SILAMYS

“I am not a Spiritualist because much that is presented under the banner of Spiritualism meets my concurrence or approval, for the reverse is the fact. I am utterly disgusted, sickened, humiliated, ashamed, mortified with much that passes with the rank and file as Spiritualism, but I have been equally disgusted with Methodist revivals and camp meetings.

“I am not a Spiritualist because the communications I have received from spirit friends were as full and complete and natural and satisfactory as those I have received from them while yet embodied.

“I am not a Spiritualist because of the vast amount of fraud, deception, humbuggery and imposition practised under the cloak of Spiritualism, but I am a Spiritualist in spite and independent of and notwithstanding this lamentable fact.

“What then, has converted me to Spiritualism? Why am I a Spiritualist?

(…)

“In the year 1878 I was physician to the Allen County Infirmary. Three of the Irish inmates died so closely together as to be buried at the same time. In the night after their burial I assisted in the resurrection of their bodies and conveying them to the dissecting room of the Fort Wayne Medical College, which dissecting room was then located on Barr street. Guilty as I was of this then misdemeanor (now it is a penitentiary offence, but the law grants us the bodies of all who die unclaimed by friends, provided we make the proper application to the authorities) I say, guilty as I was of this violation of the law, I had almost forgotten it when a few years ago, in a seance given by Mr. George Hail, I was forcibly reminded of it by a voice in Irish accents through the trumpet, calling me by name, and purporting to be that of “Moike”, who was “one of the three”, as he put it, who were resurrected, etc., giving all of the particulars, into which it is not necessary here to enter. Suffice it to say that it was all true.

(…)

“My wife and I, with several other Fort Wayne people, attended at Cassadaga in Aug. ’94, a materializing seance, Mrs. Maude Gillette being the medium. The room was unusually lighted for a seance of this character. Every person in it could be readily recognized from any part of it. I believe that I could have read ordinary newspaper print by the light it contained. Up to this evening I had failed to satisfy myself of the truth of materialization. I had no more confidence in it than I had in the story of Moses and Elias materializing on the Mount of Transfiguration. Many of the forms that appeared in this seance built themselves up from two to four feet or more away from and independent of the cabinet, in the full view of every person in the room. The cabinet consisted of a few curtains stretched across a solid corner of the room, a chair behind them on which the medium sat entranced. The curtains did not reach within three or four feet of the ceiling. There was no room behind but for the chair and its occupant. In the course of a few minutes the control of the medium announced to me in a loud, clear voice, that a lady desired to materialize for me. I responded with “I would be very glad indeed to witness the materialization”. I was then directed to stand in about the centre of the circle, which was in the shape of a horse-shoe, the cabinet being situated at the opening. I must have stood from three to five feet away from and in front of the cabinet, which, apparently at least, did not seem to be concerned in the phenomenon about to be produced. I was directed to watch the floor at my feet. I did so. Presently I saw a light, cloudy something about as large as my fist, from which I did not take my eyes until it developed gradually, steadily, step by step, into a human form of a size as large if not taller than myself, which I recognized as the lady at whose transition in June I was present, and called her by name, taking her by her right hand at the same time. She was glad that I recognized her, talked lovingly of her family and reminded me of occurrences that took place in her room during the last few hours of her mortal existence, which no one present knew anything of but she and myself. Finally she called to her an old lady friend, who with herself had formerly been prominently connected with the First Baptist Church in Fort Wayne, who took hold of her left hand. She then called up to her my wife. Thus, three of us held quite a conversation and had a most momentous visit with her. In the course of a few minutes, however, she announced to us that she was getting weak and would have to go. While we three were standing in front of her, I having hold of her right and the lady referred to having hold of her left hand, this form began gradually to sink down, the lady and myself stooping slowly with it until it vanished entirely from before our eyes while we were in the stooping posture, and being unable to feel the sensation we naturally expected to feel by the severance in any manner of the grasp of our hands. Her hands which for a lime had felt so natural, perhaps not as warm as our own, seemed simply to vanish from our own without creating any impression or sensation. I know of no other word that will describe her disappearance before our eyes than that she “vanished” slowly away from us.

“These are some of the evidences for the knowledge that is within me of a future existence and my stock is by no means exhausted. I could multiply them a hundred fold or more, but to no avail. A single one, if sufficiently attested, is as good as a thousand. Either those that I have here related are true, or I am a most colossal, diabolical liar, trifling with the most sacred affections of the human heart. If the reader decides upon the latter verdict he credits me with a genius for their creation and manufacture which I had no idea I possessed.

These and many similar phenomena are what converted me to Spiritualism, and I challenge all science, all theology and all philosophy to explain them upon any other than the Spiritual hypothesis”.

“I have seen again and again these phenomena produced, heard these voices from the angel world, caught their Iiving words of instruction and inspiration fresh from angelic lips, seen their forms materializing and dematerializing like a cloud vanishing from sight, held them by the hand, and have felt their hands in benediction on my head, and have learned to know and trust, and love those inhabitants of the spirit world individually, even as I know and trust and love friends in the flesh”.

