< From Сhittenden to Havana. (continued from page 1-85) >
or be placed in the fearful condition she was in at that instant.
The next seance was to be held on Tuesday evening. On Monday I had a bag made (I enclose a specimen) it was done with a sewing machine by a young lady in the village; if you will examine the seam I think you will concede that it was well sewed. We had a long tedious dark circle of two hours duration, at which Mr. Webster, by raps, objected to Mrs. Markee going into the cabinet that night, saying that she was not well enough.
I put Mrs. Markee into the bag, pulled the drawing string closely around her neck, sealed the knot, and then sealed the double ends three times to the wall. I then tacked the bottom of the sack to the floor, and, while doing this last, was satisfied that Mrs. Markee’s plea of “great nervousness” was not an idle one; for every muscle of her body was quivering as in a violent attack of ague.
Before placing Mrs. Markee in the bag I made an ink spot in the palm of each hand; Mrs. Markee suggested that it was not large enough to be plain. When the hands were shown at the curtain, I could see no spot, although Mr. Markee turned the light well up.
Again Mr. Webster talked and Katie came out, but this time no one else; although Seneca said he tried to come. Neither was I invited into the cabinet; Mr. Webster again saying, “That the medium had done wrong to hold the circle as she was far too weak.” The circle lasted a much less time than it ordinarily does.
On going into the cabinet, after the close of the circle, all was as I had left it, seals, tacks and all. Mrs. Markee was again in that comatose condition and as cold as before; although I fancied that her face did not wear so distressed an expression as on Sunday night.
I commenced by saying I would write you a brief letter; it seems to me I have written a book; but there appears to be something about Spiritualism that conld almost make a dumb man garrulous.
As in Mrs. Huntoon's case, you must draw your own inferences. I felt in Mrs. Markee's case, that, as you said in a late number of the Scientist — “De—Materialization not proved;”—yet it appeared to me to be most abundantly proved that Mrs. Markee is no fraud; but, on the contrary, a passive, suffering instrument, of some unseen power, which I hope is what it claims to be, — the work of spirits trying to convince mortals of a life beyond the grave.
Being an editor I am sure you will have a quiet laugh at my wretched English, and gaze amazed at my attempts at punctuation; but you must excuse all that, for I felt it might be of interest to you to hear what a person—not a Spiritualist, but hoping to become one, —would say about the celebrated mediums, —Mrs. Huntoon, Mr. William Eddy and Mrs. Markee-Compton.
Present at Tuesdays seance: —
G. S. Hinrod, Lodi; A. Miller, W. A. Kirby, Hattie E. Alien, Wm. A. Clayton, Auburn; B. C. Park, J. B. Rhodes, M. A. Rhodes, H. Rhodes, E. Park, Wellport; S. A. Mainott, Warren Hillard, Watkins; Lydia J. Carpenter, Gordon Squires, Havana; all in the State of New York.
Jesuitism VS "Art Magic"
The Spiritual Scientist, the most courteous of my critics, enters more fully upon the merits of my “Cautions." To the main objection raised by the Scientist against my denunciations of the Jesuitical origin of the announced “Magic Art,” I will briefly reply. When the Scientist says:
“If the forthcoming work was destined to accomplish what the learned Dr. Bloede seems to fear it will, money in any quantity would be at hand, and not only five hundred, but five hundred thousand copies would be printed, and everv Spiritualist would find one under his nose. No! no! When Jesuitism strikes at Spiritualism it deals a powerful blow”
the Scientist entirely misunderstands Jesuitism. This scarcely ever deals “powerful blows," that is open ones, and never where it feels itself to be in the minority. The nature of this dangerous foe of mankind is to be sly and slow; it acts in a covert and stealthy way its principal stratagem is that of gradually but persistently and surely undermining the foothold of Its adversary. It does not go at him in a straightforward, but in a crooked line, like the formidable weapon of the New Zealand savages, the boomerang. One of its most used and efficient means is to sow distension in the ranks of its opponents. Does not the Scientist see that it would suit such a policy very poorly to publish a work like the forthcoming in five hundred thousand copies? —a work which is not intended to enlighten the masses, but to establish a privileged caste, an esoteric clique, a ring of knowing ones, and thus, by separating and alienating the leaders from the masses cause a split in American Spiritualism. — Dr. G. Bloede in the Banner.
What the work, “Art Magic,” may contain we cannot tell; but Dr. Bloede says “it is intended to establish a ring of knowing ones,” to do this it must make some wonderful revelations. Does it follow that it will “alienate the leaders from the masses,” and cause a split in American Spiritualism? We are sorry to admit that there are already too many splits in American Spiritualism, though perhaps productive of good results; but we are happy in the belief that all are united on its fundamental truths. “We see” that if the book gives us the knowledge that it is supposed to contain, and were such knowledge the property of the Jesuits, they would not publish it outside their ranks, even for the great object of “sowing dissension" in the ranks of Spiritualists Disseminating knowledge never did and never will strengthen Jesuitism, nor can it weaken Spiritualism; the former is the personification of error, the latter of Truth; they are essentially opposed to each other, and need we say which will be the winner? Jesuitism is dogmatical; it does not argue nor reason; it strikes and slays the witnesses for Truth; the vast multitudes prosecuted, starved, burned, assasinated, hung, chained to the galleys, immured in church prisons, are the best evidences of the peculiar “policy” of Jesuitism. But Truth prevails; and even if five hundred leaders, who are now teaching the truth, should be captured, body and soul, the remaining millions of Spiritualists could not be turned from their belief founded on facts easily demonstrated.
<Untitled> (Letter from G. L. Ditson)
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Editor's notes
Sources
Spiritual Scientist, v. 3, No. 12, November 25, 1875, p. 142