973.7L63 
 BUF57^ 
 
 Fitzgerrell, J. J. 
 Lincoln was a spiritualist 
 and Austin, B. F. 
 
 'The Religion of Abraham 
 Lincoln 
 
 -J 
 
LINCOLN ROOM 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 LIBRARY 
 
 MEMORIAL 
 
 the Class of 1901 
 
 founded by 
 
 HARLAN HOYT HORNER 
 
 and 
 
 HENRIETTA CALHOUN HORNER 
 
LINCOLN 
 
 WAS A 
 
 SPIRITUALIST 
 
 By J. J. FlTZGERRELL 
 
 THE RELIGION 
 
 OF 
 
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN 
 
 By B. F. Austin 
 
LINCOLN 
 
 WAS A 
 
 SPIRITUALIST 
 
 By J. J. FlTZGERRELL 
 
 THE RELIGION 
 
 OF 
 
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN 
 
 By B. F. Austin 
 
 The Austin Publishing Company 
 
 Los Angeles, California. 
 
 1924 
 
Copyright, 1924 
 
 By J. J. FlTZGERRELL 
 
James J. Fitzgerrell 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/lincolnwasspiritOOfitz 
 

 The Author of this book 
 
 James J. Fitzgerrell 
 
 Adjutant, 81st Illinois Infantry, Volunteers 
 
 now a member of the Soldier's Home, California, at the 
 age of 81 years, having retired from business 
 
 RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS 
 
 that all readers of this book will use their power and in- 
 fluence in the sale of the book, that the public generally 
 throughout the United States shall know the truth, not 
 now generally known, that Abraham Lincoln recognized 
 the guidance of the spirit world during the four years 
 of the Civil War, that saved this nation from Anarchy 
 and ruin. 
 
 The Churches only state that Abraham Lincoln did 
 not belong to any church. 
 
 Address, Dr. B. F. Austin, 4522 St. Charles Road, 
 Los Angeles, California. 
 
Introductory 
 
 A record of happenings that prove this physical body 
 changes once in about seven years, and is only a vehicle 
 through which the Spirit, Mind, Soul Body functions. 
 At Death the Physical Body disintregates, returning 
 to Dust — while the Spirit, Mind, Soul Body lives on, 
 taking up its future life work, that will lead to the great- 
 est amount of happiness in the oncoming ages of the 
 eternal future, in aiding and assisting others. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 JAMES J. FITZGERRELL. 
 Address, 
 
 P. O. Box No. 397. 
 Soldiers Home, California. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 My first recollection as a small boy was that of lis- 
 tening to the sermons preached by my Grand Father, 
 the Rev. Joseph Hartley, one of the leading (Hardshell) 
 Regular Baptist Preachers in Southern Illinois, Jeffer- 
 son County. 
 
 Standing in the Pulpit, he would reverently lay his 
 hands on the Bible, and say: — "This is the BIBLE, 
 GOD'S WORD, EVERY WORD IN THE BIBLE IS 
 TRUE, IF NOT THE TRUTH, IT WOULD NOT BE 
 GOD'S WORD, GOD'S WORD IS THE TRUTH." 
 
 I remember often hearing him preach from Paul's 
 Epistle to the Ephesians, Chapter No. 1, that clearly 
 teaches "PREDESTINATION IN THE FULLNESS 
 OF TIME," etc, etc. 
 
 At the age of fourteen years my father died. I 
 was the oldest of seven children, the next two of the 
 children were girls, so my time was taken up to look af- 
 ter and assist my Mother in the care of the 320 acre 
 farm, all fenced, especially during the harvest season, 
 when much additional labor was required in harvesting 
 the large crops of small grain. 
 
 With the outbreak of the CIVIL WAR, in 1861, 
 there was much excitement, with the great majority of 
 the people in Southern Illinois favoring secession. Of 
 our family on both sides of the house, (Fathers and 
 Mothers), aiding the Secession movement in every pos- 
 sible way, of the entire Hartley family, but one son, 
 Joseph Hartley, Jr., was the only friend the Union cause 
 had, except one daughter MARTHA that had married 
 
8 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 James J. Dollins, the Colonel of the 81st Illinois Infantry 
 Volunteers. Of the Fitzgerrell side of the House, I was 
 the only member of the family that I know of who vol- 
 unteered in the defence of the Union. My uncle Joseph 
 Hartley Jr. and I volunteered and joined the 81st Illin- 
 ois Infantry Volunteers, both serving until the close of 
 the war. 
 
 Of the families and their friends, 65 in number, they 
 escaped the Government draft in February 1865, by 
 "fleeing to the mountains, to escape the wrath to come," 
 as stated by my Grand Father. Thus aiding the cause 
 of Secession all they could. 
 
 In this connection, I will state, I well remember one 
 incident at the time of the family hegira. I happened 
 to be at home on a leave of absence, just after General 
 Price's last raid into Missouri. Learning the family 
 and others intended to make an early start the next 
 morning, I went to Grand Father Hartley's home, to as- 
 sist him in loading his covered wagon with supplies for 
 the trip, the evening before, and bade him "good bye." 
 He was standing in the wagon. In handing him a sack 
 of salt, I remarked, "Grand Father, why are you and 
 the family leaving the country now, the war is practi- 
 cally over?" At this he gave me the most pitying look 
 imaginable, almost dropping the sack of salt, saying: 
 "Jimmie, the war has just commenced, the poor women 
 and children will get their bread at the point of the bay- 
 onet, the great Battle of the Armageddon of the Bible 
 will be fought in Southern Illinois within one year from 
 now. I will obey the Bible and flee to the Mountains, 
 both me and mine. I most sincerely pity you in your 
 terrible condition in this horrible war." 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 9 
 
 I made no reply but helped to finish the work of 
 loading the wagon. The feeling of the supporters of 
 Slavery against the Union Soldiers was most bitter. 
 That cannot be realized by the good people of today. 
 
 I will state the party had not crossed the Missouri 
 River before the surrender of General Lee, that marked 
 the close of the Rebellion. Grand Father and the fam- 
 ily went to Oregon, he died in about two years, while 
 the most of the family and friends drifted back in a few 
 years. 
 
 By permission of my Mother I enlisted as a private 
 in Company "H" 81st Illinois Infantry Volunteers. Com- 
 manded by my Uncle by marriage, Colonel James J. 
 Dollins, of Benton, Franklin County, Ills. I finished 
 "laying by" the corn crop at 12 o'clock August 24th, 
 1862, rode to Tamaroa 10 miles, took the evening train 
 for Anna, Illinois, and was mustered in to the U.S. ser- 
 vice at 10 oclock August 25th, was immediately detailed 
 as Orderly at Regimental Headquarters, with the duty 
 of carrying dispatches to other headquarters, and care- 
 ing for the Colonel's tent, sleeping on a blanket in that 
 tent. I assisted the regimental clerk (Lippincot) all 
 possible, until in December, when Lippincot was promo- 
 ted to be 2nd Lieutenant in Co. "C," when because of 
 my knowledge of the business of the Regiment I was de- 
 tailed to be Regimental Clerk. 
 
 During the Vicksburg Campaign commencing May 
 1st 1863, I joined the ranks of Company "H" in every 
 skirmish and battle, (no trouble to find a gun when it 
 came to a battle) . On May 22nd in the general assault 
 on the enemy's works, we failed. Colonel Dollins was 
 killed, and the Adjutant Zebede Hammock was mortally 
 wounded and died. On the 29th, I was made Regiment- 
 
10 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 al Adjutant, promoted from the ranks, because I had 
 not shirked my duty as a private, and knew all about 
 the duties of the office. Ranking from May 29th, was 
 mustered into office July 2nd, 1863, and rode into Vicks- 
 burg Miss., July 4th at the head of my Regiment, the 
 fourth to enter the city. 'The happiest boy of 20 years 
 you ever saw." 
 
 Was mustered out of service at the close of the war, 
 On August 5th, 1865, was married to Mariah E. Nygatt, 
 (a little rebel girl of Vicksburg, Miss.), her Father was 
 one of the staunchest Union men I ever met. 
 
 I have led an active business life, first as a travel- 
 ing man for several years, all over the U.S. in the Saw 
 Manufacturing trade. Then entering the Real Estate 
 business in New Mexico and Colorado. During the past 
 forty years in Mexico, office in the City of Mexico, 
 where I have handled over 2,000,000 acres of Mexico 
 lands. Organized the Fitzgerrell Investment Corporat- 
 ion, paid up capital, 100,000 pesos, and felt myself on 
 "easy street" financially. On March 13th, 1913, my 
 sweet wife passed to the beyond, her physical body lies 
 in the U.S. National Cemetery in the City of Mexico. 
 Her spirit body, her "self" is with me now, aiding me 
 all possible, with her love and tenderness of the earth 
 life, of almost 50 years. 
 
 Because of unsettled business conditions in Mexico, 
 I find myself in the Soldier's Home, California, having 
 "forgotten" Mexico. Have lost every penny of my Mex- 
 ico properties, Real Estate, Mortgages and all personal 
 effects. 
 
 The winter of 1871-2 found me with my family of 
 wife and daughter May, living in East Saginaw, Mich., 
 in the Saginaw Hotel. May was old enough to be placed 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 11 
 
 in school, where she met a girl of her age the daughter 
 of one of the leading opticians in the city, resulting in 
 our making uor home with these people. 
 
 On becoming acquainted with these people, I found 
 the Optician to be a wide awake business man, and a 
 gentleman, who informed me that five of the leading 
 business men of the city — three lumbermen and two 
 business men — had formed an investigation circle, 
 meeting once a week, first in one office and then another, 
 after business hours, to investigate the question of the 
 Continuity of Life. I was invited to join the Circle, 
 which I did, as I knew these gentlemem were earnest 
 seekers after the truth, and no thought of fraud. 
 
 The religious impressions left on my mind were 
 those left by the preachings of my grand father, one of 
 the leading Baptist ministers in Southern Ills, who 
 preached the doctrine of pre-destination, and proved it 
 by the Bible. 
 
 When the meeting came to order I found the medi- 
 um to be one of the leading lumbermen of the Saginaw 
 Valley, who soon went under control and was controlled 
 by a newspaper man whom I knew well, who but a short 
 time before this, going into his office, in a fit of despon- 
 dancy, took a revolver from his desk drawer and blew 
 out his brains, no doubt caused by drink. 
 
 I was surprised and interested in hearing this 
 newspaper man's statement of his present condition 
 that was pitiful in the extreme. He expressed the great- 
 est possible regret for his act in taking his own life, 
 stating that he could not get away from his old envir- 
 onments, that he wandered up and down the streets, in 
 and out of the hotels, saloons, meeting those he knew 
 who could not recognize him, do what he might to make 
 
12 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 them sense his presence. He was able to go to the cem- 
 etery and no further. His many friends who had pass- 
 ed over, and all seemed to be happy, told him that in 
 time he with the great help of his earth and spirit 
 friends, would be able to overcome these earth bound 
 conditions, and he will be able to get away from here. 
 He asked us and all his earth friends to send out all 
 possible good thoughts to aid him. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 13 
 
 A Trip to Boston 
 
 I made a trip to Boston Mass. At the hotel 
 I was introduced to a practicing physician who had 
 an office in the hotel, who informed me of a meeting 
 that evening at a home of a Mrs. Thayer, THE FLOW- 
 ER MEDIUM. We attended. About twenty of Bos- 
 ton's leading people assembled in the back parlor reach- 
 ed through a hall from the front door. When the party 
 had assembled an adjournment was taken to the front 
 parlor, that was absolutely bare of carpet and furniture, 
 except a long extension dining table, half a dozen din- 
 ing chairs, heating stove and gas chandelier, with a 
 candle stick sitting on the table. 
 
 There was present a reporter from the Boston Her- 
 ald. We soon constituted ourselves a self appointed 
 committee of investigation, we sealed all the doors and 
 inside window blinds with common letter postage 
 stamps, leaving the window slats open as much as pos- 
 sible. There were two over, who were seated in the rear 
 of the Medium, and the Reporter and I who seated our- 
 selves on each side of the Medium. 
 
 The lights were extinguished. The light that 
 streamed in from the street lamps, through the window 
 blinds, and the light that came in from the hall light, 
 through the transom over the parlor hall door, gave 
 light sufficient to distinguish any one on the opposite 
 side of the table. 
 
 Keeping my right arm against the Medium's left 
 arm, in a few minutes I distinguished muscular shud- 
 
14 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 ders passing over her person. In about 10 minutes she 
 called for a light. When the candle sitting on the table 
 was lighted, to my surprise there was a profusion of 
 flowers of all kinds lying on the table in front of the 
 different persons sitting at the table. 
 
