Legend
< The Ring Test (continued from page 7-218) >
stood the word “interlinking” in relation to our request about the rings, for once he gave us a paper ring cut in two in a remarkable way, and spirally, all done in the dark—a wonderful performance in itself. So I advised Herr Gillis to really interlink two paper rings, by cutting open one and pasting its ends together, after threading it on the other, to show Peter by ocular demonstration “the look of the thing.” “Oh! I see what you mean!” Peter said, with his peculiarly melancholy tone of doubt. “Can’t be done!” he sadly continued. But the other spirits encouraged us, although they said that it might not be accomplished this time. Again Herr Gillis declared himself perfectly satisfied with what he had already obtained, and kept up the harmony by the kindest remarks to the spirits and attention to the mediums, the only way to get the best results.
Herr Gillis next invited the mediums to a friendly supper in his room. Mr. and Mrs. Herne could not come, so Mrs. and Mr. Williams and myself were the only guests, besides the spirit “Peter,” who partook of some champagne to wash down the piece of fowl handed to him under the table, both the liquid and the solid substances being dematerialised only, as he explained on being asked how he managed to cause them to disappear. Other remarkable facts which occurred the same evening I pass by, and come to last Friday morning’s sitting, when Mr. Rita joined the already strong force of mediums, after having delighted us with a splendid seance the previous evening. On this occasion, after giving manifestations which greatly pleased Herr Gillis, John King wound up with a fine slate-writing test under absolute conditions. Herr Gillis had his hands on the double slate, and we all plainly heard the writing produced, which runs thus:— “My dear friends,—We have done our best for you. We will still try to do more to-morrow. For you, friend Reimers, there is good time coming. God bless you all.—John King.”
In the course of this seance I asked Peter why the test was so difficult. He replied: “If two bodies have thus to be interlinked, one should be big and strong to resist the action of the power.”
On Saturday last we had the farewell sitting, and all the four mediums seemed happy. The table was covered with refreshments, and seemed to claim a share in the last and crowning success. After several toasts, I expressed our thanks to John King, and my hope that all would now give him the lead in further proceedings. We went into the dark room, and no sooner was the light out than a perfect uproar ensued, and hammering and other noises began, impossible to describe. After John King ordered a light, we found the greater number of the wooden rings smashed like nutshells. This seemed to me a proof of the presence of great physical force. The deafening tumult contrasted with our own states of mind, which were cool and serious. After resuming our seats, we did not expect much after the sight of the smashed rings. Peter or Charlie invited my attention to two rings, asking me to feel them interlinked, which I did; so also did Herr Gillis. “It won’t keep,” Peter said, sadly, and he withdrew when we considered victory achieved. Again a hammering ensued, like a real carpenter’s shop, and Peter exclaimed, “There! There I There! Reimers! take hold of the ring! Mr. Gillis! hold it too! Don’t let go! Stick to it!”—and to be sure no power in the world would have forced our hands from this couple of rings. All the spirit voices were a-going until the signal for a light came, and there we had in our possession the two rings united. The effect was impressive alike to mediums and investigators.
After having on the road exhibited the new wonder to several friends, we went to a photographer to have a truthful picture secured of the strange phenomenon of a wooden and an ivory ring, each in one piece, interlinked, and forming a stone which the engine of science must either crack or itself leave the rails. Two rings, one of which could be cast, would be nothing; but before our rings either the charge of trickery must break down, or the brain insisting on trickery. Who was the medium? None; but all united, perhaps the whole circle; and with pleasure all we witnesses will interlink Dr. Slade’s name also with this success, for he has obtained something of the same kind. With a few more such results, many hostile elements may be harmonised, and science and religion may be interlinked, to be separated only by the destruction of the one or the other.
Ivory Rings
...
Editor's notes
- ↑ Ivory Rings by Blake, C.Carter, Spiritualist, The, August 9, 1878