q<
 
 REV, SAM LJEL WATSON
 
 THE 
 
 CLOCK STRUCK ONE, 
 
 AND 
 
 CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALIST: 
 
 BEING 
 
 A. SYNOPSIS OF THE INVESTIGATIONS OF SPIRIT INTER- 
 COURSE BY AN EPISCOPAL BISHOP, THREE MINISTERS, 
 FIVE DOCTORS, AND OTHERS, AT MEMPHIS, TENN., 
 IN 1855; 
 
 ALSO, THE OPINION OF MANY EMINENT DIVINES, LIVING AND 
 
 DEAD, ON THE SUBJECT, AND COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED 
 
 FROM A NUMBER OF PERSONS RECENTLY. 
 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. SAMUEL WATSON. 
 
 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall b 
 heire of salvation ? ST. PAUL. 
 
 "TRUTH is MIGHTY, AND WILL PREVAIL." 
 
 LOUISVILLE, KY.: 
 JOHN P. MORTON AND COMPANY. 
 
 1873.
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, 
 
 BY SAMUEL WATSON, 
 in the Office of the Librarian of Congress in Washington.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 (From the Memphis Appeal.") 
 " SINGULAR PHENOMENON VOUCHED FOR BY A PROMINENT DIVINE. 
 
 " ' There are more things in heaven and in earth than are dreamt of in our 
 philosophy.' " 
 
 I FIND the following in the last issue of that magnificent paper, 
 the St. Louis Christian Advocate. It is not about the extract copied 
 in that paper from the Lexington (Va.) Gazette, but the little edito- 
 rial notice of five lines, to which I wish to call attention : 
 
 "A VERY SINGULAR AND MYSTERIOUS OCCURRENCE. 
 
 " The Lexington (Va.) Gazette publishes the following, asserting 
 that it has received the ' facts ' upon undoubted evidence : ' Mr. 
 Z. J. White, whose death occurred last week, was stricken on his 
 return from our last court to his home in Brownsburg, with the 
 disease that proved fatal. On the day of his return he had occasion 
 to go into a room where was kept a clock belonging to his father, the 
 late Robert White. This clock is of the old-fashioned, high kind, 
 and has been stopped for years, not even having the weights at- 
 tached, being merely kept as a family relic. When Mr. White en- 
 tered the room, the clock, which had been silent so long, distinctly 
 struck ' one.' He at the time paid no special attention to it, and 
 not being of superstitious turn of mind, thought it was,a mistake, or 
 an illusion of his fancy. The next day, or the day after, he again 
 had occasion to enter the same room. Again the clock struck ' one.' 
 He immediately went out, telling his wife of the circumstance, and 
 remarked that he felt assured he was going to die soon. His pre- 
 monitions, as we have stated, proved true, and in a few days his 
 spirit passed away. 
 
 " There is nothing singular nor mysterious in it. Such results 
 of panic in persons of superstitious imagination are familiar to all 
 who have paid any attention to the morbid relations of mind and 
 brain." 
 
 I will give some facts which have come under my own observa-
 
 iv INTEODUCTION. 
 
 tion and that of others, which no doubt will, in the estimation of 
 the author of those lines, place me, and others in the category of 
 persons of " superstitious imagination." It is popular with some 
 people to ridicule facts when they have no evidence of disprov- 
 ing them, or argument to overthrow them. It is the easiest way to 
 dispose of many things that occur which can not be accounted for 
 upon any hypothesis or theory with which they are familiar. 
 
 Five years since 1 was at my place with my family, in Woodruff 
 county, near Augusta, Arkansas. My wife's health had been feeble 
 for a long time. Her physician had told me, before we went over 
 there, that she might die in twenty-four hours. Her health was 
 partially restored after a few months residence there. She was, 
 however, taken with her old disease, and after a few days' illness 
 she died. On the mantel in her room was an old clock which had 
 not run or struck for years, only once, which was the day before 
 she died. A little over a year afterward, a noble boy of about four 
 years, named after Robert E. Lee, was taken sick, lived a few days, 
 the clock struck one, and the next day he died. 
 
 The following summer my daughters visited my brother, Dr. K. 
 P. Watson, near Memphis, and took with them their youngest 
 brother, Durell. He had always been a very healthy child, but was 
 taken sick at my brother's, and in few hours died. The clock on 
 the mantel in Arkansas struck once again, and in a few hours we 
 received a dispatch that Durell was dead. 
 
 The next autumn the clock struck again, and our Lillian, a babe 
 of six months of age, passed away from us to join those who had 
 gone before. 
 
 One more case. My father died in that neighborhood about 
 twelve years since. Brother Coleman, the preacher on the Augusta 
 circuit, lived that year on the place. There was about such a 
 clock as is described by the Gazette. " It is of the old-fashioned, 
 high kind, and has been stopped for years, not even having the 
 weights attached," but was packed away up stairs with some lum- 
 ber ever since the death of my father. Brother Colenian's child 
 was sick, the clock struck " one," the child died soon after. 
 
 I have given you the facts, Mr. Editor, even at the risk of being 
 called superstitious. I need not give you my explanation or theory, 
 but I would like to have yours. All of these times, were in the day- 
 time that the clock struck, and it was heard by different members 
 of the family every time. 
 
 Were you not in Dr. A. H. Bedford's office, when we were together 
 in Nashville recently, when he told us of the glass breaking over
 
 INTRODUCTION. v 
 
 the picture of Bishop Andrew ? You remember he has a fine like- 
 ness of all the Bishops hanging against the wall in his office. It 
 seems it may be superstitious to believe it, but Dr. Bedford told it 
 to quite a number of preachers that about the time the Bishop was 
 attacked with what produced his death, the glass broke over his 
 picture. I then told them what I have written of the clock strik- 
 ing, etc. 
 
 Yesterday evening, as I was going home, I met a friend at the 
 door of a music store on Main Street. A gentleman came in just 
 then with his arms full of picture-frames. I mentioned the fact of 
 the glass of Bishop Andrew's picture breaking. He said he had 
 known of a number of similar cases. There are many things occur- 
 ring equally " singular aud mysterious," but people do not like to 
 be called " superstitious," and hence rarely mention them, for fear of 
 it. I ask the question, are these " results of panic," or " the morbid 
 relations of mind and brain ? " as you said of the Virginia case. Or 
 are they given us to demonstrate one of the most consoling doc- 
 trines taught in the Bible ? I leave my friends of the St. Louis 
 Christian Advocate, or any one else, to answer to the satisfaction of 
 many anxious inquirers after truth, was it " panic " that caused the 
 clock to strike when the child was over a hundred miles distant, 
 and we had not the slightest knowledge of his having been sick. 
 
 SAMUEL WATSON. 
 
 I propose to give Dr. Bond's editorials and my reply to them, 
 that the public may see this matter from the beginning. He intro- 
 duced some things which I considered irrelevant to the subject 
 under consideration. I have therefore omited them and my reply 
 to them, because they have no bearing on the subject under 
 discussion. 
 
 (From the St. Louis Christian Advocate.) 
 " THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 " ' The root of all superstition is, that to the nature of the mind of all men it is 
 consonant for the affirmative or active to effect more than the negative or priva- 
 tive ; so that a few times hitting or presence countervails oftimes failing or ab- 
 sence.' BACON : Adv. of Learning. 
 
 " In our paper of June 12th we read, at our home in Maryland, a 
 letter from Rev. Samuel Watson, occasioned by a few remarks we 
 had appended to a story about the supernatural relations of the bell 
 of an old clock to a divination of death. As we understand Christi- 
 anity to require us to defend society, as much as we can, against 
 the powerful, natural tendency to magic, which from the days of 
 Moses we have authority to recognize as the most vivacious of the
 
 vi INTRODUCTION. 
 
 enemies of the truth, we wrote a few lines to deny the inference of 
 the supernatural in the matter. Bro. Watson comes valiantly to 
 the defence of the miraculous in the clock, and in the full assurance 
 of his faith in its premonitions, rebukes us as belonging to a class 
 ' who ridicule facts when they have no evidence disproving them, 
 or arguments to overpower them.' We certainly manifested no 
 such disposition. We did not ridicule the facts, nor even deny them. 
 We admitted that the old clock struck, and that the man who 
 heard it subsequently died. These were the only facts in the state- 
 ment. What we denied was, the unjustifiable inference that the 
 clock struck because the man was about to die, and struck by mi- 
 raculous interposition of the power and prescience of God. If it 
 did, that old clock is as awful as the burning bush in which God 
 appeared to Moses. It is an oracle of death, more terrible than the 
 Ark of God, which did not foretell the death of men. We denied 
 the miracle, and suggested a rational explanation. Bro. Watson, 
 no doubt, thinks that explanation improbable. Suppose it is, at 
 least it is possible, and any possible expla.nation of a physical phe- 
 nomenon is more probable in other words, more entitled to belief than 
 a miracle ; for it is the very essence of a miracle that it is absolutely im- 
 probable in nature. We would not be justified in believing any 
 miracle recorded in Scripture if we could account for the facts 
 stated upon natural principles. The overwhelming force of the 
 miracles that attested our religion, is secured to us only by insist- 
 ing upon this inexorable canon of criticism. 
 
 " We are sincerely anxious to avoid giving offense to Bro. Watson. 
 He is very sensitive to the charge of being superstitious. He need 
 not be so sensitive. He has the great majority of people with him 
 perhaps there are a few who could show themselves clear of super- 
 stition upon close examination. The term is offensive, but the con- 
 dition is almost universal. The greater part of the Christian world 
 are but little freer from it than the worshipers of the first deities 
 whose busts filled the Pantheon. 
 
 " Among the most educated, the blood is yet infected with the 
 virus of the old magic. Dr. Johnson went through the streets 
 touching posts, and was careful to put the safe foot foremost in 
 leaving a house. The late Emperor and Empress of France con- 
 sulted witches and mediums. Queen Victoria, and her ladies, fol- 
 lowed her just-married daughter to her carriage, and sent good 
 luck after her in a shower of old shoes. We think few ladies would 
 be married on Friday. Countless omens and magical formulas are 
 in activity every day in the houses of Protestants, who seem utterly
 
 INTEODUCTION. vii 
 
 unconscious of the sin and shame of fearing other gods than their 
 Father in heaven. 
 
 " We would not reply to Bro. Watson if we could conscientiously 
 avoid it ; but the challenge he has thrown out is too serious to be 
 passed over. To admit the supernaturalism of the clock, would be 
 to do mischief far beyond the sound of discarded and dilapidated 
 time-keepers. It would be to admit and uncontrollable irruption of 
 the old magism into the church. It would be to give the sanction 
 of religion to the undefined, distressing, and degrading superstition, 
 that is one of the most remarkable characteristics of the carnal 
 mind. If clocks, occasionally, become moved with knowledge of 
 impending death, how are we to deny to the trembling rustic his 
 privilege of omen in the howling of his dog, or the cry of the whip- 
 po-will ? How are we to laugh away the terror of sounds hi a 
 bedstead, or cracks in a looking-glass ? All these ominous voices 
 will be accredited to us by facts; and upon what principle shall 
 we contradict them ? For instance, it is what we dare to call a 
 superstition, that it is a prevision of death for thirteen to sit at a 
 table. We know respectable, well-educated people who would go 
 without dinner rather than be the thirteenth. Bro. Watson will 
 probably laugh at this nonsense. Yet, not long ago, at the table of 
 a wealthy merchant in Baltimore, a lady happened to take her seat 
 as the thirteenth. It was observed, and she was warned ; yet she 
 persisted. Before the end of the year she died. Now, how, if we 
 admit the possibility of truth in such things, are we to discriminate 
 between clocks and other oracles ? Evidently there would be no 
 definite line between faith and superstition, and the two would soon 
 become confused into one. We do not mean, however, that the 
 serious consequences of admitting Bro. Watson's claims for his 
 oracular clock should prevent us from giving full force to his facts ; 
 but only that they should compel us to make a proper inquiry into 
 his statements 
 
 " Without going any further, too, we are able, on the other hand, 
 to assure Bro. Watson, that Bishop Andrew's picture is not the only 
 one in which the glass sympathized with the original. Just before 
 the battle of Gettysburg, a picture of Mr. Davis suddenly fell and 
 hid its face behind a bed, and broke its glass. It is a fact, which we 
 hold ourselves responsible for, extraordinary as it is. We do not, 
 however, believe that God wrought a miracle to break the glass in 
 Mr. Da'vis' portrait, or Bishop Andrew's either. We do not con- 
 eider miracle as the most natural, easy, and lawful of all explana- 
 tions of obscure phenomena. We have no faith hi the mortuary
 
 viii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 relations of glass, nor the dismal forebodings of clock-hammers. 
 Many strange things are very easily understood, when once the key 
 is found. Mystery in nature is only ignorance of nature. 
 
 " In the last century it was gravely stated, in a history of the Island 
 of St. Kilda, that the arrival of a stranger gave the people cold. 
 The author, Rev. Dr. Macauley, Avas very averse to superstitions, 
 but he had to admit the fact. Dr. John Campbell took a great deal 
 of pains to ascertain the truth, and found it established, beyond 
 doubt. He did not, however, solve the problem by the ready ap- 
 plication of a " miracle ;" but he tried to explain the fact by some 
 theory of human effluvia. He was wrong. The fact was not ex- 
 plained ; still, there was no necessity for calling in miracle to ex- 
 plain it. The cause was only unknown. All that was known was 
 the relation between the arrival of strangers and prevalent colds. 
 Afterward, a few words explained the mystery. An ' ingenious 
 gentleman,' in other words, a man of mind fitted for such inquiries 
 (Mr. Dorking,) as soon as the problem was stated, saw the secret, 
 which was only a disregarded but patent fact. Strangers could 
 only arrive at the island with a north-east wind. The clock mystery 
 will be solved in the same way. In the meantime, let us be satis- 
 fied with the ' living oracles,' and place no confidence in old clocks 
 and cracked glass. We have no reason to believe that God speaks 
 to us in such ways. 
 
 " We have no reason to believe that he can communicate bettei 
 with people who have old clocks than with others ; or that picture-- 
 frames partake of the powers of the lost Urim and Thummiin. This 
 may be called ridicule ; but it is the expression of serious common 
 sense. Skepticism, of all marvelous assumptions, is the state of 
 mind proper for the investigation of a truth. 
 
 " As we began with one quotation from Bacon, we will conclude 
 with another : 
 
 " ' Another error is, impatience of doubt, and haste to assertion, 
 without due and mature suspension of judgment. If a man 
 Witt begin with certainties, he shall end in doubt ; but if he will be con- 
 tent to begin with doubt, he shall end in certainties? 
 
 " Our answer to Bro. Watson's peremptory challenge is, that we 
 do not believe that his clock strikes only just before the death of 
 one of his family. All that we believe is, that in several instances 
 the clock has been noticed to strike precedent to such deaths. In 
 three of the instances the observers were watching by the side of 
 the dying, and the striking could not pass unobserved. We believe it 
 struck when it was not noticed, for such is a natural and reasonable
 
 INTRODUCTION. ix 
 
 conclusion, and there is no evidence to disprove it. Apart from the 
 ' superstition ' about its connection with death, if Bro. Watson 
 should have told us that he heard the clock strike on the four sever- 
 al occasions, but that it never struck except on these four, nobody 
 would have admitted his statement. Everybody would have be- 
 lieved it more likely that it struck when it was not noticed, than that 
 it was noticed every time it struck. Particularly is this opinion rea- 
 sonable, when, if we admit that the striking was always noticed, 
 we must admit, too, the astounding coincidences." 
 
 Thus endeth Dr. Bond's broadside at the " old clock, supersti- 
 tion," etc. 
 
 The following is my reply to it : 
 
 REV. DB. BOND Dear Sir: On my return from Arkansas I 
 found your editorial notice of my article respecting the striking of 
 an old clock. I thank you for the respectful consideration you 
 have given it. It was to call forth your opinion that I wrote the 
 notice I did of your editorial respecting the article copied from 
 the Lexington (Virginia) Gazette. Having read your paper with 
 much interest from its commencement, and your father's (the old 
 Advocate and Journal of New York) from its beginning, in my 
 boyhood, I have always entertained for him a respect amounting 
 to almost veneration, a portion of which has descended to his 
 son. 
 
 I said " I have given you the facts Mr. Editor, at the risk of being 
 called superstitious. I need not give you my explanation or theoiy, 
 but would like to have yours." I infer from your reply that you 
 suppose my theory to be that whenever an old clock strikes, some 
 member of the family dies. I did not design to convey such an 
 idea, for I had never heard of such a coincidence before, but have 
 heard of several since, as well-authenticated as human testimony 
 can make them. You erect that man of straw and concentrate 
 your batteries in nearly three columns of your mammoth sheet to 
 demolish him. The leading thought in this well-matured article as 
 may be gathered from what you say influenced you in noticing the 
 article from the Gazette is " to defend society as much as we can 
 against the powerful tendency to magic." I would ask the Doctor 
 if the Scriptures do not teach, under every dispensation, that there 
 have been angelic minstrations to mankind ? Does not Mr. Wesley, 
 Dr. Clarke, Richard Watson and all the standard authorities of 
 Methodism teach the same doctrine ? 
 
 Mr. Wesley quotes the language of Socrates, where he says 
 " My demon did not give me notice this morning of any evil that
 
 x INTRODUCTION. 
 
 was to befall me to-day ; therefore I cannot regard as any evil 
 my being condemned to die." Mr. Wesley says " undoubtedly 
 it was" some spiritual being, probably one of these ministering 
 glx>sts." 
 
 Dr. Clarke, our most learned commentator, says : 
 
 "1. I believe there is a supernatural and spiritual world in 
 which human spirits, both good and bad, live in a state of con- 
 ciousness. 
 
 " 2. I believe there is an invisible world, in which various orders 
 of spirits, not human, live and act. 
 
 " 3. I believe that any of these spirits may, according to the order 
 of God in the laws of their place of residence, have intercourse 
 with this world, and become visible to mortals." 
 
 I could quote from others to the same effect to show that this 
 is, and always has been held by the founders and the highest 
 authority known to the Methodist Church. You say " Brother 
 Watson comes valiantly to the defense of the miraculous in the 
 clock." You misunderstand me, for I have never considered the 
 striking of a clock miraculous. Mr. Watson, in his Biblical Diction- 
 ary, gives from Dr. Samuel Clarke the definition of a miracle: "A 
 miracle is a work effected in a manner unusual or different from 
 the common and regular method of providence, by the interposi- 
 tion of God himself, or some intelligent agent superior to man, for 
 the proof or evidence of some particular doctrine, or in attestation 
 of the authority of some particular person." I do not believe there 
 was any agency " superior to man," in his spiritual state, engaged 
 in this matter of the clock striking matter is certainly no obstruc- 
 tion to a ministering spirit giving the result of the disease that is 
 preying upon the vitals of the physical system so that death must 
 necessarily soon be accomplished. 
 
 The moving of an old clock-hammer would be as easily done as 
 many other things they do, and would be as likely to arrest atten- 
 tion as anything, especially when it was impossible for anything 
 to get in the clock of a physical nature. The striking of our clock 
 was invariably in the clay-time and heard by all the members of 
 the family who were present. I brought this clock over to have 
 it repaired. It is now in the office of the Western Methodist, 
 where any one can see that no cat, rat, mouse or even fly, could 
 get into it. Enough on the clock question assuring you, Doctor, 
 that there is nothing "awful" about it nothing like the burning 
 bush in which God appeared to Moses. It was simply one of the 
 thousand ways that those who minister to us manifest their pres-
 
 INTRODUCTION. xi 
 
 ence and the interest they feel in our welfare. There is nothing 
 about it of a miraculous character, as I understand it. You say : 
 " He [I] has the great majority of the people with him. Perhaps 
 there are few who could show themselves clear of superstition 
 upon close examination. The term is offensive, but the condition 
 is almost universal. The greater part of the Christian world are 
 but little freer from it than the worshipers of the first deities 
 whose busts filled the pantheon." Superstition, as defined by 
 Webster, is a belief in the direct agency of superior powers in cer- 
 tain extraordinary or irregular events, or in omens and prognostics. 
 Would you not class our Saviour with " the majority of mankind" 
 in this respect? Did not he have communication with, not only 
 angelic, but with departed human beings, while he tabernacled 
 among men ? Did not he believe and teach the " direct agency of 
 superior power ? " I have no doubt that he would be classed among 
 the superstitous by some who claim to be above " the morbid state 
 of mind and brain" of the majority of mankind. I have found 
 many who would ridicule things of this character, and yet, before 
 the communication closed, they would tell of things more mysteri- 
 ous than that at which they had sneered. Again you say "Count- 
 less omens and magical formulas are in activity every day in the 
 house ; Protestants, who seem utterly unconscious of the sin and 
 
 shame of fearing other gods than their Father in heaven ." I 
 
 have been taught to believe, upon the authority of the Bible, that 
 our " Heavenly Father" gave his angels charge over us, " the angel 
 of the Lord encampeth around those that fear him and delivereth 
 them," and that they are " all ministering spirits, sent forth to 
 minister to those who should be heirs of salvation." There is " no 
 fearing of other gods" in all this. Nothing of which any one 
 should be " ashamed ;" but one of the most consolatory doctrines 
 taught in the Bible. 
 
 You say: " We would not reply to Brother Watson if we could 
 conscientiously avoid it, but the challenge he throws out is too 
 serious to be passed over." Well, Doctor, I have accomplished the 
 object I had in view by writing what I did. I knew you were in 
 the habit of giving such things a lick, whenever you had an 
 opportunity of doing so. I knew also you were capable of rep- 
 resenting the other side of that question as well, or better, than any 
 one of my acquaintances ; not only from your capacity, but from 
 your profession of M. D., idiosyncrasy, etc., etc. Hence I said " I 
 need not give you my explanation or theory, but would like to 
 have yours." You have given some kinds of superstition of which
 
 Xii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 I never heard ; and your prediction that " Brother Watson -will 
 probably laugh at this nonsense" has been literally fulfilled. 
 
 You give one illustration, however, Doctor, that is of too serious 
 a character to even smile at what you say in your last paragraph 
 about Mr. Davis' picture : 
 
 I consider this a very significant fact. The battle of Gettys- 
 burg was the crisis in the history of the Southern Confederacy. 
 Had General Lee been successful there we have been assured that 
 the Confederacy would have been acknowledged by England and 
 France ; as they had promised to do if the issue of that battle had 
 been favorable to the Confederates. 
 
 Mr. Davis was the head of the Confederacy, and a representative 
 man. The breaking of the glass over his picture, its suddenly fall- 
 ing, and its hiding its face behind a bed, were certainly " astound- 
 ing concidences ; " much more so than the striking of an old clock, 
 just before a member of my family died. Tis true Mr. Davis did 
 not die, for I saw him coming out of his church door as I passed 
 from church on Sabbath last ; but the Southern Confederacy set in 
 death on that field of blood, and thousands of soldiers sealed their 
 devotion to the " lost cause ; " with as good blood as was ever shed 
 on a battle-field. I admit the truth of the last sentence quoted 
 from you, that "mystery of nature is only ignorance of nature," but 
 sir, this is beyond nature or natural law, so far as I have been able 
 to learn. It belongs to another state of things. The natural man 
 comprehendeth not the spiritual things. They are spiritually dis- 
 cerned. The " many things are very easily understood when once 
 the key is found." That is also true, but where is the key? I think 
 that it will be found that it is only that kind of a key which un- 
 locked Peter's prison door that will ever unlock the things of 
 which we are writing. Neither your physical science nor medical 
 jurisprudence understand it, but rather shows its ignorance of such 
 things by attempting it. I am " sincerely anxious to avoid giving 
 offense" to you, Doctor, for I think you have been "sincerely desir- 
 ous to discharge a duty you believe you owe the readers of your 
 paper and the church." You have done as well, perhaps, as any 
 one could with your view of the subject. I assure you that you 
 have not given me the slightest offense. I have been delighted 
 with your manly, Christian reply to my article. You have treated 
 me as a Christian brother, and given the subject, as I think it de- 
 serves, a calm investigation. 
 
 If you are disposed to publish this, and reply to it, I should be 
 pleased to have the privilege of discussing these matters from u
 
 INTRODUCTION. xiii 
 
 Bible stand-point with you. I wish to say nothing more about our 
 old clock, let it go to its regular business, for I think it has accom- 
 plished its mission ; but let us discuss these questions as Christian 
 ministers wishing to ascertain the truth. 
 
 With sentiments of the highest regard for you personally and 
 officially, I am yours, truly, SAMUEL WATSON. 
 
 (Editorial from Advocate.) 
 " THE MTSTEKY OF THE CLOCK. 
 
 " We find, in a slip sent us from the Memphis Avalanche, the reply 
 of Rev. Samuel Watson to some remarks we made upon the sup- 
 posed connection between the irregular striking of his clock and 
 the succeeding death of several of his family. Accompanying the 
 slip was a kindly letter from Bro. Watson, expressing a wish that 
 we should reprint his reply and continue the discussion of the sub- 
 ject. (His reply appeared in our issue of last week.) Considering 
 it to be a very important thing to reach some definite understand- 
 ing with regard to the discriminations of faith, concerning which 
 there is, even in deeply pious minds, a great deal of confusion and 
 error, we cheerfully accede to the request. There is credulity, 
 there is superstition, there is reasonable faith in the miraculous and 
 the supernatural. Credulity and superstition are enemies to all 
 truth, and among the strongest of the opponents to the Gospel. 
 Faith is the evidence, the assurance, the practical realization of 
 truth, particularly of the fundamental truths of religion. That it 
 can be distinguished from its enemies is certain ; but they have 
 donned its uniform, and imitated its speech, and stolen into its 
 camp, and they cannot be detected by a superficial observation. 
 
 " It would have been a very great convenience if Bro. Watson had 
 told us distinctly what he does believe about that clock. It would 
 have saved him and us a good deal of trouble if we had known 
 that he believes as we do, that old clocks, not in use, do occa- 
 sionally strike, without the unexpected sound being followed by 
 the entrance of the Pale Horse. If Bro. Watson had noticed the 
 striking and the contemporaneous deaths only as curious coinci- 
 dences we would not have troubled him with our criticism. The 
 coincidences concerned us only when the two incidents were pre- 
 sented as related in dependence, and procured by supernatural 
 agency for the purpose of conveying preternatural intelligence. If 
 Bro. Watson did not mean that, there is nothing for us to discuss. 
 Bro. Watson says there was nothing "miraculous" in the affair. 
 So we think. But though not ' miraculous,' he thinks it supernat-
 
 xiv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ural. We confess we do not understand the distinction. The 
 striking was natural, or contrary to the operation of natural laws. 
 The rule of nature was for the clock to be quiet. Bro. Watson 
 thinks that a spirit, independent of the laws of matter, possessed of 
 information beyond the power of human faculties, commissioned by 
 God to minister to a certain person, or persons, did, for moral pur- 
 poses of God, overcome the natural condition of the clock and 
 cause it to strike. If this is not miracle none is recorded. Bro. 
 Watson quotes from ' Watson's Dictionary,' ' A miracle is a work 
 effected in a manner unusual or different from the common and 
 regular methods of Providence, by the interposition of God himself 
 or some intelligent agent superior to man, for the proof or evidence 
 of some particular doctrine, or in attestation of the authority of 
 some particular person.' He then declares, ' I do not believe there 
 was any agency superior to man in his spiritual state engaged in 
 this matter of the clock. What agency was it, then ? No man 
 could know that a death had taken place at the distance in ques- 
 tion. No man could put his finger through the case of the clock, 
 without mechanical injury to it, and touch the hammer, without vi- 
 olating the law that two bodies can not occupy the same space at 
 the same time. No man could be invisible before the eyes of other 
 men. We think the agent, if there was one, was very superior to 
 man in intelligence and powers of penetration into disease and 
 through the clock. But suppose he was inferior, would the strange 
 work be less miraculous ? When Balaam's ass spake he was 
 " inferior to man." The raven that brought Elijah his food was 
 " inferior to man." Were they not miracles that these messengers 
 of God accomplished ?' 
 
 " But it is useless to quibble about words, for Bro. Watson goes 
 on to show plainly his theory of the affair. ' Matter is certainly no 
 obstruction to a ministering spirit giving the result of the disease 
 that is preying upon the vitals of the physical system so that death 
 must soon be necessarily accomplished.' So it was a ' ministering 
 spirit ' that struck the clock a spirit not ' superior to man in his 
 spiritual state ' a spirit immaterial and unaffected by matter. We 
 have heard too much of this language not to understand that Bro. 
 Watson believes the agent to have been the spirit of a dead human 
 being. He has adopted the spiritist assumption, that disembodied 
 spirits are 'superior to man' in knowledge; and that while they 
 can, in a small way, act upon matter, they are not obstructed by it. 
 Bro. Watson accepts the doctrine, that mankind are subject to the 
 operations of spirits, whose communications are not messages from
 
 INTRODUCTION. xv 
 
 God, but only the tender of their superior information. Matter 
 being ' no obstruction ' to them, they see the progress of disease to 
 a fatal issue, and wood or brass being no obstruction, they make a 
 clock strike to give information of what is coming. Now, in all 
 this, there are several tremendous assumptions, of infinite impor- 
 tance in their consequences, and we deny every one of them. It is 
 now for Bro. Watson to prove, or at least to show us, some reason- 
 able probability for believing, 
 
 " 1. That the spirits of the dead have superior information about 
 human affairs, and superior facility in communicating it to persons 
 at a distance. That they have such a knowledge of pathology as 
 to know when diseases are to be fatal. 
 
 " 2. That matter is no obstruction to these spirits. Bro. Watson 
 says it ' certainly ' is not. Upon what grounds is this ' certainty ' 
 built? For ourselves, we confess that we have no knowledge 
 whatever, natural or revealed, that teaches us any such thing. 
 
 " 3. They do ' a thousand things.' or any number of things, as 
 hard as handling the hammer of the old clock, without regard to 
 the ' obstruction ' of its case. We deny it. We know no evidence 
 of it. The Bible gives none. Experience gives none. Bro. Wat- 
 son must give us proof. He says a fly could not get into the clock, 
 but he wants us to believe a ghost did. We can not do it. We 
 know flies, but we do not know ghosts. We do not know that 
 there are any in the world. We think there are not. We consider 
 them very badly fitted to live in it. It is a material world. Body- 
 less human beings are of no use here, and there is no provision for 
 their comfort. If matter does not obstruct them, they can do 
 nothiug with matter. But we should like to know how a touch 
 could press a spring, if matter did not 'obstruct' or resist the 
 finger. We use matter because it resists us. A bird flies, a ship 
 sails, a man walks, because of the resistance of matter. There is 
 no revelation nor reason to sustain such an assumption as the pres- 
 ence and agency of human ghosts acting upon the world outside 
 of the laws of matter. With regard to the motor power of the old 
 clock, if ' no rat, cat, nor fly moved it,' then we suppose it was 
 shaken by a step on some part of the floor, which had peculiar 
 mechanical relations to the spot where the clock stood. If that be 
 not the explanation, we will put the clock story in our heap of 
 things yet to be explained, and let it bide its time. We do not feel 
 justified to raise the dead, and invest them with unintelligible 
 superior-inferiority and material-immateriality only to strike a clock- 
 hummer.
 
 xvi INTRODUCTION. 
 
 " Is Bro. Watson serious in his grave treatment of the fall of Mr. 
 Davis' picture ? Does he really think that some spirit, full of the 
 news of carnal warfare, hurried to Baltimore to announce it to a 
 few ladies, and, after all, could devise no better way to tell it than 
 to go into the garret, and take down a cheap picture, and put it 
 behind the bed, where it was not found until the result of the battle 
 was told in the newspapers ? If Bro. Watson really ' considers this 
 a very significant fact,' we do not wonder that he hears and sees 
 marvelous things ; for he certainly has a remarkable aptitude for 
 seeing ' significance ' where others see nothing remarkable at all. 
 We have no difficulty in accounting for the fall of the photograph. 
 Hundreds probably fall every day. It was not a valuable work of 
 art. It was not secured with particular care. If the nail did not 
 enter a crevice between the bricks, or if it took defective hold of 
 the mortar, the pressure would loosen it after a while, and it is 
 quite possible that the thunder of several hundred heavy cannon, 
 even as far off as Gettysburg, might so agitate the earth, as to cause 
 a tremor in the fourth story of a house, whose walls are not at all 
 thick, sufficient to shake down a loose picture. Sometimes a pict- 
 ure falls because a string wears and breaks. Indeed, we humbly 
 think that the law of gravitation is quite equal to the fall of that 
 photograph, without help from Puck or any imaginary spirit. The 
 reason why the picture hid behind the bed, is not difficult to find. 
 The bed was before it, and even ' the natural man ' can compre- 
 hend why the picture should, therefore, be behind. 
 
 " Bro. Watson asks us several questions that we do not think at 
 all pertinent. He asks whether the Scriptures do not teach the 
 ministration of angels ? Certainly. What then ? Bro. Watson is 
 contending for a class of ministering spirits ' not superior to man in 
 his spiritual state.' He disowns the connection of God or angels 
 with the clock. We are not discussing the general question of min- 
 istering angels, but the special question, whether ' ministering spir- 
 its,' not angels, touched the old clock. Let us keep to the point, or 
 we can settle nothing. Bro. Watson asks if we do not include our 
 Lord among the superstitious of mankind? Certainly not. We 
 have never said that a belief ' in superior power,' nor in the agency 
 of angels, was superstitious ; nor intimated that it was unreasonable 
 for the Incarnate God to communicate with the angels or spirits. 
 Jesus called back the dead. We should think it grossly supersti- 
 tious for Bro. Watson to presume that he could do it. Again, all 
 that Bro. Watson says about angelic administrations is gratuitous 
 and out of place. We must attend to our own affair. We nnist
 
 INTRODUCTION. xvii 
 
 confine ourselves to our own spirits. If Bro. "Watson will give up 
 his familiar ghosts, and say that an angel touched his clock, we will 
 discuss that; but as long as he rejects angelic agency in the matter, 
 we will, with his permission, let the angels alone. With regard to 
 Mr Wesley's opinion about Socrates' demon, we have only to say, 
 that on that subject Mr. Wesley knew no more than the rest of us. 
 We have no hesitation in saying that we do not believe that Socra- 
 tes had any ministering angel to give him notice of coming evil. 
 He had as much evil as other men. He was subjected to all the in- 
 conveniences of opposing popular opinions, and, besides, he suffered 
 grievous things from the tongue and hands of his wife, Xantippe. 
 At last he was poisoned, and died professing his faith in the gods, 
 and asking that a cock should be sacrificed to an idol on his be- 
 half. Neither Mr. Wesley, nor anybody else, has adduced any evi- 
 dence of the supernaturalism of the Socrates demon. We do not 
 think that Socrates believed it himself, or intended others to believe 
 it. It is a long way to go for evidence about the old clock, and the 
 journey is unprofitable. 
 
 " But Bro. Watson is done with the supernaturalism of the clock. 
 He will have it mended and set to its lawful uses. If his opinions 
 be true, it is a pity ; for he is cutting off one of the recognized 
 channels of intercourse with spirits, who, of all created intelligences, 
 seem to have the greatest difficulty in making themselves under- 
 stood. Dumb men make signs that are readily comprehended. The 
 ignorant keeper of an ale-house can keep a score on his door with 
 chalk ; but the spirits knock with wretched, abortive telegraphy 
 upon tables, or crack their tokens with the borrowed tendons of a 
 lying leg, or gibber their senseless message in the incoherent, gram- 
 marless thief-language of a mercenary medium, or, according to 
 Bro. Watson, after having gone a long distance with a message of 
 death, can find no way to tell it but by making a clock strike a wrong 
 hour; which, in fact, is telling nothing at all. Poor, dumb minister- 
 ing spirit this is ! We would rather be ministered to by the post- 
 man or telegraph boy. Yet, as Bro. Watson's clock was one of the 
 few things spirits could play on, 'tis a pity to remove its inward 
 uncleanness, and restore order to its machinery. For it is a curious 
 thing that the spirits are neither visible nor audible, except when 
 something is out of order. To be sure, Bro. Watson says the clock 
 was only ' one of a thousand ways ' in which the spirits manifest 
 their presence. Will he be so good as to name to us some of the 
 remaining nine hundred and ninety-nine ? We know none of them. 
 We have heard of innumerable signs and omens. Bro. Watson
 
 xviii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 laughed at one we told him of, but we know of none more reliable. 
 Which of the signs is true ? "We particularly desire Bro. Watson 
 to tell us. Of a thousand, we ought to know some, 
 " ' Matrons who toss the cup, and see 
 The grounds of fate in grounds of tea' 
 
 have long tradition on their side, and are fortified, no doubt, with 
 ample coincidences. Do the spirits arrange " the grounds of fate ? " 
 Does not Bro. Watson see the danger of such vague and positive 
 statements with regard to a matter of such transcendent impor- 
 tance ? Does he not see the necessity we are under of pressing him 
 to tell us upon what grounds he believes in this facile communica- 
 tion with the spiritual world, and which' of the ' thousand ways' 
 lie advises the readers of his articles to trust in as oracles of fate 
 or warnings of God, or, at least, as evidence ' of the presence of 
 ministering spirits.' 
 
 " We have no objection at all to discuss all the questions Bro. 
 Watson suggests. But we wait now for his reply to our request for 
 the evidence upon which his statements about spirits are based." 
 
 REPLY TO " THE MYSTERY OP THE CLOCK." 
 
 DEAR DR. BOND : I find an editorial of two and a half columns 
 in your paper of the 9th, in reply to what I said respecting the 
 striking of an old clock. I fully agree with you as to the impor- 
 tance of discriminating between credulity, superstition, and faith. 
 " Credulity," Webster says, is " a disposition to believe on slight 
 evidence, or no evidence at all." Superstition has general significa- 
 tions, but that to which you refer I suppose is " the belief of what 
 is absurd, or belief wuthout evidence," " or a belief in the direct 
 agency of superior powers in certain extraordinary or singular 
 events." Faith is the assent of the mind to the truth of a proposi- 
 tion advanced bj r another belief on probable evidence of any 
 kind. Faith depends upon evidence testimony; and according to 
 the character of the testimony will be the strength of our faith. 
 We must not, we can not, ignore human testimony. All the faith 
 we possess depends upon that, except our own experience and con- 
 sciousness of what we have received through our senses. The 
 foundation of our holy Christianity rests, to a veiy great extent, 
 upon human testimony. 
 
 In reply to your inquiry as to what I think of that clock, I will 
 simply state that at first I attached no importance to it. But when 
 it struck four times only (all that was ever heard), and at each of 
 those times a member of my family died, I was compelled to be-
 
 INTEODUCTION. xix 
 
 lieve there was something more than " curious coincidences " con- 
 nected therewith. That there was premonition of an afflictive event 
 is certain; but as to the cause of its thus striking, and the power 
 by which it was done, is the question about which we differ. Let 
 us leave that old clock to do its original work. I am receiving, by 
 letter and verbally, almost every day, as " astonishing coincidences" 
 as its striking under the circumstances. They do not come from 
 the " credulous, superstitious" part of mankind, but from men and 
 women of the very best minds and hearts in the land, embracing 
 ministers of the different churches, physicians of the highest stand- 
 ing, and editors whose testimony could not be questioned. I select 
 from a prominent minister of the M. E. Church, South. He is the 
 father of one of the pastors of the church in this city. 
 
 "FULTON STATION, Ky., July 17, 1871. 
 " OTHER OLD CLOCKS. 
 
 " A child died in a family residing in Benton county, Arkansas. 
 An old clock belonging to the family, which had not been in use 
 for many years, struck one the day before the child died. Several 
 years subsequently the father of the child died, and the old clock, 
 which had not struck since the death of the child, struck one, and 
 no more. In Evansville, Illinois, an old clock, which had long 
 been silent, struck one the day before the deaih of a member of 
 the family owning the clock. Subsequently another member of 
 the family died, and the same old clock struck one and ceased. 
 
 " S. G. PATTERSON, 
 
 " Father of Rev. Win. Patterson, of the Memphis Conference." 
 One more old clock and I pass on. During the war, a Confeder- 
 ate general was at the house of Mr. B., in Aberdeen, Miss. There 
 was quite a number of friends discussing the question of persons 
 returning after death and making themselves known. There was 
 in the room an old clock which had not run or struck for many 
 years. The general told them if he got killed, or died during the 
 war, that if he could, he would come back and make that old clock 
 strike. It was agreed upon, and so understood by all the party. 
 The Confederate general was killed, and soon after the clock 
 struck, while some of the party were in the room, which so alarmed 
 them that they fled in haste out of the room, if not out of the 
 house. I give this upon the highest authority in the Metho ist 
 Episcopal Church, South. 
 
 Now, Doctor, if you feel disposed, turn your batteries on some 
 other old clocks besides mine. Their theory and mine is the same.
 
 xx INTRODUCTION. 
 
 You seem solicitous for my theory, and desirious for me to give 
 to you some of the " many ways spirits minister to us." Well, 
 Doctor, I will be happy to gratify you in this respect. I believe 
 with St. Paul, that there is an "outward man" and an " inward 
 man." The former of the " earth, earthy," the other the intellect- 
 ual, moral, spiritual man, that is not subject to death. I agree 
 with Dr. Adam Clarke, the most learned commentator that ever 
 wrote, when he says : " I believe there is a supernatural and spiritual 
 world in which human spirits live, and have intercourse with this 
 world, and become visible to mortals." I believe that this " spirit- 
 ual world " is to spiritual beings as real and as tangible as the phys- 
 ical world is to our natural bodies ; that this spiritual world sur- 
 rounds the natural world, and, for aught I know, may extend 
 throughout the immensity of space ; that this is the paradise 
 or place of departed spirits, in that intermediate state between death 
 and the resurrection. I agree with Bishop Morris, the senior 
 Bishop of the M. E. Church, when he says : " There is a clear dis- 
 tinction made in the Sacred Scriptures between the intermediate 
 and final state after the general resurrection;" also with one of 
 our Bishops when he says : " No one has yet been saved in heaven ; 
 no one sent to hell. These states and conditions will not be 
 awarded till the judgment, and it will not take place till the resur- 
 rection." And with another one of our Bishops, who says : " We 
 labor not only in the sight of mortals, we labor also in the sight of 
 ctlestial beings. We preach to two congregations at the same 
 moment, one below and the other above us." 
 
 Man's intellectual, moral or spiritual, is a refined substance, a 
 " spiritual body," which constitutes his individuality his personal- 
 ity. The real man never dies. The " outward man " does ; but 
 the " inner man " passes through the veil which divides the natural 
 from the spiritual world, identically the same being he was here. 
 What we call death does not change the moral status of our spirit- 
 ual nature. He now has employment suitable to his spiritual sur- 
 roundings and desires. I believe that every Christian has one or 
 more of these " guardian angels," or " ministering spirits," as St. 
 Paul calls them, who watch over us. The affection they had for 
 loved ones is not broken by death ; they still love us and feel a deep 
 interest in all that pertains to our welfare, and do all they can, con- 
 sistently with our moral agency, to lead us in the paths of virtue, 
 and, ultimately, to the better land. Then we, with the same attrac- 
 tions to loved ones left behind, engage in the same glorious work, 
 and thus develop our capacity to enjoy, by consecrating it all to
 
 INTRODUCTION. xxi 
 
 tfie promotion of the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom.- But 
 I am wandering. 
 
 You say : " It is now for Bro. Watson to prove, or, at least, to 
 give us some reasonable probability for believing: 1st, That the 
 spirits of the dead have superior information about human affairs, 
 and superior faculty in communicating it to persons at a distance." 
 They would certainly be poorly qualified to minister to us if they 
 did not possess those requisites. Mortal vision is, at best, imper- 
 fect. St. Paul says, 1 Cor. xiii. 12 : " For now we see through a 
 glass, darkly ; but then face to face : now I know in part ; but then 
 shall I know even as also I am known." I think the apostle has 
 answered that question satisfactorily to most minds. 
 
 2. " That matter is no obstruction to these spirits. . . . For our- 
 selves, we confess that we have no knowledge whatever, natural or 
 revealed, that teaches us any such thing." 
 
 Does Dr. Bond suppose that the thousands who have died sur- 
 rounded by walls of granite and iron, that they (the walls) were 
 any obstruction to the soul's liberty, after the death of the body ? 
 I will not insult his good sense by even insinuating that he does. 
 
 3. " That they do any number of things as hard as handling the 
 hammer of an old clock. We deny it. We know no evidence of 
 it. The Bible gives none. Experience gives none. Bro. Watson 
 must give us proof." 
 
 To answer the above, I shall be compelled to mention some things 
 that will subject me to the charge of " credulity, superstition," etc. 
 So be it. I am willing to bear it, for 
 
 "Truth, crushed to earth, will rise again; 
 The eterual years of God are her's." 
 
 My maxim is : 
 
 " To seize the truth wherever found, 
 On Christian or on heathen ground." 
 
 I do not propose, however, to go only on " Christian ground" for 
 the purpose of "giving proof" of what I have seen and heard on 
 this subject. I have been the pastor of the different Methodist 
 churches in this city since 1839. In the course of my pastoral 
 visits I have met with a considerable number of persons in the 
 proper exercise of their mental faculties, who have assured me 
 that for weeks before their dissolution, they saw, recognized, and 
 conversed with their friends, who were in the spiritual world. One 
 of these still lingers upon a bed of affliction. They accord with 
 what Dr. Clarke says : "These spirits have intercourse with this 
 world, and become visible to mortals." I select one individual be
 
 xxii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 cause of his high position as the head of the Protestant Episcopal 
 Church in Tennessee. Bishop Otey, years before he died, told 
 me that he had always believed in the doctrine of " ministering 
 spirits," but that he now knew they were around him ; that he 
 conversed with them, etc., etc. His daughter, who had passed away 
 years before, performed on the guitar, or he told me she did, when 
 no one was present in the room but himself; also, upon the harp, 
 playing the favorite tunes she played for him while living. Bro. 
 Tippet, long a member of the North Carolina Conference, was sick 
 a long time in this city. I visited him frequently. He used to tell 
 me that his spirit friends came to see him daily. He saw them, not 
 with the natural, but with the spiritual eye. 
 
