The Bell Witch: The Full Account (34 page)

effect that Alex Porter was a good shot and had

broken the arm of “Jerusalem.” Another of Kate’s

demon-like characteristics was her ability to tell of

the past and the future.

When a visitor entered the Bell home, Kate often

spoke up and told everyone about the person’s past,

especially if it was of an embarrassing nature. Kate

was also able to predict the effects of an approaching

storm in enough time to lead Elizabeth Bell and her

friends to safety while horseback riding near the Red

River. During her return-visit of 1828, she predicted

the Civil War and other major events as she engaged

254 P A T

F I T Z H U G H

John Bell, Jr. in a series of long conversations.

It would be easy to conclude that Kate was part

poltergeist and part demon; however, such a

conclusion would be unfounded because many of

Kate’s demonstrations fell outside the realm of

poltergeist and demonic activity. In addition to her

ability to be at two places simultaneously, Kate

possessed considerable intelligence and the ability to

speak of civilizations that existed millions of years

ago. In addition, she would on occasion aid the sick.

These characteristics transcend those of

poltergeist and demonic entities, and give us a solid

reason to explore the most elite, remarkable, and

difficult to comprehend supernatural entity of all: the

Spirit
.

Spirits

The term
Spirit
is very difficult to comprehend

because it carries many different and often

conflicting connotations. For the purpose of this

book, a
Spirit
is a self-aware being, good, or evil,

which lacks a physical body.

The premise from which much spiritual theory is

derived suggests that there are two general elements

in the universe – the
intelligent
element and the

material
element, and that Spirits are the

individualization of the intelligent element and bodies

are the individualization of the material element.

This premise can be taken further in that the

universe is widely believed to possess three modes of

substantiality – soul, force, and matter. While the

two former modes are non-material substances, the

term
matter
is restricted to the element from which

bodies are formed; i.e., the material element.

Although Spirit and matter are distinct entities,

the union of Spirit and matter is necessary to give

THE BELL WITCH: THE FULL ACCOUNT

255

intelligent activity to matter. The Spirit and material

worlds are independent; however, they continually

react upon each other.

A Spirit can assume any form it chooses,

manifesting itself in dreams and/or a state of

consciousness, and can even assimilate a tangible

form. Spirits are everywhere and can move at the

speed of thought. The soul thinks; and as such,

wherever thought is, so is the soul.

Spirits progress and mature over time, just as

beings in the material world do. Unlike the material

world, where such things as physical stature,

intelligence, and attitude measure maturity, spiritual

maturity is based on
purity
.

The purity levels of Spirits can be unscientifically

reduced to three, principal orders. These orders are

indicative of the Spirit’s purity based upon an

imaginary “ladder of progression” that takes into

account the qualities that Spirits have acquired over

time and the imperfections from which they must

free themselves.

The levels of Spiritual progression are broadly

classified as
orders
. Each
order
is further broken

down into
subclasses
.
Subclasses
are continuous in

that their numbering is independent from the

numbering of
orders
. With regard to numbering the

Spiritual orders and subclasses, low numbers

represent high orders, and high numbers represent

low orders. The number “one” denotes absolute

perfection, whereas the number “ten” denotes

absolute imperfection.

Figure 3
on the following page illustrates the

orders of Spiritual progression and the subclasses

that comprise them.

256 P A T

F I T Z H U G H

Order Characteristics

Imperfection. Propensity for evil, ignorance, pride,

Third Order

and selfishness. Intelligence is often married with

malice, and sentiments are, for the most part,

abject.

Spirit besets those whose characters are weak

Subclass 10

enough to lead them to yield to their lure, and

whom they draw away from the path of progress to

impede their advancement.

Reply to every question without paying any

attention to truth; delight in causing annoyances,

Subclass 9

raise false hopes of joy, and mislead people by

mystification and trickery. Typically servants under

the orders of Spirits of a higher category.

Statements contain a mixture of truths and

Subclass 8

falsehoods. The Spirit feels smarter than it really

is.

Subclass 7

Spirit is in a state of confusion between good and

evil; strongly attached to the material world.

Spirit often manifests its presence by raps, the

movement of solid bodies, loud noises, agitation of

Subclass 6

the air, etc., much like a poltergeist. This is the

transitional stage between the third and second

orders.

Good Spirit. More attuned to the incorporeal

Second Order

(Spirit) world; desire to further journey to

excellence. Sometimes bad; however

characteristics of this order are positive in general.

Spirit enjoys rendering services for and protecting

Subclass 5

people. Actions based more so on morality than

intelligence.

Subclass 4

Spirit is interested in learning; less attuned to the

emotional passions of Spirits at lower ranks.

Spirit has developed an intellectual capacity that

Subclass 3

enables it to judge correctly; possess elevated

moral qualities.

Superiority in knowledge renders the Spirit more

apt than any others to impart to us ideas pertaining

Subclass 2

to the incorporeal (Spirit) world, within the limits of

the knowledge permitted to humankind. The Spirit

willingly enters into communication with those who

seek truth in simplicity and sincerity.

