Famous Mediums, Part Two: Lenore E. Piper.
A medium who drew considerable attention in the late 19th century was Lenore E. Piper (1857-1950) of Boston. She exhibited what has now become identified as the classic mold of a trance medium who relinquishes conscious control to welcome the influence of an indwelling entity who displays strongly identifiable personality characteristics. Piper hosted several different entities who would come through her at different times. She was also capable of automatic writing.
Piper was investigated at some length by the famed Philosopher William James, Harvard Professor of Psychology, who later became president of the American branch of the Society for Psychical Research which was founded in England. After much initial skepticism, Professor James' examination of Mrs. Piper in 1885 finally concluded that she was undeniably genuine. James' wife, Alice, accompanied him on his first visit with Mrs. Piper and precautions were taken to insure that the medium was not aware of the history or even identities of either. James later explained, "My impression after the first visit was that Mrs. P. was either possessed of supernormal powers, or knew the members of my wife's family by sight and had by some lucky coincidence become acquainted with such a multitude of their domestic circumstances as to produce the startling impression which she did. My later knowledge of her sittings and personal acquaintance with her has led me absolutely to reject the latter explanation, and to believe that she had supernormal powers."
See Part One, Famous Mediums: Betty
~Linda
A medium who drew considerable attention in the late 19th century was Lenore E. Piper (1857-1950) of Boston. She exhibited what has now become identified as the classic mold of a trance medium who relinquishes conscious control to welcome the influence of an indwelling entity who displays strongly identifiable personality characteristics. Piper hosted several different entities who would come through her at different times. She was also capable of automatic writing.
Piper was investigated at some length by the famed Philosopher William James, Harvard Professor of Psychology, who later became president of the American branch of the Society for Psychical Research which was founded in England. After much initial skepticism, Professor James' examination of Mrs. Piper in 1885 finally concluded that she was undeniably genuine. James' wife, Alice, accompanied him on his first visit with Mrs. Piper and precautions were taken to insure that the medium was not aware of the history or even identities of either. James later explained, "My impression after the first visit was that Mrs. P. was either possessed of supernormal powers, or knew the members of my wife's family by sight and had by some lucky coincidence become acquainted with such a multitude of their domestic circumstances as to produce the startling impression which she did. My later knowledge of her sittings and personal acquaintance with her has led me absolutely to reject the latter explanation, and to believe that she had supernormal powers."
See Part One, Famous Mediums: Betty
~Linda