 There are a number of gentlemen and ladies in this city now who 
 have told me that they see and converse with their relatives daily. 
 They are not what are called Spiritualists, but they are influential 
 members of the different churches, with as clear heads and as good 
 hearts as others. Not long since, as I was passing along our main 
 thoroughfare to Sabbath school, I stopped to speak with two gentle- 
 men friends. One was telling the other he had a brother who had 
 been dead for four years ; that he saw and conversed with him 
 often, and that he was more company for him than any other of 
 his relatives. Others have said the same. 
 
 I think it likely that the " man's hand " that wrote Belshazzar's 
 doom on the wall, was a fit subject for ridicule by the incredulous 
 of that day. Don't you think, Doctor, that " the man who appear- 
 ed to Mauoah's wife " so frequently, or the " man of Macedonia " 
 who "prayed him [St. Paul], saying, Come over to Macedonia and 
 help us," could have made an old clock strike one ? 
 
 Once more. You say : " If Bro. Watson will give up his familiar 
 ghosts, and say that an angel touched his clock, we will discuss 
 that; but as long as he rejects angelic agency hi the matter, we 
 will, with his permission, let the angels alone." 
 
 I use the term angel as the Scriptures do, as synonymous with 
 man. The term simply means messenger, and is applied to man 
 under eveiy dispensation in the Scriptures. We have not now 
 time to discuss this question. I still maintain that there is nothing 
 miraculous (your opinion to the contrary notwithstanding) in any 
 of the things I have mentioned. They are in perfect accord with 
 the laws of the spiritual world in which they live ; and it is part 
 of their employment and enjoyment thus to " to minister to those 
 who shall be heirs of salvation." 
 
 One word more. You say, " The spirits knock with wretched
 
 INTRODUCTION. xxiii 
 
 telegraphy on tables." Now, Doctor, if you have any design to 
 refer to " modern spiritualism," as it is understood, I respectfully 
 decline any further reply to anything you may say. I never go to 
 such places, have nothing to do with such things, and have not the 
 slightest reference to them in what I have said ; nor do I know 
 that any of the parties I have mentioned do. Our discussion must 
 be, as I said before, from a Bible stand-point, the standard authori- 
 ties of the church, and the testimony of reliable witnesses. 
 
 SAMUEL WATSON. 
 (Editorial from Advocate.) 
 
 THE OLD CLOCK. 
 
 " The reply to us, by Bro. Watson in the Advocate of August 31, 
 reveals a painful if not surprising prevalence in the Church, and 
 among enlightened men, of the opinions which underlie the gross 
 and atheistic spiritism that is working such frightful moral desola- 
 tion in the community. It is easy now to comprehend how the 
 wretched jugglery of the Fox girls, and the wild ravings of inco- 
 herent mediums, have found favor and gathered discipleship, and 
 how Christian faith has been abandoned for a superstition as grov- 
 eling as confidence in an African fetisch. When multitudes are 
 standing upon the slippery edge of a precipice, a touch is sufficient 
 to plunge them to the bottom. Grant only what Bro. Watson has 
 granted, and there is no power in reason to resist the ultimate ca- 
 tastrophe ; and when reason is captive to false principles we know 
 of no means for the saving intervention of grace. 'Faith is reason 
 leaning on God] and God is believed on only in his word. When 
 another revelation is admitted as the ground of faith, inevitably it 
 soon becomes ' another gospel,' or another guide for the soul. 
 
 " The process has been fearfully illustrated in the history of many 
 who began only by admitting the ministry of the spirits of the 
 dead. They necessarily learned to seek from these supposed spirits 
 answers to the many harassing questions that disturb the religious 
 mind. Ghosts became interpreters as well as prophets, and being 
 only the creations of vain imaginations and disordered passions, 
 the religion they taught became the reflection of the condition of 
 mind and heart they represented. 
 
 " Bro. Watson began the controversy with the understanding that 
 it was to be decided by the Word of Gocl. Now he requires that 
 it be decided by the Word of God, the standards of our Church, and 
 the testimony of reliable witnesses. With all respect to Bro. Watson 
 we must insist that in a matter involving questions of fundamental 
 importance in religion, the decision must rest absolutely and ex-
 
 xxiv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 clusively upon the Bible. We will not consent that the opinions 
 of Dr. Clarke, elevated above the grade of individual worth by the 
 designation of ' standard,' shall have any more weight than they 
 are logically entitled to. We take the liberty to dissent from his 
 opinions in more instances than this. Bro. Watson has no right to 
 quote all his opinions as doctrines of the Church. The Church 
 never believed that Eve was tempted by a monkey, as the Doctor 
 did, and has never, that we know of, consented to his doctrine of 
 ministering ghosts. 
 
 " As to ' reliable human testimony,' of course we must rely on it. 
 But we must find it first. The mere fact that a witness is a good 
 man, an intelligent man, an honest man, by no means constitutes 
 him a reliable witness. These qualities convince us only of the 
 man's character, not of the truth of his impressions or conclusions. 
 Among the victims of mesmerism and spiritism are honest and 
 intelligent men, who assert that they see ghosts and receive mes- 
 sages from them, but the messages are contradictory to God's truth, 
 or to the concurrent testimony of the whole sane world. A doctor 
 of divinity, a man of learning, a shrewed man of business, tried to 
 convince us of the truths of mesmerism by assuring us that a Ger- 
 man professor had written him that he had seen a clairvoyant read 
 a letter through a stone wall. He vouched for the honesty and 
 intelligence of his correspondent. The human testimony was all 
 complete, but we did not believe a word of the miracle neverthe- 
 less, because we could not admit that the testimony of one man 
 ought to overthrow the testimony of millions to the fact that 
 human eyes can not see through stone walls, and that human ab- 
 domens can not see at all. To convince us, the Doctor then told 
 us how a negro boy had seen into his (the Doctor's) lungs, and de- 
 scribed the disease there ' exactly as physicians had described it.' 
 We promptly denied the fact, compelled him to go into particulars, 
 and in a short cross-examination drew out the truth that the negro 
 had described nothing as it really was. 
 
 " The testimony offered by Bro. Watson concerning ' the old clock' 
 is utterly worthless, because the witnesses are known only to ba 
 Tionest, which is not the question. We must know more. Once, a 
 gentleman in our parlor told us some extraordinary stories of super- 
 natural occurrences to himself. Of course we listened in silence. 
 When he had left, we remarked that the poor gentleman was in- 
 sane. The remark startled the hearer, but in a few months the 
 painful truth was revealed. When Bro. Watson published his first 
 letter we said that we must know the condition of his mind, his
 
 INTRODUCTION. xxv 
 
 disposition to the supernatural, before we could weigh his testi- 
 mony. Since his declaration of opinions nobody can be surprised 
 about his clock story. He' believes in it, and he believes in spec- 
 tral arms, and even in the ghosts of guitars and harps retaining the 
 power of musical vibrations as when their tangible strings struck the 
 resisting air. A man who can believe not only that the spirits of 
 dead men can play the guitar for living ears, but that the spirits of 
 guitars and harps can be played upon with material effect, can 
 hear clocks strike whenever he is in the humor. 
 
 " That Bishop Otey was deranged before he died is certain, un- 
 less, which we have no reason to suspect, he eat opium, which many 
 ' seers ' undoubtedly do. The spirits seen by the sick and dying 
 are certainly not admissible testimony. They are very common 
 illusions, sometimes agreeable and sometimes the reverse. The 
 subject of these hallucinations is well understood. The medical 
 books are rich in the record of them. We knew an excellent 
 Methodist preacher who saw horns like those of an ox on his own 
 head otherwise he was sane. Once he went to preach from our 
 own door, and got into the carriage with great difficulty, putting 
 down his head sideways and getting his horns through the door as 
 an ox works his way into a stable. Yet he preached ably. Had 
 he seen ' his daughter's ghost ' instead of the horns, his testimony 
 would have been as reliable in the one case as in the other. 
 
 "But it is idle to follow Bro. Watson through these stories. 
 Mere assertion proves nothing. Good character proves nothing but 
 honesty in making the assertion. Spectral appearances are common 
 phenomena of disordered senses. Swedenborgianism and spirit- 
 ism are prevalent opinions secretly disordering the minds of thou- 
 sands. Under these circumstances, mere ghost stories are of no 
 value. But Bro. Watson has opened to us his doctrine of the spirit 
 world, and we say, unhesitatingly, that it is unscriptural and dan- 
 gerous in the extreme. Neither Bro. Watson, nor Dr. Clarke, nor 
 any bishop, has a right to say that the spirits of the dead live 
 about us, and commune with us, and minister to us. If they do, 
 the Chinese are reasonable in praying to them; for no human being 
 can talk to such spirits without telling his wants and wishes, and 
 asking assistance, which is prayer. Doing this, as he inevitably 
 must, he will rely upon their supposed communications. Believing 
 in phantoms, he will follow fantasys. The Bible nowhere author- 
 izes such belief. It leaves the state of the dead in profound mys- 
 tery, giving consoling assurance of their rest. That they are angels 
 or messengers, is nowhere revealed to us. 
 
 2
 
 iNTKODUCTIOlSr. 
 
 " As to ' the man who appeared to Manoah's wife,' or ' the man 
 who appeared to Paul,' the question whether they could make 
 an old clock strike,' is altogether irrelevant. We do not know 
 whether they could or not ; the question is, whether they ever did. But 
 we deny these were human ghosts. We have no authority to be- 
 lieve that they were. What have they to do with our matter ? 
 
 " In conclusion, Bro. Watson earnestly denies connection with 
 ' modern spiritualism, as it is understood.' Certainly ; but he is very 
 closely connected with it as it is not understood. The basis of it 
 all is just such loose assumptions and ready confidence as Bro 
 Watson avows. The ultimate result that he abhors is only the ex 
 treme but logical conclusions to which many as good as he have 
 been conducted. Bro. Watson may have strength to stand where 
 he is ; but there are many for whom he writes who have not 
 his power of resistance. Many, once convinced of the supernatural 
 powers of old clocks and musical instruments, finding these ' phe- 
 nomena' accredited by Dr. Watson, will give themselves up to 
 the faith in the charlatans and idiots who make a trade of divina- 
 tion ; for, to be plain with Bro. Watson, his 'old clock' is just 
 an instrument of the divination which God has always forbidden 
 and denounced." 
 
 On the receipt of this last, editorial, I wrote my reply and for- 
 warded it forthwith to the St. Louis Christian Advocate. It never 
 appeared. After several weeks, the following editorial was pub- 
 lished : 
 
 "THE MARVELOUS. 
 
 " The ' clock that struck one ' was a curious story. It has been 
 the occasion of entertaining, and, we hope, profitable disquisition 
 upon the subject to which it relates. Dr. Watson's defence of his 
 theoiy has been skillful, and has been persisted in, notwithstand- 
 ing Dr. Bond's elaborate and searching criticism. We now inform 
 the disputants that the controversy has brought to this office stories 
 of the marvelous, enough to make a book. They have observed, 
 also, that the attention of our correspondents have been arrested, 
 and comments provoked. Even from across the water from the 
 old country ' Clericus ' sends his experience and observations. 
 This may be accepted as the conclusion of the whole matter, for 
 the present." 
 
 This was, evidently, written by Rev. Thos. J. Finney, resident 
 editor of the paper. He might have continued that " Clericus," his 
 foreign correspondent referred to, made another " observation " re- 
 specting the discussion. He said that Dr. Bond could not dispose
 
 INTRODUCTION. xxvii 
 
 of it by writing as he had done. That he must meet it by argu- 
 ment, not by ridicule. 
 
 I regret the refusal to publish my reply. I think, under the rules 
 of controversj r , I had a right to claim it. If it had been done, this 
 book would never have been published. 
 
 I had a right to expect it, from the following letter written by 
 Dr. Bond to me, bearing date, Baltimore, July 22d, 1870 : 
 
 "DEAR BRO. I have just received your letter, and slip in- 
 closed. As I am about going to the mountains for a week, this will 
 prevent my replying immediately. Of course, I will publish your 
 letter, and reply to it, though it opens a wide field for us both. I 
 think, with you, that it is of immense importance to settle, as far as 
 we can, the boundary between faith and superstition. Let us, then, 
 discuss it fully, deliberately, and thoroughly. I see that you are the 
 kind of disputant one may safely, usefully, ana agreeably encounter. 
 You, like myself, evidently care for truth, not ., victory. Boletus 
 go at it. But you must wait until I get b^c^^h^y^ a, communi- 
 cation from Virginia defending you. 
 
 " Yours, truly, . . ^o^'^p" 
 
 I will here give the article which was : jiefus^d, l |tb^ l t / ^ I Eg%y see 
 the end from the beginning, so far as Dj^Jj^ond ,f D.$ ffltff^C 3^6 
 concerned: ,jj Vf . s ^ lfu -. ^oi^arrtiw 
 
 DR. BOND Dear Sir : Your editorial of the 80tit;&asrrba4nlio? 
 ceivecl, and read with surprise as well as interest. AJiflusdl I 'thongtoA 
 my self-respect would not permit me to reply to it ; as I [had sti< 
 tinctly stated to you in my last, that "if you have any'clesigjrutd 
 refer to modern spiritualism, as it is understood, I respeetfnlly 
 decline any further reply to anything you may say." niiiJ od - 
 
 In your first paragraph you speak of " atheistic spiritismn"; and 
 the wretched "jugglery of the Fox girls." The casual rearief /might 
 suppose that was the subject matter of our controversy. il-lToli-itdit 
 the largest of all our Church papers, and if you are disposed ^Oi write 
 against such things have all the space you desire for thatpor any 
 other purpose. I certainly can never be drawn into a-itefence of 
 anything of that k nd, with you or any other person; You 
 endeavor to identfy me with these, and try to hold me responsible 
 for the consequences. 
 
 I will ask you Dr., is that fair ? Is it in accordance with one of 
 the plainest rules of controversy? (See rule 6th, page 161 of 
 Hedges' Logic). " The consequences of any doctrine are not to be 
 charged on him who maintains it, unless he expressly avows them,
 
 xxviii LNTKODUCTIOIT. 
 
 If an absurd consequence be fairly deducible from any doctrine, it 
 is rightly concluded that the doctrine itself is false ; but it is not 
 rightly concluded that he who advances it supports the absurd 
 consequence." 
 
 Is it right then, while I am defending a Bible doctrine, believed 
 in and advocated by Mr. Wesley, Dr. Clarke, Richard Watson, and 
 all the writers of any note in the early history of Methodism, that 
 I should be suspected of " atheistic spiritism," and the consequences, 
 Avhile I deny the premise, as well as the conclusion ? Enough on 
 the preliminary. 
 
 In your article of August 9th, you say "3d. That they do a 
 thousand things ! or any number of things as hard as the handling 
 of the old clock, without regard to the obstruction of its case. We 
 deny it. We know no evidence of it. The Bible gives none. Bro. 
 Watson must give us proof." You close that editorial by saying : 
 " We must wait for his reply to our request for the evidence upon 
 which his statements about spirits are based." You demanded, 
 and I felt in honor bound to give the " proof." I first gave it from 
 the Bible. Then the opinion of our most learned commentator 
 upon it ; then the opinion of Bishops of both branches of the 
 Church to which we belong ; then of an Episcopal Bishop ; lastly, 
 one of your own profession. You repudiate them sill as unreliable 
 witnesses, and say that " Bishop Otey was deranged." I knew him 
 well from 1838 to the time of his death, living in the same city 
 most of the time. I visited him in his last illness, but never be- 
 fore heard any one hint such a thing in regard to him. The time 
 has passed Dr. for such an argument as that. 
 
 It is said there is a peculiar state of mind that some people have 
 who think others are deranged. If I were to find myself entertain- 
 ing that opinion of others, I should certainly try to analyze my 
 own mind to see if I were capable of forming a correct judgment of 
 their intellectual status. I merely quoted Dr. Clarke, because of his 
 capacity to understand the true meaning of the Scriptures equal to 
 any one who has ever written relative to them in our Church. If 
 he ever used the term " ministering ghosts " I never saw it, but he 
 does use the term, St. Paul does, of " ministering spirits." As to 
 your " Mesmerism and Clairvoyance," I know nothing, but would 
 be pleased to have you take them off, as I know you can, in a sepa- 
 rate article. But Dr., you must excuse me, I can neither be driven 
 nor persuaded to follow you in your crusade against them. 
 Neither can I stop to look at your " Methodist preacher who saw 
 horns like an ox on his own head."
 
 INTRODUCTION. xxix 
 
 " It is idle to follow through these stories," say you. I gave 
 you facts from as reliable witnesses as, perhaps, could be found. 
 Testimony, upon which any court of justice would inflict capital 
 punishment. But you say " mere assertion proves nothing." Will 
 you be kind enough to tell me what will prove something ? Does 
 not the Bible itself rest upon testimony? "Were those who lived 
 hundreds and thousands of years ago more capable of bearing 
 truthful testimony than men, occupying as sacred a position as 
 they did, in this age of the world, especially when their testimony 
 is in accordance with the declarations made by them, of what they 
 heard and saw for themselves ? Can you question that Peter and 
 James and John were present when " Moses and Elias " appeared 
 to and conversed with Jesus ? " When the disciples heard it they' 
 fell on their face and were sore afraid." 
 
 I think it very likely that the Saducees all said, " That's only a 
 ghost story." " Spectral appearances are common phenomena of 
 disorded senses," as you declare in your last. 
 
 I have several times tried to get you to let our" old clock" ques- 
 tion pass, but have failed to turn your attention to other " old 
 clocks" which have been guilty of the same thing. You pass in 
 silence over them, though the facts, testified to by the highest 
 authority known in our Church, are substantially the same. 
 
 You say " For the old clock is just an instrument of the divina- 
 tion which God has always forbidden and denounced." Now, Dr., 
 this is a very grave charge which I think has not the slightest 
 foundation in truth. It is very certain that no member of my 
 family had any agency in its striking, either of the times it struck, 
 previous to the death of one of them each time ; nor did I ever 
 hear that any such thing had ever occurred under such circum- 
 stances. I think you must be hard pressed to make such an asser- 
 tion. A few days since while I was absent in Kentucky, a gentle- 
 man of this city, whom I have known for more than thirty years, 
 who has always entertained your opinion of these things, told me 
 that he had an old clock that had not run or struck for years. It 
 struck one, last week. His beloved wife died suddenly soon after- 
 ward. She was well at the time the clock struck once only. 
 Must that deeply afflicted man whose heart is bleeding at every 
 pore, and whose bitter tears of grief are flowing, be told that " his 
 old clock " is just an instrument of divination which God has 
 always forbidden and denounced ? No, Dr. ! such arguments will 
 never make converts to your cause, in this age, nor check that 
 spirit of investigation which is characteristic of the times in which
 
 xxx INTRODUCTION. 
 
 we live. I would like to say more, but I fear your St. Louis editor 
 might curtail me. 
 
 You say " Neither Bro. "Watson nor Dr. Clarke nor any Bishop 
 has a right to say that the spirits of the dead live about us and 
 commune with us and minister to us. The Bible nowhere author- 
 izes such belief." Now, Doctor, if you are disposed to discuss that 
 question, and take the Bible as the only authority, I should be pleased 
 to do so, and will take your own language which I have quoted for 
 the question to be discussed. I will affirm and you deny, each 
 having something like the same amount of space in your paper. 
 It must be distinctly understood that we will ignore every other 
 authority but the Bible, and confine ourselves strictly to the ques- 
 tion as above stated. If you accept this proposition let me know 
 at your earliest convenience. I am yours, very truly, 
 
 MEMPHIS, Sept. 22. 1871. SAMUEL WATSON. 
 
 About the first of March, Dr. Bond published the following 
 Editorial : 
 
 " The teraphim, whatever their form, were used for divination- 
 They were not meant to be idolatrous, but to satisfy the craving for 
 supernatural information that God has refused to satisfy. This 
 clinging to magic seems almost incurable ; yet it is not only idle, but 
 positively wicked, and hateful to God. It is painful to confess that, 
 even in our days, people are found to wear amulets and charms, 
 blessed by the clergy or manufactured by nuns, in which they trust 
 implicitly for protection. Even Protestants seek communication 
 with the ghosts of the dead, and imagine Information of future 
 events in the sounds of old clocks and other magical phenomena. 
 So Micah had his teraphim, and yet worshiped Jehovah, as Laban 
 and Rachel did." 
 
 TO THE PUBLIC. 
 
 When I saw the above I determined upon the course I have adopt 
 ed. No one who has read our articles can doubt as to what he refers 
 about " old clocks." I have embodied what I believed to be the 
 truth which will ultimately prevail over error and prejudice. I can 
 have no private or selfish purpose to subserve in thus subjecting 
 myself to the ridicule of many with whom I have been so intimate- 
 ly associated. I have passed that period in life when ambition 
 would prompt me to that kind of notoriety which will lead some 
 to think of me as Dr. Bond has expressed himself. Having been 
 cradled in the Methodist Church, and devoted over thirty-five years 
 to the active work of the ministry, I have found much to strengthen
 
 INTRODUCTION. xxxi 
 
 my belief in her doctrines, as I understand them, from the Bible and 
 her standard authorities. Having been refused a hearing through 
 her organs I have been driven to the present plan of vindicating 
 myself before an enlightened public. My self-respect as well as a 
 sincere conviction of duty impels me to this course. I can not 
 avoid it and satisfy my conscience as an honest man. I claim 
 nothing for myself that I do not concede to all others, the right 
 to think, speak, and write independantly, if not through one, some 
 other channel than a Methodist " Christian Advocate." I do not 
 claim the authorship of the contents of this volume, or indorse all 
 that I have copied from various sources. Truth and error are 
 mixed in this state of being. Every one must use the ability God 
 has given him to separate the one from the other. The time ia 
 coming when truth will triumph and all error be banished from 
 our mental and moral vision. I trust I have not been prompted by 
 any motive that will not bear the scrutiny of the omniscient God. 
 Praying His blessings upon what may be in accordance with his 
 will, and that all may be sanctified to the good of our common 
 brotherhood, I am, truly yours, 
 
 SAMUEL WATSON.
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAGB 
 
 Man and His Relations 35 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Intel-mediate State ; Place of the Departed ; Bible Proofs ; 
 Samuel and Saul ; Witness of Resurrection ; Conclusive Evi- 
 dence ; Spirits' Departure ; Spiritual Body ; Ascension of 
 Christ ; Success of the Gospel ; Delight of Spirits 42 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Testimony of the Christian Fathers. Of Plato, Socrates, Py- 
 thagoras, Homer, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Teftullian, Clement, 
 Origen, Cyprian, Constantino ; Greek Church, Roman Catho- 
 lic ; Melanchthon, Tillotson, Beveridge, Baxter, Dr. Hawks . 59 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Testimony of Methodists: Mr. Wesley, Dr. Adam Clarke, 
 Richard Watson, Dr. Wilber Fisk ; B'ishop McKendree and 
 other Bishops 65 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Testimony of others : 8. W. Presbyterian, Dr. Barnes, Rev. H. 
 W. Beeiher, Longfellow, Channing Necessity for Some- 
 thing ; Spirit Communion Meets that Need 73 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 First Investigations ; Personal Experience ; Communications 
 to Advocate in 1855 : Organization of Circle ; Spirit Writing;' 
 Slander Refuted ; Christ's Character 79 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 God and Heaven; Celestial City; Providence; Intermediate 
 State ; Spirit Communion ; Angels are Men 92
 
 xxxiv TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The Spiritual World ; Universal Law ; Progression ; Belief, not 
 Universal ; None have Gone to Heaven ; Dr. Winans ; Men- 
 tal Telegraph 102 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Knowledge of Spirits; Mystery's Opinion, Bacon's; Judge 
 Edmund's Letter ; Different Languages ; Confession ; Search- 
 ing Investigation ; Children ; Mothers ; Philosophy of Future 
 State . 114 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 " Outer Darkness " Trance, Nature of; Evil Spirits ; Suicide ; 
 Thomas Lay ; Persons Seen After Death .' 133 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Spiritual Manifestations ; Bible Proof ; Law; Coming Events ; 
 Soul's Departure ; Advice ; Last Meeting of Circle ; Bright 
 Prospect 133 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Further Investigations ; Communications from Mother, Mys- 
 tery, Father, Andrews ; Spirits Seen ; Cases ; Episcopal 
 Clergyman 149 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The Philosophy and Reliability of these Manifestations ; Let- 
 ters ; What Shall We Do? Hon. Robert Dale Owen ; Moral 
 Gravitation ; Triumphs of Christianity 162 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Communications received through Dr. J. V. Mansfield From 
 my father ; Rev. J. D. Andrews, and Charles Scott. Second 
 Interview From my Wife ; Wm. K. Poston, and Mrs. Lucy 
 Leonora Winchester. Third Interview Mollie, Bettie, Allen, 
 Rev. John Newland Maffltt, Bishop Soule, Gen. Rivers, Rev. 
 J. Frazer, Rev. Moses Brock, Susannah Watson. Fourth In- 
 terview Dr. Gilbert, Dr. Seat, Bishop Otey, and Dr. How- 
 cott, My Sister Mary, Brothers Wm. H. and John A., Mrs. 
 Mary A. Tate, Wm. K. Poston, Bettie, Dr. Stephen Olin, 
 Rev. Mr. Hyer, and Rev. Daniel Jones ; Manner of Writing ; 
 Judge Edmund's Letter. Fifth Interview Mollie, Wm. K. 
 Poston, Q. C. Atkinson, Dr. Parsons. Last Interview Mol- 
 lie, Wm. K. Poston, Allen Dupree, Levin Watson, Dr. Par- 
 sons 181
 
 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 MAN AND HIS RELATIONS. 
 
 IN Dr. Bond's last reply, to which he refuses me an an- 
 swer, he distinctly says : 
 
 "Neither Bro. Watson, nor Dr. Clarke, nor any bishop, 
 has a right to say that the spirits of the dead live about 
 us, and commune with, and minister to us. The Bible no- 
 where authorizes such belief." 
 
 In reply to this, I say : " Now, Doctor, if you are dis- 
 posed to discuss that question, and take the Bible as the 
 only authority, I should be pleased to do so ; and I will 
 take your own language, which I have quoted, for the 
 question to be discussed. I will affirm, and you deny." 
 For reasons no doubt satisfactory to themselves, the edi- 
 tors declined the discussion, or even to give my article an 
 insertion in their paper. 
 
 I now propose to show that the Bible does warrant such 
 belief, and that it has been the doctrine of the Churches 
 from the apostles' time. 
 
 Before entering upon the subject, let us take a view of 
 man and his relations to this as well as the other life. Says 
 one : " The proper study of mankind is man." What is 
 his origin, his nature, and ultimate destiny f are questions
 
 36 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 of the deepest interest to all who think properly of them- 
 selves. 
 
 In order properly to understand our subject, we should 
 analyze ourselves as far as we may be able. The Psalmist 
 says, " I am fearfully and wonderfully made." That we 
 have a high and holy calling, and a glorious destiny that 
 awaits us, no one can question who has read in the Bible 
 of man's creation, redemption, and ultimate glorification. 
 
 What does the Bible teach relative to this masterpiece 
 of God's creation ? A council is held by the Trinity be- 
 fore he is brought upon the stage of action. Gen. i. 26, 
 27 :" And God said, Let us make man in our image, after 
 our likeness. So God created man in his own image," and 
 " breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man be- 
 came a living soul." 
 
 Here we see his compound being composed of the ani- 
 mal, which is of the earth, and his soul, or spiritual nature, 
 which God breathed into him. His material nature con- 
 nects him with earth, and causes him to live in the sphere 
 of effects. His spiritual nature connects him with, and 
 causes him to live in, the sphere of causation. Man's 
 physical nature or constitution is peculiarly fitted for this 
 world. It could perform its oflice in no other. It is but 
 the outer garment of the soul a physical building for the 
 mind while inhabiting this world, with its five windows 
 looking out upon the world of effects. 
 
 Man's spiritual nature is exclusively his own. This 
 spiritual nature has its peculiar constitution, which calls 
 for things necessary for its spiritual health and develop- 
 ment. It is a refined substance, as real and as tangible to 
 the spiritual world as the body is to the natural world. 
 This is what constitutes our individuality, and forms the 
 statue of the man. This inner man, as St. Paul calls it, is 
 to live on ever. In a qualified sense he is divine " a son, 
 an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ." There is
 
 MAN'S DIGNITY AND SKEPTICISM. 37 
 
 a moral dignity which the Bible stamps upon man that 
 does not pertain to any other created intelligence. The 
 redeemed, purified soul sustains a relation to the Divine 
 Trinity unknown to the angels. He can commune with 
 God, and have his " conversation in heaven." 
 
 Man in his fallen state is a creature of prejudice. His 
 religious prejudices are, perhaps, his strongest. I know 
 the difficulty of overcoming our religious opinions re- 
 ceived in childhood. The impression made upon the young 
 heai-t is the most permanent. We have been educated to 
 think it was impossible for us to know anything respecting 
 the mode of existence or action of those who have passed 
 away from our sight. Our spiritual teachers have led 
 us to believe that the spirit was immaterial, and that is 
 nearly all they can tell us about it. Spiritual existence 
 and nonentity have been to the minds of many synony- 
 mous terms. 
 
 Although men in all ages of the world have hoped for 
 immortality, comparatively few have had such evidence as 
 was entirely satisfactory to themselves of this important 
 truth. The authority of past ages did not give that inte- 
 rior satisfaction which the earnestness and quiet of the soul 
 require. This demand for more palpable evidence is not 
 confined to the professedly skeptical. It is felt by many 
 in the religious world. It may resolve to be satisfied. It 
 may refuse to listen to the troublesome doubts which arise 
 within. It may say with trembling, " Lord, I believe," 
 but in its secret soul it will exclaim, " Help thou mine 
 unbelief." That such demand for evidence exists will be 
 admitted by a large proportion of professed believers in 
 immortality. The spiritual aspirations of the soul are for 
 immortality eternal life. This is a demand of its nature, 
 and a strong argument for its never-dying principle. 
 
 The spirit of the age demands the utmost freedom of 
 thought and investigation in regard to those things which
 
 38 THE CLOCK STEUCK ONE. 
 
 pertain to man's spiritual interests. The sovereignty and 
 the equality of the individual are being universally recog- 
 nized in civil matters, and the mass of mankind who are 
 capable of thinking are disposed to comply with one pre- 
 cept, to " CALL NO MAN MASTER " in things pertaining to 
 our spiritual interest and of so much moment. Authority, 
 as a substitute for truth and right, must disappear, and 
 everything based upon human authority alone must pass 
 away. The Bible alone is our authority upon every sub- 
 ject of a spiritual nature. To its teaching we submit, and 
 will follow wherever it may lead in the investigations we 
 make on this occasion. Philosophy may teach us that we 
 can not behold spiritual beings with the natural organs of 
 sight. The Bible, as we shall show before we close, flatly 
 contradicts this assumption of man, and demonstrates, 
 under every dispensation, facts which come in direct con- 
 flict with this theory. Which must we believe ? 
 
 Who are the angels f While we admit there is another 
 form of being from the redeemed mortal who shouted for 
 joy at the creation, yet we shall attempt to prove that 
 many of the angels spoken of in the Scriptures were nothing 
 more nor less than men. Here we have the position clearly 
 stated. If it be not true that good men become angels, 
 after they leave the body, the scores of times they are 
 spoken of as such in the Bible is calculated to make an er- 
 roneous impression upon the minds of honest inquirers after 
 truth. It would be clearly very improper and absurd to 
 apply the term man, or men, to those messengers, and yet 
 nothing is more common all through the Old and New 
 Testaments. The name angel has respect to their office as 
 messengers, and not to their character as beings. What- 
 ever may be the character of the being, if he is acting as a 
 messenger or minister, he assumes the office, and may be des- 
 ignated by the term angel. Hence, we have the expression 
 angels of God ; also the devil and his angels, angels of the
 
 AlSTGELS ARE ME1ST. 39 
 
 churches, etc. The name angel does not express the char- 
 acter of the being. It indicates nothing respecting the 
 nature or origin of angelic beings, except, perhaps, as usu- 
 ally indicating spiritual beings rather than material indi- 
 vidualities. The name is sometimes applied to them, as in 
 Revelation it speaks of the angels of the churches in Asia. 
 Again, so far as I have any information or knowledge on 
 the subject, everything indicates that the angels or spirit- 
 ual messengers are disembodied human spirits. They have 
 thoughts and affections like men. They are spiritually re- 
 ceptive and impartive like men. They converse like hu- 
 man beings, in form, feature, and expression. They are, 
 in nothing hitherto perceived, to be distinguished from 
 human beings. 
 
 So far as authority may be consulted to establish facts, 
 the same beings are also called men in the Old and New- 
 Testaments. There is no known or apparent occasion for 
 angels being other and different beings from the spirits of 
 men deceased. If human beings have spiritual faculties to 
 be addressed, those possessing like faculties can address 
 them. 
 
 Again, there is manifest propriety in considering the 
 spirits of human beings angels, both guardian and minis- 
 terial. From their very nature and constitution, they are 
 best adapted to the work of guardianship and ministration, 
 and the work is best adapted to their growth and develop- 
 ment. Work employment is heaven's great law of 
 growth, whether in the works of nature as we behold 
 them in man's natural being, his mental natiire, or his 
 spiritual development here, and when he passes into the 
 spiritual world of which this is a type. The kingdom of 
 grace and the kingdom of glory are but one, differing in 
 degree, and the great principle of action is, we think, nec- 
 essary for development. Man, in the individualization of 
 his spirit, joins upon the divine, and includes within him-
 
 40 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 self the last of finite individuality. His moral dignity will 
 never be known fully until the eternal world shall reveal 
 it to all when the divine image shall be stamped again 
 upon his redeemed and glorified nature. 
 
 The question is, whether spirits of departed human 
 beings have ever been in communication with men on 
 earth. The belief that the spirits of human beings who 
 have left their earthly forms have been in communication 
 with men in the earthly form, is as universal as faith in the 
 immortality of the soul. All the ancient doctrines of nec- 
 romancy and divination attest such an opinion ; and these 
 doctrines, in one form or other, have been received and 
 taught as verities among all nations recognizing the real- 
 ity of a future life. Jews and Christians, in their sacred 
 Scriptures, have published such communications to the 
 world as facts not to be questioned. The fact of com- 
 munication between spiritual beings and minds in the 
 body is fundamental to all systems of religious faith. 
 Take away from the Scriptures all the accounts of spirit- 
 ual manifestations through the insti-umentality of spiritual 
 or angelic beings, and the faith of the world in the Bible, 
 as a book of spiritual manifestations, is at an end. Those 
 who deny the actuality or possibility of spiritual manifes- 
 tations through the agency of angelic or spiritual beings, 
 have, as we conceive, misunderstood the plainest teachings 
 of that blessed book. They say, the angels are another 
 and different class of beings from those who once lived 
 here, and inhabited the human form. To this I can not 
 agree, for many strong and substantial reasons, a few of 
 which I propose to notice. 
 
 Angelic beings, mentioned under every dispensation, 
 appear in human form, speaking the human language, 
 exercising the faculties of the human mind, both in respect 
 to thought, feeling, and sentiment. They seem to possess 
 no character which does not belong to the human spirit.
 
 A SON OF GOD. 41 
 
 They nowhere claim any different origin, and, so far as 
 the harmony and uniformity of the divine government is 
 concerned, it is impossible to conceive of any other method 
 of creating or forming finite human intelligences than that 
 which is involved in the formation of the human spirit. 
 That angels, as individual messengers for good or for evil, 
 are finite beings, no one will deny ; that so far as they 
 have revealed themselves, or have been revealed, to the 
 world, they are such as human spirits are capable of be- 
 coming, is most evident. It is a permanent, living truth. 
 Hence, to infer that angelic beings are other than the 
 spirits of those who once inhabited the human form is as 
 unphilosophical as it is unscriptural, as we expect to prove 
 to a moral demonstration. That the human spirit has 
 the capacity of the angels will hardly be denied by any 
 who have studied man's origin, history, and destiny, as 
 revealed in the Bible man, as the son and child of the 
 Infinite. He is begotten in the highest possible image. 
 He is capable of coming into the highest communion 
 communion with God, his Father. Angels are the un- 
 folding human spirits those Avho have, under the divine 
 government, gone before us, individualizing in their exist- 
 ence and perfecting their characters. They are those who 
 commenced earlier than ourselves studying the character 
 and work of their Father in heaven. They have laid aside 
 their material body and have put on their spiritual body, 
 or inner man, as St. Paul calls it. In that body they 
 visit the abodes of men on earth, where they once lived 
 and labored, as we are doing. There is as real and as 
 tangible a world around us to spiritual beings as the 
 material world is to natural beings. Matter is no ob- 
 struction to spirit ; like its type, electricity, it penetrates 
 and permeates perhaps throughout the physical universe. 
 The empty space, as it is sometimes called, has countless 
 myriads of living, spiritual beings, some of whom have
 
 42 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 manifested themselves to men in olden times, as we shall 
 show from the Bible account given us. 
 
 For these and many other reasons, I affirm that the 
 angels are the spirits of departed human beings ; that it 
 is part of their mission as angels to assist by instruction 
 and other means the unfolding and perfecting of those 
 who need their assistance ; and this is a work of love they 
 are performing, and that which is most needed for their 
 own development. Whenever God has more use for 
 his creatures in the spiritual than he has in the natiiral 
 world, then they lay aside their natural body, out of which 
 comes their spiritual body adapted to the world into 
 which it enters. It is still engaged in carrying out the 
 plans of the divine government in a new sphere, and with 
 greatly increased facilities for doing the will of God in 
 paradise as they have done in this infant, chrysalis state 
 of being. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE INTERMEDIATE STATE. 
 
 THE Bible, as I understand it, teaches that mankind, 
 when they put off the clay tenement, go to what may 
 be called the intermediate state, or paradise. They do 
 not enter into their final abiding place, but wait, so to 
 speak, till the affairs of this present state of existence 
 shall have been consummated. If I recognized human 
 opinions or authority, I could quote the highest of human 
 authority, and say there is nothing in the Bible to war- 
 rant such belief. Says one of them :* " It is indeed very 
 generally supposed that the souls of good men, as soon 
 
 * Rev. John Wesley.
 
 PLACES OF THE DEPAKTED. 43 
 
 as they are discharged from the body, go directly to 
 heaven ; but this opinion has not the least foundation in 
 the oracles of God." Another, occupying the highest 
 position known in a Protestant Church, says : " No one 
 has ever yet been saved in heaven ; no one sent to hell." 
 Our Saviour said to the penitent thief on the cross : " This 
 day shalt thou be with me in paradise." After his resur- 
 rection, he said to Mary : " I have not yet ascended to my 
 Father and your Father." This state may be surrounded 
 by several localities, known 
 
 First. In the Scriptures as " outer darkness." Hence 
 the influence prevailing here is called the " prince of the 
 power of the air." 
 
 Second. A place known as one of happiness and delight, 
 called paradise, where the good, the pure, and the true are 
 found in their appropriate place, and become guardian 
 angels " ministering spirits sent forth to minister for 
 them who shall be heirs of salvation." (Heb. i. 14.) 
 
 Third. A place wherein is found that high and exalted 
 condition of spirit, that can perceive and realize the di- 
 vine presence, not in manifestation only, but in being 
 where are those who have been born of the Spirit, baptized 
 by the Holy Ghost into Christ, and have put on Christ 
 a place and condition called the " Third heaven" 
 
 While in this present state of probation, we are fitting 
 ourselves for the one or the other of these places. We 
 may become allied to angels of the third heaven, or we 
 may debase our natures to the low and degraded condi- 
 tion of " outer darkness," where there is weeping and 
 wailing. 
 
 It is a beautiful, glorious truth that, under the divine 
 government, to each man is committed the keys of the 
 kingdom of heaven. By his own state and condition he 
 can determine his own associations, and their influence, 
 both here and hereafter. He makes his own place, and
 
 44 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 by the great universal law of affinity he is attracted to it. 
 It is a fundamental principle that man is a spirit as well 
 as an animal his material nature mortal, his spiritual 
 nature immortal. In speaking of his spiritual body, we do 
 so in reference to his real life and existence, which is far 
 above the plane of his material existence. His intellectual 
 and moral or spiritual nature constitutes his individuality 
 his personality. The real man never dies. The chrysalis 
 breaks, and the inner man passes through the veil into the 
 spirit world identically the same he is here, with employ- 
 ment suited to his surroundings and desires. 
 
 BIBLE PROOFS. 
 
 I come now directly to notice some of the places where 
 men have been seen and conversed with persons who 
 we belive were men who have lived here and passed away. 
 We will cite only a few, under the patriarchal dispensa- 
 tion, in the times of the Judges and Kings, and the Pro- 
 phetic dispensation, leaving the Christian dispensation for 
 the conclusion. 
 
 Gen. xviii. 2 : Lo, three men stood by him. Abraham 
 ran to meet them, got water, and washed their feet. He 
 then ran into the herd, fetched a calf, tender and good, 
 gave it to a young man, and he hastened to dress it. He 
 told his wife to make ready quickly three measures of fine 
 meal, and make cakes upon the hearth. And he took 
 butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and 
 set it before them ; and he stood by them under the tree, 
 and they did eat. The men rose up from thence and 
 looked toward Sodom ; and Abraham went with them to 
 bring them on the way. One of these may have been 
 our Saviour in human form, which he took to redeem us ; 
 for he says, " before Abraham was, I am." The other 
 two came to Sodom, and talked with Lot, and warned him 
 of the doomed cities. They urged him to flee with his
 
 SAMUEL AND SAUL. 45 
 
 family. The men laid hold of his hand, and upon the 
 hand of his wife, and upon the hands of his daughters, 
 saying, "Escape with thy life; look not behind; escape 
 to the mountains, lest thou be consumed." Here are men 
 talking with Abraham and Lot. 
 
 Judges xiii. 3 : And the angel of the Lord appeared 
 unto the woman. Then the woman came and told her 
 husband a man of God came unto me. I asked him not 
 whence he was ; neither told me his name. Then Manoah 
 entreated the Lord, and said, O Lord, let the man of God 
 which thou didst send come again unto us. And God 
 hearkened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God 
 came again unto the woman as she sat in the field ; but 
 Manoah, her husband, was not with her. And the woman 
 made haste, and ran and showed her husband, and said 
 unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared to me that came 
 unto me the other day. And Manoah arose and went 
 after his wife, and came to the man and said unto him, 
 Art thou the man that spakest unto this woman ? and he 
 said, I am. 
 
 If this man's testimony is true, he was a man who talked 
 with the parties. 
 
 1 Sam. xxviii. 3 : Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel 
 had lamented him, and buried him. Then said the woman, 
 Whom shall I bring up unto thee ? And he said, Bring me 
 up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, Saul 
 asked, What form is he of ? and she said, An old man 
 cometh up, and he is covered with a mantel. And Saul 
 perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face 
 to the ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel said to 
 Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up ? 
 
 Notice prophecy : To-morroic, etc. clear, indisputable, 
 identical Samuel, who had annointed him King of Israel. 
 
 We pass on to the prophetic dispensation. 
 
 Ezek. ix. 2 : And, behold, six men came from the way 
 
 2
 
 46 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 of the higher gate, and one man among them was clothed 
 with linen ; and he called to the man clothed with linen. 
 And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the 
 city through the midst of Jerusalem. And, behold, the 
 man clothed with the linen, which had the inkhorn by his 
 side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast 
 commanded me. 
 
 Dan. viii. 13: Then I heard one saint speaking, and 
 another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How 
 long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice ? etc. 
 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, 
 which called and said, Gabriel, make this man to under- 
 stand the vision. 
 
 Dan. ix. 21 : Yea, while I was yet speaking in prayer, 
 even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision. 
 Chapter x. 5 : Then I lifted up mine eyes and looked, and 
 behold a certain man clothed in linen. ... A hand touched 
 me. ... A man clothed in linen. ... I heard the man clothed 
 in linen, etc. 
 
 Zech. i. 8 : I saw by night, and behold a man riding 
 upon a red horse. Then said I, O, my Lord, what are 
 these ? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, 
 I will show thee what these be. And the man that stood 
 among the myrtle-trees answered and said, These are 
 they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through 
 the earth. Chapter ii. : I lifted up mine eyes again, and 
 looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his 
 hand. And, behold, the angel that talked with me went 
 forth, and another angel went out to meet him, and said 
 unto him, Run, speak to the young man. 
 
 I might have noticed many other passages of Scripture 
 to the same point, but I think a sufficient number have 
 been given, even if there were no others, to demonstrate 
 the affirmative of the proposition under every dispensa- 
 tion of the Old Testament.
 
 WITNESS OF RESURRECTION. 47 
 
 In this history, given in the patriarchal age of the Church, 
 we have clearly defined a principle of divine government, 
 of the saving influence that the righteous have upon the 
 wicked. This same principle is elaborated by the Saviour, 
 in his Sermon on the Mount, when he said, " Ye are the 
 salt of the earth and the light of the world." The prin- 
 ciples of the moral government of God are the same 
 under every dispensation. The ministry of angels is taught 
 and exemplified under every dispensation, showing the one- 
 ness, the uniformity, of God's works and all his ways to 
 this masterpiece of his workmanship, " made in his own 
 image " and stamped with his own " likeness." 
 
 The persons who appeared at the resurrection of Christ 
 are called by Matthew (xxviii. 5) " An angel answered and 
 said unto the women, Fear not." Mark says (xvi. 5) 
 " And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man 
 sitting on the right side, clothed in a long, white garment, 
 and they were affrighted." 
 
