,,immortality ,,proved ,,by ,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,,sense3 ,,in ,,which ,,is ,,contemplated ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,spectres1 ,,and ,,the ,,existence ,,of ,a ,,particular ,,spectre4 ,,addressed ,,to ,,the ,,candor ,,of ,,this ,,enlightened ,,age4 ,illustration3 decorated line ,,by ,,abraham ,,cummings4 ,illustration3 decorated line ,,portland3 ,,published ,,by ,j4 ,l4 ,,lovell4 ,n4 ,a4 ,foster1 ,printer1 ,no4 #eh ,exchange ,street4 #ahei4 ,,immortality ,,proved1 ,by phenomena that were witnessed by hundreds1 in the town of ,sullivan1 ,maine1 in the year #ahjj4 ,published by an eye-witness1 the ,,rev4 ,,abraham ,,cummings1 a man eminent in learning and piety--a graduate of ,harvard ,university4 ,republished1 verbatim et literatum1 by ,j4 ,l4 ,,lovell1 ,yarmouth1 ,me4 ,,immortality ,,proved ,,by ,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,,sense4 ,illustration3 decorated line ,,section ,i4 ,the arguments considered which oppose the doctrine of ,spectres4 ,among the opinions of the present day1 which render it neither clear nor dark1 is that of materialism1 which maintains the position that all exercises of the mind are the exercises of matter more or less refined and organized3 ,therefore1 when this material organization ceases1 all cogitation must cease3 ,body and soul1 life and intelligence die together4 ,thought1 and the capacity of thought have no existence between death and the last day4 ,now if this position and inference be true1 the doctrine of ,spectres is overthrown at once4 ,sure we may be that what never exists can never really appear1 however ,i may be deluded by my own imagination1 or the artifice of others4 ,this position therefore1 before we proceed1 demands particular discussion4 ,if thought be the entire effect of material form1 and excellent thought of excellent form1 as these philosophers seem to suppose1 it follows that the more excellent the body is the more excellent will be the mind4 ,but facts shew the contrary4 ,the goose1 which sometimes appears in elegant human form1 we despise2 while we admire the fables of sop and the sublime verse of that poet1 who was told what is the mark of interrogation4 8,but although the externals of body may be deformed1 yet the internals of it may be well organized and refined40 ,what says the anatomist respecting the ourang outang8 8,not only the externals1 but the internals of his body resemble those of man1 particularly the tongue and the brain4 ,there appears no difference between them2 yet the animal is dumb and has not so much sagacity even to provide for herself as the elephant or the beaver40 ,however certain laws and dispensations of ,divine ,providence1 accommodated to the rude apprehensions of mankind in early ages1 punished the posterity of sinners2 yet it is one of the first dictates of reason as well as of a better covenant1 that justice does not require any person to be rewarded or punished for the virtues or vices of another4#a ,if soul and body die together2 if all intelligence and cogitation cease from that moment to the last day1 what becomes of personal identity and accountability8 ,the essence of personality is intelligence4 ,every intelligent being is a person1 and every person an intelligent being4#b ,therefore the uninterrupted continuation of any particular intelligence1 necessarily implies his personal identity2 whatever body1 or whatever garment he may1 or may not1 happen to wear4 ,therefore1 premising deference1 personal identity does not necessarily comprise the whole man1 soul and body1 as ,dr4 ,watts supposes1 nor is it the mere consciousness of my past and present experience compared1 as ,mr4 ,locke supposes2 for this my very consciousness presupposes that existence of which ,i am conscious4 ,i may have committed faults and performed virtuous actions in time past1 which now ,i do not remember1 and therefore not conscious of them2 still those actions were mine1 whether ,i am conscious of them or not1 and so far as any one can prove them to be mine1 so far he can prove me to be the same person that ,i was in the time when those actions were performed4 ,for more instruction1 the reader may consult that excellent dissertation of ,bishop ,butler1 on this topic2 from which ,i extract a few lines3 8,as upon two triangles being compared or viewed together1 there arises to the mind the idea of similitude2 or upon twice two and four1 the idea of equality--so likewise upon comparing the consciousness of one's self in any two moments1 there immediately arises to the mind the idea of personal identity4 ,and as the two former comparisons not only give us the ideas of similitude and equality1 but also shew us that two triangles are alike1 and twice two and four are equal--so the latter comparison not only gives us the idea of personal identity1 but also shows us the identity of ourselves in those two moments1 that is1 the present and that immediately past2 or the present and that of a month1 a year1 or twenty years past4 ,or in other words1 by reflecting upon that which is myself now1 and that which was myself twenty years ago1 ,i discern they are not two1 but one and the same self4 ,but the consciousness of what is past1 does thus ascertain our personal identity to ourselves1 yet to say that it makes personal identity1 is to say that a person has not existed a single moment1 nor done one action but what he can remember1 and none but what he reflects upon4 ,and one should really think it self evident that consciousness of personal identity presupposes1 and therefore cannot constitute personal identity1 any more than knowledge in any other case can constitute the truth which it presupposes40 ,if this account of personal identity be just1 then1 by the doctrine here opposed1 death puts an end to it4 ,affection1 thought1 intelligence1 consciousness1 all are no more1 and therefore the person is no more4 ,and as he is no more1 nothing can be his4 ,now existence is entitled to no reward1 deserves no punishment3 is guilty of nothing and accountable for nothing4 ,in a future day something may be raised up just like him in body and natural faculties of mind4 ,but for this something1 creation1 not resurrection1 is the appropriate term4 ,now can we conceive that the person struck entirely out of existence a thousand years ago1 and this person newly created in his likeness1 should be one and the same8 ,no1 we can as well conceive that two small houses built a thousand miles apart1 and entirely resembling each other1 are one and the same house4 ,these new persons1 if they reason1 as some of us do1 will think it somewhat strange that they should be accountable for crimes said to have been committed by them long before they were created4 ,this doctrine1 however1 affords comfort and encouragement to all distinction of sinners in this world4 ,our punishment in a future state1 say they1 will not be inflicted upon us1 7for after death we shall exist no more7 but upon our representatives who shall bear our names1 and be made to think that they were we4 ,let us then eat and drink1 for to-morrow we die4 ,let us imitate those noble animals around us1 which innocently deceive1 kill and take possession2 for to-morrow we shall exist no longer4 ,what a foul reproach then does this doctrine exhibit against the wisdom and equity of the righteous ,governor of the world8 ,we now attend to the language of scripture respecting this opinion4 ,the parable of the rich man and ,lazarus1 is grounded on the hypothesis that some persons are happy or miserable in the separate state1 while others are living in the present world4 ,the text1 8,absent from the body and present with the ,lord10 by the subtle philosophy of this enlightened age1 signifies that after we1 as persons1 have been annihilated for some ages1 a number of new persons1 just then created1 who shall be our very selves1 will be present with the ,lord4 ,but in view of the simple christian1 who knows but little1 the plain meaning of the text is1 that in the very same hour and minute1 while we are absent from this corruptible body1 we are present with the ,lord4 ,such an ignorant christian is not able to conceive how a person1 and a similar person residing on the two opposite shores of the vast duration of nihility1 can be one and the same person1 any more than to conceive how a person and a similar person1 residing at the same time on the opposite shores of the vast ,atlantic1 can be one and the same person4 ,our ,lord said to the penitent thief1 8,this day shalt thou be with me in paradise20 that is1 before the close of this natural day thou shalt be with me in heaven4 ,so the penitent thief in his state of ignorance would naturally understand it4 ,but ,priestlian subtilty requires this paraphrase1 8,this day shalt thou die1 soul and body1 and remain personally annihilated about two thousand years40 ,then a person entirely new shall begin to exist1 and shall erroneously imagine that within a few months he had committed a theft1 that within a few hours he had been crucified1 and obtained a promise which was now completely fulfilled4 ,all this deception will take place1 because he will be you4 ,however1 by intercourse with others1 he and you will discover these chronological errors1 and that those things which you had done1 suffered and enjoyed1 took place about two thousand years before you1 that is1 before the second you1 existed4 ,it was well for the thief that he knew not1 and believed not1 this paraphrase2 otherwise that promise would have been a poor1 cold consolation to him4 ,the ,sadducees denied the resurrection1 and the existence of angel and spirit1 and their denial of the former was grounded on their denial of the latter4 ,they seemed to admit1 that1 if spirits existed in a separate state1 they might assume bodies4 ,but as there were no such spirits in their view1 the inference was certain1 that no such transition could take place4 ,therefore the argument of our ,saviour attacked the very foundation of their theory1 by shewing that the patriarchs1 though dead for many years1 and their bodies not raised1 were still alive1 while ,moses stood at the burning bush4#c ,our ,lord cited these words1 addressed to ,moses at that time1 8,i am the ,god of ,abraham1 the ,god of ,isaac1 and the ,god of ,jacob20 and then says1 8,god is not the ,god of the dead1 but of the living1 for all live unto him40 ,that is to say1 they do not live unto man4 ,in his natural view1 they are dead in every respect4 ,they see no life in his body1 nor any where else2 still they live unto ,god4 ,in his view they have life1 thought1 affection and intelligence4 ,therefore those dead patriarchs were alive at the time when ,moses beheld the burning bush4 8,fear not them which kill the body1 saith our ,lord1 but are not able to kill the soul40#d ,but why8 ,what is the reason they are not able to kill the soul8 ,if soul and body die together--if death destroys the essential properties of the soul as well as of the body1 certainly they1 who are able to kill the body1 are able to kill the soul4 ,but the words now cited were uttered by him who could not err2 and for the writer it is impossible to conceive how words could be framed to make a proposition more plain and intelligible4 ,but in this age of light and darkness1 many1 who believe in immortality and the separate state1 utterly deny that any departed soul ever returns or becomes visible to our bodily eyes4 ,of this persuasion are the authors of the ,american ,cyclopedia4 ,their arguments1 which demand attention1 are the following3 ,the first argument contemplates the ignorance and vulgarity associated with the opinion which maintains the existence of ,spectres4 8,it is true there were many ,christians in former times1 who gave full credit to such narratives2 these were times of great ignorance and superstition4 ,but since philosophy and christianity have walked hand in hand1 the faith of ghosts has been more and more renounced1 invariably40 ,so it seems that if a pious man has learning enough1 he is perfectly secure from all such delusions4 ,but is this representation entirely consonant with facts8 ,that christian literature has invariably renounced this opinion is by no means correct4 ,not only was the faith of ,spectres supported by some of the most learned and eminent characters of antiquity1 but moderns1 illustrious both in theology and philosophy1 even since the ,protestant ,reformation1 have given their decided opinion in favor of this doctrine4 ,among others1 are ,doctor ,lightfoot1 ,mr4 ,flavel1 ,mr4 ,hervy1 ,mr4 ,addison1 ,doctor ,samuel ,johnson1 and the excellent ,mr4 ,swedenbourg4 ,will it be proved that all these modern names are entirely ignorant either of theology or philosophy8 8,what more frequent in times of popery than apparitions8 ,says ,president ,mather1 it would fill a volume to rehearse them2 yet we may not run into the other extreme1 that all such reports have no reality40 ,but what do philosophers know respecting this affair more than other people8 ,what lesson in the whole circle of science has ever determined the question1 whether sounds or forms were ever produced by unembodied spirits8 ,what ancient ,sadducee or modern materialist has ever yet proved that the human thoughts have not a separate existence by vehicle1 or in some other way8 ,had our authors told us that the belief of ,spectres has been rejected invariably wherever philosophy and modern infidelity have gone hand in hand1 the sentence would have been perfectly accurate4 ,the christian world affords no infidel who would not ridicule the following letters4 ,we see an age of light and darkness--of improvement and misimprovement4 ,ignorance is supported1 when we believe too much1 or when we believe too little4 ,and a wise mariner will stand aloof both from ,scylla and ,charybdis--from the prejudice of superstition and the prejudice of modernism4 ,the foundation of theology is the ,sacred ,scriptures1 and there we find the doctrine of apparitions4 ,samuel appeared to ,saul when he applied for advice to the witch of ,endor4#e ,there is however no proof that his appearance was the effect of her own power4 ,two things terrified her3 one was the discovery of ,saul2 the other was1 ,aliem1 a god1 rising out of the earth4 ,how could she be terrified merely by the expected effect of her own invention8 ,it is most reasonable to suppose that the event exceeded her expectation--that ,samuel really appeared--not to flatter ,saul by a sentence of double meaning1 like the heathen oracles2 but to speak like himself--to reprove ,saul for coming there1 and to denounce that terrible sentence upon him and his house1 which might naturally be expected from that faithful prophet4 ,when the disciples saw ,jesus walking on the sea1 they were troubled1 saying1 it is a spirit1 and they cried out for fear2 but his answer was1 8,be of good cheer1 it is ,i2 be not afraid40 ,here we see the disciples believed the existence of ,spectres1 and here was a fair opportunity for our ,lord to teach them the contrary4 ,but he did not thus improve it3 for after his resurrection they discovered the same opinion4 ,he asked one of them to handle him2 not to disprove their opinion1 but to prove his resurrection4 ,some time after this1 ,peter1 miraculously delivered from prison1 knocked at the house of ,mary1 where many were gathered for prayer4 ,the damsel ,rhoda1 constantly affirmed to them that she heard ,peter's voice4 ,then said they1 8,it is his angel40 ,thus their opinion continued the same through the fairest opportunities of their being taught otherwise by unerring wisdom4 ,but they had never read ,voltaire1 nor ,hume's observation on the ,sprights of the ,british ,fathers4 ,,arg4 #b4 8,when the ,scriptures were written and published1 and the christian religion fully established1 revelation ceased1 and miracles and heavenly messages were no longer requisite40 ,how do they know8 ,how can they know these matters1 unless by the ,scriptures8 ,and where do they say1 that after the establishment of christianity1 miracles and heavenly messages should be no longer requisite8 ,it is believed that no such passage can be found4 ,it was the full persuasion of ,mr4 ,addison1 that the power of working miracles continued in the church many years after the ,apostolic age4 ,he informs us that learned christians of those times1 8,confidently assert this miraculous power2 nay1 tell us that they themselves had been eye witnesses of it at several times and in several instances4 ,nay1 appeal to the heathen themselves for the truth of several facts they relate2 nay1 challenge them to be present at their assemblies1 and satisfy themselves1 if they doubt it2 nay1 we find that pagan authors have in some instances confessed this miraculous power40#f ,doubtless the ,scriptures contain rules sufficient for salvation4 ,and every opposite rule1 though preached by an angel1 must be rejected2 and the same was true of the ,old ,testament before the ,new was revealed4 ,but it will by no means follow that no succeeding age of the world can afford an occasion for any miracle or heavenly message which is consistent with the ,scriptures4 ,that 8the whole will of ,god is revealed in the ,scriptures10 as it respects our general conduct1 is doubtless true2 and the same was true of the law of ,moses1 as it respected the general conduct of ,israel in the days of the ,judges4 ,he was pronounced cursed1 who took away or added thereunto4 ,but hence it did not follow that an angel could not appear to ,manoah and his wife1 promise them a child1 and give directions concerning his education4 ,to say that the whole will of ,god is so revealed in the ,scriptures1 that no case whatever can require any extraordinary exhibition of his will1 is to say what is never said in that sacred volume1 and is no better than begging the question4 ,there may be miracles and heavenly messages without innovation of ,scripture doctrine or worship4 8,to say that ,god does not send his angels to any of his saints to communicate his mind unto them1 as to some particulars of their own duty according to his word1 seems in my judgment1 says the great ,doctor ,owen1 to limit unwarrantably the ,holy ,one of ,israel40 ,,arg4 #c4 8,can we suppose that the all-wise ,governor of the world would permit his angels to render themselves visible to the eye of man1 for a purpose which might have been equally well accomplished without their interposition80 ,this question is very easy4 ,another might appear more difficult4 ,have our authors such perfect knowledge of the universal system1 that they can certainly tell us what purposes can be equally well accomplished without the interposition of angels1 as with it8 ,the hairs of the head and the smallest animalcul are numbered2 so are all events4 ,small events by connection are frequently great events4 ,if therefore1 the purposes for which a spirit is said to appear1 are as small and trivial as can be conceived of1 it would by no means follow that the message did not come from the invisible state4 ,that which appears very trivial in our view1 may appear vastly important in the view of those seven eyes which survey the whole system of ,providence1 and destroy the wisdom of the wise4 ,,arg4 #d4 8,death is as great a change as that of our birth4 ,and is it not as improbable that a man should visibly return after death1 as that he should return from a state of manhood1 to that which preceded his birth80 ,that is to say2 ,is it not as improbable that a species of miracle should take place1 the existence of which has been taught and believed in all ages and nations1 and is the manifest lesson of the ,scriptures2 as that a species of miracle should take place1 which nobody ever believed or heard of8 ,is it not as improbable that a man should rise from the dead at the last day1 as that he should return from a state of manhood to that which preceded his birth4 ,this question of the infidel demands some attention1 as well as the question in view4 ,,arg4 #e4 8,there is a strong objection against the probability of ,spectres1 which is sufficient to prove that they are not intelligent creatures2 or at least1 that they possess so small a degree of intelligence1 that they are unqualified to act with prudence1 to propose any end to themselves1 or use the proper means to accomplish that end4 ,ghosts often appear in order to discover some crime2 but they never appear to a magistrate1 or person in authority1 but to some illiterate clown1 who happens to live near the place where the crime was perpetrated3 to some person who has no connection with the affair at all1 and who1 in general1 is the most improper in the world for making the discovery40 ,in ,glanville's ,saducismus ,triumphatus1 we have the following story3-- 8,james ,haddock1 a farmer1 was married to ,eleanor ,welsh1 by whom he had a son4 ,after the death of ,haddock1 his wife married one ,davis1 and both agreed to defraud the son by the former marriage1 of a lease bequeathed to him by his father4 ,upon this the ghost of ,haddock appeared to one ,francis ,tavernor1 the servant of ,lord ,chichester1 and desired him to go to ,eleanor ,welsh and inform her that it was the will of her former husband that the son should enjoy the lease4 ,tavernor did not at first execute this commission1 but he was continually haunted by the apparition in the most hideous shapes1 which even threatened to tear him in pieces1 till at last he delivered the message4 ,now had this ,spectre the least common sense1 it would have appeared first to ,eleanor ,welsh and her husband1 ,davis1 and frightened them into compliance at once1 and not have kept poor ,tavernor in such constant disquietude1 who had no concern in the matter40 ,here we find several propositions with regard to ,spectres in general1 which demand credit only for one short story1 the truth of which might be as consistently disputed by the apparitionists1 as by the ,encyclopedia4 ,it does not appear that this apparition was seen or heard by any one except ,tavernor4 ,what evidence then have we that ,tavernor was not the dupe of one who personated ,haddock out of pity to the orphan son8 ,could our authors imagine that ,mr4 ,addison1 ,doctor ,johnson1 or even ,mr4 ,glanville himself1 built the faith of ,spectres1 only on such feeble evidence as this story affords8 ,will that mode of conduct adopted by ,tavernor's ,spectre1 teach us what is the conduct of ,spectres in general1 till we1 who believe the reality of ,spectres1 can be satisfied whether ,tavernor ever saw a ,spectre or not8 ,circumstances unknown to us1 however1 might be so attached to that affair1 as to render it credible to ,davis and his wife1 if not to others4 ,therefore1 admitting the supposition of our believing it a reality1 how have our authors proved that this very ,spectre conducted imprudently1 proposed no end to himself1 or used no proper means to accomplish that end8 8,because1 say they1 he did not first appear to ,eleanor ,welsh and her husband1 and frighten them into compliance at once40 ,but how does it appear that this summary method1 all things considered1 would have been the most eligible4 ,doubtless some infidels are bold enough to say that the angel1 who sent ,moses to ,pharaoh from ,horeb1 would have conducted much more prudently and rationally1 if he had first appeared to ,pharaoh1 and frightened him into compliance at once1 than to have kept ,moses in such disquietude1 who had less concern in the matter than any man in ,egypt1 for he was now married and peaceably settled in another land4 ,the end proposed by the ghost appearing to ,tavernor was1 that the son of ,haddock should enjoy the lease1 and this end was subordinate and absolutely necessary to other ends of far greater magnitude1 for any thing which the ,cyclopedia has shewn to the contrary4 ,we find in the ,scriptures such a connection of means and ends as the wisdom of some moderns would never dictate3 as that of ,ezek4 #d3 #ae1 and the marriage of ,hosea transacted1 either in reality or in vision4 ,these means1 doubtless1 would not have appeared the most decent and eligible to some of those who seem capable of dictating for apparitions1 the proper mode of their procedure4 ,but suppose ,tavernor's ghost had first appeared to ,eleanor ,welsh and her husband1 and frighted them into compliance at once1 would the existence of ,spectres be any more believed than it is at present8 ,would not the objection have been that ,eleanor ,welsh had the maternal affection for her son8 ,had never really consented to the crime--that her