BF [Mis- pm^jmmmmmmiM^mm ■ii glliiiil ^&i ^: .iXJ-t 1 . 1 ■ 1 .1 ■ 1 .1 . 1 .1 . 1 , 1 . 1. 1 ; I , i ■ 1 .1 . .' T^'^- ["1'''*-^~ -i" • ey \ 'Wa^^-3'^H^j ^^ "1/ ^' p r|M-|M'|'|.|...,-.'|'|'p»'|'""| f^ a-0 Dr. Theo. H a.ms.manNj ISIO I Street, N. W-.. JVASHINGTON, D. C;. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/remarkablespiritOOcroo to Hemarkable Spirit Manifestations, PROF. WILLIAM CROOKES, F.R.S., Of London, England, C. G. HELLEBERG, Of Cincinnati, O., U. S. A. \1/ PUBLISHED BY C. G. HELLEBERG, 177 Auburn Ave., Cincinnati, O. PRICE, FIFTY CENTS. ni- eiFT IHAURICE DU PONT LEE FEB. 6, 1046 Property of tlie Library of Oongrega EXTRACTS FROM RESEARCHES PHENOMENA OF SPIRITUALISM PROF. WILLIAM CROOKES, F. R. S. Of London, England, FEBRUARY, 1874. Professor Crooks, among learned persons, is acknowledged as one of the most scientific men of the world, but as this pamphlet will come in the hands of many persons not versed in science, a few words may be said of his great achievement : He is a great chemist and discoverer of the new metal thallium ; also, of the supra gaseous state in which matter exists in high vacua, and is the deviser of the radiometer. A. S. F. This took place in his own home. Medium, Miss Flor- ence Cook, a girl of fifteen years. Before Mr. Crookes re- lates the immense number of facts he had accumulated, he expresses himself in this way: " My principal object will be to place on record a series of actual occurrences which have taken place in my own home, in presence of trustworthy witnesses, and under as strict test conditions as I could devise. Every fact which I have observed is, moreover, corroborated by the records of independent observers at other times and places. It will be seen that the facts are of the most astounding character. 4 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. and seem utterly irreconcilable with all known theories of modern science. ' ' Having satisfied myself of their truth, it would be moral cowardice to withhold my testimony because my previous publications were ridiculed by critics and others who knew nothing whatever of the subject, and who were too preju- diced to see and judge for themselves whether or not there was truth in the phenomena. ' ' I shall state simply what I have seen and proved by re- peated experiments and tests, and I have yet to learn that it is irrational to endeavor to discover the causes of unex- plained phenomena. "At the commencement I must correct one or two errors which have taken firm possession of the public mind. One is, that darkness is essential to the phenomena. This is by no means the case, except where darkness has been a neces- sary condition, as with some of the phenomena of luminous appearances, and in a few other instances. Every thing re- corded has taken place in the light. In the few cases where the phenomena noted have occurred in darkness, I have been very particular to mention the fact. Moreover, some special reason can be shown for the exclusion of light, or the results have been produced under such perfect test condition that the suppression of one of the senses has not really weak- ended the evidence! "Another common error is that the occurrences can be witnessed only at certain times and places — in the rooms of the medium, or at hours previously arranged ; and arguing from this erroneous supposition, an analogy has been insisted on between the phenomena called spiritual and the feats of legerdemain by professional 'conjurors' and ' wizards,' ex- hibited on their own platform and surrounded by all the ap- pliances of their art. To show how far this is from the truth, I need only say that, with very few exceptions, the SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 5 many hundreds of facts I am prepared to attest — facts which to miitate by known mechanical or physical means would baffle the skill of a Houdin, a Bosco, or an Anderson, backed with all the resources of elaborate machinery and the practice of years — have all taken place in my own house, at times appointed by myself, and under circumstances Avhich absolutely precluded the employment of the very simplest in- strumental aids. "A third error is that the medium must select his own circle of friends and associates of a seance ; that these friends must be thorough believers in the truth of whatever doctrine the medium enunciates; and that conditions are imposed on any person present of an investigating turn of mind, which entirely preclude the accurate observation and facilitate trickery and deception. In reply to this I can state that (with the exception of the very few cases to which I have al- luded in the previous paragraph, where whatever might have been the motive for exclusiveness, it certainly was not the veiling of deception), I have chosen my own circle of friends, have introduced any hard-headed unbeliever whom I pleased, and have generally imposed my own terms, which have been carefully chosen to prevent the possibility of fraud ; have gradually ascertained some of the conditions which facilitate the occurrence of the phenomena. My modes of conducting these inquires have generally been attended with equal, and indeed in most cases, with more success than on other occa- sions where, through mistaken notions of the importance of certain trifling observations, the conditions imposed might render less easy the detection of fraud. I have said that darkness is not essential. It is, however, a well ascertained fact that when the force is weak a bright light exerts an in- terfering action on some of the phenomena. "The power possessed by Mr. Home is sufficiently strong to withstand this antagonistic influence, consequently he al- 6 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. ways objects to darkness at his seances ; indeed, except on two occasions, when for some particular experiments of my own, hght was excluded. Every thing which I have wit- nessed with him has taken place in the light. I have had many opportunities of testing the action of light or different sources and classes, such as 'sunlight,' 'diffused daylight,' 'moonlight,' 'gas-light,' 'lamp-light,' 'candle-light,' electric light from a vacuum tube, homogeneous yellow light, etc. The interfering rays appear to be those at the extreme end of the spectrum." After this he relates his experience through different medi- ums, but in this extract only his last experiment with Miss Cook, when Katie King showed herself for the last time, is copied : ' ' I will, for the present, pass over most of the tests which Spirit Katie King has given me on the many occasions when Miss Cook has favored me with seances at my house, and will only describe one or two v/hich I have recently had. I have for some time past been experimenting with a phos- phorus lamp, consisting of a six or eight ounce bottle, con- taining a little phosphorated oil, tightly corked. I have had reason to hope that by the light of this lamp some of the mysterious phenomena of the cabinet might be rendered vis- ible, and Katie has also expressed herself hopefully as to the same result. On March 12th, during a seance here, after Katie