their decease were members of the Berlin society of the New Church, "Having repeatedly referred to the exceeding splendour which she was beholding with the eyes of her spirit, she fell gently asleep, soon to waken to become an inhabitant of that bright and happy world of which she had a foretaste here." The following is extracted from the Biography of Hugh Bourne, the Founder of Primitive Methodism : "The end came in the autumn of 1852. He had been for some time slightly improved in health, and on the day of his departure he was cheerful and happy. During the afternoon he fell asleep upon the sofa; when he awoke he seemed to have been conversing with some one. He stretched out his hand as if for the nearer approach of his visitants, a sweet smile mounted upon his countenance, and he said very distinctly several times, 'Come! come!' His look was upward, his hand was raised in triumphant gesture to some entrancing object in view, and then with an earnest voice and in emphatic tones he said, 'Old companions! old companions! my mother!' Then, without an apparent sensation of pain or a lingering groan, he Passed through death triumphant home." Persons who recover from what seemed to be mortal illness, when on the brink of death, have had similar experience. The correspondent of an American journal, a Mr. H. Scott, writing from Lancaster, Ohio, says : "The following beautiful scene occurred in this place some six weeks ago. The persons connected with the incident are my acquaintances and neighbours, and are entirely reliable; and I know that the following statement is true, precisely as given. "A little son of Dr. C was reduced to the lowest extremity of life with typhoid fever. It was expected that he would pass away that night. All the senses were closed, and he had not for 10 days enunciated an intelligible word; nor could his perceptions be awakened. The artificial light of the room consisted of a coal oil lamp, purposely placed so as to prevent its rays from falling on the bed. The mother sat beside the little couch wetting the dry lips, an aunt sat at the foot, and a neighbour lady at the head; while some half dozen others stood around. 66 Suddenly the little eyes that were not expected would ever look out again, were opened, gazing upward. The withered hands were raised, beckoning, anxious as if for some one to come. The sweetest smile,' the ladies said, that they 'ever saw, light up the face of the little sufferer, and the word angels,' was distinctly spoken twice. But most thrilling of all, was the radiation of light surrounding the head, which was spoken of as reminding the lookers-on of the halo surrounding the prints representing Christ, but of exceeding brightness, and white like moonlight. The scene, lasted about three minutes. The boy has recovered his health. "I entered the sick room about five minutes after the occurrence, and found the family weeping. Some were rejoicing. The statement I have given is concurred in exactly by all. เ How But "Twice, in the early part of his sickness, the boy pointed out sister Lizzie, standing in the middle of the room. beautiful she is,' said he; what a pretty white dress!' there were no eyes to see her but his; she had passed to spiritlife four weeks previous. The house has for a year, been the scene of loud and frequent raps." Surely such instances as the foregoing might well make the sceptic and the worldling pause, and feel that in truth There are more things in heaven and earth T. S. THE PATRON SAINT.-AN AUTHENTIC GHOST STORY. ABOUT the year 1845-6, there lived at Archer's Lodge, Southampton, a Mr. W., one of the old Roman Catholic families of that name. His wife was alive, and they had two sons and daughters. The eldest son had recently been ordained at Rome, and is now (1871) Monsignor W. The first time the young priest offered mass was in the chapel at Rome of St. Stanislas Kostka, this chapel being the cell where the saint died four centuries ago. This saint was celebrated for his ardent piety and great purity during his earthly life, and for the frequency of his appearances since his death in rescuing those in danger or in protecting the dying. The young priest (Mr. W.'s eldest son) when offering this mass made for himself a special petition—that St. Stanislas might be permitted to attend and protect the member of his family who should next die. About a year after this, Mr. W.'s second son Philip was drowned. He was aged 17, and was a student at the Roman Catholic College near Ware in Hertfordshire. He was an excellent young man, and seems to have given much thought to the character of St. Stanislas, choosing him as his patron saint, and having a memoir of him in his pocket when he was drowned while boating with his fellow-students. This sad accident took place in Hertfordshire, in the afternoon of April 16th, 1846, on which same afternoon his father and sister (when walking down the lower part of the Avenue at Southampton) saw him in the road, walking towards them and between two men, both in priest's dress. The father and sister exclaimed to each other, "There is Philip!" "Yes, but what can bring him here?" But ere they met him, he and his two companions disappeared, nor were anywhere visible. Mr. W. considered it a sign of his son's death, and consequently was in a measure prepared when Dr. Cox, the head of the College, came next day to break the sad news to the family. The unhappy mother took her son Philip's death so much to heart that her health failed; and by medical advice she went with her husband and daughters to pay a round of visits. Among other houses, they stayed with some relations at Ince-Blundell Hall, Lancashire, where, in one of the rooms Miss W. saw a portrait which at once struck her as being that of one of her brother's companions on the occasion of his apparition the day he was drowned, and her father agreed with her as to the likeness. On enquiry, it proved to be a picture of St. Stanislas of Kostka, the saint whose aid the elder brother had invoked for the protection of the first member of his family who should die, the same saint to whom the younger brother Philip was so devoted as to have chosen him for his