own fear was feigned1 and that the ghost was some friend employed by her to frighten and deceive her husband8 ,or if the ghost had first appeared to a magistrate3 should we not have been told how much more probable it was that a magistrate should bear a part in some artifice which afforded him profit1 than that a miracle had happened equal to the transition from a state of manhood to that which preceded our birth8 ,it is no dishonor to the most illustrious of mankind that they frequently entertain the same opinion as that of their inferiors4 ,on the mode of conduct proper for a ,spectre1 our authors agree in sentiment with that ,heroine of a famous ,english ballad1#g who with the habiliments there described1 frightened a person into compliance at once4 ,she gave him no opportunity to deliberate or to authenticate her mission4 ,compliance1 or immediate ruin were his only alternative4 ,her name was honored by three queens1 and the favor of ,henry the eighth4 ,spectres from heaven are rational creatures1 and come down from the fountain of reason1 and will therefore deal reasonably with us1 by allowing us a fair opportunity to ascertain the reality of their mission4 ,but for this examination1 the mind is incapable when terrified by a sudden surprise4 ,eleanor ,welsh being the mother of the injured1 must have been interested1 and therefore1 if the ,spectre had first appeared to her and her husband1 there certainly would have been less evidence of reality 7coct4 par7 than there was by its first appearing to ,tavernor1 who1 by the very supposition of our author1 was a disinterested person1 and 8had no concern in the matter40 ,we find in the next place several naked assertions1 and then the inference that1 8,the evidence of ,spectres is destroyed40 ,they tell us that ,spectres appear only to one person at a time--that they are seen only in the night1 and visible only to the illiterate and credulous4 8,a man must be prejudiced in favor of this opinion beforehand1 say they1 or he will never see a ghost40 ,i must not offend the reader by needless detention4 ,he may easily find instances to disprove these assertions4 ,as to the last1 besides ,doctor ,scott1 several persons of distinguished abilities1 probity and literature1 who have seen ghosts1 have declared to the writer1 that instead of previously believing their existence1 their minds had been strongly prejudiced against it4 ,our authors desire to know why ,spectres should appear in the night1 and 8why they could not deliver their messages with as much ease and more success in the day time40 ,and doubtless ,bolingbroke had a similar enquiry respecting the angel who appeared to the shepherds in the night4 8,to render the testimony of any person credible1 say these writers1 he must not only be a man of veracity1 but of sufficient ability to judge of the subject to which he is to bear witness4 ,it is not on the evidence of an ignorant1 illiterate person1 who has more fancy and fear than judgment1 that we are to rest our belief of what is supernatural40 ,here again their weapon is from the arsenal of those who oppose our ,saviour's resurrection1 known first to some of 8the timorous and pious sex10 as ,hume has termed them1 and then to illiterate1 ignorant fishermen1 who1 say the deists1 had more fancy and fear than judgment4 ,the truth is1 some ignorant men have no more fancy nor fear than the learned1 and a much better judgment than many of the latter4 ,the corporeal senses of the illiterate are as infallible as those of the learned4 ,the former can see and hear a ghost or an angel as distinctly as the latter1 and can attempt to handle a ghost with as much composure of mind1 and so are capable of knowing whether they can feel a substance or not1 as a ,locke or a ,newton4 ,on the whole1 it appears that the reason why mankind in this enlightened age1 must believe that apparitions are a mere fiction1 is not because this negative thesis was ever established by any solid demonstration1 but because the unanimity of modern names1 the substitute of argument1 has given it popularity4 ,doubtless the counterfeit apparitions which duped the popish ages1 were numerous2 but counterfeits will never prove that there is nothing to be counterfeited4 ,among the greatest impositions of this nature1 where shall we find one1 which will compare with the late events of ,sullivan1 in the county of ,hancock1 ,maine4 ,in that place has never been found any theatrical representation1 or magic glass1 or lantern1 or ventriloquist1 or speaking automaton1 or ,phantasmagoria1 or ,statue of ,kircher3 and were all these means of imposition found there1 they would afford no rational explanation of the subsequent phenomena4 ,how easy of solution was that fraud in the city of ,bern1 mentioned by ,mosheim1#h as imposed upon one ,jetzer1 by four ,dominicans1 to confirm their doctrine of original sin4 ,the apparition was indeed terrific1 and exhibited false miracles1 but never offered to appear in the day time1 nor predict any event1 which could not be foreknown by other means1 nor was there any address to the sense of feeling to satisfy ,jetzer that the ,spectre was a ,phantom4 ,the ,encyclopedia have related a wonderful artifice from ,doctor ,plot1 performed undoubtedly by a number of persons at ,woodstock1 in ,england1 soon after the death of king ,charles the first1 while certain commissioners appointed to survey his property there1 were engaged to accomplish their business4 ,but in all that marvelous story1 we find no comparison with the events we are about to contemplate4 ,the only apparition seen there1 was that of a dog6 none of them observed the manner of his being introduced among them4 ,they saw no changes of shape or magnitude1 nor does it appear that any of them saw him vanish4 ,they heard no articulate voice1 much less any declaration of truth1 unattainable by other means4 ,as to the ,cocklane ghost1 which produced so much noise and credit in ,london2 there was neither articulate voice1 nor any kind of apparition4 ,all these artifices1 and a thousand more which history commemorates1 are swallowed up by the subsequent phenomena1 as ,aaron's rod swallowed up the rods of the magicians4 ,pause then1 reader1 and consider a few moments what evidence would convince you of the existence of a ,spectre4 ,before you stands a creature encircled with radiance resembling the sun4 ,through the rays you behold a personal form as plainly as possible4 ,this form speaks to you4 ,the same is seen and heard by thirty others at the same time and in the same manner1 so that your experience and theirs are uniform2 while two or three other persons with the same ocular advantages1 and looking in the same direction1 hear the voice1 but see nothing1 having been previously told by the ,spectre that they should only hear and not see4 ,with a voice distinct from that of the living1 so that none of you can perceive the least manifestation of breathing1 this personal form tells you not to be afraid--that nothing will hurt you--to stand as near as you please1 and handle him that you may know whether or not he is flesh and bones4 ,you comply with the request1 and find no material substance4 ,now what would be your conclusion8 ,would you feel sure that these matters were all the effect of your own fancy and that of others8 ,can you produce a single instance out of all history1 in which so many persons were thus impressed1 while in reality they saw and heard nothing8 ,but suppose further1 that this ,spectre informs you of events which you cannot possibly know by other means1 what then would be the inference8 8,i make a distinction1 says ,doctor ,johnson1 between what a man may experience by the mere strength of his imagination1 and what imagination cannot possibly produce40 ,thus1 suppose ,i should think ,i saw a form and heard a voice cry1 8,johnson1 you are very wicked--and unless you repent1 you will certainly be punished20 my own unworthiness is so deeply impressed on my mind1 that ,i might imagine ,i thus saw and heard1 and therefore ,i should not believe that an external communication had been made to me4 ,but if a form should appear and a voice should tell me that a particular man had died at a particular hour--a fact which ,i had no apprehension of1 nor any means of knowing1 and this fact1 with all its circumstances1 should afterwards be unquestionably proved2 ,i should in that case be persuaded that ,i had supernatural intelligence imparted to me4 ,by this it appears1 that had ,doctor ,johnson been an eye and ear witness of only a small part of what is now to be related1 he would have believed that he had seen the form and heard the language of a ,spectre4 8,he had a very philosophical mind1 says ,mr4 ,boswell1 and such a rational respect for testimony1 as to make him submit his understanding to what was authentically proved1 though he could not comprehend why it was so40#i ,and the same will be the disposition of every pious and reasonable mind4 ,but if you reject the evidence of experience1 the evidence of substantial testimony and the evidence of predictions1 where are you8 ,on the billows of scepticism1 without a helm1 and your lee shore is infidelity4 ,it is frequently asserted1 and that by multitudes1 that the true origin of the following letters is a gross artifice4 ,,asserted ,i say3 for that is all4 ,twenty-six years' time they have had to look round1 search and prove that they are not mistaken4 ,and for this purpose1 means and pains have not been wanting4 ,nothing however has yet transpired to make good the assertion2 but remarkable events have disproved it4 ,it is well known that some of the witnesses have been prosecuted for mountebanks2 but nothing even to form an indictment could be found against them4 ,do ,i misrepresent8 ,do ,i mislead the credulous8 ,then let me be convinced8 yea1 let me be exposed4 ,let the cause be fully and fairly tried by friendly discussion2 not in a future century1 when we shall dwell in silence1 but now1 while the means of evidence are at hand--while the witnesses and their opponents are yet living4 ,if we love our neighbors1 we prize their characters1 and forbear needless censure1 especially in a case like this4 8,judge not that ye be not judged40 ,for our conclusion1 the words of the celebrated ,mr4 ,addison and of ,mr4 ,hartly are not impertinent3 8,i think a person who is terrified with the imagination of ghosts and ,spectres1 much more reasonable than one1 who1 contrary to the report of all historians1 sacred and profane1 ancient and modern1 and to the traditions of all nations1 thinks the appearance of ,spirits fabulous and groundless4 ,could not ,i give myself up to this general testimony1 ,i should to the relations of particular persons1 who are now living1 and whom ,i could not distrust in other matters of fact40#aj 8,certain it is1 says ,mr4 ,hartly1 that ,spirits can become visible and converse with us1 as man with man2 and so innumerable are the instances hereof1 as also of their discoveries1 warnings1 predictions1 c41 that ,i may venture to affirm with an appeal to the public for the truth of it1 that there are few ancient families in any county of ,great ,britain1 who are not possessed of records or traditions of the same in their own houses1 however the prevailing ,sadducism of these times1 may have sunk the credit of them40--,preface to ,swedenborg's treatise of heaven and hell1 p4 #ah4 ,his whole discussion of this topic demands our peculiar attention4 ,as the glorious descent of ,new ,jerusalem is at hand1 and perhaps already begun1 it is not improbable that henceforth these phenomena will exceedingly multiply1 and then destroy the wisdom of the wise4 ,new ,jerusalem will descend1 i4 e4 the saints will descend from heaven and make visible their spiritual bodies4 ,while those heavenly doctrines are inculcated1 which establish a church new and glorious2 so that the old christian church has no glory by reason of the glory which excelleth4 ,then ,universalism1 ,socinianism1 ,arianism1 and the grossly absurd doctrine of ,divine tri-personality will deceive the nations no more for a thousand years4#aa ,illustration3 decorated line ,,section ,,ii4 ,recent proofs of the doctrine by the existence of a particular ,apparition4--,,in ,,six ,,letters4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,letter ,i4 ,in reply to a friend1 who had expressed his desire and that of others1 that the account of the ,spectre might not be made public4 ,my ,dear ,sir3--,in our last interview1 you favored me with the suspense of your judgment with regard to the ,spectre1 which has produced so much altercation in this part of the land4 ,i am therefore encouraged to ask your further attention to this affair1 contemptible as it must appear1 if you believe but a part of the misrepresentation now propagated4 ,these1 with modern incredulity1 now form the general opinion of the wise and unwise1 the learned and unlearned1 that this whole affair is mischief and artifice1 practised by one or more of ,mr4 ,b's family1 and particularly by the young woman1 whose marriage was responsive to the prediction and direction of the ,spectre4 ,thus stands the vision of ,hosea in the view of our ,deists4 ,they consider it a thousand times more probable that the good man was some how or other deceived by those licentious women1 than that he ever received such direction from the invisible world4 ,now while my own opinion is entirely the reverse--while ,i view that family and their neighbors who vindicate them as unjustly censured2 shall ,i appear the sang froid spectator8 ,perish rather my own reputation with theirs4 ,but this notwithstanding1 dear sir1 you will not fail to mention the ardent sensations of gratitude and esteem which ,i entertain for those pious and judicious persons1 who have expressed their generous anxiety for my character and usefulness4 ,it is not so much the matter or style of the pious discourse of the ,spectre which demands our attention1 as the enquiry whether there was any ,spectre or not4 ,she taught the same truth which we find in our ,bible4 ,she proclaimed no new doctrine4 ,had she done this1 it would have occasioned a great objection against her4#ab ,she exhorted the young people to read the ,bible as their sure guide to eternal life4 ,and her requirements were defended by the ,scriptures whenever the propriety of any of them was doubted1 to shew that her directions agreed with the law and the testimony4 ,in the style of her discourse1 there was nothing of elegance or sublimity1 more or less than we observe among common people in that pious and familiar conversation in which passages of ,scripture are frequently introduced4 ,this1 they say1 is a great objection3 a person from the invisible state would never have conversed with the people in such an ordinary style4 ,but had she excelled in the elegant or sublime1 objection would not have been silent4 ,it would have been said that she was not the person she professed to be3 for the employment of that person had never been the study of ,sheridan or ,longinus3 on earth she was below it1 in heaven above it4 ,the ,spectre came not with the excellency of speech1 which man teaches1 nor with the sublimity of those prophecies which describe the rise and ruin of empires2 for empires were not her subject2 and there was perfect propriety in her using such language as would subserve two of her designs3 which were to manifest who she was1 and to render herself as familiar as possible to those common people with whom she conversed4 ,accordingly her mention of certain articles of property which she had left1 was by no means an ultimate design1 as she herself declared2 but this1 and her reasonable disposal of them1 were more clearly to convince her family that she had been their daughter and sister4 ,for the same reason the features of her face were observed to be like those of the person she professed to be1 by some who knew her in her life time4 ,and though her voice had no indication of breath and was inimitably distinct from any voice of the living1 yet it had the same sound which she had uttered in her last hours1 as they1 who attended her in her last sickness have testified4 ,sometimes a part of the company could understand her words without the least difficulty2 while others with advantages of hearing1 every way equal1 perceived only a sound1 without the least articulation whatever4 ,thus the men who were with ,paul at the time of his conversion1 heard a voice1 but saw no man1 and they saw the light1 but heard not the articulate voice of the speaker4 ,such was the various experience of the people on these occasions4 ,some of them heard and understood plainly1 but saw nothing3 others heard a voice1 but no speaking voice3 others again saw a light1 but no person3 while they had no impediments natural or accidental2 yet far the greater number heard the words distinctly1 and clearly saw a personal form4 ,and the very same persons1 who could not see1 nor hear intelligibly at one time1 would at another time1 and even at a greater distance see1 hear and understand without the least difficulty3 while others of the company1 who had clearly seen and understood at the previous interview1 could now only see a light and hear a sound4 ,it was to render herself familiar that she frequently introduced herself1 as we do1 by the token of knocking4 ,when ,peter knocked at the house of ,mary1 the disciples thought it was his angel1 that is to say1 they thought that a ,spirit might come to the house and knock4 ,they more easily believed that a ,spirit was at the door1 than that ,peter had escaped from prison4 ,we should in this age more easily believe the contrary4 ,but the disciples were no philosophers4 ,for the same reason she endeavored to dispel the fears of those who conversed with her4 8,do not be afraid10 she would say1 8,i have not come to hurt you4 ,you need not be afraid at all40 ,utterly opposite1 you observe1 to the conduct of those who personate apparitions4 ,they generally aim to keep their dupes in fear and at a convenient distance4 ,so the angel addressed the shepherds1 8,fear not40 8,i do not stand too near you1 do ,i80 said a person unsuspected4 8,no10 was the reply1 8stand as near as you please40 ,hence also the reason why she did not commonly begin to speak1 till she was addressed4 ,i say1 commonly1 for there were some exceptions4 ,the voice of a ,ghost responsive1 is not so unexpected1 and1 of course1 not so suddenly terrific as the same voice would be without previous address4 ,this may serve to remove that objection of the ,encyclopedia3 8,it is an odd circumstance1 say they1 that ghosts have no power to speak till they are addressed40 ,but this odd circumstance is not occasioned by their want of power2 but by their tenderness for the persons who receive their messages4 ,this was the very reason she once expressly gave for not speaking where she once appeared4 ,hence we may1 if we choose1 see one reason why she spoke so frequently in the cellar4 ,it is easy to see1 if we choose1 that the idea of a ,spectre coming into the room where the family commonly resided for labor1 sleep1 or other refreshment was distressing to them3 for this was their refuge1 their place of retreat4 ,accordingly when1 upon a certain day1 she appeared among them in one of the lower rooms1 they all left the house4 ,the ,spectre1 therefore1 out of tenderness to them1 commonly1 though not always1 conversed in the cellar1 that they might seem to have a place of retreat4 ,the next question is1 why then did she not commonly speak in one of the chambers or in the open field8 ,but the chambers were the apartments of repose1 and the field was inconvenient by the weather4 ,she did however1 sometimes speak in the chambers1 and in the lower rooms1 and in other houses of the neighborhood1 and several times in the open field4 ,a cellar1 such as that was1 is a place where deceivers1 imitating her realities would find difficulty4 ,a ventriloquist might indeed speak there4 ,but how8 ,not so that a part of the company shall hear and understand distinctly1 while the other part with advantages of hearing every way equal1 and giving equal attention1 shall not understand a single word4 ,if a ventriloquist could perform this1 we should have known it before this time4 ,no white garments can appear white in a dark cellar at midnight1 and suppose any lucid substance could have been used1 then1 when it first appeared a mere shapeless mass1 who formed it in a moment into personal shape1 face and features8 ,who caused it to speak and desired to be handled8 and when this desire was complied with1 why did not the hand undeceive the eyes8 ,now admit the possibility of a magic lantern1 where did it move1 and where stood the upright plane for the representation1 when by the order of the ,spectre1 the company of about twenty persons formed an ,ellipsis within which she passed and re-passed from end to end several times4 ,you must inform me too how some eyes saw the form so clearly1 while others with advantages of sight every way equal1 saw nothing4 ,however1 it is not even pretended that any such mediums of delusion were ever seen here4 ,for an argument which vindicates this conduct of the ,spectre still more1 ,i am indebted to ,professor ,stewart4 8,it appears to me to be no slight confirmation of these remarks10#ac says he1 8that1 although in the dark1 the illusions of imagination are much more liable to be mistaken for realities1 than when their momentary effects on the belief are continually checked and corrected by the objects which the light of day presents to our perception2 yet even total darkness is not so alarming to a person impressed with vulgar stories of apparitions1 as a faint and doubtful twilight1 which affords to the conceptions an opportunity of fixing and prolonging their existence by attaching themselves to something which is obscurely exhibited to the sight40 ,hence it follows1 that in a dark cellar at midnight1 a person was not so much exposed to deception1 either by his own imagination1 or by the artifice of others1 as if there had been some degree of light4 ,had the ghost been wholly confined to a cellar1 kitchen1 or garret1 or even to all these1 the objection would appear more plausible2 but this was by no means the case4 ,accompanied by two persons she walked1 or rather moved in elevation from the ground1 nearly two miles1 discoursing with them as they went along4 8,for what purpose80 you ask4 ,doubtless an important one4 ,but to what purpose could ,i tell you2 while you reject the possibility of it for any purpose4 ,this little journey was soon published through the town1 but was no more believed than this luminous age now believes the writer4 ,what was the consequence8 8,go10 said the ,spectre1 8to one of those two persons1 collect all those in the neighborhood1 who give the best evidence of piety and veracity4 ,let them hear and see3 for they will tell the truth40 ,he complied1 and fifty people were convened at the time and place appointed for the interview4 ,after conversing with them several hours on the most serious topics1 by which they were exceedingly affected and delighted1 she reminded them of their credulity1 and informed them that if they would walk on two and two in the solemn order observed at a funeral1 she would walk with them1 accompanied by one of those persons1 who had accompanied her before1 for evidence that they might have declared the truth4 ,the company complied1 and walked with her about half a mile in the manner now described4 ,but after all1 ,i hear you inquire1 8admitting that the whole affair is genuine and free from illusion1 how can the belief of it become beneficial to me and others80 ,but certainly truth is better than error4 ,and do we know that this truth will never be wanted hereafter1 for purposes which do not at present appear8 ,do you know how soon your own or other families may suffer unjust reproach1 like the family and vicinity who are now so liberally censured8 ,do we know the length and weight of the chain of which this link is a part8 ,the ,scriptures teach the doctrine of the separate state1 and oppose materialism4 ,what then8 ,is the evidence of ,scripture injured by other evidence declaring the same truth and urging the study of the ,scriptures1 as our sure guide to eternal life8 ,the ancient medals and other monuments of antiquity1 which afford so much rational entertainment for the curious1 never diminish in their eyes the evidence of value of the ,roman1 ,grecian or ,egyptian ,history4 ,why then should this medal before us1 diminish in our