Sixty-four Queries addressed to a Convocation of Worthies from the Spirit World; also, the Replies given by them, and confirmed under conditions which no mortal could pervert.
548. Having received many pages of communication from my father, sister, brother, and certain other spirit friends, on the subject of the spirit world, and having been urged by him and other inhabitants of that world to publish the information thus communicated, I represented, at a time when this honoured being reported his presence, that I felt a reluctance at publishing solely on the authority of my relations; and requested that certain distinguished spirits, who, as I had been told, had attended one of my lectures at Boston, should sanction a synopsis of the facts which I had learned respecting the spirit world. ([409] to 547.)
549. The propriety of my request being admitted, it was appointed that on Monday, the 18th of February, 1855, at nine o’clock, there should be a convocation of some of the worthies in question at the dwelling of the excellent medium employed. Accordingly, soon after my arrival there, at the appointed time, my father reported himself, and the following names were spelt out as being present:
- George Washington,
- J. Q. Adams,
- Wm. H. Harrison,
- A. Jackson,
- Henry Clay,
- Benjamin Franklin,
- W. E. Channing,
- H. K. White,
- Isaac Newton,
- Byron,
- Martha Washington,
- Besides relatives and friends.
550. The queries subjoined were then read successively, pausing, of course, for an answer to each in turn.
551. The answers were given through an instrument analogous to that represented by Fig. 1, [Plate 4], and described on the page opposite to the plate.
552. Finally, after all the queries had been answered agreeably to the usual conditions, a confirmation of the whole was given under test conditions, as explained in the page opposite [Plate 4].
553. Relying on these conditions as competent to secure the issue against the control of the medium or that of any other mortal, the question was put, “Have all the answers been correctly communicated?” In reply, the index moved so as to point to the word “Yes,” and the following address was made at the same time:
554. Friend, we have heard your questions, and severally affirm that we have answered them as recorded by you.
555. It is to be understood that all the subjoined inquiries were answered simply in the affirmative, excepting where a qualified answer made more words necessary than the word “Yes,” by itself. The queries having been previously reduced to writing, the answers were written down by me at once.