Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
TALKS WITH SPIRITS.
Spook Messages From Denizens Of the
World Beyond This.
A LETTER WRITTEN BY BEECHER.
Spirit Telegraphy Between Husband and
Departed Wife.
SOME MYSTERIES OF SPIRITUALISM


to your correspondent, "Cassadaga is a
great place to make man think" He had
reference, when speaking, particularly to
W. j. Colville, little, dried-up, sickly
looking man, who would not attract atten-
tion anywhere either from his appearance
or conversation, and yet when upon the
platform discourses so eloquently and
learnedly upon any question of philosophy,
political economy or social ethics that may
be suggested to him by anyone in the audi
ence, that the most profound listen with
interest and wonder.
But there are many other things to make
a man wonder; many things that make him
stop to wonder whether all these people
who talk so constantly and confidently of
seeing, hearing and talking with their
friends who have passed out of earth life,
are practicing for the insane asylum, or
whether they have really been granted the
coveted privilege of holding communion
with those whom we have been taught to
regard as dead until the trumpet shall
sound on the great resurrection morn.
LOTS OF CRANKS THERE.
There are many cranks here, of course, to
disgust not only skeptics, but intelligent
spiritualists with their continual babble
about being controlled by some of the
Pharaohs or Julius Caesar, Empress jose
phine, George Washington or some other
of earth's great historical characters.
There are, on the other hand, large pro-
portion Of liberal, sensible people, with
some who would feel at home in company
of scientists, or who could honor a constit-
uency in the halls of Congress, yet every
last one of them believes essentially of
spiritualism all that is claimed by the
cranks. If an ignorant woman, claiming to
be medium, says that she is controlled by
good Queen Bess, they do not think she is
falsifying, but blame it upon some lying
spirit, which they say is personating Bess
and making the deluded woman believe
that she is spokeswoman for royal spirits.
Speakers came upon the platform, and
through their spirit control advocate senti-
ments contrary to their personal opinion; so
they say two things are depended upon to
establish the proof of spiritualism; the phil
osophy and the phenomena Some of the
more scholarly and intelligent ones declare
that they could be fully satisfied of the truth
of their doctrine, if they had nothing but
the philosophy to depend upon, and in fact
proof. But the majority are satisfied with
the phenomena and have neither the inclin-
alton nor ability to delve very deeply into
the mysteries of the philosophy.
THE BETTER COURSE.
Your correspondent is of the opinion that
an intelligent Investigator would better
first study the philosophy to some extent,
at least, and be better prepared to study the
phenomena. If they get intelligent COM
munications on states held in their own
hands, signed by the name of some departed
friend, or have their alleged spirit friends
come and speak to them in a materialzing
seance, it will 30 contradict their reason
and experience that they will doubt the
credibility of their senses.
After studying the matter with more or
less care for a month and talking Spiritual
lists of all grades and skeptics of all varie-
ties, your correspondent has concluded that
converts to spiritualism as a rule are not
made at big camps like Cassadaga, and If
there were no better evidence on which a
man could base an opinion than that OBJ
tanned at paid seances, held in partial or
total darkness, he would likely remain a
skeptic to the end.
But here are men from all parts of the
country-sensible, successful business men
whose word is good for thousands of dollars
who claim that they have all the evidence
in their own homes that can be obtained at
these seances; that there, where no charge
or suspicion of imposture can be made, they
converse with their dear ones on the thither
side of the dark river. They have no right
to disbelieve them or to think they are
either deceiving themselves or trying to
deceive others. These men afford the
strongest proof of the truth of the funda-
mental doctrine of spiritualism, and it is
through them that most intelligent, thought
ful converts are made
SLATE-wRITING PROOF.
Slate-writing affords perhaps the most
proof to the average man of a
force and an intelligence manifested from
beyond The writing is done in the broad
light of day and the eases are so numerous
and so well attested that it seems folly to
doubt that some superhuman power does
the writing. An interview with the WELL
known slate-writer, W. A. Mansfield, does
not throw much light on the subject, tor, as
he says, he himself knows very little of it,
except that sometimes an unseen intelli-
gence answers questions. He says he has
what may be called spirit guide, or mes
senger, to call for the spirits from whom
are desired. His guides
name is Phil Hughes.
Sometimes the guide brings spirit too
weak to write, but with word for the
friend through the guide and medium. Mr..
opinion is that he is a sort of
battery, through which the spirit is enabled
to write, as he feels peculiar sensation as
long as the writing continues. Sometimes
he is enabled through his control to read the
questions when in the hands of the ques-
toner.
A lady one day came into his room and he
said: "Good morning, Mrs. Hail." The
lady was surprised, as she had never seen
him, and said, ''Can you give my maiden
name?" He almost instantly replied,
"Crabtree," which was correct She re-
ceived slate-writing with scarcely any
effort on his part, and after reading it started
out. His guide called to him to tell her
to come back. Mr.. Mansfield followed her
down stairs and overlook her between his
room and the Grand'Hotel, and putting the
states together received two more messages.
TIRED OF sLATE-wRITNG.
Mr.. Mansfield says that he shall give up
writing after this season. He can do moth
ing else while practicing slate-writing, but
lives in half dreaming condition that he
dislikes. When he is following any other
profession he cannot do slate-writing. He
is very sensitive gentleman, as all slate
writers seem to be, and on meeting person
he feels either an instructive friendship or
similar dislike. When he feels repulsion
toward any one he seldom succeeds in get
ting such one any writing He will en-
gage in teaching after the season closes.
A gentleman related to me day or two |
ago the strange experience of Frank Ran
som, of Buffalo, proprietor of the extensive |
medical establishment of DR.. d. Ransom &
Son. The gentleman who tells it says that
Mr. Ransom and his wife, who died five |
years ago, 'swere mated in heaven and were
perfectly congenial and happy She died
n Rome, and Mr. Ransom was distracted
With grief Before the day of telephones
he had telegraph line erected between his