Grave, David I. Letter to Isaac Post.

Title

Grave, David I. Letter to Isaac Post.

Creator

Grave, David I

Contributor

Post, Isaac, 1798-1872

Date

1852-12

Description

Handwritten letter from David I Grave to Isaac Post, December , 1852.

Is Part Of

Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Rights

The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Identifier

956

Location

Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Transcription

(Page 1)

              Randolph County Ia [12^th month 1852
My Esteemed Friend
Thee may see by the signature to this communication that
I have written to thee before this, in the early part of those
mysterious, manifestations, purporting to be done by spirits, as
an enquirer after the truth of its being really spirits, I
resolved in the beginning to persevere in the investigation
of it, so important a subject without being blown about
by easy puff of wind as many have been, & I have
now arived [sic] at the most interesting period of my ex-
istance [sic], that by embracing every opportunity of gaining informa
tion on the subject, I have come to the conclusion that
it can be nothing but the spirits of our departed relatives
& friends, but I am surrounded by those who possess evry [sic] of
many beliefs but spirits, but I being a kind ^of^ a medium
I have an evidence which they have not, not only the
outward manifestations but an inward impression which
has been a sourse [sic] of more comfort & happiness than
all I have heretofore experienced, although I have been
educated to believe in inward impressions of spirits so the
spirit, I have on my small capacity had some experience in
such impressions, yet they were more obscure & indefinite
but now, in order that I may not be deceived, by undevelope^d^
spirits, by the outward manifestations, my guardian
spirit impresses my heart, as an evidence of who it is
The outward manifestations are the jerking or twitching of
my right hand & arm, for an affirmative answer

(Page 2)

but as undeveloped spirits have the power to manifest themselves by the
same mediums I am liable sometimes to be deceived. & also my mind
& will is nescessarily [sic] exercised in communicating in this way. &
probably has more or less influence, & as truth is both mine
& the spirits object, they have consented to meet thee in my
behalf, if thee is willing to devote so much time for our
accommodations, as it is a matter of much importance to me, & we
have no writing mediums here, in whom I can fully confide
& having learned of thy mediumship by possessing a book
written by thy hand, in which the spirits express that they
have clearly written their own sentiments, I have a father,
brother, Sister & daughter, & two sons in the spirit world &
if either or all see it right to communicate anything to me
by thy hand, it will be a great satisfaction to me &
probably to others who are honest enquirers. & especially
if they or either of them (the spirits) should sign their name
to it. it would be proof possitive [sic] of the reality. as there are some
who admit the reality of the manifestations, but deny the source
but is inherent in our natures & brought into action & controled [sic]
by our wills & consequently there is no information about it
& one man a preaches who I was converseing [sic] with admits
all but the goodness of it. that he has had considerable to
do with it & has nothing but evil. & untruth about it &
that he has come to the conclusion that it is the devil let
loose & he appears to be candid & honest, & these books of
thine & Hammond's are no evidines [sic] to him & others. believe
ing [sic] they were gotten up to make money. Now my object is

(Page 3)

to induce investigation for themselves as its importance demands
for I cannot give them the evidence that I possess. of its being
really what it purports to be, This preacher alluded to call
me a deluded mortal, but when I saw him break ice an
inch thick in my mill-dam & thrust three females (one
of them but 12 years old) under the water one very cold
day, I thought delusion as an indispensible [sic] performance
for the salvation of their souls. I thought delusion
with vengence [sic], but I reguard [sic] the man as an honest
seeker after truth. & I told him he was n could not
acknowledge that he was certain of being right, he made
no reply, Last winter there was a great excitement in this
neighbourhood caused by the spirit rappings in many
houses, & the people were running hither. & yonder to see
& hear the wonders, & as the congregations were made up
mostly of intemperate, profane, vulgar characters, the com
munications were any thing but good, evidently from
spirits who had been of the same class while in the
body, yet I obtained some truths from some of the
spirits occupying higher circles. I think I have profited
by them. & it is now a caution to me to ^be^ guarded against decep
tion & am careful to know what spirit is useing [sic] me as it has been
but a few weeks since I have been communicating with them
through my own mediumship I have many things to learn
& it is also a new mode of manifesting themselves. & I discoved [sic]
that they make different motions of my hand & arm for differ
ent purposses [sic]. & it is a great advantage to have the means

(Page 4)

of communication always present that I have only to clear my mind
of other matters & turn it to ^that^ subject & there is generally a spirit ready
to answer to my call & sometimes they call first. & by this means
I have been sometimes engaged in communication we the spirits
while in company with of a number of people & they knew
nothing of it, & by this means can learn the minds of those
who she may turn my mind upon, & therefore serve as a
directory to whom I may lend my books to advantage, for
to acknowledge myself a believer in those manifestations
in public (as I do when asked) is to subject myself to
ridicule, which I disregard on my own account, but the peo-
ple having learned nothing about it only what was exhibited
as before stated they have turned their minds against it
I have been experimenting some in the way of removeing [sic] pain
& disease, by calling on a certain spirit of a certain doctor
with whom I was acquainted while in the body, & reques
ting him (with his own consent) to remove the pain &
disease, & in every case the pain has immediately ceased
without any other persons being aware of my or of our doings
untill [sic] the result was known,
I have not space to give the particulars. & perhaps I have
written more than will be intresting [sic] to thee, for I have
no doubt but thee much of thy time is occupied with commu-
nications from correspodents [sic] as by spirits. & I will therefore
submit what I have written to thy pleasure & await the result
with patience & remain thy friend & fellow labourer
in the cause of truth & righteousness.       David I. Grave
To Isaac Post,     address Randolph, Randolph County, Ia.

Tags

Spiritualism

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Grave, David I, “Grave, David I. Letter to Isaac Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 21, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3246.

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