 The flowers were looked over and discussed by the 
 sitters for some minutes, when the reporter and I chang- 
 ed seats. With the blowing out of the candle light, I 
 soon distinguished the sound of something falling on the 
 table, and I kept my arm and shoulder close against 
 the Medium's. She spoke and said : "You may hold both 
 of my hands," which I did. Soon something fell across 
 my hands. When the light was called for I saw one of 
 the most beautiful water hyacinths I ever saw, about 14 
 inches long, flower and stem, lying across my hand and 
 the medium's. Then followed an examination of the 
 flowers. There were several ladies present who seemed 
 to be very conversant with the hot house growth of 
 flowers, who said there were flowers on the table they 
 had never seen before. All received flowers, while the 
 two who sat on chairs behind the medium and the "com- 
 mittee" received each a flower, stalk, roots and the earth 
 clinging to the roots. With my pocket rule I measured 
 them, one measured 24 the other 28 inches in length 
 roots and stem. The flower I never saw before. Soon 
 there was an animated discussion on the large amount 
 of flowers, many had never been seen by the parties pre- 
 sent, where did they come from? The seals on the doors 
 and windows were intact, no one could enter the room 
 without being seen, the snow covered the ground about 
 four inches, the weather was cold, yet the mass of flow- 
 ers was there, no mistake, but from where no one knew. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 15 
 
 Meeting Col. Kase 
 
 While the discussion was going on I noted two 
 gentlemen and their wives sitting opposite to me, that 
 attracted my attention, as being of more than usual in- 
 telligence. On exchanging cards, I found one to be a Mr. 
 Thayer, the same name of the Medium, no connection, 
 and strangers, the other Col. S. P. Kase, a Banker from 
 Philadelphia, visiting his relative Thayer, who was a 
 merchant engaged in the West India trade with his office 
 on the main wharf of Boston Harbor. 
 
 Thayer said he lived in this neighborhood, that the 
 happenings here had been noised about the neighbor- 
 hood, his wife had attended one of them, and was much 
 interested, so he caused his wife to invite the medium to 
 come to his home and see if these things would happen 
 on his dining table. The medium accepted the invitation, 
 his wife called at the home of the medium and took her 
 in his family carriage to their home, took her to her bed- 
 room and dressed her in her own clothing, from head to 
 foot, then seated her at their dining table with only his 
 own family present, married and single children. Mr. 
 Thayer said: 'There was at least one bushel of flowers 
 came onto my table, also a canary bird was placed in 
 front of my little daughter. She has the canary bird 
 now in a cage in my home, you can see it. Where the 
 flowers and the bird came from I do not know, I know 
 they came, under the most severe test conditions. " 
 
 Was Lincoln a Spiritualist? 
 
 The discussion of the above happenings, led Col. 
 Kase to make to Mr. Thayer and me the following state- 
 ment: 
 
16 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 "You remember with the opening of the Rebellion, 
 that Washington was threatened by the Confederate 
 troops when the 7th Mass. Volunteer Infantry, under 
 Col. Benjamin F. Butler, was ordered to Washington to 
 protect the Capitol. Arriving there none too soon, in 
 passing through Baltimore, Md., they were assailed by 
 the Confederates and fought their way through that 
 City, with the loss of several killed and wounded. 
 
 At that time I was connected with one of the leading 
 Banks in the City of New York. A meeting of the lead- 
 ing Bankers was called and it was decided an effort 
 should be made to build a rail road connecting with the 
 Capitol without having to pass through Baltimore. I 
 was appointed a committee of one to go to Washington 
 and see President Lincoln, and see what could be done 
 to carry out the plan with Government aid. 
 
 Arriving at Washington on the early morning train, 
 I walked from the depot to the Willard Hotel. In pass- 
 ing along the street I became conscious that I was pass- 
 ing the house in which I formerly lived when I was a stu- 
 dent in one of the Washington Colleges. The House 
 stood back from the street a few feet. I noted the front 
 door was open, and looking to the second story, to the 
 room I had formerly occupied, I saw the window was 
 open. The thought came to me: go and see your old 
 room again. With this thought I turned into the walk, 
 through the open door, up the stairs, at the head of the 
 stairs I saw the room door open, so I entered. Just as I 
 entered the room, I saw a gentleman arising from a writ- 
 ing table. Sealing a letter and advancing toward me, he 
 said : "Take this letter to President Lincoln, it is of the 
 utmost importance that he should receive it at once." I 
 replied, I do not know the President. You can take it to 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 17 
 
 him pust as well as I. He replied ; "You are going to see 
 the President at once, and can hand it to him. It will re- 
 ceive attention at once, don't fail to do this, it is import- 
 ant to the Nation that Mr. Lincoln should receive this 
 and act on its statements." 
 
 With these statements, and the strange condition I 
 found myself in I took the letter, put it in my pocket. 
 
 After breakfast I went to the office of Judge Soames 
 and laid the object of my visit before him. After consul- 
 tation, as the Judge was busy on some important busi- 
 ness, it was decided I should go at once to the White 
 House and see the President. 
 
 On presenting my card to the door keeper, and ask- 
 ing for an immediate interview, telling the door keeper 
 my name was Kase, he disappeared, returning in a few 
 minutes with the President following closely, who on 
 entering the room, seeing a stranger seemed confused. 
 As I advanced toward him I gave my name, S. P. Kase, 
 from New York, and desired to talk to him on important 
 business. At that the President said ; "I expected to see 
 Secretary of State S. P. Chase, I understood from the 
 door keeper, that Mr. Chase wanted to see me at once." 
 (All Civil War Veterans will remember that Simon P. 
 Chase of Ohio was a strong competitor of Mr. Lincoln 
 for the nomination for the Presidency, and was appoint- 
 ed Secretary of State in Lincoln's Cabinet, and the diff- 
 erence in the pronunciation of the name Kase and 
 Chase.) I noted a curious expression on the President's 
 face. I stated to him that I came as the representative 
 of the Banking interest of New York, to take up with him 
 the matter of building a rail road from New York to 
 Washington avoiding Baltimore. At this he seemed very 
 much interested and invited me to sit down and discuss 
 
18 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 the matter at some length. On separating it was under- 
 stood that Judge Soames and I should return during the 
 afternoon and discuss the subject further. 
 
 On leaving the President I drew the letter I had re- 
 ceived in the early morning from my pocket and gave it 
 to him, with a statement of how I came to receive it. The 
 President opened and read it, then asked me if I knew 
 of its contents. I told him I did not. 
 
 Judge Soames and I filled the appointment made 
 with the President during the afternoon; after discuss- 
 ing the rail road matter, in which the President gave 
 hearty support, and as we were leaving the room, the 
 President called up the matter of the letter received in 
 the morning, stating that it was an invitation that he 
 should visit the home of a Mr. Laurie in Georgetown, 
 (suburb of Washington,) that evening at 7 p.m., where 
 he would hear something of vital importance to the Nat- 
 ion. That he had caused an investigation of the request, 
 and decided to make the visit and asked Judge Soames 
 and me if we would like to go along. This invitation we 
 gladly accepted. 
 
 We reported at the White House on time, and were 
 driven in the White House carriage with the Major in 
 attendance on the President's staff with the President 
 accompanied by an escort of four soldiers to the George- 
 town home of Mr. Laurie. 
 
 As we were expected, we were met at the door by 
 Mr. Laurie and his wife who gave us an earnest in- 
 vitation to enter their home, and be welcome guests. Mrs. 
 Laurie soon seated herself at the piano and began to 
 play some favorite tune, when the piano began to move 
 up and down in accord with the rise and fall of the music. 
 This attracted the attention of the President who said 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 19 
 
 to one of the soldiers standing near the piano ; "Cannot 
 you hold that piano down?" At that the soldier attempt- 
 ed to do so, with his entire weight on the piano, still the 
 piano moved up and down the same as before. At this 
 the President stepped to the end of the piano and added 
 his weight to that of the soldiers. Still the piano moved 
 up an down just the same as before. At this the Presi- 
 dent resumed his seat in one of the large horse hair easy 
 chairs of the day. 
 
 Just then there appeared a young lady of about 
 eighteen years of age with her hair curled, the custom 
 of the young girls of the day, that we had not seen be- 
 fore, entering from the bed room off from the parlor 
 room. The home was a five room house. She stepped 
 directly in front of the President and commenced talk- 
 ing in the most earnest and impressive manner, review- 
 ing the history of this Nation. Commencing with the 
 conditions in England at the time of the Mayflower, the 
 causes that led the Pilgrim Fathers to come to the new 
 world, their landing at Plymouth Rock, the hardships 
 they met with, of the oppositions given them by the Indi- 
 ans, spoke of Pocahontas, of the hardships of the thir- 
 teen colonists, then to the causes that led to the war of 
 the Revolution. Of the hardships and sufferings of the 
 Colonists and of the successful recognition of American 
 independance, with half free and half slave states, then 
 reviewed the strife between the slave and free states to 
 extend and suppress the extension of slavery to the Ter- 
 ritories, of the Missouri Compromise. Then of the bit- 
 terness of the different political parties in thePresident- 
 ial election, in which you (Lincoln) was elected as the 
 President. Then of the calling of the representatives of 
 all the southern states together, and passing of the Act 
 
20 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 of Secession, the firing on Fort Sumpter, and the inaug- 
 uration of the War of the Rebellion. Of the progress of 
 the war up to this date, (in 1862). Attention was call- 
 ed to the varied successes and failures of the battles 
 fought so far. Then was made the statement : "Mr. Lin- 
 coln you have been called to be the head of this nation 
 for the purpose of freeing the slaves, you have been call- 
 ed from a slave state, from the ranks of the abject poor, 
 to fill this great mission TO FREE THE SLAVES OF 
 THE SOUTHERN STATES. You have prepared an 
 Emancipation Proclamation, but have hesitated to sign 
 it, and proclaim it. You have listened to the arguments 
 raised by many of your friends, as to the propriety of 
 issuing the Proclamation at this time. 
 
 This is to urge you to sign the proclamation at once, 
 do your duty, fill your mission for which you were rais- 
 ed up. By so doing success will crown the Union Arms, 
 from the date the Emancipation Proclamation goes into 
 effect. The rebellion will be crushed, peace and order 
 will be restored, when the greatest possible prosperity 
 will bless this Nation, that will rise to be the world 
 power, and carry freedom to all the slaves and oppressed 
 of earth." This oration was the grandest I ever listened 
 to. 
 
 Then added: "Failing to do your duty, in signing 
 and issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, failure will 
 attend your efforts, the Southern States will succeed in 
 disrupting the Union, then other states and govern- 
 ments will arise, the North-western states and territor- 
 ies will form a government. The South-western states 
 and territories will form another, the Pacific states and 
 territories will form a government of their own, 
 the Southern and Eastern states will divide on the line of 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 21 
 
 Virginia and eastern Ohio, then great contentions will 
 arise over the navigation and control of the Mississippi 
 river." 
 
 While the Southern States would nominally succeed 
 at this time, their success would lead to endless suffering 
 and hardships to the people of this Nation. It was cer- 
 tainly the most dismal picture I ever listened to. 
 
 The wind up was to urge the action at once to sign 
 the Emancipation Proclamation, by so doing secure the 
 greatest glory, peace and prosperity of this Nation and 
 people. The picture was a glorious one showing this 
 Nation as a world power, leading to the Emancipation of 
 the oppressed of all Nations and people. This talk last- 
 ed about one hour. When through, the control left the 
 little girl, she looked around in a confused manner and 
 returned to the bed room from whence she came. 
 
 With her disappearance, nothing was said for some 
 time, the President turned in his seat, threw his long 
 right leg over the arm of his chair, buried his face in his 
 hands fully five minutes, then, then looking around to the 
 Judge said; "Was not this wonderful?". "Yes" said 
 the Judge, "Who do you think did this talking?" At this 
 remark Mr. Lincoln pointed to the full length portrait 
 of Daniel Webster hanging on the wall of the room. 
 
 He was asked about the preparation of the Emanci- 
 pation Proclamation. He said that much pressure had 
 been made to prevent the Proclamation from being is- 
 sued at this time. At this we took our leave of the host 
 of the evening, entered the carriage and were soon at the 
 White House. On the road home but little was said by 
 any of the remarkable meeting we had attended. 
 
 It certainly made a wonderful impression on Mr. 
 Lincoln's mind, as he referred to it at our next meeting 
 
22 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 in connection with the rail road matter we were discus- 
 sing, that was carried to a successful conclusion." 
 
 It is a historic fact, the Emancipation Proclamation 
 was soon issued, in the month of September 1862, offer- 
 ing the slave owners the alternative of freeing their 
 slaves between that date and January 1, 1863, and re- 
 ceiving their value to be paid by the Government, and re- 
 turning to the Union, otherwise the slaves should be freed 
 forever without any remuneration to the former owners. 
 
 It should be noted the Battle of Stone River was 
 fought January 1st and 2nd, 1863, resulting in success 
 to the Union Arms, and that every general engagement 
 fought after this date was victorious to the Union Arms. 
 We who were at Vicksburg Miss., July 4th, 1863, well re- 
 member the glorious entering of that City on that day, 
 and of the culmination of the four years of warfare in 
 the surrender at Appotomax, and when Johnson sur- 
 rendered to Sherman. Col. Kase stated in carrying out 
 the rail road plans, it was necessary to visit Washington 
 a number of times, and confer with the President, that 
 he and Judge Soames were often invited to be present at 
 the White House of evenings to meet Miss Nettie Col- 
 burn, the young girl medium they met at the home of 
 the Laurie's in Georgetown. 
 
 There were present members of the Cabinet, mili- 
 tary men, and civilians of national fame, such men as 
 General Sickles and others. 
 
