April 1868 — Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the founding of Spiritualism

According to history there have been spiritual manifestations from time immemroial, in every clime, and in every age, but they were ever regarded as fearful forebodings of some evil, or, as witchcraft, or ghosts of some murdered person, coming up out of the grave, seeking revenge.

Therefore mysterious lights, and all unaccountable phenomena of every description, were looked upon with horror; everybody shrunk away from all such manifestations as they would from an evil genius, or from a pestilence. None seemed to see or understand that in all these varied manifestations was contained the evidence of the immortal spirit. None seemed to realize that they came laden with blessings and healing to the anxious enquiring minds respecting the truth of that great problem, until the advent of the manfestations in 1818, through the mediumship of the Fox family, in Hydesville. This advent we have met for the first time to commemorate. From that beginning spiritualism has become a power in our country and the world.

Thousands have been made happier by the knowledge gained throug these spirit communings, they have learned the certainty of a conscious future existence, and also that the purer and more unselfishly we live here, the better prepared we are for joy and usefulness in the highter and more progressive realm of spirit life.

Hence it is well that we should meet here with thanksgiving to the dear angels, and thanksgiving to the Fox family, through whose united agency these blessings first came to us and the world.

I was acquainted with this family long before the appearance of these extraordinary Rochester knockings, so called in derision. John and Margaret, the parents of these medium daughters, were of German and French extraction, and members of the Methodist church; and oh, how earnestly did they daily unite in vocal prayer, “that if this thing was of the devil, that it might be removed from them,” but if of God; they resolved to bear all the scorn, derision and persecution that might be heaped upon them. 

I often feel that the extraordinary fidelity, and unselfish devotion to this unpopular truth, of the Fox family, has never been justly appreciated by Spiritualists.

Source: Rochester Dailiy Union and Advertiser, April 1, 1868.