Tampering with the Paranormal
Record of a Live Seance

Dr. Marcus Bach was one of the first paranormal activists to record an actual seance. Dr. Bach records one more confrontation and see us which certainly bears close study and analysis because it was of closely personal nature. He described it this way:

I was making minute mental notations of all that was happening-the hovering, swaying motion of the spiritists, the rhythm of life, like the rise and fall of a tie, as many as four speaking simultaneously in whispered voices, excited, hurried persuasive. Suddenly the galaxy of spirits melted away. For a long still moments nothing happened. Then the swirling ectoplasmic effluvia glowed from the floor and quickly took on the form of a girl. Before the figure was complete, it spoke.

"Marc, dear-Marc, dear-Marc, dear."

Those who know me well call me Marc; those who know me better call me Marc, dear, so I knew this must be a familiar spirit! I got up and walked over until there was a space of less than 4 feet between us. "Yes I said who are you?"

The answer was fraught with disappointment. "Don't you know me?

I did not. I had no idea who this might be. I had really been much to absorb to think very much about personal contact with the spirits.... Nor did I propose to offer any hints of whom I thought she might represent. No leads, I determined.

"I do not know you. Who are you?"

"Paula," came the soft answer.

The name is soft manner in which it was under drop the sudden unfolding of a forgotten drama. 20 years ago my sister Paula had died at the age of 23. Her child Janette had died shortly before. These deaths had been among the deep sorrows of our family, but time and travel reduced the past into forgetfulness. No medium or spirit had plucked this name out of my mind because I wasn't thinking of Paula. I had not thought of her even once during a séance.

I looked at the presence before me closely.
"How do I look?", She asked.
"You look fine," I replied.
"Right height?" She whispered.
"Do you think I should be taller?"
"No. You are about the right height I remember."
"I wanted to do a good job," she told me earnestly. "Do I look all right?"

"Yes, I assured her", recalling that once. Materialization is at the spirit takes the ectoplasmic fashions according to his memory the human form which closed it on hers. Did this form in these features resemble Paula I must admit they did. Very much. The outline of the figure was recognizable and convincing it was like a false front, a flat, two-dimensional body with a semblance of arms clothes and a shadowy gray white film, the face, was typically mask-like, with strikingly reminiscent. There was no illusion of long blond hair. I cannot say whether the voice was Paula or not. After 20 years I would not remember. Just now, however, it was Paula returned.

But why shouldn't it be, I asked myself as I stood there. The spiritualists at Chesterfield knew I was coming. If, as some people say, they have a well laid system of espionage they could easily have traced my family and to Paula's description. If this was someone dressed up, playacting, if this was a marionette using the voice of a ventriloquist, naturally it would be constructed as to represent Paula. This thought haunted me more than the presents. I wished I could convince myself some way. The impulse to reach out and touch the figure became stronger. I moved closer. I moved slightly to one side so that the red light would strike the spirit space more directly. We were about 3 feet apart now. Paula was talking about life in the Spirit world. I was asking hasty questions: have you seen Jesus washing Mark was heaven really like? What about the element of time? Can you be everywhere at once? Our terms like Methodists, Reformed, Presbyterian, Catholic ever use where you are?

Her voice seemed to laugh. She answered, no, no, to all questions save the one about heaven. It was like speaking to a living person secretly, clandestinely, knowing that time was running out. Her features seem to become clearer. Perhaps it was my mind playing tricks.

Another thought came to me.

"Paula," I said, "do you remember the catechism we learned at home?"
"Of course!"
"Paula, do you remember the first question in the catechism?"
"I remember."
"What was it?" I asked that almost fearfully.
The answer came at once, "what is your chief comfort in life and in death?"
"Go on," I urge.
"That high, with body and soul. Both in life and in death I am not my own-"
she erupted herself. "Here words have greater significance and meaning!"

Then quickly, breathlessly, she told me that, "serving God means personal development. Life on the spirit plane is involvement. Like the breaking of a chrysalis. I just sent in a spiral. Like the growth of moral affection to higher and higher heavens."

Several times she interrupted herself with, "Do you understand?" "Is that clear?" As if she felt her message was vital, all absorbing. Death, she insisted, was not a violent result of of sin. It had no staying. It was neither friend nor enemy. It was part of the divine purpose, a purpose without beginning or end.

The whispering grew fainter. "I can no longer stay. I must go now."
"Paula, one more thing. Can you put your arms around me?"
"I'll give you a kiss, said. Come closer."

"You come close to me." I want her to come nearer the red light. Her face was luminous, seemingly transparent, and without depth. I leaned forward and lowered my head. The web like texture of ectoplasmic arms encircled my neck. Something soft and flaxen brushed my four head. Then Paula vanish-into the floor, it seemed. I walked back to my chair and sat down... the séance was over.

The occult is real. Things really do "go bump in the night". Christians must be wary of the realities of the occult and the paranormal, recognize their source and choose to completely avoid participating in them. Many of us would never attend a seance because we know better. However, what other ways do you see the occult and the paranormal trying to worm its way into your life through popular culture. This is a question worth examining.