Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-09-22
THE TRANCE STATE.

The mysteries connected with the franc
and other forms of apparent death are
phenomenon that cannot fail TO appeal tt
wonder loving minds. Occasionally cas-,
| of premature burial sends thrill of horro
through the community; but the lessor
| which it teaches, that less haste should bt
manifested in committing deceased person:
to their silent homes, does not seem to be
needed, and under the present custom the
body is hardly cold ere the undertaken is
called to perform his sad Office. We lately
heard physician say that in course ol
medical lectures an eminent professor en-
joined most earnestly and soemnly upon his
students that they should never presume to
decide positively that any person is dead
till that infallible evidence, modification,
appeared. Cases are occasionally recorded
by physicians where persons have been re-
stored to consciousness by the probing OF
the anatomical knife, and who recovered
their health and lived for years thereafter.
One medical writer, Bruhier, in disserta.
ton upon the uncertainty of the signs of
death and the danger of precipitate burias
has collected one hundred and eighty cases
in which persons still living were treated
as dead. Fifty-two of these were actually
buried alive, four were opened before death
6fty.three revived spontaneously after being
placed in their coffins and seventy-tWo were
supposed to have died when they really had
not. One of the most remarkable expert
ences of trance on record, and which has
passed into history as perfectly authentic is
the case of the Rev. William Tennennt, who
was pastor of the Presbyterian Church st
Freehold, New Jersey, where he died a
hundred years ago. We learn from the
Memoirs of his Life, that after regular
course of study in theology Mr.. Tennet was
preparing for his examination by the Pres
bytery as candidate for the Gospel minis
try. His intense application affected his
health, and brought on a pain ia his breast
and slight hectic He soon became ema-
ciated, and at length was like a living
skeleton. His life was now threatened.
H. was attended by physician, young
strctest and r8attttsee4ffdl t9 him BY ths
worse and worse, till little hope of life was
left. In this situation his spirits failed him,
and he began to entertain doubts of his final
happiness. He was conversipg one morn
ing with his brother in Latin, on the state o!
his SOUL when he tainted and died away.
After the usual time he was laid out on
board, according to the common practice of
the country, and the neighborhood was in
yited to attend his funeral on the next day
In the evening his physician and friend re.
turned from ride into the country and
was afflicted beyond measure at the news OF
his death. He could not be pursuaded that
it was certain and on being told that one OF
the persons who had assisted in laying out
the body thought he had observed little
tremor of the flesh under the arm, although
the body was cold and stiff, he endeavored
to ascertain the fact. He first put his own
hand into warm water to make it as sensl-
BILE as possible, and then felt under the arm
and at the heart, and affirmed that he felt
an unusual warmth, though no one else
could. He had the body restored to warm
bed, and insisted that the people who had
been invited to the funeral should be
requested not to attend. To this the
brother objected as absurd, the eyes
being sunk, the lips discolored, and
the whole body cold and stiff. However,
the doctor finally prevailed, and all proba-
Bile means were used to discover symptoms
of returning life. But the third day ar
rived, and no hopes were entertained of
success but by the doctor, who never left
him day or night. The people were again
invited, and assembled to attend the funer-
al. The doctor still objected, and at last
confined his request for delay to one hour,
then to half an hour, and finally to quar-
ter of an hour. He had discovered that the
tongue was much swollen, and threaten ed
to crack. He was endeavoring to soften it
by some emollient ointment put upon it
with feather, when the brother came IN
| in about the expiration of the last period,
and mistaking what the doctor was doing
| for an attempt to feed him manifested some
| resentment, and said, in spirited tone IT
is shameful to be feeding lifeless corpse;
and insisted with earnestness that the fu,
neral should Immediately proceed. AT
this critical and important moment, the
body, to the great alarm and astonlsh
ment of all present, opened It's eyes,
gave a dreadful groan, and sank again into ap
parent DEATH Mr.. Tennent continued in so veal
| and low state for six weeks that great doubts
were entertained of his final recovery. However
after that period he recovered much faster; bu
| IL was about twelve months before he was com
pletely restored A man Is alive in Boston to-d..
| who was supposed to be dead when on board
ship returning home, and preparations we're made
| for his burial in the deep. He knew everything
that was going on around him, but could make n
| sign of life. The preparations went on, aud n
wa, actually lowered over the ship, when ne lei
| that he must make the last desperate effort u
bring the mind to act in tile body, and ne succeed
ed in lifting his hand This motion arrested at
teption, he was taken in the ship again, aad We
restored to health. Marvellous is the fact OF tnl
knowledge of outward things, when the mln
seems lock ed up, and not a single sense report
the news Of the outward world !'-Phrenoogcd
Journal.
Watch At for King