ADVANCE AND REVEW TRACT No. 1. ''s# OR SPRTUAL FEAST: An nteresting Account of Mteriliztion Sence Held t Knss City, Mo., Mondy Evening, April 18, M. S. 34, (1881,) Mrs. Jmes A. Bliss, Medium. BY PETER GANNON. PUBLSHED BY JAMES A. BLSS, 713 SANSOM STREET, PHLADELPHA, PENNA. M. S. 34, (1881.)
* * ****------- i. * *- 2 ~. A SPRTUAL FEAST Or Mteriliztion Extrordinry. * s s N. S. s-> To the Edir of Mind nd Mtter: DEAR SR: m going ttempt describe your reders the mrvelous mnifesttions, wit nessed by smll prty selected by the guides of Mrs. Bliss t guides sence, through the me diumship of tht wonderful medium. But while tke the tsk upon myself with plesure, feel my utter incpcity do the subject justice. t is s if we hd cught glimpse of the fbled pr dise through the hlf-opened gtes, nd then t tempted describe the glory nd brillincy of its streets of gold nd gtes of perl nd precious SneS. The sence ws held on Mondy evening, the 18th instnt, t the residence of Mr. Mtt. Clry, where Mrs. B. hs found plesnt home nd kind nd loving friends since her rrivl in this city. For the benefit of those of your reders who \\ Q:* QR, '' S$ "...s SS'...ots
4 re not fr dvnced in the knowledge of the glo rious philosophy, would stte tht the circle t guides' sence, is composed only of persons selected by the spirit guides of the medium. The persons present t this sence were, Dr. J. Dooley, Mrs. Dooley nd Miss Ev Dooley; Mr. nd Mrs. Clry nd Miss Clry; Mr. Jos. N. Lucs, Mr. Jus tin Robinson nd myself. Mrs. Clry s three young children were lso in the room. commenced the ernest investigtion of these phenomen ten months go, through the medium ship of Mrs. M. M. Jmieson, one of the noblest herted nd most truthful women hve ever met. She pssed spirit life lst December, deeply re gretted by ll who knew her. Since my first sitting hve been constnt nd zelous investigr; but doubt if ws thorough second sitting with Mrs. Bliss. believer until my When first com menced this interesting study, n old friend of mine, n investigr for over thirty yers, sid me, t is like living in the tmosphere of the mb. Well, if Mrs. Clry s plesnt sence room is the tmosphere of the mb, it is very good plce be in. Mrs. C. hd smll tble loded down with rich ckes, mde for the occsion, wines nd fruits, nd flowers in profusion. t ws like preprtions for fest, nd it ws fest such s mortls sel dom enjoy. Mrs. B.'s bby's nurse ws very ill
Siz../=. -- ~~~~ 5 this evening, nd tht occsioned little dely; but shortly fter 8 o'clock Mrs. B. ws controlled nd went in the cbinet. She ws dressed in her usul costume drk grey woolen dress with tight fitting sleeves, nd no trimmings or orn ment whtever, with the exception of lce tie round her neck. The circle sng The Sweet By nd-by, nd shortly fterwrd Billy the Boot blck spoke through his trumpet, bidding us ll good evening. Billy hs mde mny wrm friends since his dvent in Knss City. After speking, Billy pulled the curtins side nd sod there fully mterilized. He hd scrcely dropped the curtins before they were opened gin, nd Jessie, Mrs. Clry's oldest dughter in spirit life, showed herself. She is chrming miden of nineteen yers. The next picture presented us, ws indeed beutiful one. Billy nd Jessie sod there rm in rm. They showed themselves twice. From where st could not see Jessie's full form, but distinctly sw her rm drwn through Billy's, in perfectly nturl mnner. We sng gin, but were interrupted by the ppernce of nother spirit, Vlentine, Mrs. Clry s son. hve t tended four circles since Mrs. B. hs been here nd hve met this spirit every time; his indi vidulity is unmistkble. We were clled up in turn nd presented him by his mother. He
