Trance Channeling in the 19th Century

Mrs. J. H. Conant (Frances Ann Crowell 1831-1875)

The expression 'ascended master' is something of an enigma in relation to the ways an entity such as Ramtha is different from other transcendental communicators.  I'm not aware if there are other channelers who have described the channeling process as JZ Knight has in her autobiography A State of Mind, My Story (1987): "I was racing or flowing down a tunnel, but I couldn't see the sides.  I just remember that there appeared to be a wind taking me toward a brilliant light at the other end of the tunnel." 

Trance mediums in earlier centuries wrote about being in a state of trance, sleep or unconsciousness while other personalities spoke through them.  Ramtha was quoted by JZ as having told her: ". . . you will bloom completely into that which is termed a channel.  Be it known, not that which be a medium — there are rivers of consciousness in difference between them."   In Biography of Mrs. J. H. Conant, the World's Medium of the Nineteenth Century (1873), the Prefatory Remarks by Allen Putnam about the book include:

The accompanying biography is so simply and lucidly told, that it will explain itself to the reader, and needs no comment in advance.

A few words relating to its authorship and the circumstances of its production, may properly come from one who read it while in manuscript, but was in no way connected with its production.  I am told, and believe, that spirit Theodore Parker outlined and dictated its essential substance, and may be deemed its responsible producer.

Mr. John W. Day, a reporter at the Banner of Light office, listened on many occasions to utterances through Mrs. Conant while she was under control by Parker, and minuted in shorthand what that spirit desired to put forth as a biography of his medium.  Subsequently, Mr. Day wrote out in full, under the guidance of memory and impression, aided by Mrs. Conant's statements while in her normal condition — by facts and reminiscences furnished by Mr. Colby, chief editor of the Banner — and by the diary of Mrs. Conant's physician.

She has been the channel through which more than ten thousand different spirits have sent messages to their kindred and friends on earth.

Mrs. Conant manifested different aspects of mediumship during her lifetime.  The biography of Mrs. Conant was preceded in the previous year, 1872, by the publication of Flashes of Light from The Spirit-Land through the Mediumship of Mrs. J. H. Conant compiled by Allen Putnam.  The Preface of the book includes a description of her seances.

Tri-weekly for many years a band of spirits have given impromptu answers to the world's promiscuous questions, through Mrs. J. H. Conant, at the Banner of Light Circle Room, 158 Washington Street, Boston, Mass.  The doors of that room, the walls of which are adorned with likenesses of many spirits and prominent Spiritualists, and with spirit-drawings, are gratuitously opened to all comers.  Not less than a hundred and twenty-five persons are usually present at a séance.

Promptly at the designated hour for meeting Mrs. Conant takes her seat upon a platform raised about two feet above the floor.  The doors are then locked; the medium soon passes under control, and the controlling spirit enunciates impressively and fervently a brief invocation to the supreme Intelligence.  That ended, he or she calls for any questions the chairman may have.  A question, if any have been sent or handed in, is read in the hearing of the whole assembly, and is forthwith replied to, — sometimes in a brief monosyllable, but generally by a discussion more or less extended.  This course is followed till all the questions in the chairman's keeping have been answered.  That point reached, permission is given to any person in the audience to make verbal inquiries relating either to what has been said or to any other subject, and questions thus propounded are promptly responded to.  The dialogue over, the controlling spirit yields possession of the medium to some other invisible.  Usually at each séance, three, four or more spirits successively are allowed to enunciate their wishes or sentiments at this public resort, whence the words will be sent on their way to those for whom they are specially intended.

Enveloped letters addressed to particular spirits may be laid upon the medium's table by any persons as they enter the room.  From fifteen to thirty visitors usually avail themselves of this privilege, and after the speaking is over, the medium, in the presence of the whole company, fingers these letters one after another, and rapidly writes a few words upon the unopened envelope of most of them.  That work finished, the medium's hand is used to write the name of the spirit who has conducted that séance, and of the one who answered the letters.  This slip the chairman (who is usually Mr. William White, one of the publishers of the Banner) reads to the whole assembly, and then announces that the exercises of the occasion are ended.  While the assembly is passing out from the room, the letters, which are private property, are reclaimed and taken away by those severally who placed them upon the table.  Such is a brief account of the circumstances amid which the questions and answers have their birth.

The following excerpt is the transcript presented for April 29, 1869.
 

By Theodore Parker, April 29, 1869.

Controlling Spirit.  As we are in the constant receipt of inquiries from friends at a distance — questions propounded to the controlling spirit of the séance — it may not be amiss to make a few plain statements with regard to the case in question.  In the first place, it should be understood that these séances are not controlled at all times by the same spirit, but for each occasion an intelligence is selected best adapted to that occasion.  Persons sending their inquiries from a distance do not seem to understand this, and they often inquire in regard to the difference of opinion that seems to find expression through the said controlling spirit of the circle.  It should be understood that each distinct intelligence, or human spirit, retains its own special intellectual integrity after death as before.  All are entitled to their own opinions and the expression of the same, if they express themselves at all.  All questions relating to well-developed scientific facts will, without doubt, be answered, by all intelligences coming here, in a similar manner.  The idea will be one and the same, though the expression or clothing of the idea may be different in all.  But with regard to all questions of theology, you must expect that each spirit will preserve his or her own opinions, and if questioned will give them according to their best ability so to do.  Theology is but a vagary at best.  It is founded upon speculation.  It lives by speculation.  It cannot by any possibility be demonstrated by science.  As theology it has no part with science.  Science and it have never been married, and never will be, because theology, as understood in human life, is thoroughly at variance with science; therefore all questions propounded with regard to theology, of whatever caste or color, will be answered by the spirit controlling on the occasion as he understands it.  The Catholic answers in his own way, the Protestant in his, the Mahometan in his — each in accordance with the theological light they have received.  You make a very great mistake, oftentimes, in supposing the departed spirit to be possessed of an almost infinite amount of knowledge regarding all subjects.  You forget that they are still human, bounded about by the conditions of human life.  They are not infinite.  They are finite still.  And though their clairvoyance is largely unfolded in spirit-life, yet it does not extend to infinity.  It only reaches a very small degree into the future.  It does not perceive all the past, neither does it all the future.  It can take cognizance of events as they come within its sphere of action, but no farther.  Now, then, consider the friends who come to you from the other life as human, fallible, and entitled, each one, to their own opinions.  You gave them that liberty while they were in the mortal form, and if you are wise and just you will give them no less now.
 
