Observations placeholder

Madam Home - D D Home his life his mission

In their evidence given before the Dialectical Society, Mrs. Honywood and the Earl of Crawford described the very startling phenomena that occurred at a seance held on the 17th of March 1869, at the residence of a Mrs. E., who did not permit her name to be published. I extract some of the most interesting particulars.

There were present Mrs. Honywood, Mrs. E, the Earl of Crawford (then Lord Lindsay), Captain Gerard Smith, of the Scots Fusilier Guards, and Mr. Home. The room was well lighted all the time of the seance:

Mrs. Honywood and Lord Lindsay’s account

Mr. Home, passed into a trance, and went to the table, on which stood a moderator lamp. Taking off the globe, he placed it on the table, and deliberately clasped the chimney of the lamp with both hands; then, advancing to the lady of the house, he asked her to touch it; but she refused, knowing it was hot. Mr. Home said,

'Have you no faith? Will you not trust in Dan if he says it is cool?'

She replied, 'Certainly;' and, placing her fingers on the glass, exclaimed, 'Oh, it is not at all hot!'

This was corroborated by Lord Lindsay and myself who, in turn, laid our finger on the glass several times, to test it. Holding it towards Mr.X, Mr. Home turned, apparently addressing someone, and said: 'It is necessary, to confirm the faith of others, that it should be made hot for him.'

Mr. X now touched it and exclaimed, 'You have indeed made it hot!' shaking his hand and showing me a red mark. So hot was the glass when the fourth person touched it, that it raised a blister, which I saw some days subsequently peeling.

[The "Mr. X" who suffered to confirm the faith of others was Captain Smith, of the Scots Fusilier Guards]

A letter from Mrs. Honywood

Mr. Home, be it remembered, was holding all the while, in a well-lighted room, the large glass chimney that Mrs. Honywood and Lord Lindsay had just touched and found cool:

l placed my finger on the top part of the glass several times to test it. Each time the heat appeared to recede like a wave of the sea. I cannot describe the sensation in any other words, but the heat seemed to be withdrawn each time. Mr. Home then laughed, and said, turning to Captain S.,

''We will make it hot for you!”

Turning his head, he appeared to listen, and his expression changed; then, speaking in a sad tone of voice, he said: 'It is necessary, to confirm the faith of others, that the glass should be made hot for you.'

Captain Smith now touched it, and cried out, 'By Jove!  You have,' shaking his finger, and showing a red mark.  He had a blister which lasted several days.