Psychic Phenomena by Edward T. Bennett (historical books to read TXT) 📕

am not aware of any other well-attested instances of a curious phenomenon stated to have occurred when Mr. Stainton Moses was near but not present. He thus describes the "first startling manifestation" of this kind. It was on Sunday, 18th August 1872. Simple phenomena of raps and movements of the table commenced at breakfast-time. Mr. Stainton Moses went to church with his friend. On entering his bedroom afterwards, his attention was drawn by loud rappings which followed him round the room, to three articles so placed on the bed as to form an imperfect cross. While he was in the room another article was added. He called his friend whose guest he was. To avoid the possibility of children or servants playing tricks, in case anything more happened, they well searched the room—it contained no cupboard—bolted the window, locked the door on leaving, and the host put the key in his pocket. After lunch two more articles were found to be added. Another visit discovered other additions. This went on till 5 p.m., "when a complete cross extending the whole length of the bed was made entirely of little articles from the toilet-table." The position of the room, and the whole circumstances, convinced Mr. Stainton Moses and Dr. and Mrs. Speer, with whom he was staying, beyond any doubt that human intervention was impossible. A very detailed account of this incident exists in the handwriting of Dr. Speer.[50]

The Carrying of Objects into a Locked Room, and the Passage of Solid Objects through Material Obstacles.—During the two or three weeks subsequent to the above, over fifty instances occurred in which objects from different parts of the house were placed upon the table round which Mr. Stainton Moses and Dr. and Mrs. Speer were sitting in a locked dark room. The gas was always left burning brightly in the adjoining dining-room, and in the hall outside, so that if either of the doors had been opened, even for a moment, a blaze of light would have been let into the room in which they sat. Mr. Stainton Moses remarks—"As this never happened, we have full assurance from what Dr. Carpenter considers the best authority, common sense, that the doors remained closed." On one occasion a small edition of "Paradise Lost" was placed on the table, and at the same time the words "to convince" were spelt out by raps. This little book had been in the hands of all of them during the evening, and they could testify to the position on a bookshelf where it had been left. One evening seven objects in different rooms were brought in; among them a little bell from the dining-room. They heard it begin to ring, the sound approached the door, they were astonished soon to hear the sound in the room where they sat, round which the bell was carried, close to the faces of all, and finally placed on the table, having been ringing loudly all the time. A curious incident occurred at a later date, the circle of three sitting alone. A small Parian statuette from an upper room was placed upon the table. One of the party requested that a friend who usually communicates might be fetched. "We are doing so" was spelt out by raps. This was taken to be the complete answer, and they ceased to call over the alphabet. However, the alphabet was called for again, and "mething else" was spelt out. No idea could be formed as to the meaning of this. At request it was exactly repeated. After much puzzling it occurred to one of the party to join it on to the previous message—when the meaning became apparent. Mr. Stainton Moses sarcastically remarks—"What a clear case of 'unconscious cerebration'"! "Very soon an odour like Tonquin bean was apparent to all of us. Something fell on the table, and light showed that a snuff-box which had contained Tonquin bean had been brought from Dr. Speer's dressing-room. The box was closed, and the odour was remarked before any of us had the remotest idea that the box was in the room."[51]

Perfumes and Waves of Scent-laden Air.

This phase of the phenomena must be passed rapidly over, though manifested to a much greater extent and in greater variety in Mr. Stainton Moses' case than in any other with which I am acquainted. In his circle music and singing were never introduced as a means of harmonising the conditions. Mr. Stainton Moses says: "In our circle this harmonising is effected by means of perfumes and waves of cool-scented air." "If a new sitter is present, he or she is censed (if I may adopt the expression), and so initiated." "If a new intelligence is to communicate, or special honour to be paid to a chief, the room is pervaded by perfumes which grow stronger as the spirit enters." Sometimes the scent was in a liquid form, and apparently sprinkled down from the ceiling. Sometimes dry musk was thrown about in considerable quantities. A striking instance is given in the form of a statement from Mr. F. W. Percival, mentioned at the commencement of this article—a very occasional sitter. He says: "In compliance with your request, I will describe as briefly as possible what occurred at the dark seance held on the evening of 18th March 1874, when scent was produced so abundantly in the presence of Mrs. Speer and myself, while you [Mr. S. M.] were in a state of trance. The controlling spirit began by speaking through you at some length, and we were told to expect unusual manifestations. They commenced with a strongly scented breeze, which passed softly round the circle, its course being marked by a pale light. In a few minutes it suddenly changed, and blew upon us with considerable force, as if a pair of bellows had been employed, and the temperature of the room was perceptibly lowered. After this liquid scent was sprinkled upon us several times; it appeared to come from the top of the room, and fell upon us in small drops. Finally we were told that a new manifestation would be attempted, and that we were to prepare for it by joining hands and holding the palms upwards. In this position we waited for two or three minutes, and then I felt a stream of liquid scent poured out, as it were from the spout of a teapot, which fell on one side of my left hand, and ran down upon the table. The same was done for Mrs. Speer; and to judge from our impressions at the time, and from the stains on the table, a very considerable quantity must have been produced. I may remark in conclusion that there was no scent in the room before the seance, and that we could distinguish several different perfumes which made the atmosphere so oppressive that we were glad to seek a purer air so soon as the seance came to an end."[52]

Lights without Apparent Physical Cause.

The phenomenon of Light without any apparent physical cause was a frequent one with Mr. Stainton Moses, and the manifestations were of a very varied character. Several of these were described in Chapter IV.

An account is now given of some remarkable phenomena which occurred at four consecutive seances on the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th of August 1873. Mr. Stainton Moses was on a holiday excursion with Dr. and Mrs. Speer in the North of Ireland. The days were spent in orthodox holiday fashion. The following is condensed from notes written in detail at the time by Dr. Speer:—

On the 10th of August, after some other phenomena had occurred, a large globe of light rose opposite to me, sailed up to the level of our faces, and then vanished. Several more followed. By request one was placed in the centre of the table. It was surrounded with drapery. A light came and stood on the table close to me. "Now I will show you my hand" was rapped out. A large very bright light then came up, and inside of it appeared the materialised hand of the spirit. The fingers moved about close to my face; the appearance was as distinct as can be conceived. I was told to write an exact account of what had been done. The next evening I placed the account I had written and a pencil on the table, and asked that the light might be brought down upon it. This was done. I then asked that if possible the spirit would append his signature. The spirit said he would try. After other lights had been produced, the hand appeared outside the drapery, I heard the pencil moving, and repeating his instruction of the previous evening, he departed, leaving on the paper a specimen of direct spirit caligraphy. On these two evenings no other sitter was present but myself.[53]

Direct Writing.

As has already been remarked, the wealth of material is so great that selection is a matter of difficulty. There is much more I should like to have included in this chapter, but it must be drawn to a close with a brief detailed account of a case of "Direct Writing." There is perhaps no phenomenon more incredible to the "beginner" in these studies, than that legible and intelligent writing should be produced without human agency, and yet there seems no other way of explaining the facts. The following is an account, by Mr. Stainton Moses himself, of a seance held on 19th September 1872, the last held before a break in the series during the autumn of that year. "Imperator" had recently announced himself as the leading guide or director of the phenomena.