INFORMATION OF A SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE—THE WEDDING AND
THE WEDDING TOUR TO THE PLANET MARS.
For a long time I had regular slate-writing seances in the light and one dark trumpet seance every week at Mrs. Green’s residence, No. 309 Longworth street, and at that time were generally present the following persons: Mr. and Mrs. Stebbins, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Remlin, Mr. and Mrs. Helleberg, all of Cincinnati, and Mrs. Bogg, from Newport, Ky. In these trumpet seances the spirits not only played on musical instruments, which they carried over our heads, and very often touched us with them and their hands, but talked and sung to us with or without the trumpet. The 12th of January, 1882, our son Emil astonished us with the information that he was going to marry Miss Ida, the spirit daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stebbins, and that she would be his spirit wife. In a slate-writing seance, the 16th of January, he informed me that Mr. Swedenborg would perform the nuptial ceremony, and who also had determined the wedding to take place on Washington’s birthday—the 22d of February. We were also informed that the spirit, Mr. Henry Nieman, Ida’s cousin, would be the groomsman, and the spiritual Miss Mary Muth her bridesmaid, and that a bridal trip had been arranged in which many bright and exalted spirits would take part, including Madam Ehrenborg. Mr. Swedenborg would make the wedding speech on the spiritual side, and he requested Mr. Green to make one on this side. Mr. and Mrs. Stebbins, my wife and I, agreed that this remarkable wedding ceremony should take place at Mr. Stebbins’ residence at the appointed time—the 22d of February—and we concluded to ask the spirits who we should invite, and the 16th day of February, 1882, came on the slate the following names:
“Pa and ma Stebbins, papa and mamma Helleberg, Mr. and Mrs. Green and daughter, Mrs. Emma Muth, Mrs. Remlin, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, Miss Nettie Williams, and Mrs. Keenan.
“Emil and Ida.”
At a slate-writing seance, the 20th of February, came on the slate, among many other communications, the following:
“The ceremonies are to begin at four, and immediately after congratulation, supper. It will take one hour, Mr. Swedenborg says, to show the medium the ceremony and Mr. Green’s address. When the vision is through, then Mr. Green, then supper, and, after that is settled, a trumpet seance.
“Emil.”
According to this arrangement the above persons were all invited and present, except Mrs. Keenan and Miss Nettie Williams, who could not come, at the afternoon and evening seances the 22d, the 150th anniversary of Washington’s birthday. In the afternoon we assembled at 3 o’clock P. M., and at 4 Mrs. Green was in full trance, and Swedenborg controlled her and blessed the contracting parties, after which Mr. Green made a very appropriate and beautiful address. A private clairvoyant fell in a trance and described not only the clothing of the bride and bridegroom, but many other spirits present. The bride’s dress was pure, sparkling white, frosted with gold dust, with long train full of the finest lace, and a very beautiful veil, frosted also, and adorned with a handsome wreath on her head of white flowers set with three beautiful diamonds on her forehead. She had also a diamond brooch and necklace, with a splendid ring on her finger, and slippers on her feet to match. Our son Emil had knee-breeches of royal purple, with a beautiful white toga frosted with gold, and gold tassels and a purple and gold crown set with diamonds. (At a subsequent seance Emil said: “Mine was Mr. Swedenborg’s selection, Ida’s was Madam Ehrenborg’s.”) During the trance state of Mrs. Green, the spirit Winnie described the dresses in the same way as the private medium already had told us. After we had had a splendid repast the requested trumpet seance was arranged, at which all were present, and had the pleasure of being spoken to by Swedenborg, Emil, Ida, and many other spirits, and some of them patted us with their hands. Madam Ehrenborg and my wife’s father, Otto Jacob Natt-och-Dag (Frederick Franks), sung Swedish with me, and Mrs. Jennie McKee took my hand and lifted my arm up and putting it over the table so I had to rise. It was a beautiful and most satisfactory and wonderful manifestation over which we all were highly delighted.
The 23d of February, 1882, came from our spirit friends the following:
“Good morning, dear papa, we are here yet, but will immediately after this sitting start on our bridal tour, accompanied by Swedenborg and a great many exalted spirits. We expect to return by next Thursday, then Mr. Swedenborg will give the marriage ceremonies, and we hope to have something nice to write you then. Mr. Swedenborg is very much pleased because he is able to speak and control Mrs. Green, and was very much pleased also with the way it was conducted on your side. He says altogether it was a splendid affair on both sides, and I think so too, and now I will let my wife, Mrs. Ida Helleberg, write. Your loving son,