 Luke says (xxiv. 4, 5) " Behold, two men stood by 
 them in shining garments. And as they were afraid, and 
 bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, 
 Why seek ye the living among the dead." 
 
 John says (xx. 12) " And seeth two angels in white, sit- 
 ting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where 
 the body of Jesus had lain." 
 
 In these passages it is very evident that the evangelists 
 have reference to the same beings. When they are called 
 angels, they have reference to their office as messengers. 
 When they are called men, they have reference to their 
 nature as members of the same family, which Jesus came 
 to redeem. This, to my mind, is as clear as the light of 
 day, and is the only explanation that accords with the 
 history and true meaning of angel as given by all com- 
 mentators. It is passing strange, to my mind, that any 
 one, with the facts before him, as revealed in the history
 
 43 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 by the evangelists, could have entertained a different 
 opinion. 
 
 Those very persons were interested in the redemption, 
 which had been purchased upon the cross ; and the resur- 
 rection of Christ, which they had come to announce to the 
 women, was a type and pledge of their own resurrection. 
 
 I come now to notice some of those passages where per- 
 sons have appeared and conversed with persons in the 
 flesh, where they are not called angels. 
 
 Turn to Daniel viii. 13 : " Then I heard one saint speak- 
 ing, and another saint said unto that certain saint which 
 spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily 
 sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both 
 the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot ? " 
 Verse 16 :" And I heard a man's voice between the banks 
 of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to 
 understand the vision." 
 
 These persons are not called angels, but saints, which 
 evidently means a sanctified human being. They were 
 sent by God, were his messengers, and were really angels 
 as well as saints saints have been sent by God to con- 
 verse with man, if the Bible teaches what it professes 
 to teach the truth. Can any one find any authority for 
 supposing that these saints were any of the angels that 
 shouted for joy at the creation ? They were the saints 
 who had lived here ; for no other beings are ever called 
 saints anywhere in the Old or New Testament. 
 
 See Daniel x. 5 : " Then I lifted up mine eyes, and 
 looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose 
 loins were girded with fine gold at Uphaz." See xii. 5-7 : 
 " Then I, Daniel, looked, and, behold, there stood other 
 two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the 
 other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said 
 to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters oi 
 the river, How long shall it be to the end of these won*
 
 CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE. 49 
 
 ders ? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was 
 upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right- 
 hand and his left-hand unto Heaven, and sware by Him 
 that liveth forever, that it shall be for a time, times, 
 'and an half." Were these men who made these communi- 
 cations to Daniel in regard to such momentous events that 
 were to occur ? The Bible says they were, and it is to 
 
 I J 
 
 that alone I am to confine myself, as the only authority 
 relative to these matters. 
 
 Having shown conclusively, as I think, to every candid 
 mind that angel and man are used as the same person, let 
 us now look at this subject with the light of revelation 
 shining upon it. The Christian dead, as they are called, 
 become angels and are sent as messengers to the living, 
 carrying out the dispensations of God's providence and 
 grace to the children of men. From Genesis to Revela- 
 tion the Bible is filled with accounts of angels who are at 
 work on earth. They hold sweet converse with Abraham 
 in his tent. They are intrusted to save Lot and his fam- 
 ily from the destruction awaiting the inhabitants of 
 Sodom. An angel hears the wail of Hagar, who is sent 
 out with her child, and ministers to their relief. An angel 
 goes with Abraham's servant when he is sent to look for 
 a wife for his son Isaac, and gives him success in his mis- 
 sion. The beautiful feet of an angel bring the good ti- 
 dings to the maiden Mary, of the birth of the world's Re- 
 deemer. An angel directs the fleeing into Egypt, to save 
 the young child's life. Angels minister to him and 
 strengthen him after his temptation in the wilderness. 
 Two of them appear and talk to him, on the Mount of 
 Transfiguration, of the sufferings he was soon to endure at 
 Jerusalem, to perfect the plan of human redemption. They 
 roll away the stone from the sepulcher, and are the first 
 witnesses of his resurrection. Two men appear at his as- 
 cension to tell the men of Galilee that this same Jesus, 
 
 3
 
 50 THE CLOCK STKUCK 
 
 whom they had seen ascend, should in like manner descend 
 again without sin unto salvation. 
 
 When the gospel is to be preached to the Gentile world, 
 about five years after this event, one of them appeared to 
 Cornelius while he was at Joppa, in the afternoon, and told 
 him to send for Peter, who would show him the way of 
 life and salvation more perfectly. When St. Paul, with 
 Timothy, was traveling, preaching the gospel, over Asia 
 Minor, a man from Macedonia appeared to him, and said 
 unto him, " Come over into Macedonia and help us." 
 Paul went immediately in compliance with the request of 
 this native-born Macedonian, who, though a heavenly 
 messenger, still felt an interest in the land of his nativity, 
 and the people with whom he had been associated. 
 
 The Gospel was first preached on the continent of 
 Europe through the agency of this man from Macedonia. 
 This man was not plodding a quiet, lazy, half-alive, dis- 
 embodied state of existence. I believe that the spirits of 
 the just made perfect are not only cognizant of what is 
 going on here, but that they are deeply interested in what 
 concerns our welfare. They are not lost to us. They are 
 only out of sight, but not far away. They loved us here, 
 and they love us still. What we call death does not dis- 
 solve those tender ties which have bound us together. 
 These can not be severed by the shadow of death, through 
 which they have passed. They have left only for earth 
 what it gave, a house in which the inhabitant lived a while. 
 The tenant is gone out of its clay tenement, but it has car- 
 ried all its consciousness ; it lives, and loves, and delights 
 to minister, as when it was mingling with those to whom 
 it was tenderly allied. 
 
 What is more natural than that we should spend our 
 best energies, as we spent them here, in comforting, teach- 
 ing, helping, saving people, whose very souls we love bet- 
 ter than our own ? What archangel could understand
 
 SPIRITS' DEPARTURE. 51 
 
 and reach the peculiarities of our nature so well as the 
 mother who gave birth to, and nurtured her own dear chil- 
 dren ? Jesus said to his disciples, whom he loved, " Lo, I 
 am with you always ; " so I believe our loved ones are 
 with us, when necessary, to help us in the battle of life. 
 After that battle has been fought as Paul said when he 
 was confined in the prison at Rome, "I have fought a 
 good fight,'' they hover around the dying bed, like they 
 did around the rich man's gate, to bear away to the para 
 dise of God the soul just emancipated from its cumbrous 
 earth-dwelling. 
 
 The mind that guides this pen, the heart that beats in 
 unison with loved ones here, the soul that loves God and 
 his people, and the spirit whose aspirations are for immor- 
 tality, will not, can not be affected by the change which 
 must come over us to pass through the Valley of the 
 Shadow of Death. We now see through a glass but 
 darkly ; there, without a dimming veil between, shall be 
 beheld with spirit eyes this " inner man " which consti- 
 tutes every one's individuality. The intellectual, moral, 
 spiritual being, which has been using its clay tenement, 
 has laid it aside to molder to its mother earth, while the 
 immortal part of our being starts anew in obedience to 
 God's plan of " ministering to those who shall be heirs of 
 salvation." 
 
 There was a time in the history of our world when 
 angels appeared in visible form, and freely conversed with 
 the children of men. Their presence produced no unusual 
 excitement or alarm. Our only source of information here 
 is the sacred Volume. We shall, therefore, make our ap- 
 peal only to this, the great storehouse of truth alone 
 infallible. This subject is one of the deepest interest, and 
 should be approached divested of prejudice, and with a 
 desire to know the truth. When we remember how often 
 angels are mentioned in the sacred Volume how closely
 
 52 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 related they are to God how deeply they are interested 
 in the plan of redemption, and how they stand identified 
 with God's visitations both upon the righteous and the 
 wicked when we remember all this, surely this is fraught 
 with importance and interest to every reflecting, intelli- 
 gent mind, whatever may be his opinions. The word 
 rendered angels signifies, both in the Hebrew and Greek 
 languages, " messengers," and is used to denote whatever 
 God employs to execute his purpose among the children of 
 men. 
 
 These angels are spirits "ministering spirits." The 
 word angel has reference to their office, and spirit to their 
 nature. The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin words which we 
 render spirit, do not exactly correspond with our English 
 word spirit. This English word spirit is opposed to mat- 
 ter, and designates what is immaterial. But the Greek 
 word is not opposed to matter, but to body, and signifies 
 not what is immaterial, but what is incorporeal. The 
 modern idea was unknown to the ancients. In 1 Cor. xv., 
 we are told " there is a natural body and a spiritual body." 
 Angels, we believe, are spiritual bodies. 
 
 When in the Scriptures angels are represented as ap- 
 pearing with bodies in human form, no intimation is any- 
 where given that these bodies are not real, or that they 
 were assumed for a time and then laid aside. It is true 
 that the matter of these bodies was not like that of ours, 
 inasmuch as angels could make themselves visible and 
 vanish again from sight. But this implies no doubt of 
 the reality of their bodies ; it only intimates that they 
 were not composed of gross matter as our bodies are. 
 Hence, after his resurrection, Jesus often appeared to his 
 disciples and vanished before them. Yet they never 
 doubted that they saw the identical body of Christ, which 
 had undergone an important change. We cannot con* 
 ceive of matter, however refined, without form.
 
 SPIRITUAL BODY. 53 
 
 I believe that our spiritual bodies, or this " inner man," 
 (as St. Paul calls it) is but a counterpart of our material 
 body ; that two persons passing into the spiritual world 
 at the same time together, would recognize each other as 
 well as to meet in the present world. This " inward man " 
 (as it is sometimes called by the same apostle) is a sub- 
 stance refined substance as real and tangible to those 
 in the spirit world as the body is to the material world. 
 We cannot, we think, well conceive of this spiritual body 
 in any other light ; and with spiritual eyes we behold as 
 real bodies in as real a spiritual world as this is a natural 
 or material world. 
 
 Such is the extreme refinement of this spiritual body 
 that it, like electricity, may pass through it without ob- 
 struction. 
 
 Let us compare the religious teachings of the present 
 with those of the past, and we will find that the practical 
 spiritualistic belief taught by the Bible has, to a great 
 extent, been ignored in the pulpit. Ministers, for fear of 
 being charged with being spiritualists in the modern sense 
 of that term, have run into the other extreme, and rarely 
 ever have the moral courage to preach on the ministry of 
 angels and the " Communion of Saints," for fear of being 
 charged with a belief in the ridiculous infidelity as taught 
 by many who profess to have had intercourse with the 
 spirits of the departed. 
 
 Nothing is more evident than that our Saviour was act- 
 ing all the time in view of unseen spiritual influences, 
 more operative to him than any of the visible and mate- 
 rialistic phenomena of the present life. In this respect the 
 conduct of Christ, if imitated in the present day, would 
 subject a man to the imputation of superstition or credu- 
 lity. He imputed to the direct agency of invisible spirits, 
 acting with affairs of life, many things. When Nathaniel, 
 one of his early disciples, was astonished at his spiritual
 
 54 THE CLOCK STKUCK ONE. 
 
 insight, he said to him : ** Thou shalt see greater things 
 than these. Hereafter, ye shall see heaven, and the 
 angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of 
 Man." 
 
 "We come now to the New Testament Scriptures, which 
 embraces the Christian dispensation. We have seen how 
 men have appeared unto the inhabitants of earth under 
 the patriarchal dispensation, in the time of Moses and 
 Joshua, under the government of the Judges and Kings of 
 Israel. 
 
 During the prophetic dispensation, they appeared unto 
 the prophets and talked of the coming glory of the Gos- 
 pel or Christian dispensation. 
 
 They open this last edition of the Gospel by appearing 
 to the father of John the Baptist and Mary the mother 
 of Jesus. " The man Gabriel," as he is called by Daniel, 
 when he told him of the four great monarchies which 
 were to precede and prepare the way for Christ's king- 
 dom that was to be an everlasting kingdom. 
 
 It closes with the revelation made to St. John on the 
 sea-girt isle of Patmos by one of the oldest prophets. 
 
 They appeared to the shepherds who watched their 
 flocks by night, and announced the birth of the world's 
 Redeemer. Their song on the occasion is the best epit- 
 ome of the Gospel ever delivered to man. By their di- 
 rection Joseph was warned to flee into Egypt to save the 
 infant Saviour of the world. The great lawgiver of the 
 Jewish nation who never was permitted to enter the 
 promised land, but died and was buried by God on Mount 
 Pisgah he appeai-ed and talked with Jesus on the Mount 
 of Transfiguration in Canaan. The Prophet Elijah, who 
 went up in a chariot of fire, conversed with Jesus on that 
 holy mountain relative to the sufferings he was to endure 
 at Jerusalem. 
 
 When Jesus was bearing the sins of the world, in his
 
 ASCENSION OF CHRIST. 55 
 
 agony in the garden, angels ministered to him, and 
 strengthened him for that dreadful conflict with the pow- 
 ers of darkness. They were the first to declare his res- 
 urrection, and the last to speak words of comfort to the 
 men of Gallilee, who witnessed his ascension from Mount 
 Olivet, when a cloud received him out of their sight. 
 Who were these persons ? Some may tell you they were 
 angels. To the law and the testimony let us appeal. See 
 Mark xvi. 5 : " And entering into the sepulcher they saw 
 a young man clothed in a long, white garment, and they 
 were affrighted." 
 
 The youngest of the angels who shouted for joy at the 
 creation, must have been at least four or five thousand years 
 old at the time, and may have been several times that age. 
 Where is then the propiiety or the truth of his being 
 called a " young man ? " Can it be true that we have to 
 resort to such interpretations of God's Word, to avoid one 
 of the plainest and most comforting doctrines that is 
 taught in God's holy Word. Again, Luke xxiv. 4 : " And 
 behold two men stood by Him in shining garments, and 
 they were afraid." Neither of these evangelists call them 
 angels but " men " and " a young man." The other two 
 call them angels. Neither are the persons who appeared 
 and spoke to the men of Gallilee, when Jesus ascended 
 from Mount Olivet, even called angels, but " men." See 
 Acts, i. 9-11. "And when he had spoken these things, 
 while they beheld, he was taken up ; and a cloud received 
 him out of their sight. And while they looked stead- 
 fastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men 
 stood by him in white apparel, which also said : Ye men 
 of Gallilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? this 
 same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall 
 come in like manner as ye have seen him go up into hea- 
 ven." Here was important conversation, in which we 
 are deeply interested. And thus we see that while " two
 
 56 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 men " Moses and Elias, talked with Jesus about the plan 
 of human redemption, these " two men " tell of his com- 
 ing again to judge the world in righteousness. 
 
 Once more, see Rev. xxii : The angel who made the most 
 remarkable of all the revelations, says he was one of the 
 prophets. Who can doubt that he lived and died here, if 
 what he says of himself be true ? 
 
 Let us now return after having followed our Saviour 
 through his life, his resurrection, ascension, and his rev- 
 elation to St. John by one of the old prophets in the Isle 
 of Patmos. We have seen that the Old Testament 
 abounds with proofs of spiritual visitations. Noah, Abra- 
 ham, Lot, and Jacob saw in vision the ladder one foot 
 on earth, the other reaching into heaven ; and the angels 
 ascending and descending shows that they had their origin 
 on earth and to it descended again. 
 
 Balaam and Moses, and David and Daniel, and, in fact, 
 nearly all the patriarchs and prophets of old, held inter- 
 course with spirits, and talked with them face to face. 
 The apostles received directions and held intercourse with 
 spirits. 
 
 The Psalmist says : " The angel of the Lord encampeth 
 around them, and delivereth them." Again, "He shall 
 give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy 
 ways." 
 
 With these strong proofs of spirit intercourse, together 
 with many others that might be quoted from the Script- 
 ures, I can well say that it seems to me, from the Bible 
 teaching, that constant intercourse existed between the two 
 worlds in the history of our race, as given by the inspired 
 writers. It appears to have been the most universal of all 
 convictions. The veil between them and the invisible 
 world must have been slight indeed. It was no matter of 
 dread or bewilderment to them if, in the stillness of the 
 sunset hour, stranger feet drew near their dwelling, and
 
 SUCCESS OF THE GrOSPEL. 57 
 
 the phenomena of both worlds became blended into the 
 vision. Forms, glorious with the majesty of holiness, 
 entered their presence to have intercourse with, and 
 teach them, in their departing, that they had been with 
 beings of another land. The very absence of fear or won- 
 der, in most cases, implies the original universality of such 
 intercourse between the inhabitants of both worlds. The 
 separation between the living and the departed was held 
 to have been marvelously slight. 
 
 Peter first preached to the Gentiles the unsearchable 
 riches of Christ through the instrumentality of " a man " 
 who was interested in the Gospel. "While Cornelius was 
 at prayer, in the ninth hour, as he says, " I prayed in my 
 house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright cloth- 
 ing, and said, ' Cornelius, thy prayer is heard ; send, there- 
 fore, to Joppa, and call hither a man whose surname is 
 Peter, who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.' " 
 Peter comes preaches the spirit is poured out on the 
 Gentiles, when Peter declares he " now perceives of a truth, 
 that God is no respecter of persons." Again, Acts xvi. 9 : 
 And a man appeared to Paul in the night. " There stood 
 a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying : ' Come 
 over into Macedonia and help us.' " Paul went immedi- 
 ately to Macedonia, " assuredly gathering that the Lord 
 had called us to preach the Gospel to them." There are 
 two points to which I wish to call your special attention : 
 
 1. This " man " was from Macedonia. It was his native 
 country born there. 
 
 2. He still feels a deep interest for that, his native land, 
 and desires Paul to preach the Gospel to them. 
 
 Macedonia was a kingdom of Greece. Alexander the 
 Great, son of Philip, king of Macedon, having conquered 
 Asia, and subverted the Persian Empire, the name of the 
 Macedonians became very famous throughout the East, 
 and it is often given to the Greeks, the successors of 
 
 3*
 
 58 THE CLOCK STRUCK 
 
 Alexander in the monarchy. The apostle did not doubt 
 his call to preach the gospel there, after this " man " ap- 
 peared to him, and invited him over to his country. He 
 was very successful over there among those Macedonians. 
 There he laid the foundation of the church of Thessalonica 
 and Philippi. To each of these churches he wrote Epistles 
 in the New Testament. 
 
 What stronger proof could any one desire than is fur- 
 nished by this case ? This being is never called an angel, 
 but a " man of Macedonia." 
 
 Whenever there is a demand for the Gospel in this age, 
 it is called " the Macedonian cry." That man knew Paul 
 was capable of preaching to those proud, intellectual 
 Grecians ; hence, he preferred him to any other of the 
 apostles. " Greek could meet Greek " there, as he did on 
 other occasions. 
 
 What we call death removes the chrysalis state of our 
 material body, and opens, like the worm when the beauti- 
 ful butterfly soars away with wings adapted to the atmos- 
 phere, to extract sweets from the opening flowers. To the 
 pure, spiritual beings, there is a medium of communication 
 far surpassing our ocean telegraphs. The atmosphere, 
 doubtless, possesses the property of telegraphing with 
 spirits who occupy the same plane, that will astonish us 
 more than this type of angelic communication did when it 
 was first discovered. Space itself may be annihilated, and 
 with an angel's ken we may behold, not through a glass 
 darkly, as we now do spiritual things, but with clearest 
 vision, as one of our hymns expresses it, 
 
 "Then shall I see, and hear, and know, 
 All I desire or wish below, 
 And every power find sweet employ, 
 In that eternal world of joy." 
 
 The Apostle Paul, speaking of angelic spirits, says: 
 " Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister 
 to them who shall be heirs of salvation ? "
 
 DELIGHT OF SPIKITS. 59 
 
 In this passage we are expressly taught that assisting 
 man, or communication with mankind, is not only a standing 
 employment, or office, of angelic spirits, but that it is their 
 only authorized use or office. Their duty and their de- 
 light is assistance, in some mode, to those who are to be 
 heirs of salvation. This is not spoken of as a special or 
 isolated case but the universal duty and privilege of all. 
 It is the established law of the spirit land. No man living 
 here was ever better qualified to judge of this matter than 
 was St. Paul. He affirms that he was caught up into the 
 " third heaven," and had an opportunity of speaking from 
 experience. He saw and heard things unlawful to be re- 
 vealed ; but this was not one of them. This was a univer- 
 sally acknowledged fact, well known and understood there 
 His testimony is not, therefore, to be slightly esteemed, 
 nor invalidated by a doubt. His own history, as recorder 1 
 in the Acts of the Apostles, bears his testimony to hiss 
 having been thus ministered to by them. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 TESTIMONY OF THE CHRISTIAN FATHERS. 
 
 HAVING, as I think, proven from the Bible the position 
 which I have been defending, I now proceed to give the 
 opinion of those who lived in olden time, and in the early 
 days of Christianity. Through all the palmy days of 
 Egypt's grandeur this was the universal belief among the. 
 wise and profound : That " the earth was surrounded by 
 aerial circles of ether, and that in these ether regions the 
 souls of the dead lived and guarded mortals." Hennas 
 taught " that the visible is but the picture of the invisible 
 world." Ancient Greece entertained opinions nearly the
 
 60 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 same as those of modern times, of " controlling or guar- 
 dian spirits." Plato says that between God and man are 
 the darmenes, or spirits who are always near us, though 
 commonly invisible to us, and know all our thoughts." 
 Socrates, being inquired of why he busied himself so much 
 in private, and did not appear in the conventions of the 
 people, gave the following reasons : " The thing that hin- 
 dered me from doing so, Athenians, was this familiar spirit, 
 this divine voice that you have often heard of, and which 
 Miletus has endeavored so much to ridicule. This spirit 
 has stood by me from my infancy. It is a voice that does 
 not speak but when it means to take me off from some 
 resolution." 
 
 Mr. Wesley quotes Socrates in his sermon on " Good 
 Angels," and I quote him, to show his opinion on this sub- 
 ject. It seems ridicule was a weapon used in ancient as 
 well as in modern times. Socrates commenced his forty- 
 third chapter on the theology of Plato thus : " Let us 
 speak concerning the demons who attend the superintend- 
 ance of mankind. The most perfect souls choose a life 
 conformable to their presiding god, and live according to 
 a divine demon." This opinion prevails throughout 
 Grecian history. They believed in the appearance of 
 angels, spirits, visions, and trances. To the clear vision 
 of the Grecian, dying was ascending to the soul's primal 
 home the society of the celestial gods, in the starry re- 
 gions of measureless space. Pythagoras professed to visit 
 the spiritual world, a\id hold converse with the departed 
 spirits, and described the condition of Homer, Hesiod, and 
 others there. 
 
 We come now to notion the opinion of those who are 
 quoted in regard to other matters next in authenticity to 
 the Scriptures the Christian Fathers, who lived near the 
 Apostolic day. 
 
 Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, where the disciples were
 
 SOULS IN BODILY SHAPE. 61 
 
 first called Christians, a loved and prominent disciple o* 
 the Apostle John, is said to have been one of the littk 
 children whom Jesus took in his arms and blessed. The 
 Church Fathers record the fact, that in youth he was " so 
 innocent he could hear the angels sing. This heavenly 
 music so impressed his mind that, when becoming a bishop, 
 he introduced into his lithurgal service the practice of 
 singing in responses, just as he had heard in his youthful 
 years the melodies of immortal choirs." It seems, then, 
 that ancient as well as modern bishops believed in " spirit- 
 ual manifestations." Irenceus, Justin Martyr, Tertuttian, 
 Clement, Origen, Cyprian, and others, represent the con- 
 tinuous spiritual gifts in the church. Tertullian, son 
 of a Roman centurion, at Carthage, A. D. 160, says: "We 
 had a right to expect, after what was said by St. John, to 
 anticipate these spiritual gifts. There is a sister among 
 us who possesses a faculty of revelation, commonly, during 
 religious service. She falls into a trance, holding then com- 
 munion with the angels hearing divine mysteries explained. 
 She declared she had seen a soul in bodily shape, that ap- 
 peared to be a spirit neither empty nor formless, but so 
 real and substantial that it might be touched. It was 
 tinder shining, of the color of the air, but in everything 
 resembling the human form." 
 
 Hermas, brother to Pius, a bishop of Rome, wrote his 
 "Pater" about the middle of the second century. He 
 relates that he saw six young men, " or, rather, angels, 
 clothed in shining vestures, building a tower of square 
 white stones," symbolical of the church militant. A writer 
 in " Appleton's Biographical Cyclopedia," edited by the 
 Rev. Dr. F. L. Hawks, speaking of this book, remarks, 
 " that it is further interesting because offering evidence 
 that the early Christians believed in the ministration of 
 angels around them." 
 
 Constantino, having espoused Christianity, and being
 
 62 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 menaced in consequence by its enemies, was compelled to 
 take up arms for self-defence. Eusebius states that he 
 heard Constantine declare, under oath, that when he was 
 going to attack the tyrant, Maxentius, and was full oi 
 doubt, as he was resting in the middle of the day, and 
 his soldiers about him, he and all his soldiers saw a lumi- 
 nous cross in the heavens, attended by a troop of angels, 
 who said, " O, Constantine, by this go forth to victory." 
 
 The Greek Church of Russia, receiving her apostolic 
 priesthood from Greece, has carefully maintained the in- 
 tegrity of the primitive church, with less innovation than 
 the Roman Catholic, and is, therefore, more authoritative 
 in respect to what the Apostolic Fathers taught. The 
 doctrine of ministering spirits is plainly set forth in their 
 religious histories. St. Bernard thus alludes to the divine 
 care over us : 
 
 " We owe to our guardian angels great reverence, devo- 
 tion, and confidence. Penetrated with awe, walk always 
 with circumspection, remembering the presence of angels 
 to whom you are given in charge, in all your ways. In 
 every apartment, in every closet, in every corner, pay re- 
 spect to your angel. Dare you do before him what you 
 dare not commit if I saw you ? " 
 
 The Roman Catholic Church never lost the cynosure 
 star the ministry of angels. As her devotees have said, 
 " We believe in the communion with saints." The second 
 day of October is the Feast of Angel Guardians, in com- 
 memoration of spiritual commerce between us on earth 
 and his holy angels, whose companions we hope one day 
 to be in the kingdom of his glory. 
 
 The following are the prayers of the Roman Catholio 
 Church, copied from their book : 
 
 "PRAYER TO OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL. 
 
 " 0, Holy Angel, whom God, by the effect of his good- 
 ness, and the tender regard for my welfare, hath charged 

 
 ROMANIST PRAYEK. 63 
 
 with the care of my conduct, and who doth assist me in 
 all my wants, and comfort me in all my afflictions ; who 
 supporteth me when I am discouraged, and continually 
 obtaineth for me new favors, I return thee profound 
 thanks, and conjure thee most amiably, Protector, to con- 
 tinue thy charitable care and defence of me against the 
 malignant attacks of my enemies. Keep me at a distance 
 from all occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace of 
 hearkening attentively to thy holy inspirations, and of 
 faithfully reducing them to practice. Protect me in all 
 the temptations and trials of this life, but more especially 
 at the time of my death ; and do not quit me until thou 
 hast conducted me into the presence of my Creator, in the 
 mansions of everlasting happiness. Amen. Page 639. 
 
 "TO THE ANGEL GUARDIAN. 
 
 " While we give thanks to God for having granted to 
 each of us a holy angel for our guardian, we ought ever to 
 bear in mind the respect, devotion, and loving confidence 
 we ever owe that blessed spirit. 
 
 ' " Angel of God, my Guardian dear, 
 To whom his law commits me here, 
 Ever this day be at my side, 
 To light and guard, to rule and guide," ' 
 
 Phillip Melanchthon, more spiritual in his organization 
 than Luther, had a more equally balanced faith in the 
 ministry of spirits, and relates several instances of such in- 
 terposition in times of peril. He tells us he had seen 
 specters (spirits), and that he knew many men worthy of 
 credit who had not only seen, but had likewise discoursed 
 with them. 
 
 Bishop Hall had the moral courage to vindicate this 
 doctrine in the Protestant Church. He wrote a valuable 
 work on " The Invisible World." He often invoked the 
 aid of guardian spirits. He felt their continued presence, 
 and was so impressed with high purposes to " walk care- 

 
 64 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 fully but confidently." In his spiritual treatise he says 
 " So sure as we see men, so sure are we that holy men have 
 seen angels. Have we not had intuitive intimations of the 
 death of absent friends, which no human intelligence 
 had bidden us to suspect ? Who, but our angels have 
 wrought it ? " 
 
 Archbishop Tillotson, a great light in the English 
 Church, speaking of the continued intercourse of angels 
 with men, for their protection and advantage, says, " they 
 are God's great ministers here below." 
 
 Bishop Beveridge supports the reality of ministering 
 spirits, and says that " spirits assume a bodiless shape." 
 
 Richard Baxter, in his " Historical Discourses on Appari- 
 tions," writes an account of an acquaintance of his, " a 
 gentleman of considerable rank, who was addicted to in- 
 temperance, and was always visited by a spirit after he had 
 slept himself sober, warning him of his vice, by rapping on 
 his head-board, and visible signs of heavenly guardian- 
 ship and discipline." Mr. Baxter, having seen the man, 
 besought him to reform; and believing the spirit presence 
 to be genuiue, consciously and feelingly asks, " Do good 
 spirits dwell so near us ? or are they sent on such mes- 
 sages ? or is it his guardian angel ? " 
 
 I might quote several times as much from those pious 
 men of olden time ; but enough has been given to show 
 that it was the general belief in the earlier and purer days 
 of Christianity, as well as of the best men of the Refor- 
 mation.
 
 CHAPTER 1Y. 
 
 TESTIMONY OF METHODISTS. 
 
 MB. WESLEY had unquestionable evidence of mysterious 
 agencies, and spirit manifestations. He was personally 
 blessed with some gifts, promised to believers. All through 
 his evangelizing career he noted and recorded cases of spirit 
 power, and premonition. In his journals and the "Arme- 
 nian Magazine," some of the clearest cases on record will be 
 found. In his journal to mention only one : A lady was 
 awaked at night by what purported to be her brother, 
 who told her he had died that night on board a certain 
 ship at sea, in such a latitude and longitude. A record 
 was made that night of it, and, months after, the facts were 
 ascertained to be as the apparition stated. 
 
 Again, he says : " Suppose my spirit was out of the 
 body, could not an angel see my thoughts, even without 
 my uttering any words ? (if words are used in the world 
 of spirts). And can not that ministering spirit see them 
 just as well now I am in the body ? It seems, therefore, 
 to be an unquestionable truth (although perhaps not com- 
 monly observed) that angels know not only the words and 
 actions, but also the thoughts of those to whom they min- 
 ister. And indeed, without this knowledge they would be 
 very illy qualified to perform the various parts of their 
 ministry. And if our eyes were opened, we should see 
 ' They are more that are for us than they that are against 
 us.' We should see 
 
 " ' A convoy attends, 
 A ministering host of invisible friends.' 
 
 " In all ages he [God] used the ministry both of men and 
 angels." 
 
 This is what the founder of Methodism says upon this
 
 66 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 subject, yet many of his sons, professing to be wise above 
 what is written, will sneer at any demonstration of this 
 doctrine, and talk of " morbid brain " and " superstitious 
 turn of mind." O shame, where is thy blush ! 
 
 Hear what one of the best women that ever lived says 
 of him and the subject : " It appears to me no way contrary 
 to reason to believe that the happy departed spirits see 
 and know all they would wish, and are divinely permitted 
 to know. In this, Mr. Wesley (the founder of Method- 
 ism) is of the same mind, and that they are concerned 
 for the dear fellow-pilgrims whom they have left behind. 
 
 I can not but believe they are Nor doth it 
 
 seem contrary to reason to suppose a spirit in glory can 
 turn his eye with as much ease, and look on any object 
 below, as a mother can look through a window, and see 
 the actions of her children in the court underneath it. If 
 bodies have a language by which they can convey their 
 thoughts to each other, though sometimes at a distance, 
 have spirits no language, think you, by which they can 
 converse with our spirits, and, by impressions on the mind, 
 speak to us as easily as before they did by tongue ? And 
 what can interrupt either the presence, communication, or 
 sight of a spirit ? 
 
 " ' Walls within walls no more its passage bar 
 Than unopposing space of liquid air. 1 
 
 " Though it is allowed we may have communion with 
 angels, various are the objections raised against the belief 
 of our communion with that other part of the heavenly 
 family, the disembodied spirits of the just. If there is 
 joy throughout all the realms above, yea, 'more joy over 
 one sinner that repenteth than over the ninety and nine, 
 that went not astray,' how evident it is to an impartial 
 eye that the state, both of one and the other, must be 
 known there, together with the progress of each individ- 
 ual . . . Have not spirits faculties suited to spirits,
 
 UNIVEKSAL BELIEF. 67 
 
 by which we may suppose they can as easily discern our 
 souls as we could discern their bodies when they were in 
 the same state as ourselves? . . . If he maketh his 
 angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire, can not a 
 spirit be with me in a moment, as easily as a stroke from 
 an electrical-machine can convey the fire, for many miles, 
 in one moment, through thousands of bodies, if properly 
 linked together ? " Mrs. Mary Fletcher. 
 
 Dr. Adam Clarke I have already quoted. (See his 
 commentary, page 299, vol. XI.) 
 
 1. " I believe there is a supernatural and spiritual world 
 in which human spirits, both good and bad, live in a state 
 of consciousness." 
 
 2. " I believe that any of these spirits, may, according 
 to the order of God, in the laws of iheir place of residence, 
 have intercourse with this world, and become visible to 
 mortals." 
 
 These are unequivocal expressions of belief. If, as Dr. 
 Clarke affirms with reason, Samuel " actually appeared 
 unto Saul," if the ascended Moses and Elias " talked with 
 Jesus " in the presence of Peter, James and John, if 
 spiritual beings denominated " angels " " men of God," 
 men, held intercourse with the earth's inhabitants dur- 
 ing several thousand years of scriptural history, why not 
 now ? Is God mutable ? Have Deific laws changed ? 
 
 ~ 
 
 Has the door John saw opened in heaven been shut and 
 barred ? 
 
 The real and living verity of the future life, and spirit 
 woi'ld, is a doctrine which can apppeal confidently to the 
 Bible, to history, and to science, for its substantial proof, 
 and reasonable confirmation. It is not only taught in the 
 Bible, but proven by the concurrent testimony of every 
 race of mankind, in all ages of the world. 
 
 I find the following iti the Lyncliburg Virginian re- 
 cently. The family with whom I reside were familiar
 
 68 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE 
 
 with the facts as here stated. The editor says, " We copy 
 an account of an occurrence well remembered by some of 
 our citizens : 
 
 "SMITH CRADLE BOOKING. 
 
 " This is one of the most remarkable and best authenti- 
 cated phenomena of its kind on record. It occurred in 
 1840, in Lynchburg, at the residence of the late William 
 A. Smith, D.D., for many years President of Randolph 
 Macon College. In that year he was pastor of Lynch- 
 burg church. An empty cradle in his house was noticed 
 rocking of its own accord. It continued its motion for 
 an hour. The next day it comenced rocking at the same 
 time, kept it up and stopped as on the day before. Thus 
 it continued daily for over a month. Many intelligent 
 citizens and ministers witnessed this wonderful affair and 
 made repeated efforts to solve the mystery without suc- 
 cess. It was moved to different parts of the room with- 
 out any change in its behavior. It was removed to other 
 apartments in the dwelling with the same result. It was 
 taken to pieces and each part scrutinized and refitted, yet 
 there was no change in its motion. 
 
 " The Methodist clergy selected one of their number to 
 hold the cradle, and prevent, if possible, its movement. 
 The Rev. Dr. Penn, one of the purest men of his time, was 
 chosen for this purpose. While it was rocking he grasped 
 it. It wrenched itself, from his grasp ! He seized it more 
 firmly. The timbers cracked and the cradle would have 
 been broken in the struggle to release itself, had he not 
 loosened his hold. 
 
 " It was not further hindered in its daily exercise. After 
 thirty or more days it stopped, and never commenced 
 again. 
 
 " No explanation of this wonderful affair was ever given 
 or attempted." 
 
 I would respectfully ask Dr. Bond, if the physical force
 
 RICHAKD WATSON'S BELIEF. 69 
 
 used on this occasion, was not sufficient to make a " clock 
 strike one ? " 
 
 Richard Watson, of England, who was perhaps the most 
 intellectual man the Methodist Church ever had, speaking 
 of the case of Samuel, says : " The account not only shows 
 that the Jews believed in the doctrine of apparitions, but 
 that in fact, such an appearance on this occasion did actual- 
 ly occur ; which answers all the objections which were ever 
 raised or can be raised, from the philosophy of the case, 
 against the possibility of the appearance of departed spir- 
 its." " I believe in this apparition of the departed Samuel, 
 because the text positively calls the appearance Samuel." 
 
 Let us see what Dr. Watson says on this subject in his 
 " Theological Institutes," a standard work embraced in 
 the course of study for ministers of the Methodist Church. 
 
 " This is the doctrine of revelation ; and if the evidences 
 of that revelation can be disproved, it may be rejected ; 
 if not, it must be admitted, whether any argumentive 
 proof can be offered in its favor or not. That it is not 
 unreasonable may be first established. 
 
 " That God, who made us, and who is a pure spirit, can 
 not have immediate access to our thoughts, our affections, 
 and our will, it would certainly be much more reasonable 
 to deny than to admit; and if the great and universal 
 Spirit possesses this power, every physical objection, at 
 least, to the doctrine in question is removed, and finite, un- 
 bodied spirits may have the same kind of access to the 
 mind of man, though not in so perfect and intimate degree. 
 Before any natural impossibility can be urged against this 
 intercourse of spirit with spirit, we must know what no 
 philosopher, however deep his researches into the courses 
 of the phenomena of the mind, has ever professed to know 
 the laws of perception, memory, and association. We 
 can suggest thoughts and reasons to each other and thus 
 mutually influence our wills and affections.
 
 70 THE CLOCK STKUCK ONE. 
 
 " We employ, for this purpose, the media of signs and 
 words ; but to contend that these are the only media, 
 through which thought can be conveyed to thought, or 
 that spiritual beings cannot produce the same effects im- 
 mediately, is to found an objection wholly upon our igno- 
 rance. All the reason which the case, considered in itself, 
 affords, ig certainly in favor of this opinion. We have 
 access to each other's minds ; we can suggest thoughts, 
 raise affections, influence the wills of others ; and analogy, 
 therefore, favors the conclusion that, though by different 
 and latent means, unbodied spirits have the same access 
 to each other, and to us." 
 
 Mr. Watson relates one of the most remarkable instances 
 of persons returning that I ever read outside of the Bible. 
 It was published in the Methodist Magazine when I was a 
 boy, and republished in the Methodist Magazine, at Balti- 
 more, a few years since. There was a man and his wife, 
 by the name of James, both of whom died very suddenly, 
 as was supposed, without a will. There arose serious 
 difficulty among the heirs about the property. James and 
 his wife came back (in the day-time) and informed a lady 
 where the will was in a secret drawer, in a secretary. She 
 informed the circuit preacher (a Mr. Mills), who went and 
 found the will, and reconciled the parties. 
 
 It is too long to copy ; I merely mention it to show his 
 opinion of such things. 
 
 Bishop Simpson said, after he lost his boy, that " it 
 seemed to him as though he were walking on one side of 
 the veil, and his son on the other. It is only a veil. These 
 friends will be the first to greet you their faces the first 
 to flash upon you, as you pass into the invisible world. 
 This takes away the fear of death. Departed spirits are 
 not far above the earth, in some distant clime, but right 
 upon the confines of this world "
 
 OTHEK EMINENT AUTHORITY. 71 
 
 DR. WILBEB FISK'S TESTIMONY. 
 
 " God," he says, " has use or employment for all the 
 creatures he has made for every saint on earth, for every 
 angel in heaven. He would that none be idle. He has a 
 mission for every one. Angels and archangels, cherubims 
 and seraphims, patriarchs and prophets, apostles and re- 
 formers, and all the holy hosts of heaven, are his minis- 
 tering spirits, frequently dispatched to minister unto the 
 strangers and sojourners of earth. He sends forth these 
 spirits to guide and guard his contrite children through 
 this wilderness world, to their promised place at his right 
 hand. 
 
 " Oh ! consoling doctrine ! Angels are around us. The 
 spirits of the departed good encamp about our pathway. 
 Who knows how many times the sainted spirit of Paul has 
 been our guardian angel, protecting and defending us? 
 Who can tell how often Marah's humble spirit has sur- 
 rounded our thorny pathway, strewing it with heavenly 
 flowers, and the golden fruits of the true life, and perfum- 
 ing the atmosphere we breathe with celestial fragrance ? 
 
 " Who knows how frequently the sainted spirits of Ben- 
 son, and Watson, and Clarke, have hovered over our 
 minds, directing them to the sound doctrines of the Gos- 
 pel of Truth ? and how often has the fervent spirit of 
 Wesley inspired us with zeal, and the spirit of Luther 
 with holy boldness, to contend earnestly for the faith once 
 delivered to the saints ? And how often has Bunyan's 
 blessed spirit lingered around our path, to lead us on to 
 God ? And who knows, brethren, but it is the inspiring 
 spirit of the flaming Whitefield, or Hall, or Chalmers, 
 that sometimes sets on fire our stammering tongues with 
 heavenly eloquence ? " 
 
 Did not Bishop McKendree see and recognize those who 
 were around his dying bed, when he said :
 
 72 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 " Bright angels are from glory come 
 They arc around my bed, 
 They are in my room, 
 They wait to waft my spirit home." 
 
 Hear what one of our living bishops says : 
 " We labor not only in the sight of mortals ; we labor 
 also in the sight of celestial beings. We preach to two 
 congregations at the same moment one below, the other 
 above us. Methinks they are present with us now. 
 Poised upon celestial pinions, they shed over us the odors 
 of paradise. I seem to hear the rustling of their plumes. 
 The air about us is full of fragrance. Their benevolent 
 countenances beam with delight, and their eyes, sparkling 
 with supernatural intelligence, are watching to catch, be- 
 fore we disperse, another proof of ' the manifold wisdom 
 of God.' To use the impassioned strain of a familiar 
 hymn: 
 
 " ' Angels now are hov'ring round us, 
 
 Unperceived they mix the throng, 
 Wond'ring at the love that crown'd us, 
 Glad to join the holy soiig.' 
 
 See "Union Pulpit," page 446. 
 
 I not only fully endorse the above quotations, but will 
 add that, if we had our minds and affections elevated to the 
 plane occupied by those spirits, that we could commune 
 with them, and realize that there was indeed but a veil 
 between those who have passed over, and those who yet 
 tabernacle in their clay tenement. We are too earthly, if 
 not sensual, to comprehend, appreciate, and enjoy " the 
 communion of saints." As we ai-ise in our moral status, 
 we will find that we approximate those who have passed 
 the veil ; and we believe the time will come when fellow- 
 ship with the Church triumphant, and the Church mili- 
 tant, will be realized by all who are in a condition, 
 spiritually, to enjoy such " conversation in Heaven."
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 TESTIMONY OF OTHERS. 
 
 JUST as I am writing this, I find the following in the 
 South - Western Presbyterian, published at New Orleans, 
 March '72. The writer, speaking of a case where the dying 
 person saw his departed friends around him, says : " Does 
 not this case, with its simple explanation, go far to un- 
 ravel the mysterious incidents of many a dying experience ? 
 Those seraphic smiles playing over the face, like the sheet- 
 lightning that sports upon a summer cloud those typical 
 gestures, pointing as if to some real presence, which the 
 natural eye is unable to discern the joyful recognition 
 of beautiful spirits, who seem to beckon the departing 
 soul toward the glory that is beyond : all these things so 
 often occurring and throwing such awe upon the living, 
 as pregnant hints of the eternity that at other times seems 
 so far away may they not all be only the natural expres- 
 sions of spiritual desires and affections wrought in the 
 heart by the Holy Spirit in the hour when his work is 
 finished on the human soul ? May they not be the simple 
 reflection of the grace that is wrought within the believer, 
 when he is made ' meet for the saints inheritance in light? ' 
 And may it not be lawful to conclude that these cases, 
 which seem to us so rare, are but types of all the rest ? " 
 Such cases are not so " rare " as many suppose. I was 
 called to visit a physician who was a Presbyterian Elder 
 recently. He bore the same testimony and seemed to be 
 astonished that all who were in the room did not see the 
 1 >ved ones as he did. His natural eyes were becoming 
 dim but his spiritual eyes were being opened. 
 
 i
 
 74 THE CLOCK STKUCK Oio;. 
 
 EEV. DR. A. BARNES TESTIMONY. 
 
 " In this doctrine (the ministry of spirits) there is noth- 
 ing absurd. It is no more impossible that angels should be 
 employed to aid men than that one man should aid an- 
 other, certainly not as impossible as that the Son of God 
 should come down not to be ministerd unto, but to minis- 
 ter. Angelic ministration constitutes the beauty of the 
 moral arrangements on earth. Is there any impropriety 
 in supposing that they do now what the Bible says they 
 have ever done." 
 
 The author of these sentiments made the Scriptures his 
 study and wrote a commentary upon them. I might 
 multiply authorities from this scource but enough has 
 been given to answer our purpose. 
 
 REV. H. w. BEECHER'S TESTIMONY. 
 
 "I confess to you, there is something in my mind of 
 sublimity in the idea that the world is full of spirits, good 
 and evil, who are pursuing their various errands, and that 
 the little that we can see with these bats' eyes of ours, the 
 little that we can decipher with these imperfect senses, is 
 not the whole of the reading of those vast pages of that 
 great volume which God has written. Thei-e is in the lore 
 of God more than our philosophy has ever dreamed of. 
 