eyes the value of the ,scriptures8 ,what distinction of men are they1 who stand most secure from the peril of illusion by the superstitious belief of ,spectres8 ,speak ye illuminees6 ye ,paines who keep no ,bible6 ,with unvaried sentiments of esteem1 ,i continue yours4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,letter ,,ii4 ,the circumstances of the marriage related in vindication of ,mrs4 ,butler and others4 ,dear ,sir3--,to compare great things with small1 the unbelieving ,jews1 who heard and saw the first christian miracles to be really such1 viewing them as the effects of magic or some other secret influence of satan2 but modern infidels say they were no miracles at all3 so the opponents of the ,spectre in this place1 who have heard and seen1 generally allow that the performances of the ghost were miraculous1 but accomplished by evil agency2 while distant opponents pronounce the whole an artifice4 ,thus distance of place has occasioned the same variations among the opponents of the ,spectre1 as distance of time among the opposers of christianity4 ,by this comparison you must not imagine that ,i have reference to criminality2 but my design is to show that the friends and foes of the ,spectre in this place are both opposed by those distant people who pronounce the whole an artifice4 ,it is a mixture of supernatural agency and artifice in the view of the opponents here3 not because the least motion of the latter was ever really discovered2 but because they judge1 7and feel capable of judging7 that no case of marriage in any age of the world1 since the finis of the ,scriptures1 can possibly require the interposition of an heavenly messenger4 ,we1 on the contrary1 are so poorly qualified to determine how the world ought to be governed1 that we know not what events should take place by ordinary means1 or what by extraordinary means2 and therefore we know not but there might be such a circumstance in some place or period of the world4 ,we are too as much at a loss to account for the advent of an evil angel singing alleluias1 in order to join a couple mutually attached in a relation which is honorable in all2 as to account for the advent of an holy angel for the same purpose4 ,it is necessary without all doubt1 that such an extraordinary dispensation should be connected with an important consequence and a special reason why it took place4 ,but it is not necessary that this consequence and reason should at present be universally known1 though they certainly will be known hereafter1 and probably in part to many in this world4 ,the performances of the ghost are so connected with other events of ,providence1 as to form a connected whole1 the beauty of which cannot be known even in part without much examination4 ,the ,spectre had a number of extraordinary messages1 of which the marriage was but one1 and that a subordinate one2 and accordingly did produce extraordinary credentials4 ,the very first notices of anything unaccountable were given at the time when ,mrs4 ,butler1 the supposed authoress of the whole delusion1 was at the point of death1 by a disease which soon became external and proved its reality4 ,was that the time for her1 to commence the enterprise for a husband1 when she must have been under the greatest disadvantage for the prosecution of it1 and when there was no rational expectation that she would ever need a husband8 ,about twenty-four hours after her marriage1 the ,spectre foretold that she would become the parent of one child and then die4 ,for what purpose could she1 or any person for her1 contrive this prediction and its fulfilment4 ,her walk of two miles in company with the ,spectre and her father1 was undertaken with great reluctance1 if anything could be known by the correspondence of words and behaviour4 ,but the small voice of one who had made the house tremble1 informed them by message1 that lives were in danger1 if they refused4 ,by the same voice the ,scripture was quoted to shew that her direction was not inconsistent with it4 ,what could have been done in this case more than was done by the most pious or prudent on earth8 ,the ,scriptures were consulted4 ,the family prayed together1 that1 if there was deception in this extraordinary injunction1 the ,lord would make it known to them1 and that1 if the cause was of ,god1 they might be preserved3 for the storm1 the evening1 and especially the weakness of the ice1 had rendered the way difficult and very perilous4 ,when to these considerations we add the grievous offence and explicit repulse1 which the whole family had that day received from the person to whom her father was1 out of her hearing1 to communicate the message1 we cannot admit the idea of artifice in ,mrs4 ,butler1 without detaching from her all fear of danger--all sense of resentment--all respect due from a child to the parent--all rationality of conduct1 and all consistency of character4 ,but further1 the greatest and most conspicuous of these miracles appeared after the marriage4 ,could she1 would she1 or any person for her1 perform these impossibles to obtain a purpose which was obtained already8 ,but admitting the plea for a minute1 and but a minute1 that they were possibles intended to establish the farce and multiply dupes for the preservation of character2 a question then urges incessantly3 ,for what purpose was the child dug up and buried in another grave8 ,this was not a mere accident1 but a deliberate and public transaction1 appropriated by no pretence of any reason1 but the mere order of the ,spectre4 ,eighty people from four different towns were assembled and offered prayer to the ,supreme ,being on this occasion1 and all by the direction of the ghost1 declaring that the child would rise at her right hand at the last day4 ,this was horrid wickedness in the ghost1 if she was only such by profession4 ,and our opponents must for their own sakes1 allow that she possessed a great degree of subtilty1 if not of wisdom3 since for twenty six years past1 they have for the most part scarcely ventured to conjecture1 much less to prove who she was2 though by their own acknowledgment she has talked among twenty of them1 from time to time1 within a foot of their faces4 ,doubtless then some special design was concealed in this rare transaction4 ,what was it8 ,the continuation and extension of the fraud8 ,no3 for she must have known that the least of those miracles already exhibited1 would better answer this purpose1 were it now presented only before a small part of these eighty people4 ,but the reinterment was not connected with even the pretence of miracle4 ,what was the consequent impression on the minds of mankind8 ,just what any person with half an eye would easily foresee4 ,it was such as rendered ,mrs4 ,butler's character in the eye of mankind1 neither better nor worse4 ,what could she think to gain or lose in character or anything else1 whether that other woman's child rested in its first grave1 or in another about thirty feet from it8 ,the whole affair was considered by mankind in general1 as a solemn1 mysterious parade1 without any apparent consequence of injury or utility4 ,but this practical oath1 as already shewn1 was not without design3 what was it8 ,was it to convince the assembly at that time1 that ,mr4 ,blaisdel and ,capt4 ,butler1 who acted the most distinguished and solemn part in it2 believed the ,spectre and her performance to be realities8 ,no3 for this they were completely convinced already4 ,the question therefore with our opponents stands unresolved4 ,when we consider too the inimitable sound of the voice1 most nearly resembling the dying voice of ,capt4 ,butler's first wife1 at certain times3 ,and how often the ghost has appeared since ,mrs4 ,butler's death1 all suspicion of artifice must be utterly groundless1 and cannot be indulged by those who love their neighbors as themselves1 and exercise that constant tenderness for their characters which the gospel requires4 ,it has been objected against the ,spectre1 that in obtaining parental approbation the mothers were not sufficiently respected4 ,but as the husband and wife are one1 the message to the father was virtually sent to the mother4 ,it was necessary in this case that three families should be consulted by the ,spirit2 that which had been her own family and those of the parties4 ,but with whom began this consultation8 ,not with ,eve1 like that of the devil4 ,she did not1 like a deceiver1 first frighten and convince the timorous sex that they might assist her1 either to delude or afflict their husbands4 ,no1 her conduct was fair and above-board4 ,her first application was to the fathers of these families3 ,what was it8 ,certainly not that which is recommended by the ,encyclopedia and the ballad poem2 but that of deliberation4 ,she at first neither appeared nor spake to them immediately to frighten them into compliance at once2 but as she had dealt with the son1#ad so she dealt with the fathers4 ,she sent messages to them4 ,by this fair mode of conduct1 they had opportunity to reflect1 to exercise reason--to consult one another1 and to watch and pray against deception4 ,her first message sent only to the two fathers of this couple1 contained that passage in ,mark #aj3 #b to #i1 by which they might learn that1 as the condition of ancient ,israel at a certain time1 required a precept with respect to marriage1 somewhat distinct from the common law1 which had existed from the beginning3 so now the condition of this little branch of society might1 for aught they knew1 require a precept with respect to marriage1 somewhat distinct from the common regulation1 which had obtained from the beginning1 though not contrary to it3 even as a by-law may be consistent with the public code4 ,such1 she declared1 was the precept now revealed for the particular regulation of those families1 and her proofs to be produced1 were her miracles4 ,a strange1 unexpected1 unheard of message indeed6 ,but not more strange1 unexpected1 or unheard of1 than the credentials4 ,by this precept she declared the parties must and would be joined4 8,and what ,god hath joined together let not man put asunder40 ,the father of the young lady1 who had ever been most obstinately opposed to this connection1 by whose means it had been once interrupted already1 and who was no less capable than the other of discovering imposition1 and ever watchful against it2 was the first who obtained conviction4 ,him the ,spectre sent to the other father 7,mr4 ,butler7 and his son to declare this conviction1 and that the latter must conduct accordingly4 ,the response was repulse1 and he returned4 ,by the same extraordinary counsel1 after praying and reading for light1 he went again1 and his daughter with him1 crying and wringing her hands4 ,after they had proceeded a small distance1 they were accompanied by the ,spectre the rest of the way1 whose delightful voice uttering expressions full of love and tenderness1 consoled the daughter as they went along4#ae ,this prepared her for acquiescence when coming to the house of the ,spectre1 as decency required1 directed2 that1 while the daughter should tarry with her abroad1 the father should go in and tell ,mr4 ,butler's family that the ,spectre had come with them1 and that1 if they chose a miracle for further confirmation1 it should be granted4 ,after ,mr4 ,butler had performed this1 they invited the daughter to come in1 and the question of suspicion being proposed1 she solemnly protested1 that if there was mischief in hand1 she was as ignorant of it as they were4#af ,here we see what abundant opportunity was given them to deliberate and consider for themselves in what way they would choose to be convinced3 whether by miracle or common providence4 ,message1 protestation and miracle being rejected1 ,mr4 ,blaisdel and his daughter returned without delay1 but had no sooner reached home than a new order from the ,spectre1 consistent with ,scripture1 required that ,mr4 ,hooper1 who had been her father1 and who lived about six miles off1 should be conducted here the next morning4 ,we now return to ,mr4 ,butler's family2 not to see miracles1 but their confirmation by the voice of common ,providence4 ,after ,mr4 ,blaisdel and his daughter had left them1 his conduct was naturally the subject of their discussion2 and the more they reasoned1 the more unaccountable it appeared4 ,his notorious and inflexible opposition to this connection1 which had continued several years1 rendered him the most unlikely person in the world to pass a river1 now the brink of death1 for such a purpose4 ,their result was the necessity of further advice1 and they unanimously chose ,mr4 ,hooper1 the young gentleman's father in law1 as the person best qualified to give it4 ,accordingly the son1 ,capt4 ,butler1 went the next morning to consult with him on this affair2 but to his great surprise found himself intercepted by messengers sent by the ghost for the same purpose1 who had just finished their business with success4 ,capt4 ,butler asked what he should do4 8,the case is such10 said ,mr4 ,hooper1 8that ,i can have no advice to give40 ,mr4 ,hooper1 according to his promise1 went off with the messengers2 discoursed with the ,spectre1 and by the tokens which she gave him1 identified his daughter4 ,after the deliberation of several days1 he1 by the desire of the ,spectre1 went to ,mr4 ,butler's family1 declared his conviction1 and closed the message by solemn exhortation4 ,thus was the very man1 whose advice they had preferred to a miracle1 qualified by the ,spectre to give it4 ,but to recede3 ,mr4 ,hooper's interview with the ,spirit at ,mr4 ,blaisdel's house was immediately succeeded by the arrival of ,capt4 ,butler there4 ,he soon acquired evidence that the ,spirit was that of his deceased wife1 and declared that her will was his4 ,but now to what purpose was all this labor and all these messages8 ,for ,miss ,blaisdel was then asked if the same was her will8 ,the reply was categorical and indignant2 the purport of which was1 that if she must die for her refusal1 she desired to submit--that servile attentions1 however miraculous the compulsion1 would afford no satisfaction to her--that her trials were already intolerable by those false and wicked calumnies1 which her compliance would now invigorate and render her life more bitter than death4 ,that her attachment to his person was peculiar1 she did not deny2 but his credulous attention to these calumnies had rendered his society a burden4#ag ,at length1 however1 ,capt4 ,butler's unreserved and honorable confession1 and his renewed assurances that his own will was his1 as well as that of his deceased wife1 did1 with the words of the ,spectre prevail4 ,the design of marriage was made public1 and round her increased the storm of accusation abroad1 and opposition at home4 ,for1 though her father had constant and unwavering conviction that the precept was from heaven1 it was only at certain intervals that he enjoyed the least degree of reconcilement2 and it must not be concealed that ,capt4 ,butler received very ill treatment from him4 ,worn out by unjust reproaches abroad and these vexations at home1 she at last told ,capt4 ,butler1 offering him a golden token of her constant affection1 that she could bear these miseries no longer1 and that they must separate4 ,he pleaded the impropriety of her conduct after such evidence that the appointment was divine4 ,his plea was the waste of words4 ,she dismissed him utterly and forever4 ,this ,i had by the favor of ,capt4 ,butler himself4 ,here ,mr4 ,blaisdel1 ,mr4 ,butler1 their families1 their friends and every body else had another fair opportunity allowed them by ,miss ,blaisdel herself1 to search1 examine1 reflect1 deliberate and investigate the deception1 if there was any4 ,a vessel was now in the river1 bound to a port about two hundred miles from this place1 where lived some of her near kindred4 ,thither she was determined to go1 and made preparation for the voyage1 that if possible she might find repose on some distant shore4 ,but the miraculous voice solemnly warned her in the hearing of several witnesses1 that her efforts were vain1 and that her affliction would sail with her4 ,by the direction of the ,spectre given to one of those witnesses1 the dismissed was recalled4 ,not long after1 the nuptials were celebrated3 and thus the ,spectre obtained one of those ends1 which were only subordinate to other ends of far superior magnitude and importance4 ,these superior ends you will know hereafter2 but they cannot--they must not be written4 ,i remain yours1 c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,letter ,,iii4 ,further evidence deduced from the appearances of the ,spectre4 ,my ,dear ,sir3--,in compliance with your request1 ,i proceed in the argument that some persons among us have seen and conversed with the dead4 ,of the five corporeal senses1 only three are capable of information by events of this nature4 ,these are seeing1 feeling and hearing4 ,to all these three senses1 evidence has been addressed in favor of the ,apparition in this place4 ,i would now contemplate the evidence obtained by the senses of seeing and feeling4 ,the times1 places and modes of her appearing were various4 ,sometimes she appeared to be alone1 as the events which followed bore witness3 for the testimony of events is sometimes more valid than that of persons4 ,sometimes she appeared to two or three2 then to five or six2 then to ten or twelve2 again to twenty1 and once to more than forty witnesses4 ,she appeared in several apartments of ,mr4 ,blaisdel's house1 and several times in the cellar4 ,she also appeared at other houses1 and several times in the open field1 as already observed4 ,there1 white as the light1 she moved like a cloud above the ground in personal form and magnitude1 in the presence of more than forty people4 ,she tarried with them till after day-light1 and vanished3 not because she was afraid of the sun3 for she had then several times appeared when the sun was shining4 ,once in particular1 when she appeared in the room where the family were1 about eleven o'clock in the day1 they all left the house2 but convinced of the impropriety of their conduct they returned4 ,at another time1 when several neighbors were at the house1 and were conversing on these remarkable events1 a young lady in the company declared that though she had heard the discourse of the ,spectre1 she would never believe that there had been a ,spectre among us1 unless she could see her4 ,in a few minutes after1 the ,spectre appeared to several persons and said she must come in the room where the company was4 ,one of those who saw her1 pleaded that she would not4 ,the ,spectre then asked1 8,is there a person here1 who desires to see me80 ,the young lady was then called1 who1 with several others saw the ,spectre4 8,here ,i am1 said she1 satisfy yourselves40 ,the lady owned she was satisfied4 ,it was now about two o'clock in the day4 ,in short the ghost appeared or conversed1 or performed both almost as frequently in the day1 as in the night4 ,but will christians argue that the appearance of an angel to the ,shepherds was a fiction because it happened in the night8#ah ,in all the appearances of the ,spectre she was as white as the light1 and this whiteness was as clear and visible in a dark cellar and dark night1 as when she appeared in the open field and in the open day4 ,at a certain time1 ,august #i-aj1 #agii1 she informed a number of people that she meant to appear before them1 7for she frequently conversed without appearing at all7 that they must stand in order and behave in a solemn manner3 8,for the ,lord10 said she1 8is a ,god of order40 ,accordingly she appeared and vanished before them several times4 ,at first they saw a small body of light1 which continually increased till it formed into the shape and magnitude of a person4 ,this personal shape approached so near to ,capt4 ,butler1 that he put his hand upon it and it passed down through the apparition as through a body of light1 in the view of six or seven witnesses4 ,there were now thirteen persons present1 who all saw the apparition except two4#ai ,and five others1 whether they were looking another way1 or were prevented by some standing before them1 or whatever might be the cause1 did not see this attempt of handling the apparition4 ,but ,i attend to your reasoning4 8,if this extraordinary fact be true1 what a pity it is that there were no more witnesses6 would not the evidence have been greater had it been acquired by all the eleven40 ,the more extraordinary the fact1 the more numerous should be the witnesses4 ,this is the opinion naturally entertained by mankind every where4 ,hence it follows that all of those eleven persons were not then practising artifice3 for then they would all have seen this extraordinary fact4 ,the five who did not see it1 saw that which was very little short of it4 ,they saw that which rose into personal form1 face and features in a moment4 ,returned to a shapeless mass in a moment1 resumed the person in a moment1 and vanished again in a moment4 ,they saw that which was not afraid to be handled by them3 ,for she passed slowly by them near enough for that purpose4 ,the transfiguration of ,christ was a very extraordinary fact4 ,out of all his twelve disciples1 why chose he only three to be eyewitnesses of it8 ,as to the six witnesses1 not one of them has ever been accused or even suspected of being concerned in the supposed artifice4 ,some of them are aged1 others young4 ,they had1 and still have1 professions1 employments and interests widely different and belong to four different families4 ,it is the fixed and settled opinion of our opponents here1 that two of them are not only persons of integrity1 but were ensnared by others through the whole scene4 ,these two persons soon after confirmed what they had now seen and experienced by solemn1 practical and most deliberate oaths in the presence of eighty people4 ,for one of them made a prayer at the reinterment1 expressing his belief of what he had seen1 and the other solemnly declared to all the assembly1 as soon as the prayer was finished1 that this solemnity was ordered by the ,spectre1 to be observed by his means4 ,he also confirmed the same by an express verbal oath before the civil magistrate4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,letter ,,iv4 ,evidence produced by the discourse of the ,spectre4 ,dear ,sir3--,i would now present to your consideration the conversation of the ,spectre4 ,but ,i shall first observe the objection urged against some part of it4 ,at the time when she appeared to several persons at two o'clock in the day1 she said1 she must come into the room1 where the company were2 but was prevented by earnest entreaty4 ,this1 they say was a falsehood4 ,at another time when she walked in company with forty people1 she went with them only to one house1 though she had informed them that she must go to two houses4 ,she indeed went forward in order to visit the other house1 but was again prevented by earnest entreaty4 ,this was a fault like the other4 ,observe a similar case in ,gen4 #ai3 #b1 #c4 8,and he said1 behold now1 my lords1 turn in1 ,i pray you1 into your servant's house1 and tarry all night and wash your feet2 and ye shall rise up early and go on your ways3 and they said1 nay1 but we will abide in the street all night4 ,but he pressed upon them greatly1 and they turned in unto him and entered into his house40 ,several credible persons say1 8she promised nearly fifty people to convince them of her being such as she professed to be1 if they would comply with a certain condition4 ,they complied1 and went off unconvinced40 ,but credible persons are sometimes mistaken1 and so1 perhaps1 they were now3 because other persons1 as credible and as numerous1 who stood nearer to and had better advantage of understanding the voice1 declare that it was not the ,spectre1 but ,mr4 ,blaisdel1 who said that the company1 by complying1 would be convinced4 ,but he was mistaken4 ,they went off1 in general1 unconvinced at that time4 ,the ,spectre uttered but few words and withdrew4 ,this was the night of ,august #i1 #agii4 ,in that company were the best of people1 conducting in a sober manner2 but others uttered such profanity and derision as rendered them unworthy to obtain conviction4 ,on this account the ,spirit afterwards declared that she could not manifest herself among them4 ,christ himself1 in a certain place1 could not do many mighty works because of their unbelief4 ,it is early enough to treat any affair with derision when we have fully discovered what it