iefly instrumental in perpetrating the fraud of
Spiritualism upon a too confiding public, most of you doubtless know.

"The greatest sorrow of my life has been that this is true, and though it
has come late in my day, I am now prepared to tell the truth, the whole
truth and nothing but the truth,--so help me God!

"There are probably many here who will scorn me for the deception I have
practiced, yet did they know the true history of my unhappy past, the
living agony and shame that it has been to me, they would pity, not
reproach.

"The imposition which I have so long maintained began in my early
childhood, when, with character and mind still unformed, I was unable to
distinguish between right and wrong.

"I repented it in my maturity. I have lived through years of silence,
through intimidation, scorn and bitter adversity, concealing as best I
might, the consciousness of my guilt. Now, thanks to God and my awakened
conscience, I am at last able to reveal the fatal truth, the exact truth
of this hideous fraud which has withered so many hearts and has blighted
so many hopeful lives.

"I am here to-night as one of the founders of Spiritualism, to denounce it
as an absolute falsehood from beginning to end, as the flimsiest of
superstitions, the most wicked blasphemy known to the world.

"I ask only your kind attention and forgiveness, and as I may prove myself
worthy by the step I am now taking, may you extend to me your helping
hands and sustain me in the better path I have chosen."

The demonstration of the method by which the "rappings" were produced was
a perfect success, as is best shown by the following succinct account,
which formed a part of the article on the subject published by the New
York _World_ on the following morning:

A plain wooden stool or table, resting upon four short legs, and
having the properties of a sounding board, was placed in front of
her. Removing her shoe, she placed her right foot upon this table.
The entire house became breathlessly still, and was rewarded by a
number of little short, sharp raps--those mysterious sounds which
have for more than forty years frightened and bewildered hundreds of
thousands of people in this country and Europe. A committee,
consisting of three physicians taken from the audience, then ascended
to the stage, and having made an examination of her foot during the
progress of the "rappings," unhesitatingly ag