 This interview with Col. Kase made a deep impres- 
 sion on my mind, and seemed to interest Mr. Thayer very 
 much, as he had not heard Col. Ease's report of this in- 
 terview with Mr. Lincoln. 
 
 As a sequel to this interview in Boston in 1871-2. 
 twenty years passed, when one day I picked up a daily 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 23 
 
 paper, and saw a notice of the death of Nettie Colbourn 
 Maynard, that the story of her life had been published 
 by Rufus C. Hartranft publisher in Philidelphia. I or- 
 dered the Book and found that Col. Kase had given Mr. 
 Hartranft the same information he gave M. Thayer and 
 myself twenty years before. 
 
 The book was dictated by Mrs. Maynard to a steno- 
 grapher, just before her heath, and stated, after the in- 
 terview with the President at the Laurie's, that Mr. 
 Lincoln asked her to remain in Washington, and request- 
 ed the Secretary of Agriculture to give Miss Nettie a 
 position in the Seed Department, that the President call- 
 ed her to the White House often, giving a graphic ac- 
 count of the call during the two days battle of Chancel- 
 orsville, Va. The Book is certainly to me interesting 
 reading. 
 
 Materialized Hands 
 
 The next evening after the meeting at Mrs. Thay- 
 er's, the Doctor and I attended a meeting of some ten or 
 twelve investigators, at a pleasant home place, where in 
 a neat home parlor an extension dining table was sitting, 
 with one of the boards removed. Over the opening was 
 sitting an empty candle box, with one end and side re- 
 moved, the inside covered with dark cloth, that afforded 
 a black back ground, the space on the top of the table on 
 each side of the box covered with cloth, while a heavy 
 dark cloth was hanging all around the frame of the 
 table, so if one was sitting under the table it would be 
 dark, and if a hand should be thrust up into the candle 
 box, it could be plainly seen by any one in the room, in 
 the line of vision of the opening of the box. 
 
24 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 The medium was sitting among the spectators, and 
 seemed to be an interested spectator. I occupied the 
 next chair to hers the most of the evening. When quiet 
 was had, soon hands began to appear, thrust up in the 
 box in answer to questions, Is this hand for me?. The 
 answer was made by motion of the hand until someone 
 would be answered "yes." The name of the owner of the 
 hand would be spelled out by repeating the alphabet, and 
 in every case given correctly, so stated by those present. 
 In several cases permission was given to shake hands, so 
 I asked permission in one case, which was granted. In 
 taking the hand, it seemed to be a hand of some one, 
 when I grasped it strongly it disappeared in my grasp. 
 
 There were several ladies present who asked per- 
 mission to place their finger rings on the fingers of the 
 hands, which was granted, or the rings were deposited 
 on the table in front of the box, taken off, and appear- 
 ed on the finger of the hand inside of the bov. In some 
 cases the rings were returned to the table, in others the 
 rings were found on the floor afterwards. 
 
 There were all kinds and sizes of hands, babies, chil- 
 dren, men, coarse, small and large, many hands. 
 
 When the exhibition was ended I asked permission 
 to investigate, which was granted. I stripped the table 
 of the curtain, turned the table up-side down, examined 
 the legs, the boards, the carpets, the walls of the room, 
 as the gas light was on full during the evening, there 
 was no deception practiced in the dark. I found the 
 rings that had not been returned, lying on the floor. I 
 could not see any attempt at deception, and was at a loss 
 to account for the many hands I saw that appeared inside 
 that box, as it was a plain candle box, from the grocery 
 store. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 25 
 
 The Doctor 
 
 With reference to the Doctor who accompanied me 
 in my investigations, he was a young man. I learned he 
 had been a street waif. As a child brought up by the col- 
 lege faculty, where he graduated as a physician, and was 
 the janitor's assistant. His peculair mental characteris- 
 tics attracted the attention of the college faculty, so they 
 decided to make a test case of the young man. His name 
 was placed on the roll of students. He did not attend 
 lectures, nor was he given opportunity to study. When 
 his class was called for examination, his name was called 
 and he stood his share of the examination and usually 
 stood at the head of his class on examination day. When 
 the day came for the final examination he stood at the 
 head of his class and received his diploma entitling him 
 to practice melicine. 
 
 The understanding among the profession was that 
 he of himself had no medical education, but was control- 
 led by old College professors of this College, who had pas- 
 sed on, who controlled the young man in his examinat- 
 ions, and when called into consultation with extreme 
 cases of disease, his judgment was first class. As a re- 
 sult the young man did not have a general practice, but 
 was used by the medical doctors in the city as a consult- 
 ing physician in extreme complicated cases of disease. 
 
 It was interesting to see how he was controlled by a 
 crowd of boy spirits, earth bound waifs, of the young 
 man's type, who would control him to buy and eat stick 
 candy ravenously, and scrap over who would control 
 
26 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 him to get the benefits of the effects of the candy. He 
 seemed to have no business judgment, did not seem to be 
 himself, but under control all the time, usually by a 
 crowd of boys, when it came to meeting people of educa- 
 tion and business such as was met at the flower seance, 
 he was controlled by his leading control. 
 
 This was an eye opener to me. I decided then and 
 there, in the future I should be myself, and never allow 
 myself to be controled by outside influences, but use 
 whatever judgment I possessed, open to impressions that 
 may come from my inner consciousness on all business 
 and social matters of life. 
 
 During my years of personal investigation, I have 
 made it a rule to listen to all arguments and suggestions, 
 pro and con, placing a question mark behind them, 
 watch and wait development. Do not accept anything as 
 final until you know. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 27 
 
 New York 
 
 From the City of Boston I went to the City of New- 
 York. At about 2 p.m. on a bright sunny winter after- 
 noon, I visited the home of a Mr. Slade, who personally 
 answered the door bell, inviting me to the hallway, where 
 I told him I came for a slate writing interview. When I 
 was invited into the neat front parlor, with the window 
 blinds wide open, the bright sunlight streaming in made 
 an inviting place. The furniture was the common parlor 
 furniture of easy chairs and small center table, with 
 books, etc. 
 
 We seated ourselves at a bare wooden table about 
 4x5 feet in size, Slade seated opposite to me with the 
 corner of the table between us, our knees almost touch- 
 ed one another. Lying on the table was a common 
 school slate and pencil. Slade handed me the slate that 
 I cleaned from all former writings. Then holding the 
 slate with the blank side of the slate toward Slade I 
 wrote my questions that I had prepared in my mind in 
 advance. When I wrote my question I turned the writ- 
 ing down, and passed the end of the slate to Slade, so 
 he could touch the end of the slate under the table, still 
 holding my end of the slate. 
 
 In a few mintes after Slade's hands touched the 
 slate, I heard and felt the lower face of the slate was 
 being written on, when the writing was completed, three 
 taps on the slate indicated the writing was finished. 
 Slade released his hold of the slate, I then raised it be- 
 fore my eyes and in every instance my question was 
 
28 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 answered to the point. I would rub out the writing and 
 write the next question. The answers received prompt- 
 ed other questions, so I was about an hour at the work, 
 in the meantime there was no conversation between us, 
 but there was something going on most of the time. 
 
 The slate was wrenched from our hands, carried 
 beyond and above the table, in full view, then carried 
 back and placed in our hands as before. My chair was 
 shaken, my clothing pulled in a playful manner, face 
 patted, the parlor chairs on castors would run across 
 the room, come to the table opposite my seat, then run 
 back to where they started. Several books lying on the 
 center table were swept from the table across the room. 
 The conditions became so lively, that Slade said as if 
 speaking to third parties, in a laughing manner; "Do 
 please let up, don't make such a racket." At this the 
 playful condition that had been going on ceased. 
 
 After asking all the questions that came into my 
 mind, and receiving direct answers to all of them, all in 
 full day light, no one in the room but Slade and I, seat- 
 ed in front of Slade, so that it was an utter impossibility 
 for Slade to see my written questions, yet answers came 
 when Slade' s hand touched the slate, and not before. I 
 held the slate down lying on the table with a bit of pen- 
 cil the size of a kernel of wheat under the slate, when 
 Slades hand touched the slate the writing in answer to 
 my questions would be given. 
 
 I tested every device I could think of as a test, yet 
 the answers came on the slate to my questions just the 
 same. Slade himself could not possibly have written 
 them. The question in my mind from that day to this 
 is "Who Did?" 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 29 
 
 Chicago 
 
 Arriving in Chicago from New York on a late 
 morning train, after registering at one of the Hotels, I 
 hurried to a meeting being held on Clark Street. Being 
 my first visit I was an entire stranger to everyone pre- 
 sent. I was seated about the center of the hall, well 
 filled with listeners, the speaker was on the platform. 
 
 In a few minutes after being seated, the speaker 
 pointed me out stating that I was accompanied by an 
 Army Officer, who was standing by the side of my chair, 
 described his shoulder straps as that of an eagle, wear- 
 ing a cap, and described Col. James. J. Dollins, Colonel 
 commanding my regiment, (my uncle by marriage), 
 who was instantly killed in an assault on the enemy's 
 works at Vicksburg Miss., May 22, 1863. 
 
 The statement was then made, as from the Colonel, 
 that he had aided me all possible, that he secured me to 
 be appointed Adjutant of the Regiment from the ranks 
 of Company H, upon the Death of Regimental Adjutant 
 Z. Hammack, who fell mortally wounded at the time the 
 Colonel was killed, that he had aided me all possible in 
 my work as the Adjutant of the Regiment, and since 
 in my business matters, that now I had my business 
 matters in good shape, that his family, widowed wife, 
 with their four (4) children were well provided for, and 
 as the time had come when he was able to take up a 
 life's work on a higher plane of future work, he would 
 bid me an adieu for the present. 
 
30 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 As no one present knew me nor the Army Officer 
 decribed, it created a deep impression on my mind, and 
 as a sequel, I will state that I have not been conscious of 
 the presence of the Colonel but twice since that time, 
 (1871-2.) 
 
 With reference to Col. Dollin's military service, 
 will state he entered the military service as Captain of 
 Co. C. 31, Ills. Infantry, General John A. Logan's regi- 
 ment. He organized and commanded the 81, Ills. Vol- 
 unteers Infantry, in 1862. I was a private in Co. H. 
 During the Vicksburg Campaign I was detailed as the 
 Regimental Clerk. Our Regiment, participated in all 
 the battles of that campaign, and during the Campaign 
 the Colonel and I slept under the same blanket. The 
 battle of Port Gibson was fought on the 1st of May, 
 1863, at Raymond, the 12th, at Jackson the 14th, (the 
 State Capitol) and at Champions Hill on the 16th. The 
 Battle at Champions Hills was of a decisive character. 
 That cut off Vicksburg from any aid from the confed- 
 erate Armies. We became engaged about 10 a.m. Late 
 in the evening we had driven the enemy back several 
 miles, near the Black River Bridge, when our Division 
 (General John A. Logan Commanding), was relieved 
 by a Division of fresh troops. We filed off the road in- 
 to a woods pasture, and went into bivouac camp. After 
 eating our haversack supper of hard tack and bacon, I 
 prepared our bed of the blankets from the horses, with 
 the saddles for pillows, and laid down to rest. The Col- 
 onel was much excited, he visited the Captains of all 
 the Companies, talking over the events of the day, when 
 he came to our bed and laid down, he was still much ex- 
 cited, and kept talking. At last he made a remark that 
 gave me a chance to ask the question I had desired to 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 31 
 
 ask for several days. How is it, Colonel, that you can 
 tell in advance what will happen day by day? All dur- 
 ing this Campaign you have told us in advance if we 
 would meet the enemy or not, day by day. While we ex- 
 pected to meet the enemy at many times, if you said 
 they would retreat or give battle, it has resulted just as 
 you said it would be. Now this morning you said we 
 would meet the enemy today and win a glorious victory. 
 The officers and the men are all talking about it. HOW 
 IS IT? In reply the Colonel made this statement: 
 
 You remember when I came home after I was 
 wounded in the skirmish with the Rebel General For- 
 rest's command, when in command of a Battallion of 
 Cavalry, we drove Forrest across the Obine River in 
 West Tenn., I was wounded in the head and right foot. 
 My wounds were light so I was able to go on a crutch, 
 and organized our Regiment. 
 
 The night before this skirmish, I saw the Rebel 
 shoot me just as plain as when it happened. We were 
 driving them before us through the Obine River bottom, 
 when just in front of me, a rebel stepped from a tree, 
 having the "drop" on me, dodging my head just as he 
 fired, the ball from a squirrel rifle struck my head a 
 glancing blow, and followed around the skull and was 
 cut out on the opposite side of the head. It did not 
 knock me from my horse, while the soldier by my side 
 killed my assailant. In a few minutes my stirrup and 
 bottom of my foot was struck by a bullet, smashing the 
 saddle stirrup, and wounding the sole of my foot, so 
 that I was compeled to use a crutch for some time in 
 walking. 
 
 Now on this Campaign I have seen the events in a 
 panoramic view passing before me, the night before, 
 
32 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 just as it afterwards happened. That is why I felt so 
 confident of Victory today. I saw the events of today 
 pass my view last night. 
 
