A new basis of belief in immortality / by John S. Farmer.

  • Farmer, John S.
Date:
1882
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new basis of belief in immortality / by John S. Farmer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    pen, and otliers present see the flower or the pen apparently move by itself. In some cases they speak distinctly; in others the voice is heard by all, the form only seen by the medium. The flowing robes of these forms have in some cases been examined, and pieces cut off, ■which have in a short time melted away. Flowers are also brought, some of which fade away and vanish; others are real, and can be kept indefinitely. It must not be concluded that any of the forms are actual spirits; they are probably only temporary forms produced by spirits for purposes of test, or of recognition by their fiiends. This is the account invariably given of them by communications obtained in various ways ; so that the objection once thought to be so crushing— that there can be no “ghosts” of clothes, armour, or walking-sticks— ceases to have any weight. G. Spiritual Photof/raphs-—These demonstrate by a purely physical expei-iinent the trustworthiness of the preceding class of observations. We now come to the mental phenomena, of which the following are the chief:— 1. AtUomatic Writinff.—The medium writes involuntarily, some- times in a state of trance, and often matter which he is not thinking about, does not expect, and does not like. Occasionally deflnite and cm-rect information is given of facts of which the medium has not, nor ever had, any knowledge. Sometimes future events are accurately predicted. The writing takes place either by the hand or through a plauchette. Often the hand-writing changes. Sometimes it is written backwai’ds; sometimes in languages the medium does not undei'stand. 2. Seeing, or Clairvoyance and Clairaudience.—This is of various kinds. Some mediums see the forms of deceased persons unknown to them, and describe their peculiarities so minutely that their friends at once recognise them. They often hear voices, through which they obtain names, date, and place, connected with the individuals so described. Others read sealed letters in any language, and write appropriate answers. 3. Trance-Speaking.—The medium goes into a more or less uncon- scious state, and then speaks, often on matters and in a style beyond his own capacities. Of these, Serjeant Cox—no mean judge on a matter of literarj'-style—sa}'s, “I have heard an uneducated barman, when in a state of trance, maintain a dialogue with a party of philo- sophers on ‘Eeason and Foreknowledge, Will .and Fate,’ and hold his own against them, I have put to him the most diflicult questions in psychology, and received answers, always tlioughtful, often full of wisdom, and invariably conveyed in choice aud elegant language. Nevertheless, a quarter of an hour afterwards, when released from the tr.ance, he was unable to answer the simplest query on a philosophical subject, and was even at a loss for sulliciont hangufige to express a common-place ide.a.” (“ Wh.at .am I?” vol. iii., p. 24'2.) 'That this is not overstated I can myself testify, from repeated observation of the same medium. And from other trance-speakers—such .ns iirs. Har- dinge, Mrs. Tapp.nn, and Jlr. Peebles—I have heard discourses which, for high aud sustained eloquence, noble thoughts, and high moral