had been walking among us and talking for some time, she retreated behind the curtain which separated my labora- tory, where the company was sitting, from my library, which did temporary duty as a cabinet. In a minute she came to the curtain and called me to her, saying, ' Come into the room and lift my medium's head up; she has slipped down.' Katie was then standing before me clothed in her usual white SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 7 robe and turban head-dress. I immediately walked into the library up to Miss Cook, Katie stepping aside to allow me to pass. I found Miss Cook had slipped partially off the sofa, and her head was hanging in a very awkward position. I lifted her on to the sofa, and in so doing had satisfactory evi- dence, in spite of the darkness, that Miss Cook was not at- tired in the 'Katie costume,' but had on her ordinary black velvet dress, and was in a deep trance. Not more than three seconds elapsed between my seeing the white robed Katie standing before me and my raising Miss Cook on to the sofa from the position into which she had fallen. On returning to my post of observation by the curtain, Katie again appeared and said she thought she should be able to show herself and her medium to me at the same time. The gas was then turned out and she asked for my phosphorus lamp. After exhibiting herself by it for some seconds, she handed it back to me, saying, ' Now come in and see my medium.' I closely followed her into the library and, by the light of my lamp, saw Miss Cook lying on the sofa just as I had left her. I ^ look around for Katie, but she had disappeared. I called her, but there was no answer. On resuming my place Katie soon re-appeared and told me that she had been standing close to Miss Cook all the time. She then asked if she might try an experiment herself, and taking the phosphorus lamp from me, she passed behind the curtain, asking me not to look in for the present. In a few minutes she handed the lamp back to me, saying she could not succeed, as she had used up all the power, but would- try again another time. My eldest son, a lad of fourteen, who was sitting opposite me, in such a position that he could see behind the curtain, tells me he distinctly saw the phosphorus lamp apparently floating about in space over Miss Cook, illuminating her as she lay motionless on the sofa, but he could not see any one holding the lamp. 8 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. " I pass on to a seance held last night at Hackney. Katie never appeared to greater perfection, and for nearly two hours she walked about the room conversing familiarly with those present. On several occasions she took my arm when walking, and the impression conveyed to my mind that it was a living woman by my side instead of a visitor from the other world, was so strong that the temptation to repeat a recent celebrated experiment, became almost irresistible. Feeling, however, that if I had not a spirit I had at all events a lady close to me, I asked her permission to clasp her in my arms, so as to be able to verify the interesting observation which a bold experimentalist has recently somewhat ver- bosely recorded. Permission was graciously given, and I accordingly did — well, as any gentlemen would do under the circumstances. * Mr. Volekman will be pleased to know that I can corroborate that the' ' ghost ' (not struggling, however) was as material a being as Miss Cook herself. " But the sequel shov/s how wrong it is for an. experiment- alist, however accurate his observation may be, to venture to draw an important conclusion on an insufficient amount of evidence. Katie now said she thought she should be able this time to show herself and Miss Cook together. I was to turn the gas out and then come with my phosphorus lamp into the room now used as a cabinet. This I did, having previously asked a friend, who was skillful at short-hand, to take down any statement I might make when in the cabinet, knowing the importance attaching to first impression, and not wishing to leave more to memory than necessary. These notes are now before me. I went cautiously into the room, it being dark, and felt about for Miss Cook. I found her crouching on the floor. KneeHng down I let air into the lamp, and by its hght I saw the young lady dressed in black velvet, as she had been in the early part of the evening, and to all appearances perfectly senseless. She did not move SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 9 when I took her hand and held the light quite close to her face, but continued quietly breathing. Raising the lamp, I looked around and saw Katie standing close behind Miss Cook. She was robed in flowing white drapery, as we had seen her previously during the seance. Holding one of Miss Cook's hands in mine and still kneeling, I passed the lamp up and down so as to illuminate Katie's whole figure and satisfy myself thoroughly that I was really looking at the veritable Katie whom I had clasped in my arms a few minutes before, and not the phantasm of a disordered brain. She did not speak, but moved her head and smiled in recognition. Three separate times did I carefully examine Miss Cook crouching before me, to be sure that the hand I felt was that of a living woman, and three separate times did I turn the lamp to Katie and examine her with steadfast scrutiny, until I had no' doubt whatever of her objective reality. At last Miss Cook moved slightly, and Katie instantly motioned me to go away. I went to another part of the cabinet and then ceased to see Katie, but did not leave the room until Miss Cook awoke and two of the visitors came in with a light. " Before concluding this article I wish to give some of the points of difference which I have observed between Miss Cook and Katie. Katie's height varies; in my house I have seen her six inches taller than Miss Cook. Last night, with bare feet and not 'tip-toeing,' she was four and a half inches taller than Miss Cook. Katie's neck was bare last night. The skin was perfectly smooth, both to touch and sight, whilst on Miss Cook's neck is a large blister, which, under similar circumstances, is distinctly visible and rough to the touch. Katie's ears are unpierced, whilst Miss Cook habit- ually wears ear-rings. Katie's complexion is very fair, while that of Miss Cook is very dark. Katie's fingers are much larger than Miss Cook's, and her face is also larger. In manners and ways of expression there are also many decided lO SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. differences. Miss Cook's health is not good enough to allow of her giving more of these test seances for the next few weeks, and we have therefore strongly advised her to take an entire rest before recommencing the experimental cam- paign which I have sketched out for her, and the results of which I hope to be able to record at some future day. "No. 20 Mornington Road N. W., March 30, 1874." "The Last of Katie King. '■'■The photographing of Katie Ki?ig by the aid of the Electric Light. "Having taken a very prominent part of late at Miss Cook's seances, and having been very successful in