Spiritualism Versus Christianity

THE spirits commenced their manifestations in this country by knocking on the door of a house occupied by Mr. Michael Weekman, in Hydesville, in the town of Acadia, Wayne County, N. Y., in 1847. Mr. Weekman says, that one evening, about the time of retiring, he heard a rapping on the outside door. On opening it, he found no one there. He went in, for the purpose of retiring, and just before getting into bed, heard the rapping repeated. He quickly opened the door, went out and looked around, but found no one. It being frequently repeated, he took hold of the door-latch, and as soon as the knocking was repeated, he sprang out, went round the house, but no one could be found.

One night, a little girl, about eight years old, was heard to scream, the family ran to her, and as soon as she was able to relate facts, she said she felt something like a hand on the bed and all over her, but was not alarmed till it touched her face. It felt

cold. It was some days before she recovered her equanimity.

The next family who resided in the house was that of Mr. J. D. Fox. Both Mr. and Mrs. Fox were members of the M. E. church, well known, and of unimpeachable character. They moved into the house where Mr. Weekman had lived, in December, 1847, and in March, 1848, first heard the noise. The knocking was so strong as to jar the floor. It was first heard one night, just after the family, except Mr. Fox, were in bed. It continued till they went to sleep, and they were unable to detect the cause. From that time it was continued each night. The 31st of March, the family retired early, and soon heard the knocking. A little girl, twelve years old, endeavored to imitate it, by snapping her fingers, and a response was given by knocking as many times as she snapped. When she stopped the sounds ceased. Another girl said, "Now do as I do," and began to strike one hand with the other; the knocks were repeated as before.

When intelligence was thus manifested Mrs. Fox requested it to count ten: it did so, by rapping ten times. It also, by request, counted the ages of the children correctly. Mrs. Fox questioned it as to its identity. When asked if it was a human being, it was silent. "Are you a spirit ?" Two raps were given. "Are you an injured spirit ?" Two raps, as before, were given. It was finally ascertained that it purported to be the spirit of a pedlar, who

had been murdered in that house for his moneyfive hundred dollars at the age of thirty-one; and that he had left a wife and five children, and his wife had been dead about two years. The neighbors were then, by consent of the spirit, called in, and the questions continued.

From this family the manifestations have spread all over the United States and the Canadas.

It is said the spirits communicate by rapping, table tipping, writing through a medium, writing without a medium, speaking through a medium, and speaking without a medium.

Mediums are distinguished as rapping, tipping, writing, speaking, drawing, impressional, dreaming, and seeing mediums. The seeing and speaking mediums are deemed to be the highest order. Such are "seers" and "inspired" speakers.

JUDGE EDMONDS says, in the introduction to his work on spiritualism :

"I have known a pine table, with four legs, lifted up bodily from the floor, in the centre of a circle of six or eight persons, turned upside down, and laid upon its top at our feet, then lifted up over our heads, and put leaning against the back of the sofa on which we sat. I have seen a mahogany centre-table, having only a centre leg, and with a lamp burning upon it, lifted from the floor, at least a foot, in spite of the efforts of those present, and shaken backward and forward, as one would shake a goblet in his hand. . I have known a din

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Spiritualism Versus Christianity: Or, Spiritualism Thoroughly Exposed