THE BELL WITCH: THE FULL ACCOUNT

257

First Order

Perfection. The Spirit enters a life of eternity in the

presence of the Holy Creator.

Figure 3: The Orders of Spiritual Progression

One can easily see by looking at Figure 3 that Kate

possessed a number of Spiritual characteristics

covering both the Third and Second Orders. One will

also notice that poltergeist-like activity matches

almost identically to subclass 6, which is the

transition between the Third and Second Orders.

While this suggests that poltergeists are actually

Spirits of the 6th subclass by virtue of being the

subset of a Spiritual order, one must still keep in

mind that not all Spirits are poltergeists, however.

Many of Kate’s characteristics fall within other

Spiritual orders.

Another popular term used to describe Kate, and

how the legend got its popular name, is the word,

“witch.” When Reverend James Gunn asked her who

she was and what she wanted, she replied, “I am

nothing more than old Kate Batts’ witch…” hence the

nickname, “Kate,” and the description, “witch.” The

author does not believe that Kate was a “witch.” To

understand why, a discussion of magic and

witchcraft is in order.

Magic and Witchcraft

The roots of magic come from the Celts, a people

living between 700 BC and 100 AD. Believed to be

descendants of Indo-Europeans, the Celts were a

brilliant and dynamic people – gifted artists,

musicians, storytellers, metalworkers, expert

farmers, and fierce warriors. They were much feared

by their adversaries, the Romans, who eventually

adopted a number of their customs and traditions.

The Celts were a deeply Spiritual people who

258 P A T

F I T Z H U G H

worshiped both a god and goddess. Their religion

was
pantheistic
, meaning they worshiped many

aspects of the “One Creative Life Source” and

honored the presence of the “Divine Creator” in all of

nature. Like many tribes the world over, they

believed in reincarnation. After death, they went to

the
Summerland
for rest and renewal while awaiting

rebirth.

The months of the Celtic year were named after

trees. The Celtic New Year began at
Samhain
, which

means “summers end,” and was the final harvest of

the year. This was also their “Festival of the Dead,”

where they honored their ancestors and deceased

loved ones. Many contemporary Halloween customs

come from Samhain.

Next on the wheel of the Celtic year was the
Winter

Solstice
, celebrating the annual rebirth of the Sun.

Our Christmas customs today are similar to this

ancient celebration. Around the beginning of

February came
Imbolg
, a time when domesticated

animals began to give birth.

The
Spring Equinox
and
Beltaine
, sometimes called

“May Day,” were fertility festivals. The
Summer

Solstice
, known as
Lughnassa
, celebrated the glory of

the Sun and the powers of nature. Lughnassa, the

Fall Equinox, and Samhain, were considered as

Celtic harvest festivals.

The Druids were the priests of the Celtic religion.

They remained in power through the fourth century

AD, three centuries after the Celts’ defeat at the

hands of the Romans. The Druids were priests,

teachers, judges, astrologers, healers, and bards.

They became indispensable to the political leaders,

giving them considerable power and influence. They

were peacemakers, and were able to pass from one

warring tribe to another unharmed. It took twenty

years of intense study to become a Druid.

THE BELL WITCH: THE FULL ACCOUNT

259

Translated, the word
Druid
means, “knowing the

oak tree.” Trees, the oaks in particular, were held as

being sacred by the Celts. Mistletoe, which grows as

a parasite on oak trees, was a powerful herb used in

their ceremonies and for healing. It was ritually

harvested at the Summer Solstice by cutting it with a

golden sickle and catching it with a white cloth while

never letting it fall to the ground.

The religious beliefs and practices of the Celts grew

into what later became known as
Paganism
, not to be

confused with the term
Neo-Paganism
, which is

beyond the scope of this writing. The word
Pagan
is

derived from the Latin word
Paganus
, meaning

“country dweller.” This outgrowth was consistent

with the Celts’ love for the land and their holding

such things as the oak tree and mistletoe sacred.

Pagan beliefs and
rituals blended with those of

other Indo-European descended groups, and over

several centuries spawned such practices as

concocting potions and ointments, casting spells,

and performing works of magic. These practices,

along with many of the nature-based beliefs held by

the Celts and other groups, became collectively

known
witchcraft
.

The word
witch
, which means to “twist or bend,”

has its origin in the ancient, Anglo-Saxon word

Wicca
, which is derived from the word
wicce
, which

means, “wise.” The word
witch
is also related to the

German word,
weihen
, which means, “to consecrate

or bless.” 52

Some say that the origins of the
witch
date back

thousands of years, to the days when the goddess

was worshiped and humanity had great reverence for

the powers of nature and for women as creators of

new life. In the “New Age” philosophy, this relates to

52 Shipley, Joseph T.,
Dictionary of Word Origins
.

260 P A T

F I T Z H U G H

the concept of
Gaia
, or “Mother Earth,” which views

planet earth as essentially a living being.

Prior to the 14th Century, witchcraft came to mean

a collection of beliefs and practices including healing

through spells, mixing ointments or concoctions,

dabbling in the supernatural (doing magic), divining

or forecasting the future, and engaging in

clairvoyance. Groups holding to other beliefs and