taking numerous photographs of Katie King by the aid of the electric light, I have thought that the publication of a few of the details would be of interest to all readers. During the week before Katie took her departure she gave seances at my house almost nightly, to enable me to photograph her by artificial light. Five complete sets of photograph apparatus were accordingly fitted up for the purpose, consisting of five cameras, one of the whole plate size, one half plate, one quarter plate, and two binocular stereoscopic cameras, which were all brought to bear upon Katie at the same time, on each occasion in which she stood for her portrait. Five sensitising and fixing baths were used, and plenty of plates were cleaned ready for use in advance, so that there might be no hitch or delay during the photographing operations, which were performed by myself, aided by one assistant. My library was used as a dark 'cabinet. It has folding doors opening into the laboratory; one of these doors was taken off its hinges, and a curtain suspended in its place, to enable Katie to pass in and out easily. Those of our friends who were present were seated in the laboratory facing the curtain, and the cameras were placed a little behind them ready to photograph Katie SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. II when she came outside, and to photograph any thing also inside the cabinet whenever the curtain was withdrawn for the purpose. Each evening there were three or four ex- posures of plates in the five cameras, giving at least fifteen separate pictures at each seance ; some of these were spoiled in the developing and some in regulating the amount of light. Altogether I have forty-four negatives, some inferior, some indifferent, and some excellent. K^tie instructed all the sitters but myself to keep their seats and to keep condi- tions, but for some time past she has given me permission to do what I liked — to touch her, and to enter and leave the cabinet almost whenever I pleased. I have frequently followed her into the cabinet, and have sometimes seen her and her medium together, but most generally I have found nobody but the entranced medium lying on the floor, Katie and her white robe having instantly disappeared. During the last six months Miss Cook has been a frequent visitor at my house, remaining sometimes a week at a time. She brings nothing with her but a little hand-bag, not locked; during the day she is constantly in the presence of Mrs. Crookes, myself, or some other member of my family, and not sleeping by herself, there is absolutely no opportunity for any preparation even of a less elaborate character than would be required for enacting Katie King. I prepare and arrange my library myself as the dark cabinet, and, usually, after Miss Cook has been dining and conversing with us, and scarcely out of our sight for a minute, she walks directly into the cabinet, and I, at her request, lock its second door, and keep possession of the key all through the seance ; the gas is then turned out and Miss Cook is left in darkness. On entering the cabinet Miss Cook lies down upon the floor, with her head on a pillov/, and is soon entranced. During the photographic seances, Katie muffled her medium's head up in a shawl to prevent the light falling upon her face. 12 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. I frequently drew the curtain on one side when Katie was standing near, and it was a common thing for the seven or eight of us in the laboratory to see Miss Cook and Katie at the same time under the full blaze of the electric light. We did not on this occasion actually see the face of the medium because of the shawl, but we saw her hands and feet ; we saw her move uneasily under influence of the intense light, and we heard her moan occasionally. I have one photograph of the two together, but Katie is seated in front of Miss Cook's head. During the time I have taken an active part in these seances, Katie's confidence in me gradually grew until she refused to give a seance unless I took charge of the arrangements. She said she always wanted me to keep close to her, and near the cabinet, and I found that after this con- fidence was established,. and she was satisfied I would not break any promise I might make to her, the phenomena in- creased greatly in power, and tests were freely given that would have been unobtainable had I approached the subject in another manner. She often consulted me about persons present at the seances, and where they should be placed, for of late she had become very nervous, in consequence of certain ilbadvised suggestions that force should be employed as an adjunct to more scientific modes of research. '■'■ One of the most interesting of the pictures is one in which I am standing by the side of Katie. She has her bare foot upon a particular part of the floor. Afterward I dressed Miss Cook like Katie, placed her and myself in exactly the same position, and we were photographed by the same ca- meras, placed exactly as in the other experiment, and illumi- nated by the same light. Wheh these two pictures were placed over each other, the two photographs of myself coin- cided exactly as regards stature, etc., but Katie's is half a head taller than Miss Cook, and looks to be a big woman in comparison with her. In the breadth of her face, in many SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 1 3 of the pictures, she differs essentially in size from her me- dium, and the photographs show several other points of dif- ference. But photographs are as inadequate to depict the perfect beauty of Katie's face, as words are powerless to de- scribe her charms of manner. Photography may, indeed, give a map of her countenance, but hoAv can it reproduce the brilliant purity of her complexion, or the ever-varying expression of her most mobile features ; now overshadowed with sadness when relating some of her bitter experiences of her past life ; now smiling with all the innocence of happy girlhood, when she had collected my children round her and was amusing them by recounting anecdotes of her adventures in India. " ' Round her she made an atmosphere of life ; The very air seemed lighter from her eyes, They were so soft and beautiful, and rife With all we can imagine of the skies ; Her overpowering presence makes you feel It would not be idolatry to kneel.' " Having seen so much of Katie lately, when she has been illuminated by the electric light, I am enabled to add to the points of difference between her and her medium which I mention in the former article. I have the most absolute cer- tainty that Miss Cook and Katie are two separate individ- uals, so far as their bodies are concerned. Several little marks on Miss Cook's face are absent on Katie's. Miss Cook's hair is so dark as almost to appear black. A lock ot Katie's hair, which is now before me, and which she allowed me to cut from her luxuriant tresses, having first traced it up to the scalp and satisfied myself that it actually grew there, is a rich golden auburn. "On one evening I timed Katie's pulse. It beat steadily at seventy-five, while Miss Cook's