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Viscount Adare - Experiences in Spiritualism with Mr D D Home - 06 No. 5 Séance. The narrow end of the piano moved from the wall two or three times
Identifier
024593
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
EXPERIENCES IN SPIRITUALISM WITH MR. D. D. HOME. BY VISCOUNT ADARE, [Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin 1841-1926] WITH INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE EARL OF DUNRAVEN. [Viscount Adare's father] [1869]
No. 5 Seance-November 23rd-Recorded by my Father.
A seance was held at Norwood. Present: Mr. Home, Mrs. Hennings, Mr. Jencken and his mother, Mrs. Scott Russell, Adare, and myself. We sat at an ordinary card table in the middle of the room, with two candles on the chimney piece, and a bright fire. After about ten minutes, raps were heard: the table vibrated a little, and soon moved in the direction of Mr. Home, and toward the piano.
We followed, and were soon close to the broad end of the piano.
Raps were heard on and about the table, and on a small table a few feet distant. Our table gradually tilted up, at an angle of about 30 degrees or more. This was done more than once.
The narrow end of the piano moved from the wall two or three times, and altogether about one foot, and pressed Mrs. Scott Russell between itself and. the table.
The floor vibrated strongly ; this was very striking.
The five raps were heard for the-alphabet, and the following sentence was spelled out: -
“You are over anxious, and not sufficiently prayerful."
Different movements of the table occurred, and then the following sentence was given:-
"In seeking for physical facts you lose sight of God."
It was very remarkable that the indications for the word “God " were made, not by common raps, but by the table giving sudden movements, whilst it was either partially or wholly off the ground.
At the end it was clearly so; and it made the sign of the cross by moving forward and backward, and from side to side.
Before this the little table moved of itself and I went close to it, and I saw it move again slightly. It vibrated slightly when Mr. Home did not touch it, but more strongly when he did.
We then got the accordion, and Mr. Home held it just under the table. After a little while it moved about and at last played, but apparently at first with effort, a sort of plaintive melody, very pretty, but nothing I had ever heard. I looked under the table more than once while Mr. Home's hand held it, and I saw it playing. At one time it was held up without his aid, for he put both his hands on the table, and I was then watching it.
It stretched from Mr. Home towards Mrs Russell, who took it, and it played but faintly. Home took it back.
Alphabet then called for, and the following message came :-“It was A. who touched the keys."
After this the accordion stretched nearly horizontally towards me, and I took it, and held it a long time, but it did not play, though it was moved about strangely, and distinct raps were made on it. Before this Mr. Home said he distinctly saw a spirit between Drs, Scott Russell and me, and before he spoke, she said she was touched in the side. I was conscious of nothing.
The cold currents were very sensible to-night. After this the manifestations became feeble, and while remarking this, the alphabet was called for, and the following given:-
“Daniel is not in a good state.”
We waited longer, but nothing occurred. Mr, Home on one occasion said, “There are curious influences to-night ;" and he then said his feet were moved, about in a strange way, and he was touched more than once. Just before this seance began, Mr. Home was called suddenly away to see a man on business, and this rather disturbed him.
When the floor was vibrating strongly someone said it could be felt in the next house; and it was proposed that one of us should go in there, and note the time. Raps of approval were given twice; but, somehow, Mr. Home said nothing, and no one went. I forgot to mention that when the sheet of paper was on the table, Mr. Home- touching one corner, the other end was lifted up more than an inch, just at the time when Adare felt the cold currents very strongly, as might happen if a bellows were blown near it. The paper was also- rather curled up.