Spiritualism - Volume 1

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 1 includes detailed introductions by both authors explaining their experience with spiritualism which are followed by the letters from two spirits – nicknamed Sweedenborg and Bacon – who communicated their thoughts through Dexter.