pulse, a little time after, was going at its usual rate of ninety. On applying my ear to Katie's chest, I could hear a heart beating systematically 14 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. inside, and pulsating even more steadily than did Miss Cook's heart when she allowed me to try a similar experiment after the seance. Tested in the same way, Katie's lungs were found to be sounder than her medium's, for, at the time I tried my experiment, Miss Cook was under medical treat- ment for a severe cough. ' ' When the time came for Katie to take her farewell, I asked that she would let me see the last of her. Ac- cordingly, when she had called each of the company up to her, and had spoken a few words in private, she gave some general directions for the future guidance and protection of Miss Cook. From these, which were taken down in short- hand, I quote the following : ' Mr. Crookes has done very well throughout, and I leave Florie with the greatest confi- dence in his hands, feeling perfectly sure he will not abuse the trust I place in him. He can act in any emergency bet- ter than I can myself, for he has more strength.' Having concluded her directions, Katie invited me into the cabinet with her, and allowed me to remain there to the end. After closing the curtain, she conversed with me for some time, and then walked across the room to where Miss Cook was lying senseless on the floor. Stooping over lier, Katie touched her and said : ' Wake up, Florie, wake up. I must leave you now.' Miss Cook then awoke, and tearfully en- treated Katie to stay a little time longer. ' My dear, I can't ; my work is done. God bless you, ' Katie replied, and then con- tinued speaking to Miss Cook. For several minutes the two were conversing with each other until at last Miss Cook's tears prevented her speaking. Following Katie's instruc- tions, I then came forward to support Miss Cook, who was falling on to the floor, sobbing hysterically. I looked around, but the white robed Katie was gone. As soon as Miss Cook was sufficiently calmed, a light was procured, and I led her out of the cabinet. The almost daily seances with which SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 1 5 Miss Cook has lately favored me have proved a severe tax upon her strength, and I wish to make the most public ac- knowledgment of the obligations I am under to her for her readiness to asist me in my experiments. Every test I have proposed she has at once agreed to with the utmost willing- ness ; she is open and straightforward in speech, and I have never seen any thing approaching the slighest symptom of a wish to deceive. Indeed, I do not believe she could carry on a deception if she were to try, and if she did, she would certainly be found out very quickly, for such a line of action is altogether foreign to her nature. And to imagine that an innocent school-girl of fifteen should be able to conceive and then successfully carry out for three years so gigantic an im- posture at this, and in that time should submit to any test which might be imposed upon her, should bear the strictest scrutiny, should be willing to be searched at any time, either before or after a seance, and should meet with even better success in my own house than that of her parents, knowing that she visited me with the express object of submitting to strict scientific tests — to imagine, I say, the Katie King of the last three years to be the result of imposture, does more violence to one's reason and common sense than to believe her to be what she herself affirms. It would not be right for me to conclude this article without also thanking Mr. and Mrs. Cook for the great facilities they have given me to carry on these observations and experiments. My thanks and those of all spiritualists are also due to Mr. Charles Black- burn for the generous manner in which he had made it pos- sible for Miss Cook to devote her whole time to the develop- ment of these manifestations and latterly to their scientific examination. William Crookes." l6 ' SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. Another witness present relates the following, with addi- tional details about the last seance with Katie King, which is found in the French " Choses de 1' Autre Monde, troisieme edition, Paris, par Eugene Nus," translated, 1891, by C. G. Helleberg, of Cincinnati, Ohio : " Katie talked about her near departure, and accepted a bouquet of flowers which Mr. Tapp had offered to her, and also some lilies from Professor Crookes. Katie requested Mr. Tapp to take the bandage off the bouquet and place the flowers before her on the floor. She sat herself down on the floor in the Turkish fashion, and asked us to do the same around her. After that she divided the flowers and gave each of the company a small bouquet, around which she had wrapped a blue ribbon. She wrote, also, some letters, and signed them with 'Annie Owen Morgan/ saying that that was her right name during her earth life. She wro.te, also, a let- ter of adieu to her medium, and added a rose button as a remembrance. After that she took a scissors and cut off a bunch of her hair and gave each one part of it. She now took the arm of Mr. Crookes and made a tour round the room, and shook hands with every one of us. Katie sat her- self down again and cut several pieces from her robe and her veil, of which she made presents. Seeing so many holes in her dress, as she sat between Mr. Crookes and Mr. Tapp, some one asked her if she could repair her dress now, as she had done on other occasions. She then presented the holes before us in the clear light, made some taps over them, and all the holes disappeared. Those that sat near her examined and touched the stuff with her permission, and they declared and affirmed that there were no more holes where before they had seen several, some of which were many inches in diameter. . SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 1 7 " Katie said she could not speak or show her face to them any more. During the three years she had accompHshed these physical manifestations she had passed a painful life, to expiate her faults, but she had resolved to elevate herself to a superior degree in the spiritual life. After long intervals she would be able to correspond and write to her medium, but the medium was always able to see her clairvoyantly." Remarkable Spirit Manifestations. Experience by C. G. Helleberg. The 29th of May, 1891, Mr. C. G. Helleberg went to Dr. Dennis's residence, No. 319 West Fourth St., Cincinnati, O*, where he met Dr. James H. Dennis, Mrs. Clara E. Dennis, Messrs. George Addleman, Burke Pickett, and Edwin J. Witherspoon, D.D.S. He made the following statement and request : Seeing Dr. D. J. Stansbury's advertisement in the "Banner of Light," and " Better Way," and also his circu- lar, where he says, " For the purpose of scientifically demonstrating the phe- nomena of independent spirit slate-writing, under test condi- tion, for those who can not visit me in person, I have formu- lated the following conditions as being most conducive to the best results : "Obtain a pair of new slates that have not been