 As a sequel: During the 17th-18th-19th and 20th, 
 our army closed in around the enemy's works. On the 
 22nd General Grant ordered an assault all along the 
 lines at 10 a.m.. In this assault Colonel Dollins was killed 
 ed instantly by a bullet through the head, the Adjutant 
 Z. Hammock mortaly wounded, and died on the 29th. 
 While I was made Adjutant from the ranks of Co. H. 
 
 The morning of the 22nd, Col. Dollins awoke me 
 from a sound sleep and told me to pass down the lines 
 of the Regiment and ask the Officers to assemble at 
 headquarters. When all had assembled he led the way 
 up the hill-side out of ear shot of the soldiers, and stat- 
 ed to the Officers, (as told me by Lieutenant Simmons) 
 we will soon receive orders to assault the rebel works. 
 The assault is a mistake, but orders must be obeyed, 
 many will be killed and wounded, as for myself I do not 
 expect to return from that hill alive, (pointing over to 
 the enemy's works on the opposite hill. ( Then he gave 
 directions as to the movements of the companies etc. 
 dismissing them. Soon he ordered the E. Regiment in- 
 to line and examined carefully every musket , cartridge 
 box, and canteen, to know that everything was in pro- 
 per order. The soldiers noticed the great change in his 
 action and appearance between this inspection and the 
 inspection of the morning before the Battle of Champ- 
 ion Hills, when he was jolly with the boys. This morn- 
 ing his cheeks were blanched, his attempt to be jolly 
 was a failure, the soldiers noticed it and spoke to one 
 another about it. 
 
 I learned from General Logan, that he had visited 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 33 
 
 his Headquarters, and told him of his desires that his 
 body be sent to his home in Benton Ills., for burial stat- 
 ing to Logan that he would be killed. Logan made the 
 promise and fulfilled it to the letter. 
 
 By what power did Colonel Dollins know in ad- 
 vance of our victories, defeats, and his own death? His 
 remains now lie in the Cemetery in the City of Benton, 
 Franklin County, Illinois. 
 
 NOTE — I have known Major General John A. Logan all 
 my life. He lived a neighbor to Colonel J. Dollins. 
 General Logan detailed to me Colonel Dollins* visit to 
 his Headquarters early in the morning of May 22nd, 
 1863, who told him of his coming death-warning and re- 
 ceived General Logan's promise that his body should be 
 sent home for burial which was fulfilled to the letter. 
 
34 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 One of my most enjoyable visits was in Minneapol- 
 is Minn., where in my Hotel, I met during two evenings 
 the Superintendent of the Minneapolis High Schools, 
 who occupied the adjoining room to my own. 
 
 I am unable to go into details of the conditions 
 claimed to exist on the planet Jupiter, as claimed by the 
 Superintendant's control, who asserted himself to be a 
 resident of that planet, on a visit to this Earth for the 
 purpose 'of studying Earth's conditions : that he claim- 
 ed were in many respects crude, in comparison with ad- 
 vanced conditions on the older planet— Jupiter. 
 
 In answer to my enquiries, he attempted to get me 
 to understand conditions on the Planet Jupiter — in the 
 matter of land, air and water transportation, describ- 
 ing their boats, manner of propelling them, the power 
 used, how applied, land and air transportation, the 
 home life and government, with life's conditions gener- 
 ally. I confess I did not comprehend many of his state- 
 ments. 
 
 He claimed the day of investigation and upward 
 progress had just begun on earth, when inventors and 
 advanced scientific minds of other planets, could im- 
 press and control similar advanced minds of this Earth, 
 creating improvements in all lines of human industries, 
 and studies, that would mean wonderful advancement 
 in all of the efforts to bring happiness to the people of 
 Earth, not dreamed of today. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 35 
 
 Looking back fifty years to that date, and the con- 
 ditions at that time compared with the conditions and 
 inventions of today, I can now dimly understand his 
 statements, as to coming conditions in the near future on 
 this earth, describing social, transportation by land, 
 air, and water conditions. All of which was very in- 
 teresting in view of the statement by scientists of the 
 possibilities of communication with the different plan- 
 ets, that will in the no distant future be recognized as 
 an accomplished fact here. 
 
36 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 Residence in Chicago, 111. 
 
 During a two years residence in Chicago Ills., in 
 the 70's, I embraced every oportunity to attend the 
 lectures of Cora L. Richmond, who impressed me as be- 
 ing under wonderful control. 
 
 When the subject matter of her lecture had not 
 been previously announced , the presiding officer would 
 announce the subject would be selected by the audience, 
 and ask for nominations. At some of the meetings as 
 many as half a dozen subjects would be handed in when a 
 majority vote would make the election. 
 
 When the subject was announced, the speaker would 
 stand quietly for a few minutes, then launch directly 
 into a discussion of the subject. It made no difference 
 how intricate the subject should be, it would be handled 
 in a masterly manner. Often data and information 
 would be given, on complicated subjects, that it would 
 seem to require much study by the ordinary speaker. 
 
 At( the close of the lecture, the presiding officer 
 would announce a poem would be delivered on a sub- 
 ject selected by the audience in the same manner as the 
 lecture. When selected and the subject announced, Mrs. 
 Richmond would at once enter into the subject and del- 
 iver it as if she was reading it from manuscript, often 
 they were taken down by short hand reporters, and 
 when published in the morning papers, would read as 
 if given much study, and from fifty to one hundred lin- 
 es of reading matter, perfect in expression. This pow- 
 er seemed marvelous to my mind. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 37 
 
 Denver 
 
 While making my home in Denver, Colo., in the 
 latter part of the 80's, it was very interesting to attend 
 meetings of Mrs. Emma Buline, a cousin of my wife, 
 who was a welcome visitor at our Home. Mrs. Emma 
 Bulline was the lecturer for a society in Denver, the 
 Hall was usually filled each Sunday at the different lec- 
 tures. 
 
 In answer to my question, in what manner does 
 your control deliver the wonderful lectures we hear 
 from your lips, second only to the lectures delivered by 
 Mrs. Richmond, as you officiate as your own chairman, 
 in making all announcements and transacting the busi- 
 ness of the Society? She said: 
 
 In all her business transactions, making announce- 
 ments, etc, she was in her normal condition, but gave 
 no thought or study to the lectures delivered. You may 
 notice the subjects to be discussed are announced. There 
 is a band of six advanced spirits that have banded 
 together who look after the lectures, and in my Book 
 just issued, on the history of the Cliff Dwellers, that 
 you are so much interested in, when the time for my 
 lecture comes, some one of the band who has been 
 assigned to that duty stands ready to assume that duty. 
 After making the announcements, I stand for a few mo- 
 ments in a passive attitude, when I seem to be standing 
 by the side of myself, I am a spectator, and as much in- 
 terested as any one in the audience at what is being 
 
38 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 said through my organism, I remember it as you do- 
 When the lecture is completed, I seem to step into my- 
 self and assume my normal condition. I then go ahead 
 with the business of the society. 
 
 She stated she understood that many speakers lost 
 complete control of their organism, and were uncon- 
 scious of what was being delivered through their organ- 
 ism. Others only partially conscious. 
 
 To me this information was very interesting, as I 
 know I was receiving the truth. 
 
 The Regimental Chaplain 
 
 While on an Illinois Central R. R. train from Chi- 
 cago into Southern Illinois, I met our old Regimental 
 Chaplain. The meeting was mutualy cordial. After 
 talking of conditions in our army life, the talk drifted 
 into present conditions, and he made this statement: 
 
 You may remember during the War, while the 
 Chaplain of our Regiment I preached the doctrine of 
 Predestination, as preached by your grand father. On 
 returning to civil life, my studies of the Bible caused 
 me to question that idea. I went to the older members 
 of the church for information. I found them as deep in 
 the mud as I was in the mire, so I have resigned from 
 the Baptist Church, and connected myself with the Free 
 Will Baptist, as the pastor in one of their Churches, and 
 now preach MAN'S FREE WILL, as taught in the 
 Bible. I have just been informed that Chaplain Willi- 
 am Carner, of Duquoin Ills, has gone to his reward, 
 (our Chaplain). 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 39 
 
 An Eye Opener to Me 
 
 I was a travelling man for a St. Louis Mo. Manu- 
 facturing firm in the 70s. During one of my trips in 
 Michigan I called on Colonel William Ferry, who was a 
 Colonel in one of the Michigan Regiments during the 
 Civil War. After transacting my business with him, 
 he invited me to take dinner with him and his estimable 
 wife, which I gladly accepted. 
 
 Just as the Colonel was arising from the table, in 
 answer to some remark that had been made, he said: 
 I am a member of the Methodist Church here, one of the 
 church wardens, and superintendant of the Snuday 
 School, but I do not believe the Church articles of faith. 
 I was much surprised to hear this remark, and looking 
 across the table into Mrs. Ferry's face, I saw she was 
 not surprised but seemed to express full assent. I fol- 
 lowed the Colonel into the Library, when he reached 
 into one of the shelves, taking down a book, Articles of 
 Faith of the Methodist Church, read it carefully, then 
 added, I do not believe these. In my surprise I said : 
 Colonel how do you square your action in your Church 
 membership, with your statement? Said the Colonel; 
 As I find society here now organized, I feel I can do the 
 greatest amount of good to the present and the rising 
 generation, by my action, in teaching the young mor- 
 ality, truth and right living. 
 
 This was certainly an EYE OPENER TO ME, and 
 explained to me the action of many business men with 
 reference to Church Membership. 
 
40 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 City of Mexico, Mexico 
 
 During the past thirty-five years, I made my home, 
 office and business, that of Real Estate, in the City of 
 Mexico, Mexico. Leading an active business life, I man- 
 aged to attend church services with my Grand Army 
 Post No. 100, Dept. of the Tenn. organized by about 
 twenty-five of the old Civil War Veterans, when on the 
 Sabbath before May 30th, we attended one of the 
 Churches in the City, on the invitation of one of the 
 Priests or Church Ministers. 
 
 Under the law priests or church ministers cannot 
 head a procession of the people. The general public can 
 form processions and pass along the streets of the cities, 
 but no church processions are allowed. 
 
 Only civil law marriages are legal. Marriages 
 solemnized by a priest or minister, must be legalized by 
 a marriage license, and solemnized by a justice of the 
 peace or some civil officer authorized to perform the duty. 
 
 As a result the double marriages are common among 
 the well-to-do people. As illustrated in the case of one 
 of my stenographers, a young man from Penna, who 
 fell in love with a Spanish-French girl. The priest want- 
 ed $1000, to open the Church and decorate it and per- 
 form the ceremony. The young man objected. The 
 priest offered to cut the fee to 500 pesos, still the young 
 man objected. He then came to me and asked my assist- 
 ance with the Methodist minister, who told him he would 
 not charge him. As a result they were married by the 
 Methodist minister, then by the civil authorities, duly 
 legalizing the marriage. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 41 
 
 Long Beach, Calif. 
 
 I had a friend of mine named Jones, (that is not his 
 name, if it is desired to interview him his name and ad- 
 dress will be gladly given) . I first met him as a home- 
 steader living on three hundred and twenty acres of land 
 in Kern County, my neighbor, where I had homesteaded 
 320 acres and secured a Government patent for the same. 
 
 Jones gave me the following statement of happen- 
 ings in Long Beach a few years ago, when a group of his 
 neighbors formed a circle for the study of the Occult, of- 
 fering themselves as subjects for control. He soon found 
 he was controlled by a band of spirits, who desired to take 
 him on a tour of inspection of their homes, in their plane 
 of life. To this invitation he gave his consent, as he de- 
 sired to gain all possible information with regard to the 
 future state of life in the different planes of existence. 
 
 As a result his physical body was left to the care of 
 one of their band, when he seemed to take a long journey 
 through a country of valleys, plains, mountains and riv- 
 ers, timber and open country, until they came to the 
 homes of his conductors, there he found the homes and 
 people were a type of the original aborigines of this 
 country. They did not have tent-like homes, their homes 
 were constructed of the material found in the country, in 
 a crude manner. "I was entertained," he said, "by these 
 people and given every attention. They played their 
 games, held their meetings, giving me to know their cus- 
 toms, then took me journeys over the country, doing 
 everything in their power to make me contented to re- 
 
42 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 main with them. They seemed to live in a country of a 
 twilight, never dark, nor was it bright light. Like on 
 earth everything seemed to be crude and rude. I soon 
 tired of this darkened condition, and wanted to see the 
 full light of day again. At this they intimated a desire 
 to hold me. Then my thoughts and desires for help 
 went out to my daughter who went out as a child years 
 before, and to relatives and friends in spirit life. Soon 
 I became conscious of a great light streaming through 
 the semi-darkness, in which my daughter and a few 
 friends appeared. When the natives shrank away, my 
 daughter and friends took control of me, and I soon 
 found myself with and in conrtol of my physical body 
 again. At that I looked around me, and resumed my 
 work. That of carpentering. 
 
 Noting the strange action of my fellow employees, 
 and neighbors toward me, I soon became conscious of the 
 fact that I had been absent from my work three days, 
 lying around the house and acting very strangely. 
 