is4 ,a scorner seeketh wisdom and findeth it not4 ,this company in general went off with the full persuasion that the whole affair was mere legerdemain1 and that the few words of the ,spectre1 which they had heard1 were only the words of ,mrs4 ,butler herself4 ,though they had been expressly told by an unsuspected person1 who held her by the hand when the words were uttered1 that she did not speak--that the voice was at a distance from her4 ,but they were moderns1 and the witness was rejected2 and1 as it was plainly a different voice from that of ,mrs4 ,butler1 or any other that ever they had heard1 necessity1 the mother of invention1 produced their hypothesis that ,mrs4 ,butler had used some sounding instrument4 ,but several of the company still remained at the house4 ,to them ,mrs4 ,butler complained of the unjust reproach which encompassed her4 8,what have ,i done10 said she1 8that ,i must suffer all this40 8,nothing1 dear1 you have done nothing10 answered a voice immediately in the vacant space of the room4 ,then about fourteen persons1 by the direction of the ,spectre1 went into the cellar4 ,as soon as they were there1 the ,spectre said to ,mrs4 ,butler1 8,go up and sit with others on the kitchen hearth1#bj that this company may know that it is not you who speaks40 ,after she was gone up the ghost conversed with the company on several topics1 suited to authenticate her mission4 ,she mentioned several incidents of her past life1 known only to her husband1 as he declared1 and asked him if he remembered them4 ,he said1 yes3 she asked him if he had told them4 ,he answered1 no3 and of such a nature were those incidents as to render it utterly improbable that he ever should have mentioned them before4 ,this was at the time when he attempted to handle the apparition4 ,it is objected against her1 that she told who was in heaven and who was in hell4 ,she indeed mentioned the world of misery1 as the eternal portion of the finally impenitent2 but ,i find not the least evidence of her particularizing any person1 or persons as being in that miserable state4 ,she indeed mentioned several deceased persons as being in a state of happiness3 and who can prove the impropriety of this8 though indeed it is not what we should have expected4 ,once when she conversed with about fourteen persons1 ,mr4 ,blaisdel having heard that his father was sick1 asked the ,spectre whether she knew any thing or not1 concerning him8 8,your father10 she replied1 8is in heaven1 praising ,god with the angels40 ,he afterwards found that his father1 two hundred miles distant1 died seven days before this answer of the ghost4 ,true1 the news might come from thence in that interval4 ,but his friends at ,york1 where his father lived1 utterly deny that they sent the news in the course of these days4 ,suppose however1 the news did some way or other come3 could any deceiver1 improving the circumstance1 know what questions ,mr4 ,blaisdel would ask1 so as to be sure they could all be answered8 ,or was ,mr4 ,blaisdel himself in the plot8 8,no10 say our opponents1 8his piety1 his veracity1 and his utter aversion to the purpose of it1 forbid the suspicion40 ,it is therefore probable that the same creature1 who appeared and disappeared so often in the view of the people1 and could tell them where they should be and what they would say and do in future time1 was the true author of this information4 ,at a certain time1 when thirty people were convened to hear her conversation1 the name of a certain woman1 who was absent1 happened to be introduced4 8,that woman10 said the ghost1 8has enjoyed a revival lately40 ,immediately one of the company went to her and asked what had lately been the state of her mind4 ,she related it to him1 and he told her that her information and that of the ,spectre agreed4 ,upon this she came and saw the ,spectre2 heard her conversation for several hours1 and expressed abundant satisfaction and delight4 ,at the time when fifty people heard her discourse1 while more than forty saw her2 to some of them1 who had no more believed these extraordinary events than mankind now do in general1 she mentioned several occurrences of her past life known to them and her1 but not divulged1 in order to satisfy them that she was the very person she professed to be4 ,almost all this company had been acquainted with her in her lifetime1 and a considerable number of them very intimately4 ,she desired that any of them would ask what questions they pleased1 for the removal of any doubts respecting her1 which might exist in their minds4 ,accordingly certain persons did propose several questions respecting a number of events in her past life not divulged1 which were so minute and circumstantial as to render the hypothesis of their being all so exactly rehearsed1 as now to become the medium of artifice1 utterly absurd and irrational4 ,to all these inquiries she gave complete1 satisfactory answers4 ,but not to detain you1 ,i will now only ask1 ,how shall ,i judge of these facts8 ,shall ,i suppose that some artful girl personating that deceased woman1 could present herself before forty people1 well acquainted with that woman in her lifetime8 ,tell them by a voice inimitable not to be afraid--to stand as near as they pleased1 and ask as many questions as they pleased1 and all without fear of discovery8 ,what subtle person would not be subtle enough to avoid such a perilous situation8 ,i remain yours4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,letter ,v4 ,the evidence deduced from her predictions4 ,dear ,sir3--,i must now ask your attention to the arguments furnished by her predictions4 ,she foretold what the opinion and conduct of mankind would be with regard to her1 and the ill treatment which ,mr4 ,blaisdel's family would receive on her account4 ,she not only declared the necessity1 but foretold the certainty of the marriage1 at an hour when both the parties and both their families opposed it1 if there was any thing to be known by the harmony of words and actions2 yet the attachment of the parties seems to have been mutual from first to last4 ,the pasara of the paradox is future3 for mankind have more than one character1 and the alector of sop will despise what a jeweller would prize4 ,she not only predicted the prosecution1 but named a particular person as one who would certainly be present at the court for a witness1 eleven months before these events took place4 ,she named another particular person1 as one who should be present at the trial by the ,grand ,jury1 and foretold what kind of language he would utter in their presence1 eleven months before the accomplishment4 ,in about a month after1 that is1 ten months before the accomplishment1 an oath of its existence was given before a magistrate4 ,the person too1 who is the subject of this prediction1 and fulfilled it1 was never a friend1 but invariably the foe of the ,spectre from first to last4 ,she foretold to forty people the issue of that trial1 eleven months before the accomplishment4 ,to the genuine friends of literature in this place1 who were sincerely opposing superstition and legerdemain1 this prediction was made known4 ,they were warned of the disadvantage which they must suffer1 if they persisted4 ,they disbelieved the prediction1 despised it1 and became the involuntary subjects of its fulfillment at the time appointed4 ,within thirty hours after ,mrs4 ,butler's marriage1 the ,spectre predicted that she would become the parent of but one child and then die4 ,ten months after this her child was born1 and she died the next day4 ,the safe return of one bound to the ,west ,indies was also foretold and accomplished4 ,these predictions are all fulfilled and were previously and sufficiently known in this vicinity for evidence that they were such4 ,she uttered several other predictions now accomplished4 ,but as these events might possibly be foreknown or strongly conjectured by other means1 the mention of them is omitted4 ,not only her words but her behaviour too1 manifested the spirit of prophecy4 ,the reinterment of the child was a practical oath1 and never would have been thought of but for her direction4 ,friends and foes were all in one condition--all unable to conceive or even to conjecture the design of it1 till it was manifested eighteen months afterwards1 by certain1 special1 unexpected events of divine ,providence4 ,if then we take an impartial and connecting view of these and all the preceding evidences1 how absurd is the hypothesis that all these evidences could be the effect1 either of imagination or artifice6 ,how much more rational is the opinion which has obtained credit in all ages and nations1 that the spirit of deceased persons do sometimes appear1 however incapable we are of learning all the purposes for which such events are designed6 ,by misapprehension and misinformation1 piety and veracity may give you an account very different from mine4 ,but ask those people of piety and veracity1 who were present when the greatest of these events took place1 ,i tell you they will not deny these facts4 ,i am yours1 c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,letter ,,vi4 ,miscellany4 ,dear ,sir3--,if the preceding arguments can be received1 perhaps you will not indulge distrust1 if ,i subjoin something of my own experience1 confirmed by two other persons who saw the apparition in the same field in the same half hour4 ,sometime in ,july1 #ahjf1 in the evening1 ,i was informed by two persons that they had just seen the ,spectre in the field4 ,about ten minutes after1 ,i went out1 not to see a miracle1 for ,i believed that they had been mistaken4 ,looking toward an eminence1 twelve rods distance from the house1 ,i saw there1 as ,i supposed1 one of the white rocks4 ,this confirmed my opinion of their spectre1 and ,i paid no more attention to it4 ,three minutes after1 ,i accidentally looked in the same direction1 and the white rock was in the air2 its form a complete ,globe1 white with a tincture of red1 like the damask rose1 and its diameter about two feet4 ,fully satisfied that this was nothing ordinary1 ,i went toward it for more accurate examination4 ,while my eye was constantly upon it1 ,i went on four or five steps1 when it came to me from the distance of eleven rods1 as quick as lightning1 and instantly assumed a personal form with a female dress1 but did not appear taller than a girl seven years old4 ,while ,i looked upon her1 ,i said in my mind1 8you are not tall enough for the woman who has so frequently appeared among us40 ,immediately she grew up as large and as tall as ,i considered that woman to be4 ,now she appeared glorious4 ,on her head was the representation of the sun diffusing the luminous1 rectilinear rays every way to the ground4 ,through the rays ,i saw the personal form1 and the woman's dress4 ,then ,i recollected the objection of the ,encylopedia1 that1 8,ghosts always appear to one alone40 ,now1 said my mind1 ,i see you as plainly as ever ,i saw a person on earth2 but were ,i to converse with you an hour1 what proof could ,i produce that ,i ever conversed with you at all4 ,this1 with my fear1 was the reason why ,i did not speak to her4 ,but my fear was connected with ineffable pleasure4 ,life1 simplicity1 purity1 glory1 all harmonizing in this celestial form1 had the most delightful effect on my mind4 ,and there appeared such a dullness afterwards upon all corporeal objects as ,i never perceived before4 ,i went into the house and gave the information1 not doubting that she had come to spend some time with us1 as she had before4 ,we went out to see her again2 but to my great disappointment1 she had vanished4 ,then ,i saw one of the great errors of my life4 ,that ,i had not spoken to her has been the matter of my regret from that hour to this4 ,my word without witness has not been tedious4 ,believed or rejected1 it may do you no harm4 ,on the more sure ground of attestation1 ,i will now relate some instances of her appearing or conversing1 or performing both in the day time4 ,sometime in ,march1 #ahjj1 she talked a few minutes without appearing1 at eight o'clock in the morning1 and promised to come again that day4 ,at two o'clock1 performed her promise1 and talked with four people two hours4 ,it was then she uttered these words3 8,though my body is consumed1 and all turned to dust1 my soul is as much alive1 as before ,i left the body40 ,this conversation was indeed in the cellar1 but the place was enlightened by her radiance4 ,may #ba1 at ten o'clock1 she appeared to two persons1 and sent a message to another4 ,may #be1 #aj o'clock4 ,appeared and conversed with two witnesses1 while a third person only heard the conversation2 and revealed that by which the same was proved to others4 ,may #bf4 ,she appeared at eight o'clock in the morning1 and talked with four persons an hour and a half4 ,in half an hour after1 she appeared and talked with the same four persons1 while two others only heard a voice without knowing what was said4 ,may #bg4 ,talked with two persons1 and promised to be present at a meeting of about twenty people1 which was to be held the next day in the evening4#ba ,accordingly she appeared at this meeting to two other persons1 who were ignorant of the promise4 ,the assembly were immediately interrupted by the declaration1 that 8the spirit is come40 ,none however1 could distinctly see her1 but those two persons4 ,the next evening after1 she conversed with a third couple of persons in company with the first two2 mentioned her promise as being fulfilled1 and told them by her inimitable voice to whom she had appeared4 ,as a further confirmation that she had been really present on this occasion2 she did about two months afterwards talk several hours in the midst of the assembly of forty-eight people1 while she was visible to two1 and only two1 of that number4#bb ,these two people were a fourth couple distinct from the other six4 ,such is the testimony of these eight persons4 ,her conversation was always with grace1 seasoned with salt1 very affecting and delightful4 ,august #ac1 at #aj o'clock1 she talked with three persons invisibly4 ,at two o'clock the same day1 she appeared and talked to three people in the hearing of five other persons4 ,thus have you received a general1 but very imperfect account of these extraordinary events4 ,and now because a juggler will appear to check a musket ball with the point of his knife1 form animals1 and perform a thousand other idle wonders1 will any lover of truth indulge the inference that all the preceding phenomena are of the same nature8 ,do these magicians reveal and establish truths1 the knowledge of which is of great importance to certain persons now1 and of public utility hereafter8 ,no3 ,their miracles are without meaning1 and their design is pecuniary profit1 or else to shew what they can do to gratify the vain curiosity of spectators4 ,mountebanks do not commonly unite their employment with religious order1 prayer and praise1 or with solemn admonitions of life and death1 blessing and cursing3 ,nor do their idle exhibitions so harmonize with the common operations of ,divine ,providence as that the former and the latter have manifestly the same ultimate purposes4 ,this harmony is more than artifice can produce4 ,besides1 who ever knew an instance like this in view1 which1 with all its circumstances1 was afterwards fairly proved to be a deception8 ,and if mountebanks never did exhibit such a variety in such circumstances1 without the least partial discovery1 we may be sure they never could4 ,for doubtless they have done all they could do to impose on mankind by this species of iniquity4 ,it would perhaps afford you some satisfaction to know what other persons here would say respecting these transactions4 ,i shall therefore improve the first opportunity to send you a copy of the oaths and attestations1 which have been given by those who favor the cause1 and by those who oppose it4 ,i continue yours to serve for the promotion of truth4 ,,section ,,iii4 ,the ,proofs produced by ,testimony4 ,the following pages1 for brevity's sake1 present only the extracts from some of the oaths and numerous testimonies of those who oppose and of those who favor the cause4 ,with all these witnesses ,i am intimately acquainted4 ,i took these testimonies from their lips1 for the most part1 separately4 ,i wrote them2 read them in their hearing1 and obtained their approbation of what ,i had written4 ,i made but little alteration in their language1 because ,i chose that their testimonies should appear in their own native simplicity4 ,therefore the philological critic has no employment here4 ,among the testimonies of the opponents1 ,i have left nothing unextracted1 which1 in my apprehension1 could seem to afford any argument in their favor2 or from which1 to my recollection1 they themselves have ever deduced any argument for their purpose4 ,if1 however1 ,i have failed here or in any other respect1 they will doubtless have opportunity to make it known4 ,for the most remarkable occurrences1 ,i have generally selected only two or three witnesses1 not for the want of more1 by any means1 but because the patience of the reader must not be exercised by tedious repetition more than is necessary for the present design4 ,,extracts ,,from ,,the ,,oaths4 ,deposition of ,capt4 ,paul ,simson4 ,about the first of ,august1 #ahjj1 ,mr4 ,h4 and his wife came to my house and desired me to go to ,mr4 ,blaisdel's with them4 ,after we got there1 they said the ,spirit sent for me4 ,i went down into the cellar1 and soon after it rapped4 ,i asked what it wanted4 ,it told me that ,i had done wrong2 ,i had become hard against her--that ,i had disbelieved4 ,i told her ,i had4 ,she said that satan had tempted me and that ,i had sinned4 ,i asked her if she loved ,christ4 ,she said1 yes1 ,i do4 ,i told her the work of the saints was to praise ,god4 ,yes1 she said1 and ,christ too1 and broke out in singing alleluias4 ,at another time she ordered us to place ourselves two and two1 and she would follow us to ,capt4 ,m's1 and ordered us to sing a ,psalm as we went4 ,in going there ,i never saw her4 ,as we walked back1 ,i walked behind4 ,i looked back and saw her4 ,she appeared to me dressed all in white2 as bright a white as ever ,i saw1 and had the appearance of a woman and bigness4 ,,paul ,,simson4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,deposition of ,mrs4 ,sarah ,simson4 ,on ,august #g1 ,mr4 ,blaisdel came to my house and said the voice had sent him for more witnesses1 and that ,mr4 ,simson and ,i must go to his house4 ,i was very much affrighted1 and could not think what he wanted4 ,he said the ,spirit had sent him for more witnesses1 and that ,i must go4 ,i then told him that ,mr4 ,simson said the apparition had appeared at our house the night before4 ,my husband and ,i then went with him4 ,after we had been there some time1 there was a knocking--some spoke to her4 ,she then asked if we wanted to know who she was4 ,it was answered1 yes4 ,she then said three times1 8,i was once ,n---- ,b----40 ,there were many questions asked1 which she answered very directly4 ,i asked1 are you from happiness or misery8 ,to which she answered4 8,i am from above1 and am come on ,god's message20 and fell to singing alleluias4 ,after discoursing some time1 she said she was going to appear to us1 and we must place ourselves two and two and come into the cellar1 and she would shew herself4 ,we complied4 ,i was of the last couple who went into the cellar4 ,it was my desire not to see her4 ,she said1 those who did not desire to see her1 should not4 ,i saw nothing4 ,and though she was so near to me1 as ,i was told by ,p---- ,b----1 as that ,i could touch her if ,i had put out my hand1 and ,i looked to see her2 yet1 as ,i had said ,i did not want to see her1 ,i could not see her4 ,i also1 while in the field looked to see her1 yet ,i did not see her4 ,,sarah ,,simson4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the next deposition was given by one who looks upon the whole scene to be a great deception1 some how or other4 ,the ,deposition of ,mr4 ,thomas ,uran4 ,in ,august #aa1 #ahjj1 ,i was at the house of ,a4 ,blaisdel4 ,i went on purpose to hear and see what ,i could concerning a ,spirit which was said to be there4 ,in the evening there was a knocking round the house2 but nothing spake4 ,we all concluded there would be nothing said or seen4 ,the next morning about day-break1 there seemed to be knockings round the house1 and in the chamber1 and round my bed4 ,we immediately got up1 and going down ,i took a candle1 lighted it1 and went into the cellar alone1 examining if there was no one there to deceive us4 ,i could not see any body4 ,i came back4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel1 with all in the house went down cellar--we heard a knocking4 ,some one spake in the name of ,god1 and asked what she wanted4 ,she asked if we wanted to know who she was4 ,we answered1 yes4 ,she told us she was once ,n---- ,b----4 ,she then said to me1 8you have often said that ,i am a devil or a witch40 ,i then asked her1 if she was from the ,god of heaven or from misery4 ,she answered1 8,i am from above1 praising ,god and the ,lamb20 she then broke out in praise4 ,she then told us that she had come to warn us from sin1 and that if there was not a change before the soul left the body1 we should be forever miserable4 ,she then told us the danger a sinner was in1 out of ,christ1 and told us that she should rise in the day of judgment against us4 ,i told her ,i had a great desire that she should appear4 ,and then she appeared to us all who had a desire to see her4 ,she appeared like a person who was wrapped in a white sheet1 appearing and disappearing several times4 ,it was near sun rise at this time4 ,she then told us that was the day that ,christ rose from the dead1 and that it was ,god's precious time1 and must be kept unto him4 ,lydia1 7,mrs4 ,butler7 was not in the cellar while the foregoing talk was4 ,the ,spirit asked me if ,i would not clear ,lydia2 ,i answered ,i would1 for it was not she who talked4 ,,thomas ,,uran4 99 99 99 99 99 ,deposition of ,capt4 ,george ,butler4 ,when ,i was called to talk with this voice1 ,i asked1 8who are you80 ,it answered1 8,i was once your wife40 ,the voice asked me1 8,do you not remember what ,i told you when ,i was alive40 ,i answered1 8,i do not really know what you mean40 ,the voice said1 8,do you not remember ,i told you ,i did not think ,i should live long with you4 ,i told you that if you was to leave me ,i should never wish to change my condition2 but that if ,i was to leave you1 ,i could not blame you1 if you did40 ,this passed between me and my first wife1 while she was alive1 and there was no living person within hearing1 but she and myself1 and ,i am sure that this was never revealed to any person1 and no living person could have told it to me before the voice did4 ,as ,lydia 7,mrs4 ,butler7 and ,i stood side and side alone1#bc she had her left arm round me and her right hand hold of the forward part of my waistcoat1 her head leaning against my breast4 ,there was something appeared to my view right before me1 like a person in a winding sheet and her arms folded under the winding sheet1 and on her arm there appeared to be a very small child4 ,by this appearance ,i did not know possibly but ,i might be deceived4 ,i reached out my left hand to take hold of it4 ,i saw my hand in the middle of it1 but could feel nothing4 ,the same evening it appeared and disappeared to me three times4 ,,george ,,butler4 ,hancock1 ss4--,sullivan1 ,august #f1 #ahjj4 ,personally appeared ,paul ,simson1 ,sarah ,simson1 ,thomas ,uran and ,george ,butler1 who1 being carefully examined as to the truth of the above declarations1 made solemn oath that the statements were true4 ,the ,testimonies by difference of opinion have naturally two parts1 that of the opponents and that of the adherents4 ,the first part presents the attestation of those who consider these phenomena as a scene of wickedness4 ,,testimony ,i4 ,testimony of ,miss ,h4 ,g4 ,august #i1 #aj4 ,i was at the house of ,mr4 ,blaisdel1 by the persuasion of others2 for as to myself ,i made very light of the matter1 supposing that the whole was the contrivance of certain persons1 and ,i believe still that nothing good appeared there4 ,we heard rappings1 and these sounds were spoken to1 but no answer obtained4 ,after much altercation 7which is needless to rehearse7 we all came out of the cellar1 and all went off1 except a few persons1 of whom ,i was one4 ,some of ,mr4 ,blaisdel's family uttered severe expressions against