King, Ann. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

King, Ann. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

King, Ann

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1853-04-11

Description

Handwritten letter from Ann King to Amy Kirby Post, April 11, 1853.

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

980

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)
                                               Ferrisburgh 4^th Month 11^th 1853.
        My dear Friend

                                     Many times within a few months has my
heart turned affectionately towards thee and thine, coveting a
little communion with you, tho' much would be still more
welcome.   I hope that all things go well with you, and that
you are reaping the rich blessings of the new dispensation,
which I did not, when with you, believe in, but which, by your
ready obedience to the knowledge manifested, has ^I imagine^ become so inwoven
into your hearts, that all old dependencies upon the requirements of
Sectarianism or education are utterly cast out.      You must have
been far enough advanced, when you saw me, to have enlightened me
on this subject, had there been time for it; but you did wisely, I
doubt not, in withstanding; for, had I proved unable to receive what
since has found a ready admittance / tho' not without careful in-
vestigation) I should perhaps have suffered more or less injury by
stumbling on it, tho' my heart was very tender towards those whom
I thought deluded.   A good degree of charity had been granted me,
but having had sweet experience of the operation of Divine Power
on my soul, I doubted not its efficacy for the Spiritual wants of
every one, and this made it appear unwise to seek for intervening
Spirits, less pure, less powerful. Especially was I disinclined to be-
lieve ^in^ what seemed so unnecessary as the moving of inanimate ob-
jects; and the strange, so called, spiritual sounds to the natural ear,
the sight seeing of Spirit with the natural eye, and the feeling of Spirit pressure
on the natural flesh, seemed to me utterly impossible. And even now, when
I believe that Spirits may, by making use of electricity from a medium,
produce sounds on them, it is hard for me to believe that the natural eye
can discern spiritual substance, yet many such things are recorded.
May we not reasonably suppose that the imagination of the human subject
is so operated on by the disembodied spirit, as to produce the needful result,
and that where Spirits appear in any particular dress, or form, or with hard
or soft hands, crooked fingers, or the like, as the body had when on Earth;
^and^ when they bring benches, galvanic batteries &c. into rooms, and convey them
away again without opening doors or windows, ^is^ it not altogether an effect of
the imagination, which, if for a good purpose, they ^(the Spirits)^ have a right to use?
[Continues on page 2 with line beginning "12th Had I"]

(Page 2)

[Text in top margin, upside down]
My dear J. A. Ledyard expect to return to her Father's to spend
the approaching summer, and you will probably see her, if I do not.

[Text normal]
12th              Had I known, when the subject of Spirit manifestations
was first presented to me, that infidelity to the soul's immortality
was so general as it is, and long has been, the necessity of some
thing outward to open their eyes ^of infidels^ might have been apparent, but
I fear that, even then, it would have been difficult to convince me
that this was the way to attract their credence; yet many have
already attained belief, whom much argument had failed to con-
vert.    I had always discouraged in myself and others, every thing
that bore the semblance of superstition, and while believing in mi
raculous appearances to a favored few, thought that in most of the
recorded cases the imagination was at fault; and feared that a revi-
val of superstition was now coming upon us, which would check
the growth of intellect, and eventually lead the country back to barba-
rism; but the more I understand of this dispensation, the less fear
I have of it, yet I should more properly be called an investigator
than a believer now.   I have as yet had no knowledge but by
books and papers. We take the Sp. Tel., as I suppose you do, and
are pleased with many things in it, but almost weary with the
confident Richmond. It is pleasant to see that his work is near a
close.    The Voices from the Spirit Land World we have been much
interest in. It has excited a hope that an influence will be ex-
tended from Spirits thus speaking, which the most urgent entrea-
ties, the purest examples, and the best precepts of the living, would
fail to produce, inasmuch as the departed have had experience of
what is in the future for us. Tell me whether I am good at guessing,
when I ask if Abr. Hicks, S. Tredwell, and John Mott are not three of
the writers whose initials only are given, and please let me know who
A.C. & J.H. T. signify. Excuse me now for correcting two or three names
in the spelling. Stabler is spelled ^by Isaac^ Stapler, Cotton Mather has both names
wrong, it stands Colton Mathew. Witherald should be Wetherald, and
Hamiltin Hamilton. I see this Work is criticised with some sever-
ity in a letter from some Friend in the Practical Christian, but ^Isaac^ I think
thou wilt have much help in thy defense, even shouldst of thou of thyself
say nothing. I wish thee much patience.