 I could not tell them of the experience I had passed 
 through. They would not understand it or believe me. 
 My son here with me is the only one who knows anything 
 of the truth of the occurrence." 
 
 I received a confirnmation of his statement, in an 
 unlooked for manner. When it came time for me 
 to prove up on my homestead I went to Long Beach to 
 see Jones, to arrange with him to appear in the land of- 
 fice. He was not at home. On enquiring of a neighbor as 
 to Jones whereabouts, I found he was working in San 
 Pedro. The lady then went on and told me that her 
 neighbor acted very strangely, no doubt the result of 
 drink. That at one time he went to the country to take 
 up his homestead, for three days he laid around the house 
 
Thanatopsis 43 
 
 refused to go to his work, would run around the house 
 like a school boy whooping and yelling, and acting very 
 strangely, but since he had returned from the country 
 this time he was acting all right, and she hoped he would 
 make a good neighbor again. Meeting Jones, arrange- 
 ments were made and he appeared as one of my witnes- 
 ses. 
 
 I did not understand or comprehend the statement 
 made by my friend Jones. On enquiry I learned that he 
 was not a drinker, but that had always been a teetotaller, 
 as he claimed to be. When I listened to the addresses of 
 Mrs. E. R. Drollinger, of Los Angeles, who had made a 
 life study of the seven zones, in her book "Journeys of 
 the soul" she described the first zone, and life in this 
 zone, its inhabitants just as described by my friend Jon- 
 es, in his three days trip above described. When all his 
 friends thought, and still think he had had a drunken 
 frolic all to himself at his home, that was the action of 
 the control of his physical body, while his spiritual body 
 took its journey to the lands of the first zone so graphic- 
 ally described by Mrs. Drollinger. That I now begin to 
 comprehend by the statements made by my friend Jones. 
 Jones stated that in the future he proposed to be himself, 
 and under no circumstances seek or allow any control to 
 seek or control him. Just the conclusions I came to after 
 my visit in Boston in 71-2 when I saw the boys control- 
 ling the doctor. Now I begin to see the dangers in con- 
 trols. If of a high character as the controls of Mrs. Rich- 
 mond, and Mrs. Bulline, Mrs. Wilcox, Drollinger, Sayers, 
 Miller, and many others in Los Angeles and elsewhere, 
 then it is all right, and desirable, but there are dangers 
 in seeking the unknown control, in inviting such control 
 as my friend Jones found, as well as many others I could 
 
44 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 name, confirming the Bible statements, of many who are 
 controlled by evil spirits. Cast them out. 
 
 Mrs. Drollinger's book describing the different zon- 
 es, from the first as described by Jones, inhabited by pe- 
 ople of earth of the ages past, to the seventh zone, peopl- 
 ed by Christ and the sages of all ages of the past to the 
 present time, is very interesting reading indeed, and 
 worthy of careful study. 
 
 Trumpet Lecture 
 
 I was interested in my investigations in a trumpet 
 lecture in Los Angeles, the first lecture of the kind I at- 
 tened. I found the audience first at 1.30 p.m. in a front 
 room adjoining the hall, listening to messages from dif- 
 ferent members present. At 2.30 p.m. an adjournment 
 was made to the speakers room at the end of the hall, 
 that seated several hundred people. This room was fit- 
 ted up with a speaker's platform about 8x12 feet, with 
 a speaker's bible stand, a hanging curtain, cabinet against 
 the wall about 3x4 feet, a small wooden center table, 
 about 2!/2x3 feet, with a tin trumpet about four feet 
 long lying on the small table standing next to the cur- 
 tain cabinet. 
 
 When all were seated in the lecture room the ser- 
 vices were opened in the regular Church service man- 
 ner, by song and prayer, when the speaker entered the 
 cabinet, seated in the common high back chair, when 
 the curtain of the cabinet closed, immediately the trum- 
 pet speaking commenced. The voice was strong and dis- 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 45 
 
 tinct in every tone and in the style of a church minister 
 that commanded the attention of the audience, on the 
 subject of the continuity of life, that to me was interest- 
 ing. The voice occupied about thirty minutes time, when 
 it was announced that on the next Sunday the subject 
 would be discussed further. Then followed a female voice 
 that was in the manner and style of the female, talking 
 on a subject of interest to the ladies. When finished the 
 speaker returned from the cabinet to the Bible stand and 
 closed the meeting with the usual church doxology. 
 
 The next Sunday I attended arriving late. The 
 audience was engaged in the front room. I passed at 
 once into the lecture room. As no one was in sight I 
 decided to investigate for myself. I found the platform 
 simply a common wood raised speaker's platform, the 
 cabinet curtain suspended from the wall of the room, 
 common curtain cloth, the small center table a cheap 
 wooden table, the trumpet a common tin affair. I blew 
 through it and found it a simple tin trumpet about four 
 feet long. I then changed the position and angle of the 
 table, and laid the trumpet with the small end further 
 from the wall and further from the cabinet than I found 
 it. I then went to the front seats, and selected a seat 
 where I could see the table and trumpet to the best ad- 
 vantage, examined the room carefully, then went to the 
 front room. When the services were ended I hastened 
 to the speaker's room and seated myself in the chair 
 selected, when the same services were held as on last 
 Sunday, the speaking through the trumpet was a con- 
 tinuation of the views expressed on last Sunday, and 
 very interesting to me, showing deep study of the sub- 
 ject. This lecture lasted about forty minutes followed 
 
46 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 by the female voice of about fifteen minutes, when the 
 services were closed as stated, on last Sunday. 
 
 I should have stated, with the close of the trumpet 
 minister's talk, the masculine measured voice, asked if 
 any one desired to ask questions, they would be answer- 
 ed. There was quite a number of questions asked, that 
 was suggested by the statements made. I asked some 
 questions myself. In every case the answers were to 
 the point and directly answered. 
 
 The question that has agitated my mind, who — and 
 by what power was that lecture delivered through that 
 trumpet? 
 
 I could not see the least movement of the table or 
 trumpet during the time the lecture was being deliver- 
 ed. The voice came from the trumpet. We know the 
 voice when passing through a trumpet gives forth a dif- 
 ferent sound from that when delivered direct from the 
 lips. WHO DELIVERED THAT LECTURE? 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 47 
 
 Materialized Forms 
 
 I attended an evening materializing meeting in this 
 hall, that evening. When the audience was seated, the 
 light that lighted the hall came from an electric bulb 
 burning at the rear of the hall, that threw a reflected 
 light on the speakers platform sufficient to read print. 
 
 The speaker entered the cabinet above described, 
 soon figures appeared walking around on the platform, 
 addressing and conversing with different persons in the 
 audience. 
 
 At one time the speaker left the cabinet and took a 
 seat on a chair on the platform, the two figures appear- 
 ed, one following the other, the two figures walking 
 around on the platform, pointing out parties in the aud- 
 ience, and engaging in conversation with them, listened 
 to by all, the speaker did not leave his seat while these 
 conversations were being carried on, the three figures 
 being clearly seen at the same time on the platform. 
 
 It would be hard to make the parties addressed in 
 the audience believe they had not talked to their relativ- 
 es or friends as the case may be. 
 
 I recall on another occasion in Chicago, the pleas- 
 ant smile on a mother's face, when seated in a chair on 
 the platform, when a figure came and stood by her side, 
 when quite an animated conversation ensued, listened to 
 by all present, that satisfied the mother she had talked 
 to her son. It would be a waste of time to try to con- 
 vince that mother that she had not met her boy. 
 
48 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 Reading Blindfolded 
 
 On the announcement from the platform that any one 
 in the audience could do the blindfolding act, as an in- 
 vestigator I volunteered to do the blindfolding. On the 
 platform, standing by the side of the speaker, I placed 
 two pieces of black cloth about three inches square over 
 the eyes, then with a piece of cloth folded several folds 
 thick, and about six inches wide, I covered the face, 
 leaving only sufficient space for breathing. It was im- 
 possible to see anything with the eyes thus bandaged. I 
 tied the cloth tight and securely at the back of the head. 
 
 I had written a question I wanted information on, 
 on a blank sheet of paper enclosed the same in an en- 
 velope and sealed the same. After tying on the blind- 
 fold I dropped the envelope on the table with the other 
 envelope. It was mixed up freely by the reader before 
 picking up a single envelope. When in the reading my 
 envelope was picked up and held between the hands, a 
 few moments, with no attempt to open the envelope, 
 the question asked was read, with its signature, 
 of four figures, like 4567, no name. The answer was 
 to the point, answering my question. No one knew who 
 4567 was. The envelope was then dropped on the floor 
 with the other questions read. When other questions 
 followed with answers. The questions were generally 
 signed by figures, or some fictitious name, the true nam- 
 es were never mentioned. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 49 
 
 Reading from Flowers 
 
 I witnessed an exciting episode at a meeting in Los. 
 Angeles, in the reading of Flowers placed on a table 
 standing on the speakers platform, by members of the 
 audience, who desired readings. The flowers to be gath- 
 ered by the party placing the flowers on the table. If 
 flowers were not deposited, a finger ring, a watch or 
 other article of a personal nature would answer the pur- 
 pose. As many as forty to fifty readings would be given 
 at a meeting. 
 
 At this meeting the reader had read four or five 
 boquets of flowers, when picking up a beautiful boquet 
 of roses, she began to flourish them over her head, ask- 
 ing whose flowers are these? Which question was an- 
 swered by an elderly lady sitting the fourth seat in the 
 rear of my seat. By her side sat an elderly gentleman. 
 On the other side sat a young man, and at the next sat 
 a young lady and next on the aisle, or passage way, that 
 proved to be husband and wife, their daughter and her 
 husband. 
 
 When the reader received the answer to the question, 
 whose flowers are these, she began to stagger across the 
 platform, speaking in a loud voice, "OH MAMMA! 
 MAMMA! MAMMA! HOW SORRY I KILLED MY- 
 SELF," and was caught from falling on the platform 
 by the parties seated there. At this the young woman 
 from her seat gave a piercing shriek, and fell over in 
 the aisle in a deep swoon.. There was great excitement 
 in the audience. Every one to their feet. Soon the 
 
50 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 pianist began to play and the choir to sing a familiar 
 hymn, that somewhat allayed the excitement, while the 
 young lady was carried back into the cloak room, where 
 she recovered. 
 
 It was learned that the spirit daughter had commit- 
 ted suicide. The parents and her sister had visited this 
 meeting, the mother had deposited this beautiful boquet 
 of roses on the table for the purpose of seeing what 
 would happen. Something happened, and when the 
 audience became quieted down, the people were dismis- 
 sed to their homes. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 51 
 
 The Tropics of Mexico 
 
 Arriving at this meeting in Los Angeles a little late, 
 the message medium had just finished giving a reading, 
 then coming to my seat, said; I see you were accomp- 
 anied into this hall by a gentleman, who shows me a 
 Tropical Country, riding through the dense tropical 
 jungle on a narrow trail, was shot and instantly killed 
 by some one who had waylaid him. He fell dead from 
 his horse. He shows me he is here to see his family 
 who live here, his surviving wife and two daughters and 
 asks your good thoughts, and assistance. 
 
 I was very much surprised at this, as I recognized 
 the killing of a gentleman whom I knew in the State of 
 Oaxaca, Republic of Mexico., who was the manager of 
 a large tract of land near the Rail Road, belonging to 
 American People, who became involved in an alterca- 
 tion with one of his Mexican employees, who no doubt 
 waylaid him and shot him from his horse, killing him 
 instantly, when on his way to the R. R. Station. I did 
 not know where his wife and; two daughters lived. On 
 inquiry I learned that they lived in Los Angeles, as stat- 
 ed by the speaker, and that she had re-married. This 
 episode impressed my mind, as I had not thought of this 
 affair since leaving Mexico, having no interest in the 
 matter. 
 
52 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 The Atlanta Campaign 
 
 A comrade gave me his experience on the Atlanta 
 Campaign, that was duplicated by many other experi- 
 ences of comrades. He said: — The morning of the bat- 
 tle of New Hope Church, one of the battles fought in 
 this Campaign, in the turning movements of General 
 Sherman, my bunk mate gave me his watch and person- 
 al keep-sakes, saying that he would be killed that day. 
 I tried to talk him out of the feeling, but to no avail. 
 On arriving at the New Hope Church, my Regiment 
 went into line exjecting the enemy, when my comrade 
 looking around, said : "This is the place where I will be 
 killed." A few minutes after this a volley fired by the 
 enemy my comrade fell the first man killed in my Regi- 
 ment on that day. 
 
 Electricity 
 
 Because of the study of natural law, electricity is 
 now being harnessed to supply the power to drive the 
 Rail Road trains, all kinds of machinery, heat, light and 
 many other uses, while the scientists and inventors tell 
 us the age of electricity has just began, that the people 
 of the future will look back on this age and time as be- 
 ing in the crude state, just as we look upon the people 
 of Bible times, who never dreamed of the Aeroplane, 
 Electricity, Telephone, Wireless messages by voice and 
 by electricity. 
 