patron saint. Such are the external facts of this well-authenticated story. EARNEST TESTIMONY TO SPIRITUALISM. THE following interesting letter appears in the Index, a liberal religious journal published at New York, of which Mr. Abbott is editor, and which has recently discussed the question of Spiritualism: "Cascadilla Place, Ithaca, N. Y., "June 27, 1872. "MR. F. E. ABBOTT-Dear Sir, I do not propose to write a formal communication to the Index, but prefer to address myself to you as to a friend, leaving you to use my letter as you see fit. "My husband, A. A. Andrews, of Springfield, had the pleasure of an introduction to and of some conversation with you; and my sister has once or twice sent you a few lines that have appeared in your able paper, which we always receive with a welcome. Her note written last fall, from Northampton, alluded to the terrible and fatal accident that took from us my youngest son, a boy of twelve years of age. He had always been rather delicate, and his active fearless spirit led him into so many dangers that I had watched over him with increasing and anxious care, which he repaid by a tender and considerate devotion unusual in boys of his age. "I will not dwell upon the first maddening shock. I had lost infant children and other relatives before, and had borne the grief of bereavement as others bear it, hoping that somehow, and somewhere, we might meet again; but I never realized, until this agonizing blow revealed it to me, how insufficiently was this baseless trust. I have always been sceptically inclined. While the weary heart sought rest in absolute faith, the mercilessly analytical mind would not let it find repose in peaceful conviction. Really to believe in immortality because others believed it, and taught accordingly, has always been simply impossible to me; and while I have regarded that intuitional perception which suffices for some as a gift, like genius, to be admired and craved, though unattainable by effort, I could not look upon faith based upon authority as rational or beautiful; and so, in the wild agony of this terrible bereavement, everything like a sufficing trust in Divine love or a future existence was swept away, and I was left helplessly desolate. This was my condition only a few months ago. "Now a light has illumined all those gloomy depths of mind and heart. In place of doubt and rebellion, I have assurance and resignation. Existence, with its racking trials, is no longer hopelessly dreary to me-a dreadful enigma impossible to solve; for the radiance of a better life is shed upon it, making it seem but the rough pathway to a joyous and beautiful home. "Had I space and time, I could perhaps make you more fully comprehend to what I owe this happy change; but I have had so much in the way of evidence to raise me from doubt to a belief which is to me like knowledge, that I shall only be able to detail to you a very few among the many proofs which I have needed and received. I should not have made this effort to show you something of the truth as I see it, but for some remarks upon Spiritualism lately made by you in the Index, which seemed to justify reply; and, although those remarks appeared to me not quite just, I trust, in this appeal, to that liberal spirit and that freedom from dogmatic assertion and prejudice which generally characterize what you say, and which I believe to be honestly and earnestly your aim. In the fewest possible words, I will tell you of some of my experiences, and at the same time reply to a question as put in a late issue of your paper, namely: What phenomena occur?' In order to do this, I must enter into particulars, as general statements in such a case amount to nothing. "I have had communications purporting to come from my spirit-child, written upon a slate which was sometimes laid in full view, with a fragment of pencil beneath it, upon the top of a table (not always the same table, and not always at the house of the medium), and sometimes held by myself; which communications were not only signed with a full name (unknown to the medium) of my boy, but which contained phrases, allusions and modes of expression so characteristic of him, that after many repetitions and ever-recurring tests, doubt became to me more difficult than belief. Many of these tests, trifling in themselves, were to me stronger evidences of identity than I can make a stranger fully understand or appreciate. "These manifestations took place in sittings with Dr. Slade, of New York, and on one occasion, after my return from that city to Springfield, my sister went on and spent a week at the house of this most remarkable medium. On leaving home she took with her a handkerchief belonging to me, thinking that any article of mine might possibly, as she expressed it, serve as a magnet to draw my loving boy to her. This handkerchief was lying upon her lap during one of her sittings; and, while both her hands and those of the medium were together upon the table (no third person being present) it was thrown up, falling close to their hands, tied in a singular knot, and immediately the following words were written upon the slate-' Dear aunty, I knew it was mother's. I was present when she gave it to you, thinking it would help me to come again; but I could have come just as easily without it.' Now, not one word had been said to any one of the handkerchief's being mine, and it was impossible that any one could have known it, or why it had been given or taken. "I have seen and felt in broad daylight a hand in shape and size like that of my son, playing with my dress, patting and caressing me, and taking out my watch by pulling upon the guard. This guard used to be his, and after these manifestations the following words were written- Dear mother, always wear my guard; I love to see you have it.' my On asking, in a daylight sitting, Can my little boy kiss hand as he so often used to do?' I felt, as distinctly as I ever felt his kisses when he was with us here, warm lips pressed over and over again upon the hand which rested on my knee. "I have had a spirit-hand write a letter on paper placed upon my lap, when the room was sufficiently lighted by gas for |