those who went off and did not believe4 8,what do you want they should believe10 said ,i2 8for my part ,i see nothing to believe40 ,immediately ,mrs4 ,butler came in from the entry very much affrighted1 8,if any one desires to be convinced10 said she1 8let him look there in the entry40 ,i looked there and saw nothing4 ,soon after this1 while ,mrs4 ,butler was sitting on the foot of a bed1 we heard a sound right against her on the outside of the house4 ,mr4 ,butler told her to speak to it4 ,at first she refused4 ,they told her she must4 ,then she said to it1 8,if ,i am guilty stay away2 if ,i am clear in the name of the ,lord clear me40 ,the ,spirit then rapped very hard1 so as to shake the house4 ,some of the company said she must go into the cellar4 8,so ,i must10 said she2 8if ,i do not1 she will come into the room3 and if she does1 ,i shall die4#bd ,who will go with me40 ,d---- ,a---- said she would go4 ,they went1#be and soon after we all went down4 ,then ,i plainly heard the voice say to ,mrs4 ,butler1 8,go up1 that the people may not think it is you who speaks40 ,i saw her go up into the room1 and heard at the same time the voice in the cellar4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel asked the ,spirit whence she came4 ,she answered1 8,i am from heaven4 ,i am with ,god and with ,christ--angels and seraphim1 praising ,god4 ,glory1 glory1 glory40 ,mr4 ,blaisdel asked why she did not manifest herself in the fore part of that night to all the people4 ,she answered1 8,i was not permitted to come where there was so much sin40 ,the ,spirit then said to ,mr4 ,blaisdel1 8,ask the people if they are convinced40 ,he did so2 and ,i among the rest answered that ,i was4 ,but ,i think otherwise now4 ,god knew who would be there the forepart of that night4 ,why did he send her8 ,then the ,spirit said1 8,i must appear20 and by her direction we placed ourselves in order4 ,then ,i saw a white appearance1 at first not more than a foot in height1 but it appeared larger and larger1 and more plainly1 and when it came nearer to me1 ,i was struck with fear and left the cellar2 but others told me that afterwards they saw the ,spirit plainly4 ,august #ac-ad1 ,i again went to ,mr4 ,blaisdel's with forty-seven persons4 ,the ,spirit now told us again that she was from heaven1 and that she was once ,n---- ,h----4 ,after much conversation the ,spirit said that some of the people were faint1 and could not hear all that was to be said1 and that we must go up and refresh ourselves4 8,you must go with me to two places this night10 said she1 8and you must be ready at one o'clock40 8,what o'clock is it now10 said ,mr4 ,blaisdel2 she said1 8twelve1 twelve1 twelve40 ,we went up immediately and looked on the watch1 and it was exactly twelve4 ,in a short time1 hearing the usual sign1 we returned4 ,among many other words which ,i do not remember1 ,mr4 ,downing asked the ,spirit if she knew him2 she answered1 8yes10 and called him by name4 ,he asked if she was ever at his house4 ,she answered that she had been once there with her mother4 ,at length she told us that we must go up and she would walk with us behind1 with ,mrs4 ,butler4 ,but you must walk in order1 two and two1 said she1 singing a ,psalm3 for ,god is a ,god of order4 ,some person asked when she would be ready4 ,she said1 8,i will let you know40 ,some person again asked what o'clock it was4 ,she answered1 one4 ,we went up and again looked on the watch and it was one4 ,we attended prayer1 and immediately after she knocked4 ,a ,psalm was chosen1 which the greatest number of us could best remember1 and it was sung as we walked4 ,i was now far forward and did not see the ,spirit4 ,when we came to ,capt4 ,millar's1 the ,spirit rapped there1 and ,capt4 ,millar with ,capt4 ,paul ,blaisdel and some others1 went into the cellar1 and ,i heard them talk1 but could not understand what was said to them4 ,then word came to us that we must stand out in the field before the house--that she would appear before us1 and walk with ,mrs4 ,butler1 that the people might be convinced that ,mrs4 ,butler had told the truth in relating that she had walked with her before4 ,then we all stood before the house4 ,mrs4 ,butler put on a black cloak1 and when she had walked a little distance from us1 as before directed by the ,spirit1 ,i heard her groan bitterly1 and soon after ,i saw the appearance of a woman in white1 walking with her4 ,suddenly ,mrs4 ,butler sung a part of that hymn called ,new ,jerusalem4 ,then she came to us and we all went back in order to ,mr4 ,blaisdel's4 ,i then looked back and saw a person in white walking with ,mrs4 ,butler4 ,after we returned to the house1 ,mrs4 ,butler appeared very weary and exhausted4 ,i asked her at what time the ,spirit came to her4 ,she told me it was after she had walked a little distance from the people4 8,when you heard me groan1 said she1 then ,i saw it coming toward me4 ,i am always more afraid when ,i only see it1 than ,i am after it has spoken to me3#bf and she now told me not to be scared2 that she was not come to hurt me1 and that if ,i would sing a hymn1 it would expel my fears40 ,,hannah ,,gatcomb4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,ii4 ,testimony of ,mr4 ,paul ,simson1 ,jun4 ,august #i1 #ahjj4 ,i was at ,mr4 ,a4 ,blaisdel's1 with many more1 and heard the sound of knocking4 ,it was addressed1 and a voice answered1 but ,i could not understand it4 ,several persons spoke1 but received no satisfactory answer4 ,the people generally concluded that the whole affair was some deception4 ,therefore they went off and ,i among them4 ,but my reflections on that singular knocking1 induced me to say to two young men1 8,if you will go back1 ,i will1 and find out something more1 if possible2 for ,i am no more satisfied now1 than ,i was before ,i went to that house40 ,we went back4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel asked us why we returned4 ,i told him that we had all gone off with the opinion that the whole affair was a scheme contrived by his daughters1 and nothing more1 and ,i meant if possible1 to find them out4 8,you must think as you please10 said he1 8,i am clear1 and ,i believe my family is40 ,i told him ,i wished to see all his family sitting in one part of the room4 ,they complied4 ,then ,i took a candle and stood in the midst of the room4 ,after several minutes1 something rapped near where two of us stood1 and from thence removed to several parts of the house4 8,what do you think of it10 said ,mr4 ,blaisdel8 8,it appears1 said ,i1 to be strange40 8,we will go into the cellar10 said ,mr4 ,blaisdel1 8and1 if you think any body is there1 search the cellar through with a candle20 we did so4 ,i came out last and was careful and watched1 so that ,i was sure that no person went down4 ,also the outer door was fast4 ,then again we heard the sound of knocking4 ,it was addressed1 and conversation followed1 in the midst of which ,mr4 ,blaisdel said to me1 8,if you think any living person talks1 go forward and grasp that person40 ,i went forward a few steps1 but was so convinced that no body was there1 that ,i considered all further attempts as useless4 ,after much discourse1 which ,i cannot remember1 the ,spirit told us that we must go up and come down again in order1 two and two1 and she would appear to us4 ,we did so1 and ,i saw the apparition at first about two feet in height2 but1 as it drew nearer to me1 it appeared as tall as a person4 ,i saw this appearance passing close by me and from me five or six times4 ,at last it diminished to about a foot in height and then vanished4 ,,paul ,,simson1 ,jun4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,iii4 ,testimony of ,miss ,sally ,martin4 ,august #ac1 #ahjj1 ,i was at ,mr4 ,blaisdel's house1 with more than forty people1 besides their own family1 and heard knockings4 ,we all wondered1 when we heard a sound on one side or corner of the house2 the next sound on the opposite side or corner1 and a third sound equally distant from the second1 and so on for a number of sounds1 while the succession was as rapid as one sound could be clearly distinguished from another4 ,we were sure that no person1 nor even several persons1 could make sounds so distant from each other in such quick succession1 even were it possible for them to be in or near the places of these sounds1 without discovery4 ,by the desire of the ,spirit and ,mr4 ,blaisdel1 we went into the cellar4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel told the people to stand back and give the ,spirit room1 and not crowd so near her1 8don't crowd her10 said he1 8she cannot talk if you crowd her40 ,when we were placed1 ,mr4 ,blaisdel ordered the candle to be blown out1 and stood before the company next to the ,spirit4#bg ,when these things were done1 the affair was become as dark to me1 as the cellar was4 ,i heard much conversation with several people by a voice which ,i never heard before4 ,this voice at last told us to go up and go to a certain house and she would go with us4 ,we did as the voice told us3 and1 as we went1 ,i saw a personal form1 as white as any thing could possibly appear1 walking by ,mrs4 ,butler's side1 with locked arms4 ,when we came to the only outer door of the house1 ,i saw this form at a distance from me1 abroad1 though near the house1 ,i went in and heard a knocking immediately under the floor4 ,in two or three minutes ,i heard the same voice that ,i had heard before1 talking with ,capt4 ,millar4 ,by the desire of the voice1 we stood before the house that she might appear to us4 ,there ,i saw the personal form as plainly as ever ,i saw a living person3 and ,i saw the same form vanish before me in a moment4 ,,sally ,,martin4 ,on this testimony a few observations must detain the reader4 ,we are liable to be deceived two ways3 by the appearance of truth where it is not1 and by the appearance of deception where it is not4 ,did not such an occasion as this require order8 ,the ,spectre was about to communicate to the assembly an important message4 ,could they enjoy the best advantage to hear and attend to it1 while they were changing places1--crowding and interrupting one another8 ,is not a voice better understood by any auditory1 if there be some intermediate space between the speaker and hearer8 ,what did they want a candle for1 unless they wanted to be deceived8 ,the ,spectre was white2 so is a deceiver by a candle4 ,the ,spectre told them the exact time of night2 so could a deceiver by a candle4 ,did they want a candle in order to see her8 ,they had learned1 or might have learned already1 that she could make herself as visible without a candle1 as any person living could with it4 ,four nights before this1 she appeared to fourteen persons in this very place1 and six persons saw the hand pass through the apparition4 ,two nights before this1 she appeared to about twenty people1 forming an ellipsis1 within which she slowly passed round so near the circumference several times1 that every one of them might have handled her with deliberation1 and she had also expressed her desire to give satisfaction by this experiment4 ,therefore it was not because she was afraid to be seen or handled1 that ,mr4 ,blaisdel made this arrangement2 but for reasons possibly unknown to us4 ,but probably one of them was this3 ,on the night of this testimony1 ,august #ac1 it was one design of the ,spectre to confirm what was past1 by conducting as she had before1 ,may #bh4bh ,that is3 by appearing only to two or three persons1 while to all others in the assembly1 though conversing with her1 she should remain invisible4 ,this1 we are assured1 by testimony #aa and #ad1 part #bnd1 was now performed4 ,on the above ,may #bh1 a third person thought he saw her1 but was not sure2 for he supposed he might be deceived by some change of the candle light4 ,hence we easily see that those two persons who saw her on this night of ,august #ac1 while she invisibly discoursed with the assembly1 obtained more satisfaction for others1 if not for themselves1 that what they saw was reality1 than if there had been a candle2 especially if we consider that several women of the assembly were dressed in white4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,iv4 ,testimony of ,capt4 ,james ,millar4 ,august #g4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel came to my house and desired me to go to his own1 where ,i might hear and see for myself4 ,he also went to ,capt4 ,samuel ,simson's with the same request4 ,capt4 ,simson and his wife1 ,s---- ,b----1 and ,n---- ,g----1 who were there1 came with him to my house1 and we all went to ,mr4 ,blaisdel's4 ,when we had been there some minutes1 ,capt4 ,simson1 by desire1 prayed4 ,his prayer was immediately followed by a knocking1 and we all went into the cellar4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel asked what was wanted1 and who it was4 ,it answered1 8,i was once ,n4 ,h40 ,i asked1 8,how was man made80 8,out of the dust10 said the voice1 8,dust thou art1 and unto dust thou shalt return4 ,you have the ,bible1 and that is ,god's truth1 and do you abide by it4 ,love ,god and keep his commandments40 ,after some conversation with ,mrs4 ,simson and others1 she said1 8,i must go10 and we heard no more4 ,it was now broad day-light1 the outer cellar door being open1 and utterly impossible that any living person should be there1 but those whom we could see and know4 ,the voice was about six feet from me4 ,august #i4 ,i went to that house with many people1 among whom ,i observed much disorderly behaviour4 ,the ,spirit spake but little1 and ,i returned with a resolution to go no more to that house on such an errand4 ,august #ad4 ,just before day-light1 ,i heard singing1 as ,i lay in bed1 approaching to my house4 ,presently1 by my leave1 my house was filled with people1 and ,i heard knockings on the floor4 ,by the desire of certain persons1 ,i went into the cellar with ,capt4 ,p---- ,b----4 ,after some discourse of the voice with him1 which ,i understood not1 ,i heard sounds of knocking near me4 ,i asked1 what do you want of me4 ,it answered1 8,i have come to let you know that ,i can speak in this cellar as well as in the other4#bi ,are you convinced80 ,i answered1 8,i am40 8,now10 said the voice1 8the company must be solemn and stand in order before your door1 ,i am going to appear4 ,now do you remember that ,i was once ,n4 ,h40 ,we went up and complied with her direction1 and ,i saw a personal shape coming toward us1 white as the light4 ,by the ,spectre's order1 as ,i was informed1 ,mrs4 ,butler went toward her4 8,lydia10 said the ,spectre1 8you are scared4 ,you must sing40 ,then she sung an hymn4 ,the ,spirit came almost to us2 then turned1 and ,mrs4 ,butler with her1 and went several rods towards ,capt4 ,simson's and appeared to take her by the hand to urge her on further2 and disappeared in our sight4 ,mrs4 ,butler returned and informed the company1 as ,i was told1 that if they would walk to ,mr4 ,blaisdel's solemnly as to a funeral1 the ,spirit would walk with ,mrs4 ,butler behind them4 ,the company did so4 ,but ,i being far forward1 saw nothing4 ,mrs4 ,butler had expressed her unwillingness to go to ,capt4 ,simson's1 and was excused1 as she afterwards told us4 ,,james ,,millar4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,v4 ,testimony of ,mrs4 ,m4 ,g4 ,on the #dth of ,august1 #ahjj1 about two hours before day-light1 while ,i slept in ,mr4 ,blaisdel's house1 ,i was waked by the sound of knocking4 ,i got up1 and with about twenty others went into the cellar4 ,there ,i heard such a voice speaking to us as ,i never heard before nor since4 ,it was shrill1 but very mild and pleasant4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel1 in addressing the voice1 said that several persons1 7of whom ,i was one7 had come from a distance to obtain satisfaction1 and desired that she would tell us who she was1 and the design of her coming4 ,she answered1 8,i was once ,n4 ,h4 and after ,i was married1 ,i was ,n4 ,b40 ,after much conversation upon the design of her coming1 she appeared to us4 ,at first the apparition was a mere mass of light3 then grew into personal form1 about as tall as myself4 ,we stood in two ranks about four or five feet apart4 ,between these ranks she slowly passed and repassed1 so that any of us could have handled her4 ,when she passed by me1 her nearness was that of contact2 so that if there had been a substance1 ,i should have certainly felt it4 ,the glow of the apparition had a constant tremulous motion4 ,at last the personal form became shapeless--expanded every way1 and then vanished in a moment4 ,then ,i examined my own white gown and handkerchief1 but ,i could no more see them than if they had been black4 ,nothing more being now seen or heard1 we were moving to go up1 when the voice spake again and desired us to tarry longer4 ,we did so1 and the ,spirit talked with us another hour1 even till broad day-light4 ,she mentioned to us the ill treatment which ,mr4 ,blaisdel's family had suffered by reproach and false accusation1 and told us that they would1 on her account1 be more despised and ridiculed in time to come1 than they had been already4 ,her discourse concluded by a solemn exhortation to the old1 the middle aged and the young4 ,the present life1 she said1 was but a moment1 in which we must be renewed or be miserable forever4 ,in her address to the youth she observed that it was now the ,lord's day1 and that we must retire to our homes1 read the ,bible1 pray and keep the day holy4 ,it was then she uttered these lines of ,dr4 ,watts4 8,this is the day when ,christ arose ,so early from the dead2 ,why should ,i keep my eyelids closed1 ,and waste my hours in bed80 ,after speaking much more which ,i cannot remember1 she sang praises and left us4 ,her notes were very pleasant4 ,her words were in no higher style than common1 yet were they exceedingly impressive4 ,,mary ,,gordon4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,vi4 ,testimony of ,mrs4 ,sally ,wentworth4 ,on the #b;d of ,january #ahjj1 ,hannah ,blaisdel came to ,mr4 ,butler's house and informed me that the extraordinary voice which they had heard1 had declared itself to be that of my sister1 and that ,i must go to her father's house4 ,i told her to her face that ,i did not believe it4 ,the next day ,i received the same message by three other persons1 two of which belonged to two other families1 and returned the same answer4 ,nevertheless1 to give satisfaction1 ,capt4 ,butler1 ,mr4 ,wentworth and ,i went with them to that house4 ,capt4 ,butler and ,i examined the cellar with a candle1 and in a few minutes after1 ,lydia and ,i went down there4 ,capt4 ,s----n and some others1 went with us1 but none of them stood before us4 ,while ,i held ,lydia by the arm1 we heard the sound of knocking4 ,lydia spoke1 and a voice answered1 the sound of which brought fresh to my mind that of my sister's voice1 in an instant2 but ,i could not understand it at all2 though it was within the compass of my embrace1 and1 had it been a creature which breathed1 it would have breathed in my face1 and ,i had no impediment of hearing4 ,but ,lydia told me that it said1 8,we must live in peace and be united40 ,then we came up4 ,but ,capt4 ,s----n with ,lydia and others1 went down again4 ,i passed through the room which led to the cellar into another room1 and there ,i was much surprised when ,i plainly understood by the same kind of voice1 still speaking in the cellar1 these words1 8,i am the voice of one crying in the wilderness20 and other sentences1 which ,i cannot remember4 ,this is testified by several others who were with me4#cj ,from this time ,i cleared ,lydia as to the voice1 and accused the devil4 ,august #h1 ,i was there again with about thirty others1 and heard much conversation4 ,her voice was still hoarse and thick1 like that of my sister on her death bed1#ca but more hollow4 ,sometimes it was clear1 and always pleasant4 ,a certain person did1 in my opinion very unwisely1 ask her whether ,i was a true ,christian4 ,the reply was1 8,she thinks she is1 she thinks she is4 ,she is my sister40 ,august #ac-ad1 ,i heard the same voice in the same place1 and did then believe it was that of my sister4 ,she talked much with ,capt4 ,s----n1 and exhorted the people4 ,mr4 ,sp----r asked her if ,i believed that she was my sister4 ,the answer was1 8,she believes now40 ,by the direction of the ,spirit we went to ,capt4 ,m----r's1 but ,i never saw her4 ,sometime after this1 ,mr4 ,butler brought to me from the ,spectre1 the private conversation which ,i know ,i had with my sister in her lifetime1 at a certain hour1 when we were alone together1 and which he declares he never knew before2 as a token that ,i was her sister4 ,it is true ,i had never revealed it to any person1 and ,i do not believe that my sister ever did2 but could not some evil spirit hear that conversation1 and afterwards personate my sister1 and reveal it to ,capt4 ,butler8 ,for what purpose should my sister become visible to us8--,there was certainly no dispute nor difficulty in my father's family or that of ,mr4 ,butler's1 which could be any reason for her coming4 ,,sally ,,wentworth4 ,mrs4 ,wentworth had now an opportunity to hear the voice of ,lydia and the voice of the ,spectre in the same time and place1 that she might have the best advantage to judge whether or not there was the least agreement between them4 ,and that ,lydia had never learned to utter two voices in the same minute1 the one her natural voice1 the other the dying voice of this woman's sister1 appears from the certainty that through all the time of the ,spectre's last sickness and death1 ,lydia was two hundred miles distant from her4 ,when ,mrs4 ,wentworth heard in the east room that sentence of the ghost1 8,i am the voice of one crying in the wilderness20 this was the only time in which the ghost uttered these words for that day1 as several witnesses 7nem4 con47 declare4 ,hence it follows that this was the exact minute when ,captain ,simson1 in the cellar1 within eight feet of the voice1 and free from deafness1 heard only a sound1 while they who stood by him understood the words plainly4 7,compare this with a sentence in ,test4 #d1 #b;d part47 ,the reality of the token appears from the undoubted veracity of ,mrs4 ,w41 her inflexible opposition and the oath of ,capt4 ,butler1 the reputed dupe of the whole business4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,vii4 ,testimony of ,mr4 ,jeremiah ,bunker4 ,on ,august #i1 #ahjj1 ,i went to ,mr4 ,blaisdel's1 where there were about twelve people4 ,after hearing the discourse of the ,spectre1 she appeared before us and disappeared several times4 ,she came close by me and three or four others several times1 so that each of us could have handled her4 ,the personal shape1 when it disappeared1 first changed to a substance1 without form1 and then vanished in a moment where it was3 and after a short space1 the full personal form appeared again in a moment4 ,these changes ,i observed several times4 ,i thought then and ever since that the whole was a deception4 ,for ,i cannot see how there could be such a clear personal shape1 where no living person was4 ,she was in the shape of a person as much as any person could be4 ,,jeremiah ,,bunker4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the second part presents the attestation of those who favor the cause1 or at least have not appeared openly against it4 ,,testimony ,i4 ,testimony of ,mr4 ,abner ,blaisdel4 ,may #bi1 #ahjj4 ,the ,spectre conversed with three of my family4 ,to dispel their fears1 she introduced her conversation by these words3 8,i have come again1#cb be not afraid1 ,i will not hurt you1 ,i did not come here to hurt you1 ,i am a friend to you all40 ,one of them answered1 8,i cannot help being afraid40 8,you need not be10 said the ,spectre1 8you need not be4 ,i never did hurt you1 did ,i80 ,no3 it was answered3 8,and ,i shall not hurt you10 said the ,spectre4 8,put your things in place4#cc ,conduct as formerly3 for nothing will hurt you40 ,to ,capt4 ,butler the ,spectre said1 8,be kind to your wife3 for she will not be with you long4 ,she will have but one child and then die40 ,it was now that the ,spirit sent a token to ,mrs4 ,hooper1 her mother1 by which ,mrs4 ,hooper declares she must have been her daughter4 ,august #f4 ,i had for some time heard that my father was sick1 but had since received no news from him4 ,i ventured to ask how my father did2 8,he is in heaven10 said she1 8praising ,god with the angels40 ,i afterwards found by other means1 that my father died seven days before this4 ,he