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Show WAS LIXCOLX A SPIRITUALIST? A Well Known Medium Tells of Seances the Martyred President Attended. White Plains, N. Y., Oct. 19. A book entitled "Abraham Lincoln as a Spiritualist," by Mrs. Nettie Colburn-Mayna'd of this city, makes some startling declarations regarding re-garding Mr. Lincoln's belief in supernatural communications. She states that in the latter part of 1S62, when 6he was a young j girl and had some reputation as a medium, she was in Washington and became acquainted acquaint-ed with Mrs. Lincoln and a number of other prominent persons whoattendedher seances. Mrs. Lincoln induced the President to attend at-tend one of her seances, and on that occasion he wad warned by the unconsious medium not to postpone the issuance of the emancipation emanci-pation proclamation. Those present were surprised, asking Loneoln if any pressure had been brought to bear to secure a deferment defer-ment of the proclamation. He replied that there had been pressure of the strongest kiud, but was much impressed bv the incident, inci-dent, and shortly after he issued "the proclamation. procla-mation. Mr. Lincoln obtained a clerkship for Miss Colburn, and the latter remained in .Washington, .Wash-ington, frequently giving seances. The following February Lincoln was again present pres-ent at a seance, and the spirit through her told the company that a precarious condition of things prevailed in the armv at the front, threatening its usefulness. The President said: "You seem to understand the situation. situ-ation. Can you point out the remedy?"' The Spirit advised him to personally go to the front w ith his family, going among the soldiers, inquiring into their grievances, and showing them that he was the father of his people. Lincoln said that he would do as advised and soon did so with cood results. At the seance Lincoln, H. D. Somer, con- fressman from Maine. Colonel S. P. Kane of hiladelphia and others sat upon a piano, which notwithstanding their weight, was moved by the spirits. When asked what he thought of the affair Lincoln was reticient, but stated freely that he had not supposed that the things communicated commu-nicated by the spirits were known to any one miti cimsen. ine next time the medium met Lincoln w as on the day of the battle of Chancellorsville. The president was very anxious and at the. suggestion of Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Colburn was invited and received re-ceived word from spirit land. It was to the effact that the L'nion forces were holding their own. Next day this was confirmed by official advices. Ia the winter of '63-4 at a seance the terrible terri-ble condition of the freedmen was made the subject of a communication in which the president was urged to appoint a com-mitteeJto com-mitteeJto investigate the question, which he soU did. Sickles was present at the seanc. Mrs Maynard states that during the winter there tvere held many private seances, at which the president and wife were the only visitors, but that as she was unconscious at the time of the spirit communication and neither of the auditors ever tld her what occurred, she can give no information regarding re-garding that. During the winter of 1SS4-5, Charles Colchester Col-chester and Charles Foster, two well-known mediums, held a seance for Lincoln, and through them, as well as her, Lincoln was warned of his approaching fate. He. did not admit, however, that he placed reliance on thee prophecies. The writer of the book, who is now the wife of William Porter Maynard, also gives many interesting reminiscenes of Lincoln iu general,whichshe had many opportunities of observing. |