 " On the other hand, I believe that there are angels of 
 light, spirits of the blessed, ministers of God, I believe, 
 not only that they are our natural guardians, and friends, 
 and teachers, and influencers, but, also, that they are natu- 
 ral antagonists of evil spirits. In other words, I believe 
 that the great realm of life goes on without the body very 
 much as it does with the body. And, as here the mother 
 not only is the guardian of her children whom she loves, 
 but foresees that bad associates and evil influences threaten 
 them, and draws them back and shields them from im- 
 pending danger, so ministering spirits not only minis-
 
 REV. ME. BEECHEB'S OPINION. 75 
 
 ter to us the divinest tendencies, the purest tastes, the 
 noblest thoughts and feelings, but, perceiving our adver- 
 saries, caution us against them and assail them and drive 
 them away from us. 
 
 "There have been times in which I declare to you 
 heaven was more real than earth ; in which my children 
 that were gone spoke more plainly to me than my children 
 that were with me ; in which the blessed estate of the 
 spirits of just men made perfect in heaven, seemed more 
 real and near to me than the estate of any just man upon 
 earth. 
 
 " These are experiences that link one with another and 
 a higher life. They are generally not continuous, but 
 occasional openings through which we look into the other 
 world .... 
 
 " These glimpses of the future state are a great comfort 
 and consolation to all those who are looking and waiting 
 for that development of perfect manhood." 
 
 LONGFELLOW'S TESTIMONY. 
 
 " Some men there are I have known such who think 
 That the two worlds the seen and the unseen, 
 The world of matter and the world of spirit 
 Are like the hemispheres upon our maps, 
 And touch each other only at a point ; 
 But these two worlds are not divided thus, 
 Save for the purpose of common speech ; 
 They form one globe, in which the parted seas 
 All flow together, and are intermingled, 
 While the great continents remain distinct. 
 
 " The spiritual world 
 Lies all about us, and its avenues 
 Are open to the unseen feet of Phantoms 
 That come and go, and we perceive them not, 
 Save by their influence ; or when, at times, 
 A most mysterious Providence permits them 
 To manifest themselves to mortal eyes.
 
 76 THE CLOCK STKUCK ONE. 
 
 " A drowsiness is stealing over me 
 Which is not sleep ; for, though I close mine eyes, 
 I am awake, and in another world ; 
 Dim faces of the dead and of the absent 
 Come floating up before me. 
 
 " When the hours of day are numbered, 
 
 And the voices of the night 
 Wake the better soul, that slumbered, 
 
 To a holy calm delight, 
 Ere' the evening lamps are lighted, 
 
 And, like Phantoms grim and tall, 
 Shadows from the fitful firelight, 
 
 Dance upon the parlor wall, 
 
 " Then the forms of the departed 
 
 Enter at the open door 
 The beloved ones, the true hearted, 
 
 Come to visit me once more ; 
 And with them the Being Beauteous 
 
 Who unto my youth was given, 
 More than all things else, to love me, 
 
 And is now a saint in heaven. 
 
 " With a slow and noiseless footstep 
 
 Comes that messenger divine, 
 Takes the vacant chair beside me, 
 
 Lays her gentle hand in mine ; 
 And she sits and gazes at me 
 
 With those deep and tender eyes, 
 Like the stars, so still and saint-like, 
 
 Looking downward from the skies." 
 
 I could give the testimony of hundreds of the most 
 intellectual and pious men that ever lived, who believed 
 this doctrine. One more will suffice for the present. 
 
 OPINION OP REV. WILLIAM E. CHANNING. 
 
 We need not doubt the fact that angels, whose home is 
 in heaven, visit our earth and bear part in our transactions ; 
 and we have good reason to believe that, if we obtain ad-
 
 PERTINENT QUESTIONS. 77 
 
 mission into heaven, we shall still have opportunity, not 
 only to return to earth, but to view the operations of God 
 in distant spheres, and be his ministers in other worlds. 
 
 Having proven, as I think, that the doctrine of inter- 
 course between the natural and spiritual world is clearly 
 taught in the Bible under every dispensation, and having 
 shown it to have been the belief of the early Christians, 
 as well as the Churches of the present time, the question 
 now is, Can it be demonstrated that communications are 
 now being made ? I take the affirmative of this question. 
 It is, as I conceive, but one step further than the universal 
 belief of the Church in all ages. Before giving the rea- 
 sons for my belief, it may be well to inquire, Is there not 
 a necessity for something more tangible than the world 
 has had of immortality ? Is it not true that the pursuit of 
 science has a materializing influence over a large portion 
 of those who are engaged in such studies ? Does not the 
 human mind require to be moved by far different powers 
 than those which rule the world of thought at the present 
 time ? Science tends to make men selfish and calculating, 
 while religious dogmatism takes them further and further 
 from the true and simple grounds of faith. Is there not a 
 necessity for a return, on the part of the Churches, to the 
 belief of the earliest Christians in direct and undisputed 
 spirit communion, and that it should not be regarded as 
 at all miraculous in its nature, but a matter of ordinary 
 experience and the sure evidence of religious faith ? The 
 world confesses to the same thing on every side. Almost 
 everywhere is to be found a deadness of faith, and profes- 
 sion without practical belief. I know that faith is power- 
 ful in its influence on the soul ; but the time has come 
 when even faith must be strengthened and re-enforced by 
 actual knowledge. This want has been fully met in my 
 own case for nearly a score of years. It has supplied that
 
 78 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 knowledge which I so much desired, and given vital effi 
 cacy to my faith, which nothing else could have done. 
 
 This comes, too, at the time it is most needed. Its office 
 is to redeem mankind, who are blinded by materialism. 
 To deny the return of persons who once lived here would, 
 in my opinion, give to the Jewish dispensation the advan- 
 tage over the Christian in this matter. There has been a 
 gradual unfolding of the plans and purposes of God from 
 the patriarchal age to the present. I believe that he de- 
 signs this to be the means by which the last vestige of 
 materialistic infidelity is to be driven from the world, and 
 to greatly facilitate the time when the knowledge and glory 
 of God shall cover the earth, and all flesh together see 
 and rejoice in the salvation provided for the whole human 
 family. I believe there is one simple truth to be demon- 
 sti-ated by these things ; that is, man's immortality. No 
 new revelation, no new doctrine or principle relative to 
 the relation between the Creator and the creature is de- 
 signed by these things. Therefore, those who rely upon 
 what they may have received as coming from spirits teach- 
 ing anything contrary to the Bible are deceived. This is 
 what I have always been taught, and is what I most sin- 
 cerely believe. I can not question the phenomena any 
 more than I can any other facts of which my senses are 
 capable of judging. There is, perhaps, as great a diver- 
 sity of opinion in regard to some things in the spiritual as 
 in the material world. Nor could I believe what comes 
 from the former as readily as from the latter. 
 
 With these views, I give the facts which have come un- 
 der my observation, leaving each one to exercise his judg- 
 ment from the stand-point he may occupy, praying the 
 blessing of God on all who may attach enough importance 
 to them to read what is written, and the guidance of the 
 Holy Spirit to enable them to arrive at the truth.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 FIRST INVESTIGATIONS. 
 
 HAVING disposed of the subject-matter about which Dr. 
 Bond and myself have written, I feel it due to truth to 
 give some of the reasons which have led me to the conclu- 
 sions at which I have arrived. 
 
 I was brought up after the strictest sect a Methodist. 
 My father, for about forty years, was a class-leader; 
 hence I was cradled in this Church. In early life I trust 
 I consecrated my heart to God and the Church. In 1836 
 I was received on probation in the Tennessee Annual Con- 
 ference. My first year was spent on the Wayne circuit ; 
 my second on Franklin, Ala. ; my third in Clarksville, 
 Tenn. From this station I was sent to Memphis, in 1839, 
 where I have been officially, in the city and vicinity, ever 
 since. My prejudices were, perhaps, as strong as those of 
 most persons against what was called " sphit-rappings." 
 I read everything I saw against them, and I verily believed 
 it to be one of the vilest humbugs from the land of " isms." 
 
 In 1854 our attention was arrested by noises, mostly 
 like the knocking at a door in my house for admittance. 
 They would occur during the day, heard by all the family, 
 but mostly at night, in our bedroom. It became a source 
 of great annoyance to me, but how to get rid of it was 
 beyond my knowledge. A servant girl, who was born in 
 our family, and had nursed three of our children who had 
 died, said " it was the children." She said they were with 
 her often ; that she saw them and talked to them, as she 
 did when they were living. I did not believe her, and 
 threatened her if she persisted in such foolish notions. 
 
 One evening I had her sit down by a small table, my 
 wife and myself only being present. Very soon there
 
 80 THE CLOCK STKUCK ONE. 
 
 were raps on the back of my chair. I could feel the vibra 
 tions of the chair against my back. I was convinced that 
 if they were made by the girl, it was in a manner of which 
 I was wholly ignorant. I was perplexed, and knew not 
 what to say or do. I resolved not to threaten to chastise 
 her any more, or ridicule the subject as I had done. The 
 raps continued, not only in the house, but on my person, 
 by day and night, for months. The noise made on my 
 shirt bosom resembled more the telegraph-machine than 
 anything else. 
 
 It has been my custom, most of my life, to spend some 
 portion of the evening in private devotion, meditation, 
 and self-examination. Having read in my boyhood " Bax- 
 ter's Saints' Rest," I resolved to adopt his plan of spend- 
 ing the close of the day in self-examination and religious 
 exercises. I have often, when thus retired from mortal 
 eyes, with my door locked, felt as sensibly the presence 
 of persons as occular demonstration could have made 
 them. These were not only as impressive, mentally and 
 morally, but physically, as I ever felt the touch of mortals 
 upon my person. This I know, as well as I can know any 
 physical phenomenon. At first it produced some excite- 
 ment, and even fear ; but I was soon satisfied that they 
 were those who loved me, and came to " minister " to me. 
 It produced then the most hallowed influence upon my 
 mind and heart, such as I never before experienced. 
 
 There was at this time much excitement on the subject 
 of " circles " and what occurred at them in the city. I 
 never attended any of them, nor would my self-respect 
 permit me to be associated with what I heard occurred at 
 them. Miss Mary, daughter of Rev. William McMahon, 
 spent a night with us. She told us that she had never 
 been where there was any investigation of this subject, 
 but that when she took a pen or pencil in her hand, and 
 sat down quietly, with paper, it would write without her
 
 FIRST WRITING. 81 
 
 agency; that she "had written in fifty different hand- 
 writings, a number of which had been compared with those 
 by whom they professed to have been written members 
 of her father's and mother's family, who had long since 
 been dead, and that they were the same chirography." 
 After supper, while we were conversing upon the subject 
 around the table, a rap, as loud as if struck with a ham- 
 mer, was made on it. A pencil and paper were brought. 
 I asked quite a number of questions mentally, and answers 
 were given, demonstrating that whatever controlled the 
 pencil was cognizant of what was passing through my 
 mind. So far as I know, the answers were truthfully 
 written. This was the first time I had thought of my 
 mother in connection with this subject. She died, when 
 I was a child, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I have 
 very little remembrance of her, but I was inclined to be- 
 lieve she guided the pencil, as it was said she did, in 
 Mary's hand. My wife and her uncle made a similar ex- 
 periment with the same results. 
 
 A great many things occurred at my house for several 
 months, which would require too much space. It was 
 thus that my attention was first called to this subject. 
 
 The following written for, and published in the Memphis 
 Christian Advocate in 1855, will show my views at that 
 time. 
 
 ME. EDITOR I have been solicited by several persons 
 to write out my views upon spiritualism for the Advocate. 
 "Well, sir, I have found it a very difficult subject to under- 
 stand. I have come to no satisfactory conclusion respect- 
 ing it. 
 
 From the time the Rochester knockings commenced, to 
 within a few months past, I have regarded it as the very 
 "prince of humbugs." Although I read all I ever saw 
 published upon the subject, I was not inclined to think it 
 
 worthy of serious investigation ; consequently I have never 
 
 4*
 
 82 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 been at a regular circle heard no lectures seen no " well- 
 developed mediums" though strongly urged to go and 
 examine for myself, in New York and other places. 
 
 There is a class of persons whose bigotry is only equaled 
 by their ignorance, (at least of this subject) who deny all 
 well-authenticated facts in regard to it, and consider those 
 who attach enough importance to the subject to investi- 
 gate it, as having a " weak point" or " going crazy" or 
 some other epithet of ridicule as being applicable to them. 
 Such persons, to those who have investigated, only render 
 themselves, more than the subject, ridiculous. 
 
 There is another class who have partially investigated, 
 and have been satisfied there is some truth in it, yet are 
 afraid of public opinion or something else, and so we 
 often hear them say I do not want to know anything 
 more about it. 
 
 I do not think, Sir, that I belong to either of these 
 classes. I want to know its truth or falsity. If it is true 
 that there is a medium through which we can converse 
 with our departed friends, I want to know it. If it is 
 false, and millions of our fellow-men are deceived in re- 
 gard to it and led into dangerous error, it is the duty of 
 every philanthropist to detect and expose the humbug. 
 The only way, in may opinion, to accomplish this object, 
 is to go into it thoroughly, probe to the bottom, and 
 show its falsity in a rational and consistent light. As a 
 Methodist preacher, it occurs to me that our ordination 
 vows, to banish all erroneous and strange doctrines, would 
 lead us to pursue this course in a frank, candid, and manly 
 exposition of it. 
 
 I have been induced to make some investigation of this 
 subject from manifestations which have been occurring at 
 my house, and at others in this vicinity for some months 
 past. It is not necessary to mention them in detail, but 
 they have been somewhat similar to those which occurred
 
 SPIEIT W KITING. 83 
 
 in the Wesley family, for thirty-four years, mentioned by 
 Dr. Clarke. Some, I know, will smile at what they think 
 my delusion, and consider me humbugged too. Well, be 
 
 * t OO > 
 
 it so with such I have no argument at present. The 
 phenomenon, whatever it is, has come to me I have 
 never gone in pursuit of it ; I am satisfied that there is an 
 influence brought to bear upon some persons who will, 
 without any design upon their part, write sensible, intelli- 
 gent answers to mental questions, which will astound the 
 most skeptical. I have never said that I believed those 
 communications were from the spirits of our departed 
 friends, but I do say that all the laws of mind or matter 
 with which I have ever become acquainted, utterly fail 
 to explain to my satisfaction the modus operandi of these 
 so-called spirit manifestations. I have seen a pencil placed 
 n a pair of scissors, in the hand of a girl incapable of 
 deception, and it would write answers to mental questions 
 propounded ; after which half a dozen persons would take 
 the same pencil, placed in the same scissors, and with all 
 their efforts could not make even a letter with it. To any 
 unprejudiced mind this was ocular demonstration that 
 there was power or influence controlling the pencil in her 
 hand which we could not understand. 
 
 Infidelity, you know, has seized with avidity upon 
 everything which would overthrow the divine authentic- 
 ity of the Bible. Thus, many of the sciences have been 
 thought to conflict with revelation, and shouts of triumph 
 have been raised by skeptics ; but subsequent investiga- 
 tions, however, have demonstrated that there is perfect 
 harmony between science and revelation. 
 
 The fact is, if these communications are from spirits at 
 all, many of them we know to be lying spirits. That 
 there are lying spirits, no one who believes the Bible can 
 doubt ; for God himself sent a lying spirit to deceive Ahab. 
 1 Kings xxii. 20, 23. God never designed to teach man
 
 84 THE CLOCK STKUCK ONE. 
 
 in regard to the great principles of his moral government, 
 and the relation he sustains to him, through such me- 
 diums; but by a revelation, marked with the "seal of 
 high Divinity," demonstrated to be his infallible word by 
 miracles of the most public character, and prophecies ; 
 hundreds of them, in regard to individuals, nations, king- 
 doms, and empires, which have been fulfilled in the world's 
 history, and some of which are now being fulfilled. 
 
 All, therefore, who rely upon any such communications 
 as these for light in regard to the future, and build their 
 hopes of everlasting happiness upon what some " medi- 
 um," perhaps himself of doubtful reputation, may say, will 
 find he has built his house upon a sandy foundation, which 
 will not stand in the judgment of the great day. My 
 own opinion is that if these communications are from the 
 spirit world, God has permitted them, to demonstrate to 
 the materialist that there is a future state of existence 
 after death. That there is a vast amount of infidelity in 
 the world on this subject, no one M r ho has paid any atten- 
 tion to the subject can doubt. Look at Europe, especially 
 France and Germany, and we behold nations of infidels. 
 
 That we are upon the eve of the most important events 
 the world has ever witnessed, I have no doubt. There 
 have been famine, pestilence, and war. The mightiest 
 nations of the earth are now being shaken, and God only 
 knows what will be the result of these mighty convulsions. 
 It becomes us, as watchmen on the walls of Zion, to keep 
 a look out for the shadows which coming events cast be- 
 fore them. SAMUEL WATSON. 
 
 MEMPHIS, August 1, 1855. 
 
 A writer over the signature of " T." wrote to the editor 
 of the Advocate, objecting to publishing my articles ; after 
 which I wrote the following: 
 
 BBO. COBB I see by an editorial paragragh in the Ad- 
 vocate of the 15th Aug., that your friend " T." and others
 
 PUBLICITY GIVEN. 85 
 
 objected to your publishing my article upon Spiritualism 
 a short time since. He certainly has a right to his opinion ; 
 so have others some of whom, occupying the highest po- 
 sitions in Church and State, in this country, have approved 
 of the article's being published in the Advocate, and have 
 regretted the non-appearance of the other proposed. I 
 can not see why a subject that is agitating the minds of so 
 many, and making such high claims as Spiritualism does, 
 " should be carefully excluded from the Advocate /" espe- 
 cially, when those who believe in it are publishing so many 
 ably edited newspapers and periodicals. The Advocate 
 and Journal, Nashville Advocate, New Orleans Advocate, 
 Northern Methodist Quarterly JKeview, and other religious 
 papers, have all noticed it, and some of them have pub- 
 lished a series of numbers in regard to it, admitting more 
 than I ever believed to be true relative to the so-called 
 spirit manifestations. At the solicitation of some friends 
 whose opinions I felt bound to respect, I wrote what were 
 my honest convictions respecting it ; and while I admitted 
 some facts which I could not explain by any principle of 
 physics or metaphysics with which I was familiar, yet I 
 was satisfied that no reliance was to be placed in them, 
 and that those who consulted any such " oracles" to know 
 any thing of their spiritual and eternal interests, were 
 " led captive by the devil at his will ;" that even to admit 
 they were from spirits (which I have never done), they 
 taught the doctrine of " ETERNAL, DAMNATION " to the 
 finally impenitent. 
 
 I shall not, however, wound the tender sensibilities of 
 your friend " T." by writing any more for the Advocate 
 on this subject. 
 
 I clip the following from the last number of the Spiritual 
 Telegraph, purporting to come from a spirit of the highest 
 authority in the spirit land : 
 
 " It is true that all who are renewed by the spirit of
 
 86 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 God will progress and finally reach heaven, but those who 
 do not yield their hearts to him will not progress they 
 will sink to hell. 
 
 "God assigns a place for all, and the place for the un- 
 renewed of God's Holy Spirit is hell, below the seven 
 spheres of which spirits speak. Except a man be born 
 again, he can not see the kingdom of God. So said Christ 
 on earth, and so he now says." 
 
 " There is no other name under heaven whereby men 
 must be saved. Except ye be converted and become as 
 little children, ye can not enter into the kingdom of God." 
 
 " The Bible is given to teach man what is necessary for 
 him to know of his destiny, and how to make him happy, 
 and whatever of spirit-teaching is contrary to the teach- 
 ing of the Bible, is false." 
 
 The above has always been my opinion in regard to this 
 subject ; and as a Methodist preacher who has been in 
 this conference ever since its organization, I felt inclined 
 to give those views publicly. I had intended to have am- 
 plified more upon the subject, but will not trespass further 
 upon your time and that of your patrons. If you see 
 proper to publish this you are at liberty to do so ; if not, 
 it will make no difference. 
 
 I am, as ever, yours and the Advocate's friend, 
 
 SAMUEL WATSO5T. 
 
 MEMPHIS, August 28, 1855. 
 
 Thus ended my communications to the Advocate upon 
 this subject. Though I was elected the next year by the 
 Memphis Annual Conference to edit the same paper, and 
 the year after elected by the General Conference, and con- 
 tinued its editor until 1866, yet I rever wrote or published 
 an article on that subject in it. The public mind was not 
 prepared to examine it then, nor is it now, through that 
 channel. St. Paul says : " If eating meat displease my 
 brother, I will eat no more while the world standeth."
 
 CIRCLE ORGANIZATION. 87 
 
 While thus perplexed in regard to these things in the 
 spring of 1855 a friend took the liberty to put my name 
 with a select number to investigate the subject. There 
 were five physicians, some of them now living in Memphis, 
 now, as then, standing at the head of their profession. 
 The different Churches of the city were represented by 
 three ministers and several influential lay members. The 
 head of the Episcopal Church in Tennessee was our 
 leader. The medium was a native-born Memphian, an 
 honest, pious young lady, a member of the Baptist Church. 
 
 With such persons I was willing to be associated to in- 
 vestigate the subject which was attracting so much atten- 
 tion. We always opened our meetings with prayer. We 
 earnestly besought the Divine Spirit to direct us to the 
 truth. Our meetings were religious, and produced a most 
 hallowed influence on our minds and hearts. I cherish 
 them now, though seventeen years have passed away, as 
 the brightest spots in my history. If I have ever known 
 what Bible Christianity was, it was greatly strengthened 
 at those meetings. I preserved a considerable amount of 
 manuscript, which I have copied as the main feature of 
 the contents of what follows. If the reader believes we 
 were deceived, he had as well close the book. We used 
 every means in our power to prevent this, nor have I the 
 least possible inducement to deceive others. I shall give 
 what occurred, as best I can, from the documents and 
 from memory, and leave all to receive or reject what they 
 may see proper, from their stand, in regard to these things. 
 
 The first night was spent in the preliminaries of organi- 
 zation. The communications were made by the use of the 
 alphabet. We were told that if we wished to investigate 
 the subject, and would meet twice a week promptly, a 
 spirit of olden time would meet with us and communi- 
 cate with us. We were directed to open all our meetings 
 with prayer precisely at the time appointed. After the
 
 88 THE CLOCK STRUCK OJSTE. 
 
 organization there were physical manifestations such as 
 we had never seen. At the request of any one, the large 
 walnut extension-table would do anything that was asked, 
 no one touching it but the medium, Miss Fisher. We 
 could not question that all the laws, physical or meta- 
 physical, with which we were acquainted could not explain 
 what occurred without any visible agency. I made it a 
 subject of special prayer for direction in what I had un- 
 dertaken. 
 
 The next night Miss Fisher wrote, with great rapidity, 
 answers to mental or oral questions that we propounded. 
 We sat around the table, and would ask, in regular rota- 
 tion, whatever we thought proper. There was a great 
 diversity of interrogatories, upon various subjects, and 
 answers, somewhat lengthy, written ; showing very clearly 
 that whatever controlled the pencil knew what was pass- 
 ing in the mind of the questioner. The spirit who had 
 charge of us would not give us his name, nor the age or 
 country in which he had lived. He wished to be known 
 by the name of MYSTERY. He said he lived on earth sev- 
 eral hundred years ago, and that Bishop Otey was familiar 
 with his works. I must say I have never come in contact 
 with a superior intelligence. Our meetings continued for 
 several months, occupying usually about two hours each 
 evening. 
 
 In all that he wrote, I do not remember anything that 
 came in conflict with the general principles and doctrines 
 as taught by the churches, with, perhaps, one exception. 
 I must in candor say that he did state that in the inter- 
 mediate state it was possible for those who had been 
 wicked or undeveloped, if they would use the means there 
 afforded, they might ultimately progress to a better state, 
 but that there were many who lived in the early ages of 
 the world still in outer darkness ; that there, as well as 
 here, persevering effort had to be made, in order to im- 

 
 A SLANDER REFUTED. 89 
 
 prove their condition. He taught us that PURITY OF 
 HEART and life were essential to enjoy the society of the 
 good ; that we must have moral fitness before we could 
 find a heaven anywhere. It was only the pure, the good, 
 and the holy that could ever see or enjoy the kingdom of 
 heaven ; that there was a fearful hell not of fire, but of 
 remorse for the wicked and the vicious, who thus passed 
 into that state. The Church, he said, was the best place 
 in which to prepare for the spiritual world ; that they 
 were not as pure as they should be, and that they took 
 too matei-ialistic a view of the Bible and the teachings of 
 Christ ; that there was a spiritual meaning to the Script- 
 ures that many of them did not comprehend ; that Chris- 
 tianity was a spiritual religion, and that the Bible, when 
 properly understood, was the infallible guide to man He 
 told us there were wicked, lying spirits, who were deceiv- 
 ing the people ; that there were many of them in Mem- 
 phis, and for us not to go among them. An editorial ap- 
 peared in the Eagle, and Enquirer, stating there was a 
 circle that was taught that Christ was an impostor. Im- 
 mediately after prayer, it was written, " Get the morning 
 paper, and read what it says about me." He then appealed 
 to us, in the most solemn manner, that we knew that was 
 false, and that we owed it to truth, as well as to him, to 
 contradict it through the same paper. We promised to 
 do so, and the investigations continued as usual. At our 
 next meeting, the first thing it asked was why we had not 
 complied with our promise. I never saw a more severe 
 castigation given for moral cowardice than he gave us. 
 He told us he had left the high courts above, and impor- 
 tant business, to come and teach us, and that we would 
 suffer him to be slandered in the public prints, and. after 
 promising, had failed to render him a simple act of justice, 
 by stating what we knew to be the facts in the case. He 
 told us that unless we did it over our own signatures he
 
 90 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 would never meet with us again. I remember distinctly 
 his appeal to Bishop Otey. " You know," said he " what 
 I have taught you all in regard to the divinity of Christ," 
 quoting several of the strongest texts of Scripture relative 
 to this doctrine. " I want you, Bishop, to write a separate 
 card, stating the facts as they are, and the doctrines I have 
 taught you." The card was drawn up, and we signed it. 
 Bishop Otey wrote his, and they were published in the 
 same paper, and form part of the history of those times. 
 The bishop, editor, and most of those who signed the 
 document, have passed over to the spirit land, where they 
 see more clearly in regard to those things about which 
 we were so intensely interested. Some of that number, 
 however, remain on this side. They are now, as they were 
 then, pious, intelligent, useful members of the different 
 branches of the Church. 
 
 I propose to give some of the teachings of Mystery, 
 and from other sources, corroborating the same general 
 principles, leaving each one to exercise his own judgment 
 as to the reliability of all that has been or may be written. 
 I give it, not as my own, but merely as the teachings of 
 what purported to have come from the spirit land. 
 
 We were often told to reject, as coming from lying, de- 
 ceiving spirits, any and everything that was not in spirit 
 sustained by the teachings of the Bible. With these cau- 
 tions, I shall proceed, first, to notice what was said of the 
 character of OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. The Supreme 
 Being assumed a human body, and arose, with its spiritual 
 form, into heaven. He has become the Divine Man, and 
 stands revealed in that humanity to the humble and loving 
 children of his heavenly kingdom. This God, who is the 
 Lord all in all of the heavens, is Jesus Christ. The God- 
 head, so far as it can be manifested to finite beings, exists 
 in the divine humanity known historically to men of this 
 earth as the Lord Jesus Christ. Said he not of himself,
 
 CHKIST'S CHAEACTEK. 91 
 
 "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, 
 which is, which was, and is to come" the Almighty. 
 A true conception of this subject will give a clear insight 
 into some of the most remarkable things related in the 
 Scriptures. 
 
 The same Divine Being has appeared to patriarchs, 
 prophets, apostles, under many different forms ; frequently 
 as an angel called the "Angel of Jehovah," as a man 
 wrestling all night with Jacob, as a man standing with a 
 drawn sword before Joshua, as a man appearing to Abra- 
 ham, as a human being dying a shameful death upon the 
 cross, as a risen body showing to an unbelieving disciple 
 the print of the nails and the mark of the spear, as a daz- 
 zling splendor on the Mount conversing with Moses and 
 Elias, and as a form of light ascending to heaven. One 
 of our number, Dr. Pittman, asked a great many questions 
 in regard to the character of our Lord Jesus Christ. The 
 answers were always in accordance with the Bible teach- 
 ings respecting him ; and the essential and eternal divinity 
 was as clearly taught as I ever heard or read anywhere. 
 Often the strongest texts of Scripture were quoted to es- 
 tablish the doctrine of the divinity of Christ. The first 
 Epistle of John, 4th chapter, was particularly referred to, 
 and the test there given of true and false spirits the one 
 confessing, the other denying this doctrine. 
 
 He said there was a diversity of opinion in the spiritual 
 world, as well as here, in regard to the true character and 
 mission of Christ ; that those who were infidels here car- 
 ried their opinions with them into the spiritual world, 
 and entertained and propagated them until they were 
 better informed ; that what we call death does not change 
 a man's character nor his opinions ; and that we should 
 not believe anything coming from that source any sooner 
 than we would from any one here ; but to try all by the in 
 fallible word of God, the BIBLE, as the only rock on which
 
 92 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 we should build our hopes for happiness when we pass 
 from this into the other state of existence, to receive the 
 full reward according to our works. 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 GOD AND HEAVEN. 
 
 THE representations which have been given of God by 
 some who have been teachers of theology, have impressed 
 the reflecting mind with erroneous ideas of his character. 
 Whatever is truth, justice, and love in us, are the same in 
 kind in us as in God ; and it is absurd to think otherwise. 
 The moral inadequacy of our thought of God is chiefly 
 in this, that some have accepted as a teaching that he has 
 a sovereign right to do what he likes with us, and that we 
 have no business to judge as to the right or wrong of his 
 actions. Some have taught that he creates to damn, or 
 leaves us to ruin ourselves ; or that he allows us to be 
 children of the devil ; things so absolutely immoral in an 
 earthly father, that many men are driven into absolute 
 revolt, or into a kind of hopeless, drifting carelessness of 
 the whole matter. 
 
 These notions are unworthy of the God of the Bible, 
 and they will all be done away with, by a true moral con- 
 ception of God in his relations to us, based upon moral 
 ideas which we ourselves possess of him. He has sent us 
 forth from himself, therefore he is bound by the essential 
 goodness of his nature, in the highest conceivable sense of 
 a Father. Our aspirations are his voice in us. Our jus- 
 tice, truth, and love, such as they are, are still the saint 1 
 kind as his. He is a pure, moral being ; therefore we must 
 in the end be pure, moral beings, in order that we may
 
 HOLINESS ESSENTIAL. 93 
 
 enjoy that which is prepared for the pure in heart; as 
 they alone shall ever enjoy God, which is eternal union 
 with goodness, truth, and love. This, I think, will con- 
 stitute the bliss of the heavenly state. " Be ye holy as I 
 am holy," says God. " Be ye therefore perfect, even as 
 your Father which is in heaven is perfect," says Jesus. 
 These embody the essential elements of heaven. They 
 constitute the necessary qualification for the enjoyment 
 of heavenly employments. The threatenings as well as 
 the promises of the Bible, are given as the motive power 
 to stimulate all to seek that preparation of heart and life 
 which alone will qualify them for the associations of the 
 heavenly state. There is a profound philosophy in the re- 
 ligion of the Bible. If mankind were taught it properly, 
 those who think correctly would see that the Gospel is 
 not only " the power of God unto salvation," but that it is 
 " the wisdom of God" to save all who have the requisite 
 internal fitness of purity, without which no one can enjoy 
 heaven. 
 
 It begins at the center, in a state of love and charity in 
 the heart. That is the essential basis of its existence, the 
 primal cause of its creation. No physical changes, no 
 variations of place can bring a soul into heaven. 
 
 " The kingdom of heaven is within you," is the declara- 
 tion of inspiration, and in perfect accord with the philoso- 
 phy of religion. No learning, no wisdom, no spiritual 
 illumination, no operations of the understanding can ad- 
 vance the spirit to the mansions of the blessed. Love to 
 God in the heart, charity to the neighbor, obedience to 
 the divine laws, a life according to the commandments 
 these are the passports to heaven, for these are the powers 
 which create it, and animate and sustain it. 
 
 We shall understand more clearly what the occupations 
 of these heavenly spirits are, if we first remove from our 
 mind's eye everything calculated to obscure our percep-
 
 94 THE CLOCK STEUCK ONE. 
 
 tions of these earthly pursuits and earthly enjoyments 
 which, by the very constitution of the spiritual world, are 
 unnecessary or impossible in the future life. 
 
 The natural world is the sphere of birth and death. In 
 the spiritual world nothing is born, nothing dies. The 
 natural world is fixed in time and space ; the spiritual 
 world, where time and space are not realized as here. 
 
 In the natural world the occupations of life, with the 
 feelings, ideas, motives, which they involve, are peculiar 
 to the present state. They are necessary to this, our first 
 stage of existence, and are the very means of our rational 
 development, and of our preparation for a higher life. 
 Their use, however, is only temporary, and they obscure 
 our perception of spiritual things, and hide from us the 
 riches and glory of our future inheritance. Our life here 
 is a foregleam of immortality. This world is the seed 
 field of elements which are to bear flower and fruit in 
 heaven. 
 
 In our Father's house are many mansions, prepared for 
 us by himself. We are to be fed with angels' food, a spon- 
 taneous creation, like the manna in the wilderness. The 
 occupations of the other life are purely spiritual in their 
 character. They all have reference to the growth and 
 illumination of the mind, the purification of the affections, 
 and to the sanctification of the will and the conduct of 
 the life, on principles of love to the Lord and charity to 
 the neighbor. To grow in wisdom, intelligence, goodness, 
 and usefulness forever, is the life and felicity of heaven. 
 The heavenly life is one of constant spiritual activity, in 
 which every intellectual faculty of the mind, and every 
 exalted affection of the heart, is called into blissful oper- 
 ation. 
 
 While I believe there is what may be called a local 
 heaven, yet I think it will consist more in a state or con- 
 dition than a place. The opinion that some people have
 
 THE CELESTIAL CITY. 95 
 
 of a material heaven seems to be absurd. They speak of 
 it as a city, fifteen hundred miles square, with four gates 
 on each side, with gold-paved streets, etc. They have 
 God seated on a great white throne, and the people wor- 
 shiping around it. 
 
 Such persons have taken the literal description given 
 by St. John as their ideal, and think if they can only get 
 through the gates they will be perfectly happy. Such 
 persons have very erroneous ideas of God, we think, as 
 w r ell as of heaven. God is everywhere, filling immensity. 
 It is a question whether we shall see God, only as he man- 
 ifests himself through his Son, even in the spiritual world. 
 It is time these early, childish notions of heaven were ban- 
 ished from the Church and the world this dream-like 
 state of existence, this quiescent mode of being, which 
 would produce stagnation. We must have higher concep- 
 tions of the future life than those usually entertained, to 
 restore to society a joyful belief in a blissful immortality. 
 We want a picture of the world to come fitted to meet a 
 larger and worthier ideal of the noble powers bestowed 
 upon man. 
 
 God is represented as our Father. We are his children. 
 The highest work of a father is the education of his chil- 
 dren. The end of God's education of his creature, man, 
 is the harmonious development of all his powers. All our 
 faculties will have ample scope for expansion in the eternal 
 world. 
 
 " I go to prepare a place for you," said our Saviour. A 
 place for each one, fitted to his character, and to develop 
 that character in perfection. In the doing of this, we shall 
 have the continual delight of feeling that we are growing to 
 the full expansion of all our powers. Our ideals shall be- 
 come more beautiful, and minister continually to fresh 
 aspirations, so that stagnation will be impossible. The 
 outlines of life will be filled up, the rough statue of life
 
 96 TILE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 shall be finished. We shall not only be spiritual men, but 
 men complete in Christ. His intellectual nature will be 
 more spiritual and refined when he becomes a " fellow- 
 citizen with the saints ; " and then all will be bound to- 
 gether by the omnipresent spirit of love, goodness, truth, 
 and life, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, "who re- 
 deemed us, not with corruptible things, as of gold, silver, 
 or precious stones," but with his own peace-speaking 
 blood, shed for every man. 
 
 Philosophy tells us that electricity can travel several 
 hundred thousand miles in a second. If this be so who 
 can conceive the velocity with which a pure spirit may 
 pass through the universe of God. When we reflect upon 
 the immensity of creation and the " infinity of space," we 
 are lost in wonder, love, and praise, at the glorious pro- 
 spective of man's destiny. While he may be in the full 
 enjoyment of that " Eternal weight of Glory " in the upper 
 sanctuary, his affinities may attract him to loved ones on 
 earth, to impi*ess the mind, and move the heart to virtue 
 and happiness. These swift messengers of mercy who 
 " minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation," have 
 clear perceptions of the plan of human redemption. They 
 know the intrinsic worth of the immortal spirit of man, 
 which is capable of such elevation. They know the price- 
 less value of time, with all the privileges conferred by the 
 gospel. They rejoice over the returning prodigal to his 
 father's house, and the lost sheep that wandered from the 
 fold. The minister of Christ may still be an " embassador 
 for God," to bring about a reconciliation between the court 
 of heaven and rebellious man. The work to which he 
 consecrated his young heart -and ripened manhood may 
 be yet a part of his delightful employment, without the 
 impediments that now attach to the work and office of the 
 ministry. Not with railroad speed, but with angelic veloc- 
 ity will he travel in obedience to the will of his heavenly
 
 PKOVIDENCE SANCTIFIED. 97 
 
 Father. Action, vigorous, ceaseless activity, is, I think, 
 an essential requisite to happiness in that spiritual world. 
 With an angel's ken we shall doubtless be permitted to 
 look back upon our earth-history. Amid the revealing 
 light of that world, every dispensation of the tangled web 
 of human affairs will assume order and regularity, from 
 the stand-point we shall then occupy. Then will be exhib- 
 ited the most perfect, beautiful symmetry and harmony, 
 where now we behold only discord and " confusion worse 
 confounded." God's infinite wisdom, love,power, and good- 
 ness, were all employed in bringing us out of the mazy 
 labyrinths through which we have passed in every part of 
 our checkered history. Memory will revive every event 
 of earth-life, and mark the goodness of God in those things 
 over which we may have been disposed to murmur. We 
 have seen the inscrutable acts of providence our cherished 
 plans have been frustrated, our dearest hopes have been 
 disappointed, our brightest prospects have been blasted 
 our beloved ones have been taken away by the ruthless 
 monster, while we have wept bitter tears of grief during 
 days of weariness and sorrow but blessed be God ! there 
 is a period fast approaching in our history when we shall 
 see that these afflictions were blessings in disguise. We 
 shall rejoice over those things, concerning which we have 
 grieved. We shall see the goodness of God in trans- 
 planting the flowers to a more genial soil, to bloom on 
 and bear fruit into everlasting life. 
 
 INTERMEDIATE STATE. 
 
 The world of spirits is a state of existence with its corre- 
 sponding objective phenomena, into which all men are 
 ushered immediatly after death. This state is that which 
 exists between heaven and hell. This is the Sheol of the 
 Old Testament, the Hades of the New, erroreously trans- 
 lated in our English Bible as hell, and the grave. Josephus 
 
 5
 
 98 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 expressly defines the word Sheol, which our translators ren- 
 der hell, as " the place wherein the souls of the righteous 
 and the unrighteous are detained." It was universally 
 accepted as an article of rational faith in the Christian 
 Church until the time of Luther. 
 
 When death performs its office, we pass into this state, 
 the same that we were in in the present state of being. 
 The material body returns to the earth, while the spiritual 
 body, with all its mental and moral identity, passes into 
 this state. The mere act of death produces no change in 
 the affections, thoughts, opinions, or aspirations of man. 
 The laws of the spiritual world instantaneously operate 
 upon him. He comes into the exercise of spiritual thought. 
 He speaks, spontaneously, the rich and wonderful language 
 of spirits. He cannot enter heaven, because his spiritual 
 state of affection and thought are not in accord with those 
 of the angels. He could neither see nor hear what they 
 saw and heard. It is not possible for any one to enter 
 that heavenly society without a fitness for their associa- 
 tion. He would tremble at his evil thoughts and desires. 
 His life would project itself outwardly around them in 
 terrible, disgusting forms. Such a thing is organically 
 impossible. It is plain that the law of spiritual relation 
 demands and effects the total separation of the good and 
 evil, so that heaven and hell stand eternally apart. 
 
 The world of spirits is, to outward appearance, a vast 
 world, not fixed in time and space, like our natural world, 
 but plastic and changeable to the outflowing thoughts and 
 affections of its inhabitants. It appears differently, to dif 
 ferent classes of spirits who live there. The form this 
 world assumes to those who recently deceased is very much 
 like that of the world they have left. The reason is this: 
 They are still in possession of their exterior memory, 
 thoughts, affections, and life, for man has an external 
 and an internal life. His exterior life has been taken
 
 CHARACTER ALL CLEAR, 99 
 
 away from him. His interior nature has come out to view. 
 They no longer have two faces. They no longer think 
 one thing and say another. All external bonds and re- 
 straints are removed, forgotten, despised. There is no 
 fear of the law or public opinion ; no influence of fashion, 
 no respect for wealth or position, no sacrifices to decorum, 
 no concealment from interested motives. The man or the 
 woman stands out in utter spiritual nakedness every 
 thought, every feeling exposed to view. Outward organ- 
 izations are now nothing. Conventionalisms perish ; their 
 own names and history are shadows. Their qualities alone 
 survive. From them they think, see, live. Here is the 
 separation of good and evil spirits, and the separation of 
 o-ood and evil elements in the individual spirit. No evil 
 passions, no false opinions, no unruly tempers, no frailties 
 cleave to the good man. 
 
 Not only are the dead of whole generations there, but 
 angels from heaven and evil spirits are there. Our attend- 
 ant spirits are there ; our guardian spirits, who befriend 
 and guide us, are there; and the evil spirits who tempt 
 us are there. Searching are the methods, inexorable the 
 processes, and fearful the revelations of the world of 
 spirits. Double dealing is detected, the hypocrite un- 
 masked and exposed, and the soul without the wedding 
 garment is cast out from the feast into " outer darkness." 
 
 On the other hand, the good are delivered from tempta- 
 tion and trial, restored to spiritual sight and hearing; 
 relieved, strengthened, comforted, and purified. All this 
 is done without infringing upon the free agency of any 
 spirit, without any compulsion or violence. 
 
 These wonderful operations going on in the spiritual 
 world are of immense importance to us. They are not 
 far off, like the historical events of some distant planet, 
 they are immediately over and around us ; yea, are within 
 us. We are nearing the heaven or hell to which we are
 
 100 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 going. " We can not serve two masters." We must 
 choose between them. We are now serving the one or 
 the other, and thus making the place we shall have as- 
 signed us. We have the elements of a heaven or a hell 
 forming within us in the present state of being. How 
 precious, then, is time, with all its privileges. Its impor- 
 tance can not be properly estimated until we shall see 
 things in their true light. Then we will see that that is 
 the substance, this the shadow ; that the waking day, this 
 the dream of night. One has faded away, the other is to 
 live forever. O, if we could realize these truths, how 
 different would mankind act in the present infant state of 
 our being 1 
 
 SPIRIT COMMUNION. 
 
 There are vast numbers of persons through whom spir- 
 its can communicate, either by mental or physical mani- 
 festations. This is not done by a miracle or special provi- 
 dence, nor by the suspension of God's immutable laws, but 
 it has been in accordance with and in execution of these 
 laws. There may be spirits too gross to approach up to 
 a level of your stage of existence, but, with that excep- 
 tion, all the spirit world, whether wise or foolish, vicious 
 and evil-disposed, or virtuous and holy, can alike exercise 
 the prerogative of communing. 
 
 Many spirits, bound to the earth by the strong ties of 
 attachment for those whom they have recently left, are 
 anxious to commune with them. Many who have too 
 long ago passed away to have any such personal ties, are 
 still drawn to earth by the propensities which have marked 
 their life here, and which still linger ai-ound them. Some 
 wish to commune from an unselfish desire to alleviate the 
 condition of mankind ; others, alas ! feeling the passions 
 which tainted their mortal career, desire to commune in 
 gratification of their peculiar disposition while they lived 
 on earth. As the reality of spirit intercourse was the
 
 ANGELS AKE MEN. 101 
 
 natural law of man's progression, all the various classes of 
 spirits could commune, the one as well as the other. This 
 accounts for, and explains that conflict of opinion which 
 exists in the spiritual as in the natural world. 
 
 One great idea belonging to death has scarcely been 
 apprehended or appreciated. Death is the continuance of 
 life. It is life without the restraints imposed upon it by 
 the limits of a single planet. Now, though it is important 
 that the designs of life should be investigated and under- 
 stood, it certainly is of as much importance that that life, 
 in its continuance, should be perfectly appreciated. The 
 one is of short duration, the other is for eternity. This, 
 then, is the object of spirit communion ; and it behooves 
 all to understand what they believe, that they may, when 
 satisfied themselves, be able to satisfy others. 
 
 The angels who are not men, mentioned in the Bible, 
 I am led to believe were once men, whose organization 
 has passed the last process of refinement, and are con- 
 stantly with all that can be known of God. 
 
 No human mind, however fertile in imagination, can 
 picture, in its wildest fancy, the overpowering and trans, 
 cendent beauty of the progressed and elevated soul. The, 
 world's images of thought fail to convey the faintest idea 
 of my meaning. Those beings once passed through a 
 similar process of development, by having a material 
 body, in some other world. God is uniform and un- 
 changeable in his laws and principles. He thus reveals 
 himself to us in the Bible, without which we could know 
 nothing of such a being. His laws are uniform adapted 
 to all worlds, and to all created intelligences which he has 
 brought into existence by his Almighty power. When 
 the plans and purposes of God shall have been effected, 
 and earth be redeemed from the thraldom of sin, by the 
 Gospel, then the final triumphant destiny that awaits the 
 redeemed shall be accomplished. Then, all that is neces-
 
 102 THE CLOCK STEUCK ONE. 
 
 sary to constitute the essential elements of our personal 
 individuality shall come forth, like unto " our Saviour's 
 glorious body," and " meet him in the air, and ever be 
 with the Lord." Then shall the Church triumphant enter 
 upon the glorious fruition of the " eternal weight of glory " 
 reserved in heaven for the pure and the good of every 
 age and nation. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. 
 