(Page 3)

13^th      If you see G. Willets, present by respects and my sympathy to
him, but tell him that I have no apology to offer for my conversation
with him, but my want of knowledge on the subject under discussion,
for my heart was filled with tenderness, friendship, and hope that what
he was now experiencing would tend to an increase of Divine Love.
            I shall hope to hear from thee before long, and, among the many
interesting items, to learn what you know of dear P. Cadwalader, whether
she is yet in the land of the living, or having escaped from all her
infirmities she is not engaged more actively than ever in promoting
regeneration of man.
            My Brother R. T. Robinson has a transcript of writing by a
medium, who has been in Vergennes, only four miles from us, purport-
ing to come from a departed Spirit, which I would gladly send you
were my health adequate to the copying of it, but I hope it will ere long
be published.   Amongst other things, it gives a clearer view of the manner
in which media are operated on, than we had before sen. I will give
you a few lines.   After describing the temperament needful in the medium
he says, "The Medium must be passive.   The delicate organization of
Spirits enables them to introduce a delicate and refined species of electrici-
ty or rather aromal electricity, which by the force of spiritual volition they are
enabled to throw into the system of the medium, which immediately induces
an extra nervous action, and hence generates extra quantities of animal
electricity which blending with aromal electricity, is, by the force of our vo-
lition, thrown off from the body of the media to any substance we desire,
and produces the vibrations.   Aromal electricity, or electricity of our induc-
tion is so refined, that unless it was mixed with animal electricity, or
electricity of a more gross character, it would not produce sounds; hence
the necessity ^of a medium,^ and also the necessity of media of a peculiar temperament."
14^th      Have you seen C. Stearns's article in the Liberator, against the
spirituality of the new phenomena, and do you not think he will find it
as difficult to prove they are not spiritual, as any believer would to prove
that they are? Now, while I boldly acknowledge my belief, I feel no wish
to uphold it against any truth that would dethrone it; and am ready to have
this shown to be a fallacy if it can be, or to hear inferior spirits detected

(Page 4)

in imposing upon mankind under the names of exalted ones; but I can-
not at present see any reason for considering all ^the disclosures^ that now agitate out land,
of an apparently spiritual nature, as "very important phenomena, requiring
the utmost skill for their solution", if they originate in mere human ingenuity
not at all indebted to spiritual influence: But C. S. has promised us more
objections; and if he prove capable of rebuilding what he is attempting to pull
down, he may yet do us some good.   Be this new thing what it may,
and let it stop where it will, one great and good result will have been produced,
the old tree of popular theology which has so long overshadowed mankind, and
prevented the light and warmth of the Sun of Righteousness from promoting
their growth, will never recover from the violent shaking it had already receiv-
ed, nor will bigotry ever again be able to crush, as heretofore, the honest-
hearted, and gag those who would carry and spread reform thro' the land.
Surely the potsherds seem to be striving with the potsherds of the earth unwit-
tingly. ^15^th^ Charles Beecher has left in his own country and is carrying with him
to Europe a very full acknowledgment in favor of the spiritual origin
of the numerous and recent manifestations amongst us, but says the
Spirits are not good ones, but evil and such as possessed people in
Gospel times, controlling their bodily organs, but incorrectly termed devils
If you have not seen his Report it may be found in the Tribune of Apr. 9^th,
and is well worth reading.     The possessed ones are very numerous.
                  Please mention what thou canst conveniently of dear S. & S. Cornell
and of Elizabeth Bell; but I suppose, as you are of different societies, you know
but little of each other. I claim no sect, tho' much attached to th many of
the members of the one that yet owns me.     From thy Cousin P. H. I
heard not long since; her letters are not frequent (as I am unable to write often)
but long and full of affection, and I hope our friendship will never know
a termination. She is in my view a very lovely woman.
               Thou hast much to excuse in this blundering letter, for I am past
doing well at such business. My sentence, which was designed to correct thy
husband, is the worst one I have written.   A bit each day is all I can do;
but I trust you will welcome this with kind excuses.
        Remember me to your daughter and her husband. Are they united
with you in a belief in spiritualism, or looking for more light. I would
rather see people too slow than too quick. There is less danger. Yet I would
have all examine for themselves, and the influential for others.
                                       With love to thy husband, thy friend Ann King.

Tags

Personal; Spirit Writing; Spiritualism

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

King, Ann, “King, Ann. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3269.

Transcribe This Item