Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-05
SPRITUALTST SEANCES
NPARKLAND'S COLONY
BRIGHTEN RESIDENTS
Two Hundred of Faith Gather
to Hear Ghosts Play
Auto-harp in Dim
lit House
WORD FROM MCKINLEY.

Weird rapplngs, alleged conversations
with the shades of long-departed statesmen
and awesome music on an auto-harp, played
apparently, by invisible fingers, are said
TO be some of the incidents which are daily
stirring residents of a little Spirituahst
colony at Parkland, Pa.
Some Of the residents Of ParlSland have
become SO unnerved by the "doings" the
last few days that they were talking OF
moving to less spooky surroundings Folks
of Parkland who don't take any stock In
spirits, ghosts and the like, received
shock when they attended circle" at the
home of Henry Thomson, spiritualist me-
dunn, and heard the old refrain, Home
Sweet Home" played on an auto-harp There
was no sign, they say, Of the instrument
being in contact with any human agency,
and yet the wires vibrated as II played
by invisible hands, and the room was
flooded with the old song which has stirred
tender memories in many honescB
breast.
MCKINLEY BRINGS NEWS.
Another uneasy thrill ran through Park
land when it was reported that the shade
OF President Mckinley had dropped In on
the circle" at Mr.. Thomsens home and
announced that the United states was going
TO be plunged into great war within
year
But perhaps nonspiritualists of Park
land suffered the worst shock of all to
their superstitious fears when 1t was an
nounced that Thomson never employed
medical practitioner of the earthly kind'
but summoned an Indian medicine man,
dead 900 years, from the spirit world to
administer to baokache and rheumatic
twinges. The acutely supersttious were
about ready to pack their goods and go
when they heard this. 1t made them feel
creepy to think of an Indian who has been
dead and buried 800 years stalking around
ParSland.
The Spiritualists colony is conducted by
the Spirtualists' Home and Camp Meeting
Association of which Frank Luce, 1924
Columbia avenue, this city Is president.
In the summer. 200 or more SpirtualIsts
assemble at Parkand and hold camp.meet-
ings.
The members of the colony gather at
Thomsen's home Friday nights to receive
messages from spirit friends" Some.
times residents who are not Spirtualists
participate in the Circles"
There are mysterious thrills aplenty,"
Parkland folks say, when Mrs. Martha
Rhaeneck goes into a trance. She Is
known among the Spiritualists of Park
land as trumpet medium" After Mrs,
.Rhaeneck has passed into a state of
trance and the lights are turned dim, a
trumpet, made Of pasteboard, is seen to
hoat mystlcally from one person to an
other A spirit from the "other side" is
supposed to talSe possession of Mrs.
Rhaeneck's body and speak through the
noating trumpet. In describing the ap.
pearance OF the spirit of President McKln-
or course, I knew nothing of what was
going on l was in the trance state and
my spirit had flown and the spirit of Nc
kinney had taken temporary residence in
my body. AFTER / came out of my trance
Wilmington Spirltuallst told me that Nc
kiniey had predicted that this country
would be involved in war within one year.
1.-THE TITANIC DISASTER.
Two hours before the Titanic went down
= 4Ipfctured this great marine disaster while
in trance. described the scenes which
occurred when the great steamship struck
the iceberg in the northern seas
Mrs. Thomas Beck. a member or the
Union Church at Parkland, is not u Spir-
itualist and says she does not believe in
any of the tenets of the faith.
But l have seen things" she said, that
were very queer. l attended circle the
other night and after the lights were turned
low heard music from an auto-harp which
lay on the table in Mr. Thomsen's home.
After listening for a while, 1 said: IF
this thing can be done in the dark II can
be done in the light; turn up the lights
Mr.. Thomson turned on the lights and 1
was astOnished when the harp kept on
playing. could the strings vibrate
in the making of the tune but no fingers
were visible or any other means by which
the harp could be played by human agency
IL was a decided shock to me, and made
me quite nervous"
Thomson says that the spirit of his
ular visitor at the Friday night circles"
When l call my daughter" said Thom-
sen, she always comes The indistinct
lines OF her spiritual form are always visi-
bic to me. She floats through the wall of
the house as easily If no wall existed
She looks very happy and always the fisst
thing she says when she arrives is Papa
] am here dear
Then we sing the last tune she played
on the piano before she passed into the
spirit world, and she accompanies us on
the harp which lies on the table That
tune Is Home. Sweet Home She played
It beautifully when she was an earthly
being but the rendition of Emily the spirit
Is far more wonderful. She gives Home,
Sweet Home a quality of heavenly sweet
ness Sometimes the spirit OF daughter
Emily will play Nearer My God to Thee
and the old song, Sowing the Seeds of
Kindness
SOLDIERS AMONG SPIRITS.
Lately Emily has been speaking much
about the war and its effect on the spirit
world.
f.It is hard on the spirit world she said
70 me last Friday evening. the way the
spirits OF soldiers are coming into spirit |
land We are not prepared to receive
them A"
Here Mrs Thomson broke into her hus-
bands narrative
But Emily" she said, has very little to |
do with the spirits of war. When she was |
on earth she loved children dearly and |
since she has been in the spirit world she |
has made the spirits of little children her |
especial care. She has classes OF these |
children, and my little grandson, who died |
some time ago, is member of one of these |
classes. often ask her about my little |
grandson and she always tells me that he |
is very happy. He romps about with other |
child spirits, she says, and has good time,
as he did while on earth Emily has moth |
cred many little chick who never knew a /
mothers care on earth"
Il was a freethinker" he said, "and / |
used to seold Emily when she attended /
these spiritualist camp-meetlngs But she /
kept going just the same, and after she died |
felt longing to have her with me again.
Then called to her, and she came forth
from the spirit world to comfort us in our
old age.
often 1 say to Emily, What is the
spirit world like7 DO you have houses
there? DO you have food? Don't you ever
want 10 come back?
Emily would reply: Father, dear. It is
hard 70 explain the spirit world only l
-. 1