1645. “Next, a cane with a hooked handle was laid on the carpet, under the table. Immediately, it struck the table violently, and rubbed along the under surface its entire length. It then fell to the floor, and traversed over and under the feet of several of the party, like a living snake—in one or two instances the foot being involuntarily lifted to enable it to pass under. Its movements were exceedingly curious. At one time, we caught hold of the handle as it protruded itself by our side, and endeavoured to pull it from under the table; but the resistance was as strong as though another hand was grasping it at the opposite end.
1646. “We were now directed to put several things under the table, observe how they were placed, and wait for results. When told to look, we found that a penknife was missing, nor could it be discovered by the most careful search. On again resuming our seats, we were told to take another look; and, behold! there was the penknife, precisely where it had been originally placed!
1647. “Next, we were directed to lay some writing-paper, with a pencil upon it, under the table. This was done; and, in a few moments, on being told to look, we found the word ‘Jesse’ written upon it in a scrawling hand, as though made with great difficulty. The same experiment was again made, and ‘Isaac T. H.’ (Hopper) was written very legibly, and in a different hand. A third time this was done, and ‘Mary Jane’ was recorded,—the name of a young lady who had been communicating with a gentleman present. The first two autographs we have in our possession.
1648. “We now made two requests of ‘Jesse,’ to convince us yet more strongly of his presence. The first was, to press our right foot firmly to the floor, and to make loud raps directly under it. This was quickly done, the foot being grasped as by a mortal hand, and vibrating to the raps thus strangely made. The second was, if possible, to take us by the right hand with his own, so as to make the touch palpable beyond a doubt. Keeping the hand carefully in custody between our knees as we sat—the hands of all the company, including those of the medium, being on the table—we, in a few moments, had it patted, first on one side, then on the other, briskly and repeatedly, as if by another hand, having a negative feeling, as though there was no warmth in it, but natural in every other respect. For the general gratification, the same thing was done to others of the party.
1649. “How shall demonstrations like these be accounted for, except on the hypothesis of spirit-agency? If we cannot positively affirm that Isaac T. Hopper and Jesse Hutchinson were present on that occasion, we are, at least, prepared to declare, as our own conviction, as well as that of the entire company, we believe, that invisible spirits, not of this mundane sphere, performed the phenomena we have thus briefly narrated to our readers.”
Testimony of Mr. and Mrs. Newton.
1650. The following is extracted from a highly interesting letter, entitled, “The Ministry of Angels Realized,” addressed by Mr. and Mrs. Newton to the Edward’s Congregational Church, Boston, of which they were members. Mr. Newton is editor of the “New England Spiritualist,” and sustains a reputation for high moral and intellectual attainment.
1651. “The results, however, of this first investigation, at the time, were (for reasons not then apparent, but which have since been made plain to us) far from satisfactory. Though we witnessed some striking evidences of invisible intelligent agency, there was nothing by which this agency could be possibly identified; and the conclusion seemed most in accordance with our previous opinions, that, if any agency beyond that of human beings was concerned, it was that of evil and seducing spirits. Some months subsequently to this, we were led to attempt the investigation under circumstances more favourable to arriving at a satisfactory conclusion. * * * The results of this interview were of the most surprising, yea, astounding character. An intelligence, claiming to be that of a venerated parent, who had long since passed within the veil, manifested its presence, and addressed to one of us a communication glowing with parental affection, and breathing the very spirit of the upper realm. This was accompanied by the statement of a number of facts, pertaining to his earthly life, none of which, we were fully satisfied, could have been known to any person, bodily present, except the inquirer, and some of them unknown even to him. Although the investigation had been approached with minds on the alert and perceptions sharpened to detect collusion, imposture, deception, or diabolism, in any of its forms, no trace of them could be perceived; all was conducted with evident frankness and candour, on the part of those concerned; and no solution of the mystery was then arrived at, and no adequate one has since been offered, which does not recognise the agency of intelligent beings. A trumpet-blast from the clouds could scarcely have been more startling to our prejudices and unbelief than was that message from the hidden world. * * * As may be well supposed, the interest awakened by this occurrence was sufficient to lead to a further investigation. But a truth so novel and startling could not at once be received, however demonstrative and convincing the evidence on which it rested. Nor was it until evidence had accumulated upon evidence, and proof become piled upon proof—not until manifestations of the most marvellous character had been repeatedly witnessed, under a great variety of circumstances, and notwithstanding the application of every conceivable test—that we could consent to acknowledge, even to ourselves, a belief in the agency of spiritual beings. That belief, however, in spite of prejudice and skepticism, in spite of the general cry of “humbug” and “imposture,” in spite of all attempts of scientific men to explain the marvels on the basis of materialism, (which explanations we found in every case to be wholly inadequate to account for what we witnessed,) that belief became at length forced upon our minds by irresistible evidence.
1652. “But the question still pressed upon us, who were these invisible beings? and what their character and designs? They claimed to be the spirits of departed human beings. Some of them insisted that they were our relatives and friends, and they furnished most startling and inexplicable proofs of their identity. They professed to be thus manifesting themselves to our outward senses, for the purest and holiest of purposes. * * *