I have found a truth that humanity needs, that brings unspeakable joy to human hearts and homes, that brightens all the life, that assuages sorrow, that dispels care, that kills the materialistic spirit of our age and lifts manhood unto nobler thought and life. What is my duty?”

Rev. A. J. Weaver

“In 1892 I went to Boston, Mass., an absolute stranger, to find out if possible whether my “dead” wife was still alive or not. I went first to Mrs. Martin’s materializing seances. The lights were lowered but not extinguished. Soon the cabinet door opened and human forms, robed in white, came out greeted various parties present, and went back. This went on for a full half hour and I came to the conclusion that the whole thing was a farce. I pitied the idiots around me. I resolved to expose the whole thing in a Boston paper. As I could not get out I settled quietly back m my chair with my eyes on the floor. Suddenly my attention was drawn to what appeared to be a bit of white muslin lying as if by accident on the instep of one of my shoes. I wondered what it was and where it came from. I thought it might be my handkerchief and my hand went instantly into my pocket. Suddenly it began to shake and enlarge and rise as if alive. It did not occur to me even then that it had any connection with a spirit or with the seance. It kept on trembling and growing till my feet were entirely buried beneath a pile of what seemed to be delicate lace. Soon I felt within it against my knees something more solid than the fabric. As this something grew in size I enclosed it in my arms. It quivered in every part. Soon there was an armful of lace piled up in my lap as it descended in fold after fold from this form. I examined this lace. It felt like a mixture of silk and wool and glistened like a snow crystal in sunlight. Suddenly all motion ceased, the drapery opened and a woman’s form stood erect before me. She reached out her hand, took mine and I arose. Leaning her head close to mine she said: “I am your wife, Helen”. (…) She remained perhaps three or four minutes. Holding her right hand in mine with my left arm around her I went with her across the room to the door of the cabinet. There sat the medium apparently dead. Almost instantly the form melted out of my arms and nothing remained. I went back to my chair a changed man”.

(…)  “The spirits would materialize, two and three at a time, on the floor or on a chair. On a sofa directly behind my chair I watched two spirits while they grew up from what appeared to be a patch of light resting on the sofa seat into full form. When they stepped down upon the floor I laid my hand upon the head of one and said : “You have no hair —only a thick coat of fuzz.” She at once raised both hands to her head, opening and closing her fingers, when before my eyes hair began to come, and in less than two minutes it hung down to her waist”.

C. Markham from Jersey

“The facts that I herewith relate were those witnessed at the seances of Mrs. M. E. Williams, in New York. They are only a very small fraction of what I saw there (…)  there appeared a while form In front of the cabinet, not half the size of the medium, and any candid observer would know from its appearance and motions that it was no mortal body; it moved across the room and dissolved. (…) Then there appeared the form of an old man called Holland, who said to me, “We are glad to see you here. I will aid your friends in communicating with you; you shall see them”. Then his form disappeared, it did not move away but vanished. (…)  then there appeared a shadowy form, and when I came near it I at once recognized the head of my wife. Not as I expected to see her in health but very pale, with her abundant grey hair hanging in heavy dishevelled curls beside her face, and with a blanket about her shoulders, as I had seen her in her last illness. She reached out her hands and took hold of both of mine. I said, ‘ Is it you?” Then she spoke in her natural voice, “Yes, my dear! my dear! Thank God! Thank God! Then she disappeared, dissolved. (This is what converted me to Spiritualism)”.

Emerson J. MacRobert from London, Ontario

“In August 1893, Dr. C— and I started for Lake Brady, Ohio, where Spiritualists were holding a Camp Meeting, to have some fun and of course expose the mediums (…) We told no person where we were going (…) We did not register or give any information to any person, but amused ourselves by taking in the sights, with hundreds of other people on the grounds. We knew not one individual. We found during the afternoon that a full-form, in-the-light, materializing séance was to be held that evening by Mrs. Effie Moss. We decided to go, separately. I went first to the door and was invited to come in. I took a seat at one side of the room with some other people, and spoke to no person, nor did any person speak to me. Shortly after Dr. C— came in and took a seat on the opposite site of the room. (…) An invitation was given to any person wishing to examine the cabinet (…) I with others accepted the invitation and examined it very carefully, also the carpet which was loose upon the floor.

