“I am sure, dear Mrs. Wylie, that when we see a photograph taken of a spirit face we can not doubt its genuineness. Cameras do not lie.�
“Don’t they? I am not sure. I have heard that people have tried to get pictures of materialized spirits, and failed. The camera plate reveals nothing, proving the delusions. Did you ever see an authentic spirit-photograph?�
“My father did, and I have often heard him tell the story, although he does not profess to believe in spiritism. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and while in the West, a number of years ago, one of his brother knights sickened and died. The family had no good portrait of the man, and my father, who was superintending the funeral arrangements, obtained permission to get some one to take a picture of the corpse.
“There was a young lady photographer a few doors away and she was called in. She told them she was out of negative plates (they were in a country town where supplies were not readily obtainable) but that any glass would do. Accordingly she found a pane of window glass, and cut it to the required dimensions and prepared it otherwise for the holder. My father propped the man upon pillows as well as he could, and the artist focused upon him with care. Removing the plate she took it to a dark closet, previously prepared, to apply the developing solution, and then brought it forth to show to my father. He looked at it, and exclaimed in surprise, for instead of the dead man alone, there were three figures upon the negative, a very good portrait of the corpse, and on either side a man and a woman, their faces growing more distinct as they looked. The artist was as much surprised as my father, and could not account for the phenomenon. At last they called in a friend of the family, who at once recognized and pronounced the portraits to be those of a deceased brother and sister of the dead man. The widow corroborated their statements, recognizing them and calling them by their names. My father ordered the artist to take another picture, as he wanted to keep this, and she did so, obtaining one of the dead man alone. I have not only my father’s word for this, but that of others who were present at the time and acquainted with the facts. Certainly, dear Mrs. Wylie, that could have come only from actual materialized spirits before the camera.�
“Unless the images were already stamped upon the plate by some natural process before the picture was taken. The glass might have been some old cast-off negative from a studio; or I have read of breath pictures stamped upon window-panes by natural, if not well-understood, forces. There might have been a mirror behind the dead man, which reflected your father and the artist as the picture was being taken. Of course it is very mysterious, but might have a simple explanation if we could find it. The orientals believe they have astral bodies which they can project at will. I am willing, I think, to believe in anything, rather than spirits; for, my dear friend, even if we grant that the spirits of our dear departed are near us, and acting as guardian-angels to us, do you think it would be necessary for them to resort to so much that is unpleasant and almost ludicrous in order to make us aware of their presence? And even if they are able to make themselves visible to the eye of the camera, is it well for us to try to communicate with them and to seek to discover that which God has hidden from us?�
“My dear, we are told to seek for the truth. And why, then, is it not well? Surely, if the presence of my children was dear to me on earth, it is dear to me now.�
“Yes, if you were in heaven with them; but I cannot believe such doubtful converse as this, gotten through mediumistic agency, can be well for any one.�
“I can see no possible harm in it,� returned Mrs. Lucien, with an air of conviction. “Even Christ materialized after his crucifixion.�
“But He didn’t have a cabinet and a medium to assist Him,� replied Mrs. Wylie, with some asperity. “There is really so much that is despicable and demoralizing connected with the history of this belief that I confess I have little patience with the followers of it.�
“My dear, wrong has been done in all sects and societies. Any new belief is apt to draw to itself many who are no honor to it.