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From Can Telepathy Explain ? – Dr Minot Judson Savage

1COME now to notice another phenomenon which is sufficiently distinct and unique to merit notice by itself. This is the fact of levitation. The orthodox Christian world is accustomed to accept this unquestioningly when asserted to have taken place in regard to the Christ. They as unquestioningly reject it when it is asserted as true concerning some of the Catholic mystics and saints during the Middle Ages. It is testified to as having occurred in the case of Home, by such a number and character of witnesses as would establish beyond question any other kind of fact. Men have been imprisoned for life or put to death on far less weighty evidence. I find no fault with this, because abnormal facts, even though they be found to be demonstrated at last, at first demand and ought to require an amount of evidence proportioned to the degree of their strangeness. I suppose it will be admitted by every thoughtful reader that if any physical object whatever, however small, can be lifted into the air or moved from one place to another by a force so far not scientifically recognised, it would be theoretically possible to lift objects, however weighty, or to sustain the human body itself in the air. In other words, if there are any degrees of difficulty in a matter like this, we do not know what they are.

It merely depends upon the amount of force which is at work. I have seen tables and chairs lifted in a way not to be explained by any ordinary methods, and this a good many times. …… It certainly is something that needs to be explained. The late Rev. O. B. Frothingham was widely known as an exponent of the most liberal theological ideas. He was a keen thinker and brilliant speaker. His prejudices were strong against what is known as "spiritualism."

During the later years of his life he had little hope of personal immortality. I speak of these things only to show that his prejudices were not in favour of the reality of any occult phenomena; and yet he told me one day of an experience which was a most remarkable illustration of the exercise of some power which needs to be explained. It occurred in the city of New York. He said that he and six other men sat upon the top of a large square piano, while it was lifted into the air. The only visible cause lay in the fact that a delicate woman touched the top of the piano with her fingers. I should be very skeptical of stories like this, even from so clear-headed an observer as Mr. Frothingham, did I not know that similar things had taken place on other occasions.