 Certainly such achievements of today, under known 
 natural laws, would in Bible times be classed as mi- 
 raculous or supernatural. We now know there is noth- 
 ing super-natural. All phenomena is by Natural Law. 
 It is for us to study and know the cause. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 53 
 
 The Telephone 
 
 An interesting episode occurred in Los Angeles, 
 Calif. The speaker on the platform holding what ap- 
 peared to be an ordinary telephone receiver in his hands, 
 with no wire connections. There was simply the stand 
 holding the ear listener-receiver, and he announced that 
 if any one in the audience desired to call up any of his 
 spirit friends and talk to them, he could do so. 
 
 At this I asked for the receiver to make the test, as 
 I was sitting several seats from the aisle. The speaker 
 came and handed me the receiver and returned to the 
 platform. I kept my seat, holding the receiver in my 
 left hand, and ear receiver in my right. I called into 
 the phone, Hello, Hello, just as I would in any phone 
 station, which was answered just as I would be in a 
 phone booth calling "Central'" in the City office. I was 
 asked who was wanted, who I wanted to talk to. I ans- 
 wered, naming a friend who had passed to the Beyond, 
 when an animated conversation took place, all my ques- 
 tions were answered promptly and to the point, just as 
 if conducted with a neighbor through the City Central 
 station. 
 
 One thing certain I conducted this conversation sit- 
 ting in my seat in the audience, none but strangers 
 around me, I held the transmitter and receiver in my 
 own hands, with no wire connections with the outside, 
 talking as if talking in a telephone exchange by a nat- 
 ural law, that I do not understand. 
 
54 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 The Different Bibles 
 
 Probably not over 20% of the people of this earth 
 ever heard of or read the Hebrew, Christian and other 
 Bibles, (Protestant) the latest the Book of Mormon. 
 Of the different Bibles the most conspicuous are these. 
 
 1 "Vedas" of the Brahmins; 
 
 2 "Tripitaka" of the Buddhists; 
 
 3 Averst, (or Zenda-Avesta) of the Persians; 
 
 4 'The Five Kings" of Chinese Sacred Books of 
 Confucius. 
 
 5 The Toto-tes King or Sacred Book of Toto-tee. 
 
 6 The Mohammedan Koran. 
 
 All these Bibles teach practically the Ten Com- 
 mandments, Love thy Neighbor as thyself, Love one 
 another. Do unto others as you would they should do 
 unto you. Healing the sick and afflicted, Charity, Jus- 
 tice, Mercy, Veracity, Right living, Virtuous sweet 
 thoughts. Suffer little children to come unto me. God 
 is Love. Thus promoting present and future happi- 
 ness — the same teachings that are found in the Chris- 
 tian Bibles of today. 
 
 Of the Bibles of the Christian people, the Jews ac- 
 cept the Old Testament, (with 40 books) , but do not ac- 
 cept the New Testament. As expressed by one of the 
 leading Rabbis in Los Angeles, " Christ was a very good 
 man with the accent on the good." The Catholic 
 Churches accept 75 books, while the Protestant Church- 
 es accept 60 books as the Bible, while the Mormon 
 Church accepts the 60 books of the Protestant Bible 
 they add the New Book of Mormon. 
 
 It is far from my deire to attack or criticise the 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 55 
 
 Bible, but to treasure its beautiful thoughts, and learn 
 of the many facts and happenings of the ages before 
 Christ, in comparison with the present. 
 
 Many church people claim the spiritual manifesta- 
 tions and happenings recorded in the Bible were super- 
 natural in character and terminated with the time of 
 Christ, that the manifestations of the like character of 
 today are of the DEVIL and clearly condemned in the 
 Bible. 
 
 A study of the manifestions recorded in the Bible 
 show over 120 happenings, such as Materializations, 
 Spirit writings, Independent Spirit Writings, Trumpet 
 Speaking, Trance, Healing, Gifts of Healing, Healing 
 by Magnetised Articles, Independent Spirit Voices, Spi- 
 rit Communications in Dreams, Spirit Tests, Spirit 
 Levitation. While the expression is often made: Thus 
 sayeth the Lord, The Lord commanded, the Angel of 
 the Lord appeared, The Angel of the Lord commanded, 
 Abraham and Moses met the Lord face to face, the Lord 
 handed down to Moses his covenant written on stones, 
 the Angel stretched forth his hand upon Jerusalem to 
 destroy it, the Lord repented and stayed the hand of the 
 Angel. While several passages declare the Lord order- 
 ed the people to be deceived, and destroyed, killing all 
 the men, women and children, the maidens be taken for 
 wives. That women shall be the servants of man. 
 There are so many of such statements, that it is un- 
 pleasant to quote further. 
 
 It is pleasant to refer to the statements by both 
 Timothy and John, in the New Testament, saying, "No 
 man hath seen or can see God." "No man hath seen God 
 at any time." "Ye have never heard his voice at any time, 
 or seen his shape." "God is a spirit," besides many oth- 
 er similar statements. 
 
56 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 What the Bible Teaches 
 
 Without going into extended details, giving chapter 
 and verse, any Bible reader can easily find and veri- 
 fy the statements made, besides finding many addition- 
 al instances of Spirit Manifestations and power not not- 
 ed. Reference is made to the Materialization of three 
 men who stood by Abraham, to whom he gave food, who 
 told him that Sarah should bring forth a child. Jacob 
 wrestled with a man all night and broke his thigh. 
 Adam heard the Lord God walking in the garden. And 
 they saw the God of Israel and did eat and drink. When 
 I looked a hand was sent unto me, a roll of a book was 
 therein. The same hour came forth a man's hand and 
 wrote on the wall of the palace. While they were talk- 
 ing Jesus drew near and went with them. When the 
 doors were shut, Jesus stood in the midst of the Apos- 
 tles. 
 
 Spirit Writing 
 
 And there came a writing from Elijah the prophet, 
 to Jehoram, that he was not walking right. The Lord 
 said unto Moses come up to me unto the mount — and re- 
 ceive the commandments I have written. On the third 
 day the Voice of the Trumpet sounded exceedingly loud. 
 And Lord gave Moses two tables of testimony, written 
 with the finger of God. These words the Lord spake 
 unto your assembly. Delivered unto me two tables of 
 stone, the Covenant. 
 
Lincoln was a Spiritualist 57 
 
 Trumpet Speaking 
 
 The Lord told Moses to come up into the Mount and 
 get the tablets of stone. The Lord gave Moses the tab- 
 lets of stone written with his finger. The Lord told 
 Moses to hew new stones in place of the broken ones. 
 The Lord delivered to Moses the two tables of stone. 
 
 Trance 
 
 A deep sleep fell on Abram. I was in a trance when 
 I prayed in the Temple. Saul as he journeyed, and sud- 
 denly there shined around about him a light from Hea- 
 ven. And it was known through all Joppa; and many 
 believed in the Lord. While he was speaking with me 
 a deep sleep fell on my face. 
 
 Healing 
 
 The Lord said to Moses; Make a fiery serpent, and 
 set it on a pole, every one who looks at it shall live. When 
 he beheld the serpent he lived. Elisha lay his hands up- 
 on the child, and the Lord heard the voice of Elijah, 
 and the soul of the child came unto it again. Jesus 
 healed the sick. Jesus healed the sick with dropsy and 
 all other diseases. Jesus healed the man of the palsy, 
 and all the sick. Asked Jesus to come and heal his son. 
 Go thy son liveth. 
 
 Gifts of Healing 
 
 Gifts of healing by the spirit. Disciples charged to 
 heal the sick and afflicted. Cleanse the Lepers. Raise 
 the dead. Cast out Devils. Apostles sent to preach and 
 
58 Lincoln was a Spiritualist 
 
 heal the sick. Paul said stand up and walk. Peter and 
 John went in to the Temple, and healed the crippled and 
 sick. 
 
 Healing by Magnetised Articles 
 
 Healing by laying staff on the child. Healing by 
 apron. Healing by laying on handkerchiefs . Cast out 
 the evil spirits. 
 
 Independent Spirit Voices 
 
 The Lord said to Moses, get thou down quickly, be- 
 hold it is a stiffnecked people. Fell on my face and 
 heard voices speak. The Lord spoke to Saul. The Lord 
 spoke out of a cloud, my beloved son. A voice came 
 from Heaven. The voice came. The angels spoke. A 
 voice saying unto him, Saul why persecutest thou me? 
 The men stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing 
 no man. And the Angel of the Lord in a flame of fire 
 in a bush. The voice of the Lord came unto him. I heard 
 a voice saying arise Peter slay and eat. 
 
 Spirit Communications in Dreams 
 
 Dreamed of a ladder ascending to heaven. God 
 came in a dream to Laban. Joseph dreamed a dream 
 and told it to the brethren. Pharaoh's dream. In a 
 dream, a vision, the Lord spoke. Spirits prophesy. Dreams 
 and visions. 
 
 Spirit Levitation 
 
 The spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither, I 
 know not. Carry Elijah to heaven. Spirit break down 
 the walls. Take me by the hair and lift me to heaven, 
 in a vision. And they came up out of the water. The 
 spirit of the Lord caught up Phillip. 
 
Thanatopsis 59 
 
 Thanatopsis 
 
 To him who in the love of Nature holds 
 
 Communion with her visible forms, she speaks 
 
 A various language ; for his gayer hours 
 
 She has a voice of gladness, and a smile 
 
 And eloquence of beauty, and she glides 
 
 Into his darker musings, with a mild 
 
 And healing sympathy that steals away 
 
 Their sharpness, ere he is aware. When thoughts 
 
 Of the last bitter hour come like a blight 
 
 Over thy spirit and sad image. 
 
 Of the stern agony, and shroud and pall, 
 
 Make thee to shudder, and grow sick at heart ; 
 
 Go forth under the open sky, and list 
 
 To Nature's teachings, while from all around 
 
 Earth and her waters, and the depths of air — 
 
 Comes a still voice — Yet a few days, and thee 
 
 The all-beholding sun shall see no more 
 
 In all his course ; nor yet in the cold ground, 
 
 Where thy pale form was laid, with many tears, 
 
 Nor in th embrace of ocean, shall exist 
 
 Thy image. Earth, that nourished thee, shall claim 
 
 Thy growth, to be resolved to earth again 
 
 And, lost to each human trace, surrendering up 
 
 Thine individual being, thou shall go 
 
 To mix forever with the elements. 
 
 To be a brother to the visible rock 
 
 And to the sluggish clod, which the rude swain 
 
 Turns with his share, and treads upon. The oak 
 
 Shall send his roots abroad, and pierce thy mould. 
 
60 Thanatopsis 
 
 Yet not to thine eternal resting place 
 Shalt thou retire alone, nor coulds't thou wish 
 Couch more magnificent. Thou shalt lie down 
 With patriarchs of the infant world — with kings 
 The powerful of the earth — the wise, the good, 
 Fair forms, and hoary seers of ages past, 
 All in one mighty sepulchure. The hills 
 Rock-robbed andancient or the sun, the vale, 
 Stretching in pensive greatness between; 
 The venerable woods — rivers that move 
 In majesty and the complaining brooks 
 That makes the meadows green ; and poured round all, 
 Old Ocean's grey and melancholy waste — 
 Are but the solemn decorations all 
 Of the great tomb of man. The golden sun, 
 The planets, all the infiinite host of heaven, 
 Are shining on the sad abodes of death, 
 Through the still lapse of ages. All that tread 
 The globe are but a handful of the tribes 
 That slumber in its bosom. Take the wings 
 Of morning, pierce the barren wilderness, 
 Or lose thyself in the continuous woods 
 Where rolls the Oregon, and hears no sound, 
 Save his own dashings — Yet the dead are there; 
 And millions in those solitudes where first 
 The flight of years began, have laid them down 
 In their last sleep. The dead reign there alone. 
 
Thanatopsis 61 
 
 So shalt thou rest, and what if thou withdraw- 
 In silence from the living, and no friend 
 Take note of thy departure? All that breathe 
 Will share thy destiny. The gay will laugh 
 When thou art gone, the solemn brook of care 
 Plod on, and each as before will chase 
 This favorite phantom; yet all these shall leave 
 Their mirth and their employments, and shall come 
 And make their bed with thee. As the long train 
 Of ages glide away, the sons of men, 
 The youth in life's green spring, and he who goes 
 In the full strength of years, matron and maid, 
 The speechless babe, and the gray-headed man 
 Shall one by one be gathered to thy side, 
 By those, who in their turn shall follow them. 
 
 So live that when thy summonons comes to join 
 The innumerable caravan, which moves 
 To that mysterious realm, where each shall take 
 His chamber in the silent halls of death, 
 Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night, 
 Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed 
 By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave 
 Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch 
 About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. 
 
 W. C. Bryant. 
 
The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 By Rev. B. F. Austin, A.M., D.D. 
 
 As the figure of the great Emancipator gradu ally- 
 fades from our vision into the receding past, every new 
 fact or incident in his career throwing light upon his 
 character will be of increasing value to the world. 
 
 Especially is this true of facts and incidents in his 
 life disclosing the thoughts of his mind, the motive which 
 actuated him, the emotions that swayed him, and the 
 source of that strength, courage and fidelity which form- 
 ed the basis of his character. His religous ideas and 
 conruct is, therefore, a subject of supreme interest, es- 
 pecially to the American people. 
 
 Reticent on Religion. 
 
