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WHEN the spirit-rapping monomania first came West some sixteen years ago, I at once began to take interest in the operations. I have always considered it fortunate that I had seen and known something of the feats or tricks of animal magnetism or mesmerism before the spirits were heard of. I was soon convinced that there were realities that should receive attention. As long as the tables did tip it only made the matter worse to treat the phenomenon as a humbug. I saw, too, that the new developments needed the treatment of the scientific man rather than that of the theologian. If science had not turned away with sneers the mania would have done far less harm.
Charles Beecher wrote and pronounced the phenomena a possession of devils. But there was too often the spirit of gentleness to make that theory acceptable. Others pronounced the whole matter a system of trickery; but too many reliable persons witnessed the movings of tables to make the "humbug" theory prevail. Hundreds of people who never had faith in "spirits" have had evidence that the tables do move by some power beyond control. By the advice of Dr. Dempster, twelve years ago, I took pains to study the matter, and at the time I came to conclusions that are every day being proved to be true. I was soon satisfied that as regarded "trance mediums," the cause was due to one-third trickery, one-third partial insanity, or monomania, and the remainder animal magnetism. I have since learned that opium and hashish - Indian hemp - played an important part. It was proved that young ladies purchased written speeches which they delivered under the influence of hashish....
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