Séances in Washington: Abraham Lincoln and Spiritualism during the Civil War
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About this ebook
Did they actually hold séances in the Lincoln White House? Yes they did. This book is the first-hand account of the experiences of a Spiritualist medium in Washington during the Civil War.
Spiritualism was at its peak of popularity, and Nettie Colburn was a young woman from a modest family who through her gift of trance mediumship found herself mingling with the elite of Washington society, and ultimately helping to influence the course of U.S. history.
This book created tremendous controversy when it was originally published in 1891 under the title “Was Abraham Lincoln a Spiritualist? Curious Revelation from the Life of a Trance Medium.” However, there were enough credible witnesses to confirm her account of events that it could not be disputed.
In this book she describes:
- Specific séances and meetings with Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln in the White House from 1863 to 1865
- The horrors of war in an army hospital
- Her impressions of Abraham Lincoln the man
- How spirit advice influenced Abraham Lincoln’s decisions
This book has been revised and edited by Spiritualist minister Irene McGarvie and includes much of the original work along with background information and explanations of many of the events Nettie Colburn refers to, from the Fox sisters and the beginnings of the Spiritualist movement in the 1840’s, to physical phenomena such as table tipping, and the fraud allegations of the 1880’s.
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Séances in Washington - Irene McGarvie
Séances in Washington
Abraham Lincoln and Spiritualism during the Civil War
By Nettie Colburn Maynard
First Published in 1891 as Was Abraham Lincoln a Spiritualist?
Editing and Commentary by
Irene McGarvie
Smashwords Edition
Published by Ancient Wisdom Publishing on Smashwords
Copyright © 2011 by Irene McGarvie
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
ISBN 978-1-926826-29-5
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without written permission from the author, except for brief passages quoted in a review.
Published by Ancient Wisdom Publishing, a division of Nixon-Carre Ltd., Toronto, Ontario
www.learnancientwisdom.com
www.irenemcgarvie.com
Disclaimer: Nixon-Carre Ltd. does not participate in, endorse, or take any responsibility for any private business transactions between the author and the public. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information. It is sold with the understanding that the publishers are not engaged in rendering legal, medical or other professional advice. If medical or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. The information contained herein represents the experiences and opinions of the author, but the author is not responsible for the results of any action taken on the basis of information in this work, nor for any errors or omissions.
General Notice: Any product names used in this book are for identification purposes only and may be registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective owners. The author, Irene McGarvie, and the publisher, Ancient Wisdom Publishing (a division of Nixon-Carre Ltd.) disclaim any and all rights in those marks.
Table of Contents
Who was Nettie Colburn Maynard?
Author Preface
Chapter 1 - First Memories of Spirit Contact
Chapter 2 - Strange Physical Phenomena
Chapter 3 - My Career as a Lecturer Begins
Chapter 4 - Spiritualism and War
Chapter 5 - Gladness and Sadness
Chapter 6 - The First Meeting with Lincoln
Chapter 7 - Séance in Georgetown
Chapter 8 - Perilous Times
Chapter 9 - The Wounded and the Dying
Chapter 10 - The War Drags On
Chapter 11 - Spiritualism in Washington
Chapter 12 - Spirit Advice
Chapter 13 - More Visits to the White House
Chapter 14 - Until My Work is Done
Chapter 15 - The Man Lincoln
Chapter 16 - Final Thoughts
Other Books of Ancient Wisdom
Who Was Nettie Colburn Maynard?
Nettie Colburn has often been referred to as Abraham Lincoln’s favorite medium.
She was born Henrietta Colburn in 1841 in Connecticut. Her family was actively involved in the early days of the modern Spiritualist movement. As this book relates, she discovered her gift of trance mediumship as a young girl and soon began demonstrating this gift at Spiritualist meetings in the New England states.
This book describes how, shortly after the start of the Civil War, Nettie accepted a request to lecture about Spiritualism at a church in Baltimore. A peculiar series of events resulted in her becoming a guest of Washington society where she met Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, and began holding séances for them in the White House.
After the war Nettie married William E. Maynard, and the couple moved to White Plains, New York, where she lived until her death in 1892. Toward the end of her life she wrote this account of her experiences in Washington with the Lincolns.
This book created a controversy when it first came out in 1891. Robert Lincoln (Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln’s only surviving son) flatly denied that it was true. However Nettie had plenty of reliable witnesses willing to corroborate her account of her dealings with the Lincolns.
By the time her book came out Spiritualism was in decline due to numerous scandals and allegations of fraud among many of the celebrity mediums of the period. As a result, Nettie’s reputation has occasionally been smeared through association, but no evidence of any impropriety on her part has ever been proven. Prior to her marriage she earned a modest living at a regular job, and did not give séances in the White House for money.
What is missing from the original book?
