Mrs. Piper & the Society for Psychical Research

xt given by Phinuit-Mrs Blodgett's sit

riments of this kind must be arranged if the desired end is to be attained. Even if only one out of ten were successful, we should have established a method of procedure, and should certainly in time discover the truth. (2) This example will once again show the

gularly. But I wish to present it as it actually is, with its da

last moments. About a year before her death a Boston spiritualist paper published a mes

she died, she should return, if not prevented by circumstances stronger than her will, and communicate the contents of the letter to

ox. It was understood that no mortal hand was to touch it. When giving it to her

er touched that letter; it was in my husband's safe. When

to him and told him the above circumstances. In consequence he tried to get the letter read through Mrs Piper. He sent her, no

, which reminds us involuntarily of certain of Mlle. Smith's subliminal productions. I will give three paragraphs of it. The remarks between parentheses are Mrs Blodgett's; the reader will app

wish I could have more. It has grieved me not a little not to have given the Society something, but as you know, sister, I am unable to do so. If it be possible I will give them my presence in spirit." (Sister left no trunk. Never lived in any house with an att

dearest sister, should you ever marry, as I think you will, take the money and use it as you think best, to buy a wedding outfit." (She never worked a table-cover. I worked one and gave he

, and when you hear from me-this for you a copy, 'remember sister Hannah is not dead, only passed out of the body.' I will give you a beautiful description of our life there and of my darling mother if I see her." (Ha

so f

he feeling that he was talking to the spirit of Miss Hannah Wild. Phinuit was asked for a description of the communicator; all the details were false. After this it is unnecessa

information, and on the character of Phinuit himself. If we judged only from this case, it would seem that Phinuit was merely a secondary personality of Mrs Piper, possessing the extraordinary power of reading people's minds unhindered by distance. But let us say at once that a number of other cases render the problem much more complex. The conclusion to be draw

me the future sitter, and not to give any hint of her identity. In my eyes this sitting is remarkable. Mrs Blodgett, with great good sense, sums it u

he words of Miss Hannah Wild, present. I shall quote the most typical incid

ster, Hannah Wild. How's father and all the folks? Oh, I am so glad to see you!" (All this time Mrs Piper

death, John Slater, a medium, said, pointing to me amongst a large audience, "There is a lady her

em?" (Lucy Stone is the editor of the Woman's Jour

photo in

h Wild threw the objects out pell-mell, saying, "Picture of mine in here." This was so. Now this photograph was the only thing in the bag which Mrs Blodgett did not know was there; she had slipped her sister's will into an envelope in which the photograph al

sad sometimes. But you did take good care of me. I always felt there was something that would never part us. Do just as I told you to. You remember about my dress? Where's my comb? You remember all about my money? I told you wha

How is

-"What

, and Hannah always called her Alice: it was our mother's name. The others called her Ollie. Hanna

him. We have one brother living named Joseph, who travels most of the time.) Hannah Wild tak

was cut in two after she died. Hannah had worn one half. The half which I took to the sitting had not

"Who's

"Sarah

m.) Then Hannah Wild adds, "Sarah Hodson." (Sarah Hodson was a friend of sister's at Waterbury, Connecti

s my big silk

it to Clara.

ere is my

"I don'

s for years, and it came from England. I did not know I had put Hannah's thimble in the bag, but found on return to the h

sister, how many brothers

hers, because William had only been dead since Marc

me where that letter

s at home,

you tell me

(The letter was in the bag wrapped up in rubber cloth. Sister did say when we put the

e's William

you tell me wh

is here. I

w long has

ticks to you all the time every day. Will

-"What

n. William is better out of the world than in it. He

him buried there. We wanted to take him to our home and bury him by mother. Br

ictures them as they were on earth, in their customary dress, and he affirms that he so sees them. At the end of one sitting Professor Hyslop's father exclaims, "Give me my hat!" Now this was an order he often gave in his lifetime when he rose painfully from his invalid chair to accompany a visitor to the gate. I repeat, these incidents are odd and embarrassing for the spiritistic hypothesis. It is difficult to admit that the other world, if it exists, should be a servile copy of this. Should we suppose that the bewilderment caused by death is so great in certain individuals that it is some time before they perceive the change in their environment? It is difficult to admit this. Should we suppose these speeches are automatisms of the comm

f it had not been for the previous incident of the letter, which had invited distrust, and if Mrs Blodgett had had less judgment, she would probably have left the sitting conv

new version of the letter. "This letter is concerned with an incident in Hannah's former life," he affirmed. Then he dictated, "It's something about Hannah's early history, that letter is. At one time I met a person whom I loved. A circumstance in our affection changed my whole life. Had it not been for this one thing I should have been married a

n perceive after even a long interval? Numerous and well-observed facts would almost compel us to believe so. It would seem as if the vibrations of the soul imprinted themselves on matter

bodies, those who are in another world, can read these vibrations as easily as we can read a book. But if this is so, why does not Phinuit own it? It would be marvel enough to satisfy his vanity. It would not, in any event, prevent his obtainin

t a longer lock, which was given to him on October 3, 1888. The text he gave was as incorrect as the preceding ones. A last effort was

of the letter: "She's been reading a funny book-a life of somebody. She called on an old friend of Hannah's-somebody I told her to go and see. Mrs Blodgett has a friend named Severance." Mrs Blodgett writes on June 17, "Really Phinuit is doing wonderfully well as far as thought-transference goes. Saturday night, June 13, I gave a talk

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be repeating Miss Hannah Wild's words literally, it

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