The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-02-03
DEAD.ALIYE NAN.
A SINGULAR PSYCHOLOGICAL PHENOMENON
IN HAGERsTOwN.

! a L
IN HAGERsTowN.
/ An incident is related in the experience of
a clergyman which suggests some of the
/ weird sketches Of Poe. The only difference
/ IS that this is true, a plain recital of what
/ actually occurred. Amongst the flock of
the minister referred to was a family of for
elgners, and the father of the family was
( stricken with a fatal illness. One night the
pastor received message summoning him
Immediately to the bedside of the sick man,
/ the messenger stating that che was dying"
/ Some time elapsed before the arrival at the
scene, when the attending physician was
found surrounded by the sobbiup and shrek
ing family. To his great regret the doctor
informed the minister that he was too late
that the sufferer had died Is or 20 minutes
previously. And, in fact, there Oh the bed
lay the stark and rigid form of the departed.
the lower jaw fallen, the ashy pallor of death
on the face, and the body stiffened with the
rigoT n10rtis. With the demonstratfvenes of
their nation the family gave sway to their
feelings, making no efforts at self-cOntrol.
A son in particular, was more demonstrative
and inconsolable than any of the rest He
/ called on his father, begged him to come
back, and with difficulty could be kept away
from the body. Hoping to comfort the grief
stricken family by spiritual consolation and
sympathetic conversation the clergyman re-
manned on the scene until near O'Clock in
the morning. At this time when the pastor
was thinking of leaving the son, who seem
ed to take the death so much at heart, was
seized with another paroXysm of grief more
violent than any preceding il. BE tore him
self from those who sought to restrain him,
threw himself on the body Of his father en-
braced him, called him, bathed the cold face
with tears, shrieking that he could not let
him go that he must say one word, look at
him just once more and he must not leave
him without inst one more word and one
more look. As if the agonized voice had
penetrated the silence of the other world and
had reached the dull, cold ear of death, "
the lips of fhe father moved, the ewes opened
and cast 3 sad, reproachfuI look on the weep
ing son, and in the well known voice came
distinctly these words: con why did you
bringme back ?'' As soon as the awe strick-
en- group could regain their presence of
mind, after this appalling scene, they imme-
diately administered resteratives to the pa
tient, when the minister left him, very weak
but still alive. He was sent for by the father
the next day. who gave him an account Of
his death Gas he evidently believed it had
been) and his experience to the time when
he was apparently recalled to life. He said:
''When 1 died l first felt sinking, going
sensation, knew everything going on in the
room, but 1 could not speak or move my lips
then all was blank. The next thing l re-
member was being in dense darkness,
seemingly in a tunnel, through which was
being pushed; there seemed to be two forms
one on each side, pushing me along through
the tunnel and I appeared to move as if I
was floating, touching nothing above or be-
low. At last it appeared to get lighter, as
though we were nearing the end Of the pass
age. 1t grew brighter every moment, and
then seemed to observe two shining, beau
tiful forms on each side of me. At last we
seemed to float out into lovely space Of
rosy brightness. like the sky of summer sun
rise 1 had feeling of perfect peace and
well-being, and heardas though it were a part
Of the space 1 floated in the most soothing
and delightful music. I remember it after
ward took the sound of an old familiar hymn
1 used to hear in my native land. I have
been q great sufferer, and the feeling of rest
and freedom from pain was the thing 1 no.
ticed most in my new state, when it seemed
to be disturbed by a voice in pain calling me.
I felt thrill of regret and then all became
black, and I seemed to be back in the old
pain-Tacked body again, and opened my reyes
to find my son and family crying, and calling
on me to come back. If they had known
how much better I was they would never
have wanted me back in this weak and suf-
fering body"
The man lived several days and then died,
as his family sincerely believe, a second time,
and, remembering his solemn words as to
his first experience, did not call him back
Whether the man was in a syncope from
which the piercing lamentations of the fami-
ly aroused him, or whether he had indeed
been permitted to return after a glance at
the glOries of the great unknown none can
answer. But one thing is certain, that for
the space of several hours. to all intents and
purposes, so far as the doctor, the pastor and
the family were concerned, and so far as all
outward indications are a guide, the man
was dead.-Baltiaore Gazette.