used; let them be thoroughly cleaned on the inner surfaces with soap and water, or alcohol if necessary, and avoid leaving finger marks. Write your name and address on the outside surface of the frames, and any other marks of identification you may wish. Write also upon paper the names in full of such of your friends as you desire to hear from, requesting also any others that might be able to come ; insert the paper between 1 8 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. the slates, with a bit of slate pencil, before sealing. Put from four to eight screws, nails, or rivets through the frames, one or two through both ends and sides, and seal the heads with sealing-wax, upon which stamp your own private seal in such manner that you may be able to detect if they have been removed, opened, or tampered with." ^ Helleberg, seeing this, had concluded to experiment with the slate-writing medium, Dr. Stansbury, and brought with him two slates, which he showed and asked us to examine and help him seal up, according to the formula, so we could testify about the facts in case the experiment succeeded. We were willing to grant his request, and examined the slates, which were all cleaned. One was a common double school slate, and Helleberg showed us a slip of paper which had on one side the following names : George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick William Augustus de Steuben, P. H. Ling, Frederika Bremer, and Emilie Carlen. On the other side was this request in Swedish: " Om nagon kan sa war god och skrif litet swenska for benefit for wara Lands- men och Landsmanninnor." He translated this for us, which was : If any one is able, be so kind and write little Swedish for the benefit for our country people. This slip of paper and a bit of pencil were laid between the slates, which afterward were screwed together with four screws, one on each side ; one of which was screwed in cement, and sealing- wax put over the screw-heads, on which we stamped our seals. Helleberg put also a string around the slates, and stamped his private seal on the knot. The other slate was a book slate with three leaves, all cleaned, between which a SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 1 9 bit of pencil and a paper were laid, having the following writing on it : " Undersigned has been informed that the people in the Kingdom of Sweden are far behind in knowledge of spiritual- ism in comparison to other European nations ; and as I have had the great" privilege of valuable communications from well-known historical Swedish Spirits, as Emanuel Sweden- borg, Gustaf the First of Wasa, Queen Christina, Carl the Twelfth (XII), Madame Fredrika Ehrenborg, Otto Jacob Natt och Dag, Archbishop Wallin, and Bishop Tegner, etc., and as I have reason to believe that they desire increasing spiritual knowledge among their and my native country- people, therefore, I venture in humble sincerity to ask them, if possible, to manifest within these closed slates in such a way that strong desires to investigate this most important truth may be awakened in all classes among the Swedish people." " Carl Gustaf Helleberg." "Cincinnati, O., May, 1891." These slates were also screwed together with four screws, of which one in cement, and our seals were pressed upon the sealing-wax over the heads of the screws. Helleberg also tied around this slate a string and put his seal over the knot. He sent the slates in a box to Dr. D. J. Stansbury, in Boston, Mass., the 30th of May, 1891, according to a re- ceipt from the United States Express Company, which he has shown us. The 14th of June, in the evening, after he had informed us that the box with the slates had come back, Dr. Dennis and his wife paid him a visit at his residence, 177 Auburn Street, where the following persons were met with, namely : Mrs. Addleman, Mr. George Addleman, 20 SPIRITLTAL PHENOMENA. Mr. Burk Pickett, Mr. Edwin Y. Witherspoon, D.D.S., Mrs, Emma Muth, Mr. Julius Helleberg and his wife, together with C. G. Helleberg and wife. Helleberg showed us the box received from the Express Company, which was now broken open in presence of all the company, and the slates taken out which we closely examined and found the seals untouched and in the same condition as when we put them on the 29th of May, and also the strings tied around them by Helleberg, with his seals not tampered with in the least. After this was satisfactorily settled, the wax was scraped off and the screws taken out and the slates opened in presence of all. To our astonishment we found a portrait of Martin Luther ; over it, Thy Friend, with his name under it, and a portrait of the former Queen Christina of Sweden, both drawn apparently with white chalk, and under it this : " Love is the fulfilling of the law, and by harmony stars move in their orbits. Christina." There was writing in Chinese from the famous sage Con- fucius, and also other writings which are literally copied, as follows : Dear One: — We would gladly give you the message in Swedish for the benefit of our countrymen, but the guides of the medium' being unacquainted with the language, is power- less to do so. We are often with you to manifest our presence, and always rejoice when we are successful. We shall soon give you a grand surprise. " Emilie Careen, "Fredrika Bremer, ''P. H. Ling, "William Augustus de Steuben." ^■7^ ' 'r \w?-^?^.T:^.-7?ry^rr r U^ JlU^Llk. iVA^ mjxjt. 6>' y ••■V'll i'- .'!(., ,^' tm tarn x^ \ v> t:^h.f \ ^ J H <■- H S "^ T "^ H-,>fea <^^ _y :;''■'■ ,;:>, -"Nsi > ^ V ^n N ^si t^ 5. r r ' t ^^ ? A ■-Acif anj/ c/liM^it^ Or-f^tx c^/un. VI (uc/e^cy ry ■"'wVSi->**««^' SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 21 "The spirit world recognizes you as one of the standard bearers in the army of Progress. You have not failed to elevate the Banner of truth that all may see the error of their way. Recognizing your fidelity, we gather around a Band of protection to give you spiritual aid, physical strength, and sure reward in spirit life. "George Washington. " Benj. Franklin, "A. Lincoln, "Thos. Paine." ^'■Dearest One: — I came to-day on the wings of love to tell you of the beauties of the spirit-land where your own home is becoming grandly beautified. This is joy, indeed, to be once more in close communion with you. " I am as ever your Guardian Angel. "Sophia." '■'■My Friend: — It is true that the Scandinavian People are sadly deficient in the knowledge of the glorious truth of this philosophy, but the light of truth will illuminize all the dark places, and our people will see the great light arising in their midst. A new dispensation is at hand and a new Seer will arise in Sweden who will spread the light and truth. " Your friend, " Emanuel Swedenborg." "We subscribe our names as among your most sincere friends: " Gustaf I. Wasa, " Queen Christina, "Carl XII., " Fredrika Ehreneorg, " Otto Jacob Natt och Dag, " Archbishop Wallin, " Bishop Tegner." 22 > SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. " Confucius, with a message in Chinese." " Kong Too Tise, Confucius. ^^ "Cincinnati, O., the 2-^dqfJune, 1891. "We find all of these statements correct and in accord with truth to which we herewith attest our names. "James H. Dennis, D. D. S., "Mrs. Clara E. Dennis, " Burk Pickett, " George Addleman, " Edwin J. AVitherspoon, D. D. S., "All of Cincinnati.'