lived two hundred miles from me4 ,when she left us at this time1 the voice sounded in the air further and further from us1 uttering these words3 8,i am in heaven1 praising ,god and the ,lamb with angels1 archangels1 cherubim and seraphim4 ,glory1 glory1 glory to ,god and the ,lamb4 ,i am going1 ,i am going1 ,i am going to ,christ40 ,august #h4 ,about thirty people came to my house4 ,that night the ,spectre had much solemn conversation with them on religious subjects4 ,mr4 ,n4 ,h----n expressed his desire to handle her1 and she gave him liberty4 ,some times the inimitable voice would sound ten or twelve feet from us1 then close to our face1 then again at a distance3 and these changes were instantaneous4 ,after broad day-light1 the outer door being open1 when we could plainly see each other1 the voice spake to all1 and said1 8,let any one who pleases1 come and handle me3 for ,christ says that a spirit hath not flesh and bones40 ,some person then said to ,mr4 ,h----n1 8,now if you want to handle her why don't you go80 ,then he crowded through the people to the place where the voice was still speaking1 and said1 8,i find nothing here to handle40 ,august #i1 #ahjj4 ,we placed ourselves in order1 according to the direction of the ,spectre2 and a white appearance1 at first very small1 rose before me and grew to a personal stature and form4 ,it stood directly before ,capt4 ,butler1 while he and his wife stood beside each other4 ,i saw him put his hand on the apparition1 and ,i saw his hand pass through it4 ,then it vanished4 ,there were now about twelve persons here4 ,on ,august #aa1 she discoursed with about twenty persons1 of whom ,i was one4 8,i come10 said she1 8to warn you against sin1 and if there is not a change before the soul leaves the body1 you will be forever miserable40 ,after the ,spirit had spoken many things of this nature1 ,mr4 ,u4 expressed his desire to see her1 8,you shall see me10 said she1 8,i will appear to you all40 ,she appeared and disappeared before us several times1 and talked while she appeared4 ,she came close to us1 and some said they saw the child in her arms4 ,my son ,p4 observed it1 and said1 8,her child is now in her arms20 8,so it is10 said she1 8so it is40 ,when it was day-light1 she told us that this was the day when ,christ rose from the dead--that it was ,god's precious time and must be kept holy1 and that she must return to carry on the work of praise1 and then sang praises and left us4 ,next morning1 while ,i was at work in my field1 ,i was told that the ,spirit had sent for me4 ,i went into my house1 heard a voice1 but saw nothing4 ,this voice1 which declared itself to be ,n4 ,h4 said1 8,call for my parents1 ,p4 ,s4 ,s4 ,c41 his wife and others1 who appear to you to know ,christ1 that they may hear and see2 for they will tell the truth40 ,i performed the errand1 and those persons came with more than forty others that night4 ,i went into the cellar and asked who should come4 8,they must all come10 said she1 8leave not a soul behind40 ,i gave the information and they complied4 ,the ,spirit first asked her parents whether they believed she was her daughter3 and they said1 8yes40 8,do you want to see me80 said she4 ,and they said1 8,no40 ,she asked her father if he was ready to go with her1 if the ,lord should call him4 8,i am afraid ,i am not10 said he1 8but the ,lord can make me willing40 8,that is right10 she answered4 ,then after conversing with her mother1 in a very affecting manner1 she said to both1 8,you were my dear parents once2 but now you are no more to me than others40 ,then to ,capt4 ,p4 ,s4 she said1 8,you have become hard against me40 8,so ,i have10 said he4 8,do you love ,christ80 8,yes1 ,i do10 said she1 8yes ,i do40 ,p4 ,s4 8,then you love me40 8,yes1 ,i do4 ,do you not remember that soon after ,i was married1 you told me that ,i was married to ,g4 ,b4 and how happy ,i should be1 if ,i was married to ,christ3 and ,i said ,i was not2 but ,i wished ,i was40 ,p4 ,s4 8,yes1 ,i remember it very well40 8,now ,i am married to ,christ10 said she1 8now ,i am married to ,christ1 now ,i am married to ,christ40 8,you used to meet with us at my house1 and once1 at the time of a certain prayer1 ,i observed you to be much affected40 8,yes1 ,i was10 said she1 8and the ,lord was then breaking my heart40 ,i then spake to her myself1 and said1 ,i never knew that you experienced a change of nature before you died1 and ,i should be glad if you would tell when you experienced it4 ,it was1 said she1 when ,i laid upon my death bed4 ,then she spake to her parents1 and reminded them of the conversation which had passed between them at that time1 respecting the loss of her child4 ,then it was1 said she1 that ,i received my change4 ,after much other conversation1 which ,i do not remember1 the ,spirit said to us1 8,there is one of this family1 who is not here40 ,some person asked if we should go and call him4 ,she said1 8,no2 ,i am going where he is4 ,they say ,i can appear no where but here2 but ,i mean to convince them that ,i can appear in other places4 ,i must appear before you all this night1 and go to the next house and to another4 ,you must all go up and be ready to walk with me4 ,but you must walk in order1 two and two1 solemnly1 as if you were following a friend to the grave4 ,for the ,lord is a ,god of peace and not of confusion4 ,sing a ,psalm as you walk1 and ,i will walk with ,lydia after you40 ,we all went up1 and in about an hour after1 we heard the token1 and placed ourselves before the door1 and hearing it again1 we walked on to ,capt4 ,m's1 and the ,spirit knocked under his floor4 ,he and my son went down and1 after conversing with my son1 she told ,capt4 ,m4 who she was1 and the purpose of her coming to his house1 and asked him if he was satisfied1 and he told her that he was4 ,then she directed him to go up and tell the people to stand in order before the door and she would appear before them in the field4 ,they did so1 and she appeared to them and disappeared1 as some of them informed me4 ,by her direction we walked back to my house in the same order1 and then ,i saw her plainly about thirty feet from me1 in the form and stature of a person2 white as the light and moving after us like a cloud1 without ambulatory motion4 ,,abner ,,blaisdel4 ,i have discoursed with all these persons1 except two or three1 whose names are mentioned in this testimony1 and they all attest to almost all the facts which are here related1 as being known to them4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,ii4 ,testimony of ,miss ,mary ,card4 ,i am not only a witness to many things in the preceding relation1 but ,i further declare that1 on ,august #ac1 about two o'clock in the day1 while ,mr4 ,blaisdel was gone for evidence1 the ,spirit knocked1 and ,m4 ,m4 and ,i went near to the place of the sound and asked what was wanted4 ,the ,spirit answered 8,i have come1 ,i have come4 ,make room for ,i am coming among you40#cd ,i pleaded that she would not4 ,i must1 ,i must1 said she1 don't be scared4 ,i answered we were poor sinful creatures1 and could not help it1 and again earnestly entreated her not to come4 ,i now plainly saw her appear in shining white2 and she asked me if any person in the house wanted to see her4 ,i then called on ,miss ,p4 ,c4 who in the same hour had said that 8though she had heard the voice speak1 she would not believe it was that of a ghost40 ,i asked her now to come and see her1 and she did4 ,now1 said the ghost1 satisfy yourselves4 ,here ,i am1 here ,i am1 satisfy yourselves4 ,miss ,p4 ,c4 answered that she was satisfied4#ce ,the ghost then spake several other things which ,i cannot remember4 ,m4 ,,card4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,iii4 ,testimony of ,miss ,margaret ,miller4 ,i was present at the same time1 and heard all that is here declared by ,miss ,mary ,card4 ,i saw the apparition1 and heard her speak at the same time4 ,m4 ,,miller4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,iv4 ,testimony of ,capt4 ,paul ,simson4 ,january #c1 #ahjj1 ,i was at the house of ,mr4 ,blaisdel4 ,his son ,p4 desired me to go with him into the cellar4 ,i went down with him and his two sisters1 and ,mrs4 ,c4 ,m4 ,i heard a rapping1 and asked in the name of ,christ what it wanted4 ,i heard a voice considerably loud1 but could not understand it4 ,but some who were present1 told me that it said1 8,i am the voice of one crying in the wilderness4 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord4 ,make his paths strait4 ,seek ye the ,lord1 while he may be found2 call upon him while he is near40 ,after some silence it rapped again4 ,i spake to it in the name of ,christ1 and said1 if there was any thing it could utter for peace1 to utter it4 ,it answered1 8,i am not to be trifled with4 ,i am not to be trifled with4 ,i am not to be trifled with4 ,peace1 peace1 peace40#cf ,then they all went up1 except ,lydia and myself1 and ,i held her by the hand4 ,she was much terrified1 and said1 8,i feel so ,i cannot stay3 ,i must go up40 ,stay awhile1 said ,i1 perhaps it will speak again4 8,i cannot10 said she1 and began to urge me away4 ,i consented1 and when we had come up1 she told me what ,i had myself perceived1 that the cellar began to grow light1 where the voice was uttered and that she heard a rushing noise4 ,sometime after ,i was in the same cellar with a number of people and heard a plain voice2 clearly understood by others1 but not at all by myself1 though as near to it as others and free from deafness4 ,the voice appeared to me inimitable4 ,august #h1 ,i was there again with thirty others and heard the conversation of the ,spectre with several persons4 ,mr4 ,n4 ,h4 mentioned his desire to handle her4 8,handle me and see10 said she1 8for ,christ tells you that a spirit is not flesh and bones40 ,mr4 ,t4 ,u4 said1 8if you are a happy soul1 intercede for me40 ,the reply was1 8,none but ,christ intercedes40 8,there are among us10 said ,mr4 ,u41 8several denominations of ,christians3 ,presbyterians1 ,congregationalists1 ,baptists1 and ,methodists4 ,which of all these are right80 ,the voice answered1 8,there are good and bad of all these sorts for the elect's sake40#cg ,in ,august #ac-ad1 while ,i was at the same house1 the ,spirit informed us that she could not speak freely in the night of ,august #i1 because the behaviour of the people had been so rude1 but expressed her joy in discoursing with christians4 ,you know1 said ,i1 a thousand times more than any of us4 ,yes ,i do1 said she4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel said to me1 you stand too near her4 ,then ,i asked1 do ,i stand too near you8 ,no1 said she1 stand as near as you please4 ,i felt surprised1 and said1 it was a wonderful event4 ,yes1 the spirit replied1 it is a wonderful event indeed--do you not remember what you told me1 just after ,i was married that if ,i was married to ,christ1 how happy ,i should live8 ,yes1 ,i answered1 ,i remember it very well4 ,she exhorted the young people and told them that without a change they would be miserable4 ,after this1 the spirit expressed her resolution to convince us that ,mr4 ,blaisdel and his family were clear of the evils alleged against them4 ,they say ,i am a witch and a devil1 said she2 and they said that ,christ was a devil4 ,the spirit said other things1 which ,i remember not4 ,at last she told them she was about to appear in order to convince them4 ,then by her direction we went up1 and having prayed together1 and heard the token1 we walked on to ,capt4 ,m's1 singing the #hdth ,psalm4 ,i was one of the foremost of the company and did not see it then2 but the greatest number of those who were behind me1 said they saw it plainly4 ,when we were at ,capt4 ,m's house1 we stood in the field1 while ,mrs4 ,butler1 in great fear1 walked with the ,spirit before us1#ch a few rods toward ,capt4 ,simson's2 and then returned and told us that we must walk back1 two and two1 to her father's house singing1 and the spirit would follow us back4 ,we did so4 ,mr4 ,d4 and ,i walked behind all1 except ,mrs4 ,butler1 in order if possible to see the apparition4 ,when we had walked about fifteen rods1 ,i saw a white appearance forward of us to the left hand4 ,as we passed by it1 it fell in after us and walked with ,mrs4 ,butler4 ,mr4 ,d4 and ,i turned and looked upon them1 and heard them talk4 ,we walked a little way further1 stopped and looked upon them1 and heard them talk again2 but they spoke with so low a voice we could not understand them4 ,the spirit appeared in personal form1 white as snow1 about as tall as ,mrs4 ,butler4 ,it was now day-break4 ,i turned my eyes from the object1 and in half a minute looked toward it again1 but it was gone4 ,mr4 ,d4 then told me he saw it disappear4 ,,paul ,,simson4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,v4 ,testimony of ,mr4 ,samuel ,ingalls4 ,august #ac-ad1 #ahjj4 ,i was at the house of ,mr4 ,blaisdel in the evening1 with about forty people3 went into the cellar with a candle1 which discovered to us the whole cellar1 so that no person here could be concealed from us4 ,the light being put out1 we heard a knocking4 ,it was spoken to1 and a voice shrill and pleasant1 like what ,i never heard before1 answered1 7and talked with us47 ,mr4 ,downing asked her if she knew him1 she said1 yes3 and called him by name three times4 ,she often uttered her sentences three times4 ,he asked the ,spirit if she had never been at his house4 ,the answer was that she had been there once4 ,capt4 ,p4 ,s4 said1 8,you know as much as a thousand of us20 8,yes1 yes20 she answered1 8but it will not be long before some here will know as much40 ,mr4 ,blaisdel asked the ,spirit when she experienced her change4 ,she answered that it was on her death bed2 and then uttered the words1 8,glory1 glory1 glory4 ,alleluia40 ,after some silence1 some person asked the ,spirit1 8,are you about to leave us80 ,she answered1 8,i must go when ,jesus calls4 ,i must appear and walk with you this night2 but you must walk in order4 ,i will walk behind with ,l4 and told us that she had walked with her before40 ,if you do1 said ,mrs4 ,butler1 ,i shall faint away4 ,no1 said the ,spectre1 you shall not faint again2 and then said to the people1 8,if she faints again1#ci don't you believe me40#dj ,mrs4 ,butler never fainted after this4 ,we went to ,capt4 ,m's1 and stood there4 ,mrs4 ,butler walked1 as ,i was told she was before ordered1 several rods from us1 and ,i saw something appear white by her side1 but no personal form4 ,i heard ,mrs4 ,butler say that when the ,spirit was with her and talked with her1 she was not so much afraid1 as when she expected her coming4 ,,samuel ,,ingalls4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,vi4 ,testimony of ,mr4 ,james ,springer4 ,august #ac1 #ahjj4 ,after much conversation with the ,spectre1 she told us that she must talk and appear at the house of ,capt4 ,m4 because he had reported that she could not be any where but at ,mr4 ,blaisdel's house4 ,and ,l4 must walk with me1 said she1 that you may all see that she is one person and ,i another4 ,we walked in order to that house1 and ,i saw the ,spirit as plainly as ever ,i saw any person4 ,i saw the ,spirit appear and disappear several time that night4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,,james ,,springer4 ,a part of this testimony is lost4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,vii4 ,testimony of ,mr4 ,john ,simson4 ,august #h1 #ahjj4 ,i heard the discourse of the ,spectre1 in company with about thirty other persons4 ,the sound of her voice was sometimes hoarse and faint1 but for the most part it was clear and free from any impediment1 and then it was inimitable1 and the most delightful that ever ,i heard in my life4 ,in discoursing with her parents1 she said1 8,my dear parents1 if the ,lord should call you to go away with me this night1 are you willing40 ,i fear ,i am not1 said her father1 but the ,lord can make me willing4 ,yes1 she answered1 and none but he4 ,while ,mr4 ,u4 was talking with her1 he observed that there were among us various distinctions of christians1 as ,baptists1 ,presbyterians and ,methodists1 and asked which of all these are right4 ,there are good and bad of all these sorts1 said she1 for the elect's sake4 ,mr4 ,n4 ,h4 expressed his desire to handle her4 ,handle me and see1 said she3 for ,christ tells you that a ,spirit hath not flesh and bones4 ,accordingly1 after it was broad day-light1 and we could all plainly see each other1 the outer cellar door being open1 he extended his arms round the space in which the voice was then speaking1 and exclaimed1 8,o1 there is nothing here40 ,the voice and this experiment were about four feet from me1 so that ,i am sure that no living person could be concealed from me4#da ,,john ,,simson4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,viii4 ,testimony of ,mr4 ,richard ,downing4 ,august #i1 #ahjj4 ,i went to the house of ,mr4 ,blaisdel with a number more4 ,after sometime we heard a knocking4 ,then four persons with me went into the cellar4 ,a light was called for and brought4 ,we searched the cellar to see if no person or thing might be found there whence that knocking might proceed4 ,then the light was carried up1 and immediately there was the sound of knocking4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel and ,mr4 ,d----ns several times asked what was wanted4 ,at length a voice answered1 that1 if we would all go into the cellar1 we should be satisfied2#db we then all went down4#dc ,there was then in my hearing1 much disorder and much profanity among the people4 ,nothing remarkable being heard1 all but three or four of us left the cellar4 ,then again there was a knocking several times1 we spoke1 but obtaining no answer1 ,i also went up4 ,soon after ,i was informed that the voice had spoken to those who remained there1 declaring that we must all return1 and we went again4 ,immediately there was a knocking all round the cellar by several persons there1 as they afterwards owned to me4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel desired them to be peaceable and give room4 ,after a few minutes1 ,mr4 ,d----ns expressed his sorrow that so many should be deceived1 and advised us to pray and return home4 ,we therefore returned as unsatisfied as we went4 ,on the #acth1 while ,i was very much engaged in business1 ,i felt very much concerned for ,mr4 ,blaisdel1 on account of his troubles1 and thought ,i would go and see him1 and advise him to a settlement1 to prevent the expense of the law4 ,i went1 and he asked me the cause of my coming4 ,i answered1 to visit him as a friend4 ,i am glad to see you1 said he1 you went away the other night very unsatisfied4 ,you did not then appear to be afraid3 would you not be daunted now8 ,i told him ,i did not think ,i should4 ,providence1 said he1 has sent you here1 ,i believe1 and you must tarry all night4 ,i told him ,i would4 ,then he informed me that he had talked with the ,spirit in the forenoon1 which directed him to persuade certain people to come to his house4 ,about an hour after sunset1 the ,spectre knocked2 and being addressed1 answered1 8,i have come to satisfy you all2 who is now speaking to me80 ,it was answered1 ,mr4 ,blaisdel4 ,let him and every one of this family1 said the ,spectre1 go out from here4 ,they went out4 ,the voice then said that ,mr4 ,blaisdel's family were all clear of what was alledged against them4 ,after this1 the voice talked with me4 ,to know what answer would be made1 ,i asked1 to whom are you speaking8 ,it answered1 8,richard ,downing40 ,i asked again1 was you ever at my house8 ,it answered1 8,yes1 ,i was there once with my mother1 ,mrs4 ,m4 and others1 when your wife was sick40 ,i had not then told any person what the ,spectre now told me1 and which ,i and my family know to be true4 ,her mother asked#dd how long before her decease1 she experienced her change4 ,she answered1 when ,i was on my death bed4 ,soon after the ,spirit said to the whole company1 ,i will walk with you to the next house1 if you will walk in order1 two and two1 singing a ,psalm as you go2 for ,god is a ,god of order4 ,i asked her what ,psalm we should sing8 ,any1 said she1 which may suit best4 ,we then left the cellar1 sang and prayed1 and immediately the token was given by knocking4 ,we then placed ourselves in order and walked on toward ,capt4 ,m's house4 ,anxious to unveil the deception1 if there was any1 ,i walked near those who were foremost1 and was first at the door and knocked4 ,capt4 ,m4 came to the door and asked what all this meant4 ,i answered1 they are come to visit you4 ,immediately ,i went and stood on the trap-door--the only door of the cellar1 that no person might go into it without my knowledge4 ,some of the company told ,capt4 ,m4 our design1 and he made us welcome4 ,then hearing the miraculous sound under the floor1 ,capt4 ,m4 with others1 went down and talked with a voice1 which ,i heard and understood not2 but was informed by them that she told them she had come there to give evidence that she could be and talk at other houses1 as well as that of ,mr4 ,blaisdel2 and that if the company would properly stand in the open field1 she would pass before them1 so that they might see her4 ,the company did so4 ,the ,spirit then appeared and walked back and forth1 two or three times1 in view of the company and by the side of ,mrs4 ,butler4 ,this my eyes saw4 ,the apparition1 with ,mrs4 ,butler1 having advanced a few rods1 disappeared4 ,mrs4 ,butler then came and told us that if we would return to ,mr4 ,blaisdel's house1 she would walk behind us4 ,the company complied4 ,having a desire so be as near the apparition as possible1 ,i walked with ,capt4 ,p4 ,s4 behind the whole company4 ,mrs4 ,butler walked behind ,capt4 ,p4 ,s4 as she had been ordered by the apparition4 ,when we had walked about twenty rods1 ,mrs4 ,butler said1 8there it is now40 ,where1 said ,i4 ,there1 said she1 pointing to the left side of the company forward4 ,i looked there and saw the dark appearance of a person1 and kept my eye upon it till we passed by it1 and till ,i saw it come in next after me1 and by the side of ,mrs4 ,butler4 ,thus it followed us4 ,but now this object was become as white as the light4 ,as we walked1 ,i kept my eye upon this object almost without intermission1 that ,i might see it disappear4 ,it followed us by one direct motion1 like a cloud4 ,the motion was not ambulatory in the least degree4 ,in this manner the apparition followed us about twenty rods1 and then disappeared in my view4 ,it opened into two parts and vanished4 ,,richard ,,downing4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,ix4 ,testimony of ,capt4 ,samuel ,simson4 ,august #e1 #ahjj4 ,in the evening after ,i had prayed1 ,i looked toward the opposite side of the room1 and saw a white personal form1 having on a woman's cap1 and the same countenance and features which ,mrs4 ,n4 ,butler had when she was alive and in health1 so that ,i knew her immediately4 ,in the name of the ,lord1 said ,i1 for what purpose are you here8--,but there was no answer4 ,i spoke again--8,in the name of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who are you1 and what do you want here80 ,my wife greatly surprised1 and seeing nothing1 asked what was the matter4 ,i told her ,i saw an apparition4 ,no1 she replied1 you are deranged4 ,it is the moon you see4 ,at that moment the apparition disappeared4 ,when we were composed1 we agreed to mention the matter to no person1 and we conducted accordingly4 ,two nights after1 ,mr4 ,blaisdel called us up about two o'clock1 and informed us that the ,spirit had been at his house1 and sent him to call for more evidence4 ,he desired that we would go with him to his house4 ,well1 said my wife1 she appeared here the night before last4 ,then perhaps she has performed the message before me1 said ,mr4 ,blaisdel4 ,we went to his house4 ,hearing nothing for some time1 by the desire of ,mr4 ,blaisdel ,i prayed with the company who had collected there4 ,immediately after1 we heard the usual sound on the side of the house4 ,we all went into the cellar1 and heard an articulate voice unlike any sound which ,i ever heard before4 ,,samuel ,,simson4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,x4 ,testimony of ,mrs4 ,sarah ,simson4 ,i can attest to the truth of what my husband has now related1 and further1 that when we were in the cellar1 the spirit told us that she was once ,n4 ,h4 ,n4 ,b4 repeating the words three times1 8you have done right10 said she1 8you have united in prayer3 and it is true what that man said1 who made the prayer1 