This book contains the relevant chapters of the original book that pertain to Nettie’s experiences with the Lincolns during the Civil War years. What is missing is page after page of character references, examples of spirit inspired poetry, and descriptions of other incidents that are not relevant to the topic of this updated version of her book.
What have I added to this book?
In the ‘Editor’s Notes’ I have attempted to add some explanations and historical references to help today’s readers understand the situations and events discussed in the book.
Irene McGarvie
September, 2009
Author’s Preface
School privileges were denied me through protracted illness in childhood, and home training did not prepare me for authorship; therefore, I beg the indulgence of my readers.
The earnest solicitations of friends that I should place on record the important events in my experience as a medium led me to complete these papers in which, if they have no other merit, are related facts that can be verified by living witnesses. There may be some slight inaccuracy in dates, as the more prominent events occurred many years ago; but the circumstances as stated are correctly recorded.
Let it be distinctly understood that no claim is made that all persons named in connection with my mediumistic experiences in the White House at Washington, or elsewhere in the several circles of that city, were Spiritualists. I never asked, nor was told their views on the subject of Spiritualism. We met with consideration and kindness wherever invited, and were offered the same welcome and courteous attention extended to the other guests.
Comparatively few of the séances with the President are given, as a number took place with Mrs. Lincoln alone as witness. I was not told of the revelations then made, for when in a trance state, I am unconscious and have no knowledge of what transpires or what I have said. But those recorded demonstrate that this great and good man did not hesitate to receive and weigh any suggestions for guidance, when given intelligently, however humble their apparent origin.
From the time that the gift of mediumship was developed and I became conscious of spirit life, the messengers have never failed in guiding and guarding me under all circumstances. They have advised and directed me in worldly as well as spiritual matters, and in heeding their counsel it has always been well with me.
Of the power, beauty, and intelligence of these unseen guides, who led me, an unlettered girl, from the quiet home circle to the jubilee platform as a religious teacher, and thence through strange and varied experiences, to become the honored guest of the ruler of our great nation, during the most memorable events in its history, I have given no adequate evidence in these pages.
Looking back over my life, it is a source of undying joy to recall the scenes where I have been the instrument in the hands of the spirit world to carry health to the sick and peace to the sorrowing, and to kindle the light of hope where reigned the darkness of despair. It brings me that peace that passeth understanding, to remember that by the aid of this precious gift I have brought comfort to the bedside of the dying, and more than once have stayed the suicidal hand; while many souls wandering in the paths of sinfulness have been reclaimed and brought back to a life of virtue and honor. It is also gratifying that the ties of friendship formed in many households, twenty-five or thirty years ago, are still unbroken.
That the memory of my work as a spirit medium is tenderly cherished, and is proven by the letters of kind sympathy that I so frequently receive; but sweeter far than all these memories is the ministry of angels to me in my helplessness and suffering as I now lie upon a bed from which I may not hope to rise in this life. The spirit of my dear mother comes and goes before my spiritual vision as plainly as she appeared to my mortal eyes when living. And I find strength and comfort from the dear ones who wait unseen by my side until I can in truth say, ‘death’ has lost its ‘sting’ and ‘grave’ its ‘victory.’
I thank God that this spirit knowledge is spreading broadcast through all lands; that mediums with more perfect gifts than mine are developing each day, to carry to all who will receive glad tidings of a demonstrated immortality.
Nettie Colburn Maynard
White Plains, New York,
September, 1891.
"That I am not a member of any Christian Church, is true; but I have never denied the truth of the Scriptures; and I have never spoken with intentional disrespect of religion in general, or of any denomination of Christians in particular."
Abraham Lincoln
Response to charges of ‘Infidelity’July 31, 1846
Chapter 1: First Memories of Spirit Contact
Unexplained noises
One evening in the winter of 1845, in the town of Bolton, Conn., where my father’s family resided, we were sitting about the large old-fashioned kitchen-table, which was lighted by means of oil lamps, in common use by all country people in those days.
The room was a large square one, having in one corner a door, which led to the rooms above, its only fastening an iron latch, which held it in place.
While the murmur of conversation was going on, we were suddenly startled by a sound which resembled the noise produced by hurling a heavy log down the stairway against the door here mentioned. There was no mistaking the locality, as the sound was sufficiently loud to shatter the door, which it would have done had it been caused by means which the noise indicated, and by any object capable of making so crashing a sound.
Not one of the half-dozen persons seated at the table moved for some few seconds following; their startled, white faces testifying to their consternation. Before anyone had spoken the sound was repeated with equal force, and seemed to jar the entire room. This time, my mother, who was a fearless woman under ordinary circumstances, pale and trembling, took up a lamp to investigate the matter. She had scarcely risen, with face towards the door, when the noise was repeated for the third