The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-10-19
THEY'VE FAITH In SP0OKS
S~piritnalists Who Claim Perfect kuowl-
edge of the Future Existence.
Queer Mixture Of the Laughable, the Weird
and the Pathetic at q Seance Yesterday
Woman's Frenzied ~ElOquence.

Did you ever attend a sitting" and see
spooks, and dead mothers-in-law. anu tie
spirit of your dear departed tailor or dress
maker come back to earth TO haunt you fer
a pay ment on that last summers outfit
NOT Well. then You've missed q treat. and
you should walk a mile 10 attend the next
"~seancer you hear of. There was one held
up in Mansur Hall yesterday afternoon, and
all the lopg-haired men in the town were
there.
To the casual observer. Just entering
the hall. the impression left might be that
he had happened in upon a joint conference
of the Kansas Farmers Alliance and the
Phoebe Couzins Union, No. 6s. of the Ma
tional Woman's Rights Society. The meet
ing was presided over by q good. earnest
old brother with the regulation PETER
beard and eye brows. who. besides exhort-
ing the speakers to keep the spirit a
movin'," OBLIGATED at the organ. acted as
precentor and led the weeping for the con-
gregation. The raising of his big red ban
dana was q signal for 'kerchiefs to bob mp
from ell over the hall. Weak women.
strong men and healthy children were
alike moved by the manifestations of the
spirit and gave vent unrestralnedly tc
violent, scaldiDR tears.
While the performance seemed queer 10
the unbeiiever, he could not but have felt
q tinge of pity and sadness for the sImple.
childlike faith of these people In what was
SAID and done by the speakers. The chief
medium was q Mrs. Hannibal. a clairvoy-
ant. She made the opening address,
in which she pursued In q general way the
d0ctrinal lines of the spirltualistic faith.
stimulating believers to a stron ger faith,
and az hnrflnU tho nnraOanarQfad IN fnrn
from their paths of dependency and gloom
to q strong belief in the spirit world. The
chairman then introduced that mOmentOus
question-that problem that has bothered
religious philosophers. that has wrecked
whole denominations and caused
more ponderous speculation within the
church-porch and without than any
other-'DOes death end ALI" He knew 1t
did not: that We lived In a hereafter as we
do now. with simply a transition of the
spirit. Good Sister Hannibal then took the
floor again and told the audience that the
question was not one OF speculation or
doubt with her, but that IT, was perfect
knowledge; that she had not merely been
visited by persons from the spirit world,
but that she had been there herself. Il
have sailed the river of Peace, my broth
ers; / have crossed the shining shore anu
walked with the white-robed angels of the
lamb. It's no pretty, fairy
beautiful myth with me, it's positive
knowledge" The next speaker was a kind
ly-appeaIln& Ola gentleman WITH the SHOWS
of many decades upon his silvery head.
II an not u s~piritualist." he began.
"but / love your belief, and | attend your
meetings and reverence your faith. The
greatest comfort in this life TO me is the
hope and belief Of q grant immortality
that is to como. My wife and 1 rave
fancied at times in our SAUNDERS that we
have seen our dear boy. who has passed be-
yOnd the river, and to that extent i believe
in ~spIrItualism. My relatives are divided
AMMO many creQfa and nannnlinaflnna A. N
/ have to 60 pretty slow in my s~piritualis-
tic advances. but / am with you heart and
SOUL" As the old gentleman took his seat,
the leader broke out in song. singing
while the Days Are Going By" very
sweetly.
Hardly had he concluded when Sister
Hannibal arose from her chair and began
waving her arms weirdly above her held
over to a venerable gentleman sitting by
the window began to lay her hands upon
his head. and tell him his past. present and
future in much less time than he had ever
had much trouble in your life, and your
days of sorrow have FASTENED your old age
and infirmity. You have laid to rest in the
old burylng- ground yonder TWO beloved
and the other a dark haired one. You have
sighed many times that You might be with
them. and yOn will not be long kept wait
ing. for you have not many more days on
this earth. You have always lived a
peaceful. quiet life. In your youth
you were bashful and backward about
social enjoyment. You have always been a
deep thinker and there is more of broad
h~eartedness. gentle kindness and love for
feilow-man in you than the outside world
knows. Your days arc gliding swiftly by
and you will pass to the other shore very
soon. / see those two women now. One
is standing right here by your side and
the other is kneeling in front of you. They
ara lackontnD Uon IN min them and ynur
head Is bowed low as you answer, In a lit
tie while, in q little while.' Farewell my
brother, farewell Mrs. Hannibal turned
and fairly reeled over to her seat. As she
sat down her hands were trembling, her
face contorted and her whole body appar-
emily writing in the greatest mental
agony. The great tears rolled down her
cheeks and her face was wringing with
perspiratiOn. 1t was some moments before
she could control herself. The sight was
morbidly pathetic, and every one must
have been glad when it was through with.