he did see me with a cap on40 ,i am sure ,mr4 ,blaisdel could have told no one of it1 for we had not told him1 nor any one else that the apparition had appeared with that article of dress4 ,i asked the spirit1 are you from happiness or misery8 ,she replied1 8,i am from above1 ,i am not from beneath4 ,i have come on ,god's errand40 ,then she sung alleluias1 and mentioned the cherubim and seraphim4 ,she told me that my child which ,i had lost was in heaven1 praising ,god with the angels4 ,i should have spoken to that man1 said she1 the other night1 if some person had not been affrightened4 ,i asked1 who was it8 ,she answered1 it was his wife4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel and ,capt4 ,m4 asked several questions1 and the answers were wonderful4 ,august #i-aj4 ,i tarried after the people in general went off with the opinion that the words of the spirit were in reality the words of ,mrs4 ,butler4 ,i was much surprised with the sound of knocking1 which made the house tremble4 ,i then heard ,mrs4 ,butler say1 8,if ,i am guilty1 let her stay away4 ,if ,i am clear1 let her come and clear me40 ,in a few minutes after1 she arose from a bed on which she had sat1 and stood wringing her hands in distress4 ,what have ,i done1 said she1 that ,i must be accused of all this4 8,nothing1 dear1 you have done nothing1 but you must go into the cellar10 answered a voice in a vacant space where no person was--a voice the most delightful that ever ,i heard4 ,some of the people then told her that she must do as the spirit had said4 ,so ,i must1 said she1 if ,i don't she will come into the room1 and if she does1 ,i shall die4 ,she then went down with a number of others1 and immediately came up1 and told me that she was released4 ,i was soon after informed1 that the spirit was about to appear1 and that we must all be present4 ,i went with the rest1 but prayed that ,i might not see her4 ,she had promised that none should see her but those who desired it4 ,accordingly ,i did not see her1 though ,i looked directly before me1 where they said she was4 ,august #ac4 ,i was again at the same house1 and while ,i was sitting in the room1 near a candle1 two persons came and looked upon a watch1 and found it twelve1 and said it was exactly what the spectre had just told4 ,at one o'clock they came again1 and found the same agreement4 ,,sarah ,,simson4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,xi4 ,testimony of ,mrs4 ,abigail ,abbott4 ,august #aj1 #ahjj4 ,i was at ,mr4 ,blaisdel's house1 with many more4 ,in the first part of the night there was much indecent conduct1 and some profanity4 ,the spirit knocked sometimes1 but uttered only a few words4 ,the company in general having in vain waited to see or hear something extraordinary1 withdrew2 but ,i tarried with several other persons4 ,soon after they were gone1 the spectre knocked several times very loud1 and we went into the cellar4 ,after saying many things to us1 she appeared in the shape of a person and moved before us1 without stepping1 passing and repassing several times4 ,she gave so much light that we could see other persons and other things in the cellar1 which we could not see before her appearance1 nor afterwards4 ,i saw her appear and disappear several times4 ,at last the apparition came to ,capt4 ,g4 ,butler1 and then he appeared to be immersed in her radiance so that he appeared white and shining like the apparition4 ,and ,i did particularly see his hand in the midst of the apparent body of the apparition4 ,he cried in surprise1 8,lord ,jesus ,christ40 ,august #ac-ad1 ,i was there again1 and heard much conversation of the ghost1 with several other persons in the cellar1 concerning several events known only to her and them in her life time4 ,to all their questions she gave satisfactory answers4 ,once while she was speaking1 ,i saw a bright shining appearance in that part of the space from whence the voice proceeded4 ,her conversation and exhortation continued four hours4 ,one of the company observed to her that we were an hardened people4 8,yes10 she answered1 8,but the ,lord will call in his elect in his own time40 ,i went to ,capt4 ,m's with the company1 but did not then see her at all4 ,,abigail ,,abbot4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,xii4 ,testimony of ,miss ,dorcas ,abbot4 ,i can attest1 as an eye and ear witness1 to all that is declared under ,august #ith1 in the last testimony4 ,i plainly saw ,capt4 ,butler's hand go through the apparition4 ,,dorcas ,,abbot4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,xiii4 ,testimony of ,mr4 ,frederic ,housoff4 ,i was an eye and ear witness of all the facts declared in the last testimony1 and can attest particularly that ,i plainly saw ,capt4 ,butler put his hand on the apparition1 and saw his hand pass through it1 glowing with the light of it4 ,,frederic ,,housoff4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,xiv4 ,testimony of ,mr4 ,joseph ,blaisdel4 ,i was present when the important transaction took place on the night of ,august #i1 #ahjj1 and saw ,mr4 ,butler's hand pass through the body of the apparition1 while he uttered the words1 8,lord ,jesus40 ,he afterwards informed me and others1 that while his hand passed through the breast of the ,spectre1 he felt nothing4 ,,joseph ,,blaisdel4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,xv4 ,testimony of ,capt4 ,paul ,blaisdel4 ,i have seen and discoursed with the apparition several times4 ,in the latter part of ,january1 #ahjj1 ,i saw her in the field2 first at a considerable distance from me3 then she came to me1 and ,i particularly observed that she never touched the ground4 ,her raiment appeared as white as possible4 ,the next evening she reproved me in the hearing of several persons1 because ,i had not spoken to her1 and because ,i had spoken against her4 ,she told me she had come on ,god's errand1 and that if ,i opposed her1 ,i opposed him who sent her4 ,the ,spirit asked me if ,i lived in such a manner as ,i would wish to die4#de ,i have from time to time heard the voice speak in open space1 where ,i am sure no living person existed1 as others can testify who were with me4#df ,and upon ,august #i-aj1 ,i was present and saw the ,spectre when she appeared1 and ,i plainly saw ,capt4 ,butler's hand pass through the apparition4 ,august #aa1 ,i saw her again1 and heard her pious discourse1 with nearly twenty other persons4 ,to those who were present1 ,i said1 8,she has her child now in her arms40 8,yes1 ,i have10 she answered1 8yes ,i have40 ,she came so near to me and others1 that either of us could have handled her without changing our places4 ,august #ac4 ,being informed that the ghost had promised to come this night1 ,i left my father's house1 and went to ,capt4 ,m's that ,i might not see nor hear her4 ,just before daylight1 she came to this house with more than forty people1 and reproved me again for speaking against her in the presence of six or seven persons4 ,this is the second time1 said the voice1 that you have been warned4--,beware of the third time4 ,she asked me several times to handle her1 to see whether she had material substance or not4 ,i confessed to her that ,i believed her to be the spirit of ,n4 ,h4 ,then ,i went back with the company to my father's house4 ,before she vanished she came and stood within three feet from me4#dg ,the personal shape was all light1 the particles of which had constant motion4 ,but ,i was afraid to put my hand upon her4 ,,paul ,,blaisdel4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,xvi4 ,testimony of ,mr4 ,david ,hooper4 ,january #b1 #ahjj4 ,by the request of the spectre1 sent by two messengers1 ,i went to ,mr4 ,blaisdel's house1 and by conversing with her1 obtained such clear and irresistable tokens of her being the spirit of my own daughter1 as gave me no less satisfaction than admiration and delight4 ,she gave a reason satisfactory to me why she put me to the trouble of coming there instead of her coming to my house4 ,by her request ,i went in a few days after to ,mr4 ,butler's family and expressed my conviction to them4 ,august #h1 ,i was there again1 with my wife and many others4 ,i again asked the ghost who she was4 ,the voice answered1 8,i was once ,n4 ,b41 your dear child4 ,if the ,lord should call you this night1 are you willing to go with me80 ,i said the ,lord can make me willing4 ,yes1 she replied1 and none but he4 ,then she mentioned certain articles of property which she had left1 as belonging to us4 ,i hope1 said ,i1 these matters do not disturb you4 8,no1 no10 she answered1 8,no1 no4 ,peace4 ,there must be peace40 ,,david ,,hooper4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,xvii4 ,testimony of ,mrs4 ,joanna ,hooper4 ,her next words were spoken to me in particular4 8,do you not remember what ,i said on my death bed80 ,i answered1 yes1 ,i do remember that you then said you desired peace while you lived4 ,yes1 ,i did1 said she1 yes ,i did4--,sometime before this the spectre had sent this token to me1 which1 though not certain1 had yet been attended with such circumstances1 as rendered the use of it for deception utterly improbable4 ,august #ac1 we went again4 ,the spirit then asked if we wanted to see her1 and we both said no4 ,did ,i ask you in your last sickness1 said ,i1 whether you was willing your child should live8 ,the voice answered1 8yes1 yes1 and ,i told you ,i should be a vile creature to desire the life of the child40 ,for that was the time in which it was ,god's will it should die4#dh ,i asked this question for further satisfaction1 knowing that this very question and answer had passed between us4 ,the spirit then told us that she had not freedom to converse on the night of ,august #i1 by reason of disorder and profanity1 and expressed her liberty and joy in discoursing with christians4 ,in the midst of her discourse with others1 ,i silently indulged my painful reflections on the distress of her last sickness4 ,suddenly ,i was surprised with these words of the voice to me1 8,mourn not for me1 for ,i am a happy soul40 ,capt4 ,p4 ,s4 observed that her free conversation with us was a great wonder4 8,yes1 a miracle1 said she1 such as never was since ,christ was upon earth40#di ,when she had told us that without a change of heart1 mankind would be miserable1 ,i desired ,mr4 ,blaisdel to ask her when she experienced her own change4 ,he asked1 and she answered1 8,when ,i was on my death bed40 ,mr4 ,d4 proposed this question1 8,do ,i believe that you are such as you profess to be80 ,her reply was1 8,you have believed1 and you have not believed1 and satan will tempt you again40#ej ,then he asked1 8,was you ever at my house in your lifetime80 8,yes1 once1 yes1 once10 said she4 ,i knew the time of this visit1 for ,mrs4 ,m4 and ,i were there with her4 ,by my desire therefore1 ,mr4 ,d4 asked1 8,who was there with you40 8,my mother and ,mrs4 ,m41 said she1 when your wife was sick40 ,then ,mr4 ,d4 told the people that he remembered she had been there at that time4 ,have you been any where but here1 said he1 since your death4 ,yes1 she answered1 to five places4 ,mr4 ,blaisdel's family being now excluded from that apartment where the spirit was1 she told us that ,mr4 ,blaisdel's family were innocent4 8,they say ,i am a witch and a devil1 said she1 and they said that ,christ was a devil4 ,it is reported that some of this family have raised me1 but it is not in the power of man or devil to fetch a soul from heaven40 ,after much more conversation the spirit told us that she would walk with us to ,capt4 ,m's1 and to another house beyond it2 but she only walked with us to ,capt4 ,m's1 and there talked with him and ,capt4 ,p4 ,b4 to convince them who she was4 ,when we had come within twenty rods of the house1 the company stopped4 ,then we two looked round and saw a white shining appearance by the side of ,mrs4 ,butler1 and about as tall as she4#ea ,after this1 we observed nothing worthy of particular notice4 ,,joanna ,,hooper4 ,did ,mrs4 ,hooper assist in the work of personating her own daughter8 ,if not1 how could the deceiver know what questions she would ask8 ,do some of these things appear small8 ,maxima minimis gaudent4#eb 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,xviii4 ,testimony of ,mrs4 ,eunice ,scammons4 ,august #aa1 #ahjj4 ,i was at the house which the ghost had so often visited1 and was one of seventeen people or more1 who were present when she appeared and conversed with us4 ,after she had discoursed particularly with several persons1 she said1 8,i am the voice of one crying in the wilderness1 prepare ye the way of the ,lord and make his paths strait4 ,but you who are sinners1 do not make them strait4 ,some of you say that ,i am not a ,spirit4 ,others1 that ,i am an evil ,spirit4 ,the words which ,i have spoken unto you1 have been misimproved1 perverted and turned to ridicule4 ,but ,i shall see you all when you will not laugh40 ,in the intervals of conversation1 she sang praises4 ,being asked who she was1 she said1 8,i was once ,n4 ,h4 and when ,i died ,i was ,n4 ,b410 and mentioned several circumstances which attended her death to confirm her declaration4 ,after much other conversation1 she appeared in the midst of us and talked while she appeared4 ,she came so near me that ,i could have laid my hand upon her4 ,she had before solemnly entreated us to stand round separate and in such order that all might see her while she moved in the midst of us4#ec ,within our two ranks she slowly passed and repassed from end to end three times1 and passed by me six times4 ,there were several persons in the company dressed in white2 but ,i could not see them at all1 while the ,spectre was as white as any thing could possibly be4 ,she moved in such nearness to every one of us1 that every one might have handled her4 ,i saw her vanish instantly in the midst of us4 ,after this1 she spake to us again by exhortation4 ,i am sent1 said she1 to warn you against sin4 ,i was myself a great sinner when ,i lived in this world4 ,in my last hours1 ,i received mercy4 ,but if you go on in a course of sin and waste your time as ,i did1 it may not be so with you4 ,one half hour now gives me more happiness than this whole world can give you through your whole lives4 ,it was now daylight1 and she observed to us that it was the ,lord's day1 that we must retire to our homes and keep it holy4 ,she desired ,mr4 ,blaisdel to pray with us before we parted4 ,after many other words1 she left us singing alleluias to ,god and the ,lamb4 ,i heard the voice of her praises sounding further and further from us1 for a considerable time before it entirely ceased uttering the words1 8,alleluia1 alleluia4 ,glory1 glory to ,god and the ,lamb40 ,her notes were solemn and exceedingly delightful4 ,then we all went up1 and ,mr4 ,blaisdel's prayer was our dismission4 ,,eunice ,,scammons4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,xix4 ,testimony of ,mrs4 ,mary ,bragdon4 ,sometime in ,january1 #ahjj1 ,i was at the house of ,mr4 ,blaisdel1 and heard such a voice as ,i never heard before among the living2 and they told me it was that of the ,spirit1 talking with ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,butler4 ,august #g4 ,at the same house we heard a knocking on the partition next to the chimney1 where no person could be4 ,then several persons with me went into the cellar1 and the ,spirit told us she was once ,nelly ,butler4 ,she told me that ,i must not be scared4 ,august #ac4 ,i was again at the house with forty-eight others1 besides children4 ,the ,spirit1 after her conversation with several persons1 exhorted the youth3 8,i was once young and vain as you1 said the voice1 and1 if the ,lord had taken me away in that condition1 how miserable ,i should have been6 ,now is the time1 while you are young1 to seek the ,lord4 ,delay not till it is too late40 ,then it was that ,i saw a white personal form shining in the space from whence the voice proceeded2 and ,i afterwards saw the same appearance in the field4 ,,mary ,,bragdon4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,testimony ,,xx4 ,testimony of ,mrs4 ,dorcas ,johnson4 ,i was present at the house1 and at the time dated1 ,august #ac1 by other testimonies4 ,there ,i heard and saw the ,spectre4 ,her voice was distinct from any other1 and her music the most delightful that ,i ever heard4 ,when she walked with us1 she moved without stepping4 ,and when we arrived at the house1 by direction of the ,spectre given to my brother1 ,james ,springer1 and by him to the company in our hearing1 we opened to the right and left1 so that the ,spectre and ,mrs4 ,butler passed together between our two ranks4 ,then she vanished from my view and ,i saw her no more4 ,,dorcas ,,johnson4 ,,miscellaneous ,,reflections4 ,illustration3 decorated line ,two ,inferences naturally arise from this topic3 one is that of caution4 8,judge not that ye be not judged40 ,the above witnesses are exhibited1 not for the want of more1 7for more than a hundred have seen the ,spectre1 or have heard her words17 but because repetition is tedious4 ,our opponents now1 we expect1 will admit our inquiry of what they have to say against these attestations1 whether any thing false--whether any thing even wearing a deceptive color has been presented to public notice4 ,it would have been my peculiar pleasure to have given more satisfaction with regard to the superior ends of the messages1 subservient1 no doubt1 to still greater ends1 if it had been lawful4 ,but for the present1 they are immediately interesting only to a few persons4 ,the knowledge which many would improve1 others would abuse4 ,if the answer of the oracle intended for the personal safety of ,david and his men1 is immediately published1 ,saul will know it4 ,when a creature professedly brings us a message from ,god1 be this message ever so small1 ever so strange1 ever so unexpected2 yet1 if it does not oppose his word1 we have not the least evidence that the profession is counterfeit1 unless we obtain it by other means2 because we are as yet ignorant of its connections1 and ,god's thoughts and plans are not like ours4 ,some say1 if the message appear not in the scriptures1 that will sufficiently condemn it and the messenger too1 whatever be the credentials1 8,i will obey nothing but what ,i see in the scriptures40#ed ,but may ,i not say1 with ,doctor ,owen1 that they unwarrantably limit the ,holy ,one of ,israel8 ,in absolute monarchies the people dare not say1 8,i will obey no precept from the king1 unless ,i find it in the public code40 ,such language would breathe rebellion4 ,and dare we treat thus the ,king of kings1 who is an absolute monarch1 and by his propriety in the universe has a right to be such8 ,will the scriptures themselves warrant this behavior8 ,can we despise the message and them who heard it1 and them who obeyed it1 and the angels who brought it1 and yet stand guiltless before ,him who sent it8 until we obtain proof that he did not send it1 and that the credentials are forgery8 ,and are we one inch nearer to this point1 than we were twenty-six years ago8 ,do we perceive now any more than twenty-six years ago1 how the deceiver talked in open space1 by a voice inimitable1 clearly understood by some1 and not at all by others1 with means of intelligence every way equal8 ,our blessed ,lord1 to prove that he was not a ,spectre1 said1 8,handle me and see40 ,that is implicitly to say1 if you handle me and find no substance1 then you may conclude that ,i am a spirit4 ,our ,spectre said1 8,handle me and see40 ,and earnestly insisted on this experiment time after time4 ,can we tell now1 why that very argument and mode of evidence which ,christ himself used1 is not valid and genuine1 any more than we could twenty-six years ago8 ,if not1 let me be cautious1 whatever be the conduct of this enlightened age1 how ,i accuse my neighbors of folly or villainy1 merely because they enjoyed interviews with a departed friend2 lest ,i be found among those who speak evil of things which they understand not4 ,the ,jews1 besides their public code of revelation1 had their ,urim and ,thummim for the particulars of duty4 ,is it certain8 ,is it even rational to suppose that the few answers of that oracle mentioned in the scriptures1 are the only ones ever communicated8 ,prophets1 too1 were sent to manifest the particulars of duty1 and angels1 some of whom might be the spirits of just men4 ,and we have no reason to doubt but ,moses was a ,spectre when he conversed with ,christ on the ,holy ,mount2 notwithstanding that old fiction of his resurrection1 which has dishonored the antiquities of ,josephus4 ,now the question is1 what person ever yet demonstrated that no such occasional revelation was ever wanted in any hour since the completion of the scriptures8 ,certainly this completion never precluded spectral missions in the view of the christian fathers4 ,and their continuation has been the constant faith of christians in general1 down to this day of deism4 ,and the war of the deists against this opinion is easily accounted for3 because the admission of ,spectres is the admission of miracle2 and the admission of occasional revelation1 brings a question to their door which would be a troublesome neighbor4 ,why then should not a revelation be needful for the public8 ,great is their obligation to modern christians for their assistance in this warfare4 ,it may be asked1 if these missions have been thus continued1 why have they generally been attended with so few witnesses8 ,but if there be evidence enough for him1 or those who are interested in the message1 it is sufficient for their purpose1 whether others believe it or not4 ,when ,david was told by the ,urim that the men of ,keilah would deliver him into the hand of ,saul1 no person appears to have been present but ,abiather2 but if the oracle was attended with the evidence described by ,josephus1 there was evidence enough for the purpose of ,david and his men1 whether five other persons in the whole nation believed it or not4 ,after all1 it is not our duty to expect apparitions1 for they never come to gratify curiosity2 nor to pray for their coming1 unless our case be peculiar as that of ,manoah2 nor to entertain the idea that their speaking to us1 would make a more durable impression than the preaching of the living4 ,such conduct and apprehensions are erroneous1 and expose us to greater delusion4 ,our ,lord has expressly taught us that1 if we believe not ,moses and the prophets1 neither shall we be persuaded1 though one rose from the dead4 ,and accordingly the affectionate and persuasive addresses of the ,spectre in this place1 which drew tears from every eye1 had no happy1 durable influence on the unregenerate character in a single instance4 ,it was necessary that religion should appear in all her conduct and conversation1 otherwise her profession would have been justly suspected4 ,but on that ,lord's day morning1 mentioned in several testimonies1 she did not say to the people1 ,tarry and hear me4 ,no1 but 8,retire to your homes1 read the bible1 pray and keep the day holy40#ee ,that is to say1 attend to those ample and most suitable means of grace which ,god has appointed for you in his written word4 ,the preaching of the gospel was not her design2 but she had other designs which appropriate the sentence1 8,i am not to be trifled with40 ,in some old fashioned minds1 her familiar conversation may excite the suspicion of necromancy and divination1 by a familiar spirit1 so plainly forbidden in the law of ,moses3 and then doubtless ,mrs4 ,butler must bear the accusation4 ,but there is no evidence that this angel conversed more familiarly with her than with others who were never suspected4 ,she conversed familiarly with all those who had much conversation with her4 ,the ancient idea of a familiar spirit appears not to have been obtained from the familiar conversation of any person with a spirit1 7though sometimes the inquirer might be deceived by the artificial resemblance of it7 but from the opinion that certain persons had a spirit foreign to their own1 residing in them and uttering oracles from their bodies4#ef ,these persons were a sort of ventriloquists4 ,their conduct is described by ,rollin in his account of the ,grecian ,oracles4 ,the speech of their familiar spirit was imagined to proceed1 not from the lips of any person1 but from a part of their own bodies1 in some manner artificially swollen4 ,this is confirmed by their very name ,abefeth1 in the ,hebrew language1 which has the signification of swelling4 ,the familiar spirit itself was called ,afeb1 which is the same noun