 THIS is a world, composed of all the forms necessary to 
 constitute a real world. It is as distinct, substantial, and 
 real, to those who have entered it, as this world is to those 
 who live here. Most persons think of it as above them, 
 somewhere in the realms of space. Where is it ? From 
 all I have been able to learn of it, from the Bible, it is 
 very near us. It is not spoken of as far away in the 
 center of the universe (as Dr, Dick supposes) but around, 
 and within the material universe. We are now in this 
 world, though we may not be conscious of it. Why then, 
 it may be asked, can we not see it ? I answer : some of 
 the most powerful agents in nature can be seen only by 
 the effects they produce. Many instances are given in the 
 Bible of persons who saw it, while they were still in this 
 world. They are spoken of as having their " eyes opened," 
 or " being in the spirit." The spiritual eye is veiled by 
 the material. Its organization is too delicate to be acted 
 on by the gross forms of matter. Our spiritual senses are 
 ordinarily asleep, and we cannot see the spiritual world 
 about us until they are awaked. None but the materialist 
 believes that the natural body is the man. It is only the 
 house in which he lives. Where is the spirit world? This
 
 UNIVEESAL LAW. 103 
 
 is a question more easily asked than answered. I believe 
 that it surrounds, and permeates the natural world. What 
 stupendous interests revolve around the replies to this 
 question ? What light their truthful answers would cast 
 upon the great mysteries of life and death ? How singular- 
 ly averse is the popular mind, under the tuition of the pass- 
 ing dispensation, to think of the spiritual world as a real, 
 and substantial state of existence. The Bible itself is in 
 a measure a dead letter in the eyes of a sensual and philos- 
 ophizing generation. The very people who believe it, 
 and love it, and preach it, cannot realize that the Bible 
 shows us that angels, and departed spirits are living 
 already in the human form, seeing, feeling, and loving as 
 we do. Each soul is responsible for its heaven, or its hell. 
 We make the one, or the other according to the intellect- 
 ual and moral status of each individual, who determines 
 by its state or condition where, and with whom, and how, 
 it shall live forever. No arbitrary or judicial decree lifts 
 it to heaven, or dooms it to hell. The same law which 
 raises the pure and the holy to heaven, sinks the wicked 
 and the vicious to hell. There must be qualification be- 
 fore there can be enjoyment, even in heaven. There 
 must be the kingdom of heaven within the soul, before it 
 can ever find a heaven in the universe of God. This is 
 sound philosophy, as well as the plain teachings of the 
 Bible. Our life and conduct on earth, will fix and deter- 
 mine our external surroundings to all eternity. We are 
 every day contributing something to make up the char- 
 acter which we shall carry with us into the other life. 
 Death, as we call the separation of the natural from the 
 spiritual body, will not, can not produce any change in 
 the intellectual, or moral character of the individual. 
 
 Man is an epitome of the universe. We can conceive ol 
 nothing that is not material or spiritual ; so that in him are 
 blended these two principles of which the universe is com-
 
 104 THE CLOCK STEUCK ONE. 
 
 posed. We have rational natural, spiritual, celestial de- 
 grees of being folded away in potency behind, and within 
 the flesh and blood of this life. They are gradually 
 opened, by instruction, discipline, and experience, by the 
 developement of the rational principle, by temptations, by 
 a life according to the commandments, by a reception of 
 love and wisdom from the Lord, who giveth to all, liberal- 
 ly, talents to improve, work to perform in proportion to 
 the capacity given. And in the exact ratio of our im- 
 provement of what has been bestowed xipon us will be 
 the capacity which we shall have for the enjoyment of 
 that which awaits us in the future state. God is good ; 
 " His tender mercies are over all his works," and he will 
 fully justify his ways to man. " I am the God of Abraham, 
 the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." " He is not the 
 God of the dead, but of the living." If there is any force 
 in this reasoning, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still 
 living, as real, substantial beings. They preserve there 
 personality, and identity. Moses and Elias, who appeared 
 at the transfiguration, are still living as distinct human 
 beings. Lazarus and the rich man recognize each other. 
 The patriarchs and prophets constitute a part of that 
 "cloud of witnesses" of whom St. Paul says "they were 
 stoned and sawn asunder." Death is the withdrawal of 
 the man himself from the body, and by this act steps into 
 the spiritual world himself. We see the material features, 
 colors, motions, changes ; but we do not see the real 
 human being. That dwells within, and can only manifest 
 itself through the veil of the body. All that you see is 
 the material covering of the spiritual being. 
 
 We can not demonstrate the spiritual world and the 
 spiritual body to the natural senses. We can not see and 
 feel, with the natural senses, a spiritual form, ordinarily. 
 St. Paul calls the one the " outward man," the other the 
 " inward man." One is of the " earth, earthy," the other
 
 ETERNAL PROGRESSION. 1U5 
 
 the breath of the Almighty. The Bible regards the " in- 
 ner man," the spirit, as the real man. Its whole scope, 
 form, and purpose are directed to man as a spiritual being. 
 His body is then spiritual, and, thus separated from earthly 
 things, touches and sees that which is spiritual, just as 
 when what is natural touches and sees what is natural. 
 In a word, when a man passes from one life into the other, 
 or from one world into another, he carries with him his 
 intellectual, moral, spiritual identity. This change does 
 not affect his moral status what we call death has no 
 power to change the character of any one. He also car- 
 ries with him his natural memory. " Son, remember," 
 said Abraham to the rich man. It is a very common idea 
 that the spiritual state is vague, indistinct, shadowy, un- 
 real ; but this is directly the reverse of the truth. This 
 world is the shadow, that is the substance. That is far 
 more real and distinct to every sense. Every person be- 
 comes more individualized. All are seen in their real 
 character there are no hypocrites there. The more 
 holy we have been here, the happier we will be there. 
 There are no assignable limits that the regenerate soul 
 must not pass. What shall we become when millions of 
 years shall have passed away ? Onward, upward, forever 
 rising, forever perfecting, forever nearer the Lord. " It 
 doth not yet appear what we shall be." The highest 
 angel may not conceive it. Oh, the grandeur, the glory, 
 the blessedness of the human destiny to all eternity ! 
 
 One of the most important and deeply interesting ques- 
 tions that can engage the attention of man is, Where are 
 the dead ? The materialist believes that the soul, or mind, 
 dies with the body, and that the grave closes the history 
 of man. There are others, who claim to take the Bible 
 for their authority, who believe that the intervening time 
 between death and the resurrection is, or appears to be, 
 but a moment. Hence they have been called " soul-sleep-
 
 106 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 ers." From each of these we differ as widely as the mind 
 of man can well conceive, as will appear by the following 
 views which we entertain. It will thus be seen that it is 
 an unsettled question with the great body of mankind, 
 where those who have passed away from earth have gone, 
 and with many whether they have any existence. With 
 us it is^iot a question to be settled as to their existence. 
 We have sufficient evidence to make it a matter of knowl- 
 edge, at least so far as their existence is concerned. If, 
 however, the where, as to place or locality, perhaps we 
 can not say with certainty of knowledge. The two worlds 
 can not be very far apart, as Stephen, the first martyr, 
 saw, even while they were stoning him to death, into 
 heaven, and the glorified body of Jesus. The question we 
 raise here is, Where are the friends who depart from our 
 sight here, leaving their earthly bodies to molder to their 
 mother earth ? Are they still in conscious, personal iden- 
 tity, and with us, at least occasionally, to minister to us ? 
 Nearly all the writers and speakers who refer to the dead, 
 to spirits and spirit life, treat the subject morally, socially, 
 and intellectually, and present many wild, and some ra- 
 tional theories of spirit life ; but there is a vagueness in 
 regard to the whereabouts of the spirit world which has 
 always prevailed in the Christian teachings. They have 
 a heaven and a hell, but they are not located anywhere. 
 All must admit that condition constitutes a part of what 
 constitutes the one and the other. We often hear of time 
 and space being annihilated. This may be true in regard 
 to some of God's creatures, but those who are in the " in- 
 termediate state " must know something of them. To us 
 it seems not only Scriptural but quite reasonable, that 
 spirits who have lived and loved on earth, who have many 
 and strong attachments, would have strong attractions to 
 persons and places left behind ; and it seems equally rea- 
 sonable to us that at some distant day with some, and at
 
 BELIEF NOT UNIVERSAL. 107 
 
 no very distant day with others, they will loose the bind- 
 ing attractions of earth, and hold no further intercourse 
 with its inhabitants. The belief in a future state, espe- 
 cially among educated people, is not so universal as many 
 suppose. There is much infidelity in the world, and some 
 in the Church, on this subject. We have often heard some 
 of the best Christians express their doubts and fears in 
 class and love-feast meetings. I rejoice to know that there 
 is a stand-point from which we may look, not only by faith 
 in the reality of spirit existence and intercourse with mor- 
 tals, but realize, beyond the possibility of doubt, that they 
 are cognizant of our events, and are interested in us still. 
 These are vital questions to the soul, yet many t'eachers 
 of religion step over them like a school-boy going through 
 a grave-yard, and rejoice when they reach the farther side. 
 Being afraid of appearing wise above what is written, they 
 ignore what is written. The revelations of the Bible are 
 few. It was certainly not given to gratify even what we 
 may consider a laudable curiosity. The light is only scat- 
 tered rays. The sparseness of the revelations deter peo- 
 ple from researches in that direction. The Scriptural 
 arguments are twofold : 1, Inferential ; 2, Direct. The 
 Scriptures teach that we are living in close contact with 
 the spirit world ; that the inhabitants of that world are 
 in our midst, and that it only needs the eye of the soul to 
 be opened for us to see 
 
 " Angels now are hov'ring round us, 
 Unperceived amid the throng." 
 
 The Bible teaches us that thousands of beings are deeply 
 interested in the affairs of this earth. The earth was their 
 birthplace, the scene of their conflicts and triumphs. It 
 is the residence of their relatives and friends. 
 
 " Can a mother's tender care 
 Cease toward the child she baie ? " 
 
 Never, no, never ! If she is the same being she was while
 
 108 THE CLOCK STRUCK OKE. 
 
 she was endeared to them while here, she would rather 
 lead the anthem of the heavenly choir. Can they, when 
 they cross the line, or pass the veil which divides the spir- 
 itual from the natural world, lose the interest they have 
 in loved ones left behind ? The departed good take great 
 interest in the career of the Christian. If angels rejoice 
 over the conversion of a sinner, shall not the sainted 
 mother, who has thousands of times prayed for her gay 
 daughter or profligate son, rejoice over their conversion ? 
 Oh, if we could open the eyes of our " inner " man, and 
 see as the prophet's servant did when, in answer to his 
 prayer, the veil was withdrawn, we would see an " innu- 
 merable" host of God's messengers around us, ready to 
 aid us in the conflicts of life. Among them we would, 
 doubtless, recognize many familiar faces of loved ones, for 
 whom we have shed many bitter tears of sorrow because 
 of our separation. They have passed through similar 
 trials, and are prepared to sympathize with those who re- 
 main in the present state. Says the apostle, " Ye are come 
 unto Mount Zion, and unto the City of the living God, 
 the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company 
 of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first- 
 born, which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge 
 of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect." Jo- 
 seph Benson, in his commentary on this passage, says, 
 " The spirits of saints in paradise, with whom the saints on 
 earth have communion by faith, hope, and love, and make 
 up one body with them." " Hence it is evident," says 
 Whitty, " that the souls of just men are not reduced by 
 death to a state of insensibility ; for can a soul that rea- 
 sons and perceives good things, be made perfect by per- 
 ceiving nothing at all ? " 
 
 We shall continue to live on after our bodies molder 
 away to dust. Our souls shall live in a state of conscious- 
 ness, and be happy or miserable, as our lives on earth
 
 CHRIST'S ASCENSION. 109 
 
 have been pure and good, or vicious and evil. How im- 
 portant, then, to be " pure in heart, for they shall see 
 God," and be his ministering angels to those who shall be 
 heirs of salvation. 
 
 This spiritual world I believe surrounds and permeates 
 the natural world ; that it is as real and, to spirits, as tan- 
 gible as the natural world. 
 
 Into this world the spirits of the departed go after what 
 we call death passes over them. It is the place to which 
 the Saviour went between his crucifixion and his resurrec- 
 tion. Hence he said to the penitent thief who prayed to 
 him on the cross, " This day shalt thou be with me in par- 
 adise." After his resurrection, he said to Mary, " Touch 
 me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father ; but go 
 to my brethren, and say unto them I ascend to my Father 
 and your Father, and to my God and to your God." Forty 
 days subsequent to this he did ascend to his Father, as 
 recorded in Acts i. 9, 10 : " And when he had spoken these 
 things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud 
 received him out of their sight. And while they looked 
 steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold two men 
 stood by them in white apparel ; which also said, ' Ye men 
 of Gallilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? This 
 same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall 
 so come in like manner as ye have seen him go up into 
 heaven.' " 
 
 St. Stephen, the first who sealed the truth of his religion 
 with his own blood, " being full of the Holy Ghost, looked 
 up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and 
 Jesus standing at the right hand of God ; and said, ' Be- 
 hold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man stand- 
 ing on the right hand of God.' " His spiritual vision was 
 opened, as multiplied thousands have been since, even be- 
 fore the spirit left the body, to see the glories of the eter- 
 nal world.
 
 110 THE CLOCK STRUCK O]S T E. 
 
 We have seen the Saviour of the world pass through 
 this intermediate state, burst the bands of death asunder, 
 and ascend on high, where he ever liveth, as onr great 
 High-Priest, to make intercession for us. But the ques- 
 tion is, Will the saints pass, directly alter death, into this 
 upper sanctuary of the Most High ? I think not. They 
 are not prepared for it.. Death will give them no qualifi- 
 cation for it. John Wesley says : "It is very generally 
 supposed that the souls of good men, as soon as they are 
 discharged from the body, go directly to heaven; but this 
 opinion has not the least foundation in the oracles of God." 
 Bishop McTyeire commences a sermon in the Methodist 
 Pulpit, South by saying : " No one has ever yet been 
 saved in heaven, no one sent to hell." 
 
 Where, then, do they go ? is the question. What are 
 their employments during their stay in that intermediate 
 state ? I think we may learn something in regard to 
 them by referring again to our Saviour. St. Peter tells 
 us (1 Peter, iii. 18): " For Christ hath once suffered for 
 sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to 
 God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the 
 Spirit. By which also he went and preached unto the 
 spirits in prison, which sometimes were disobedient." 
 " Prison" here, we are told, should have been translated 
 " spirit world" or " paradise." 
 
 There are some who believe that this place of departed 
 spirits is away off in some planet, where they are resting 
 from their labors, in a kind of quiescent state, waiting for 
 the resurrection of the body, and that all the knowledge 
 they have of what is transpiring on earth is derived from 
 those who have left it since they sojourned below; that 
 messages may be sent to those who are there by those 
 who pass on, but they can receive no message from them 
 in return. 
 
 I think that those who entertain such opinions have not
 
 GONE TO HEAVEN. Ill 
 
 a correct idea of the Bible-teaching on that subject. They 
 are represented as taking a deep interest in the affairs of 
 this world, ministering to those whom they love, and doing 
 all they can, consistently with the free agency of man, to 
 help him to " work out his own salvation." As Christ 
 preached, during his stay there, to the inhabitants of that 
 country, so our loved ones will have chai'ge of us, and 
 " encamp around us," while we remain in the Church mili- 
 tant. The best evidence we can have on this subject is 
 the express declaration of our Lord Jesus Christ. He 
 said to Nicodemus though patriarchs and prophets, with 
 countless millions of earth's inhabitants, had, during the 
 four thousand previous years of the world's history, died 
 " If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, 
 how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things? 
 And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came 
 down from heaven, even the Son of Man, which is in heav- 
 en." John iii. 12, 13. This, it seems to me, would for- 
 ever settle this question with those who believe in the 
 supreme knowledge of Him who alone " came down from 
 heaven " to redeem us. 
 
 St. Paul (Hebrews xi.), after enumerating the host of 
 pious men and women, from Abel down, of whom " the 
 world was not worthy," says, " These all having obtained 
 a good report, through faith, received not the promise, 
 God having provided some better thing for us, that they, 
 without us, should not be made perfect." I think it prob- 
 able that the pious and good of every age and nation may 
 enter the supernal heavens together ; but as to their state 
 between the death of the body and this glorious corona- 
 tion of the saints, I think they are actively engaged in the 
 great work of " ministering to those who shall be heirs of 
 salvation." It will constitute their employment, and be 
 the most conducive to their enjoyment. 
 
 I shall never forget the sermon preached by the Rev.
 
 112 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 Dr. "Winans, in the city of New Orleans, over thirty yearg 
 since. It was the funeral of Rev. Elijah Steel, who sacri- 
 ficed his life visiting the sick and dying of yellow fever 
 there. Said the immortal Winans " Elijah Steel did much 
 in this city for the sick and dying by pointing them to 
 Christ, but he has entered upon a much larger field of use- 
 fulness. He can now, with the rapidity of thought, go, as 
 a pure ministering spirit, to the same great work in which 
 he sacrificed his life. Whenever God has more use for his 
 servants in the spiritual world, than he has here, he takes 
 them to labor in the same glorious cause, with greatly en- 
 hanced facilities, doing his will on earth as it is done in 
 heaven." 
 
 I was sojourning in the sunny clime expecting to fall a 
 victim to that scourge of the human race consumption. 
 This view of that subject removed the last difficulty in 
 my way of dying. If that is to be my mission still, let 
 me pass over the river, and enter upon it, I thought, as 
 the preacher spoke of the glorious privilege confered upon 
 the servants of Christ to be as the angels messengers of 
 God to minister to loved ones on earth. This has afforded 
 me more comfort than anything, from that time to the 
 present ; more especially, since I have had such demon- 
 strations in regard to it, corroborated by the declarations 
 of God's inspired word. We can, not only send messages 
 to them by those who go " over there," but we can have 
 messages direct from them, of the most consolatory char- 
 acter, cheering us on to the performance of the various 
 duties we owe to others in this state, as the order of Prov- 
 idence opens for doing good to all, thus working out a 
 destiny here, preparatory for that which awaits us in the 
 " other life," so near the present state of existence. Oh, 
 if we could only see with our spirit eyes now, we should 
 behold an " innumerable company of angels . . . and the 
 spirits of the just men made perfect" constituting the
 
 MENTAL TELEGRAPH. 113 
 
 heavenly host of God, to aid the sons and daughters of 
 men to come off victorious in all the spiritual conflicts of 
 life, and finally to triumph over the last enemy. And 
 when they pass out of the material and enter upon the 
 spii-itual to welcome them to enter upon the delightful 
 employment of doing for others what has been done for 
 them through their earthly pilgrimage. Then shall we 
 rejoice over the returning prodigal to his father's house, 
 and the lost sheep that wandered from the fold. We shall 
 continue to love our friends on earth, and, as our affinities 
 must attract us to them while they remain here, it will be 
 our delight to do whatever we may be permitted, con- 
 sistently with their moral agency. 
 
 The facilities or spiritual elevation will be similar there 
 to what they have been here. In proportion as we help 
 others, in that ratio will be developed our capacity for 
 enjoyment. As the atmosphere contains electricity, by 
 which we can communicate with each other, all around 
 the world, so we believe the spiritual world will be to all 
 pure spirits without any of the physical machinery neces- 
 sary here. As our natural body telegraphs its members 
 and we carry with us a mental atmosphere, by which 
 mmd impresses mind, so we believe in paradise all those 
 who are in affinity will hold sweet communion, without 
 the use of language as a vehicle of thought through which 
 to express our ideas spirit can hold intercourse with spirit 
 by intuition. Oh, what wonderful capacity is possessed 
 by this master-work of God, in the endless development 
 of the faculties with which man is endowed, and the vast 
 theater upon which he is destined to act, ever approximat- 
 ing perfection.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 KNOWLEDGE OF SPIRITS. 
 
 WE once asked Mystery if the spirits could tell of fu- 
 ture events. His reply was, " They can not. They can, 
 however, occupying, as they do, a much more elevated 
 stand-point than mortals, with the power to see the opera- 
 tions of the minds of human beings in and out of the ma- 
 terial body, form a much more correct opinion as to the 
 effect of causes not seen by them." He told us emphatically 
 that no human intelligence could know with certainty the 
 future. None but the Infinite God, who comprehends time 
 and eternity, could see what was in the future. Corre- 
 sponding with this, I find the following in Judge Edmund's 
 and Dr. Dexter's work, as coming from the spirit of Bacon : 
 
 " We do not pretend to prescience, but we do avow our 
 power to combine all the workings of mind and matter, 
 which we behold under different and more favorable cir- 
 cumstances than yourself, and bring the influence to bear 
 on the present or future condition of the one for whom 
 the observations were made. We are no fortune-tellers, 
 but we read events only by comparison ; and thus, those 
 of your friends who love you, and who, when on earth, 
 were active and prominent in the busy scenes of life, have 
 specially collated the opinions and feelings of your pro- 
 fessed friends, and, reading their very hearts, understand, 
 therefore, what would be their probable action. 
 
 " Spirits differ but little from men, except in the subli- 
 mation of their organism and in the stronger exercise of 
 the attributes of their minds. Thus, their judgment on 
 matters connected with their life is more matured, and the 
 grand characteristics of their minds are more developed. 
 Their feelings and desires are more intense than man's,
 
 JUDGE EDMUND'S LETTER. 115 
 
 and they aspire higher than man, for they are not satisfied 
 with the pleasures and joys of their state, but are contin- 
 ually striving to enter higher in the scale of intellectual 
 and moral happiness. 
 
 " PROGRESSION, ONWARD, UPWARD, FOREVER ! New 
 scenes, new countries, new stages of progress, one above 
 another, without end. They come to earth, to beseech 
 mortals no longer to grovel in the earth, seeking their en- 
 joyment in earthly objects, but to look up, up. and from 
 on high shall come to them the knowledge that shall make 
 them free. They teach them that happiness and heaven 
 do not come to them as a gratuity, but that they must 
 labor and toil for that which is good and pure. They 
 teach them that God does not work by miracles, but by 
 eternal, immutable laws, which are all powerful to save, 
 almighty to condemn, and which are not found in the 
 glasses of men, but are written by his Almighty hand." 
 
 I shall avail myself of some extracts from communica- 
 tions written by Judge Edmunds for the New York Trib- 
 une on this subject. 
 
 " Led by the education and religious teaching Avhich we 
 have, both in youth and in manhood, from the pulpit as 
 well as in school, we are apt to attach to the idea of spirit 
 existence that of great, if not omniscient, knowledge ; and 
 if we imbibe the belief that spirits speak to us, we natu- 
 rally expect from them the display of knowledge far supe- 
 rior to ours. This is a great error, for we pass into the 
 spirit world just as we are here, in respect to knowledge, 
 and have no more than we had here until we learn it. 
 When, therefore, a spirit speaks to us, it is not with om- 
 niscience, but with such knowledge only as he has been 
 able to acquire. There is, therefore, infinite variety, in 
 this respect, among spirits depending \ipon education while 
 on earth, opportunities for learning in the spirit world, 
 intellectual capacity, and many other things, which there,
 
 116 THE CLOCK STRUCK OIS T E. 
 
 as well as here, affect tu- *faining of the mind. So far as 
 spirits speak of their existence or mode of life thei'e, each 
 must naturally know only of what he has observed, unless, 
 perchance, he has been taught more by others, who have 
 beheld what he has not. At all events, most of the incon- 
 gruous teachings referred to are in reference to what spirits 
 have beheld. Now there, as well as here, no two behold 
 precisely the same thing. Each views the scene around 
 each, and there must, therefore, of necessity, be the same 
 discrepancies which we behold here when we are taking 
 human testimony respecting human events, or even inani- 
 mate scenery. Each beholds from a different stand-point 
 from the other, and there must, therefore, be different 
 accounts. 
 
 " So, too, there is a great difference in the power of ob- 
 servation and the faculty of expression. We behold around 
 us here men who can see nothing clearly ; others, again, 
 who see clearly, but have a bungling and obscure mode 
 of expressing themselves. These peculiarities accompany 
 the spirit into his spirit life, and must mark his intercourse 
 with us until he shall have so far advanced as to have 
 eradicated those defects. But until he shall so advance, 
 it will be in vain to expect from him communications 
 marked by clearness of perception and expression, which 
 we are so fain to suppose ought to characterize all spirit- 
 ual intercourse. The very fact of its absence tends to 
 show us the great truth, what the change is which death 
 works in us, namely, that though we leave our physical 
 nature behind, intellectually and morally we are the same, 
 and the spirit is but the continuation of mortal life ; that 
 the real, or inner man, is the same, with all his improve- 
 ments and perversions, just as they were when he laid 
 aside his outer garment, but with the advantage of greater 
 means of obtaining knowledge, and less obstacles to its 
 acquisition. There is another difficulty, for which the
 
 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. 117 
 
 spirit world is not responsible, and that is, that the mind 
 of the medium does, and must, more or less affect the 
 communications. 
 
 " Occasionally there are instances where it wotild seem 
 as if the medium were giving the precise words of the 
 spirit ; but this is rare, because it involves a state of 
 things in the medium, both physically and mentally, that 
 is very difficult to attain, namely, an exclusion of the me- 
 dium's selfhood a suspension of his own will and spirit 
 control that is very unnatural, very difficult and danger- 
 ous, and, therefore, necessarily very rare. The most fa- 
 vored instances of this character which I have witnessed 
 are those where the medium speaks a language unknown 
 to him, and he all the time, though conscious he is speak- 
 ing, is unconscious what idea he is conveying. It is to the 
 medium as if he were uttering unmeaning gibberish. 
 
 " He does not see by the physical light which we use, 
 neither by the light of our sun, nor our lamps nor our fires. 
 Each, as I understand it, engenders his own light, which 
 is greater or less according to his condition, morally and 
 intellectually ; and they are frequently aided by each 
 other's light. But how much this enables them to behold 
 of the mortal or spiritual life which surrounds them it is 
 difficult to say. This, however, I have discovered, that 
 there are things immediately around and before them, in 
 both states of existence, which they do not behold, and 
 of whose presence they are entirely unconscious. For in- 
 stance, Bacon, who has been nearly three hundred years 
 in the spirit world, with all his intellectual powers and 
 culture, has been, while communing with me, ignorant that 
 another spirit was at the same time doing so, and ignorant 
 even that this spirit was present. One of my brother 
 judges, shortly after his death, came to me, and in his 
 communion with me was ignorant of the presence of an- 
 other spirit who stood by his side, and who was as visible
 
 118 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 to me as he was, and, without entering too much into 
 detail, I will remark that I have had very many evidences 
 of this. 
 
 " Man's condition in the spirit world, as I am taught, 
 depends on his progress in PURITY, in LOVE, and KNOWL- 
 EDGE. It is progress in purity which fixes the plane on 
 which he exists there, while it is his progress in knowledge 
 and love which controls his associations on this plane." 
 
 CONFESSION TO EACH OTHER. 
 
 One of the most solemn meetings we ever had, occurred 
 near the close of our investigations. Mystery told us 
 that we must, each of us, one by one, tell to the others 
 what were our besetting sins " not as the ignorant Ro- 
 manist makes his confession to the priest, but, as the apos- 
 tle says, confess your faults one to another, and pray one 
 for another." We knew that he saw the working of our 
 minds, and we began at the head and went round. Each 
 one told what he thought was his worst trait of charac- 
 ter. It was, indeed, a trying time to some of the circle ; 
 yet I believe each of us made confession as in the presence 
 of God and angels, whom we were assured were present. 
 He told us that he would be a Judas, if any one spoke to 
 others of what we had confessed to each other that night. 
 
 " I have never," he said, " in my intercourse with you, 
 flattered the selfish propensities of your nature. They, of 
 themselves, are all-powerful ; and they usurp the mind 
 when least suspected. They maintain possession, some- 
 times, under the garb of an earnest desire for independent 
 thought and action ; but when to the soul the true char- 
 acter of these feelings are laid open, how fearfully it has 
 been deceived ! My friends, the life given you is one 
 filled with all manner of temptation besetting you on every 
 side, and so varied and multifarious, that you are deceived 
 ere you are aware that you have been tempted. Could
 
 SEARCHING INVESTIGATION. 119 
 
 we meet you face to face, and impress on your senses the 
 undoubted evidence of our identity, you might recognize 
 that you were indeed destined to live with us forever, or 
 to dwell in those dark spheres below us, where the light 
 of truth is scarcely manifest. The thoughts that agitate 
 your souls and excite the action of your selfish propensi- 
 ties, must be laid under the stern control of your pure 
 desire to love nothing, to know nothing, and to live for 
 nothing but the truth as it is from God. 
 
 " That your hearts, pure and undefiled, may meet the 
 response of those of your friends ; that you may indeed 
 bear each other's burdens, and assist each other in your 
 pilgrimage toward and through the spheres, I greet you 
 in the fullness of undying love, and I charge you to open 
 your thoughts to one another, and to mingle your affec- 
 tions and aspirations together, that together you may 
 wander toward the mark of your high calling, which is 
 the development of your natures. It is well that your 
 own hearts are brought up before the bar of strict exami- 
 nation, and all the passions and feelings which have gov- 
 erned them are exposed to the searching investigation of 
 truth." 
 
 CHILDREN AFTER THEIR DEPARTURE. 
 
 It is a question of deep interest to parents who have 
 been called to mourn over their separation from their 
 loved ones Will they remain children, or will they grow 
 up to maturity in that intermediate state into which they 
 enter when they leave earth ? Having had nine thus pass 
 away I have felt a great anxiety to know, if possible, 
 what would be their ultimate condition. It is clear to my 
 mind that children grow in the other life to the full stature 
 they would have attained had their material bodies ma- 
 tured in this world. Shall I find my children in that better 
 land, and will they know me ? Do they know me now ?
 
 120 THE CLOCK STEUCK OXE. 
 
 Do these sweet little beings hover about me ? I believe 
 they can, and do visit us. They are not immersed in the 
 great ocean of human existence. My boys are mine still. 
 My sweet little daughters will ever be mine. In my heart, 
 I feel they will ever be my children. Heaven would not 
 be complete without them. There will be lines and linea- 
 ments by which I shall identify them without the clogs 
 of this mortal life. Such love cannot be quenched with 
 everlasting forgetfulness. No, never ! Heaven is real ! 
 Love is eternal ! Family ties, severed here, will be re- 
 united forever. They are not lost to us, only separated for 
 a while by the veil between us. O glorious, blessed truth 
 revealed, of meeting over the river, to separate no more 
 forever ! 
 
 They would be imperfect without that growth which 
 is necessary for them to attain the object of their being. 
 Their spirits grow, and expand, and assume very much 
 the character they would have had if they had lived and 
 matured here. Children are taught by pure spirits, and 
 soon become capable of appreciating some of the laws of 
 God which affects their nature, and as their ideas are not 
 mixed, or amalgamated with the crudities of animal or- 
 ganization, they are more clear and comprehensive than 
 even some spirits who have been in the spirit land for 
 years. 
 
 " Little children have often special missions confided to 
 them, and are often sent to earth to perform offices and 
 duties of a high character. Spirits are not judged by 
 age, but by purity. It is a law there, and it is certain 
 evidence of ability, for a spirit who loves God without 
 guile can also understand the laws which bind man to 
 man, and those also which God has established for the 
 government of the same. 
 
 " Little children are often selected to accompany their 
 parents during their stay on earth, and the mother is orten
 
 MOTHEES COMFORTED. 121 
 
 surrounded by developed spirits, even of those whose 
 birth she had not numbered with those living or dead. 
 In the dark hour of trial, when the widowed mother is 
 struggling with poverty to support and educate the living 
 ones, then it is that the spirits of their children are sent 
 to earth clothed with dazzling beauty and gifted with 
 powers to soothe and calm the troubled spirit of that 
 mother. Gently, and yet serenely instilling hope, where 
 before all was dark despair, and raising the drooping heart 
 with confidence and trust to God, who is a husband to the 
 widow and a father to the orphan. Children though they 
 may have grown in the spirit world can appear when they 
 desire to do so, as they did when they passed away from 
 earth. Spirits have the power to appear and usually do 
 appear as they did when on earth." 
 
 Thus when Samuel appeared he was described by the 
 woman to Saul as 'an old man coverd with a mantle.' 
 For more than two years his body had been deposited 
 in the earth, yet he appears to the man whom he had 
 anointed as the first king of Israel just as Saul had seen 
 him during his natural life. This is as clear as any other 
 fact recorded in sacred history, and establishes an import- 
 ant principle Gods laws are unchangeable, like himself. 
 
 Truth and principle are eternal. Whatever has been 
 done in any age may, under the same circumstances, be 
 done in any other. If persons who lived on earth did 
 return and converse with mortals under the patriarchal, 
 the Mosaic, and the prophetic dispensation, shall such 
 manifestations be withheld under the Christian dispensa- 
 tion ? There is nothing that we find anywhere in the 
 Bible or the laws of God to justify a denial of such man- 
 ifestations Dr. Bond's opinion to the contrary notwith- 
 standing. 
 
 The infant mind will not have that slow, vegetative pro- 
 cess of acquiring knowledge that it has here. That it will, 
 
 6
 
 122 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE 
 
 like all other intelligences, begin there with what it gained 
 here is, I think, certain. They will have faculties far sur- 
 passing those enjoyed in this state of existence. There 
 has been such close union between the soul and the body, 
 that the former has sympathized with the latter, which 
 has clogged its aspirations. Now it breathes a heavenly 
 atmosphere, and engages in angelic employments. What 
 are these ? is a question of deepest interest to those who 
 think of a life which is to come. "We may not be able to 
 comprehend here how a departed spirit can see, hear, 
 know, and converse ; yet there is light that shines upon 
 the subject from the Scriptures and the philosophy of our 
 spiritual natures, which gives us clear conceptions of what 
 shall be a part of our employment in the intermediate 
 state. Who that has ever thought of the nature of man, 
 that does not know that he was made for action ? Even 
 in the garden of Eden employment was given him, in order 
 to happiness. It is now, doubtless, necessary for enjoy- 
 ment, as well as the development of his faculties, that he 
 be actively engaged. The present world is but a type of 
 that which is to come, in some respects. From what the 
 human spirit is capable of here, clogged, as it is, with its 
 mortal companion, we may have but little conception of 
 its capacity when it shall have an eternal state, in which, 
 forever, to expand its God-given powers. 
 
 One great source of enjoyment will be to unravel the 
 dispensations of God's providence, which is now, confes- 
 sedly, a mysterious subject. " Clouds and darkness are 
 round about Him ; " but the shining light of eternity will 
 enable us to see " the^ end of the Lord " in those things 
 which now seem to be so dark and mysterious. We now 
 walk by faith ; but then it will be lost in sight, and hope 
 in glorious fruition, when the glorious realities of the spir- 
 itual world burst upon him. 
 
 He now, for the first time, sees things in their true light.
 
 PHILOSOPHY OF A FUTURE STATE. 123 
 
 The soul is now free from its clay tenement, and enters 
 upon the reward for the deeds done in the body. He will 
 find those around him whose moral nature will correspond" 
 with his own. If he has no moral fitness for the pure and 
 the good, he must, of necessity, dwell with the vicious and 
 the vile. We make, in this present state, our place and 
 state of being in the other world, and that, too, by a law 
 which we believe extends throughout the universe of intel- 
 ligent beings. We make our residence in the other world 
 by the character we form in this. In vain may any one 
 dream of finding a heaven anywhere in the immensity of 
 space, unless they have the kingdom of heaven within 
 them. There is a profound philosophy in this truth, as 
 will be seen and acknowledged*by all. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 " OUTER DARKNESS " TRANCE. 
 
 THAT there is a place as well as a state of punishment, 
 was taught us in our investigations on this subject. It 
 was not a material fire, but a fire that each had kindled 
 in his own bosom. It is the opposite of the heaven within. 
 The same law establishing the one fixes the other, and one 
 state is created as the other. It is first an organic state 
 of the soul, and then an external place or world, produced 
 in correspondence. All created intelligences make their 
 own place after death, in the heaven or hell which they 
 are fitted for by their choice and their moi'al condition 
 while they remained in their natural state. Disobedience 
 to the divine will, hideous moral deformity, organized 
 forms of hatred and falsity, produce misery. Love is the 
 life of heaven, hatred the life of hell. This hatred is the
 
 F 
 
 124 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 legitimate result of love of self. The madness and insan- 
 ity of self-love can not be seen in this world, while the 
 subject of it is the selfish, avaricious man. The wicked 
 man is surrounded with as many external restraints as the 
 law and his reputation impose upon him. After death, 
 when the spirit acts without such external bonds, it rushes 
 headlong into the wildest excesses, to possess all things, 
 and to rule over all things, and turns with hatred and 
 revenge against every object which seems to stand in the 
 way of its inordinate lusts. "Art thou come hither to 
 torment us ? " exclaimed one of these evil ones to Jesus. 
 
 This fire of self-love in the heart, engendering pride, 
 hatred, contempt, scorn, revenge, malice, cruelty, and all 
 evil passions, is the hell-fire which torments the wicked. 
 This awful fire is one they have chosen for themselves. 
 They have no moral fitness for heaven, nor could they be 
 happy if they were in the society of the pure and good. 
 There is sound philosophy in a heaven and a hell. An 
 assemblage of such persons as above described would con- 
 stitute a place of punishment, properly represented by the 
 fearful pictures, drawn by the inspired writers, of " outer 
 darkness," for which alone they are qualified. 
 
 We were invited out one evening to Mrs. Winchester's, 
 some two miles from the city. What purported to be the 
 spirit of an old resident of Memphis took possession of 
 her, and gave the most fearful description of his condition 
 I ever heard. He said he was engaged in business there, 
 many years since ; that he had cheated and defrauded the 
 widow and the orphan, and that his children were then 
 living off of his ill-gotten gains, while he was suffering 
 indescribable agony for his conduct. He said he had occu- 
 pied a high position in the community, and been a member 
 of three churches ; but in all he was a hypocrite, and was 
 now reaping the reward of his doings. He would rave as 
 a maniac, and threaten death to us, if in his power to inflict
 
 DEMONIACS. 125 
 
 it. Several times he called for water. It was the most 
 fearful scene I ever witnessed, and such as I hope never 
 to see again. 
 
 I verily believe it to have been a similar case to some 
 of those demons cast out of persons by our Saviour in 
 Judea. The New Testament writers state the fact of pos- 
 session by demons as one of common occurrence, and not 
 the least marvelous. Many do not believe there are de- 
 mons or obsessions in this day. Science, some think, has 
 almost driven such things out of the world. They profess 
 to occupy the materialistic heights, far above the weakness 
 of believing in demons. Even some believers in Christi- 
 anity may sneer at being possessed of evil spirits; but 
 my conviction is that there are now those living who are 
 controlled by wicked, lying spirits, upon the great prin- 
 ciple of affinity, the one for the other. I think it is a law 
 of the spiritual world that they can take possession of 
 those whose natures are like their own, upon the same 
 principle, now, as they did in the days of Jesus and the 
 apostles. The spirits whom our Saviour cast out talked 
 with him, some of them desiring to be permitted to go into 
 the swine. 
 
 Good people have good spirits to minister to them, while 
 bad people have evil spirits, who seek to control them. 
 This great principle forms the basis of association in this 
 world, and I think it probable that it extends to all cre- 
 ated intelligences throughout the universe, as the great 
 law of association, and constitutes the philosophy of our 
 future state of happiness or misery. The pure in heart 
 only shall see or enjoy God. Without this qualification 
 no real happiness can be found in the eternal world. The 
 want of it necessitates the being " driven away in his wick- 
 edness," because of utter disqualification for heaven. 
 
 This view, I think, is not only scriptural, but fully justi- 
 fies the ways of God to man, as no other theory can. Our
 
 126 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 Heavenly Father is not willing that any should perish ; 
 but they cannot be saved while evil and impurity exist 
 within their natures ; it is morally impossible. 
 
 During the time of our meetings, a gentleman of high 
 standing drowned himself in the Mississippi River. His 
 body was recovered, and brought to Wesley Chapel, where 
 I preached his funeral to a large audience. The first meet- 
 ing after that, it was announced that he was there, in deep 
 distress. He said that he was present at his funeral, and 
 heard all I said on that occasion ; that he tried to control 
 me, and that if he could have done it, that I "would have 
 horrified the congregation by describing the awful suffer- 
 ings he was enduring " for the crime he had committed, in 
 putting an end to his existence. He begged me to pray 
 for him, asked us to get down upon our knees then, and 
 pray for him. I did not believe in praying for such cases, 
 consequently did not comply with his request. I mention 
 this as one of the incidents of which I know nothing ex- 
 cept what transpired at our meeting. 
 
 One night after this, at one of the meetings appointed 
 by Mystery at my house, to see what he could do with 
 our servant-girl, before referred to, she seemed to be 
 alarmed, and said she saw a black man. The next morn- 
 ing, when I went into the city, I called on Miss F., when 
 Mystery wrote that " the dark spirit the girl saw last night 
 was the suicide." 
 
 From all the investigations I have made of this subject, 
 I have nothing to warrant the belief that the wicked will 
 not be punished in the spirit world, as the Bible says, 
 " according to the deeds done in the body." The nature 
 and extent of that punishment will not be such as I have 
 often heard described from the pulpit. 
 
 I find the following in a lecture recently delivered by 
 Mr. Peebles, a celebrated spiritual lecturer, on that sub- 
 ject. " The lessons and principles taught by the invisible
 
 GOD'S ATTEIBUTES HARMONIZE. 127 
 
 intelligences revealed the certainty of just and adequate 
 punishment for sin. No mortal could escape from the 
 consequences of his acts. 
 
 " All have their guardian spirits, and no one could hide 
 his secrets from the searching eyes of angels. It was good 
 to confess and forsake sin, to return blessing for cursing, 
 to live kind, forgiving, and loving lives." 
 
 We shall find, when the light of the eternal world 
 shines upon us, that a heaven and a hell are the necessary 
 states of being in the other life that there is an eternal 
 fitness in the one as well as the other. Both are the neces- 
 sary conditions of the future state of being. All will see 
 and acknowledge that they have had mercy sweetly 
 blended with justice, and all will fully justify the ways of 
 God to them. 
 
 TRANCE, OR MAGNETIC STATE. 
 
 There is what is called being in trance mentioned in the 
 Old and New Testaments. I think it is a suspension of 
 the " outward man," or senses, and the exercise of the 
 faculties of the " inner man." I have frequently seen per- 
 sons thus, as science calls it, magnetized. The servant- 
 girl to whom I have referred was sometimes in that con- 
 dition. Her eyes were closed, her muscles became rigid, 
 and every outward sense seemed to be suspended. While 
 in that state, she would say she saw persons, some of 
 whom she knew, others she did not know. She would de- 
 scribe them minutely, talk to them freely, and tell us what 
 they said, in answer to questions by us. She could never 
 have seen or heard of anything of the kind, and was 
 incapable of deception ; nor did she know, when it passed 
 off, what had transpired. I have seen persons, under relig- 
 ious excitement, appear for hours to be in a state of in- 
 sensibility, who would relate very remarkable things which 
 they saw and heard while in that condition. Thousands
 
 128 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 of cases are occurring where persons near death see those 
 whom they recognize as their relatives and friends around 
 them, who have passed on before, who are waiting to re- 
 ceive and welcome the loved one to their blissful abode. 
 The angels around the rich man's gate carried Lazarus to 
 the bosom of Abraham. Scenes of this kind have been 
 joyfully witnessed in many families all over the land. 
 They bring consolation to the afflicted that words can not 
 describe. This has occurred in my own family, but it is 
 too sacred for me to mention in this connection. I expect 
 to realize it myself when I come to pass away from the 
 material and enter upon the spiritual state of existence. 
 
 How wonderful, how beautiful it is, that both kinds of 
 senses, the spiritual and the natural, can be kept open at 
 the same time ! that one can look from their double eyes 
 into both worlds, hear with their double ears the music of 
 each ! While loved ones of earth are singing the songs 
 of Zion around the bedside, the angelic choir, composed 
 of loved ones who have passed over, sings the songs of 
 welcome to the departing one. They can have conversa- 
 tion on earth and " conversation in heaven " at the same 
 time. This may seem, to those who have never investi- 
 gated this subject, as impossible, and those who believe 
 it deluded ; but I have, for many years, had demonstra- 
 tions cle/fr to my mind that there are thousands of such 
 cases all over the land. Seventeen years since, in Mem- 
 phis, twelve of its citizens, representing as intellectual and 
 as moral a class as usually meet together, were fully satis- 
 fied with the truth of what I have stated. A native-born 
 Memphian, while in a trance, or magnetic state, conversed 
 with our guardian spirits, and told each of us who they 
 were. She gave a minute description of each of them 
 told what they said to us while we asked many ques- 
 tions, to which they replied, demonstrating their presence 
 and knowledge of the relations we had sustained to each
 
 
 SPIRITUAL SENSES OPENED. 129 
 
 other, referring to events known only to the parties to 
 whom they were addressed. 
 
