945. “I am watching your silent communings. The lofty aspirations of your souls are not of an earthly nature. Your minds are being enlightened and seeking communion with God. Be encouraged, my dear sisters; we shall all be united in love. Be well grounded in the spiritual faith, and let your motto be—Onward in the divine life.
Mary.”
946. Again, it was written, “Sing with the spirit! Sister, let thy heart make tuneful melody with an angel choir who now surround you! Sing a song to immortality; how the dear departed, clothed in robes of victory, now stand on heavenly hills, enwrapt in glorious visions of the Great Eternal, bowing before the throne! Sing, ‘Death, where is thy sting? oh! grave, where is thy victory?’
947. “While here you meet, guardian angels are in attendance. Here is a gray-haired sire, a mother, and a sweet-lipped babe. All have come, with noiseless wing, to listen to thee. Precious moments! Improve them in converse sweet of heaven, and blessings, richer far than earthly treasures, we will pour upon you.”
948. The reminiscences of the hours devoted with my friend to the investigation of this sublime subject are among the happiest of my life. They serve to awaken the purest, holiest, and most affectionate sentiments and sympathies of my nature, and thereby lead me into closer communion with the loved ones who have gone before me.
949. But in reference to my family, I was for a season destined to be alone in my happy belief. It is true, my husband did not reject the subject, but thought the phenomena in question might be accounted for by a reference to the principles of mental science. I requested him to solve the mystery. He attempted it, but failed. His explanation, like all others adverse to the spiritual theory, was an explanation in which nothing is explained.
950. About three months after these occurrences, a lady informed my husband that one of her daughters, about fifteen years of age, was a medium for the rappings. The young lady being present, declined the appellation as a term of reproach. Perceiving her discomfort, he requested to know what she thought of these manifestations. Her reply was, that they claimed a spiritual origin, but, in her opinion, they were due to “electricity, or something of that sort.”
951. Hearing the raps on the young lady’s chair, and on various other articles of furniture in the room, he requested her to put her hands on the table. This being done, the sounds were made on the table so loud and distinct, that they might have been heard in an adjoining apartment. Inquiring of the spirits if they would communicate with him by the alphabet, he was answered in the affirmative by three raps.
952. Having taken a seat at some distance from the table, and placed himself in such a position that no one could see the letters but himself, he proceeded to take down those indicated by the sounds as he passed a pencil slowly over the alphabet.
953. The sounds having at length ceased to respond, he tried to read the communication, but found it impossible to do so until he had first arranged what was written into words and sentences. This having been accomplished, he read, to his utter amazement, as follows: “My dear son, your parent rejoices in this opportunity to communicate with you. Let me advise you to investigate this most important subject; it will benefit you in time and eternity.