REMARKABLE MATERIALIZATION SEANCE—LETTERS FROM MRS. EHRENBORG
AND OTHERS DESCRIBING INHABITANTS OF PLANETS.

In the evening of the same day I was at a materializing seance at Mrs. Cooper’s, where the following persons besides myself were present: Mr. Cooper, his wife, Mrs. Annie Cooper, the medium; Dr. Joseph R. Wittemore, No. 50 Dayton street; John Winterborn, No. 19 Freeman avenue; Mr. Oberline, Mr. S. G. Anderson, and Mr. Charles Wilhelm, all of Cincinnati.

First, Mrs. Cooper sat herself in full gas-light by the small covered stand, under which was placed three bells, a walking stick, and my small spring music-box, after I had wound it up. Soon after the spirits moved the box up and down and put it on end during playing, which we could see, because I put the box only half under the curtain. As soon as the playing stopped, the box was taken entirely under and finally pushed out for me to wind up. The bells were ringing and the walking stick was held up and extended to all of us to take hold of, which we did, and the spirits shook hands with us in that way. I had laid Madam Ehrenborg’s photograph on the table, and I expressed a wish that she would materialize, when on the slate, which Mrs. Cooper held under the table-leaf, was written: “Good evening, friends; yes, I am with you; I will try to appear; we are so happy.” The gas was now turned down, but not lower than we could see each other right well, and Mrs. Cooper took her seat in a chair behind the curtains stretched across a corner of the room, and soon after a lady spirit greeted Dr. Wittemore, who, he said, was his first wife. His sister also came and nodded to him. Then came a sister to Anderson and a sister to Mr. Winterborn, together with his mother, who took a flower from him, and nodded to him very cordially. A spirit lady did the same to Mr. Wilhelm. Mr. Cooper brought now my music instrument, orgamina, from the upper room and placed it before me and I played on it with the crank. Soon after a lady spirit came, dressed in a white shining robe, and beckoned to me, when Mrs. Cooper, who was not in a trance, invited me to come up to the curtain where the spirit stood in the opening, and I asked if it was my friend Madam Ehrenborg who died in Sweden, Europe, eight years ago, and she bowed and nodded assent. Mr. Winterborn gave me a flower, which I took and offered to Madam Ehrenborg, who took it, smelled it, and stuck it under my nose to smell, and afterwards kept it. I expressed my gladness to see her and she made graceful bows, which I answered with mine. I then went back to the music instrument to play, when Madam Ehrenborg came out again with a beautiful long piece of lace on her arm and wafted it to and fro, and afterwards dematerialized before us. After that came a lady and sat herself in the rocking-chair, and there dematerialized before us. Mrs. Cooper took now a standing position in the opening of the curtain, when a male spirit came out, stood beside her, and kissed her. When Mrs. Cooper took her seat behind the curtain again a tall gentleman spirit came dressed in some kind of a uniform, with a glittering star on his right breast, and Mr. Winterborn offered him a nosegay, which he took and held out with his hand, swinging his arm up and down, keeping time to the music of the orgamina and that for a long time. As he came out the next time he took hold of the rocking chair outside the curtain before him and swung it over his head for a long time, and afterwards lowered it down to about a foot from the floor, when he dropped it. At the same time we saw Mrs. Cooper, who expressed her anxiety lest the chair might fall on her. Next he placed himself at the opening of the curtain, when a lady spirit took her place at his left side, and they kissed each other. Mrs. Cooper asked for a glass of water, which Mr. Cooper went after, intending to give it to his wife, but the gentleman spirit took it from him and gave it to Mrs. Cooper, who drank the water out of the glass. The same spirit sat himself in the lap of Mrs. Cooper and kissed her after he had placed a flower in her hair. Mrs. Cooper was coughing, and Mr. Winterborn gave two cough lozenges to the spirit, who gave them to Mrs. Cooper. The uniformed gentleman spirit came again out and took the rocking-chair with his right hand and swung it very vigorously over his head for a good while, then put it down. All the other spirits had white robes shining as snow, and all of us were exceedingly gratified at such wonderful performance.

The 29th of June, 1881, among other valuable communications, came:“Good morning, my dear friend; it is with the greatest pleasure I again come to communicate with you. Your star of hope is increasing in brightness. I called on you and your dear lady last night (your night). You appreciate the beauties of the heavens, it was indeed grand to the natural eye.” (My wife and I last evening were on the roof of our house on Mount Auburn looking at the comet and the stars.) “Oh, I thought if I could lift the veil and show you the inner life so brightly beaming once again, what joy it would give. I have visited three planets, each one had a distinct race (of people) and different one from another, and had mostly white skin, walked erect, were all of the same physical shape, very much like the inhabitants of our planet; their features are more regular and not much contrast in size. On the first planet they were small in stature—about four feet high. On the second sphere, about five feet high and of uniform size and shape. On the third they were six feet high, with large limbs and muscles, language quite different from ours, but were highly educated; eat no animal food, subsist entirely on vegetable. The day and night are of equal length; and as this last named planet was most interesting to me I will speak first of it: They have a better system of astronomy than we do and understand it more perfectly. This planet has large water courses and a great deal of commerce. They have no religion, such as Christians call religion, but a very high order of morals. They know little of the immortality of the soul. They have no wars, no courts nor prison houses, and murder is unheard of. They have no kings, no politics, no religion, consequently no wars. They live in perfect harmony; women suffer very little inconvenience in bearing children; the families are large, with eight or ten children; they are contented and happy. They have better painters in coloring in both landscapes and portraits. Their architecture is perfection; their buildings are the most beautiful I ever beheld. The climate is genial the year round, never too hot, and never necessary to have fire to keep warm; but little variety in temperature. Dear friend, I could say much more if I had power. I thank you for your kind attention. I will be able another time. Good bye for the present. Your sincere friend in spirit life,

“Fredrika Ehrenborg.”