 Our conviction was that while in that state she saw 
 with her spirit eyes, and heard with her spirit ears, the 
 spirits of those of our relatives who were there. This I 
 think was demonstrated to each of us by personal allusions 
 made known pei'haps to none but ourselves. We were pro- 
 foundly impressed with the truth of the trance, or magnetic 
 state. I have known quite a number of persons in their 
 normal state who possess the same faculty. There are 
 several of them residing in Memphis at this time, who do 
 not belong to that class called spiritualists, but who say 
 they see often, and converse freely with their relatives 
 who have been dead for years. Many, no doubt, will ridi- 
 cule this, and say they are deranged for saying it, and 
 that I am crazy for writing it. Well, so be it. It is a 
 principle of the intellect that it is not capable of knowing 
 of its derangement, hence such are entitled to sympathy 
 instead of ridicule or sarcasm. They are honest and 
 sincere, and so am I in what I say. What is truth, will 
 ever remain true, notwithstanding the sneers of the un- 
 believing. If these persons have not the gift of " discern- 
 ing spirits," mentioned by St. Paul in his Epistle to the 
 Corinthians, I can not tell what that gift to which he refers 
 means. They hear the heavenly music of paradise, and 
 converse with those who have passed over the river of 
 death not in " circles " or " seances," but in their offices, 
 and while engaged in their domestic duties during the day 
 as well as in the quiet of the evening shades. 
 
 Thomas Lay, member of Friends Church, was esteemed 
 for his great piety, blameless life, and sincerity of soul. 
 A compilation of his writings and manusci-ipts were pub- 
 lished in Philadelphia in 1796 by Budd and Bertram. I 
 copy two paragraphs of one of his spiritual experiences. 
 Fasting and secret prayer ever proved efficacious in open- 
 
 6*
 
 130 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 ing his inner sight, enabling him to behold with rapturous 
 joy the marvelous glories of the heavenly world. He 
 says "I thought I had been dead and gone to heaven. 
 After I left my body I heard, as it were, the voices of men, 
 women, and children singing songs of praise unto the Lord 
 God without intermission, which ravished my soul, and 
 threw me into transports of joy. My soul was also delight- 
 ed with most beautiful glades and gardens, which appeared 
 to me on every side, and such as were never seen in this 
 world. Through these I passed, being clothed in white 
 and in my lull shape without the least diminution of parts. 
 As I passed along toward a higher state of bliss, I cast 
 my eyes (being perfectly conscious) upon the earth, which 
 I saw plainly, and beheld three men (whom I knew) die. 
 Two of them were white, one of which entered into im- 
 mediate rest. There appeared a beautiful transparent 
 gate opened, and as I, with the one that entered into rest, 
 came up to it, he stepped in ; but as I was about to enter I 
 stepped into the body. When I recovered from my trance 
 J mentioned the names of these persons, telling where I saw 
 them die, and which of them entered into rest. I said to 
 my mother, Oh, that I had made one step farther, then I 
 should not have come back to earth. After telling them 
 what I had, I desired them to say no more ; for I still heard 
 the vqfres and melodious songs of praise, and longed for 
 my final change. 
 
 " After I told them of the death of the three men, they 
 sent to see if it was so. And when the messenger re- 
 turned, he told them they were all dead, and died in their 
 rooms, as I had told them. Upon hearing it I fell into 
 tears, and sard, Oh, Lord, would thou hadst kept me, and 
 gent him back that was in pain (for he seemed to be one 
 of the lost). The third was a colored man, belonging to 
 the Widow Kearney, whom I saw die in the brick kitchen ; 
 and while they were laying his corpse on a board, his head
 
 PERSONS SEEN AFTER DEATH. 131 
 
 fell out of their hands ; which I plainly saw, with other cir> 
 cumstances for I remember the walls were no hinderancea 
 to my sight. Though the negro's body was black, his 
 soul was clothed in white; which filled me with joy, as it 
 appeared to me a token of his acceptance with God. Yet 
 I was not permitted to see him fully enter into rest ; for, just 
 as I thought myself entering, I came into the body again. 
 
 " Some time after my recovery, the Widow Kearney, the 
 mistress of the colored man, sent for me, and inquired 
 whether I thought departed spirits knew one another ; I 
 answered in the affirmative, telling her I saw the negro 
 man die while I was lying as a corpse. She then asked 
 * Where did he die ? ' I told her in the brick kitchen between 
 the jamb of the chimney and the wall, and that, when they 
 took him from the bed to lay him on the board, his head 
 slipped from their hands. She then said, ' so it did.' She 
 then asked if I could tell where they laid him. I informed 
 her, between the back door and the street door. She said 
 that she remembered that was so, and was satisfied, hav- 
 ing reason to believe, what she had often thought, that the 
 departed spirits knew each other in heaven. 
 
 "These men, upon inquiry, were found to die at the very 
 time I saw them ; and all the circumstances of their death 
 were found to be exactly as I had related them. As some 
 may desire to know how, or in what shape, these that were 
 dead appeared to me, I would say that they appeared 
 each in a complete body, which I take to be the spiritual 
 body, separated from the earthly, sinful body. They were 
 also clothed ; the two that entered into rest in white; and 
 the other, who was seemingly cast off, had his garment 
 somewhat white, but spotted. I saw also the bodies iu ' 
 which each of them lived upon earth, and also how they 
 were laid out ; but my own body I did not see. The rea- 
 son why I neither saw my own body, nor entered fully 
 into rest, I take to be .this, 'that my soul was not quite
 
 132 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 separated from my body as the others were ; though it 
 was so far separated as to permit my seeing those things, 
 and hearing their songs of praise and thanksgiving. Some 
 may think the dead know not each other. These I would 
 refer to the Scriptures, asking, Did not Dives know both 
 Abraham and Lazarus, though afar off?" 
 
 I have copied this as one of the thousands of cases that 
 occurred long before these modern manifestations, and 
 among the Quakers, a people distinguished for integrity, 
 simplicity, and devotion to religious convictions. 
 
 I have conversed with persons who had similar experi- 
 ences, who were as reliable, every way, as any persons I 
 have ever known. They do not wish their names to be 
 made public, knowing that they would be the subjects of 
 ridicule, in the present state of public opinion upon this 
 subject. 
 
 I will, however, give one more case illustrating the 
 same principle. 
 
 I knew a man in Christ, about fourteen years ago, 
 whether in the body, I can not tell ; or whether out of the 
 body, I can not tell ; God kueweth, such a one caught up 
 to the third heaven. 
 
 And I knew such a man, whether in the body or out of 
 the body I can not tell ; God knoweth. How that he was 
 caught into paradise, and heard unspeakable words which 
 it is not lawful for a man to utter. 
 
 The Apostle Paul was elevated to the third heaven, and 
 saw and heard things which were not lawful for him to 
 mention. He was sorely pxizzled, and declares that wheth- 
 er in the body or out of it, he could not tell. His sen- 
 sations told him he was in the body, but his theoretic 
 faculty demanded to know, how he could be in the third 
 heaven, with angels, and still retain all his natural facul- 
 ties and sensation ? He " looked at the things not seen " 
 by mortal eye, as all will, when their natural eye becomes
 
 BllJLE AUTHOKITY. 133 
 
 dim in death, and the spiritual eye opens upon the glories 
 of the spiritual world around, into which they have 
 passed. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS. 
 
 I THINK the Bible warrants the belief that communica- 
 tions between the natural and the spiritual world have 
 existed from the beginning. There are laws regulating 
 the intercourse between this world and the next that we 
 do not understand ; yet the law is as universal as any other 
 law. Under the influence of this law, certain men and 
 women have exercised spiritual powers and gifts. The 
 apostle has, I think, reference to these when he enumerates, 
 among others, " the discerning of spirits." There occurred 
 an extraordinary development of such powers in the first 
 century of the Christian era, the effect of which was to 
 attract attention to the teachings of a system, the innate 
 beauty, and moral grandeur of which far surpassed any- 
 thing ever known in the world's history. Life and im- 
 mortality were brought to light by the Gospel of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, by which " a manifestation of the 
 Spirit was given to every man to profit withal." The ex- 
 istence of such spiritual gifts is traceable throughout the 
 history of the past, and similar gifts and powers show 
 themselves among us at the present time. The phenom- 
 ena occurring daily under the eye of thousands confirm 
 the truth of this position. They also corroborate the his- 
 tory of these things as recorded in the Old and New Test- 
 ament Scriptures. 
 
 The consciousness of this great truth has impelled me 
 to give utterance to my conviction, through various public 
 channels, for the last seventeen years.
 
 134 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 We find neither in the Gospels nor the Epistles a word 
 to indicate the cessation of them in the future of spiritual 
 gifts. So far as there is expression on the subject, they 
 sustain the belief in their indefinite continuance. When 
 our Saviour appeared unto the eleven, he said, " These 
 signs shall follow them that believe. In my name shall 
 they cast out devils ; they shall speak with new tongues." 
 These promises are not restricted, but are to all who be- 
 lieve. The Acts of the Apostles are filled with passages 
 in proof of their continuance throughout the apostolic age. 
 Of spiritual powers and gifts, St. Paul declai-es " there are 
 diversities of gifts, but by the same spirit." 
 
 There are many of these manifestations recorded in the 
 Bible. Why is it not as easy to believe that spirits can 
 communicate with men now as anciently ? We can not 
 question the one, nor need we doubt the other. Human 
 testimony is used for ancient as well as modern manifesta- 
 tions. If man ever had intercourse with spirits, it was in 
 accordance with a law which has never been abolished. 
 There are, no doubt, certain physiological and psychologi- 
 cal conditions necessary for these manifestations, else all 
 men could commune with spirits. The same faculty which 
 aided them to see and commune with spirits anciently, 
 can, if rightly developed, aid them now ; and the modern 
 are ,as real as the ancient ones. These manifestations, 
 when properly understood, come to the aid of the Church, 
 while many of its ministers and members reject them. It 
 supplies to atheists and infidels the lacking evidence of 
 immortality, and they receive it and rejoice in the conso 
 lation it brings them. It thus resembles Christianity in 
 its reception, which was rejected by pi-ofessedly religious 
 men. The doctrine of immortality must ultimately rest 
 upon proof, or be rejected. The tendencies of the present 
 age is to reject everything which can not be demonstrated. 
 Hence, I think, God has given us these things that all may
 
 GOD'S LAWS IMMUTABLE. 135 
 
 know the truth. If all the phenomena attending the mod- 
 ern movement be accounted for on physiological grounds, 
 without the intervention of spirits, ancient phenomena will 
 have to pass the same ordeal, and receive the same sen- 
 tence by scientific men. Little as some think of it who 
 ridicule these things, there is moi'e at stake than they have 
 ever imagined. Whatever psychological law will account 
 for involuntary polyglot speaking and writing, modernly, 
 will account for the speaking in unknown tongues, an- 
 ciently, among those who doubt the direct inspiration giv- 
 en anciently. Whatever psychological law will account 
 for the apparitions, or the seeing of spirit lights, hearing 
 of music, and all those phenomena attested by millions, 
 will account for similar things recorded in the Bible. 
 Whatever psychological law will account for the lifting 
 and moving of tables, pianos, etc., will explain many of 
 the things mentioned in sacred history. Whatever psy- 
 chological law will account for the numerous cases where 
 spirits have been seen to leave their earthly bodies, wafted 
 upward by a convoy of angels, as Lazarus was, will ac- 
 count for the translation of Enoch and Elijah, and the 
 ascension of our Saviour from Mount Olivet, when " two 
 men " spoke to the multitude who witnessed his departure 
 and his second coming. In rejecting these phenomena, there 
 is more involved than many suppose. God's laws, like 
 himself, are immutable, unchangeable. They are the same 
 now that they were when the " men " talked with Abra- 
 ham and Lot in regard to God's purposes, developing a 
 principle in his moral government by which the cities of 
 the plain might have been saved. They are the same now 
 that they were when the " man " appeared to Cornelius, 
 and told him to send for Peter, who preached the first 
 Gospel sermon to the Gentiles at his house. And when 
 " the man of Macedonia " appeared unto Paul saying, 
 " Come over into Macedonia and help us," he went over
 
 136 THE CLOCK STRUCK OXE. 
 
 the sea and planted churches there, to whom he addressed 
 epistles received now as part of the canonical books of 
 the New Testament. Let us then, brethren in the minis- 
 try, friends of Bible Christianity, meet this question as its 
 importance demands. We can not, we dare not, ignore 
 the facts of these manifestations. The phenomena are too 
 well attested to admit of doubt or cavil. They are, as I 
 verily believe, in perfect accordance with the universal 
 law of God, as it existed from the beginning. I can not 
 believe that law has ever been revoked or changed ; neither 
 can I believe that the ancients were more favored in these 
 manifestations than those of the present age. We have 
 nothing leading us to any such conclusion in the Bible, 
 nor is it to be found in any of the laws or principles of 
 nature with which we are acquainted. We know nothing 
 of retrograde movement anywhere, but ONWARD and UP- 
 WARD development everywhere in the kingdom of grace 
 as well as of nature. 
 
 This age is marked more than any other for the devel- 
 opment of physical science, and the bringing of the vast 
 resources of nature in subjection to the powers of man. 
 
 These laws have been ever since the great Architect of 
 the universe brought it into existence. So in the spirtual 
 world ; spiritual laws have ever been established. When 
 in the simplicity and purity of the patriarchal age 
 "angels" or "men" walked and talked with them face 
 to face, without any of that foolish fear which many now 
 have of such intercourse, so in every age, as the condi- 
 tions were more or less favorable, have been the manifes- 
 tations to the denizens of earth. There is, I believe, uni- 
 versal agreement among those who have written upon the 
 prophicies of the Scriptures, that the present age is to be 
 characterized by the most remarkable events which have 
 ever occurred in the world's history. Some believe it to 
 be one thing, some another, but all agree that we are
 
 COMING EVENTS. 137 
 
 upon the eve of important events in the moral world. 
 What these are, we can not tell. All, from their stand- 
 point, may have their opinion of the shadows which corn- 
 ing events are casting before them. 
 
 I can not but look upon these remarkable spiritual man- 
 ifestations, occurring all over the civilized world, without 
 believing that they are the harbinger of a brighter day 
 that is to dawn upon the world, when immortality shall 
 indeed be brought to light by the Gospel 
 
 Having given my opinion so fully and freely, all through 
 what I have written upon this subject, as to the fallibility 
 of what is received by these communications, I need not 
 repeat, that I try what comes through that channel just 
 in the same way I would that which comes from those in 
 the present world. There, as well as here, there is great 
 diversity of opinion upon the various doctrines, principles, 
 and experiences of those in the spiritual world. Hence, I 
 have ever followed the advice given at our circle, to reject 
 everything that was not in accordance with the doctrines 
 and principles taught in the Bible. This I regard as the 
 only safe ground to occupy on this question. With this 
 blessed book, as our chart, and the Lord Jesus Christ as 
 our "chief corner-stone," forming the basis upon which we 
 rear our glorious superstructure, with the love of God in 
 the heart, and a universal love to our fellow-men, we can 
 not materially err. Purity of heart, and holiness of life, 
 are the essential requisites for admittance into the paradise 
 of God, as taught by good spirits as well as the revelation 
 of his written word in the Old and New Testament Script- 
 ures. There is harmony between them ; and a profound 
 philosophy in their teachings which force conviction upon 
 every candid, reflecting mind. 
 
 There were those in the apostolic day (Acts xxiii. 9), who 
 said, " We find no fault in this man, but if a spirit or an 
 angel had spoken unto him, let us not fight against God."
 
 138 THE CLOCK STURCK ONE. 
 
 I would respectfully suggest to those who think it their 
 duty to oppose, deny, and ridicule these things, to examine 
 the Scriptures, as the noble Bereans did, " to see if these 
 things are not so." If ever they have occurred, why may 
 they not occur again ; and on ever the same ? May they 
 not be found fighting against what God designs to be a 
 most glorious privilege conferred upon man ? 
 
 Gamaliel's advice to those who were clamoring for the 
 destruction of the apostles, might be taken by some to ad- 
 vantage. "If it be of man it will come to naught, but if 
 it be of God, you can not destroy it." 
 
 CLOSING MEETING OF THE CIRCLE. 
 
 I could fill many pages respecting the physical mani- 
 festations at our meetings, for the gratification of visitors ; 
 but these amount to but little after they are once wit- 
 nessed. The performance on the guitar, with no visible 
 hand touching it, and the piano keeping time by rising 
 up, no one being near it, only as the medium, who knew 
 nothing of music, touched the keys, were of some interest 
 to us. Our time was not spent with such things except 
 for the gratification of others. 
 
 A child of Mr. King's, at whose house we met, died 
 during the time, and I preached its funeral. In the morn- 
 ing the door bell commenced ringing, and continued to 
 ring until we left with the child for the cemetery. It is 
 unnecessary to mention anything further of physical mani- 
 festations. Those who never have seen such things, will 
 not, perhaps can not, believe them. Such is the constitu- 
 tion of most minds, that they require occular demonstra- 
 tion before they can believe that such things do occur. 
 
 Having some of the last writings of Mystery, I insert 
 them to show the character of what he taught us. If 
 they are not in accordance with the Bible, then I am not 
 capable of forming a correct opinion of them.
 
 EVERY MAN HAS A TALENT. 139 
 
 FROM MYSTERY TO HENRY KING. 
 
 " Question. Has not every one a talent? 
 
 " Ans. Did not the great Teacher say, 'Every man 
 hath a talent for which he must account in the next world. 
 Like the slothful servant, should he bury it in the deep 
 darkness of the second sphere, must he grope for it ; and, 
 in his agony, return to earth, until, amid the ruins of a 
 misused life, he finds it hidden with rust, caused by wicked 
 deeds and horrid acts. And even then he has it to purify 
 and use until it becomes clean, beautiful, and bright as 
 when, a jewel from the hand of the great Master Work- 
 man, it was placed in this clay casket. Yes, live not for 
 this world, but for the better land. Lay not up for your- 
 selves treasures on earth, but above, where you shall find 
 them when you go hence. 
 
 " You now have two bright gems there which will shine 
 as the stars forever and forever. They were but little 
 ones here, only missed in your home, around your board ; 
 but in heaven, or rather in the spirit land, they hold high 
 places. Little lambs, gathered early to the shepherd's fold ; 
 no earth stains rest on them; and with shouts of joy would 
 they welcome you up on high. Come one, come all. 
 Jesus died not for one man nor for one nation, but for all 
 nations, for all men ; and he who dies early knows the 
 love of Jesus in another world if he can not understand it 
 here. These communications are for you ; for should we 
 never meet on earth, that is, should you never see me 
 write again, remember, though all your earth friends 
 should desert you, there is one on high who will never 
 forsake his children; and through the world wherever 
 you may roam, I will be with you each day, and if in 
 trouble will try to pour the balm of consolation in your 
 soul. Yea, I will, if God wills it, be with you in the hour oi 
 death. When earth fades in the distance and doubts arise
 
 140 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 as to your future state, Christ shall take your hand and 
 say, ' Fear not, for I am with you.' Then the bright light 
 of love shall fall upon your soul, and you shall rejoice and 
 know for a certainty that you have a home in a better 
 land. The Bible must be your study ; its pages will be- 
 come more beautiful to you, and you shall there find the 
 knowledge you wish, if you will but read not one chapter 
 or one page, but page after page, chapter after chapter, 
 until it will be the Book of all books to you, and Christ 
 the man of your counsel. Yea, you shall be a Christian 
 a living example of what man can be. Then will an aged 
 mother feel her prayers are at last answered her long 
 lost son is found indeed ; and when, at last, you sit down 
 with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in your Father's home, 
 that mother will be there, and with tears of joy will she 
 tell unto you her deep, heart-felt anxiety on earth for you. 
 Then shall your children look back and say, ' Yea, our 
 father was in very truth a Christian.' Oh, man, what an 
 inheritance to leave your little ones when you are gathered 
 home ! a life that in serving God, a chart for them to 
 steer by a claim to the heavenly Jerusalem. They are 
 young: even now speak to them of things heavenly, their 
 little eyes sparkle, and they ask, ' Papa, can I go there ? : 
 Then you may be able to say, ' Yes, my child, for Christ 
 has said, ' I am the way, the truth, and the light, whoso- 
 ever cometh unto me I will in nowise cast out.' Yes, 
 read your Bible ; there you will find God's will concerning 
 man. You will, I know, take but little interest at first, 
 but it will increase with each day's perusal, until it will 
 be a part of your daily food. Now, read what I have here 
 written, treat it not lightly, for 'tis of eternal interest to 
 your eternal, never-dying soul." 
 
 FROM FANNY KING TO HER BROTHER. 
 
 " I do not wish you to understand that all can reign in
 
 SOUL'S DEPAETUEE. 141 
 
 glory. Ah, no ! Christ died, that all who loved him should 
 inhabit that glorious abode which he has gone to prepare ; 
 but those who are willing in this life to serve God, they 
 shall inherit a most glorious home on high ; they shall sit 
 down, with Abraham in their Father's kingdom, and with 
 hundreds of redeemed souls, shall make the vaults of hea- 
 ven resound with their song of praise to the most high 
 God. After leaving our earthly abode, we can see the 
 mourners who gather around our old form we wonder 
 that you should love it so well. How different with us. We 
 feel as a captive bird let loose from its prison cage ; and 
 you should rejoice with us, to think when a soul leaves 
 this earth remember there is then another throne filled on 
 high, another harp resounds to the praises of God. For 
 here we are still progressing in our studies and praising 
 God, till we are made perfect by our own exertions and 
 the divine gi*ace of Jesus Christ ; then we may enter that 
 glorious abode of God, of which you can never know till 
 you receive your new harp and your heavenly robes from 
 the hands of Him who died, that you might be an heir of 
 God, and a joint heir with him to that glorious kingdom 
 which my frail words can not describe. This generation 
 has not advanced far enough to speak to us, but in years 
 to come, the mist which now shrouds this great phenom- 
 ena, will have passed away, and all will be able to com- 
 municate with their departed friends. But you who now 
 possess the privilege of even this slow way of communica- 
 tion, should improve it, for millions of dollars are composed 
 of cents, and if you do not appreciate this small privilege, 
 would you be any more grateful if your powers were in- 
 creased ? But you can only progress little by little. If you 
 Cultivate and strive to make good use of the powers which 
 some few now possess, the powers will be increased, and 
 with them the day of wonders shall never cease, till they 
 are called to give an account of the deeds done in the
 
 142 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 body. Then, and not till then, will they find how great 
 has been the powers bestowed upon them, and then will 
 they reflect how great has been the abuse of that power ; 
 for, like the slothful servant, they will have hidden their 
 talent in the earth, when, if they had used it for a 
 good purpose, great would have been their reward. In 
 the beginning God intended that after a few years of 
 earthly pleasure, man should enjoy an eternity with him 
 in heaven, a place far surpassing this world, in grandeur 
 and scenes pleasing for the eye to rest upon ; but Adam 
 fell, and man continued to sink lower and lower, till one 
 of the attributes of God descended from his throne on 
 high and became man, and dwelt among them. And be- 
 cause he came not as an earthly monarch, with all the 
 wealth of an Eastern prince, he was mocked and spit 
 upon, and died the ignominious death of the cross ; but by 
 his death all men have now a free access to a heavenly 
 home. He came to again make clear the path which had so 
 long remained closed, the road which leads to the very King 
 eternal. His name is the pass-word which will lead us to 
 glory. Each prayer which ascends to heaven must be in- 
 dorsed, as it were, with the name of Jesus Christ ; for unless 
 we plead in his name our prayers will remain unanswered. 
 In the beginning there was no spiritual world, for man 
 was made perfect on earth; but after Adam's fall man 
 became so low that he forgot the very existence of a God; 
 and after Christ's coming souls were fitted for heaven in 
 the spirit world by angels sent by our heavenly Father to 
 prepare us for the enjoyments of heaven. And after leav- 
 ing the seventh sphere we can not commune with man 
 we forget then all earthly things, our thoughts are of God 
 and heavenly pleasures, which differ widely from earthly 
 enjoyments. And now I would ask, Why does man love 
 this body so well? for, like the egg-shell, it is only intended 
 to protect the more delicate interior ; and after death, like
 
 MYSTERY- s ADVICE. 143 
 
 the new-born bird, we lay down this earthly covering, and 
 in a more heavenly form we ascend to the place which is 
 intended for the redeemed. But now let me say to you 
 here, there is an abode prepared for the wicked, those who 
 have lived in open rebellion before God; a place where 
 the smile of God is forever shut out. But not till they 
 have had many opportunities to turn to Christ are they 
 thus punished. Speak, speak to those around you who are 
 fast approaching this dreary abode, and remember, he who 
 turns a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul 
 from death and hide a multitude of sins. And to you, my 
 dear brethren, I would say, You have just begun a good 
 work, but faint not till you have gained that land where 
 the sun never rises nor sets, but where the countenance of 
 God illumines all around ; for it is brighter than the sun 
 and more mild than the rays of a summer's moon." 
 
 Having given the foregoing communications, which, 
 though personal, have some principles of general applica- 
 tion, I now give the reader the last which we had from 
 Mystery, addressed to us as a circle. He said : 
 
 " Not that I wish to leave you, oh, no. There is not 
 one of the circle whom I do not love ; and though thou- 
 sands of miles may separate you, once a day will Mystery 
 be with you. Though years may pass before you are 
 called home, I shall meet you at the river, and you shall 
 pass its waves without a struggle, for I shall hold your 
 hand, and the River of Death will have no terror to you ; 
 for in the distance you shall see your new home, and the 
 light of the heavenly spheres shall break upon you. 
 
 " To you, my little band, my chosen few, who amid rain 
 and heat came to me for instructions, I would say, God- 
 speed you who have been faithful, and forget not to 
 assemble yourselves together, and I will try and develop 
 some of you as mediums. You shall have glorious mani- 
 festations, and many shall wonder at your instructions.
 
 144 THE CLOCK STEUCK ONE. 
 
 " To Mr. Watson I would say, Don't give your girl up. 
 She will be a good medium, and so will another servant- 
 girl of yours, a female much older than the one not prac- 
 ticed with. But, oh, give it not up now. Spiritualism is 
 only in its infancy, let it not go until it is able to stand of 
 itself. Do not put your hands to the plow and then look 
 back, but move on, and a glorious harvest shall be yours, 
 and a crown at the right hand of His Majesty on high 
 shall be yours. To Drs. Pittman and Taylor I would say, 
 Faint not by the wayside. You must not give up now, 
 for you will hereafter rejoice over these times of doubts, 
 and be glad that you struggled through this cloud of 
 doubt ; for bright and glorious will be the day which shall 
 follow its departure. Go on ! And to Carr and King I 
 would say, You both do well, and even now feel the influ- 
 ence for good which surrounds you. To King I would 
 say, Do not build your hopes too high on becoming a 
 medium, for you may be disappointed, but you will never 
 regret the day you .became a CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALIST ; for 
 you will, in years to come, be glad, and in eternity you 
 shall often look back with pleasant thoughts to the hours 
 that you have spent around the board with Mystery as a 
 teacher. To Dr. Howcott I would say, Do not give up, 
 but go on. And to Dr. Gilbert I will say, You carry in 
 your daily life the proofs that this doctrine has done you 
 good. And now farewell. And when you and I stand 
 face to face in heaven, you shall know for truth who Mys- 
 tery is, and who he was, and why it was that he was sent 
 to you as a teacher. 
 
 " I will write for you some other time. So now, fare- 
 well. Go on in this great and glorious work." 
 
 MYSTERY'S PARTING COUNSEL. 
 
 "Hold that which is good, that which will stand in the 
 light of the Gospel. If once you receive a communication
 
 LAST MEETING OF CIRCLE. 145 
 
 which will not accept Jesus as the Son of God, have done 
 with that spirit, for he is not one of us. He is bringing 
 you no good ; but all who own Christ as the Son of God 
 receive them, and their teachings will do you good. 
 
 "It is to be my last night with you, it may be for 
 months, it may be forever for who but God can tell where 
 you shall be before to-morrow's sun shall set ; but an all- wise 
 Father rules on high, he will direct you if you will but ask 
 his aid. ' Fear not, little flock, for 'tis your father's good 
 pleasure to give you the kingdom.' Yea, fear not, with 
 Jesus for your guide, and myriads of spirits to assist you, 
 you can not fail to reach the upper spheres. My interest 
 for you is very great, and 'tis with sorrow that I see my 
 little circle break up ; but as I have fixed an hour in each 
 day I will be with you ; and were it in a congregation of 
 a thousand, I shall know if any are there who are of this 
 little band, who, though others have laughed, have feared 
 not the scorn of men. In years to come you will, or, if 
 God wills it otherwise, your children shall read of your 
 labors here, and many shall rise up and call you blessed. 
 I did hope all would be present to-night, but I suppose it 
 could not be. Meet as you promised as often as you can. 
 for Christ hath said, ' Where two or three are met together 
 in my name, there shall I be in the midst of them.' 
 
 " Fear not, for I too will meet with you when I can. Bat 
 remember, oh, man, we are but disembodied spirits; at 
 times we give only our opinions ; we, like you, may be 
 wrong. We look not into the future only by the signs of 
 the times. Do not expect too much from us ; we will try 
 to do our part. When dangers surround you I will be 
 with you, and if I can not do away with it, will try to 
 alleviate your pain. Yea, thousands upon thousands look 
 down and smile on this circle ; fathers and mothers, broth- 
 ers and sisters, parents and children watch around with 
 anxious eye, fearing you will not receive this great truth. 
 
 1
 
 146 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 Look at it in the proper light. Spirits, yea, the very spirits 
 that once inhabited the clay form, and walked over this 
 green earth, when once in the spirit world, return, that 
 you, knowing the way, may walk therein. We, who have 
 passed through the torment and agony of the second 
 sphere, return to you that you may shun it. Ah, man ! 
 the deepest midnight darkness of earth is broad, beautiful 
 sunlight in comparison to that. Then not only the dark- 
 ness without, but the deep darkness within the soul not 
 one ray of light, hope gone, what is the poor, lost spirit to 
 do ? He sees a light, he hears earth voices. Swift, as on 
 the lightning's flash, does he speed to that little ray. 
 'Tis around a circle of the children of earth. Why do 
 they gather around that table ? why do they listen with 
 such deep anxiety to each little rap ? Joy, joy, 'tis a 
 spirit that speaks to them ! Ah, yes, they see this. Then, 
 thinks this dark spirit, lo, there is a \vorld of spirits above 
 me. How can I gain that upper land ? Is it dark there 
 too ? Hark, that bright spirit says there is no night there, 
 all is joy and peace. Yes, I will listen, I will learn ; and 
 so they do. So they progress until they reach the fourth 
 sphere ; there they have spirit teachers, face to face. 
 
 " So you see, oh, man ! 'tis not only you, the twelve 
 that sit around this table who are instructed, but hundreds 
 who have gone before, and who with joy watch each word 
 as it falls from my pencil. But remember, 'tis not only to 
 hear, but by your living example let the world know you 
 are none of these. If there is truth in this thing it will 
 stand through all ages. Was not Christianity nursed in 
 a cloud and cradled in a storm ? so it will be with Spirit- 
 ualism; but it shall come forth doiibly purified by the 
 fire, and all men shall believe and rejoice in it. For then 
 will Jesus, the much-despised Nazarine, reign over the 
 whole earth ; and oh ! 'tis Mystery's prayer that some at 
 this table may live to see it ; for earth will be a heaven.
 
 BRIGHT PROSPECT AHEAD. 147 
 
 " The ball is in motion, it will roll the spacious earth 
 around, and with one great shout, resounding through 
 heathen as well as Christian lands, that spirits of the 
 blessed do return to teach poor man. Yes, there are hun- 
 dreds who will not receive the Gospel, who reject the Son 
 of God, who say death is a long, dark, everlasting sleep ; 
 but the spirits will remove all this, W T C will give them such 
 proof as will remove every doubt, and they will then begin 
 to think of a preparation for hereafter. But delay not, 
 now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation, 
 ' Work while the day lasts, for the night cometh when no 
 man can work.' Yea, work and you shall receive a rich 
 reward in that upper and better world. In the hour of 
 trial I will be with you. Fear not, little flock, for 'tis my 
 mission to you that you shun the second sphere. I would 
 have you shine as bright stars in the seventh sphere. Ah ! 
 remember there is a woi-ld beyond the spheres, where you 
 shall see God, for you shall be like him. Ah ! the Jordon 
 is to be crossed by you, spirits bright and beautiful will 
 guide you to the banks, and angels of God will receive 
 you on the other side, there to dwell with God forever. 
 Ah ! yes, with angels as your companions, God as a father, 
 how will the ages of eternity pass ! Yes, you must, you 
 can shun the dark world, where one day appears as a 
 thousand years. Yes, you can reign with God forever if 
 you will but take the Bible as your guide and Christ for 
 your example. He came down to earth for man's good ; 
 he left the realms of glory that man, knowing the road, 
 might walk therein. The path, though narrow, is illu- 
 minated by his love ; the road, though it appeareth long 
 to the children of man, is but a narrow span, which clouds 
 the shores of time with eternity. Dwell in readiness, for 
 in such an hour as ye know not the son of man cometh. 
 Live not for time, but for eternity, so, should you be called 
 at this hour, you wonld enter the sixth sphere; then I,
 
 148 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 who have been your teacher on earth, will be your teacher 
 there ; then we shall look upon one another, and oh ! with 
 what eagerness will you devour my teachings ; for when 
 you leave the seventh sphere there is but one more step 
 to the home of God the Father you may gain that too. 
 Now, may the most choice of God's blessings rest upon 
 you, and may we meet around his throne on high." 
 
 Thus terminated the most deeply interesting meetings I 
 ever attended. We most sincerely believed that for sev- 
 eral months we had been in communication with a spirit 
 of high order from the better land. His teachings had a 
 most hallowed influence on us, and we closed with great 
 reluctance. I have never been so much benefitted spiritu- 
 ally by any associations I have ever enjoyed. I look back 
 through the lapse of seventeen years with unspeakable joy 
 at what we received during our meetings, and enjoyment 
 while attending them. 
 
 I have now given some of the main features of our in- 
 vestigations of this subject, with the doctrines taught and 
 the principles inculcated. I leave the reader to come to 
 whatever conclusion he may see proper from the itand- 
 point he may occupy as an honest inquirer after truth. I 
 know that I have earnestly desired and most fervently 
 prayed that I might know the truth. I can have no mo- 
 tive to deceive others, or desire to be deceived myself. I 
 do not wish to influence others only as the statement of 
 the facts as they occurred with us may lead them to think 
 on these things. Several of the parties who composed 
 our company are still living in Memphis who will attest 
 the truth of what I have written.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS. 
 
 HAVING business that required my attention at the 
 North, before leaving I called on Miss Fisher, to see what 
 might be said to me personally. The following communi- 
 cation was written in what seemed to be a lady's hand- 
 writing ; after which, on the opposite page, in Mystery's 
 peculiar chirography, was another communication, which 
 I think was the last one I ever received from him. 
 
 " I am with you, my son. Although taken while you 
 were but a little child, I have always thrown my influence 
 around you, and I can with joy say it has not returned to 
 me void. Yes, though you had no earth-mother, a spirit- 
 mother guarded your path. Her white wings of purity 
 (purified in the blood of the Lamb) protected you from 
 many dangers, and kept you from many temptations, and 
 delivered you from evils unknown at the time. Your in- 
 terest in this matter has been great, but your labor has 
 been smiled upon, and we hail your arrival in the field 
 with joy. 
 
 " You will soon leave Memphis. Investigate this sub- 
 ject at the North. There it is more generally known and 
 understood. You will look back upon this summer with 
 pleasure, for you shall open the eyes of men ; for their 
 eyes are closed, or they see through a glass but dimly. I, 
 too, have been at your circle have heard the teachings of 
 Mystery, sometimes received by strangers as pearls cast 
 before swine, but to your circle as gems from another and 
 a better land. 
 
 " You have a good medium in your own family. You 
 should make her practice. She will become a good and 
 quite an interesting medium.
 
 150 THE CLOCK STKUCK ONE. 
 
 " Now, my son, I shall be with you in all your journey- 
 ings, and in time of danger will protect you ; but trust to 
 One greater than I, for he is the only one on whom you 
 should rely. Well, now farewell 
 
 " SUSANNAH WATSON." 
 
 After this the following was written by Mystery : 
 
 " Your mother has said ' Farewell,' but you must be 
 prepared to have people contradict your word tell you 
 that you are crazy, or something else ; but the time is 
 coming when all men shall believe. Do not give yourself 
 one uneasy thought ; it will all come out right in the end. 
 Christ guards the old ship of Zion, and she shall yes, she 
 shall find a safe landing. Many souls shall be on board. 
 Fear not, but trust in Providence, wherever you may be." 
 
 I paid little or no attention to the subject after this, only 
 in 1860 Dr. Mansfield was at Memphis, and several prom- 
 inent members of the church, with myself, were invited to 
 see him, one afternoon. I had never been in any circle 
 only as I have mentioned. I was the first one that arrived 
 at Dr. Gilbert's, where he was stopping. I was shown the 
 way up-stairs to his room. I had never seen him, nor he 
 me, that I know of. He was alone, and I gave no name, 
 but wrote the names of the persons I wished to commu- 
 nicate with privately, and folded the paper over several 
 times. He laid them on a table, and wrote as follows : 
 
 "DEAR BRO. WATSON Think it not strange that I come 
 instead of your darling mother, who is at this moment away 
 on duty. She will be with you soon have patience, and 
 let us come to you in our own way, and all our power to 
 convince, as to our spirit power to come to you through 
 the source of mortal organization, will be done. 
 
 "Your friend and brother, j. D. ANDREWS." 
 
 I then wrote, " If it be my friend Andrews, will he give 
 something that will satisfy me of his identity ? " folding 
 and wrapping up the paper as before when it was written :
 
 COMMUNICATIONS IN 1860. 151 
 
 " Well, Bro. Samuel, I am not able to say what I could 
 as to those pleasant meetings in 1859 ; but I well recollect 
 my labors in Dardanelle, Dover, Augusta, and other places 
 in which I labored during my sojourn below. My home 
 is now in the New Jerusalem, though I find it not as I an- 
 ticipated, yet my anticipations were more than realized. 
 Yes, Bro. Watson, now sent, we communicate with mortals. 
 Be firm, and you shall live to put all opposition under your 
 feet. I say, Stand up to what you feel to be your duty, 
 and you shall be guarded by that host, numbering thou- 
 sands, to one who shall dare oppose you. My dear wife 
 and children ! Speak a word consoling for me. It will do 
 better for you to tell it to them than me. I have more to 
 say to them after awhile. 
 
 " Your friend and brother, j. D. ANDREWS." 
 
 " MY DEAR SON SAMUEL Your friend and brother, An- 
 drews, comes for me, saying you would speak with me. 
 Oh, I thank you, my son ! How my soul throbs with joy at 
 having this opportunity of speaking with you. Your dear 
 father is present, yet not able to speak to you. He is fran- 
 tic with joy at knowing you have called for him. Sepa- 
 rated from you by what you call death, he will come and 
 say a word by and by. 
 
 Samuel, you have a mission to perform, and if you heed 
 its impression, well will it be with you. You was raised 
 up for that which now awaits you. All your success, pe- 
 cuniarily and otherwise, has been given you or attributed 
 to spirit agency, or with reference to that which yet awaits 
 you ; then, as your friend Andrews has said, Be firm, and 
 know we are with you and will sustain you. 
 
 " Your spirit mother, SUSANNAH WATSON." 
 
 After the above, the following : 
 
 " MY DEAR SON Your mother has kindly given way 
 and not only so, but proffered me the aid of her control to 
 respond to your interrogatory. Now, my son, your mis-
 
 THE CLOCK STBUCK ONE. 
 
 sion is to proclaim this great and mighty truth to millions 
 yet in darkness as to the truth of spirit communication. 
 After awhile you will see your way clear. After awhile 
 you will have strength to proclaim what you will feel your 
 duty. Yes, like John the Baptist, will you be called to 
 lead the way. 
 
 " I say, my son, watch ! for the day is near. 
 
 " Your father, LEVIN WATSON." * 
 
 One of my friends who visited Dr. M. desired to have 
 a communication from his " Uncle Allen " (long a promi- 
 nent member of the Methodist Church in Nashville, at an 
 early day), and received the following : 
 
 " MY DEAR BRO. S : Think it not singular, or 
 
 consider it not unconscious, of my coming to you unsolic- 
 ited. I have stood by and witnessed your Uncle Allen's 
 attempts to come to you, even to the crowding away of 
 those you have called for, yet he has failed in his attempt 
 often. 
 
 " Now, thank God, you have lived to see this day, to 
 witness what I had so long looked for, but died without 
 seeing it. "Well, Bro., try and profit by its warning influ- 
 ence. You will be beset on all sides, and much will be 
 said to dissuade you from this truth or light just dawning 
 on your age ; but stand firm. Would that I could come to 
 earth again ! I would do differently from what I did 
 while there ; but, Bro., I could not, and did not, fully be- 
 lieve in a hereafter. My conduct showed it. You well 
 know this, but I will tell you much after awhile. Your 
 spirit friend and brother, JOHN NEWLAND MAFFIT." 
 
 These things were absorbed by others of a material 
 nature during the war. I paid no further attention to the 
 subject until last year. The old clock in Arkansas, insig- 
 nificant as it was, arrested my attention as to its striking 
 being just before four members of my family died. My 
 
 * My father died in 1857, in his 72d year.
 
 WHY Tins WAS PUBLISHED. , 153 
 
 giving an account of this, and Dr. Bond's course in regard 
 to it, has been the occasion of all this being presented to 
 the public. I was not willing to be censured, as I have 
 been for what I wrote, and bear it without reply ; and, when 
 denied his columns, this seemed to me to be the only re- 
 course to vindicate myself, and proclaim what I believe to 
 be the truth. 
 
 CAN SPIRITS BE SEEN WITH MATERIAL EYES? 
 
 I know science (so-called) says they can not. Nothing 
 can be seen that will not cast a shadow. Spirits can not 
 cast a shadow, therefore no mortal eye can see them. 
 Such is the manner of reasoning by some of the would-be 
 wise. I have no time to argue against such sophistry. 
 Many who believe in the Bible doctrine of ministering 
 spirits, do not believe they can be seen. 
 
 Those whose mind and time are absorbed by temporal 
 things are not prepared to appreciate and enjoy such 
 things. Their spiritual faculties are closed ; they do not 
 see through a glass even darkly, because of the moral 
 film over their eyes. Such, perhaps, never will be able to 
 see until the natural organs of sight cease to perfonia 
 their office ; but there are those whose spiritual vision is 
 at times opened, so that they have at least some glimpses 
 of spirits. I believe it, because the Bible teaches from the 
 beginning to its close that persons did see them under 
 every dispensation. Do they see them now ? Thousands 
 of persons affirm that they do. Are they not as reliable 
 as those who lived thousands of years since ? We believe 
 them in regard to everything else, why not in regard to 
 this, especially when it is corroborated by the Bible ? 
 
 I will mention a few cases which have occurred in this 
 vicinity illustrative of this truth. The first Methodist 
 preacher who was ever stationed in this city was subse- 
 quently in the city of New Orleans, La. One night he 
 
 7*
 
 154 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 was aroused from his slumbers by what he was satisfied 
 was his mother. He told me a few days since that he 
 heard his mother's voice as clearly and as distinctly as he 
 ever did, saying, " FRANK, MY SON, BE FAITHFUX. I AM 
 AT BEST." His mother was living in Middle Tennessee. 
 When he heard from his father, he found his mother had 
 died at that time. 
 
 One of our best official members at the First Methodist 
 Church, in this city, related a similar experience to several 
 of us, recently. In six weeks he received a letter from 
 Germany, stating that his mother died the night that she 
 appeared to him in Arkansas. 
 
 Those who have read Mr. Wesley's journal, will remem- 
 ber similar cases. One was away out on the ocean, where he 
 died (or was drowned). He appeared at home, told them 
 he had died that night on a certain ship, in such a latitude 
 and longitude. A record was kept of the facts, which 
 were afterward ascertained to be true in every particular. 
 
 A judge of this city informed me, a few days since, 
 that in his wife's father's family, a case occured in the day- 
 time. A gentleman whom they knew intimately, came in 
 the room, when he was addressed by his friend, and his 
 wife was told to hand him a chair, but he had vanished out 
 of sight. It was afterward ascertained that he had died 
 just before that time. 
 
 A prominent physician, of this city, told me yesterday, 
 that during the war a member of his family appeared, who 
 was in the army, and it was afterward ascertained that 
 he died about that time. He said he had never mentioned 
 it to any one before. 
 
 An officer of the Confederate army, who resides in this 
 city, having lost a lovely little daughter at home, found 
 her with him during the war. She continues with him, 
 often visible, affording him much comfort, and an assur- 
 ance that she lives in the spirit world.
 
 CASES OF SPIRITS SEEN. 155 
 
 Another friend, whom I have known in this city for over 
 thirty years, has lost several children ; he has seen them 
 all, with the colored woman that nursed them, in his room. 
 
 A Methodist preacher, who resided at Memphis, who had 
 long been an itinerant, told me he often saw and conversed 
 freely with those who had passed from earth. 
 
 One of the most deeply pious and intelligent ladies, that 
 I knew for more than a quarter of a century, told me, a 
 few days since, that her father, mother, and son, who was 
 an officer in the Confederate army, visited her in her room. 
 
 I heai-d one of our oldest and most influential citizens, 
 recently tell one of our editors that he saw and conversed 
 with a brother frequently, and that he was more company 
 for him now than before he died. 
 
 A young lady, near me, says the same of her brother, 
 who controls her. 
 
 I met two of our most prominent lawyers on the street. 
 One of them said he had lost several children, but they 
 were with him at home he saw and talked with them 
 often. 
 
 Many years ago, there was a young man, by the name 
 of Charlie Dennie, who professed religion and joined the 
 Church, when I was stationed at Asbury Chapel, in this 
 city. He wrote some very fine poetry, which was pub- 
 lished in the Memphis Christian Advocate, while I edited 
 it, and he was preparing for the ministry. He went to New 
 Orleans on business, and died suddenly. His remains were 
 brought to Memphis, and I preached his funeral at his 
 brother's house. Just before the service commenced, his 
 brother told me that the night Charlie died, he came into 
 his room, and he asked him why he had come back so 
 soon. The next morning a dispatch told of his death. 
 