^ The year of birth and the so-called death of these persons, according to the latest edition of Encyclopedia Britanica and the Swedish History, are : Confusius, born about 550 or 551 and died 478 years be- fore Christ. Martin Luther, born a. d. 1483, died 1546. King Gustaf I. Wasa, born a. d. 1496, died 1560. Queen Christina, born a. d. 1626, died 1689. King Carl XII., born a. d. 1682, died 1718. Emanuel Swedenborg, born a. d. 1688, died 1772. Major-General F. W. A. de Steuben, born a. d. 1730, died 1794. President Washington, born a. d. 1732, died 1799. Benjamin Franklin, born a. d. 1706, died 1790. Thomas Paine, born a. d. 1737, died 1809. Professor Ling, born a. d. 1776, died 1839. Archbishop V/allin, born a. d. 1779, died 1839. SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 23 Bishop Esaisas Tegner, born a. d. 1782, died 1846. President Abr. Lincoln, born a. d. 1809, died 1865. Helleberg's father-in-law, O. J. Natt och Dag, born a. d. 1794, died 1865. Poetess and writer Fredrika Bremer, born a. d. 1802, died 1865. Poetess and writer Eniilie Carlen, born a. d. 1807, died 1887. Poetess and writer Fredrika Ehrenborg, born a. d. 1797, died 1873. "My kind Guardian Angel Sophia, I can not locate for the present. All the slates are photographed, and I add with gladness my testimony to the truth of these spiritual facts. C. G. Helleberg. "Cincinnati, O., June, 1891." As I wish very much to get this Chinese message trans lated, and have not met any Chinaman here who is able to do it, I shall be very glad and obliged if any able one, who reads this pamphlet, and is interested in these facts, with op- portunity of having it translated, would be kind and inform me of its meaning. The 23d of November, 1882, at home in the evening, through a private medium, came on the slate among other things the following : "I now realize that the earth life was but a fitful dream. In eternity on this the spirit side of life, we waken to a real life of love, labor, and purpose. This life is a life of joy to do good for our fellow beings. This only is true life. The earth life is a place of shadows, tears and suffering, but we 24 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. must be schooled and suffer to learn the truth and become wise in trying to do the Father's will. "Henry Wadsworth Longfellow." The 24th of November, 1882, I had a seance by Dr. D. J. Stansbury at Cincinnati. The doctor asked me to write some names of departed spirit friends on small bits of paper and fold them up in small pellets. I did so and put them all together, half a dozen in a heap, during which time he stood by the window looking out in the street. On my call,, the doctor came to the table in the middle of the room, and from it took a pellet at the time and held it to his forehead, after which he told the name and handed me the pellet, which I unfolded and found the same name on the paper. In this manner he told all the names I had written. After- ward, I received communications from the same spirits who controlled the doctor's hand, except one, to write on the slate as here copied : "We are here to-day to give you our blessings, others will come, we are all here. " Emil Helleberg, " Ida Helleberg." " God bless you, my friend. I gladly come on your bid- ding to add my testimony to those of your friends. You are doing a grand and noble work. " Henry W. Longfellow." "Heaven bless you, my son. Go on with your work of investigation. Spread the light, it will take centuries to drive away every vestige of the old superstition. I am ever with you. Your Father, " Elias Helleberg." \ V '^ ^ J s i* > "S ^c "^ >l •^^ •t ^ ^ 4 •s^ V ■^ SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 2$ "Oh, joy, joy, my dear old friend, I have not forgotten the past — those happy days when our souls blended as one in sweet communion. Oh, glad will be the day when with outstretched arms I stand on the golden shore to welcome home your own free spirit to these realms of light and joy, where we shall roam forever among the delights of a world of love and beauty. I have so much to say to you, but others are waiting. Allow me to subscribe myself " Your friend, " Fredrika Ehrenborg." When the doctor picked up the pellet and mentioned Swe- denborg's name, he put the paper between two slates with a small bit of pencil and placed the slates in my lap, asking me to take hold of the slates, which I did, and felt and heard the writing going on between them. Finally three taps were heard, when the slates were taken apart and we found the following writing on one of them in a very clear hand : "Af)> Friend: — Allow me the privilege of communicating a thought while your other friends are gathering their forces. The sublime truths of Spiritual philosophy as accepted by you to-day are indorsed by all the leading transcendentalists of former times, who, from their exalted position in the spheres of light and wisdom, are now engaged in supple- menting their earthly labors with combined efforts in spirit life that will redeem the world from superstition. "Your friend, "SWEDENBORG.' "Last, but not least. Many thanks for the privilege. We will give you more anon and anon. The power is about exhausted to-day. "Fredrik Franks, or "Jacob Otto Natt ocH Dag." 26 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. The 2oth of February, 1883, at a private seance at home, the spirit of the celebrated bUnd poet Milton came and said to the medium : "You have read my 'Paradise Lost,' but I wish I had the power to write it over, because I, like your illustrious coun- tryman, Swedenborg, have made many mistakes, but my thoughts were adapted to the age in which it was necessary to rule humanity by fear; this is another age — love and charity will reign supreme, and we departed souls are now permitted to return and use these delicate human instruments to speak to you, and to show ourselves to humanity, and 'to write loving messages. Oh, Father, how wise are the laws in this world, so little understood. Oh, how happy we can be in earth life, and doubly so in our spirit life, if we think and pray and trust in God's wisdom and eternal providence. Try to obey, to love him, and to think that we are nothing if He did not sustain us. I suffered little pain, but it was because my inward sight was open continually. To appear- ance I seemed to suffer, but repentance over what I had done wrong agonized me more than physical pain. Enough, I must go. Write. John Milton." The 5th of June, 1884, at our home, the medium at noon saw first the Roman number XII on a glass tumbler before me, and afterward came in the slate the following in Swedish : " Ratt och Sanning — ^jag har lardt att segra ofver sjelf, men det har warit en langsam strid. Adieux. Gud's walsignelse bli over eder. Carl XII." Translated : Justice and truth. I have learned to conquer self, but it has been a long fight. Farewell. God's blessing over you. SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 27 The medium heard the word " Pultava," and clairvoyantly saw an eagle with a scroll in his tallons. The 24th of December, 1886, in the evening, the same medium first saw clairvoyantly: "I am here, King Carl the XII," and afterward the following writing came on the slate : Sweden will be a republic sooner than any other power in Europe, and vote according to certain qualifications, and all candidates for ofiice will be examined as to their fitness be- fore the votes are allowed. The heads of families, either women or men, will be allowed more or less votes than others who are not responsible for any but themselves, and a voter must be examined if he or she understands the importance of his or her vote, which will be considered as an oath. All bribery will be severely dealt with. "Carl XII, of Sweden." The 30th of September, 1888, at home, came on the slate the following : "Albert. Peace must be the watchword, and we are now working for our people to establish, through our wives and other good women, the law of love, mercy, and union to all. "Prince Albert, unzer Fritz, "And many others." The 22d of February, 1887, a private medium, in our own home, in the evening, first saw clairvoyantly the name T. Korner, in gold color and German letters; afterward came on the slate the following : " Leben, leiden and scheiden ist der erste acht; vereinen 28 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. ins liebe nicht mehr zu scheiden ist das andre und letzte acht; dauerhaft ins ewigkeit. T. Korner." Translated : "To live, suffer, and be separated i^the first act; reunited in love, not more to be separated, but continue to eternity, is the second and last act. T. Korner." The nth of November, 1888, in our own home, came on the slate, through a private medium, the following : Clay writes : "We are coming back to sustain the freedom of the Amer- ican people and the right of justice, equality to all, without distinction to race or colors, with protection to the laborer in all good work. H. Clay, " B. Harrison, "And many Ex-Presidents." The 1 8th of August, 1890, at a seance in our home, where a private slate writing and clairvoyant lady medium saw a curious stick, draped or ornamented crossways with blue and yellow ribbons, which were formed in a bow at the lower end ; besides, it glittered as if set with precious stones. We won- dered what it meant. The medium said it must be a scepter. Afterward the following was written on the slate : "Pour le grace d_'Dieu je suis votre ami. J'avai arrive ici avec one foule d'esprits qu^ ne comprend pas le pouvoir d'une medium, ma ch^re — ^jag ar jungfru Christina en gang Drottning i Sverige (du Suede), men jag kan skrifva best pa Svenska. Jag ar sysselsat at soka ibland mina olyckliga wanner och bekanta, bade men och gvinnor, dem som woro SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 29 forvillade i deras jordiska lif angaende tron i ett tillkom mande lif i evighet. Jag kommer ofta har att visa dessa otrogna sjalar att de kunna bli renade fran deras daliga begar och blifva lika goda som Englar. Min wan om du tillater mig sa will jag skrifva som jag nu gor, manga ganger och beratta min egen erfarenhet i mitt lif har i andewerlden. Du sager jag ar walkommen. Du ar intet passive nog. Wi skola forsoka igen. God natt Frun och Hern. " Christina VON Sverige." Translation of the French and Swedish : "By the grace of God, I am your friend. I come here with a number of spirits who do not understand the power of a medium. My dear — (here ended the French and the writing continued in Swedish) — I am maiden Christina, once Queen of Sweden (du Suede), but I can write best in Sv/edish. I am employed in seeking for unlucky friends and acquaint- ances, both men and women, who were bewildered in their earth life concerning the belief in an everlasting future life. I come often to show the unbelieving souls that they can be cleansed of their miserable desires and become just as good as angels. My friend, if you will permit me, I will often write, as I now do, and relate my own experiences in the spirit world. You say I am welcome. You are not passive enough. We will try again. Good night, Mrs. and Mr. "Christina, from Sweden." Note. — Blue and yellow are the Swedish national colors, which explains the meaning of what the medium saw at first. C' G. Helleberg. The 27th of September, 1890, on the anniversary of the medium's birth-day, came the following, among other things : 30 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. "I come from the land where your true friends dwell. We are watching you both as you work and try to gain un- derstanding and knowledge of the mysteries of life in your present state of existence. We know you are weary and longing for better knowledge of the future, but you must be content with what you receive. Birthdays are only the mile- stones of earthly existence marking mere progress through time. The soul is not measured by the age of the body. [The medium said I am so confused that the spirit could not write well] No, my friend, it is not you, it is I that is con- fused. Excuse my awkwardness in my efforts to impress my thoughts to you. It is my first trial with you. Good bye. "Allan Cardec." Spirit Communications Through Strangers at Long Distances. To the Editor of the Banner of Light : The undersigned, a native of Sweden, but a citizen of Cin- cinnati since 1852, for. more than six years having been a subscriber of the French spiritual publication, Le Messager, of Liege, Belgium, read with astonishment in that journal of the 15th of January, 1891, Swedish sentences and names of my son Emil, my own and my father-in-law, Otto Jacob Natt och Dag, written on the inner side of a closed double slate, around eleven faces produced by a spirit-artist for an attache of Le Messager, through a private medium, Mrs. A. M. Ivey, of Dahlonega, Georgia, whose husband, Judge W. D. Ivey, had the slate photographed and sent a copy to the editor at Liege. Being unacquainted with the language around the picture, the editor addressed a note to me, requesting a SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 3 1 translation. I informed him that the writing was Swedish, and sent him a translation. As the sentences were exactly the same as a Swedish spirit and dear friend of mine, Madame Fredrika Ehrenborg, had written for me in 1882, and I included in my " Book of Spirit Communications," I took the liberty to write to Judge Ivey, a stranger to me, informing him of the fact, and suggested that the same lady perhaps wrote the sentences for the Bel- gium editor, and probabl)^ my father-in-law, who was a natural artist, had drawn the faces. Judge Ivey became interested in the case, and wrote me a friendly letter, which, among other good and true things, had this generous expression: " My wife will be pleased to sit or hold a seance for you at any time, if you will send us your picture or that of your wife." In consequence of this unexpected kindness, I sent him photographs of my father- in-law, my wife, and myself. The 15th of last February the judge wrote another