 Like many other great men who think and feel 
 much on the subject of religion, Abraham Lincoln talked 
 but little about it. His Creed and his religion, must, 
 therefore, be mainly gathered from the few authentic 
 statements from his lips to personal friends and from 
 his life. We do not place much value on the references 
 to religious subjects in his state documents or speeches 
 — as many of these were doubtless framed to accord 
 with popular conceptions of religion rather than to ex- 
 press his own views. The reference to the Supreme Be- 
 ing in the Emancipation Proclamation, for example, be- 
 ing the suggestion and the composition of Salmon P. 
 Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Lincoln hav- 
 
64 The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 ing drafted the document without any express reference 
 to Deity. 
 
 Sceptical in Youth. 
 
 Abraham Lincoln grew up in a community in which 
 free thought was generally prevalent and was credited 
 with decidedly skeptical views in his early manhood. He 
 never identified himself with any religious organization. 
 Unless he radically changed the views of his boyhood 
 days he did not believe many of the commonly accepted 
 features of church teachings to-day. 
 
 It may be questioned by some whether in view of 
 these facts the martyred president had a religion and if 
 he did, what were its main features. The purpose of 
 this paper is to show by authentic statements of his own 
 and others and by his conduct that Lincoln had a clearly 
 defined set of religious ideas and principles and that he 
 acted upon them in the great issues of his life and ad- 
 ministration. 
 
 Facts Never Published Before 
 
 In developing this theme we shall use statements 
 and incidents recorded in nearly all the many biogra- 
 phies of Lincoln, also some new facts never published 
 before, and some other facts that, though they have been 
 published, are not generally known. 
 
 That Mr. Lincoln while not a church member, was 
 not in any degree opposed to churches or church work, 
 but in deepest sympathy with the spirit and simple 
 teachings of the Nazarene Prophet, we know from his 
 recorded statement to Hon. H. C. Deming : — 
 
The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 65 
 
 "On an occasion I shall never forget, the conversa- 
 tion turned upon religious subjects and Mr. Lincoln 
 Lincoln made this impressive remark: "I have never 
 united myself to any church, because I have found diffi- 
 culty in giving my assent without mental reservation to 
 long, complicated statements of Christian Doctrine 
 which characterizes their articles of belief and confes- 
 sions of faith. When any church will inscribe over its 
 altar, as its sole qualification for membership the Sa- 
 viour's condensed statement of the substance of both 
 law and gospel, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with 
 all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, 
 and thy neighbor as thy self/ that Church will I join with 
 all my heart and soul/ " 
 
 Views of Personal Friends. 
 
 Among the many writers of his biographies or re- 
 miniscences of personal experiences with Lincoln, Hugh 
 McCullough, Secretary of the Treasury, has expressed, 
 in our view, most clearly and truly the facts regarding 
 Lincoln's religious character. This is his statement: — 
 "He was a man of strong religious convictions, but he 
 cared nothing for the dogmas of the Churches, and had 
 little respect for their creeds." 
 
 Walt Whitman was inclined to think that the foun- 
 dation of Lincoln's character was largely found in his 
 religious nature. He wrote: "I should say the invisible 
 foundations and vertebra of his character were mystical, 
 abstract, moral and spiritual. As to his religious na- 
 ture, it seems to me to have certainly been of the amplest 
 deepest-rooted kind." 
 
 John B. Alley, a member of Congress from '60 to '64 
 and an intimate friend of Lincoln, declared: "In his re- 
 
66 The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 ligious views Mr. Lincoln was very nearly what we 
 would call a free thinker ... He had little faith 
 in the popular religions of the times. He said to me one 
 day, that he felt assured that the great Author of our 
 being, whether called God or Nature, it mattered little 
 which, would deal very mercifully with poor, and er- 
 ring humanity in the other, and he hoped better, world. 
 No man was more tolerant of the opinions and feelings 
 of others in the directions of religious sentiment, or had 
 less faith in religious dogmas." 
 
 Three Articles in His Creed. 
 
 Abraham Lincoln may be said to have had three 
 very definite and strongly marked articles in his faith 
 for though he never professed belief in any particular 
 creed, he had one, since every man, if he does not ac- 
 cept one of the formulated creeds, manufactures one for 
 himself. 
 
 First, he believed in a Supreme Being. There does 
 not appear to be anything recorded in his speeches or 
 any authentic reports of statements that fell from his 
 lips to show just what Lincoln's conception of the Deity 
 was. If we are to accept Mr. Alley's statement, Mr. 
 Lincoln thought it mattered little whether we spoke of 
 God or Nature. He seems to have failed to make any 
 clear distinction between them. We find in his writings 
 and speeches no recognition of the personality of the 
 Godhead, but rather a general conception of a great 
 Power or Principle underlying all phenomena. Prob- 
 ably Lincoln would have subscribed to Pope's statement ; 
 "All are but parts of one stupendous whole, Whose body 
 Nature is, and God the Soul." 
 
The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 67 
 
 Second, he believed in a future life in which man's 
 condition was, measurably at least, determined by his 
 conduct here. He recognized human responsibility and 
 was deeply impressed with the sense of duty. Whatever 
 doubts he may have had as to the Bible and Christian 
 dogmas, we never find in his speeches or conversations 
 the faintest hint or shadow of doubt of man's continued 
 life after death. 
 
 Third, He believed in the open door between the two 
 worlds — the mortal and the Spirit realms — that is to 
 say, in the possibility of mortals communicating with the 
 spirits of departed men and women. 
 
 Proof of His Spiritualism. 
 
 As this statement has been made by some writers 
 and disputed by others, we shall offer some proofs of 
 Mr. Lincoln's belief in spirit return and intercourse with 
 mortals. 
 
 We first call attention to the statement of the late 
 Col. S. P. Kase in a pamphlet entitled, "The Emancipa- 
 tion Proclamation, How and by Whom it was given to 
 Abraham Lincoln," written and published by himself 
 about 1900. 
 
 Testimony of Simon P. Kase. 
 
 Simon P. Kase, one of the most remarkable men of 
 his day, was born in Rush township, Pa. in 1814. He 
 became a successful manufacturer in Danville, Pa. and 
 afterwarda dealer in railroad iron in New York, then a 
 railroad builder in Michigan. In 1861 on solicitation 
 of his nephew, Wm. G. Kase, then President of the Read- 
 ing and Columbia R. R. Co., and of its Board of Direc- 
 
68 The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 tors, Col. Kase took charge of the construction of their 
 road, all previous efforts having failed, He went to 
 Washington and presented the matter to the Congres- 
 sional Committee on Roads and Canals together with a 
 bill appropriating $450,000 in United States bonds for 
 an equal amount of bonds of the Columbia and Reading 
 R.R. Other railroad lines opposed the grant and for 
 four weeks the contest waged, ending in victory for Mr. 
 Kase and his road. While in Washington in 1861 on 
 this business, Mr. Kase tells us how he was led to call 
 on J. B. Conkling, a medium whom he had known in 
 New York three years before; how Mr. Conkling urged 
 him to take a letter to President Lincoln, and how though 
 he, (Col. Kase) was not then acquainted with Lincoln he 
 consented to do so, as Mr. Conkling assured him he 
 (Kase) could see the President while Mr. Conkling could 
 not. He tells us how he and Mr. Conkling went to the 
 White House and, through mistake of the servant in 
 confounding the names Kase and Chase (Salmon P. 
 Chase, Secretary of the Treasury) he was granted an 
 interview. Mr. Kase recites the President's disappoint- 
 ment in finding it was a stranger and not the Secretary 
 who had called to see him, but in learning that Mr. Kase 
 was from Danville, Pa., Mr. Lincoln began talking about 
 Pennsylvania matters. He goes on to tell how, at last, 
 he presented Mr. Conkling' s letter asking for an inter- 
 view with the President and how Mr. Lincoln, after 
 glancing over the letter, then read it aloud to Mr. Kase. 
 It was as follows: "I have been sent from the city of 
 New York by Spiritual influences pertaining to the in- 
 terest of the nation. I can't return until I see you. Ap- 
 point the time." 
 
 J. B. Conkling." 
 
The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 69 
 
 Mr. Lincoln asked some questions as to its meaning and 
 then turning to Mr. Kase he detailed to the President 
 experiences that had led him to a belief in spirit com- 
 munication, and the President manifested great interest 
 therein and said: "Tell Mr. Conkling I will see him on 
 Sunday between 9 and 10 a.m." 
 
 Lincoln Solemnly Admonished. 
 
 Four weeks later in the gallery of the House Mr. 
 Kase met Mrs. Laurie of Georgetown and was invited to 
 call at her home. He learned through Judge Wattells 
 that she had a daughter, Mrs. Miller, a medium, and that 
 evening he and the Judge attended one of her meetings. 
 There he met President Lincoln and Mrs. Lincoln. The 
 following is his account of the services: "After speak- 
 ing and passing the courtesies of the day, perhaps ten 
 minutes intervening, I saw a young girl approaching the 
 President with a measured step, with her eyes closed, 
 and walking up to the knees of the President, accosted 
 him as follows : 'Sir, you have been called to the position 
 you now occupy for a very great purpose. The world is 
 in universal bondage ; it must be physically set free, that 
 it may mentally rise to its proper status. There is a 
 Spiritual Congress supervising the affairs of this nation 
 as well as a Congress at Washington. This Republic is 
 leading the van of Republics through the world!" 
 This being her text, she lectured the President for a full 
 hour upon the importance of emancipating the slave, 
 saying that the war could not end until slavery was 
 abolished : That God destined all men to be free that they 
 may rise to their proper status. Her language was 
 truly sublime and full of arguments grand in the ex- 
 
70 The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 treme, assserting that from the time his proclamation of 
 freedom was issued, there would be no reverses to our 
 army. 
 
 As soon as this young girl, (who I thought could 
 not be out of her teens, but who I afterwards understood 
 was the celebrated trance-medium, Nettie Colbourn of 
 New York State) came out of the trance, she ran off, 
 frightened to think that she had been talking to the Pre- 
 sident. 
 
 Thus it was that President Lincoln was convinced 
 as to the course he should pursue : the command coming 
 from that All-seeing Spirit through the instrumentality 
 of the angel world, was not to be overlooked. He, like 
 a faithful servant, then convinced of his duty, feared not 
 to do it, and to proclaim freedom by the Emancipation 
 Proclamation to 4,000,000 slaves. That Proclamation 
 was issued on September 22, 1862 to take effect the first 
 day of January 1863. In the intermediate time the 
 back bone of the rebellion was broken, the Union army 
 had, in diverse places, twenty-six battles every one of 
 them except two being a success upon the Union side. 
 Thus the prediction of the medium was fulfilled." 
 
 Francis B. Carpenter and Capt. Keffer. 
 
 Mr. Francis B. Carpenter, the distinguisher artist 
 who painted the Emancipation Proclamation and who 
 wrote, "The Inner Life of Abraham Lincoln/' declares: 
 "I am not prepared to say that Mr. Lincoln was a Spirit- 
 ualist. I do know that he had faith in spiritual comfort 
 and believed we were, in a measure directed by spiritual 
 teachers and guidance" 
 
 It is a fact well established that during the summer 
 of 1861 the President attended, several times a week, 
 
The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 71 
 
 the seances of Mrs. Stewart in Georgetown, going with a 
 few gentlemen friends in a cab to a point near her resi- 
 dence where the cab was dismissed, and he with his com- 
 panions and a few friends from different quarters met 
 by appointment for these services. 
 
 This we have on the unimpreachable, sworn testi- 
 mony of Capt. Keffer now of Philadelphia, who fre- 
 quently met the President that summer in Col. Baker's 
 tent which was then located about half way between 
 Washington and Bladensburg where the Colonel's Cali- 
 fornia regiment was stationed. Capt. Keffer, who was 
 known by President Lincoln to be a Spiritualist, was 
 detailed for duty and had charge of a squad of soldiers 
 of the Washington guards and was instructed to guard 
 Mr. Lincoln two or three times a week on his evening 
 visits to Georgetown. The Captain tells us in his affi- 
 davit how he learned that these meetings were seances 
 from a young man in attendance. These services were 
 held from two to three times a week during August and 
 September in 1861. 
 
 Mrs. Maynard and Warren Chase, 
 
 Mrs. Maynard, in her book, "Was Abraham Lincoln 
 a Spiritualist?" from which we shall presently make ex- 
 tracts, declares: "It was during the remarkable winter 
 of '64 and '65 when the rebellion was in its death throes 
 that I know of the visits of Chas. Colchester and Chas. 
 Foster (two well known mediums of that time) to the 
 White House, and of their sittings with President Lin- 
 coln. Through them and through myself he received 
 warnings of his approaching fate; but his fearless, con- 
 fident nature disregarded the warnings received." She 
 
72 The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 also declares that Mrs. Lucy A. Hamilton and Chas. 
 Redmond were among his mediumistic friends. 
 