in the singular number4 ,the swollen part and the familiar spirit1 which was imagined to reside in it1 had one name4 8,divine unto me by the ,afeb10 said ,saul1 #a ,sam4 #bh3 #h4 ,divine unto me by the swelling1 and bring me up whom ,i shall name unto thee4 ,but it does not appear that the woman had any time for divination4 ,she saw ,samuel unexpectedly1 and cried out for fear3#eg and ,samuel1 instead of being familiar with her1 never spake a single word to her4 ,now it is not even pretended that any such token of ,afeb or necromancy1 have appeared among us4 ,doubtless this wickedness among the ancients1 was for the most part legerdemain1#eh and their predictions always uncertain1 as appears not only from their ambiguity1 but from the public estimation of some oracles in preference to others1 and of the ,delphic oracle above all the rest4 ,from the observations now made1 we learn the criminality of witchcraft or legerdemain1 for there is no essential difference between them4 ,to counterfeit the royal seal was ever a capital crime4 ,how presumptuously criminal then are they1 who counterfeit the royal seal of heaven6 ,the certificate of divine revelation1 such is the conduct of every mountebank1 while the spectator is left ignorant of his art4 ,his false miracles spread a cloud of uncertainty over the minds of men1 so that many are at loss how to distinguish the true miracle1 the true seal of the ,king of heaven1 from its counterfeit4 ,and they who countenance and encourage such persons1 are guilty of far greater evil than the great evil of wasting time and property4 ,but such behaviour is the food of infidelity4 ,no wonder it is so common at the present day4 ,whether the writer is one who gives such countenance and encouragement1 is for the next writer on the subject of these pages to shew1#ei not by pointing out inaccuracies here and there1 for this any person may easily do1 but by presenting to the public a complete1 satisfactory analysis of this whole mystery4 ,to his particular notice1 ,i ask leave to offer a few cautionary observations2 if needless for him1 they may assist another4 ,among so many of us who have heard and seen the ,spectre1 it would be very strange1 if1 in the course of twenty-six years past1 no one should have deviated from the strait line of perfect rectitude4 ,if imperfection should be found among us1 and the publicity of it will cast any light upon this subject1 by all means let it come forth3 if not1 let him1 who is without sin1 cast the first stone4 ,the question is not1 ,how have we conducted1 unless our conduct be such as invalidates our evidence3 for we are liable to evil every day2 but1 ,how has the ,spectre conducted8 and who could she be8 ,it has been frequently reported among people at a distance from this scene1 for more than twenty years1 that the whole business was an artifice1 and fairly proved to be such4 ,we who believe the existence of the ,spectre1 have thought that this inaccurate on dit has had currency long enough4 ,our respondent1 therefore1 will not fail to shew our mistake1 by demonstrating that this report is indeed correct4 ,suppose then1 7no matter how distant the supposition is from what has really happened7 suppose then1 ,i say1 that1 in the course of his zealous inquiries1 our respondent should find that he1 who pretends to have discovered the plot1 is a witness in favor of the ,spectre1 and that his testimony was connected with a solemn and public profession of his firm belief that the ,spectre was really such as she professed to be4 ,suppose further1 that in contemplating the dates of these events1 our respondent should find that the discovery preceded that testimony and that solemn1 public profession3 to say nothing of the numerous other witnesses who might contradict him4 ,in such a case ,i should imagine that a discerning1 wary and unprejudiced reader would give but a cold assent to his process of demonstration4 ,it is my earnest desire that the reply may honor the author by the expressions of candor1 philanthropy and grand thought4 ,if his talent be that of a ,swift or a ,juvenal1 his temptation will be great to adopt the loose style of the infidel4 ,let not compliance deceive the unwary4 ,between ridicule and reasoning the distinction is eternal4 ,the most important and solemn truths have been the subject of both4 ,the sober school of ,socrates furnished a comedy for the ,athenian stage4 ,and ,voltaire could tell us from the ,apocalypse1 how incommodious their situation will be who shall inhabit the upper story of ,new ,jerusalem4 ,unhappy man6 thy fruits of genius furnished a feast of intellectual dainties4 ,but the figs of ,cleopatra covered the basilisk1 and a world was ruined by the tree of knowledge4 ,the termination of ,satyre was horror2 and the pure day of awful truth now glaring upon thee from every point has impressed sobriety eternal4 ,the result of this whole inquiry is that of consolation4 ,our death will not be total4 ,our souls will survive our bodies4 ,we shall think and reason and know the moral conduct of this world1 and perhaps the very names of particular persons1 after our bodies are turned to dust4 ,among us are a considerable number of people who say that the ,spectre knew and told them their thoughts past1 present or future1 or all three2 and such thoughts as she could not have known or conjectured by ordinary means4 ,to one of them1 whose veracity is doubted by none1 she foretold the time1 before several witnesses1 when his mind would be struck with horror for opposing her messages4 ,when the time was come1 which was about six months after the prediction1 his mind at first1 as he informed me1 was calm as usual4 ,to disturb him he saw nothing1 expected nothing1 and was about to reject the prediction as nothing4 ,instantly he was surprised by a new train of ideas4 ,the evil of his conduct was set in order before him1 and his distress was apparent to others1 as some of them1 whose witness cannot for a moment be suspected1 informed me4 ,now this instance alone1 would prove but little2 yet1 when connected with ten or twelve others1 of undoubted credibility1 attesting the same kind of experience1 while they have no visible combination by kindred1 employment1 age or interest1 it is certainly worthy of some consideration4 ,if one departed saint is capable of knowing our thoughts1 so may others4 ,that uncorporeal spirits are witnesses of the conduct of this world1 appears not only from that of ,spectres1 but from the scriptures1 as in ,dan4 #h3 #ac4 ,rev4 #f3 #aj4 ,eccl4 #e3 #f4 #a ,tim4 #e3 #ba4 ,no reason can be assigned why our conduct may not be as visible to a saint made perfect1 as to an angel3 for neither of them can know us by bodily organs1 such as we now possess1 and their knowledge of our thoughts without these organs1 is just as easily accounted for1 as their knowledge of our external conduct4 ,the spirits of just men1 when they leave this world1 are made perfect4 8,but when that which is perfect is come1 then that which is in part shall be done away4 ,now ,i know in part2 but then shall ,i know1 even as also ,i am known40 ,this cannot mean that ,i shall know other souls and even ,christ himself as perfectly as he knows me2 but ,i shall know them in the same manner4 ,i shall know other souls intuitively as ,christ knows me4 ,indeed1 what idea can we have of mere spirits seeing each other1 and being present with each other1 but that of the mutual intuition of thoughts8 ,if that day should find the saints as ignorant of the human character as they are at the hour of death1 their judgment will be of small account for their own satisfaction or that of others4 ,and should evasion tell us that ,christ and his angels will then reveal to the saints the character of this world2 still this character would be only the object of faith1 not of sight1 and satan and his adherents1 could say that the saints had condemned them for the most part by hear-say1 and that of those who had always opposed them from the beginning4 ,now it does not seem probable that the enemies of ,christ will ever find occasion for such a plea as this4 ,every mouth will be stopped4 ,and the mouths of wicked men will be stopped1 not merely by the testimony of foreign angels1 but by witnesses taken from their own family1 and such too as have been the greatest and most constant friends that ever they had in the world3 such as had counselled and warned them--had experienced the most cordial and warmest zeal for their salvation and had often wept for them in secret places4 ,thus mankind will be judged by their peers4 ,their quarrel with ,god and each other1 will be decided in their own family4 8,the ,father judgeth no man1 but hath committed all judgment to the ,son10 in union with his spiritual members1 and there must be knowledge in them for this purpose4 ,and what better method of acquiring it can we conceive so easy and natural as that of their contemplating the moral conduct of mankind through all ages of the world4 ,may we not then indulge the idea that1 when the humble and afflicted leave this body of sin and death1 they hear the voice of the ,beloved saying1 8,come ye blessed of my ,father30 possess in perfection my spirit of holiness and unerring wisdom1 to know as you as are known4 ,great is the work for which you are ordained4 ,you have been faithful over a few things1 ,i will make you ruler over many4 ,you must judge the world with me4 ,henceforth watch their conduct1 know their character1 and prepare for it4 ,hence it follows that we do nothing in secret4 ,all our behaviour is known1 not only to ,christ1 but to the watchers1 his holy ones4 ,with them is the book of ,god's remembrance4 ,o gracious ,redeemer1 shed abroad thy love in our hearts4 ,may faith and patience have their perfect work4 ,beautify us with thy moral likeness1 that we may be fair in thine eyes and in the eyes of our kindred who dwell with thee4 ,with them at last may we behold thy glory and celebrate thy love forever4 ,,alleluia4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,christ laid down his life for his sheep2 but mere law and justice never required this of him4 #b ,even the divine ,trinity1 existing from everlasting1 to speak with accuracy1 is the ,trinity of ,person1 not of ,persons4 #c ,it is the opinion1 not only of ,mr4 ,swedenbourg1 but of many other pious and learned men1 of other persuasions1 that when the pious soul has left the body1 he occupies a vehicle or spiritual body which may be considered as the resurrection commenced1 and to be perfected in the last day1 when the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible1 and we shall be changed4 #d ,matthew #aj3 #bh4 #e #a ,samuel1 xxviii1 #ae4 #f ,eviden4 of ,christianity1 ,sect4 #g4 #g ,kate with a hide and horns4 #h ,ecclesiast4 ,hist4 ,vol4 #d4 sect4 #a4 c4 #a4 #i ,life of ,dr4 ,johnson1 pp4 #cfd4 #aj ,spectator1 ,no4 #aaj4 #aa ,since the ,deity has assumed our nature1 his being comprises ,divine intelligence and human intelligence4 ,the former is intuitive2 the latter reasons sometimes for the investigation of truth2 yet being in a sense made ,divine1 is the infallible source and medium of all our spiritual knowledge1 grace and happiness4 ,now as intelligence is the very essence of personality1 distinction of intelligence must be the distinction of personality4 ,therefore the ,divine ,intelligence is the ,divine ,person1 and the human intelligence1 is the human person4 ,the ,divine breathing1 too1 called the ,holy ,ghost1 is a person in the figurative sense2 several personal pronouns being applied to this ,divine afflatus in the ,scriptures4 ,our meaning thus explained1 we may truly say that there are three ,persons in the ,deity1 ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 all comprised in our glorious ,saviour1 in whom dwells all the fulness of the ,deity bodily4 ,but the doctrine of there being literally three distinct personal divinities in the ,deity1 has no foundation in the ,scriptures4 #ab ,the personal pronouns she and her are here used with reference to the sex to which the ghost belonged in this world4 #ac i4 e4 ,on the distinction between the original and required perceptions of sight4 #ad ,to him she had before sent several messages by several persons of different families4 #ae ,i hear your objection4 8,there was a reason for her being consoled4 ,make me believe1 if you can1 that1 if her professed ignorance of the affair was real2 the appearance and discourse of a ghost by her side1 would not augment her fears and distress40 ,but remember1 dear sir1 that experience in this case is the best teacher4 ,more than thirty witnesses of both sexes1 are against you2 all declaring that though at first the ghost excited terror2 yet1 after a little discourse with her1 their fears were entirely dissipated1 and succeeded by peculiar pleasure3 so familiar and delightful was the mode of her address and conversation4 ,at this time ,mr4 ,blaisdel heard the conversation distinctly1 but saw nothing4 ,his daughter both saw and heard4 #af ,this was ordered by the ghost4 #ag ,that all these reasons were assigned at that juncture1 ,i pretend not to say4 ,probably they were not2 but certain it is1 that she expressed them all to her friends at different times4 #ah ,voltaire1 in his philosophical dictionary1 treating the ,bible and ghosts with equal ridicule1 says that the latter1 8used to hie away at the crowing of the cock40 ,the same was the idea of ,shakespeare in his ghost of ,hamlet1 8,adieu1 the glow worm shews the morning to be near40 ,but this we now see1 is not always the case4 #ai ,these two1 by their own desire1 had obtained a promise that they should not see her4 ,there were several such instances at different times4 #bj ,a place in the house most distant from that of the ,spectre4 #ba ,this meeting was the wedding4 ,he who is able to receive it1 let him receive it4 ,one infinitely greater than this ,spectre1 attended the marriage at ,cana in ,galilee4 #bb ,in about an hour after she appeared to forty of this assembly4 ,but ,i must here also insert a particular observation of ,dr4 ,rush in his chapter of illusions2 8,when a person fancies that he hears voices and sees objects1 which do not exist1 he has these sensations alone4 ,the voice supposed to be heard1 says he1 and the objects supposed to be seen1 are never heard nor seen by two persons1 even when they are close to each other40--,disease of the ,mind1 chapter #ae4 ,the inference then is certain1 with respect to those witnesses1 that no mental disease could be the true origin of their hearing and vision4 #bc ,this only means that they were together at a little distance from the rest of the company in the same apartment4 #bd ,she then expressed not only her own feelings but those of the family4 ,the idea of a ,spectre coming into the room1 where they commonly were1 was distressing to them1 as already observed4 #be ,i find no evidence that these two went without others4 #bf ,this experience is testified by all who saw and heard4 #bg ,this1 however1 he denies1 but suppose it were true1 why was it improper that in his own house he should choose the place where he would stand8 ,if they knew where he was1 that was sufficient4 #bh ,see the date in the last letter1 page #ci4 #bi ,he had said that ,mr4 ,blaisdel's family could not raise the ,spirit any where but in their own house1 as several testified4 #cj ,that is1 that they heard the same words4 #ca ,there was not only this similarity in voice1 but the same phrases1 which she was accustomed to use1 and which were peculiar to her in her life time1 she uttered now1 as several of her intimate acquaintances have informed me4 #cb ,she had come several times before1 as the preceding letters show4 ,five months before this1 ,mr4 ,blaisdel's son ,p4 and his sisters1 were sent by the ghost to a house where several young people were met for amusement2 not for this purpose1 but for terminating a difference between them and one of that company4 ,the ghost strictly charged them to go and return in peace1 and to abstain from all appearance of evil4 ,the propriety of this small errand appears by its connections and the events which followed4 ,but1 as it stands insulated before the eyes of pride and folly1 how despicable it must appear6 ,had such eyes looked on1 when the first silk worm was formed1 it would have appeared a trivial and useless contrivance4 8,as the heavens are higher than the earth2 so are my ways higher than your ways1 saith the ,lord1 and my thoughts than your thoughts40 ,it would be very strange indeed1 if a messenger from heaven should have much to perform in such a world as this1 and yet meet with no opposition2 and equally strange1 if that messenger should perform nothing but what mankind would naturally expect1 especially in a period when christians themselves have not escaped the contagion of infidelity4 #cc ,the children1 through fear1 had moved their beds into the room where their parents lodged4 #cd ,these words were heard by eight persons4 #ce ,this answer she now denies2 but owns she saw the apparition4 #cf ,these enigmatical warnings were some of the first words which the voice uttered1 and they appeared strange to us all4 ,they appeared void of instruction1 impertinent and utterly inapplicable to any thing which was seen1 remembered1 or expected among us4 ,none were then trifling with her2 all wondered1 and many were solemnized4 ,nor was there any remarkable contention among us4 ,but after she had produced her strange1 unexpected1 unheard of message1 our behaviour soon fixed the meaning of these enigmas1 and rendered them like apples of gold and pictures of silver4 ,her speaking so much in a by-place 7a cellar7 separate from the common dwelling of man1 like ,john in the wilderness1 has offended us4 ,if her paths were the ,lord's1 instead of making them strait1 we have made them crooked by misconception1 misrepresentation1 and falsehood4 ,while the ghost was then speaking1 one of the company was near eternity4 ,therefore 8seek the ,lord while he may be found40 ,with what contempt and ridicule has the ghost been treated on account of the marriage6 ,therefore 8,i am not to be trifled with10 was pertinent4 ,what violent contentions1 occasioned by her messages1 appropriate the terms 8,peace1 peace10 or 8there must be peace10 as she more plainly said to another person about the same time4 #cg ,here we see that the direct answer was entirely avoided4 ,it was no design of her mission4 ,we have the ,bible by which even the angels must be tried4 ,to the law and the testimony4 ,if they speak not according to this word1 it is because they have no light in them1 from whatever world they may profess to come4 ,she accordingly took this ground1 and reasoned with the people out of the ,scriptures as the standard of truth by which she would be tried4 #ch ,it was matter of trial to some christians among us1 that the ,spirit should thus associate with one who never gave the least evidence of piety3 ,but the ,spirit informed them1 out of her hearing1 that ,mrs4 ,butler was one of the elect1 and would repent before she left the world4 #ci ,she had several times fainted before4 #dj 8,don't you believe a word of all that ,i have told you10 say some who heard it4 #da ,she now talked without appearing4 ,it was the next night after this1 that the attempt was made to handle her while she appeared4 #db ,the last member of this sentence is matter of dispute4 #dc ,this shews that this witness was not in the cellar1 when the preceding sentence was uttered4 ,they who were there1 say that it was the ,spectre who said1 they must come down1 and ,mr4 ,blaisdel who added that they should be satisfied4 ,others tell us that the sentence was1 8,come down in order1 and you shall be satisfied40 ,make the worst of it2 it was but innocent inaccuracy1 like what is recorded of angels in the scriptures4 ,possibly the ghost did not foresee this confusion4 ,certain it is1 that she constantly and strictly insisted upon order and solemnity1 as indispensably requisite to her manifestations4 ,after all1 if the ghost has ever uttered one falsehood1 or one false accusation1 with the manifest design of injurious deception2 or1 if she has ever committed or ordered the commission of one crime2 we must1 without hesitation1 condemn her as an evil angel4 ,but then we must remember that her criminality should first be proved1 not by our surmises or conjectures1 but by substantial1 plenary1 and indubitable evidence4 #dd ,here is a little mistake4 ,it was not her mother1 but ,mr4 ,blaisdel who proposed this question1 by her mother's desire expressed to him4 #de ,this sentence was uttered at another time4 ,it is believed by some1 among whom is the writer1 that several interviews mentioned in the last letter were not those of ,n4 ,h41 but of another ,spectre4 ,this may be somewhat difficult1 and doubtless not essentially necessary to prove4 #df ,that is1 that they experienced the same4 #dg 8,before she vanished40 ,that is1 before she vanished for the last time that morning1 for this was after she had vanished in the view of ,mr4 ,downing1 as in ,testimony #h4 #dh ,these last words declared to me by other witnesses are not in the original testimony of ,mrs4 ,h4 ,i have therefore enclosed them4 #di ,her messages were probably such as never were since ,christ was on earth4 ,some of them are contrary to all expectation1 and exposed the families of ,mr4 ,blaisdel1 ,mr4 ,hooper1 ,capt4 ,butler1 and ,mrs4 ,butler1 in particular1 to unjust reproach4 ,therefore the loving kindness of the ,lord to these families1 made the proofs as extraordinary as the messages1 that whoever shall calumniate either of those families1 on account of these events1 may do it at their peril4 #ej ,mr4 ,d4 has since declared that he had found all these words to be true4 #ea ,they saw no personal form4 #eb ,the greatest things are from among the least4 #ec ,the order was nearly elliptical2 for the two ranks were joined by certain persons at each end4 #ed ,whatever message enlarges or diminishes their doctrine or worship1 must undoubtedly be rejected and the messenger too4 ,but beware of extremes4 #ee ,there was no preacher in the town that day4 #ef ,to have a familiar spirit1 as expressed in the ,old ,testament1 and1 ,to have a demon1 as expressed in the ,new2 seem to be phrases of the same import1 and the idea of it was that of criminality4 ,but we find no person in the ,new ,testament justly accused of it4 ,demoniacs were of another description4 ,they were esteemed innocent1 and pitied1 as being afflicted by the demons4 ,possibly this in part was the true evil which afflicted part of our land in #afib1 and which our pious ancestors unhappily mistook for witchcraft4 #eg ,the original of verse #aa-ab1 is strictly thus3 8,and he said1 bring me up ,samuel4 ,and the woman saw ,samuel and cried out40 ,this strongly intimates that ,samuel came unexpectedly and without any previous divination4 ,the word when1 in our translation has no responsive in the original4 #eh ,not altogether such1 why else should the oracles cease at the time of our ,saviour's birth8 ,legerdemain found no more difficulty afterwards than before4 ,god did in his righteous judgment1 choose the delusions which they had chosen for themselves4 ,he sometimes fulfilled their predictions1 ,deut4 #ac3 #a1 #b1 #c4 ,ezek4 #ba3 #bb to #be2 and might sometimes1 though very seldom1 suffer such real miracles as were either vain1 or injurious2 but never those of benevolence4 ,compare the magic of ,egypt with ,rev4 #af3 #ad4 ,the demons drowned the swine1 but never gave rain2 ,isa4 ,for satan must not oppose satan4 #ei ,should they appear worthy of such painful notice4 ,transcriber's ,note ,this book was written in a period when many words had not become standardized in their spelling4 ,words may have inconsistent hyphenation in the text4 ,jargon1 dialect1 obsolete and alternative spellings were not changed4 ,misspelled words were corrected4 ,new original cover art included with this e,book is granted to the public domain4 ,words and phrases in italics are surrounded by underscores1 like this4 ,footnotes were renumbered sequentially and were moved to the end of the book4 ,obvious printing errors1 such as partially printed letters and punctuation1 were corrected4 ,final stops missing at the end of sentences and abbreviations were added4 ,duplicate letters at line endings were removed4 ,the text employs non-standard use of quotation marks and ,biblical references4 ,the following items were changed3 who believe on in immortality ,august #j #aj1 #ahjj