SPIRITUALISM.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1968, 26 August 1869, Page 2

SPIRITUALISM.

A correspondent, in defending Spiritualism, gives the following item of Mr Varley’s experience. Mr Varley told the same narrative at one of the London conferences:—

“ At one period during the construction of the Atlantic Telegraph Cable it had to be subjected to some very delicate tests, and I had become so weary with the incessant attention given that sleep at night was of the first importance to me. One day I was more wearied than usual, and to ensure sleep I made my room totally dark before retiring After I had been in bed some time, Mrs Varley awoke me, telling me she had been much disturbed O 4 , by a noise as if some one were in the room, I at once rose, lit the gas, but found no one. At Mrs Varley’s request, I left the gas faintly burning, and returning to bed, was soon again asleep. But my sleep was short; for Mrs Varley again awoke me, and said, ‘ There is some one in the room ; you must turn the gas full on.’ I did so, and searched the room, but found no one. I returned to bed somewhat anxious, but soon slept again from sheer exhaustion, this time to be awakened myself by the noise. I jumped up, and looking between the curtains at the foot of the bed, I there saw a man, He was not opaque, for I could see the wall through him. 1 turned to my wife and said, ‘Can you not see that figure at the bottom of the bed 1 ’ She said ‘ No ! where ? ’ I replied, ‘ It is between the foot curtains.’ She made no answer, and I looking at her, saw her going inio a trance, so I waited to see what next. Soon she spoke, being in a trance, but I found it was not her voice nor herself that was speaking, and I was addressed nearly as follows ‘ Mr Varley, I am very glad I am able to make myself visible to you; I was afraid at one time I could not have done so, and I am much more pleased that I can communicate to you. I am, brother of your friend who is now at Birmingham. He is very anxious about a matter in which he fears he will fail (this brother was prosecuting some tests many miles away from where I was at the time). Tell him he will not fail in it and all will be asjie wishes. You may also tell him for his identification of me that I am he who made himself visible to him last night, but could not communieate. Tell him also in order that he may have confidence in my statement, that I am his brother 0 , who went to school at in France, and was killed there (stabbed in the breast) by a schoolfellow. Then my body was brought over to England to he buried, and my mother who went for it placed some blotting paper over the wound, and between it and the shirt in which ray body was wrapped in order that the blood which might ooze out should not stain the shirt, and thus call attention to the manner of my

death.’ He also gave me his age, place of interment, and many other details, that I might have certain proof of his identity. He then left me, and Ave slept the remainder of the night Avithout further interruption. I Avrote to my friend, telling him of the appearance and communication of the night, and in course of post a reply came, confirming all the particulars, and adding that his brother had tAvice appeared to him—the second time the night before he wrote the letter I Avas then reading —at Avhich second appearance he Avas able to communicate to him personally, and he then told him that he had appeared to me, and also the communication he had given me, so that before he received my letter telling him of the occurrences before mentioned he himself knew of them from the mouth ot his brother. It is necessary to add, that I did not knoAV my friend had a brother who had met his death in such a manner, nor did I know of any of the family matters connected Avith it, until I had the communication from his brother’s spirit.' "—Eastern Express.