6 hd chin in his hnd, mde of Mrs. C. s hir, nd mounted in gold. His mother presented it him in Phildelphi lst November. When he put the chin in my hnd his hnd uched mine. He left the chin with his mother until the next sence. His mother gve him bouquet; he dropped the curtins, but immeditely rised them gin, nd the bouquet ws fstened on his cot. He then kissed it nd returned it Mrs. C. He dropped the curtins long enough rp for Mrs. Dooley. When she cme forwrd he picked bouquet from the tble nd presented it her. Vlentine ppered dressed s he lwys does in full evening suit. He is tll, slender young mn, pprently 22 yers old, with delictely formed fce nd light moustche. Vlentine re mined mterilized probbly five minutes. After nother intervl of singing, Cpt. Hodges, Mrs. B.'s hed control or guide, rised the curtins nd sod in the doorwy of the cbinet. The cptin is probbly fmilir cquintnce of mny of your reders, but for the benefit of the lrge mjority who hve not seen him, will de scribe him. He is powerful mn, when mte rilized, should judge nerly six feet in height; hs moustche nd strong physique, nd lwys comes dressed in the United Sttes uniform. A greter contrst thn between him nd the spirits preceding him cnnot well be imgined. The
z_1_1= --- 7 cptin reched out the tble, picked up bot tle of wine, smelt slpped the bottle with his hnd nd lid down gin. We were then pre sented him turn, being the lst. hd met the cptin severl times before, but never hd the plesure shking hnds with him until this evening. When pproched him sid: Cptin, m delighted meet you. He slpped himself violently on the brest severl times, probbly show me he ws solid, nd then grsping my hnd firmly gve me good, herty shke. Cpt. Hodges hs lrge hnd, nd every body notices this fct. After this spirit's disppernce the most won derful occurrences the evening commenced, nd, Mr. Edir, my testimony ws not sup ported by the testimony other unimpechble witnesses would be reluctnt send forth the world. spirit known Cpt. Dvis (he ws, believe, se cptin) stepped entirely out of the cbinet. He ws well known the rest of the circle; hd only seen him once before. But hd splendid opportunity observing him this evening. He hd, usul, white wrpper on, nd ws smller nd shorter mn thn Cpt. Hodges. He pushed the tble wy from the cbinet, quite close the circle, nd bout five feet wy from the cbinet door. The spirit then picked up vrious things upon the tble, nd it A in of if it, of s of s of it
8 rised them up, s one holds out weight. He then picked up the knife from the tble nd strik ing the point upon the frosting of one of the ckes produced electric sprks. With gesture he in vited us round the tble observe this phenom enon. think the spirit then returned the cbinet for strength. When he cme out gin he ok up the knife, rised it loft so we could see it plinly, nd drwing one of the ckes him cut nd, like mn, he cut some pieces lrge nd some smll. You cn imgine the intense ttention nd interest mnifested by our little cir cle. When the spirit hd cut the cke his st isfction, he invited Mr. nd Mrs. Clry, by ges ture, come forwrd the tble. He then ok up the wine bottle nd glss, pssed out some wine, nd hnded the glss Mr. He repeted the ction, hnding the glss Mrs. C., nd then, tking nother glss nd pouring wine uched his glss theirs nd drnk. herd the wine mke peculir gurgling sound he swllowed nd he smcked his lips fterwrds. Dr. nd Mrs. Dooley next pproched the tble, nd wishing the spirit helth, drnk with him. When Mr. Robinson, Mr. Lucs nd myself p proched, plced myself the end the tble, quite close the spirit, nd sw his fce pro file. He ws fine looking mn, with round, smll hed, nd full berd, cut short. When he it, it, t C. of in in s it,
z_1...e. 9 hnded me the glss my hnd uched his. did not drink my wine, but uched glsses with this convivil, powerful spirit, nd wished him helth. With round of ppluse from the little circle the spirit then retired in the cbinet, but kissed Mrs. C. s little boy nd girl before he demteril ized. After nother short intervl, Grndmother Smith, n old ldy, 89 yers old, nd whom hve seen closely severl times, spoke in the cbinet. The old ldy showed her fce, nd clling Mrs. C. her, prised the rrngements, but sid she couldn t et nything, but she ok bouquet from Mrs. C. Grndmother Smith is lwys welcome visir. After her disppernce, n n gel form in spotless white, stepped out of the cbinet. But before her ppernce, the spirit rpped for Dr. Dooley. Dr. D. hd purchsed three bouquets, one for Miss Western, one for Miss Neilson, nd one for Rosie. Miss Western would not come out of the cbinet until the Dr. presented her bouquet her; lthough the spirits were not promised the flowers, they evidently knew they were intended for them. The spirit ok the bouquet from Dr. D. smelled it udibly, nd dropping the curtins, immeditely rised them gin with the flowers pinned on her dress.. She ws recognized by every one t once. t ws Lucille Western, the ctress. hve seen nd
10 spoken this spirit fce fce, but this evening she ws mterilized perfectly. She ws met with words of dmirtion nd welcome by every one. She dvnced the tble, nd picked up vrious things; the dish of flowers, ckes, etc. She did not seem plesed with the wy Cpt D. hd cut the cke. She picked up the knife, but in doing so upset glss on the tble, nd dropping the knife the floor, drew bck with tht peculir drwing in of the breth through the teeth. The ction ws perfectly nturl, nd the ttitude of the spirit, beutiful nd grceful beyond expression; she spoke then in whisper, The knife, the knife, pointing the floor. Genil Mt. Clry sid, Oh! tht's nothing brek everything if you wnt! nd soping in front of the spirit, picked up the knife nd hnded it her. Miss Western then cut the cke gin, but ccidentlly, suppose, left one of the lrge pieces. She then pssed the cke round the circle, nd hppened it, get the lrge piece, nd sid her s ok Why, Miss Western, hve got hlf the cke here. forgot mention tht the young l dies, Misses Dooley nd Clry, hd remined down stirs get the bby sleep. They entered the sence room shortly before Miss Western m terilized, nd sod behind our chirs.) When the circle hd ll got cke the young ldies cme forwrd. Lucille llowed Miss tke piece, ( D.
11 but when Miss C. reched out, the beutiful spirit drew bck the plte with tntlizing motion, nd mterilizing cloud of lce from her rm, threw it over the plte with grceful motion. She re peted this mnoeuver severl times the gret musement of the circle nd discomfiture of the young ldy. At length Miss C. sid: Oh! plese Lucille, let me hve piece; you hve given ll the rest some. Lucille could not resist the pled ing voice, held out the plte, but drew it bck gin, nd rising it grcefully over her hed, she put it on the tble, nd Miss C. got no cke. The sweet, tender beuty of this scene will never be forgotten by those who witnessed Lucille then set the plte down, nd picking n Ornge out the dish, offered Dr. But she would not let go; they both squeezed until the result she evidently wished the breking the skin ws ttined. She then wrenched from his it so it it is it in D. us it. of it it it. of fingers with quick motion nd put her lips. We could distinctly her her sucking She then gve the Docr. After the sence he explined me how ws done. Miss W.then tired in the cbinet, llowing see her de mterilize s she did so. The cbinet set n lcove, nd the music box sod outside on chir ner Mrs. C. The spirit soon cme out gin, wound up the music box, which plyed wltz, nd dnced very grce re
- - - - - --------- 12 fully, turning completely round severl times; yet could not distinguish the slightest vibrtion of the floor. There ws no jr s if mortl were dncing. Mr. Robinson, who ws n cr for mny yers, nd plyed with Miss Western, then sked the spirit ct the listening scene in Est Lynne. She did so perfection, nd, s Mr. R. sid, quite nturlly, seeming fll bckwrd in the cbinet in her despir. She then cted prts of the French Spy nd Gypsy Queen, ech prt being recognized by Mr. R., the spirit. corroborting him by rpping on the tble. She retired in the cbinet gin. Every performnce ws greeted by round of ppluse from the smll nd select, but very pprecitive udience. There ws silence for bout minute; then figure l most entirely in blck sod in the doorwy. could just see the botm of white dress some thing white on the hed. The fce ws covered. This sombre figure glided out quickly, directly in front of me; the drk clok ws thrown side nd Lucille Western, in her ngelic lovliness nd spotless white, sod there thetricl ttitude, ws scene from the French Spy, nd the effect ws strtling the extreme; nd lthough little used such things, sent chill through every fiber my body. The spirit then shook hnds with the circle. crried her hnd my lips, fter slight hesittion on her prt; the skin t in in ll in it
13 felt little colder nd much softer thn humn hnd. There ws ll the nturl difference be tween Cpt. Hodges hnd nd Miss Western's. The next spirit tht showed herself ws Lizzie Wlker, one of the medium's guides, who hd not mterilized before in Knss City. She spoke her nme plinly. After Lizzie, Miss Adelide Neilson cme. think this is the fifth time she hs ppered. did not get ner enough the spirit describe her; but she clled Dr. D. up nd shook hnds with him, nd the docr pre sented her with boquet. could see tht she ws splendidly ttired, with shining specks upon her dress. Dr. D. sid the spirit ws ttired in white stin with leves of gold. After Miss Neil son cme nother interesting spirit, well known in Phildelphi, believe. Aunt Liz, the col ored womn, cme out the tble, exmined it criticlly, but didn t tke nything; but she dnced for us, we singing lively Negro melodies. When she cesed dncing, distinctly herd mn's hnd clpping in the cbinet. This ws Cpt. Hodges. Aunt Liz ws still outside the cbinet. hve witnessed this phenomenon once before. Mr. L. nd Mr. R. went close Aunt Liz ; she bowed extrvgntly, nd shook hnds with both. They ld me her hnds were rough. A bllet dncer followed Aunt Liz slight nd very grceful figure. She dnced the scrf dnce,
14 nd posed very grcefully. thought she ws strnger the circle; but understnd Mr. R. knew her s Miss Benson. Next cme chrming 'little Rosie Gibson, the pet of the circles. She hs witty reply for every one. She criticized our tble severely, nd kept the circle lughing for ten minutes. Some one sked her if the bby's nurse ws going die. She replied, without hes ittion, Ask Dr. Dooley. wish ll spirits knew enough nswer tht wy when they didn t know. When Rosie left us, Cpt. Dvis mteril ized gin, nd sked Mrs. Clry sing. She sng, t is well with my soul; he sng second her soprno, in deep, rich voice, nd in per fect hrmony. He ws invisible while singing. Vlentine sng, Nerer, my God, Thee, with Mrs. C. The beutiful spirit guide Silver Str* then mterilized, nd ws followed by nother ndin guide drker squw. The ltter spoke few ndin words me nd rubbed boquet ginst my fce. Then Billy thrust his trumpet through the curtins nd shook ll the boquets out of Jennie Fuln, the dughter friend Mrs. C. s cme, nd then the medium cme out, still under control. There forgot our interest ing friend Blue Flower. She lwys complins tht she cnnot mterilize enough show her self; but her remrks re lwys interesting. This highly interesting sence lsted over two of it.! of
2 L = 15 hours nd hlf, nd the mrvelous mnifest tions will never be forgotten by those present. hve entirely voided the relms of fncy nd theory in describing this sence nd confined myself strictly fcts. Looking t it from n in vestigr's point of view there re some very no ticeble fcts. Without going in detils there were ll the comprisons existing between bloom ing youth nd the wrinkled ocgenrin-be tween boy nd girl of 13 or 14 yers, nd berded mn six feet in height between white nd blck between the ndin nd the plefce. Another strong point is the individulity nd per sonlity possessed by ech of those forms; so tht when you hve met them two or three times they possess s individul personlity you s ny cquintnce in the ordinry wlks of life. You recognize them t the first glnce you know them by the first word, the first fmilir move ment. As proof of immortlity the sceptic nd unbeliever this letter is prcticlly useless, for clim tht the mn or womn, knowing little or nothing of this philosophy, who would believe in the occurrence of these wonderful mnifesttions merely on my word or tht of my friends, would be n impediment rther thn help in the spir itul rnks. Spiritulism does not demnd un resoning credulity; it offers the proof. And ll my friends nd sk tht those who do not is,