Q. What is the medium of exchange in the spirit-world? or what is used there as our money is here?
 
A. Merit; that which belongs to the inner life.  Whatever you merit you will have.  There is no special medium of exchange that is equivalent to gold, silver, and greenbacks, in our life.  You may be very sure of that.  But there is a medium of exchange.  If I have what I do not need, and my neighbor has need of it, I pass it to him.  If he has what he does not need, and what I need, he passes it to me.  There is a perpetual interchange of the good things of spirit-life.  None can retain any more than they have need of.  A very hard place for misers to come to, particularly before they get rid of their miserly propensities, I assure you.  So if you have any such, better get rid of them here.

Previously, on December 9, 1867, Theodore Parker was again identified as the controlling spirit.  The phenomenon of trance mediumship was the topic for the ministering spirits. 

Q. In controlling this medium, do you possess the body, as the spirit of the medium possesses it in her normal condition?

A. No; that is not necessary.  I surround the body.  I obsess it as the musical performer obsesses the musical instrument.  The instrument gives forth no sound unless the musician is there, and playing upon the instrument.  So with regard to this control.  I surround the subject, and in surrounding her, I create an atmosphere peculiar to myself, which is in nearly all respects unlike her own.  Therefore, she finding it not at all in natural harmony with her, generally retires, goes forth into the outer spirit-world, and becomes cognizant of scenes in that world.  Sometimes it becomes necessary to become thoroughly absorbed in the body.  Then the mental atmosphere is created within, and not without.  I act then from within.  But in this case I act as the musician would act upon the instrument.  I surround the entire body.  It is under my perfect control.

Here are some other excerpts from the book with the name of the controlling spirit and date of seance reported for these passages.

By William E. Channing, Jan. 6, 1868.

Q. Do the spheres exist as separate localities or one world, as the earth, presenting only a different aspect to different minds, soul-gravity and culture determining the society and scenery each one enjoys and earns?

A. The spheres spoken of by returning spirits are  not localities, by any means, but they are conditions of mind, states of being.  The spirit-world proper has been derived from the spiritual emanations of this world, therefore it is like unto it, only superior to it.

By Joseph Lowenthall, April 23, 1868

Q. "God sent his only-begotten son into the world that whosoever believeth in him shall have eternal life."  My mind dwells on the "only-begotten" as the point at issue with the belief of Spiritualists.

A. Your speaker has no belief in an only-begotten son of Jehovah.  He never did have any — therefore in all probability will fail to do justice to the subject according to the comprehension of the Christian world.  Your speaker believes that every son and daughter of humanity, whether they had an existence in the past, or existing in the present, are the begotten sons and daughters of Jehovah, every one of them, not one any more than another.  The breath of the Infinite is with all, and all are created in the image of God, which meaneth in the image of all things that have been, of all that are, and all that can be.  This only-begotten son of God, whom the Christian Church reverences so much, was doubtless a most excellent specimen of humanity, but nothing more.  It may be determined that your speaker still lingers amid the shadows of the Jewish Church.  It is not so.  No shadow of any Church, Jew or Gentile, lingers around the opinion of your speaker.  I believe in the greatness, in the omnipotence of God.  But I do not believe that one child is more specially blessed by him than all others.  I have more faith in his justice than to believe him to be a partial God.  I believe him to be the Great Spirit pervading mind and matter, acting through all things, at all times, in all places, and I believe he finds expression more perfectly through human senses than anywhere else, but no more perfectly through a Jesus of Nazareth than through any other good man or woman.

By T. Starr King, May 7, 1868

Q. Do the dwellers in the spirit-spheres construct habitations, gardens, &c., according to their individual tastes? and by what process, and of what materials?

A. There are, indeed, gardens in the spirit-world so much more beautiful than what you have here, that you can form no just estimate of them.  Indeed, everything that finds expression here is more fully represented with us.  All the beauty of life, all the power of life, everything that is expressed in art, in science, in nature, all find a counterpart in the spirit-world.  It would be absolutely impossible for us to give you so close an analysis concerning the material of which all their power and beauty are constructed, because you are bound about by the law of your human senses.  Your eyes cannot see, your ears cannot hear, neither can it enter into your hearts to conceive all the glories that pertain particularly to the spirit-world.  You may catch faint glimpses of its reality, but the clear noon-tide glory of the reality you cannot behold, you cannot understand, until you too shall become disrobed of the flesh, and shall stand gazing upon it through spiritual senses.

By Rev. Arthur Fuller, Feb. 28, 1870

A. The theory of re-incarnation in America is a baby.  In some portions of Europe it has attained its majority.  Since we have the evidence of thousands of spirits — I say we, meaning myself and the spirit-band with whom I am associated — since we have the evidence of thousands of spirits who remember having lived through several physical existences, of course we know that the theory is correct.  We do not know that we, too, shall be again and again re-incarnated in physical life, but we believe we shall.  Judging from the experience of others, we believe it to be our own fate also.

 
This topic of "Trance Channeling in the 19th Century" is also considered in the article "Trance Communication and D. D. Home".