Spiritualism

A two-volume account from 1853–1855 detailing the controversial conversion to spiritualism of a prominent American judge and a physician.

John W. Edmonds (Author), George T. Dexter (Edited by)

9781108029148, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 16 June 2011

538 pages, 2 b/w illus.
21.6 x 14 x 3 cm, 0.68 kg

John W. Edmonds (1799–1874), a prominent New York judge, and George T. Dexter, a New York physician, met though their shared interest in the spirit world. They were both dabbling in the spiritualist movement – first with scepticism – and decided to join forces in their investigations of such phenomena as 'spirit-rappings'. Dexter eventually found himself 'fully developed as a writing medium', with his pen controlled by unseen forces. Their conclusions, published in 1853 in Spiritualism, which went into numerous editions and was followed in 1855 by a second volume, caused much controversy. Drawing from their observations, the work gives examples of the authors' purported interaction with the spirit world and their journey from doubt to belief. Volume 2 sees Dexter develop as a 'speaking medium' and includes transcriptions taken by Edmonds of what the spirits relayed through his co-author during the meetings of their circle of spiritualists.

Preface
Introduction
Spiritualism
Appendix.

Subject Areas: History of ideas [JFCX]