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James Porter examines the spirit-rapping movement and related practices from the standpoint of a nineteenth-century Christian critic. Published in Boston in 1853, the pamphlet moves between scriptural interpretation, discussions of mesmerism and the public claims surrounding communications attributed to departed spirits.
Its chapters distinguish divine manifestations from other agencies before turning to clairvoyance and the writings of Andrew Jackson Davis. Porter then considers the credibility of spiritual knockings, whether they should be attributed to the dead and how the phenomena might otherwise be understood.
The final chapter gathers these arguments into a direct appeal to readers concerned about the religious implications of the movement. The work presents a concentrated example of the controversy surrounding early American spiritualism, combining theological reasoning with criticism of reported manifestations. The complete historical scan retains the original printed wrapper preserved near the end of the bound copy.