Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-17
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A Statement Of Pull Bslief in This Mys-
terious Mystery" and Reasons Therefor
The writer of the following letter, although
now resident of New York, requires no in.
PRODUCTION to our readers. The letter ap-
peared in q late issue of the Philadelphia
Mind and Matter:
NEW YORK, October "a, 1885,
Editor of Mind and Matter-Sir write to you
because hold it t. be the duty Of those who be-
ieve they have iDcontestible evidence Of the genu
ineness Of phenomena, presented through certain
mediums, to testify in defense Of those mediums
when the latter falsely accused of imposture- l
thank you in the name Of manliness and fair play
for your recent generous rejection OF Mr.. Dean
Clsrk's base ami groundess attack upon Mrs Elsie
REYNOLDS, of San Francisco. II is concerning that
lady wish to say something at present, but in the
first place. it seems desirable that your readers
should know who and what l am, to the end that
they may be in position to judge of the value of
my statements. | am by profession journalist. l
have for thirteen years, and until very recently,
edited enc of the leading daily newspapers of Cali
fornia / a student and an invt stigator in many
fields have followed the progress of science care
fully am acquainted with the methods OF scien-
tific Investigations The law OF evidence is familiar
10 me- The tendencies OF my studies for
many years past have been towards agnos.
ticism. Incredulity and skepticism are,
But because l have taken pains to ascertain what
evidence is, and because am prone to reject what.
ever fails to approve itself to my exigent reason,
am the more prepared to hold firmly to convictions
once formed and entertain confidence in the sound
ness Of the conclusions which have been reached
thus cautiously 1t is not without reluctance that
have spoken Of myself in this way, but if | am to
be of any use witness, ii is necessary that you
and your readers should be able to form some opin-
ion as to my intellectual competence.
was brought to investigate Spirituasm in what
is perhaps the most common way, namely, through
the death of one loved. / lost my only child in
her twentieth year. Thus became acquainted with
Mrs. Reynolds and since then have attended her
seances constantly during a period measuring
nearly year, and in the course of which both my
wife and have witnessed the phenomena through
that ladys mediumship more than a hundred times.
We have not only attended her public and private
circles but have had repeated special private
with her, and have had full experience OF all her
phases OF mediumship. From the first beginning
was very vigilant and persistent for the detection
Of fraud. if it existed, nor have ! ever relaxed
my watchfulnes5 But in all the experience have
had with Mrs. Reynolds l have been compelled, by
the most conclusive evidence, to believe in the gen.
uineness OF her mediumship, and have never seen
anything justifying even suspicion Of imposture
My dear daughter has nateTialzed and come to her
mother and myself through Mrs. Reynolds some
sixty times. We have recognized and identified her
in every conceivable way; that is to say, by sight
by touch, by hearing by oral communication, by
the exchange OF condolences. She has come TO us in
her habit as she lived dressed she wont to
be in this life wearing her hair she wont to
wear it in this life speaking to us with the voice
which we could not initiate telling us things
known to her and to US alone. She has come to U.s.
Undertaking. outside OF the cabinet, frequently
We have seen her gradually emerge from the fl Dor,
it were, at first misty, vaporous nucleus, then
an agitated cloudy column, undulating, ascending,
expanding; and finally a completed form, instinct
with life breathing, pulsating, speaking, embracing
us. We have held the form that had been thus ma
terial Zed before our eyes, in our arms. We have
it demateriazed in the same way after bidding
adeu to u.s. We have seen our dear daughter even
Illuminated. We have seen her sweet face gazing
out of the illumination, and she has spoken to
while thus floating in the air. For some time before
we left California she had been in the habit OF COM
ing to Mrs. Reynolds circles and floating up
to the ceiling singing softly the while. Hundreds
have witnessed the manifestation, and can testify to
it. But though could occupy more space than you
perhaps spare with recital OF the absolutely
convincing truths given us In regard to our daugh
ter could take up even more time in the narrative
Of other proofs of the genuineness OF Mrs. Reyn-
olds mediumship. Thus, have seen her taken out
OF the cabinet and brought (while still entranced)
in the middle of the circle, by a male spirit, and
while she and he thus standing another spirit
was plainly seen in the cabinet. Be it understood
that IN this and other cases referred to- the cabinet
so arranged that the secretion OF any person in
it, the entrance to it OF person after the cir
Gle was formed would have been an absolute impes-
sibility. In fact, l may say that during the whole
rooms have been on OFarrell and Mission streets
her cabinet has been situated as to make what is
called presentations by human beings utterly and
completely impracticable. say this deliberately,
with full knowledge OF the circumstances, and as the
result Of the most jealous investigation. Now, IN
der such thorough test conditions have frequently
seen the medium and one, and sometimes two spir
its together in the cabinet.
On the 25th Of September, 1888, at private cir
cle your daughter Lily appeared, and putting back
the curtains OF the cabinet showed the medium
living entralc This was done in answer to some
assertions that Mrs Reynolds personated Miss Rob
erts On another occasion | saw spirit coming
OF the cabinet before Mrs Reynolds had enter
it. In fact, have seen this phenomena more than
once. During my last visit to San Francisco, an
arrangement was made to measure the spirits, and
this was done in my presence. One measured feet
10 inches another feet inches; another feet !;
another feet G inches. And all these came out Of
a cabinet into which knew that absolutely no per
son but the medium had entered or could enter.
Again have the faces OF other spirits than my
daughter and know that they were strange and di-
versified countenances, and not masks or dunn
mics" In private seance with Mrs. Reynolds,
my daughter has come to Us, fully mate
rallied, has reposed in our arms for several mn
ute5, and has thus dematerlazed and vanished.
She has on similar occasions come to us with only
one head and vocal organs msterialiZed, and we
have seen her head thus floating in the air and I'M
supported by any body. Other friends have materi-
allied the vocal organs Alone and talked to US with
voice. every tone and meditation of which fully
realized could multiply these evidences to weari-
ness, however, and | must remember that your
space is limited. Suffice to say, therefore, that
have no more doubt of the genuineness Of Mrs.
REYNOLDS medlumshp than / have OF my own exist
ence, and may add that from somewhat careful
and intimate study of her, am convinced that she
is upright and honorable woman, and that she
practices no receptions whatever. There are, OF
course, certain minds which appear natu-
rally incapable Of forming just conclusions
on matters of this kind. They are literally
unable to weigh and appreciate evidence. Such
minds are often met with upon juries, and they
responsible for the many verdicts which outrage
reason and put common sense to shame. Minds OF
this character never be satisfied Of the reality of
the phenomena Of spiritualism, and, matter what
proofs presented will continue to cast about for
some commonplace solution of the problem. To the
intellectual capacities Of such persons as well as 10
the base envy of professional rivals, must be at
tributed the perennial caumnies and ISLANDERS with
which Mrs. Reynolds has been pursued. In my
humble opinion she is one Of the most powerful and
honest mediums living and not less in gratitude for
the consolation my wife and have derived from her
ministrations than because an accustomed to de-
fend and espouse the right, without fear or favor
desire to give my testimony in her behalf in the
most public and emphatic way, through your col
umns Trusting that you will find space for this
communication, and sgain expressing my admra-
ton Of your courage and gallantry, remain, sir,
yours very sincerely,
GEORGE FREDERIC PARSONS.
TEIECRApHIC RREVITIES