Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/445

Rh and in which she pointed out letters, these were written down by other persons, and thus words and sentences were put together. Questions which were put to the somnambule were answered in the same manner, and I am convinced that there was no deception; nevertheless the answers which she gave showed evidently that the spirit with which she stood en rapport was not very much wiser than we poor inquiring mortals. She had been extremely attached to her deceased father, and it was not until after his death that she fell into this singular condition. The answers showed indeed a pure spiritual life, but not any thing supernaturally so. The whole scene interested me, but produced a painful impression on Channing, whose pure, spiritual nature is displeased by these juggling or abnormal spiritual dealings.

There is in the United States at this time, especially in the north, a great number of clairvoyants of all grades; and mediums, “spiritual knockings,” and many other dark spiritual phenomena belong to the order of the day. They are totally rejected by many, but earnestly accepted by others. I myself have seen sufficient of clairvoyant exhibitions to be convinced that they are by no means deficient of a light which exceeds that of the ordinary natural condition, at the same time that they are by no means infallible. The clairvoyant sees many things with wonderful clearness, but is mistaken in others. The clairvoyant is not a guide to be relied upon. Nevertheless the certain result of the phenomenon of clairvoyance is infinitely precious, that is to say, the certainty it gives that the soul possesses organs and senses within the corporeal, and independent of them; that the spiritual body is superior to the natural; that the latter is merely the natural medium of the former.

After these cheerful, festal days at the Phalanstery I returned to New York, where I am now, once more in my good Quaker-home, occupied in visiting the public