The Missing Link In Modern Spiritualism Part 35

"This terminated the sitting for the time; the _arm_ still remaining paralyzed as before. But late in the evening, after the departure of several visitors, the ladies sat down again. This time, by rapping, a request was made to darken the room. After a brief delay the arm was manipulated as the leg had been, but with more force, as if rubbed downward from the shoulder by a smooth and somewhat elastic piece of metal, like the steel busk sometimes used in ladies' stays. After this had been continued for some time, what seemed to the touch a steel busk was laid in Mrs. Davis's right hand, and, by raps, a request was spelled out to close the fingers upon it. This she found herself able to do with a firm grasp. Then the busk was drawn forcibly from her hand.

"From that time forth she recovered the use of her arm as completely as she had that of her leg. Nor has she had pain or any return of the paralysis, or weakness, or loss of temperature, in either limb, from that day to the present time;[19] that is, during four years.

[19] Written July, 1862, when this narrative was communicated to me.

"In communicating the above to me, as Mrs. Davis did, in presence of the same friend who accompanied her to Mrs. Underhill's, Mrs. Davis kindly gave me permission to use her name."[20]

[20] The above was related to me July 20, 1862, by Mrs. Davis herself. I wrote it out next day; and submitted the ma.n.u.script on the 24th of July to Mrs. Davis, in presence of Mrs. J., for authentication. It was a.s.sented to by both ladies as correct.

CHAPTER XXVII.

MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS.

J. HEDDON--S. CHAMBERLAIN--JOHN E. ROBINSON--A. UNDERHILL--GEORGE LEE, M. D.

The two following letters, from Mr. Heddon and Judge Chamberlain to me, I take from _The Cleveland Plaindealer_, in which paper they are thus prefaced by the editor:

"_More Testimony._--Some friends of Mrs. Fish, on learning her intended visit to this city, gave her many flattering letters, signifying their great esteem for her and confidence in the 'good cause,' as they call it, of the doctrine of Spiritualism. Among the many such testimonials we select the following from J. Heddon, Esq., and Judge Chamberlain, men of the first standing in their community."

J. HEDDON.

"STAFFORD, May 9, 1851.

"RESPECTED MADAM: As Mr. Chamberlain and myself left Rochester before we had an opportunity of copying those Spiritual manifestations, I will now transcribe and send them to you by mail, and Mr. Chamberlain engages to do the same. You are at perfect liberty to make any use you may think proper of mine, including or omitting the name, as you may think best; for I am alike indifferent to frowns or flattery. I feel a lively interest in the cause, and I believe many of my friends will be induced to pay you a visit on your return from the West; and most a.s.suredly your humble servant among the rest. The communications I copy _verbatim_ on the other side of the sheet.

"Wis.h.i.+ng you a pleasant and successful visit to Cleveland, I am

"Your most ob't servant, "J. HEDDON."

"STAFFORD, May 9, 1851.

"You are aware that, for the first time, I had manifestations on my person of the presence of Spirits at your house on Thursday last, after which I received the following communication from my Spirit friends. My wife thus addressed me:

"'My dear: I am with you always; in the silent hour of midnight, when all is quiet, I rest upon your bosom and bless you, and keep you safe.'

"_Message to her Child._--'Teach her to know her mother watches over her; tell her she has a mother "still living," teach her to know that death hath no terror--the transition from Earth to Heaven is past description; we shall all be again united. All is well.'

"The Spirit of my father then said: 'I sanction all she has said--the Truth will rise triumphant--the cause is good. G.o.d rules victorious.'

"In answer to a question whether I should have manifestations at home, my wife replied, 'I will make sounds upon your pillows.'

"The Spirit of a recently departed brother said, 'Tell her (our mother) I thought of her when I was dying, and desired to see you all, but when my soul was released I came to your abode, and was greatly delighted with my privileges. Things will change with you, and you will rejoice and know the truth.'

"The numerous test questions I kept no record of, and consequently they are omitted here.

"J. HEDDON.

"N. B. My brother died far away from home, which accounts for the above message to his mother."

S. CHAMBERLAIN.

"LE ROY, N. Y., May 10, 1851.

"MRS. A. L. FISH:

"I herewith annex a copy of an account of some incidents which occurred at your house on the 7th inst. The following _mental_ questions were asked and replied to by the Spirits in the usual manner.

"I asked if the Spirit I then had in my mind were present? Answer, 'Yes.'

"I then asked if the Spirit would give me a message. The alphabet was called for and the following was spelled out:

"'I used to oppose the subject. I departed this life within the last year; I am convinced of the reality of these things now. I visited Mrs. Fish soon after I left the mortal body, and was pleased with my interview. I scorned the idea of visiting her when I lived on earth, but now I am delighted to call occasionally and listen to the communications. I wish I had known something more about these things before I left the earth.'