letter, mforming me that he had sent me two slates by mail, and among other things said : " Myself and wife appointed to sit for you on (Sunday) this evening at half past three o'clock, myself and wife took half a dozen small slates and thoroughly cleaned them by washing them, and placed the slates one upon the other on the top of the small table (no covering or pencil or pencil- dust being used) between us, putting our hands upon the slates. In a few moments Spirit Chief-Justice R. B. Taney controlled my wife and gave instructions how to arrange the slates. I was told to take the two top slates from the pile on the table before us, take a cord that lay on the mantel- piece, securely bind the two slates together, and put your 32 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. photograph on one side of these bound slates and your wife's photograph on the other side (which was on the top of the slates). These bound slates being placed again on top of the other slates, all of which I did as directed. Placing our hands on the slates, we felt the work commencing at once. During the sitting my wife was held under spirit influence most of the time by our little cabinet control. Spirit Millie Taylor, Spirit Phoebe Gary, and Spirit Chief-Justice R. B. Taney, who explained that under the circumstances better results could be obtained by keeping my wife thus entranced most of the time while the work was going on, which lasted thirty or forty minutes — I did not note the time accurately. "While Millie was controlling my wife she notified me that Mrs. Anna E. Helleberg's father was present and would make the picture on the slate for you ; she also said that the spirit artist of our band, Gustave Dore, was present. When the work was announced done she said Spirit Dore pro- nounced it well done. I asked the name of the artist who drew the picture, and she said his name was Otto Jacob Natt och Dag, but when he came to this country he took another name, as our people here could not speak or write his name well. I asked her for the name he took, and she spelled out the name Franks. She said he was the father of Mrs. Anna E. Helleberg. All members of your spirit-band were present this evening; many of their names were called, but I can recollect but few. I heard the* names, Emil, Ida, Mary, Jennie McKee, Madame Ehrenborg, and many others I can not call to mind. During the sitting I heard a slate break, and at once the control told us to take our hands from the slates at once, as the battery was too strong, and we did not again touch the slates to the end of the sitting. You will notice one corner of the slate broken that has the pictures on. When the control announced that the work was done we unbound the slates, and found nineteen faces on SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 33 one of the slates besides a message all around the picture. The second slate was written full by Spirit Madame Ehrenborg. Your spirit-band have been frequent visitors to our circles before. Madame Ehrenborg has been described to me by my wife (who is clairvoyant and clairaudient) as a small lady that wore a black cap and a black dress. I send the slates to you." I received the slates and concluded to have them photo- graphed. The nth of March, when the slates were at the photographer's, I received on a slate, through a private medium at home, names of some of the spirits whose pictures are drawn on the slates sent to us, and four other names, Eugene Sue, Theirs, Doctor Wahu, and Lamartine, which belonged to a slate for the editor of Le Messager at Liege, Belgium, which has been photographed and sent to him. The 23d of March, after receiving the photographs, I put numbers on all the faces, from twelve to thirty, and in a pri- vate seance again asked for names answering to the numbers. In response to which there came on the slate the following : "These sketches were not intended for true likenesses. I was permitted to practice like the other artists, and was de- sirous to convince you that I could do such work. I am not satisfied with the work ; it is too crowded, and not as I would like to do if I had the opportunity to control a medium as often as I would like and practice." I asked, "Is face No. 12 intended to represent Carl the Twelfth, formerly King of Sweden?" The reply was: "Yes. The Swedes are all crowded together. The other persons are mostly artists, and those persons whose names I 34 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. gave you the nth of March. All I can now say is, I have given the correct impressions to the medium. Look at the pictures, and I will again tell all the names I remember." I did as directed, and the following was the result : No. 12, Carl the Twelfth, formerly King of Sweden; 13, Berna- dotte, formerly general under Napoleon the First, and after- ward King of Sweden under the name of Carl the Four- teenth Johan ; 14, Knut Natt och Dag, a Swedish sea cap- tain and relative; 15, Mrs. Anna Baumgratz, an acquaintance of mine ; 16, White Star, an Indian girl who often communi- cates with us; 17, Indian Tecumseh ; 18, Harrison; 19, John Quincy Adams; 21, Abraham Lincoln; 22, Medium Jennie McKee; 23, probably Chief Justice Taney; 24, 25^ 26, 27, 28, artists; 27, Rembrandt. After the names had been given as above, the following came on the slate : " Is not the proof sufficient that spirits are around you all, and desirous to prove their presence ? Friends Aat have departed from earth-life are not always the ones who return and manifest. Strangers to you are often attracted who wish to learn ; so the spirits that came to Mrs. Ivey were not all known to her or me ; they came for knowledge. Those few I recognized were attracted to me, and they knew that you would get their names. I did not give them the first time you sat for that purpose, but they came and impressed the medium to write their names. All of them have been in your home at different times. I think I have explained as much as is necessary for the present. ^■ Otto Jacob Nabh och Dag." 4 SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. 35 This artist manifestation came unsolicited through a private medium, and stranger, hundreds of miles from us, to which I hereby testify as being the truth. "Among the pitfalls on our way, The best of us walk blindly; So, man, be wary, watch and pray. And judge your brother kindlj'." — Alice Gary. It is only necessary to state that only the most wonderful part of the many years spiritual investigation and experiences which the celebrated scientist, Prof. Crookes, had with spirit Katie King, before her last appearance, is extracted from his researches in the phenomena of spiritualism for this pam- phlet, together with the compiler's many years spiritual in- vestigation, from which selections had been made of well known characters. Photographs of both pictures and writ- ings have been made in many cases ; and if thinking persons can be induced to seek for the object of human life, and their own destiny, I will be rewarded for my trouble. Cincinnati, O., 1891. C. G. Helleberg. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ^