A “PSYCHIC” PHENOMENON.
By A. M. S. C.
IN the Watchman of March 25 I was especially interested in your notice of Mr. Cook’s last lecture on Spiritualism, and the experiments he witnessed, which led to the conclusion that “matter may be moved without contact, by the effort of the human will, or by this combined with the will of spirits working with the human or independent of it.” This recalls a phenomenon which came under my own observation many years ago, but which is still distinct in my recollection, and as it seems to me quite as remarkable as any on record, I am tempted to send you a brief account of it. In the winter of ’64 several naval officers with their families were boarding at a hotel in Charlestown, Mass., my husband and myself being of the number. One evening at the tea-table it was casually mentioned that Lieut.-Com. B., a young officer of intelligence and great energy of character, who had but recently returned from a foreign cruise, had, on one or more occasions, by mere force of will, been able to tip and move tables. He was instantly beset to give an exhibition of his power for our benefit. For some time he politely but steadily refused to comply, saying it was several years since he had attempted anything of the kind, and he should probably fail. At last, however, his good nature prevailing, he promised to do what he could, and almost immediately we repaired to the private parlor of Mrs. H. to witness, as we hoped, a strange and interesting performance. The party consisted of Captain and Mrs. H. and two daughters, Mr. and Mrs. B., my husband and myself. I will here state that, to my knowledge, not one of the party had any belief in spiritualism. A table of wood, of rather small size, was placed near the center of the large room, around which we ranged ourselves and on which we placed our hands, joining thumbs and little fingers to conduct the subtle fluid which, controlled by the human will, was to produce such wonderful effects. For some time there was no motion or sensation of electricity. Some of the party being inclined to talk, Mr. B. requested us to observe perfect silence, that he might be better able to concentrate his thoughts. Soon a twinge was felt in the thumb, then at the elbow, passing from one to another, till all were sensibly affected, showing that the electric current was established. I do not now remember whether the table trembled or moved at all until Mr. B. spoke to it, audibly commanding it to move in various directions, which was immediately done; then, saying he had complete control of the table, he asked us all to tip away from it, not allowing our clothes to touch it, and removed himself two yards or more distant, when, keeping his eyes steadily fixed on the table, he talked to it as to an intelligent, well-trained animal, causing it to move backward, forward, and endways, and to rock like a cradle, etc. To crown all, he ordered it to walk across the room, and get up into an arm-chair, continually repeating the command as the table advanced, slowly but steadily, toward the chair, where it paused a few moments as if in doubt or to rest. Mr. B., still retaining his position near the center of the room, continued to urge obedience, when the table, after several futile efforts, actually succeeded in lifting the two legs and resting them on the seat of the chair. And when Mr. B. insisted on its placing the other two feet on the chair, it was somewhat startling as well as interesting to see the struggles of the poor table to accomplish the impossible feat. Mr. B. then ceased his efforts, confessing to a degree of exhaustion, and the party expressed supreme gratification at being permitted to witness so extraordinary an illustration of the power of the human will over senseless (!) matter. In this instance, certainly, the whole thing was unprecedented, with no possibility of collusion, and no belief in the aid of spirits.—A. M. S. C., in Watchman of April 29.