 I know that the relation of these things will subject me 
 to ridicule, but what of that ? I have passed beyond that 
 long since. I could relate some things, in my own experi-
 
 156 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 ence, but they are too sacred to be soiled by the slang of 
 the unthinking portion of the community. They have 
 never realized anything of the kind, and think, as Dr. 
 Bond says, there is a " morbid state of brain " with those 
 who have. They have not examined the subject from a 
 Biblical stand-point, nor perhaps from any other than a sar- 
 castic one, yet they have the unblushing effrontery to con- 
 demn those who have. Had they lived in the days of 
 Jesus, they would have said, " Oh, that Transfiguration was 
 only a ghost story for silly people." This may have been 
 the reason why Jesus " charged them that they should tell 
 no man what things they had seen till the Son of Man 
 were risen from the dead." And they kept that saying 
 with themselves. Thus it is with thousands who have re- 
 alized sensibly the presence of loved ones, but are afraid 
 of the ridicule of those who have no other mode of meet- 
 ing this question than to apply epithets to those who, per- 
 haps, are as capable of judging of the facts as themselves. 
 I as much believe that people see those who have once 
 lived here, as that Cornelius saw the " man " that appeared 
 to him. I believe as sincerely that spirit hands are now 
 seen, and write, as I believe that a hand wrote Belshazzar's 
 doom upon the wall of his palace. These things are being 
 repeated in the present age, not by anything miraculous, 
 but in accordance with the laws of the spiritual world. 
 
 How true are the Preacher's words (Eccl. iii. 15) : " That 
 which has been, is now .... and God requireth that 
 which is past." Many are like Job, who says: "Fear 
 came upon me, and trembling, which made my bones 
 shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; it stood 
 still, but I could not discern the form thereof." 
 
 We believe Job saw the spirit, yet many who believe 
 Job's testimony profess to doubt any man's veracity who 
 affirms he sees just what Job and many others say tbey 
 saw thousands of years ago. Ah, consistency, thou art a
 
 EVIDENCE NECESSARY TO BELIEF. 157 
 
 jewel ! Memory, sympathy and love caused their return 
 there ; and millions, influenced by the same feelings, cause 
 them to return now. We cannot believe, or disbelieve, as 
 we please. Sufficient evidence compels belief. It is not a 
 mere act of volition. You cannot believe in this spiritual 
 phenomenon without the most positive evidence. Few, 
 comparatively, have had that evidence ; hence the reason 
 of doubt among those who have no experience in these 
 things. This is as might be expected. Persons should 
 not be blamed for not believing. It is often said the days 
 of miracles are past. That may be so ; but there is nothing 
 miraculous in all these things, as I have often said. It is 
 in accordance with law that has been in existence from 
 the beginning. As in ancient times these manifestations 
 were usually made when the persons to whom they ap- 
 peared were alone, so it usually is now in the home circle 
 of private families they make their appearance. 
 
 The man who appeared to Manoah's wife met with her 
 several times privately before her husband saw him, when 
 he asked him if he was the man who appeared to his wife, 
 and he said he was. So with many others all through the 
 sacred record. 
 
 It is a momentous question. Can, and do our loved 
 ones return, and can we see and converse with them ? I 
 assert that they can. 1st, from the authority of the Bible, 
 and the opinion of the most learned and pious commenta- 
 tors ; and, 2d, from the testimony of tens of thousands 
 now living. 
 
 Multitudes are to be pitied for having neither the incli- 
 nation nor the manly courage to investigate that which, 
 demonstrating a future conscious existence, takes hold of 
 the vital principles underlying immortality. A degenerate 
 public opinion is the most contemptible tyrant. I thank 
 God I have passed the point to care much about it. 
 
 Through all the preaching of the Gospel we find this
 
 158 THE CLOCK STKUCK ONE. 
 
 light kept alive, enkindling zeal, and making converts to 
 the Christian faith. It seems strange to me that any 
 Christian can ignore these things. The Apostle besought 
 all to covet earnestly spiritual gifts, among which he spe- 
 cially enumerated sight, for it was considered one of the 
 most natural of all gifts. What nonsense would this com- 
 mand be to those who had within them no organs of 
 spiritual sight, and if there were no spiritual objects of 
 vision? The seeing of spirits was considered a help to 
 Christian attainment, and inspired the faith of the indi- 
 vidual to meet the opposition of that age. 
 
 Being fully persuaded in my own mind that all will 
 know in the other life, if not in this, the truth of these 
 things, I can cheerfully bide my time. Though what I have 
 written may cause many to sympathize with me for my 
 delusion, yet I think I have the truth on my side. Though 
 they may seem incredible to those who have never experi- 
 enced them, yet they are very precious truths to those 
 who have realized them, and they can and will stand the 
 test of the most rigid investigation, upon the testimony of 
 witnesses of the most unimpeachable veracity and sincerity. 
 
 As a further contribution, I extract a very remarkable 
 experience from a pamphlet by the Rev. A. K. MacSorley, 
 a clergyman of the Church of England, and published in 
 1865. It is entitled, "An Appeal to the Clergy for the 
 Investigation of Spiritualism, with the Personal Experience 
 of the Writer, by one of themselves." Among other in- 
 teresting experiences narrated is the following, which we 
 have slightly abridged : 
 
 " One evening my wife and I were invited to spend the 
 evening with a friend, whose son was one of our mediums. 
 There were eight of us altogether. A seance was held 
 A paraffin lamp was burning, and we were told by the 
 spirit to lower the light and screen the fire. Then we were 
 bid to mark well the medium's forehead. After a short
 
 CLERGYMEN OF ENGLAND. 159 
 
 time all except one of the company saw a light in the me- 
 dium's forehead. 
 
 " The light was about the size of a goose's egg, across 
 his forehead, of a dim nature, not at all bright, but there 
 it was. Shortly afterward the medium was again made 
 to write ' Pray.' We all knelt down, and 1 prayed aloud, 
 ' Oh Father, grant that we all may be under a good and 
 gracious influence, so that we may receive light and truth, 
 that we may do nothing contrary to thy holy will. Open 
 our brother's eyes that he may also receive light as well 
 as us, to thy honor and glory, for thy name's sake. Amen.' 
 We had no sooner risen from our knees and taken our seats 
 than he said, 'I also see the light.' The medium then 
 wrote on the paper, ' Thank God ! you have seen the spirit- 
 light ; now we shall be able to show ourselves to you.' I 
 turned up the light, and read out the paper, and then put 
 it down again. After remaining a little longer quiet, the 
 medium again wrote, 'Mr. K., mark well the medium's 
 action from his head to his waist, and keep quiet.' We all 
 sat very quiet, in great expectation, waiting for what was 
 to come. We heard a great rattle like some electrical-ma- 
 chine, and the room began to tremble. The medium stood 
 up, we could see him distinctly, he stood erect, his arms 
 stretched out in the form of a cross ; then he lifted his 
 hand to his head, slipping his fingers through his hair some 
 half-dozen times. Presently he turned to the wall and 
 shook hands, apparently, with some one, then he turned 
 right round, and appeared to do the same with some one 
 else, then with another also, then he appeared to embrace 
 a fourth, then shook hands with some one else, and so on 
 for a considerable time, as if he had been meeting with a 
 considerable number of friends, who had all met together 
 for some gladsome occasion. Then, after having saluted 
 them all, he again stood quiet. We could now see from 
 his head to his waist quite clearly the light was clearer.
 
 160 THE CLOCK STEUCK OJS T E. 
 
 Presently his appearance was changed, and there stood 
 before us a man of about middle age, with a bushy beard 
 of sandy color, broad face, high cheek-bones, broad, full 
 forehead, and benevolent countenance. 
 
 " He looked round with a pleased air at each of us, and 
 then disappeared. Next came a young, pale, thin-faced 
 man, with no beard and but very little whisker, black hair, 
 and mild, pleasant-looking countenance. He had a pair of 
 bands round his neck, as a clergyman would have at times. 
 I thought I knew him, but to this day I cannot recall him 
 to my recollection. After staying about the same time 
 before us he disappeared, and then a female of a most 
 beautiful appearance took his place. She was standing as 
 if in the attitude of prayer, with a heavenly countenance 
 brightly beaming forth, her eyes looking upward, and her 
 hair nicely done up, as with a coronet, but it was all hair ; 
 and she had a sweet flower at one side of her head. My 
 wife cried out, ' Surely I have seen her before. Is she not 
 an actress ? ' She disappeared, and the medium wrote on a 
 bit of paper, 'No; she was no actress, but a pure and 
 simple-minded girl, who loved her God and her fellow- 
 creatures. Go you and do likewise.' I then turned up the 
 light, read the writing, and again lowered it. The next 
 that came was a female one that I had good reason to 
 know while she was in the form. As soon as she appeared, 
 the master of the house exclaimed, ' Oh, Mr. K., is that 
 not your daughter ? ' I replied, ' You forget that my 
 daughter is in the flesh. She is very like her I know her 
 well.' She came near me and smiled sweetly. My wife 
 knew her at once, having been intimate with her while in 
 the body, and she said to her, ' If you are she whom I 
 think you are, let me know.' She drew near to her, and 
 stooped down quite close to her, bowing her head and 
 smiling. She stopped with us longer than any of the others, 
 and after again bowing, disappeared. She was my first
 
 JUDGE EDMUND'S EXPERIENCE. 161 
 
 wife, and the mother of her, Mr. S. thought, she was so like. 
 After she went, we saw one after another, male and female, 
 as many as three dozen. All seemed heavenly and happy, 
 apparently delighted that they could thus manifest them- 
 selves to us. When all had gone, the medium wrote again, 
 'Now, Mr. K., we have fulfilled our promise to you. We 
 have shown you one third of our circle. The arrangements 
 were not prepared for the others to show themselves. Go 
 on and let the truth be known, and we shall be with you. 
 Good night.' " 
 
 I copy from a letter written by Judge Edmunds to the 
 New York Tribune : " My next step was to see an indi- 
 vidual spirit, that of an old friend who had been dead six 
 or eight years. I was in my room at work, not thinking 
 of him, and suddenly I saw him sitting by my side, near 
 enough for me to touch him. I perceived I could exchange 
 thoughts with him, for, in answer to my questions, he told 
 me why he had come. During all these steps of progress 
 I could converse with spirits whom I saw, as easily as I 
 could with any living mortal, and I held discussions with 
 them as I have with mortals." 
 
 The time is coming, and I think not far distant, when 
 these things will not be so rare as they are now. There 
 are many now who enjoy them, which gives them the best 
 assurance of immortality. Faith to them has performed 
 its office " the invisible appears in sight," and the loved 
 and the lost are seen and recognized by mortal eyes. It 
 brings to my mind and heart that which is unspeakably 
 joyful to know, that they watch over us, and " can be- 
 come visible to mortals " now, as they did in olden time. 
 I have no argument with those who ridicule these things, 
 but simply say, that to my mind it has been demonstrated, 
 beyond the possibility cf doubt, that they can and do 
 manifest themselves.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE PHILOSOPHY AND RELIABILITY OF THESE 
 
 MANIFESTATIONS. 
 
 THERE is an influence which one person can exercise 
 over another by what is called Mesmerism. In this state 
 the external senses seem to be partially asleep, or para- 
 lyzed, while the spiritual senses are partially opened. The 
 operator having got his subject completely under his con- 
 trol, can then make him see whatever he chooses. He can 
 project usual images in his own mind by his own will, so 
 that the subject sees objects as external things. Their in- 
 tense excitement and involuntary gesticulations show un- 
 mistakably that they conceive them to be as real, as the 
 outer world is, to the waking perceptions. We were told, 
 in our investigations, that it was upon this principle that 
 spirits operated upon those whose physical organism they 
 could control. They take possession of the hand, and use 
 it as though it were their own, and write without perhaps 
 controlling the mind of the person thus influenced. They 
 take possession of the organ of speech, through which 
 they speak, to a great extent, as they would with their 
 own physical organization. Children are sometimes used 
 in this "way, speaking things utterly impossible for them 
 to have conceived by their own faculties. 
 
 There are many who speak different languages, who are 
 entirely ignorant of all but their own. The persons who 
 control them use the language in which they spoke during 
 their earth life ; and often those who are familiar with 
 that language converse with them in this way, the person 
 through whom it is done being entirely ignorant of what 
 is transpiriug. I have seen two persons thus controlled by 
 two spirits converse with each other in their own Ian-
 
 POLYGLOT WRITING. 163 
 
 guage, while neither of the persons (mediums) through 
 whom they communicated knew anything of what they 
 were saying. 
 
 An intimate friend of mine in Memphis, many years 
 since, was very much opposed to these things. He said, 
 however, if they would write through him, in a language 
 which he did not understand, and it was ascertained that 
 it was a language, and sensible communication, that he 
 would believe them. They, or something, took him at his 
 word, and for weeks and months he wrote in Hebrew, 
 Chinese, and perhaps other languages, involuntarily. This 
 principle is confirmed, I think, in the New Testament his- 
 tory. It is a law of the spiritual world, and, I think, 
 sheds light upon every phase of these manifestations. 
 
 While I am fully convinced of the truth of the phe- 
 nomena of these spiritual manifestations, and believe that 
 the mesmeric principle explains the philosophy of them, I 
 must repeat the caution I have so often given as to placing 
 implicit confidence in them. Upon this principle the bad 
 as well as the good can and do communicate ; and as the 
 evil is much more numerous in this, so it is in the other 
 life, as to those who are in affinity with earth. Conse- 
 quently, more evil and falsehood than good and truth are 
 communicated. It is of the utmost importance for every 
 one to bear this in mind, in order that he may be protected 
 from all the hallucinations, visible images, involuntary 
 writing or speaking, by which spirits would impose them- 
 selves upon him as messengers of divine truth. We were 
 repeatedly cautioned against receiving as truth anything, 
 no matter from what source it claimed to come, unless it 
 was corroborated by other testimony ; and to receive noth- 
 ing as to doctrine that was contrary to the teachings of 
 the Bible. 
 
 I insert two communications, purporting 'to have come 
 from the father and son of an old friend. The son was
 
 164 THE CLOCK STRUCK OJS T E. 
 
 killed in the battle of Chickamauga, in September, 1863. 
 His father indulged in feelings of animosity toward the 
 Northern people, and, from that time, they were intensi- 
 fied by the death of his noble boy. I have no doubt that 
 the communications are from the relatives of my friend. 
 I know the pure, simple, honest medium through whom 
 they were received. She is incapable of deception. She 
 knows nothing of Spiritualism, as it is understood ; never 
 had anything to do with " circles" or " seances ; " but, in 
 the quietude of her own room, she is controlled to write 
 some remarkable communications, of which she knows 
 nothing while they are being written. These communica- 
 tions have had a most salutary influence on the person to 
 whom they are addressed. He has been enabled to cast 
 out the unclean spirit of revenge by which he had been 
 controlled, and from which he has suffered so much unhap- 
 piness. It has brought that to his mind and heart which 
 is above all price, and he is now consecrating his heart and 
 life to the cause to which he dedicated his young heart in 
 youth and ripened manhood. I will not I dare not 
 scoff at or ridicule such things, but hail them as great aux- 
 iliaries to draw me nearer to God, and to seek more of that 
 purity of heart without which no one can be happy here 
 or in the eternal world. 
 
 On November 12, 1871, he received the following: 
 " MY DEAR FATHER : You are waiting for my fourth 
 epistle. You have been trying to compose your thoughts 
 into channels of peace, but have, so far, fallen short of the 
 true condition. I can not, with the frankness that is con- 
 sistent with truth, congratulate yonr success. Imperfec- 
 tions belong not to spiritual victory. Such things may do 
 about your common life ; but, when it comes to matters 
 of the soul, a total abnegation must be sealed before valid- 
 ity is acknowledged here. If I were pleading my cause 
 as an advocate in the courts where human power decides,
 
 LETTER OF A SON TO HIS FATHEE. 165 
 
 I would contend, with firm earnestness, for what I felt my 
 claim. I stand here an advocate, not where science is 
 joined with justice, as measured by human thought, but 
 as a firm but just defender of my father's will, deciding a 
 case of great importance for courts where human skill can 
 never reach. I stand here, in all the glory of my commis- 
 sion, to save a soul from its own error, to cleanse a life 
 from all imperfect touch in the eyes of that Judge who 
 stands supreme. I stand as an advocate of God, crowned 
 with the power of that helmet and shield, with no petty 
 fee in promise, but feelings of great pride, in a cause so 
 noble and just. I told you I am happy, and what you 
 must do to gain your peace, but I see little change. You 
 sometimes imagine you have changed, but I see down to 
 the base of this ill-fated structure. I would not speak as 
 I feel I must, but I find the case demands the act. I am 
 grieved to draw the mantle from so foul a corpse as I see 
 buried in your breast a foul corruption of hidden form 
 you can not see. 
 
 "My dear father, what may I offer to crave your pardon 
 for what I must subscribe to, in order to give you a faith- 
 ful picture of all this? Comfort him, oh, angels of the 
 blessed ! for I, his son, in whom he sees no flaw, must draw 
 this mantle from a form so hideous in the sight of my 
 King ! But I must take my stand before the lawful court 
 as his accuser. Oh, faithful friends of many happy times, 
 come, bind the draperies gently over the bleeding form ! 
 When it becomes the part of an advocate to argue in the 
 court of Christ, it is that champion's duty to speak plainly 
 all the cause. I here avow myself the defendant in my 
 father's name. You stand accused of high treason, 
 charged against you in the Book of Doom. In the first 
 place, your faults are many. Before the hour I sealed, 
 with my blood, my devotion to my country's pride and 
 honor you did not yield with submission, as you should,
 
 166 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 to the chances of war. When the solemn words reached 
 you that I was no more, instead of bowing meekly to that 
 issue, jon raised a hell of bitter feeling in your hitherto 
 manly breast, and, with the fury of undying hate, fed the 
 flames that have raised a volcano of such magnitude 
 against you that was never yet reached in human mind. 
 You took my distorted image, as you fancied my appear- 
 ance, moldering in an unknown and unlettered tomb, 
 drawing all the wrappings of funeral despair around, what 
 seemed to friends, the fate of war. 
 
 " I stand here to expose your faults ; not to worry, but 
 to convince. You have hugged this foul compound for 
 long years. I take this last opportunity I shall claim 
 again for an indefinite period, so I will say all. You have 
 dragged this dreadful carcass around with you for long 
 years, so, of course, it is hard to eradicate what has be- 
 come second nature. I see it, as it is, with no cover. You 
 still hold the skeleton, where you seem to inspect it at will, 
 which you do often, to my great dissatisfaction. I am 
 your friend, when I tell you it is not gone only smothered 
 a little ; indeed, so little, it is very hard to see any differ- 
 ence. You fool credulity when you say 'I am all right.' 
 I tell you, my dear father, I know best. You are not as 
 well by far as I wish you to be, for you lay this corpse 
 out often in your mind, fix it up with corresponding gloom, 
 hold it in state in the secret chambers of your soul, but 
 draw a white, filmy shade over its huge ugliness, thinking 
 this is sufficient, leaving the rest to the future. 
 
 " I am not content with this. I must have all to carry 
 to my King, or I must plead again. What do you offei 
 me, when I tell you I must work till I can wipe this blot 
 from the page of doom ? What can I do, unless you coin- 
 cide with me? I have prayed, watched, worked, and 
 fought with you, but you desert me ever in the fight. I 
 am almost discouraged to proceed. I want my courage
 
 SON'S IMPORTUNITY. 167 
 
 bi-ightened sometimes. I can only receive it from you. I 
 have much to battle for. I am your advocate where your 
 voice reaches but imperfectly. I am your counsel where 
 no one else could touch your need. This you admit. I 
 am your defender when fresh causes come to blot your 
 hope when all is known. I have made every testimony of 
 my case known to you as well as I can; but still you 
 hold aloof. 
 
 " My dear father, why do you treat me thus ? I thought 
 you loved me beyond all chance ; still you leave to chance 
 the boon I have asked as my reward. Wherefore need I 
 plead but for you ? I am happy blessed ! I have no 
 boon to ask in my own good, for I have all God can 
 give ; I only plead for you. If I fail in eloquence, you, in 
 your wisdom, deem so requisite, why, my dear father, please 
 substitute my great love in the absence of all this. If I 
 fail in any point I might make more plain, why leave that 
 to my ignorance, but, oh, never to the cause I plead ! I 
 am pure ; so pure, I am neither part nor particle of any 
 fraud, or seeming fraud ; therefore what I speak is holy, 
 as the great cause is just. Oh, my father, put this shadow 
 forever from thy life ! I have brought all the ways I could 
 to bear on this subject. If I could only see you forgiven, 
 I would fly to you on the wings of speed to warn you of 
 this great joy ; but still when I kneel at the great white 
 throne the answer is, ' Nay.' I wait and plead, but still the 
 sound rolls through the archives of eternity's long echoes, 
 * No, no ; never till he is pure ! ' What proof is this, my 
 noble father, that you are changed ? Can you blame me 
 when I still entreat, and, when entreaty fails, that I should 
 then demand ? I am your soul's great pacifier ; therefore 
 I take no counterfeit in the way I claim. I must bring 
 my trust in all that is beyond the slightest taint before I 
 can give my sanction. You do not promise, only with 
 your lips. I must have spirit proof before I can accept.
 
 168 THE CLOCK STEUCK ONE. 
 
 How long must I wander on the boundary of your dark- 
 some valley before I shall take the offering so acceptable 
 to God ? How long must my spirit wail out for thee 
 without reward ? I gained the privilege to go to you, 
 and, when this was granted, I found the means to make 
 myself known to you through this spirit friend. I came, 
 controlling my desire to avoid the haunts of sin, to bring 
 you this peace. - Still, oh that I must still be so sad to 
 know this thought, this fact, I may not carry to my God 
 the proof of your reform. No, my dear father, you are 
 not changed only tempt your own cunning when you 
 suppose so. Oh, how many on earth are guilty of this 
 fraud ! It is not enough to think, but you must have 
 proof, before it avails one jot with God. Such changes 
 only delude, instead of blessing the one in fault. I can 
 not be your friend unless you accept what I offer. You 
 must give up this sin ; it is a sin of dark cast. You some- 
 times say you will do all you can to live up to my desire. 
 When you speak thus I am both glad and pained, for I 
 still claim my proof. When you deny all your good words 
 by going down and gathering up the old shapes, covering 
 them anew, till you get the whole monster where it was 
 before, and I come with troops of angels to draw oblivion 
 over a form so sad ; but still your spirit calls it back, set- 
 ting it full in view, till spirits even weep to see one so 
 bent on his own loss. What is there so pleasing in a 
 spectacle so unfair, to give such grim food for constant 
 thought ? I think other reflections would suit one of your 
 refined taste much better. I want to understand the secret 
 I have so far failed to solve. 
 
 " I am weary of this trial, if it must only end forever in 
 such failure. I love you so fondly, it draws my deepest 
 condemnation on your head when I have always to return 
 with my old petition still, only yet to hear the tolling 
 sound of the death-knell reverberated along the measure-
 
 FORGIVE AS I FORGIVE. 169 
 
 less realms of space. Oh, when will all this cease? I 
 know you can do what I ask, but when will it be fulfilled ? 
 Oh, my dear father ! I appeal to all your noble mind, to 
 every high-born trait ; I ask in the name of my God, 
 whom you perjure by your ill-kept vows. Remember 
 when you pray, " Forgive me as I forgive," how ill you 
 keep your part. I beg, of all your hopes both on earth 
 and here, to root this evil from your soul. You are not 
 conscious of its huge deformity. 
 
 " Now, I could have written a much more beautiful 
 letter, but I am at the substance, not gilding. We must 
 have a firm bottom, or the structure will topple for the 
 want of strength. I appeal to you, by all the love you 
 bear my name, by the sins you have offered in memory 
 to me, to blot out this dark sin forever. I beg you to 
 do this for my sake. Do not feel worried, when you can 
 look this change, in your honest way, straight in the face, 
 and say with your spirit, I forgive them. Then can I go 
 with all this joy to God, and the loud hosannahs will be 
 shouted through all the heavenly choir ; and I will fold 
 my spirit's shield in peace about your life, sealing its close 
 in the peaceful garb of love ; and the last sleep will come 
 as sweetly as the purest joy of Psalmist's tenderest chord 
 when notes of harmony accord." 
 
 On November, 21, 1871, he received the following: 
 " MY DEAR Sox You have often wished for my pres- 
 ence, or aome sign of my presence. Your mother is your 
 shield, I have other interests to attend to ; I have general 
 watch t,o keep over my flock. This is a beautiful system, 
 son, that we still keep the right before our children, even 
 when they no longer see us. I am always busy, first with 
 one, then with another, trying to settle their course through 
 channels of duty and Godlike peace ; but you are so well 
 provided, for, I never made special application to offer my 
 remarks. We entreat before we can accomplish our desires,
 
 170 THE CLOCK STEUCK ONE. 
 
 even in the smallest way ; so you must not think it strange 
 or feel hurt when friends don't answer your curious wish. 
 Spirits are not creatures of will, but powers subservient 
 to God's command. Do not feel badly if I should not 
 come again ; and never ask for what is unnecssary, for it 
 costs us a great deal of severe prayer to gain your idle be- 
 hests. I am perfectly blessed. Serve God, my son, in 
 every act of your life ; this is the one great principle of 
 creation. If the vast world accepted its legitimate ruler, it 
 would be a great garden of love and peace, instead of a 
 fratricidal field. You think of going into the service of 
 the ministry. You think well, my son, if you feel pure 
 in the purpose I mean if you can prove that you are in- 
 deed pure. There is a great difference between thinking, 
 and being so. I will give you the test : Whenever you 
 can meet every exigency of life with composure, yielding 
 all to God's disposal, with cheerful spirit, reserving noth- 
 ing, then you may feel humbly secure. My son, you can 
 never feel humble enough, for man, however good, is in- 
 deed a mere nothing compared with God ; still, the nature 
 he has given makes both collectively united. The thought, 
 the substance of the soul, is ever existent, and makes its 
 own merit as it is used ; therefore, son, try always to make 
 that link pure in the strength of its perfection. You have 
 been ably corrected in the principal fault of your life. 
 Tom is a noble boy still, with far more fame in the Vol- 
 ume of G.od than you could gather for him in either Church 
 or state, college or university ; and as the cause of your 
 great transgression has been the main cause of having it 
 removed, you must not feel secure to settle down in con- 
 tentment with this for your warrant : that you no longer 
 sin in this way ; but you must try to have the old fault 
 less, by the character you apply to men who sin like you 
 in every action of your life. Remember, pure water flows 
 from crystal fountains only, not from muddy gorges ; so,
 
 MESSAGE TO SON ANTHONY. 171 
 
 if you hope to impress others, you must be genuinely im- 
 pressed yourself. Tell Anthony, when he conies, that I 
 left a message for him, which is my blessing. I would like 
 to offer the same compliment to my grandson, sending him 
 forth to battle in the army of Christ, with a fervent God- 
 speed ; but he would not acknowedge its worth ; so I will 
 not intrude, but leave it in substance, if not in expression. 
 I bless all my children, praying as they need, but stay not 
 particularly with ; any for work of this nature belongs to 
 me. What a great privilege, son, for a parent to shelter 
 his fold even when the river is between. You are as hap- 
 py, I know, as you can be, under existing circumstances. 
 I would advise you to settle your mind by engaging in 
 some definate occupation. I believe you are not equal to 
 the task of carrying on your farm pecuniarily, as well as 
 lacking in labor. I would much prefer your remaining in 
 the cottage, as you are domestically, for mother is most 
 pleased with this home ; she is standing by me now, and 
 says, ' tell Finnic not to forget the tree, and to fix it where 
 we can both enjoy its shade when it is hot ; and when we 
 read it will make sweet symphony with beautiful thoughts 
 when the summer breeze plays with its foliage.' I like to 
 please her, for she was my comfort and my help in life's 
 trying strife, and to her lofty character do I owe much of 
 my present happiness and distinction. Tell my darling 
 daughter, your precious wife, that she has my double ben- 
 ediction ; for her pure and lofty character, and her sublime 
 faith in God have helped you to lift your steps above the 
 quagmire of hate. I bless you jointly, and all my earthly 
 representatives also. Be true to your God and all that it 
 involves, before either success or peace will open before 
 your wandering exile in the flesh. I have written you a 
 long letter, and have intended doing it long, but for many 
 general delays, have found this my first opportunity. 
 " I shall not write again, may be never. You know your
 
 172 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 duty, and have many to still point the way. I may not 
 have permission to come soon, so God bless you, my child, 
 and come to your father in the land of joy and rest, earned 
 by your love and duty in the service of God." 
 
 His father died in 1863, aged ninety-two years. For 
 nearly fifty years he was a class-leader in the Methodist 
 Church, and a recording steward of the circuit. 
 
 This, like many other things God has bestowed upon us, 
 may be a blessing or a curse. If we blindly receive every- 
 thing as truth coming from spirits, we will soon be out at 
 sea without chart, rudder, or compass, and our ship will 
 soon be wrecked in the whirlpool of error. Fire left alone 
 in its fury is a destroying element ; cared for and governed 
 is a most valuable servant of man, performing the most 
 important work in developing the resources of our country. 
 We are borne over the ocean in the floating palace by 
 water and fire, yet the one will burn, the other drown you. 
 So with spiritual intercourse. Governed and directed 
 wisely it is a great blessing ; misguided it may do much 
 mischief. Hence I have advised some to have nothing to 
 do with it, because I believed they would be absorbed by 
 it, so as to disqualify them for the duties of life. I have 
 advised another class to investigate it. The atheist, the 
 materialist I have thought would be greatly benefited, and 
 could not be injured by it. When its true character is 
 properly understood, its potency to evil will be greatly re- 
 duced, if not entirely destroyed. 
 
 One of the very first lessons we must learn is, that for 
 awhile we are precisely the same beings we were before 
 we passed over the river called Death. Yet there are 
 many who will not stop to learn this lesson. They imagine 
 because they are spirits that they know a great deal more. 
 We must bear in mind that we are spirits now as much as 
 we will be then. Our surroundings only will be different. 
 We are liable to err there as well as here. We must not
 
 WHAT SHALL WE Do WITH IT? 173 
 
 be led away by the fascination of the intercourse to over- 
 look this important question. From what kind or condition 
 does this intelligence come ? Is it from a human being 
 like yourself? one liable to be mistaken, be he ever so 
 honest in his convictions of the truth of what he may be 
 saying, to say nothing now of the innumerable number of 
 lying, deceiving spirits who can communicate as well as 
 the truthful ? There was no truth more earnestly and fre- 
 quently mentioned than this in our investigations. " Our 
 intercourse is not, can not be perfect." It does not, can 
 not speak with authority, and in everything communicated 
 we must use our own judgment. 
 
 What shall we do with it ? It is springing up in all 
 parts oi the earth, and leading millions into captivity. la 
 there no medium for us between blind faith, in its teachings 
 and knowledge, between fanaticism and infidelity, between 
 supei-stition and reason? Can we, amid this deluge of 
 time, find no Ararat on which our ark may rest, and whence 
 we may send our dove to return with its olive-branch, 
 rather than the raven to perish amid the desert waste of 
 waters ? Let us, however, bear in mind that amid all the 
 discouragements, difficulties and errors that attend our re- 
 searches the truth can be found by the persevering inves- 
 tigator. Truth and error are in mortal life ever mingled 
 together, and it is the part of wisdom to separate them, 
 and not reject the truth because error sits down beside it 
 and assumes its guise. 
 
 The man of science calls it superstitition ; the man of the 
 world calls it delusion ; many of the religionists characterize 
 it as satanic. In either case it is well worthy the investi- 
 gation of the learned, rather than their scoffs and sneers. 
 If faith can be placed in human testimony then these mani- 
 festations are as well established as any other facts can be 
 which depend upon evidence. Every avenue through 
 which we gain information is used in demonstrating, be-
 
 174 THE CLOCK STRUCK 
 
 yond the possibility of doubt, to the honest inquirer, the 
 truth of these manifestations. 
 
 I copy from Hon. Robert Dale Owens' "Debatable 
 Land " what was the result of his experience relative to 
 these teachings, stating here, as I have often done, that for 
 even a longer time of examination my experience and ob- 
 servation has been identical with his upon this subject. 
 He says, addressing the Protestant clergy: "Many of 
 your number are probably deterred from entering upon 
 this task by the idea that the alleged phase of modern 
 revelation is anti-Christian in tendency. If, after a varied 
 experience of sixteen years in different countries, I am en- 
 titled to offer an opinion, it is that if such spiritual com- 
 munications be sought in an earnest, becoming spirit, the 
 views presented will, in the vast majority of cases, be in 
 strict accordance with the teachings of Christ, such as we 
 may reasonably conceive these to have been from the 
 testimony of his evangelical biographers the breath, the 
 very essence of his divine philosophy. The following 
 may be taken as the great leading principles on which in- 
 telligent Spiritualists unite : 
 
 " 1. This is a world governed by a God of love and 
 mercy, in which all things work together for good to those 
 who reverently conform to his eternal laws. 
 
 " 2. In strictness there is no death. Life continues from 
 the life which now is into that which is to come. In all 
 cases in which life is well spent the change which men are 
 wont to call death is God's last and best gift to his crea- 
 tures here. 
 
 " 3. The earth phase of life is an essential preparation for 
 the life which is to come. Its appropriate duties and call- 
 ings can not be neglected without injury to human welfare 
 and development both in this woi-ld and the next. Even 
 its enjoyments, temperately accepted, are fit preludes to 
 the happiness of a higher state.
 
 MQKAL GRAVITATION. 175 
 
 " 4. The phase of life which follows the death change is 
 in strictest sense the supplement of that which precedes 
 it. ... Vastly wiser and more dispassionate than we, 
 they are still, however, fallible, and they are governed by 
 the same general laws of being modified only by corporeal 
 disenthralment to which they were subjected here. 
 
 " 5. Our state here determines our initial state there. 
 In the next world we simply gravitate to the position for 
 which by life on earth we fitted ourselves. There is no 
 instantaneous change of character when we pass the pres- 
 ent phase of life. Our virtues, our vices, our intelligence, 
 our ignorance, all pass over with us, modified, doubtless, 
 but to what extent we know not, when the spiritual body 
 emerges divested of its fleshly incumbrance, yet essentially 
 the same as when the death slumber came over us. 
 
 " The sufferings there are natural sequents of evil doing 
 and evil thinking here ; are as various in character and in 
 degree as the enjoyments, but they are mental, not bodily. 
 There have always existed intermundane laws according 
 to which men may occasionally obtain, under certain con- 
 ditions, revealings from those who have passed to the 
 next world before them. A certain proportion of human 
 beings are more sensitive to spiritual perceptions than their 
 fellows ; and it is usually in their presence, or through the 
 medium of one or more, that ultramundane intercourse 
 occurs. When the conditions are favorable, and the sen- 
 sitive, through whom the manifestations come, is highly 
 gifted, these may supply important materials for thought, 
 and valuable rules of conduct. But the spiritual phenom* 
 ena, in their highest phases, do much more than this. 
 They furnish proof addressed to the reason and tangible 
 to the senses, of the reality of another life, better and 
 happier than this, and of which our earthly pilgrimage is 
 but the novitiate. They bring immortality to light under 
 a blaze of evidence which outshines, as the sun the stars,
 
 176 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 all traditional or historical testimonies. For surmise they 
 give us conviction, and assured knowledge for wavering 
 belief. In all this there is no speculative divinity. Fur- 
 ther than this, I have never, out of thousands of commu- 
 nications, received one that denounced any sincere relig- 
 ious opinion, whether Catholic or Protestant, Mahommedan 
 or Hindoo. . . . 
 
 " Does it occur to you that modern spiritual phenomena, 
 which men so able and so little disposed to superstition 
 admit as realities, may be worth looking into ? Hun- 
 dreds of thousands feel assured to-day that they have this 
 clear and irresistible evidence for immortality. Think of 
 such a living conviction. Consider how it stands out 
 above all that wealth or fame and every earthly good for- 
 tune can bestow the blessing of blessings, which the 
 world can neither give nor take away." 
 
 I have no comments to make on these things, but leave 
 every one to draw their own inferences, which, doubtless, 
 will be in accordance with their opinion of these things. 
 They certainly are of such a character as to deserve an 
 investigation by those who desire to know the truth. We 
 can not ignore the facts. We can not believe that the 
 millions who believe in them are deceived. Having for 
 near a score of years believed them, I have pursued the 
 even tenor of my way, in the discharge of the duties as- 
 signed me by the Church, paying little or no attention to 
 the subject since our investigations closed, in 1855. 
 
 The subject of " the old clock striking," and the manner 
 in which I was treated by the St. Louis Christian Advo- 
 cate, has been the occasion of bringing before the public 
 the contents of this book. Whatever of good or evil it 
 may produce may be, in part at least, attributed to the 
 " clock story," arid the manner of its discussion. 
 
 The spirit of free inquiry is abroad in the world. There 
 is special earnestness manifested in a critical analysis of
 
 TRIUMPHS OF CHRISTIANITY. 177 
 
 the Bible and its claims to supernatural origin. The open 
 atheist, who scoffs at mystery and miracles, and professes 
 to believe nothing that he can not analyze, is puzzled at 
 these manifestations. Skepticism arising from the general 
 stimulus of thought is not so formidable an enemy of the 
 Christian religion as many suppose. It is a salutary phase 
 of the ordinary evolution of the mind. By detecting and 
 exposing error, it prepares the way for the advent of truth. 
 Powerful and aggressive as it is, I think its mission is 
 drawing to a close. The means are already being pre- 
 pared by which the human mind, however cultivated and 
 scientific, shall be elevated to a higher and purer light than 
 has ever been shed upon it. Difficulties which have been 
 considered insurmountable will be removed, obscurities 
 will be explained and reconciled, the skeptic silenced, and 
 the Christian enlightened, when revelation is seen as a 
 perfected whole. Divine truth shall burst forth with new 
 glory from the spiritual sense of the holy Word of God. 
 The Church has executed its commission according to the 
 letter of that word. Its tendency however, has been to 
 formalism. Not only the Romish, but the Protestant 
 Churches, have trusted too much in the imposing forms 
 and ceremonies of their religious worship. The human 
 mind has arrived at that stage of progression when it 
 bursts the bonds of literal or sensuous interpretation of 
 the Word of Life. There are aspirations for that which is 
 above the old methods of interpretation, which were nec- 
 essary in former times. This inevitable warfare between 
 the spirit and the letter will cease only with a complete 
 victory of the former. " The letter killeth, but the spirit 
 giveth life." In its triumphs it will enlighten, revive, pu- 
 rify, and bless the Church by light from heaven. There 
 will be no new revelation, but the opening of the seals 
 which have hidden from our eyes the spiritual sense of 
 the Word of God. 
 
 8*
 
 178 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 The credibility of the Christian religion depends greatly 
 upon the universality of the laws and principles upon 
 which it is founded. What was done two or four thou- 
 sand years ago, under similar conditions can be done now. 
 If we believe that Jacob, Moses, Ezekiel, or John had 
 visions of angels, we must admit it to be possible for per- 
 sons to have similar visions in the present age. If Paul 
 was carried up to the third heaven while still living in the 
 body, why may not others thus have their spiritual eyes 
 opened to see the paradise of God ? These things, I think, 
 are being repeated, with the necessary modifications, be- 
 neath the critical eyes of philosophy and science. 
 
 If the theology and psychology of the Bible are true, 
 of which we have not the slightest doubt, then these 
 things, stupendous as they may at first seem, are not only 
 practicable and credible, but irresistible. The sincere 
 Christian should hail them with joy as the time spoken of 
 by our Lord, when we should see the angels of God ascend- 
 ing and descending. Revelation has its successive steps 
 and degrees, one unfolding out of and founded upon the 
 other. Theology, when properly understood, and science 
 are both from God. Hence, there can be no conflict, the 
 one with the other. It is ignorance of one or the other 
 which makes some believe there is antagonism between 
 them. There is really no mystery, but ignorance. The 
 vast volume of nature, spread out before us, when prop- 
 erly understood, and the revelations God has made in his 
 Word, harmonize with each other. Science and true the- 
 ology are married. The truths of each are written upon 
 their face, to those who have discernment enough to dis- 
 cover them. " He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." 
 He that hath eyes to see, let him see what is now being 
 effected by the instrumentalities of these manifestations. 
 It is only from a spiritual stand-point that we are prepared 
 to understand and appreciate these heavenly truths, which
 
 BUT ONE RESPONSIBLE. 179 
 
 are in harmony with the same truths and principles re- 
 corded in the Bible. 
 
 Having now given my honest views of what I believe 
 to be the truth, I wish it to be distinctly understood that 
 I represent no one but myself. No sect, party, or Church 
 is in any sense responsible for what I have written. Not 
 that I claim to be the author, but the amanuensis of what 
 I have received, mainly through the teachings at our circle. 
 I have been to no other. I have copied, from various 
 sources, what I believed to be the truth, which is in har- 
 mony therewith. Sometimes I have quoted without giv- 
 ing the author of the sentiment expressed. The book, 
 such as it is, has been written amid a pressure of other 
 duties, without time to rewrite and correct, as I desired to 
 have done. I know it has many imperfections. I make 
 no claim to originality as to the truths contained, or the 
 manner in which they are expressed. I have done what 
 I felt it my duty to perform, leaving the result with Him 
 who can bring order out of confusion, harmony out of 
 chaos, and make even the weak things confound the 
 mighty. 
 
 I ask an unprejudiced verdict from those who have fol- 
 lowed me through these pages, as to whether the facts 
 contained therein be not in accordance with the Scriptures 
 of Divine Truth,
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED THROUGH DR. J. V. MANSFIELD, 
 361 SIXTH AVENUE, NEW YORK. 
 
 ON the 22d day of May Rev. Philip Tuggle, Presiding 
 Elder of the Holly Springs District, North Mississippi Con- 
 ference, and myself called on Dr. M. to deliver a letter 
 from a friend in Memphis to him. 
 
 He met us at the door and invited us up-stairs. 
 
 " We have come," said I, " to deliver this letter, and ex- 
 pose, if we can, what you profess to do." 
 
 He, smiling, taking each one of us by the hand, said: 
 
 " I will take this one first." 
 
 Brother Tuggle wrote, asking if there was any one pres- 
 ent who wished to communicate with him ? 
 
 One was written signed, Minerva Scruggs. Brother T. 
 did not seem to recognize the name ; when it was written 
 I was the wife of Phineas T. Scruggs. In it she expressed 
 her joy that he had come there with me. The Doctor 
 turned to me while reading it, and asked me if my name 
 was Watson ? He then wrote as follows : 
 
 " Bless you, bless my dear son, for the assurance I have 
 you allow me a place in your heart of hearts. Your pre- 
 cious, dear mother, Susannah, and I, together with your 
 friend Andrews, have been with you for years yes, as 
 you have traveled up and down the earth cogitating in 
 your mind what was duty. Often would you ask yourself, 
 * If a man die shall he live again ? ' With all your faith 
 in the Book of books, of the soul's immortality you have 
 at times doubted ; or wondered, if you might not be mis- 
 taken. Then, at times, you have said in your soul, as you 
 talked to the multitude, that you could not be mistaken ;
 
 182 THE CLOCK STKUCK ONE. 
 
 and you have declared your faith in the revelation of the 
 Bible. In this way you have lived until you heard those 
 tiny raps, and other maifestations, which satisfied your 
 mind they originated from an intelligence beyond. You 
 have, from time to time, made records of such manifesta- 
 tions, and, after looking them over and over, you have 
 thought, and that wisely too, to put them into book form. 
 The work is one that will do an immense good. But of 
 that I will say more by and by. Your old friend Samuel 
 Gilbert and Calvin W. Cherry are with me now, and bid 
 me say to you, Dare to be bold in the defence of truth 
 that wells up in your soul from day to day. You ought 
 to be thankful I know you are that you have lived to 
 see this light within your soul. Go on, my son ; mind not 
 what the would-be wise may say or think. Know you are 
 in talking distance with your dear departed, 
 
 " Your father, LEVIN WATSON." 
 
 (My father was a Methodist from his youth. I think he 
 was a class-leader about forty years of his life.) 
 
 Soon after this it was written : 
 
 " Can I see you, dear Brother Watson, where I can talk 
 with you, where I can thank you for your good feelings 
 toward me in life. Again, even in death, you did not for- 
 get to speak kindly of me. I was by many thought to be 
 a religious fanatic ; but, Brother Watson, my faith in that 
 Book, which you know was my meat and drink for years, 
 carried me safe over the Jordan of life, as it has millions of 
 millions before me. I acted, or endeavored to act, up to 
 its precepts, and in doing so I was happy. I had often 
 heard of the new ism, and the new ship, but I thought 
 best to stick to the old ship, knowing that was sure. But, 
 brother, I now see how vastly more good I could have 
 done on earth, or to my fellow- mortals, had the light of 
 spirit communion lit up my heart and mind, as it has yours. 
 Brother, you need not be ashamed to speak out boldly,
 
 UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD. 183 
 
 in your valuable paper, or book, of the truth of spirit 
 communion. The time is fast approaching when it will 
 swallow up all other isms, and there will be one universal 
 Church or brotherhood, instead of the many taught even 
 at your time of life. 
 
 " Your forthcoming book will be criticised by the Church ; 
 but care not for that, it is a step in the right direction. 
 But of that I will say more hereafter. You would ask me 
 if I found the spirit world as I had anticipated? Oh, 
 Brother, let me assure you it far surpasses anything I had 
 ever hoped of enjoying. While on earth my theme was 
 the Hill of Calvary ; here it is PROGRESSION, upward and 
 onward forever. 
 