16 understnd this philosophy will give us credit for trying tell the truth. f this letter will only be the mens of inducing some ernest, thinking men nd women investigte this subject firly nd ernestly, sifting with creful hnd the flse from the true, its object, s fr s tht clss of reders is concerned, is ttined. But Spirit ulists who, like myself nd friends, hve been through the fire; who hve received error nd. nonsense, s well s truth nd wisdom, from the other side; who hve been rtured by doubts nd suspicions emerge t lst in the full sun light of glorious certinty such these fcts hve gret significnce. f we only guide our lives right, seek only the pure, the grnd nd the true, nd lying side ll selfish desires, give the spirit world the conditions they sk nd our full co-opertion, who cn tell wht glorious results will rewrd our lbors. When the mortl nd the immortl the divine nd the humn the finite nd the infinite come in yet closer com muniction who cn tell wht undremed of wht immesurble blessings will flow out on poor, wek, error-blinded humnity. We re fvored beyond ll the rces of the sons of men who hve gone before us; still, s the poet Tennyson truly * sys: * We re ncients of the erth, And in the morning of the times.
*-*-- 17 Truth, the progressive mind, is welcome in ny guise. But when she comes personified in such rdint ngel forms the forms of loved ones nd friends gone before she flshes long the gloomy, clouded horizon of our mteril minds s divine reveltion, dispelling with lightning vividness the mists of doubt nd error tht hve gthered there since our very birth, nd mking heven of this dull erth of ours. PETER GANNON. 707 Min St., Knss City, Mo. We, the undersigned, hereby testify the cor rectness of the foregoing fcts, in every prticulr: J. DooDEY, M. D., MRs. ANN DooDEY, Mss F. EvA DoolEY, MATT. CLARY, MRs. MATT. CLARY, LAURA PERRY CLARY, J. W. LUCUs, JUSTN ROBNSON. P. S. n consequence of the severe illness of the bby s nurse, Ktie, Mrs. Bliss gve but one sence besides the guide's sence lst week. Ktie pssed spirit life bout 4 A. M. yesterdy (Sundy) morning. Mrs. Bliss hs lbored under
18 mny difficulties since her rrivl here; but for tuntely she hs been surrounded by kind nd sympthizing friends who hve endevored lighten her burdens, nd mke her, visit, so fr from home, s plesnt s possible. P. G.
- * * * * * * ***---- THE QUARTERLY Advnce nd Review. -: A. Lrge Eight Fge Qurterly Jour ril Devoted the Triterests of MEodern. Spiritulisrn. :O: The Friend of Mediums nd the Exposer Exposers of Spiritulism. :O: subscrpton PRCE. Five copies, ene yer. - Single copies... of the so-clled Select Advertisements, 25 cents per line. Circultion 25,000. 8 cents ssued on the 1st of JUNE SEPTEMBER, DECEMBER nd MARCH. JAMES A. BLSS. Edir nd Publisher, 713 SANSOM STREET, PHLADELPHA, PA. R&"A complete line of LBERAL AND SPRTUAL BOOKS nd PAMPHLETS, constntly on hnd Sle. Send for Free Ctlogue by postl crd. nd for
BLSS' M', 'M', A tripod shped instrument, designed develop Writing Mediumship, so tht person cn receive perfect nd stisfcry communictions from spirit friends. The dvntge climed over other instruments of the kind re: st. Pste Bord Stined W00d. Top, in plce of Wrnished, Oiled, or 2d. Ech nstrument is Seprtely Mgnetized by Pow erful Bnd of Spirits. 3d. t is the Chepest nd Best nstrument in the Mrket. FECE, 5c c-e-nts. SENT POSTPAD TO ANY ADDRESS N THE UNTED STATES ADDRESS, JAMES A. BLSS, 7is snsor street, * PHLADELPHA PA.