edium's control.' In the
present case, when the slates were delivered to Mrs. Patterson, her
'control,' one 'Thomas Lister,' at once promised that Spirit hands
should shortly write within the sealed-up space. But no writing came
that day nor the next, nor the next, although the Medium protested that
every attention should be bestowed on the refractory slates. In vain was
the Medium again and again adjured to put forth every power. At the end
of six months the slates were received again, without any writing,
according to the confession of the Medium.

So anxious, however, was our Acting Chairman that the experiment should
prove successful, that, undeterred by this failure, he carefully sealed
up a second slate, and placed it in the hands of the same Medium, with
renewed adjurations to put forth all her Spiritualistic strength. At the
end of a fortnight or more, after redoubled exertions of Mediumistic
power, to which was added the combined Spiritualistic power of the
Medium's entire family circle, the exciting announcement was made to us
that the fragment of slate pencil within the slates could no longer be
heard to rattle, and that presumably the Spirits had written a message
for us.

Each Medium, generally, has some peculiar mode of manifesting
Spiritualistic power; it is a peculiarity of this Medium, as has been
before stated, that the completion of the Spirit message within the
slates is indicated not by raps, as is frequently the case with other
Mediums, but by the sudden and marvelous appearance on the top of the
slate of the little fragment of pencil, which had been securely fastened
up within. The fact, therefore, that the pencil was no longer inside of
our slates was presumptive evidence that the Medium's control had been
true to his word, and had written us a message. The slates were received
from the Medium most carefully, and a meeting of the Commission hastily
called. It is scarcely worth while to enter here at length on the
details of that session, of the careful scrutiny to which the slates
were subjected, of the unmutilated seals, of the untouched screws, etc.,
etc.; but it is worth while to record the feeling of grave
responsibility, almost akin to solemnity, with which we all approached
what, for aught we knew, might prove to be a revelation of a power as
wonderful as any with which, as yet, we had ever been brought into
acquaintance. Just before we opened the slates it was noticed that at
one corner,