 " Will you say to the dear ones in Augusta that Brother 
 Andrews is often with them, and would talk with them. 
 " Your brother, J. D. ANDREWS." 
 
 "FRIEND WATSON: Tell Dixon we shall meet again. 
 
 . . . Could yoxi have witnessed the meeting of friend 
 Poston and daughter, as I did. They called me Judge. 
 
 " CHARLES SCOTT." 
 
 On the 24th I called again on Dr. Mansfield, and wrote 
 privately, asking if my wife would communicate with me, 
 wrapping it up in several folds of paper. It was then 
 written : 
 
 "Do not scold me, Brother, for taking time you in- 
 tended your once precious consort should have improved, 
 but she is not present this moment. I have thought I 
 would finish my communication given you the other day, 
 which I failed to do for want of control. You wanted me 
 to give the places included in my circuits in Arkansas. 
 Well : Dardanelle^ Dover, Clarksville, Augusta, and Richr 
 land, Jackson Co. I died about thirteen miles from 
 Augusta, in Jackson Co., December 3d, 1859, full in 
 the hope of a glorious immortality. Thank God ! I was 
 not disappointed- only happily so. Be firm, Brother
 
 184 THE CLOCK STKUCK ONE 
 
 Watson, look aloft, and see the signs of the times in 
 golden letters. 
 
 " Your brother, j. D. ANDREWS." 
 
 It was then written : 
 
 " Oh my dear, dear, ever kind and loving husband ! 
 have you thought of your dear Mary ; do you often think 
 of the happy days while we were permitted each other's 
 society ? As to me, those were numbered among my hap- 
 piest on earth. And did I not know, Samuel, we should 
 meet again, and that to never again be dissevered, then I 
 would be wretched indeed ; but knowing all shall meet, 
 and know we love as we loved on earth, my cup of bliss 
 is ML 
 
 " Do not weep, Samuel, but shout aloud for joy at the 
 prospect before you. You are doing your work, and doing 
 it well, too. Be not ashamed to declare your faith in spirit 
 communion ; for the time is not far distant when this great 
 light of spirit intercommunion shall displace all lesser 
 lights, and all SHALL see as one. You will be blessed in 
 the publication of your new work, although it meet with 
 severe criticism ; yet, Samuel, fear not, it is truth ; it will 
 stand the test of criticisms, be they whatever they may. 
 
 " I would be pleased to tell you more about my beautiful 
 home, but as you want to talk with others, perhaps I had 
 better defer it until another time. Samuel, bless you ! 
 Bless you, for this call ! Go where you may, I will go with 
 you ; and when you are to cross the river that divides time 
 and eternity listen, and you shall hear the splash of the 
 boatman's oar. Then know that your Mary is near you. 
 Love to all the dear ones at home, and believe me, as ever, 
 "Your wife, MOLLIE." 
 
 I then wrote, and folded privately, the name of my old 
 friend Wm. K. Poston. This is what was written : 
 
 " BROTHEB WATSON : This is more than I had antici- 
 pated or hoped for, and you may say more than I really
 
 WM. K. POSTON'S OPINION. 185 
 
 deserved for my stubbornness to investigate the subject 
 about which you and I had much conversation. Well, 
 very well, do I recollect of talking with you and Brother 
 Williams time and again on the subject of spirit com- 
 munion, and at times might have uttered sentences that 
 were calculated to wound your generous and truthful feel- 
 ings ; but, Brother Watson, I believed all you said came 
 from an honest heart, yet to me, it appeared, the subject was 
 ridiculous. The idea that you could talk with your dear 
 loved ones departed, and I could not get a word from my 
 darling daughter, or others of my dear ones departed, was 
 to me an idea preposterous. 
 
 "But ah, Brother Watson, we know not what a day or 
 an hour may bring forth. One hour after I had awaked 
 to consciousness in the spirit land, I would have been will- 
 ing to have given all the treasures of earth, were they 
 mine, could I have but returned to you and begged your 
 pardon for my manner of reasoning with you and Brother 
 Gilbert ; but that was denied me. Again I say, as I did 
 once in Memphis to you, ' Spiritualism is true, and so is the 
 Bible.' Wesley was right. Brother Watson, let me 
 abjure you to let your light shine while you tarry in the 
 body. Cry aloud, and spare not ! 
 
 " WM. K. POST-ON." 
 
 A few words of explanation are necessary to understand 
 the above communication. The writer and myself had 
 been intimately associated since 1838, in Clarksville, Tenn. 
 He was one of the first who professed religion and joined 
 the Church after I went to that station. He came to 
 Memphis soon after I did, in the fall of 1839. Few men 
 have been more intimately associated than we were for 
 more than a quarter of a century. We lived near each 
 other, at Greenwood. Our families were upon terms of 
 great intimacy. 
 
 On the subject of spirit communion he was the worst
 
 186 THE CLOCK STEUCK ONE. 
 
 case I ever saw. He honestly believed that there was a 
 conflict between that and the Bible. This formed the 
 basis of his unconquerable prejudice against the whole 
 subject. He has told me that, while he had the utmost 
 confidence in what I said about it that I was honest yet 
 he would not believe it, if a thousand of the best and 
 most truthful men would declare it. 
 
 He was one of the most prominent lawyers of the city, 
 for many years one of the best class-leaders I ever saw, 
 and wielded as much influence in the Church and commu- 
 nity as any man that I have ever known in it. 
 
 There is one sentence in his communications which de- 
 serves notice and explanation " Spiritualism is true, and 
 so is the Bible." I was passing along Second Street one 
 day last summer, when a friend called me to his office. 
 He was one of those I have mentioned as talking to and 
 seeing spirits. A niece of his, who died a few months 
 previous, was with him most of the time. He said that she 
 wanted to talk to me ; that she always had loved me, but 
 that she loved me more since she had gone to the spirit 
 land, than she ever did before. Among other things, I 
 asked her if she saw Mr. Poston. She replied, "Yes, 
 every day." " Can you get him to come here ? " " Yes, 
 in a few minutes." Soon the gentleman said, "Poston 
 says he wants to shake hands with you." Said I, " Poston, 
 you know we often talked of this subject while you were 
 here. What do you think of it now ? " He replied, " I 
 have changed my opinion entirely in regard to it. Spirit- 
 ualism is true, and so is the Bible." 
 
 I had kept this matter to myself; but now I feel it due 
 to truth to mention it, as it was to my mind, if I had 
 needed it, a good test of the truth of these things. I 
 then wrote for Rev. Wm. McMahon, when this response 
 was written : 
 
 " DEAR ME. WATSON : You may think it singular in this,
 
 OLD CITIZENS OF MEMPHIS. 187 
 
 my seeming intrusion, coming not only unsolicited, but 
 taking time you had hoped might have been occupied by 
 your friend McMahon. But as your friend was not pres- 
 ent, Major Winchester and Dr. Gilbert and Lycurgus 
 Gabbert, M.D., thought I might improve the time without 
 being considered an intruder. Well, very well do I re- 
 member you, and your ministrations with the people of 
 Memphis at an early day, when I was acting as amanu- 
 ensis for the inhabitants of the spirit world, to this dear 
 people. But as well do I recollect the prejudice, the bit- 
 ter feeling manifested toward me, not because I had a drop 
 of dark or African blood in my veins, but that I had once 
 been the wife of Colonel Winchester, who had, at an early 
 day, married a wife who, as the Memphis people would, 
 and often did say, was a ' little off color.' But a kinder, 
 nobler-hearted woman never lived than the mother of his 
 now living daughters, who, by the way, are wrongfully 
 defrauded of their rights. But of this I will say no more. 
 
 " You have taken a step that you will never regret on 
 earth nor in heaven. I have met Mrs. Watson, Mrs. 
 Scruggs, Mrs. Underwood, Dr. Samuel Gilbert and his 
 son, Porter Gilbert, Mrs. Leatherman, Gen. Thomas Riv> 
 ers, Mr. Cherry, Judge Scott, Mr. Davis, Ignatius A. 
 Spaulding, and others I could mention, had I time. 
 
 " Go on with your book. Dare to speak out the full 
 gushings of your heart. God and his angels will shield 
 you against all attacks. If I have done wrong in taking 
 this time, so precious, pardon, pardon. 
 
 " LUCY LEONOEA WINCHESTER." 
 
 To the old citizens of Memphis this communication has 
 several strong tests. It is a truthful history of those 
 times. The last name I never heard of that I remember. 
 I read it to Major M. J. Wicks, Col. Sam Tate, and W. 
 B. Greenlaw, in their room, at the St. Nicholas Hotel, the 
 same evening. The two latter knew him well. Col. Tate
 
 188 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 said the first stage he ever saw was owned by him. Tins 
 lady I knew during her former husband's life, while a 
 widow, and as the wife of Major Winchester, one of the 
 first settlers, and most influential men of Memphis. She 
 is the lady to whom I refer of a citizen of Memphis speak- 
 ing through her of his hypocrisy. 
 
 Next day I wrote for my wife, to tell me of her parents 
 and our children ; when it was written : 
 
 " Bless you," darling one, for this, another call. I have 
 been with you much since my talk with you yesterday. 
 Yes, Samuel, I have impressed you with my nearness. 
 Your mind has scarcely been alive to anything else since 
 our talk yesterday. You would read, or attempt to read, 
 your proof; but you would find yourself or mind wander- 
 ing away to your dear Mollie. You ask me as to my dear 
 parents. "Well, I am with them often ; also our darling 
 ones who are dwellers of the land of souls. But, Samuel, 
 as our spheres are not the same, please call each sepa- 
 rately, and allow them to talk with you. We have mes- 
 sengers that belong to the several spheres, whose business 
 it is to call them, that are by our friends related. Yes, 
 Samuel, I meet them often. Those that are in more ad- 
 vanced conditions or spheres return to those who inhabit 
 lower spheres, and thus we encourage each other, onward 
 and upward, in the race of endless progression. Samuel. 
 my dear one, be of good cheer ; the angels are with you , 
 you need have no fear for the future. 
 
 " Lovingly, your spirit wife, MOLLIE. 
 
 May 25, 1872." 
 
 I then wrote for my eldest daughter, Bettie ; when was 
 written : 
 
 " MY DEAR FATHER My soul more than rejoices at this 
 opportunity of talking with you, separated as we are. My 
 mother told me of her interview with you yesterday, 
 and since that time my soul has been frantic to speak with
 
 CHILDKEN'S COMMUNICATIONS. 189 
 
 you. And yet, dear father, I came tremblingly this morn' 
 ing, for fear you would not find time to allow me even a 
 few words. I was called by that sweet young lady spirit, 
 Virginia Dixon, who is in my sphere. She said, ' Bettie, 
 do not fear ; we can and will overcome all obstacles, and 
 you shall talk with your dear Pa.' Well, here I am, and 
 so happy to know. I have if but a feeble control to speak 
 with you, my dear pa. Mother dear is more than happy 
 to know she has reached you, and that to your mind so 
 satisfactory. She is not willing to leave you day or night. 
 "Well, father, I have duties that call me away now, but 
 will return to you again, and tell you more of my dear 
 home. So, for awhile, adieu. Your BETTIE." 
 
 I then wrote for my eldest son, Allen. 
 
 " Oh, my dear, dear father, this is more than I have 
 hoped for at least at this sitting. Dear Judge Poston 
 sent a messenger for me saying, 'Allen, my dear young 
 friend, do, do hasten and talk with your dear father, who 
 is just outside awaiting you.' At this summons my soul 
 shouted glory to God in the highest ! Well, dear father, 
 is this not blessed ? Does not this remove every doubt 
 of the soul's immortality being a truth ? Yes, yes, father. 
 You know my darling sisters and mother live, and because 
 they do, you will also. Mother is preparing you a bower 
 beside her, and we are, one and all, weaving evergreens 
 and rose-vines over and about it, that you may know when 
 you come here we have had pleasant thoughts of a hus- 
 band and father. 
 
 " Well, father, go on in your labor of love, for the peo- 
 ple you once called to associate with you are leaving 
 tracks that time can not obliterate. As mother said, you 
 are doing your work, and doing it well, too. 
 
 " I would not be selfish and take more time, for others 
 would speak with you. 
 
 " Your affectionate son, ALLEN*"
 
 190 THE CLOCK STKUCK ONE. 
 
 I then wrote for Bishop Otey ; when it was written : 
 
 " DEAB BKO. WATSON Your dear friend, the Bishop, 
 is not at present with you ; but Stephen Olin is, and he 
 says your book will be a success. He has been with you 
 while you have been weaving it, and so has Mr. Wesley. 
 They say the book will not only produce a sensation, but 
 great good will result from the wide-spread of the truths 
 therein contained. I have not looked it over, nor was 
 there need of it so long as those two God-gifted spirits 
 have had the management of it. 
 
 " Very truly, JOHN NEWLAND MAFFITT. 
 
 " May 25, '72." 
 
 I then asked for Bishop Soule's opinion of it. 
 
 " DEAR BRO. If my judgment on the matter of your 
 book is worth seeking, allow me to say it will be to the 
 conscientious and thirsty soul for more light, apples of gold 
 in trays of silver. Bro. Taylor told me he believed the 
 book would be the medium through which the South and 
 the North would be again united. Well, Bro., time works 
 wonders. You are in safe hands and keeping. 
 
 " Your brother, JOSHUA SOUL. 
 
 " To Samuel Watson. 
 
 " May 25, '72." 
 
 I then wrote for Gen. Thomas Rivers, when was written : 
 
 " How can I sufficiently thank you, yea, bless you, for 
 this assurance I have you yet allow me a place in your 
 heart-memory ? When my sister Minerva, who was the 
 wife of Judge Phineas T. Scruggs, came for me, said Bro. 
 Tom, * Do you know that your friend, Bro. Watson, is 
 seeking an interview with you ? ' At this my soul became 
 frantic, for the news was too good to be believed. How- 
 ever, by the assistance of B. R. Webb, who, you well recol- 
 lect, was shot by T. B. Minot on Main Street, in your city, 
 came, and said, ' General, allow me to assist you in this 
 control' Then came Dr. Gilbert and W. B. Rose, who was
 
 LOVED ONES TOGETHER. 191 
 
 killed in the Confederate army, and through their united 
 control I am assisted to write. 
 
 " Well, Bro., what shall I say about that which has al- 
 ready been spoken. You have no prejudices or doubts to 
 combat. The highway that leads from earth to the spirit 
 land is clear before you ; for at times Dr. Gilbert and 
 Rainford Brownelly say you have a sight of the promised 
 land, or, in other words, you are nearly on the top round 
 of the ladder. One step more, and you step into the land 
 that ' flows with milk and honey.' You have nothing to 
 fear, but much to gain. 
 
 " I have met my dear parents, brothers, and sisters, my 
 two darling wives, and have prepared a mansion large 
 for my now earth wife, Lucetta, who will come to be with 
 me when her mission on earth is finished. Well, Bro., I 
 found the spirit land much as you and I had conjectured 
 it would be, only the story had not been half told us as 
 to its reality and beauty. 
 
 " Be faithful to your light. It will light you to another 
 ight that will not change in heaven, save to grow brighter 
 and more beautiful to all eternity. 
 
 " When I took my breastplate and sword and walked 
 out to defend my country, I little thought my life was to 
 be sacrificed as it was ; but the cause was a just one, and 
 could I live my life over again on earth, I would lay it on 
 the same altar again. 
 
 " My sister, Mrs. Scruggs, says, tell her daughter, Mol- 
 lie Horton, that her darling Nina is safe and happy. 
 " Your old friend and brother, THOS. w. RIVERS. 
 
 "May 25, '72." 
 
 I then wrote for Bishop Andrew ; when it was writ 
 ten: 
 
 " BRO. Your friend, Bro. J. O. Andrew, is not at thia 
 moment present. He is away now on duty usually he 
 is with you. JOHN FRAZER.
 
 192 THE CLOCK STEUCK ONE. 
 
 " I was a Methodist preacher. Dr. Samuel Gilbert 
 knew me well. j. r." 
 
 I then wrote for Rev. Moses Brock; when it was 
 Written : 
 
 " I have been standing by and witnessing others speak 
 with you, and was led to think I was not among the fa- 
 vored few that was to speak with you to-day ; but, in the 
 largeness of your soul, you did embrace your old friend 
 M. B., and my soul says, ' Thanks, thanks.' Bro., what 
 has been told you to-day will go with you through the 
 balance of your earth life. As your friend, the General, 
 has told you, you have nothing to fear. 
 
 " Your old friend, MOSES BROCK." 
 
 My time having nearly expired, I wrote for my mother ; 
 when was written: 
 
 "Who but a mother could know the joy such an in- 
 terview afforded ? Samuel, my dear son, I and your father, 
 Levin, have often talked the matter of your exercises 
 over, since we met in the spirit land. Your father says, 
 ' Let Samuel alone. He will find in soul land by and by.' 
 Your life has been one of investigation. Your mind, from 
 early life, was aspiring for a something that you found 
 not in the popular teaching of the day ; so you ever taught 
 what you believed to be the truth, let it cut where it 
 might, and in this way of accepting the teaching of that 
 monitor within you, which is the God part of your nat- 
 ure, you have been led into a light far in advance of 
 your associated brotherhood. Continue, my son, to obey 
 the voice within, and you will not fail to have the reward 
 that awaits the earth-born. 
 
 " Your mother, SUSANNAH WATSON." 
 
 Fourth interview. Will Dr. Samuel Gilbert have Mys- 
 tery, Bishop Otey, Dr. Nat. Howcott, and himself, give 
 me their opinion of my book ? 
 
 "MY DEAR BRO. WATSON I have sent our friend
 
 BISHOP OTE^'S OPINION. 193 
 
 Poston to call Bishop Otey and Howcott. They will be 
 here soon, if not otherwise engaged ; but you may antici- 
 pate their views as to the book now in process of being 
 issued. I tell you, Bro. Watson, you have done not only 
 yourself justice, but the work you have prepared. Tell 
 Judge Edmunds the name he gave the book is one so 
 befitting tLe matter it contains. 
 
 " Ask him if he recollects me attending circles when 
 myself, Dr. Wellington, and others, met at circle in early 
 day. I think Dr. Alfred Hall was present. Tell the Judge 
 his name is, to use an earth expression, a household word 
 here. When Bro. Poston returns I will then report prog- 
 ress. Your friend and brother, SAMUEL GILBERT." 
 
 " Will my old schoolmate and friend, Dr. N. W. Seat, 
 speak with me ? " I asked ; when was written : 
 
 "MY DEAR WATSON Your dear Mollie anticipated 
 your desire to call me to speak with you, having so often 
 heard you speak of your schoolmate and friend of other 
 early days. Well, Bro. Watson, those days, those asso- 
 ciations, were ever to be, and ever will be, remembered by 
 us. I can look back upon our past lives, and with pleas- 
 ure recall those pleasures which we were wont to enjoy in 
 each other's society ; but those days have passed, never 
 to be enjoyed again until we meet in the summer land, 
 there to enjoy each other's society unbroken eternally. 
 You have much to be thankful for, that your life was 
 spared you to gather together all the products of your 
 sowing, and leave it to your family and the world at large 
 as your last will and testament. Bro., you are doing your 
 work. Your brother, N. w. SEAT." 
 
 " DEAR WATSON Your friend Poston calls me to you, 
 which summons I obey with pleasure. This is kind of 
 you to notice me and Bro. Howcott, dwelling in supernal 
 spheres as we are. If our judgment or opinion is worth 
 seeking, then allow us to say you never have done the 
 
 9
 
 194 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 world better service than in this last enterprise of yours. 
 In a word, I will say we would not have you change one 
 word from your present arrangement. The book has been 
 compiled by direction of minds long since departed, and 
 by and by you will know who they are. " OTEY. 
 
 " HOWCOTT." 
 
 " BRO. SAMUEL How blessed is this moment to me, al- 
 though I have been with you much ; and often since Mol- 
 lie was with me in my sphere I have visited you with her 
 frequently. I do not pretend to say I am with you as often 
 as Mollie is, for she is not happy unless she is with you 
 once a day. However, Samuel, I am thankful I am per- 
 mitted to come and talk with you, if but a few broken or 
 disconnected sentences. 
 
 " I am pleased you have so much comfort from your 
 way of communing. As to your forthcoming book, it will 
 be all you would or can desire it. 
 
 " Your sister, MARY." 
 
 " With pleasure, Bro. Samuel, I will speak with you. 
 Not long since our family, those of us that have passed 
 to the spirit land, had a family gathering, and the topic of 
 conversation was, why should you be permitted to live 
 and receive such light from the sphere land, while so many 
 of the family died without the evidence you have of the 
 soul's immortality ? Mollie said, ' The good Father never 
 makes mistakes. He trusted you with the mission be- 
 cause he knew you would do it justice.' Well, Brother, 
 what Mollie says is ever to the point ; so we believe all 
 she says, as her manner of accounting for the privilege 
 you enjoy. 
 
 " You are truly numbered among the favored few. Go 
 on, brother, with your mission. Soon, at the furthest, 
 you will hear the voice saying, ' Well done! Come up 
 higher? 
 
 " Your brother, WM. HENRY WATSON."
 
 WHAT BEOTHEE AND MOTHEE SAY. 195 
 
 " Well, Brother, thanks be to God, our heavenly Father, 
 you have allowed me a word with you at this time. I 
 was not present, but was called by your sweet sister 
 Mary, saying, ' Bro. John, hasten, hasten to speak with 
 Bro. Samuel, for the time is limited, and perhaps he will 
 allow you to speak after Bro. William Henry has con- 
 cluded his control.' 
 
 " Here I am, Bro., and, as I said in the commencement, 
 thanks be to God ! Yes, yes, our Bro. William has truly 
 said you are among the favored few. Bro., ' make hay, 
 then, while the sun shines.' Soon it may pass into a cloud, 
 and thus your earth vision will be obscured until you reach 
 the land of souls. Be faithful, Bro., and know you are in 
 special charge, and watch care of a band of spirits, who 
 leave you not, day or night. 
 
 " Your brother, JOHN A. WATSON." 
 
 The hour was nearly out which was engaged, when it 
 was written : 
 
 " MY DEAR SON As no other one seems to be present, 
 I will improve the time if but for a moment. Well, 
 Samuel, it has given me as much pleasure to stand by and 
 witness the joy at the company that has talked with you 
 this morning as though I had talked myself. ' Truly,' say 
 they, one and all, 'is this not blessed.' 
 
 " Well, Samuel, could you see the joy depicted in the 
 countenance of your dear ones here at this opportunity to 
 speak from their homes, you would say you had been well 
 remunerated for the time you had given them. My son, 
 allow me and your dear ones to talk with you as often as 
 you feel you can, while you have an opportunity of so doing. 
 " Your mother, SUSANNAH WATSON." 
 
 Col. Sam Tate had visited Dr. M., and asked his wife to 
 give him the names of her associates in the spirit land, 
 when he received the following : 
 
 " Well, darling, as to that, I have with me now Mrs.
 
 196 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 Watson, two of Gen. Rivers' wives, the mother of your 
 friend Dr. Williams, the wife of Judge Scruggs, and the 
 daughter of your friend Watson we call her here Dear 
 Bettie. All these I found at the office of the medium, 
 when I walked into the office with you. These are now 
 my personal associates. 
 
 " Your wife, MARY A. TATE." 
 
 One night after this I found the above communication in 
 my bureau drawer. I went immediately to Major Wicks' 
 and Col. Tate's room, and asked him to let me see the 
 communications he got from his wife. He replied, " I tore 
 them all up." I then produced the paper, which he said 
 was the same he had received. He had never been in my 
 room, nor had I ever seen the paper before. Query How 
 did it get there ? 
 
 Fifth day. I called on Dr. M., and asked: Will my 
 friend W. K. Poston speak of my book ? 
 
 " DEAR BROTHER WATSON As to the forthcoming book 
 I really do not know what more could be said that would 
 add to the interest of that publication which engages your 
 mind and attention at this time. You have prepared it 
 carefully, and so have you arranged the subject-matter. 
 It can not fail to instruct the reader, and benefit the world 
 at large. You are an especial charge of a band of spirits 
 who have for years been preparing your mind for this 
 work. Be passive, and allow them to complete it; then 
 your mission will be complete. You shall yet be called 
 the world's benefactor. 
 
 " Your brother, WM. K. POSTON." 
 
 I wrote the name of Rev. Wm. McMahon. 
 
 " DEAR PA Mr. McMahon is not now present. I come 
 to tell you the same. 
 
 " Your daughter, BETTIE." 
 
 I then wrote the name of Bishop Andrew. 
 
 " DEAR BROTHER Pardon the intrusion, but I come to
 
 DR. OLIN AND EEV. WM. HYER. 197 
 
 say your friend, the Bishop, is away at this time, and would 
 not be able to speak to you. 
 
 "Yours sincerely, STEPHEN OLIN." 
 
 I then wrote, Will Dr. Olin speak himself to me ? 
 
 " I surely thank you, dear brother, for this condescension 
 on your part to allow me to speak with you at this time 
 if but a word. 
 
 " I am not a stranger to the subject that has for years, 
 and now does engage your whole soul. I have visited you 
 with Coke and the Wesleys, Collings worth, Fisk, Channing, 
 and other leading lights, and done all we could to impress 
 you of that which was, and now is, daily welling up in 
 your thoughts. Oh, Brother, rejoice ! shout aloud the 
 praises of God for allowing you to be the instrument of 
 enlightening the mind of your fellow-mortals ! Can I 
 assist you ? I will do it most cheerfully. 
 
 " Your brother, STEPHEN OLIN." 
 
 I then wrote for Rev. Wm. Hyer. 
 
 " Thanks, dear brother, for allowing me to speak with 
 you. I had not the slightest idea you would think of me. 
 Yet I am not less to talk with you. Truly, as it has been 
 said to you by your friends, you are numbered among the 
 favored ones ; for while a majority of your friends, and 
 my friends, are leaning on hope, or clinging to faith of a 
 life beyond the grave, you can say you KNOW your dear 
 departed live. You have tangible evidence, and knowl- 
 edge admits of no faith, no doubt, but a positive reality. 
 Go on, brother, you need not fear, the angels are with you. 
 " Yours truly, WM. HYER." 
 
 I then wrote for Rev. S. G. Starks. 
 
 " DEAR BROTHER WATSON Brother Starks is not pres- 
 ent, or within my call. Was he, I would call him at once. 
 
 " Thank God, dear brother, you did induce my dear 
 Adelia to come and talk with me. 
 
 " Your brother, N. w. SEAT."
 
 198 THE CLOCK STKUCK ONE. 
 
 (I had called to see my old schoolmate's widow a day or 
 two before, and suggested to her that she might hear from 
 the doctor there.) 
 
 I then wrote, Will my dear mother speak to me, and tell 
 me who made the clock strike " one " before each one of 
 four of my family died ? 
 
 " Well, Samuel, my son, no one in particular, but it was 
 by the combined influence of Coke, the Wesleys, Chan- 
 ning, and the band that surrounded you at that time, to 
 see what they could produce. Finding all the avenues 
 closed to produce physical manifestations but the [here a 
 picture of the clock was drawn by the pencil], they fell 
 upon the machinery of the clock, and it yielded to their 
 united efforts. Your mother, SUSANNAH." 
 
 I then wrote, Will Brother Daniel Jones speak with me ? 
 
 " With all my soul, will I. Oh, bless you besides. Bro- 
 ther Watson, how could you think of Brother Jones, 
 among the many you have in spirit-life to call for ? Oh, 
 Brother, this is joy beyond expression ! Go on, then, in 
 your work, enlightening the mind of your fellow-men. 
 Your mission is a blessed one. Your reward awaits you. 
 " Your brother, DANIEL JONES." 
 
 This was a colored preacher, whom I had known from 
 his boyhood. Rev. Dr. Baskerville and myself bought 
 him. Bishop Janes was about sending him as missionary 
 to Liberia in 1845. I visited him in his sickness. He died 
 in Memphis many years since, sitting in his chair. 
 
 I have given the communications received through Dr. 
 Mansfield just as they were written. The things referred 
 to here, of which I have the information, I know to be cor- 
 rect. That which I did not know has been confirmed by 
 the gentlemen from Memphis with me at the St. Nicholas 
 Hotel. There is an error or two in regard to Christian 
 names, but we must remember that there they do not 
 know some things. Also that only one hour was the time
 
 ERRORS IN NAMES. 199 
 
 * 
 
 allowed for, perhaps, from five to ten communications. It 
 would be singular if they should be correct in those little 
 matters. For instance, Gen. Rivers was mistaken in the 
 initials of Mr. Webb, who was shot by T. B. Minott ; Mrs. 
 Winchester was mistaken in regard to Dr. Gabbert's Chris- 
 tian name. His father was my family physician for many 
 years. He had three sons, all doctors. Although I have 
 known them from their boyhood, I did not know, until 
 Col. Sam Tate, their half-brother, told me of the error. 
 Lycurgus is still living, and told me recently, in Memphis, 
 that he would give twenty years hard work in his profes- 
 sion to know that he would live after death. There is an 
 omission of the letter e in Bishop Soule's name. If there 
 are any other errors in these communications, I am not 
 aware of them. Several of them are personal, yet I have 
 felt it due the subject to give all, just as they were written, 
 consecutively. There are some things I was inclined to 
 erase, as where Dr. Olin speaks of " condescension," while I 
 felt truly I was the honored party. I never saw the Doc- 
 tor, but I have always had the most profound respect for 
 his character. There have been some strange violations of 
 grammar and rhetoric. The use of capitals, when speaking 
 of this book, I thought I would change, but, with this 
 exception, I give them as received. Dr. Mansfield does 
 not profess to give the handwriting of the individual, but 
 there seemed so much similarity to the chirography of 
 those with whom I had been acquainted, that I thought I 
 would give a fac-simile of some of them. I have had put 
 on page 180 about all it will contain of them. 
 
 Who is this medium ? is a very natural inquiry. I would 
 state that he is a man of fine moral character, who has 
 been living in New York over thirty years, and has been 
 class-leader long enough to have held over seventeen hun- 
 dred class-meetings. I do not know that I should have 
 gone to him, only, as mentioned, with Brother Tuggle, to
 
 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 deliver the letter for a friend. I had no interview with any 
 other medium during my stay in New York. There has 
 been no one in the room but he and myself, only the first 
 time, as stated. I have met gentlemen and ladies there, 
 but in another room. The Governor of the State, the ed- 
 itor of the World, and a Dr. were there one morn- 
 ing, very anxious to have an hour each. Dr. M. said that 
 under no circumstances could he make any change ; that 
 I had engaged that time, and those who desired to com- 
 municate with me were there, and that he never yet had 
 disappointed any one. 
 
 The manner of proceeding is this : I write the name, 
 and what I wish to know, privately, on a long slip of white 
 newspaper; then fold it over some twenty times. It is 
 sealed with mucilage. He lays it on the table, and his 
 hand writes the communication. He knows nothing of 
 what I have written. 
 
 I have thus given in detail the facts as they have oc- 
 curred with me. I do not expect those who have never 
 examined this subject to believe it ; I don't know that I 
 ought to expect it of them. I confess I could not, until 
 several months patient investigation. I have this conso- 
 lation, however : I know that there will be a time when 
 all must believe. I can, therefore, cheerfully receive what- 
 ever may be said of me, or the book, in perfect good hu- 
 mor. I hope, however, none will take the extreme ground 
 that my good friend, Brother Poston, did, and, like him, 
 regret it when they pass to the spirit world. 
 
 If any wish to know anything further of my views of 
 spirit intercourse, I will say that I do most sincerely be- 
 lieve it to be true. There are, however, some who believe 
 it, whose minds are led off into wild notions, as Judge 
 Edmunds says, in a letter recently published, which he 
 gave me : 
 
 "The time seems to be approaching which I anticipated,
 
 SPIRITUAL THEORY, PUKITY. 201 
 
 some eighteen years ago, would come, when Spiritualism 
 would become so prevalent that all sorts of 'notions' 
 would seek to avail themselves of its popularity to spread 
 their impurities and follies broadcast among the people. 
 My idea is to teach Spiritualism purely and by itself, and 
 not have it connected with, or be held responsible for any 
 of the ordinary topics of the day. Whatever might be 
 the opinion of individual Spiritualists upon any of such 
 topics Republicanism or Democracy, Free Love or San 
 Domingo, Free Trade or Protection, Monarchy or Com- 
 munism, etc. let every one enjoy his own opinion with 
 the utmost freedom, but not mingle Spiritualism with any 
 of them, so as to make it, in any one's view, responsible 
 either for the good or ill there might be in them. The 
 constant injunction of Spiritualism to us is for us to pro- 
 gress in purity." 
 
 If we could divest from this subject " notions " which 
 some have who believe in it, and take the simple question 
 of Spirit Communion, as taught in the Bible, the Church 
 would receive it as she did in the early days of Christian- 
 ity. But alas ! to many, as soon as the subject of Spirit- 
 ualism is mentioned, there arise in the mind all those isms 
 which some people would like to attach to this glorious 
 subject. 
 
 After I had given the preceding copy to the printer, for 
 the end of the book, I called on Dr. Mansfield, June 5, for 
 the purpose of getting some further personal communica- 
 tions from my relatives. I therefore asked, Will my dear 
 Mollie speak to her dear children now ? 
 
 " Bless you ! bless you, Samuel ! for this, another oppor- 
 tunity of speaking with you. You would have me talk 
 more particularly to our dear ones. Well, Samuel, as they 
 cannot understand how it is mother talks to them through 
 a stranger organism, you will be so kind as to instruct 
 them how you get these communications. Give them all 
 
 9*
 
 202 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 the light you can, for it will give them a better idea of 
 your forthcoming book, when they read it. Oh that the 
 dear ones could see the truth as you do. But, Samuel, 
 have patience, and, little by little, will they behold the 
 light gleaming through that sectarian darkness which ob- 
 scures the light of heaven, which is trying to force its way 
 to their anxious minds. Tell them mother is with them, 
 day by day. Tell them to seek the truth of spirit inter- 
 course, and know in what relations they stand to the spirit 
 world. You are doing a work, dear Samuel, that millions 
 yet unborn will rise up, after you are a dweller of the land 
 of souls, and call you blessed. 
 
 "Brother Parsons, who died at Louisville, Ky., says, 
 ' Tell your husband to be firm, not to fear whatever the 
 would-be wise may say of his doing, but follow out the 
 promptings of that monitor within, which is the divine 
 within him. Some in authority will, no doubt, do their 
 best to persecute him for the step he has taken in publish- 
 ing to the world his honest convictions. But they can not 
 harm a hair of his head, so long as he does his work fear- 
 lessly.' He says the Church attempted to stop his mouth, 
 because of liberal utterances. But he defied them to argue 
 the matter of who was right and who was wrong. 
 
 "He says Brother Sehon, who preached his funeral ser- 
 mon, did not do him justice, and for that brother he 
 has yet to suffer. Excuse this rambling communication, 
 Samuel, and believe me your ever faithful and loving wife, 
 
 " MOLLIE." 
 
 Will Brother Wm. K. Poston speak to his wife and 
 children through this medium ? 
 
 " God bless you, Brother Watson, for this opportunity 
 not only of speaking with you again, but the thought that 
 I can speak to my now lonely darlings at home. They 
 will be slow to believe that their husband and father, who 
 was so bitter against this spiritual theory while he lived on
 
 Q. C. ATKINSON'S OPINION. 203 
 
 earth, should now write to them in this way ; but if they 
 will credit one word of this, it will be because YOU, Broth- 
 er Watson, have furnished it to them. 
 
 " Tell them Spiritualism is as true as that the sun shines 
 out at noonday. Tell them to seek it with all their 
 strength. And I now ask, my dear wife, to write me and 
 the dear ones, and let us respond. Tell Miller his dear 
 ones would speak with him and his. 
 
 " WM. K. POSTON." 
 
 Will my sister Mary speak to her husband and chil- 
 dren? 
 
 " DARLING ONE Your sister Mary is not present this 
 morning to speak. How delighted would she have been 
 to have sent a few words to her lonely ones. But, Samuel, 
 you can say to them that they are the constant watch-care 
 of the dear wife and mother. She is with them much of 
 the time when not on, duty. Tell them they will meet her 
 again, never more to be separated. Your own dear 
 
 " MOLLIE." 
 
 Will my old friend and Brother, Q. C. Atkinson, speak 
 to me? 
 
 "Thank you, Brother Watson, for this notice. Had 
 you not have thought of me I could not have wondered 
 at it, for so extensive and so numerous are your spirit 
 friends. I only wonder you think of them so readily. 
 You are doing a work that will tell not only in your gene- 
 ration, but in succeeding generations. Would that the M. 
 E. Church would awake to this spirit of Wesleyanism 
 what a light would they shed over the world with their 
 countless numbers. Never mind, Brother, your book will 
 be a fire that will ignite and set on fire the shocks of super- 
 stition and bigotry which are everywhere seen in the 
 Church, South and North, and burn them out and out. 
 
 " Tell my dear ones I am with them daily. Tell them 
 the time hastens when we shall one and all be gathered
 
 204 THE ULOUK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 into one happy, unbroken circle, to dwell together to all 
 eternity. Your brother, Q. c. ATKINSON." 
 
 Has my mother a word for her son before the hour is 
 out? 
 
 " Bless you, my son ; bless you. Could you see and 
 know how much you have done toward making happy 
 souls on this side of the river termed Death-change, you 
 would say you had been amply refunded for all your 
 trouble in coming to talk with them. 
 
 " Now Samuel, my son, you will yet think of more after 
 you get away home ; so, then, allow us to advise you from 
 time to time. To your dear ones, one and all, tell them I 
 bless them as I bless you. 
 
 " Do allow your Brother, Parsons, to say a word to you. 
 " Your mother, SUSANNAH WATSON." 
 
 Will Dr. Parsons speak to me ? 
 
 " BROTHER WATSON I hoped to live long enough to see 
 the M. E. Church alive to the spirit of true Methodism. 
 
 " I, for years, saw and felt the importance of a renova- 
 tion of that Church, and talked as plainly as the people 
 would well bear it, until within three years of my depart- 
 ure I was forced to give vent to my long pent-up feeling, 
 and give the world to know where I stood. Could I have 
 lived, five years longer I would have cried aloud, even from 
 the house-top, if need be, and proclaim what I know from 
 external knowledge to be truth and light from the world 
 beyond. 
 
 " Say to Brother Sehon he lacked the courage to even 
 allude to my views of spirit intercourse while speaking 
 over my mortal remains. I had thought him more cour- 
 ageous. He will hear from me again. 
 
 " Go on, Brother, I will be with you ; you need not fear. 
 
 " c. B. PARSONS." 
 
 Being desirous to hear once more from a few of my 
 friends before leaving for home, I called again on Dr. M.
 
 WM. K. POSTON. 205 
 
 LAST HOUR WITH DR. MANSFIELD. 
 
 " Thank you, thank you, my dearest of earth ones. I 
 have not been absent from you since you came North, or 
 to New York. I have done all I could to assist you to 
 control your thoughts, and to arrange them in book form. 
 Truly you have done a good work, one that will redound 
 to your present and future well-being. As to the dear 
 ones now living, I know not what more can be said. Tell 
 them, one and all, that I am with them as often as my 
 duties will permit me. I will not specify any one in 
 particular, but what I say to one will equally apply to 
 all. Bless you, dear Samuel, for those loving notices. It 
 will give me pleasure to talk with you from time to 
 time. 
 
 " Bless you, again bless you. 
 
 " Your angel wife, MOLLIE." 
 
 " Thank you, dear Bro. Watson, for this another oppor- 
 tunity of speaking to you before you return to that city 
 which to us was, and now is, so dear Memphis. Tell 
 them, one and all, that if they would be happy there and 
 when they come to see as I do to seek that light which 
 comes from above through the medium of mortal agency. 
 
 " If you call at Louisville, say to your Bro. Rivers that 
 I had a long talk with the General, and with his sister, 
 Fanny Gillespie, his two spii-it wives, Mary Ann and Eliz- 
 abeth, and Mrs. Minerva Scruggs. Tell Rivers to look 
 aloft, and dare to proclaim what he finds welling up in 
 his soul from day to day. C. B. Parsons says tell Bro. 
 Rivers if he would be happy, and make the people happy, 
 to feed them with food which comes from on high to 
 allow no man to declare to him how he shall speak, or 
 what he may speak obey the voice within, that points 
 him to a light that will not change in heaven. Say to my 
 family, one and all, that a hxisband and father is with
 
 206 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 them ; to make the best and the most of the life in the 
 body ; let their motto be to do good every time. 
 
 " To my brethren at the bar, tell them to live for eter- 
 nity as they measure to others, so SHALL it be measured 
 to them in the sphere-land. 
 
 " Your friend and brother, WM. K. BOSTON." 
 
 Will my father-in-law, Allen Dupree, speak to me ? 
 
 " How can I sufficiently reward you, Samuel, for allow- 
 ing me to talk with you, if but a word ? I have several 
 times attempted to control, but some one having more po- 
 tent control would take the medium from me, and I had 
 to stand back ; but now, as the way is open, I would say, 
 thank God, our heavenly Father, you was ever permitted 
 to be an associate of my dear daughter. 
 
 " I have watched your doings, and in all your labors of 
 love to my dear child, and to your fellow-mortals gener- 
 ally, your ways have pleased me ; in other words, you 
 have done just right. Say to the dear ones, one and all, 
 that we are often with them, although they do not see us. 
 Tell them to live, day by day, as they will wish they had 
 when they are called home that life in the body was 
 given to prepare for the life beyond. Tell them we shall 
 meet by and by, never again to be separated. Samuel, 
 my son, rejoice, for your mission is complete. 
 
 " Your father-in-law, ALLEN DUPREE." 
 
 (I wish to make one remark about him. Some years 
 after I married his daughter, he told me that from the day 
 of her birth he had made it a matter of prayer that she 
 might marry a Methodist preacher. Few Methodists have 
 ever offered up such prayers, I presume. He was for 
 many years a pillar in the Church.) 
 
 Has my father anything further to say to me ? 
 
 " Well, Samuel, my son, I am always pleased to talk 
 with you ; yes, above all of those my dear ones, for in 
 your course of life you have ever had for your motto
 
 MANNER OF WRITING. 207 
 
 equal rights and justice between man and man ; and have 
 ever sustained yourself in those protestations to the world. 
 But the crowning act of your life is the legacy you leave 
 to your fellow-men in the publication of your experiences 
 and your object of living as you have. Blessed, blessed 
 is the reward awaiting you. Your dear mother, Susannah, 
 joins me in love to you. 
 
 " Your father, LEVIN WATSON." 
 
 " Is there any one else who wishes to speak to me ? " I 
 asked ; when was written : 
 
 " BKO. WATSON Although we never personally met 
 on earth, yet I have kept track of you for years. Now and 
 then I caught sight of your truthful sheet, and was ever 
 pleased with the spirit in which you conducted it. You 
 have, by your independent action, erected to your mem- 
 ory a monument that time will never efface. I thank you 
 for the willingness on your part to give my sayings a 
 place in your book. Had I have met with you earlier, I 
 would have said more. 
 
 " But you have a complete book as it is. I opine for 
 you not only a ready sale, but a large one, indeed. 
 
 " God bless you, Brother, c. B. PARSONS." 
 
 " June 7, '72." 
 
 I have thus given a truthful history of my visits to Dr. 
 Mansfield, and all the communications received through 
 him, with the exception of two, for others, in which I have 
 no concern. I am aware that most persons who will read 
 this, do not understand how it is done, nor can I tell them, 
 so as to make them comprehend it perfectly. I wrote the 
 name and what I wanted privately, rolled it up securely, 
 in sometimes fifteen or twenty folds of paper, and laid it 
 on the table. After a few moments he would write, not 
 only with reference to what I asked, but frequently refer- 
 ring to things not thought of or known by me. 
 
 My interviews have been seven, embracing just eight
 
 208 THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. 
 
 hours in the aggregate. I have had but little conversa- 
 tion with him, as his time is demanded by others. 
 
 There was no one waiting to-day, and, as it was my last 
 interview, I asked him some questions. He says he sees 
 the person who is communicating, but rarely ever men- 
 tions it, as many would become excited, so as to unfit 
 them for their interview. He says he has been seeing 
 spirits all his life, as far back a.s he can remember. 
 
 I have now completed my task, and glad I am of it. I 
 have done just what I felt I must do, or suffer mentally 
 here, if not hereafter. I know I have been honest in all I 
 have done, and am willing to meet the Judge of all the 
 earth. I do not, therefore, fear what man may do or say. 
 I do know that, whatever they may think of these things 
 here, that very soon after they pass over the river they 
 will know the truth of them. I leave the book and the 
 reader in the hands of my heavenly Father, praying his 
 blessings upon them. 
 
 Having a little space on the last page, I clip from the last issue 
 of the Western Methodist the concluding paragraph of an obituary 
 notice written by a Presiding Elder of my conference, who is a 
 nephew of ex-Governor Harris; also, two verses, from the same 
 paper, peculiarly applicable to the stand taken by myself on the 
 subject of ministering spirits : 
 
 " Some days before his death he said, ' My stay on earth is short ; 
 but all is right. I have not a cloud, not a shadow, not a doubt. 
 Five minutes before he breathed his last, he turned his face to the 
 wall, and spoke familiarly to his mother, who had been in heaven 
 thirty-five years ; then calmly passed away from earth's sorrows to 
 heaven's joys. I write no eulogium upon the dead. His life of 
 consistent piety is a monument more lasting than brass. 
 
 " w. T. HARRIS." 
 
 " There is no death. An angel form 
 
 Walks o'er the earth with silent tread, 
 And bears our best loved things away, 
 And then we call them ' dead 1 ' 
 
 " And ever near us, though unseen, 
 
 The dear, immortal spirits tread ; 
 For all the boundless universe 
 Is life there is no death 1 "
 
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