The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-19
Tr4K SPIRIT AwEDDING.
Mr.. Eaton Replies to the Criticisms or
the Press.

not unexpected in regard to the" Spiritual
Wedding" of June Goth, when I submitted
the evidence upon which based my belief
that the occurrence was an actual verify.
am under great obligations to these news.
papcr critics for their lucid comme MS upon
y subject they had never Investigated, and
OF which they are profoundly ignorant, and
I am more deeply indebted for the mantle OF
charity they had thrown over me in attrlbu-
ting the evidence present as to the immor-
tality OF the soul rs the result OF q dsor-
dered intellect rather than an intention to
deceive and impose upon the credulitv Of
my fellow men.
,srr..,-* 4 - ~ +<1aTk,Ta
TO come TO the case in hand, I do not pro-
pose to meet those Tho claim that spiritual
manifestations exist only in the.delusions OF
a diserdered intellect with any attempt at
ridfcule or with a sneer. Neither viii !
follow in the vein, employed by the Globe
Democrat, and assert without adducing ex-
rerience to sustain my opinions, by Claim
ing that, IL Mr. Eaton bad applied proper
tests to the alleged naturalization at Motifs
the chances arc million to one that he would
simply have uncovered another fraud SINH
lar to The ( Hattie King" business exposed
in the East few years ago. Now, let me
gator after truth, 1 have by every appliance
OF which was capable OF devising tested
the alleged manifestations, not for day,
or week, but withis the last eighteen
months, for nearly q month, not only
in the nighttime, but in the day.
time. Whilst. a visitor at Il Motifs house
/ was his constant companioD,; and bad
suBaectedto as strict a surveillance and as
rigid an, examination not only OF himself,
but the, surroundings, as it was in myi
power to do, and have failed to discover
any fraud simi liar 20 the Katie Kisg busi-
ness" Or any other kind OF fraud. More
tkan this, although hundreds OF the most
Intelligent and pains-taking investigators
of fraud baye visited John FL. Nett within
the last eight gears, yet is it not strange,
=. passing strange" that not one can be
sound with ssfficient ability 10 detect the
fraud, il fraud it is AS to exposures said
to have beeR made in some of the public
prints, therels not one word of;truth. With
the exception of the abortive attempts OF
Patee to- squirt analiue IN Motifs face, in
May, 1878, there has not been, to my know
ledge, even an attempt on the part OF any one
in any manner to make an exposure. Be-
fore l l,attended the materializing seances at
Motifs | had much more convincing rea-
sons thaa other persons OF ordinary intelli-
gence for believing naturalization fraud.
Besides my personal experience with pre-
tended and fraudulent man ifestations, ], had
not oatyo before my vision the deception
-practiced upon the late 3earned and accom-
plished Robert Dale: Owen by the Holmes
OF, p philadelphia, mantGvho was known as
the most skeptical OF men prior to bis con.
viction or the truth Of a5he soui's immortal
ity by his investigation into spirit manifes-
tatioEs, but in addition thereto was as
well posted as the generality Of reading
men as to the exposures In Europe and
America for the last twenty years OF pre-
tended spirit manifestations. More than
this, have been q receiver OF the doe
trlnes taught in the writings Of Emanuel
SwedenbOrg for ',orsr- thirty years, and
firmly believe in the:truth OF all his teach
ings as understand them. He says no.
thing about spirit naturalization in, any Of
his works, but, on the contrary, asserts that
oelore spirits can be seen or conyersed With
by mortalS their spiritual senses must be
opened. In this state OF mind, and with
these impressions, EVisited John 81. Mott nt
Memphis, Mo-, for the express purpose Of
exposing him: not doubtiDe,- Tor moment
but that could detect the: fraud, notwith-
standiugI had been iniorme d by number
Of Intelligent men who had. attended his
seanees that they believed his manlfes.
tations genuine and What th ey purported to
he. entered on thisinvestf CATION and con
tinued it for a period, at tifferent times,
for nearly a month, ,ha7ing seances some.
times in the daytime, and sometimes
at night, employing >the same senses
Oh seeing, hearing, asIG ieei ng.empteyed
by ,imortals to identity their f,.llow-mortals
on earth; and solemn}y9 assert that have
as full and conclusive evidence OF the eX-
istence as men and tooD,eas OF q score OF my
ces. and friends who have passed
to spirit life as had .of their eXisteace
while on earth. 4 What that evidence is. or
evena small portion OF ii. it Is imp possible
for me to detail in the limits allotted to this
conrnRn ication. It is sufficient for me to
say that it is satisfactory oRy mind that M
comIngto the conclusion that l:haVe am;
not laboz.ing under nlentaI tieiusIon IN the
Eor as1 Il. imposed upon;
snd i must insist that before any man IS
to determine otherwise he must
subject himself to the same or similar eX.
aariance, and as patiently inv estigate the
sttbdect ash have done.
Now. as. 80 my experieHce, with DR.. Mans
ieia. The sphase OF spirit manifestations
hrsd,ch him is entirely dinerent.from those
manifested through John III. MOT. u Whilst
lott is a tt raace and materializing medium,
nd, f,eTer .saE spirit in his life, and has
70 recollection of any thing that 7trapspires
q trance when he returns to This normal
onditiea. the s1ormal condition .6 Mans
ED is to see and converse With spEits the
anne and at thsssame time thatahe does with
PORTALS ia this .Me.s.In all tae communi.
afions received through astieid stheyd
i've In every. instance been nasae without
IS seeing tie 4HesGons which called them
rth. In q large portion OF the taues-
bils. asked by nse. they were Pre.
ned before i visited his house, placed
an envelope, sealed up. aud mad
Fysgpd= anyone. / knew Twas fas-
,ssible for blm to have seen the communal
lions have from tiWe TO time bad an-I
yered through his medsumship with bis
III he knew what any OF them
nfafned dc must have acquired his ,infor- 1
alton through the tips sof bis fingers, .by |
sense OF touch il he did, 10 is means
arriving at such knowledge am utterly Il
70 loss to- explain. In great many OF /
csc commnn tcatio ions. even II he had pre- II
,us to answering them read thax .sgafn
natural eyes, he could not baYe ans Wer' |!
them as ne has dose. under taHy knoWn,l
pdltion OF mortal 3xistance,s Inaided bp
ritual sight sVake, for. instance. the
med ggests Of ta,sls'f wedding" ,As ~ u