The Epworth Phenomena | Page 6

upon whom it dropped; also whether "spirit-music" "was a real
modulation of the air." Evidently he was trying hard to find out exactly
how much objectivity there was in the phenomena.
In several cases his narratives are in line with modern findings, as in
the case of the clairvoyant scryer, who used a looking-glass and
apparently described a murder accurately. But the scryer was a young
boy, and therefore perhaps naughty, like. Mr. Podmore's little girls, so
we cannot accept him entirely at his own valuation. Indeed Wesley
himself, while not dismissing the story, shows a Wisely non-committal
attitude. But there are cases of crystal - gazing on record which are
equally extraordinary, and the account may be true enough. I know of
some unpublished cases which are even more extraordinary, two of the
scryers (personally known to me, and far from being "mediums")
seeing the same thing at the same time in the crystal. Collective
hallucination, perhaps. But the thing seen was true. I do not understand
this, and am hardly prepared to say that I believe it; though in any
ordinary matter I should accept the word of these two men without
hesitation. But, as John Wesley says, "What is it which I do
comprehend, even of the things which I see daily? Truly not
"'The smallest grain of sand nor spire of grass,"'
and incomprehensibility therefore is no logical ground for disbelief.
Psychologically, it is; for we must know the modus, or, in other words,
must link up the new facts with others already accepted. And this is
now coming about, through the work of many investigators. Myers said
that in Consequence, of the corroborations of psychical research,
everyone a century hence will believe in the Resurrection of Christ;

whereas, without those corroborations, a century hence no one would
have believed it. It may be that something of the sort way be true with
regard to many now only half-believed historical narratives of the kind
presented in this volume.
J. ARTHUR HILL.

THE EPWORTH PHENOMENA
FOREWORD
Most if not all of Wesley's biographers agree that what has come
generally to be known as "The Epworth Case" is one of the best
authenticated and related instances of supernormal happenings in the
history of psychical research. Even Mr. Frank Podmore admits that
"this is at once the most fully authenticated case in the literature of the
subject and the most instructive for those that read with understanding";
and in Dr Fitchett's opinion "the evidence, if it were given in a court of
law, and in a trial for murder, would suffice to hang any man."
Although in Professor Winchester's opinion the family were naturally
somewhat too ready to ascribe the happenings to supernatural agency,
yet he admits that it is difficult to explain the phenomena attested by so
many trustworthy persons, and extending over so long a period, by the
hypothesis of pure hallucination or by trickery. There seems to be only
one defect in the evidence-the absence of any direct testimony from
Miss Hetty Wesley, who seemingly played such a prominent part in the
manifestations. In Letter XII Miss Susannah Wesley distinctly states
that her "sisters Emilia and Hetty write so particularly about it." A
lengthy letter from Emilia (Letter XI) immediately precedes this
communication, but there is no letter in the whole series from Hetty. It
does not seem probable that so careful and methodical a man as John
Wesley would have mislaid any communication from this sister, or, if
he had done so, have failed to draw attention to the fact. There,
however, the omission must remain without explanation.

The Epworth incident had, undoubtedly, a great influence upon John
Wesley, and may have been, as Canon Overton believes, "to some
extent answerable for a marked feature of Wesley's character-his love
of the marvellous, and his intense belief in the reality of apparitions and
of witchcraft." It may have stimulated this love of the marvellous,
which seems to be shared in a greater or lesser degree by the whole of
the human family, but it did not engender it, for, as a casual observation
of the document will prove, it was already implanted. And although
Coleridge discovered in the Wesley family "an angry and damnatory
predetermination" to believe in the ghost-certainly an erroneous
judgment-yet it cannot be claimed for Wesley that he was more
credulous, or even as credulous, as Samuel Johnson, who would make
an appointment to meet a ghost in the crypt of St Sepulchre's Church.
We have it on record that Dr Johnson was angry Hwith John Wesley
for not following up the scent of a ghost story with proper spirit and
perseverance. Coleridge's contention that "the noises were purely
subjective, and partook of the nature of a contagious nervous disease,"
may perhaps be described