 Warren Chase, a member of the Illinois Legislature, 
 in a published letter written from Cobden, 111, speaking 
 of the medium, Chas, Colchester, says, "In January 1865 
 while I was lecturing in Washington, D.C. I often saw 
 Colchester, who was astonishing many public men by 
 his tests. I know that he visited President Lincoln and 
 that he often was sent for by him and gave him evidence 
 of spirit intercourse, as did also Mrs. Nettie Maynard of 
 White Plains, N.Y., before her marriage to Mr. Maynard. 
 She stopped where I did in Washington and I know when 
 she was sent for by President Lincoln, and as I knew 
 him well. I knew he was a Spiritualist. Much if this 
 early history is recorded in my "Forty years of the Spir- 
 itual Rostrum.' ' 
 
 Of all the many mediums consulted by Mr. Lincoln, 
 Mrs. Maynard, then Nettie Colburn, seems, from con- 
 current testimony, to have been the one most frequently 
 in requisition and most intimately associated through 
 her mediumship with the President and the very critical 
 condition of public affairs during '62, '63 and '64. 
 
 If the statements made and published by the late 
 Col. Kase, Mrs. Maynard and others are true, Miss Col- 
 burn was for years on terms of intimacy with Mr. and 
 Mrs. Lincoln, and served as medium for them and others 
 in seances held at the home of Mr. Cranstoun Laurie in 
 Georgetown. She was a frequent visitor on invitation 
 to the White House and always a welcome caller or guest, 
 served as medium for Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln alone in the 
 White House and also exercised her gifts there for them 
 when friends were present, also many times for Mr. Lin- 
 coln alone. 
 
The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 73 
 
 Lincoln Followed Spiritual Counsel. 
 
 In these seances, it is claimed that communications 
 purporting to come from the Fathers of the Republic 
 through her lips were addressed pointedly to Mr. Lin- 
 coln, and on a few occasions discourses of an hour length 
 were given him. At such times Mr. Lincoln seemed 
 deeply interested, asking many questions, and discussed 
 the nature of the messages and, as subsequent events 
 proved, followed the counsels thus given. In all this in- 
 tercourse with the Lincoln family extending over years 
 Miss Colbourn served on the footing of a friend and nev- 
 er accepted fee or reward. In the book already referred 
 to, dictated upon her deathbed, and published in 1891 in 
 Philadelphia, there are many accounts of these seances 
 giving dates, names of visitors and some outline of the 
 communications given to Mr. Lincoln. All purporting 
 to come from discarnate spirits. Many statements of 
 facts are also given showing that, in a large measure 
 Mr. Lincoln trusted in and was guided by these counsels. 
 The limits of this article will not permit of many il- 
 lustrations. We include a few samples of many that 
 might be given. 
 
 As we have seen, Mr. Lincoln had seances with Mr. 
 Conkling and Mrs. Stewart in 1861 and with Foster and 
 Colchester before his first sitting with Nettie Colbourn. 
 This occurred in December, 1862, in the Red Parlor at 
 the White House. After describing her sensations on the 
 occasion and the entry of Mr. Lincoln into the room 
 while Mrs. Miller was playing a piano, Miss Colburn tells 
 of her meeting with the President : 'Then I was led f or- 
 word and presented. He stood before me, tall and kind- 
 ly, with a smile on his face. Dropping his hand on my 
 head he said in a humorous tone, 'So this is our little 
 
74 The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Nettie, is it, that we have heard so much about?" I 
 could only smile and say, "Yes Sir," like any school girl ; 
 when he kindly led me to an ottoman." 
 
 Then Mr. Lincoln questioned her about her medium- 
 ship and while Mr. Cranstoun Laurie was making reply 
 to one of the President's questions, Miss Colbourn lost 
 consciousness. She continues her story thus: — "For 
 more than an hour I was made to talk to him, and I 
 learned from my friends afterward that it was upon a 
 matter that he seemed to fully understand, while they 
 comprehended very little until that portion was reached 
 that related to the forthcoming Emancipation Procla- 
 mation. He was charged with the utmost solemnity and 
 force of manner not to abate the terms of its issue, and 
 not to delay its enforcement as a law beyond the open- 
 ing of the year ; and he was assured that it was to be the 
 crowning event of his administration and his life; and 
 that, while he was being counseled by two strong parties 
 to defer the enforcement of it, hoping to supplant it by 
 other measures and to delay action, he must in no wise 
 heed such counsel but stand firm to his convictions and 
 fearlessly perform the work and fulfill the mission for 
 which he had been raised up by an over-ruling Provi- 
 dence!' 
 
 Those present declared they lost sight of that timid 
 girl in the majesty of the utterance, the strength and 
 force of the language and the importance of that which 
 was uttered and seemed to realize that some strong, mas- 
 culine personality was giving speech to almost Divine 
 commands. She goes on with her narative thus : "J shall 
 never forget the scene around me when I regained con- 
 sciousness... I was standing in front of Mr. Lincoln and 
 he was sitting hack in his chair with his arms folded 
 
The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 75 
 
 upon his breast, looking intently at me. I stepped back 
 naturally confused at the situation, not remembering 
 at once where I was; and glancing around the group 
 where perfect silence reigned. It took me a moment to 
 recollect my whereabouts. A gentleman present then 
 said in a low tone, "Mr. President did you notice any- 
 thing peculiar in the method of address?" Mr. Lincoln 
 raised himself, as if shaking off his spell. He glanced 
 quickly at the full length portrait of Daniel Webster, 
 that hung above the piano, and replied, "Yes, it is very 
 singular, very!" with marked emphasis. Mr. Soames said : 
 "Mr. President, would it be improper for me to inquire 
 whether there has been any pressure brought to bear 
 upon you to defer the enforcement of the Proclamation ?" 
 To which the President replied: — "Under these circum- 
 stances that question is perfectly proper, as we are all 
 friends (smiling upon the company) . It is taking all my 
 nerve and strength to withstand such a pressure." At 
 this point the gentlemen drew around him, and spoke 
 together in low tones, Mr. Lincoln saying least of all. At 
 last he turned to me, and laying his hand upon my head, 
 uttered these words in a manner that I shall never for- 
 get : "My child, you possess a very singular gift but that 
 it is of God, I have no doubt. I thank you for coming 
 here tonight. It is more important than perhaps anjone 
 present can understand." 
 
 Lincoln Sought Spirit Guidance. 
 
 In February '63 Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln attended a 
 seance at Mr. Laurie's in Georgetown. Mrs. Lincoln had 
 arranged it but it was not expected that Mr. Lincoln 
 would be present. In the evening, however, when Mrs. 
 Lincoln was about entering the carriage, Mr. Lincoln 
 
76 The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 having left a cabinet meeting under an unnaccountable 
 impulse found Mrs. Lincoln about to start to a seance 
 and suddenly resolved to accompany her. According to 
 Mrs. Maynard's account of the transaction his coming 
 was prophesied to the circle before he arrived and Mr. 
 Laurie on extending a warm greeting to him at the door 
 took occasion to say, "You were expected." 
 
 Mr. Lincoln stopped in the removal of his coat and 
 said, "Expected? Why it was only five minutes since I 
 knew I was coming." and then it was explained to him 
 how they had learned through Mrs, Maynard's prophecy 
 of his coming. At Mr. Lincoln's request, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Laurie and their daughter Mrs. Miller sang some old 
 Scotch songs. Mr. Lincoln sat in an old high-backed 
 rocking chair, with his legs crossed, leaning back in ut- 
 ter weariness and with clossed eyes, listening to the 
 songs, and looked tired and haggard. He seemed, de- 
 clares Mrs. Maynard, to have aged many years in the 
 last few weeks. Turning to Miss Colburn he said, "Well, 
 Miss Nettie, do you think you have anything to say to me 
 tonight?" "If I have not," she replied, "there may be 
 others who have." He nodded pleasantly and said, "Sup- 
 pose we see what they have to tell us." Miss Colburn 
 at once began to talk to the President in the name of a 
 certain Dr. Bamford, in quaint dialect and old fashioned 
 methods of expression. According to the testimony of 
 those present the following in the substance of his re- 
 marks: — That a very precarious state of things existed 
 at the front, where General Hooker had just taken com- 
 mand ; that the army was totally demoralized ; regiments 
 stacking their arms, refusing to obey orders or do duty, 
 threatening a general retreat and declaring their pur- 
 pose to return to Washington, etc., etc. 
 
The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 77 
 
 When the picture had been painted in vivid colors 
 Mr. Lincoln quickly remarked, "You seem to understand 
 the situation. Can you point out a remedy?" "Yes" 
 replied the professed Dr. Bamford, "If you have the 
 courage to use it." Mr. Lincoln smiled and said, "Try 
 me." 
 
 The answer was, "The remedy lies in yourself. Go 
 in person to the front, taking with you your wife and 
 children; leaving behind official dignity and all manner 
 of display. Resist the importunities of officials to ac- 
 company you ; seek the tents of the private soldiers ; in- 
 quire into their grievances. Show yourself what you 
 are, "The Father of your people." 
 
 Mr. Lincoln said, "If that will do any good, it is 
 easily done." 
 
 The answer was, "It will do all that is required. It 
 will unite the soldiers as one man. It will unite them to 
 you by bands of steel." 
 
 A long conversation then ensued between the pre- 
 sumed Dr. Bamford and Lincoln in which the President 
 was told he would be renominated and re-elected to the 
 Presidency. 
 
 After the proceedings were over Mr. Lincoln was 
 asked if affairs at the front were as bad as depicted. 
 
 After asking all present not to speak of these things 
 he declared affairs in the army could hardly be exagger- 
 ated and that a Major who was with his party had just 
 brought dispatches from the front announcing a state 
 of affairs "pretty much as our old friend has shown it." 
 and that they were just having a Cabinet meeting to 
 consider the matter, "when something, I know not what, 
 induced me to leave the room and come down stairs 
 where I found Mrs. Lincoln in the act of coming here. I 
 
78 The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 felt it might be of service for me to come. I did not 
 know wherefore." 
 
 The next issue of John Forney's Gazette bore the 
 startling head lines, "The President about to visit the 
 Army of the Potomac" and subsequent events showed a 
 literal obedience on his part to the orders through Miss 
 Colburn's lips and proved a grand fulfillment of her 
 prophecy as to the very beneficial effect of that visit on 
 the army. 
 
 Spirit Counsel Helped the Union Arms 
 
 On another occasion with the Hon. D. E. Soames and 
 Mrs. Soames, Miss Colburn and her friend Miss Hannum 
 visited the White House on the invitation of Mrs. Lin- 
 coln to meet Gen. Sickles. In this seance Miss Colburn 
 while entranced delivered a very earnest address to the 
 President in relation to the condition of the freedmen 
 in and around Washington, declaring their condition de- 
 plorable in the extreme and urging the President to ap- 
 point a special committee to investigate the condition of 
 these people. Shortly after this occurrence, Miss Colburn 
 returned to her home in Hartford, Conn, for a few weeks 
 and while there the telegraph despatches went over the 
 country, "President Lincoln has appointed a Committee 
 to investigate the condition of the freedmen. ,, It is a 
 matter of history that the outcome of the investigation 
 was the formation of the "Freedmen's Bureau." 
 
 On still another occasion Miss Colbourn was sum- 
 moned to the White House and met two officers of the 
 army. Mrs. Lincoln and Hon. D. E. Soames, who were 
 in the room, withdrew to one end of it and allowed Mr. 
 Lincoln and his two military friends to hear the inspira- 
 tional address. This lasted, according to the account, 
 one hour, at the end of which Miss Colburn found herself 
 
The Religion of Abraham Lincoln 79 
 
 standing pencil in hand by a long table on which was 
 spread a map of the Southern States. It appears from 
 statements of Mrs. Soames, who witnessed the seance 
 though he did not hear the message, that Miss Colbourn 
 had been tracing lines of military operations upon the 
 map and that the President and the officers listened with 
 breathless attention. At the close, Mr. Lincoln was heard 
 to remark, "It is astonishing how every line she has 
 drawn, conforms to the plan agreed upon." "Yes," an- 
 swered one of the military gentlemen, "it is very astoni- 
 shing." Later on Mr. Lincoln remarked on the fact that 
 Miss Colbourn did not require eyes to enable her to draw 
 as she had done all her tracing of lines with her eyes 
 closed. 
 
 Summoned home to Hartford, Conn, to visit her 
 sick father in February, just before the second Inaugu- 
 ration, Miss Colburn having an engagement at the White 
 House for the following week called to excuse herself to 
 Mrs. Lincoln for leaving the city. There she met Mr. 
 Lincoln and had her last interview with him. After 
 some pleasant interchanging of conversation, he turned 
 and asked, "But what do our friends say of us now?" al- 
 luding to the purported messages that had come through 
 her lips from the spirits of the departed. "What they 
 predict for you, Mr. Lincoln, has come to pass," said 
 Miss Colburn, "and you are to be inaugurated a second 
 time. But, they also re-affirm that the shadow they have 
 spoken of still hangs over you/" He turned half im- 
 patiently away and said, "Yes, I know, I have letters 
 from all over the country from your kind of people, 
 mediums I mean, warning me against some dreadful plot 
 against my life, but I don't think the knife is made, or 
 the bullet run that will reach it. Nobody wants to harm 
 me." 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 
 
 973.7L63B4F57L CD01 
 
 LINCOLN WAS A SPIRITUALIST LA 
 
 3 0112 031798199