“We went to our seats and the séance began by the singing of a familiar hymn, during which time a little child came out of the cabinet and spoke to several present. She was supposed to be a cabinet control called Lilly Gray, a very pretty little girl, Of course we could account for that manifestation. The medium who still sat outside, near the cabinet, had smuggled this little girl in, under her skirt; however, the next spirit was that of a larger girl who ran across the room and jumped upon the knee of my friend, Dr. C—. She called him ” Papa,” and asked him why he had not told her Mamma that he was coming to Lake Brady. (He had not told his wife where he was going.) He asked the spirit her name and what she died of. She gave the name, and said that she had died of ” Diptheritic Croup.” Immediately my friend took his handkerchief and began wiping his eyes. I was dumb-founded. I did not know he had a child in spirit life at all, and could not understand such actions on his part; however, after his little spirit daughter had sent a beautiful message to her mother, she returned to the cabinet, and the doctor continued to weep. The medium then went into the cabinet, and the next spirit that appeared was that of a young lady, which I could not mistake at sight. The gentleman who attended the curtain of the cabinet asked the spirit whom she wished to see. She answered “My husband, Mr. MacRobert.” He immediately said, “This spirit wants to see her husband, Mr. Roberts.” As that was not my name I did not answer. The gentleman then turning to the spirit said, “You will have to go back, you are not recognized. Your husband is not here.” She replied, “I am recognized. You have the name wrong, it is MacRobert and he sits there,” pointing to me. He said, “Is your name MacRobert?” I answered, “Yes, but you asked for Mr. Robert.” He said, “You knew who I meant, come and see your wife.” I had no doubt whatever as to the spirit being my wife, her make up was perfect. She never looked more natural. I went up to her, she took me by the hand placing her arm around my neck, embracing me saying, “I am pleased to meet you, dear husband.” I said, “You are not my wife. I do not know you, I live in Chicago.” She quickly answered, saying, “I am your wife. Your name is Emerson J. MacRobert. You live at 507 Queen’s Ave., London, Ont. You and your friend, Dr. C— came here to expose the mediums. I am your wife, was married to you in 1881, during the time you taught school at Rodney. My name was Elizabeth Kennedy Gawley. I passed to spirit life on Sunday evening, July 25th, 1882, my baby being only thirteen days old. He is now with me here. His name is Emerson Burt. Would you like to see him?”

“I have talked to her hundreds of times since then. I have had portraits of her painted while she stood in materialized form for the same. I have had her photographed under similar conditions while she stood beside me with my spirit son on the opposite side, and in many ways have had proofs innumerable of her identity and that of my son, and other friends who have passed away.

“These are a few of the facts that have made me a Spiritualist, and I could recite you hundreds of others equally as convincing.”

Andrew C. Dunn, lawyer and local representative in Minnesota

1. “I have obtained evidence satisfactory to myself that life is continuous and progressive.
2. I have evidence that satisfies me that our friends, after the change called death takes place, are ever near us in their spirit forms, impressing us by their presence, making themselves felt by us, perhaps, in most cases, unconsciously to ourselves.
3. It is possible for our spirit friends, when the conditions are right, to actually enter into tangible communication with us here in the mortal form and to give us ample evidence of their existence in another bodily condition than that in which we live.
4. There is no supernaturalism — nothing above natural law. What we understand, or rather what we have been accustomed to, we esteem natural and reasonable. What we cannot as yet explain scientifically we regard as miraculous.
5. I am satisfied that after death, as before, our condition is what we will to make it. We are free agents and can progress after death as well as before.

Finally, this knowledge that has been given to me has made me happier than I ever was in my life before. I am rejoicing in a wide expression of thought which gives me a happiness and pleasure which I never experienced in my long life and work in the churches”.

85. What, according to Spiritualism, is the relation between the present life and the life after death?

The life after death is simply a continuation, a sequel, of the life here. A man starts in the spirit life, mentally and morally where he left off here. There is no sudden transformation of character in death. A man’s future status depends upon his thought, sentiments and conduct here. In a large sense the future is a harvest from his earth life seed-sowing. This teaching is entirely novel and distinctly opposed to the conception of the After Life fostered and taught for centuries by the churches, that death changed us instantly into angels or demons.

88. Do the departed, according to Spiritualism, find heaven and hell as depicted by Church teaching?

Not at all. On the contrary they find a very natural world on a plane of vibration higher than this, but very similar in many ways, yet more beautiful. They deny any vision of a great white throne, any manifestations of a personal God, any appearance of Jesus, or any lake of fire and torment for lost souls.

They do assert, however, that great moral distinctions are found in the spirit realm. That some of the departed may be truly represented as in heaven and others as in hell. They tell us that each soul entering spirit life brings his own heaven or hell with it. Some souls gravitate downward toward the spheres of darkness and suffering and find their “own place” by the operation of natural law. Some souls mount upward to spheres of light, love and beauty, and having peace and love within themselves find the happiness of the blest. They say there is, therefore, a fundamental truth in the doctrine of heaven and hell if the descriptions of the same in the Bible and church teaching are taken as figurative and not literalized.

90. How, according to Spiritualistic teaching, do the arisen spirit friends pass their time in spirit life?

In a great multitude of engagements. Among these we may mention the following: In study of the new realm and intercourse with its inhabitants; in attending lectures, meetings, schools and colleges; in researches in science suited to their former tastes and avocations; in recreations and amusements; in travel and adventure; in music, art and authorship; in ministrations to the ignorant and undeveloped souls; and in communion with earth friends, and a practical prolongation of their earth careers by inspiring and aiding mortals to continue their former earth labors.