THE LAST NEW THING IN SPIRITUALISM.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1135, 23 December 1873, Page 4

THE LAST NEW THING IN SPIRITUALISM.

Old residents on the Coast who knew Ilokitika eight years ago will do.ubtless recollect Cocoa-nut-Williams, a '' professional," appearing at the "Shakespeare" and "Corinthian" music halls. Ho has been writing to the "Harbinger*of light," a monthly journal of Zoistic science, free thought, spiritualism, and harmonial philosophv, published in Melbourne, and his experiences are amusing. Says the Editor of the Harbinger : We print the following simple narrative from an honest but comparatively uneducated man, substantially as received, merely correcting a few errors in orthography, as an illustration of the class of manifestations occurring amongst the working classes, wo think it will be read with interest:— " My name is John Williams, an old Professional Plantation Singer and Cocoauut Dancer, I ■ travelled in A merica when ] was a boy and there I picked up my profession, and have followed it up ever since. In the old Country I have had - plenty of experience behind the stage, and have seen all the wizards, and have played my part to assist them in their tricks, "1 have done the same in this country; and been " sprightly" to Professors Eagle and Reynold, I am used to all this sort of trickery, and would not give a button to see the best of them, for without apparatus and confederates they could not do their tricks. I must say I felt rather annoyed at those -detectives going up to Castlemaine to expose manifestations, calling it swindling or fraud, they are no cleverer than any other men, they might hunt out a thief or spring a plant, but I think myself cleverer to detect the sort of fraud and trickery they expected to find, but now for my experiences. About three and a half years ago, I went down to Sand ridge to witness some table rapping ; it seemed rather strange to me that a table should move about and knock out answers to questions, as I had been told it did. Tou may depend " old sprightly" had his eyes at work to see if he could catch them, but it was " no go." What convinced me most vfas, the table answered my questions about my father and mother, which none of the company knew anything about, I am confident of that, so that made me think very strong, there was something in it above my comprehension, I was determined to fathom the mystery out. I therefore bought a small table for my wife and children to sit at, and at once set to work to find out the mystery, and we are still, continuing to this day, so that -we have satisfied ourselves there is no trickery about it, and would defy all the detectives that ever lived and their betters to find any. 1 will give a few of the most striking manifestations that we have witnessed in my own home, perhaps you will doubt all what I tell you, no matter, think as you like and. I . can do the same. The manifestations are too numerous for me to relate in full, but I will just give you a few of them.

I have seen the table stand up on two legs and stop so, until 1 put my pipe in my pocket, with only one of my. daughter's hands upon it, I have put the pipe on the mantelpiece, on the ■ chair, on the floor, and every place I -could think, but no such thing as "come •down," I have pulled at it with such force, trying to get it down, that the table has cracked almost breaking the legs, but the moment I put my pipe in my pocket, the table came down quick. It was just like a dog watching for you 'to throw a stone. * I have seen it dance to whistling or humming a tune, and kept perfect time, if I should change to to quick time it was all the same, the table would change from sideways to -endways and keep it up as long as I did, following me about the house. People heard the noise it made outride in the street, I have told it to go to my wife, as quick as thought it would run up to her and make a bow, I told it to go to my daughter on the sofa, it ran and jumped up on two legs and pushed against her so that she was frightened. I have held my hand and said " shake hands," it put one of its legs into my hand and gave it a hearty shake. I have sat in my chair and told it to go in the other room, and see if there was anyone there, it has gone and returned, giving one loud knock for "no," which was correct, it also would tell me what I had in my hand ; after this I told it '"to go to its place (which is against the ■wall J, and it would turn round and go right into its place, as well as if we put it there One night it was trying to get up the wall and was a foot off the floor. He then details his experiences in connection with the "sperits," and ■winds up by saying, " I feel as if I had struck a spring, and cotild keep on writing. All through life I've been in the dark Until I found this precious spark, To let it shine I'll do my best "Until I take my final rest. Tours truly, JOHN WILLIAMS..