The 27th of July at a seance at Mrs. Cooper’s, her control informed me that we meet to-day under disturbed conditions, and when I asked Mrs. Cooper what that meant, she said her husband wanted her to move back to Louisville, as his prospects there now were better, and she had concluded to do so, in consequence of which she intended to pack up her furniture immediately after the present seance. Madam Ehrenborg wrote now a communication from which I will extract the following: “This dear, good woman, whom the angels will bless, is the first channel through which I have been able to reach earth and friends in this way, and now to be disturbed and taken away for a while is a loss to us. I could go to her, but not write as I write to you, the friendship formed between us before I passed away gives me strength and desires I might not have in any other way, but this form of condition will not last long. * * * I will try to communicate to you whenever condition is given, it is so easy for me to write here. There are but few who I could say so much through in so short a time. * * * Mrs. Cooper, if you will sit for me next Wednesday from there (Louisville) I hope to be able to write frequently, but not like if he was present. Good bye for the present. Your most sincere friend in spirit land.

“Fredrika Ehrenborg.”

Mrs. Cooper promised to do as she was requested and we agreed, as the spirits wanted, that I at the usual hour, 9 o’clock A. M., should sit alone at home the same time as the seance should take place in Louisville. Wednesday, the 3d of August, I picked a few flowers and kept some of them with me, as my spirit son Emil directed, and the rest were placed in a glass on the stand, which was covered, and under it I put Madam Ehrenborg’s photograph and her letters sent me from Sweden. The 5th of August I received a letter from Miss Sadie Hare, No. 222 St. Catherine street, Louisville, Ky., wherein she states that “Mrs. Cooper came quite a distance to our home the 3d of August to fulfill her engagement with you and the dear spirit friends, not having conditions at her sister’s that would enable her to give opportunities to the spirits. We live a long distance apart and some distance from the street railway, but you know the distance would have to be very great to prevent Mrs. Cooper from keeping a spiritual engagement. * * With this you will find your communications which I have copied. Respectfully yours,

“Sadie Hare.”

“Louisville, August 3, 1881.

“Yes, we see the photographs of our dear friend, and he has obeyed the request made. We wish we could bring just one of the white blossoms he has gathered for the occasion to you. The dear spirit friends he desired to hear from were present when he made preparations for conditions to assist them to come to you. Tell him all will be well with him. The knowledge he has gained of the spirit world will not decay like the blossoms he has gathered in his beautiful bouquet. His friend Doc.” The control of Mrs. Cooper.

“We have come, and see that you have had a long distance to come to make conditions for us. Emil is with me, and we will do all we can to write a message to my dear friend C. G. Helleberg. I have reached the medium through which I have been able to write so much in so short a time. I find her much troubled and disturbed and will not be able to say to you what I could if you were present as in former conditions, but remember what I have told you, my work in spirit life has only began, and I yet hope to say much to you and through this medium. All the changes that come to our friends in the form are not pleasant for them, but changes that come to us in our spirit home increases the happiness and joy that we dwell in, but not alone, for there is no real happiness that can be enjoyed alone, for we are united in love and harmony, and we are happy that the change called death does not sever the friendship formed in earth life. Progression is the highest ambition of all good spirits.“Man does not see or know the need of knowledge while in earth life, but when he enters real life and knows there is no turning backwards he feels forced by law of goodness to help all those who are yet in darkness; but, my friend, there are so many who are forgotten as soon as the spirit has left the form and believed to be dead by all they once held dear. I feel like repeating over and over again the joy I continually receive, being remembered by you who have opened the avenue for me to give and receive. Be assured that your reward will come and inscribed in bright, shining letters on a banner of truth—your work well done, good and faithful servant. Emil is present, and desires to send a few words to his papa and mamma. I know, my dear friend, how you missed the interview this morning you would have enjoyed so much; but be reconciled, they are more disturbed than our dear medium; but could she behold the bright spirits that stand in circle around her she would not despair. It will not be long till the way is cleared and we can draw nearer to communicate through her to you, and of every thorn comes a blessing, the severest cross is a crown to those who are willing to bear for the sake of truth and progression. I desire, my dear friend, to have these interviews repeated. Had there not been a kind, genial lady to sit for you to copy what was written I would not have been able to say this much in a strange place. I thank you, my young friend, for assistance and willingness on your part, and remember, though the act may seem small to you, it is worth gratitude from us, and you may rely upon an increase of spiritual influence to assist you. Accept this, my dear friend; I hope to say more again. Your most sincere friend in spirit life,

“Fredrika Ehrenborg.”