,cnt will tnon be.
Edward Albert 10 not all hs should be. liz has
| not thA strength of cnaractGF lcccas4ry for a
ruler; but, poor hor, lat us be charitable. lle
1 redeemed"
VIA tho Queen unwe1l no*1'
'*Hhe Is not strong. II Edward Albert could
| or woAtl bs moro 1ka hts blessed iAthoF she
would abdlcate In bis iayor."
"How strange that hu should be tuch char.
actcr, when ho wss 20 carefully e<lucated by hla
father and mother"
"Ccr.atnlr: but too many children are born.
Ho, ~ we'll as many others, should never hayo
I llyetl.''
ii TO not understand that"
I ~ mean tlqt tho aims Of the father are visited
! upon ths children. eyen unto the third ann
fourth generation, and constitutional passion
| aud tue disposition Of tho parents ara sotna
ti.nes aggravated tn ths children. Do maku II
clear to youi I'm afraid not"
| "itoW docs 1ud Judge children Hho thus Ia
her,t constitutional Tendencies to evtl1"
ssDacs Iln not tell you lu IIis Word thai
charity Is the greatest Of all virtuesf He speaks
% wa.. 10 docs know and because he has 81
shut Prince Albert was perfect satnt."
"Ycs: but his EEaudlatherl Parents, you
knor, cannot b. too careful: The Prince wa.
not Immediately rcsponsible for Elwart Al
tcrt'a sins; but he should have looked Into tht
! mat and pOBt rim nlatel tho futufe heforn bF{rn