"I asked him to give me the letters of his name; which he did. This I considered a good test, as no one present could know whom I had in my mind; and the fact of his death and opinions on this subject were true, as I had been intimately acquainted with him for a period of twenty years, and had had many interviews with him on the subject.

"I then asked, mentally, for the Spirit of a new acquaintance, with whom I had a misunderstanding while in life, which was not settled at his death. I asked him, mentally, what he had to say on the subject? The alphabet was called for, and said, 'We are good friends again. All differences are now settled forever.'

"I then said, mentally, 'Perhaps I was wrong.' He said, 'No, I was in fault.' I asked him to spell his first name, which he did. I asked the Spirit of my father-in-law if I should have a medium in my family. He answered, by alphabet, 'You have a medium in your family already;' which was true. I asked in what way. He replied, 'A medium in writing.' This was also true. I asked him to spell his name, which he declined. I asked him why the Spirits declined, generally, to give their names. He answered, 'That would convince the sceptic too easily.' He then said, 'No good thing can be obtained without some labor--the husbandman must till his ground before it will bring forth much fruit.' There were many other questions and answers that I consider equally good tests, but have no time to give them now.

"Wis.h.i.+ng you much pleasure and true friends through life,

I am very sincerely yours, "S. CHAMBERLAIN."

This Judge Chamberlain was one of the most respectable citizens of Le Roy, N. Y.

JOHN E. ROBINSON.

"ROCHESTER, May 23, 1851.

"DEAR FRIEND LEAH: Your letter was received two days since, and I thank your punctuality in thus early remembering not to forget me. The accompanying half-sheet was very welcome to Rachel. You could hardly have written more, under the circ.u.mstances. I will therefore excuse you for not giving me a particular account of things up to the date when yours was penned. I shall, however, expect a long letter from you soon, written all to me, and as the warfare has, by this time, fairly opened between our friends, the Spirits, and their antagonists in Cleveland, you will have enough to tell me. The result of the 'pa.s.sage at arms' is, of course, not doubtful to any who, like me, are aware of the temper of the weapons which the Spirits wield against their opponents. But we are all interested, exceedingly so, in looking on, while the battle is waged in a new field, with fresh antagonists confident in their own strength because ignorant of the power of the opposing force. It is amusing, this confidence of inflated ignorance! but it is such a universal weakness, that we can hardly any longer wonder at its manifestation. You have so often witnessed it, and have so often triumphed over those who came to sneer and scoff at you, that I think you can well afford now to keep your temper well harnessed on such occasions, and let your auditors see how calm, how confident you are, while awaiting their overthrow. Why, Leah, you can afford to wear a smile and confront, with an unflas.h.i.+ng eye, the deriding, sneering sceptic, or even the enraged bigot, who backs his authoritative condemnation by relating falsehoods that have been a thousand times refuted. 'But it is difficult,' say you, 'for me to be _more_ than mortal.' I know it, and doubt very much if I could be half as patient as you are. But I am at a _safe distance_, and have hazarded giving you (very modestly) this quiet hint. The application of whalebone to a man's back _may_ help his manners and regulate the movements of his tongue and pen, but it is not very apt to convince his reason. Mr. Sackett, probably, is quite aware of this; and his administration of the corrective was evidently intended for the moral improvement of the _Herald_ man. You wish he (Mr. S.) would come and mete out such justice to the Rochester editorial fraternity. I do not.

They are not _worth_ the _trouble_ of horse-whipping, and besides, only be patient, Leah, and you will see them yet so confoundedly trounced by the Spirits, that it will last them till the orthodox judgment day d.a.m.ns them. It is to be hoped you are wise enough to retire from company sufficiently early in the evening to give you time for rest. There is scarcely anything which more destroys one's equanimity of mind than this neglect of rest. Now will you remember and take care of yourself? I have not yet done with you, for this reason--you need scolding once in a while, and have but few friends who are willing to do it; so I shall remind you, on all proper occasions, of your delinquencies. It occurred to me the other day that we were wrong in so often thinking, latterly, that Spiritualism had made but little advance in some time. It is true, so far as our knowledge is concerned; and the number of mediums for Spiritual communications seems very limited. But all this while the subject has been taking hold of people's minds in _all parts of the country_. They do not stop thinking because a few church conferences and priest-ridden journalists tell them to. Editors who have some independence will write, and their readers will digest anything which is made palatable by the semblance of candor. There is, perhaps, no one subject which is more thought of throughout this country and Europe at this very time than these Spirit, demonstrations. I believe you will go to England and France; but when, and how, and under what auspices, I will not try to guess. Tell Calvin I am obliged for the papers sent by him. I have not seen any of the inmates of your house since you left. I would call there if there were any necessity, but you have left matters in safe custody.

"Say to your sister Maria I hope the journey affords her pleasure, both in seeing a part of the beauties of the great West and in rendering you a.s.sistance, who so often want a sister upon whom you can lean and rely with confidence.

"My best regards to her and Calvin, as well as yourself.

"Yours truly, "J. E. R."

A. UNDERHILL.