Ven. Arehdeacon Colley.

Marvellous Materialisations Described.

I do not intend during the course of this survey to deal at any length with any other than the testimony of Scientists—with one exception. That exception is the Ven. Arehdeacon Colley, Rector of Stockton, Warwickshire, England. I make this exception because of the responsible and sacred position he occupies; because of the high esteem in which he is held for his personal integrity and candour; because of the bewildering nature of his experiences, and because those experiences corroborate the declarations of Scientific investigators whose verdict we cannot treat with disrespect.

Ven. Arehdeacon Colley,

Rector of Stockton, Warwickshire, England.

"Spiritualism comes as a real God-send to save men from the Sadducean Materialism that looks for no hereafter beyond the grave."

"In expectation of a materialisation, there was seen steaming, as from a kettle spout, through the texture and substance of the medium's black coat, a little below the medium's left breast, a vapourous filament, which would be almost invisible until within an inch or two of our medium's body. It grew in density to a cloudy something, from which (and apparently using the same for the quick evolving of much white raiment) there would step forth, a little maiden, boldly and naturally, as with other of our psychic visitors.

"The child form, now abnormally present with us, clad in white, and having beautiful golden hair, had all the actions of human girlhood; clapped her little hands; pursed its mouth for the kisses we each gave it; spoke in childish manner, with a slight lisp—the medium, like an elder brother, instructing and sending the little one hither and thither to bring this thing or that from different parts of the room, which she went for and brought us in a way quite natural. Then drawing with winsome confidence to the author of its temporary being, the medium, the dainty creature was gradually absorbed, and disappeared, to melt again into our friend's body.

"How could the most St. Thomas sceptic, in the best sense of weighing and pondering these things, hold out against what was vouchsafed me one memorable Tuesday evening, when, as the living gate for the extrusion of spirit forms from the realm of mind into this world of matter, the medium received back into himself a perfect form of exquisite womanhood that had companied with us for a while ? For I led it to him, as he stood up to receive back at my hands this marvellous aeon or emanation—human-spiritual. And as I brought my sweet companion close up to him, the gossamer filament again came into view; its attenuated and vanishing point being, as before, towards the heart.

"Greatly wondering, yet keen to observe, did I notice how, by means of this vapoury core, the psychic figure was sucked back into the figure of the medium. For, like a waterspout—funnel-shaped, or sand column, such as I have seen in Egypt—horizontal instead of vertical, the vital power of our friend appeared to draw in the spirit form: but, at my desire, so gradually, that I was enabled quite leisurely thus closely to watch the process. For, leaning against and holding the medium with my left arm at his back, and my left ear and cheek at his breast, his heart beating in an alarming way, I saw him receive back the lovely birth of the invisible into his robust and corporeal person. And as I gazed on the sweet face of the disintegrating spirit, within three or four inches of its features, I again marked the fair lineaments, eyes, hair, and delicate complexion, and kissed the dainty hand as in process of absorption it dissolved and was drawn through the texture and substance of his black coat positively into our friend's bosom.

"How, then, could I with the evidence of my senses, and page 30 many opportunities in this way for their exercise, be other than a Spiritualist? Well, indeed, might the noble-hearted Bishop Colenso, when I first spoke of these things to him in Natal, exclaim, 'I would, Arehdeacon, readily give my right arm to see what you tell me.'

Arehdeacon Colley next tells of a materialised spirit form that often came in the same way—a former earth friend and brother minister of the medium. "It was desired, if it were not dangerous, that the controls should awaken the medium in order that he might see his old friend. This was done and the scene that followed may better be imagined than described. Dazed for a moment, and then most astonished, the aroused medium looked at the spirit-form and jumping up from the sofa he excitedly pushed forward to his at one time fellow-student, shouting, 'Why, it is Sam ! I declare it is Sam !' And there was hand-shaking and brotherly greetings between the two. The remarkable thing was that both could not speak at the same time. One had to remain silent when the other was speaking, but they walked about the room together in quite a joyous mood. At last the spirit form was absorbed by the medium; then it took control and spoke to the sitters ."

The Arehdeacon concludes: "I am not astonished at the incredulity of the ignorant touching these astounding marvels, for even now, after all my large experience, the things I have witnessed and recorded are so over-whelming, that should a cessation of these inexplicable phenomena take place, and should the progress of these miraculous things be arrested, and further evidence of the reality of what I know to be true not be forthcoming, the future might perhaps find me in a doubtful mood relative to matter most assured; yea, incredulous, perchance regarding what I have pledged my word as a clergyman for the truth of, and imperilled my clerical position and prospect carefully and accurately to report."