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+The Spiritualist.
+
+
+No. 7.
+VoL. I.
+
+
+LONDON: TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 1870,
+
+
+Published on the 15th of every
+Month; Price Threepenee
+
+
+A RECORD OF THE PROGRESS OF THE SCIENCE AND ETHICS OF SPIRITUALISM
+
+
+THE HANDLING OF RED-HOT COALS UNDER
+SPIRIT INFLUENCE
+
+
+On one occasion, in the presence of four other wit -
+nesses, we saw the remarkable manifestation, so often
+mentioned in the journals devoted to Spiritualism, of
+the handling of red-hot coals by Mr. D. D. Home while
+he was in the trance state. The fire was a large one.
+He turned over the coals quietly with his hands, and
+then selecting one half as big again as an egg, he
+resumed his seat at the circle, held the red-hot coal on
+the palm of his bare hand over the table, and sat talk
+ing to those present till the coal was black, and nearly
+cold. At a guess, the time he held the coal thus, one
+short interval of half a minute exeepted, was about four
+minutes. He then dropped it into the fender, put his
+hand into the fire again, and seleeted tho largest coal
+in it. This eoal nearly eovered tho palm of his hand
+with its base, and it stood six or seven inches high
+something like an irregular pyramid. As he walked
+about the room, with this coal on the bare palm of one
+hand, the coal was so brightly heated, that at first it
+threw a ruddy glow upon the walls of the room ; and
+when he resumed his seat, and held it over the table as
+before, the heat it emitted was felt upon the faces o
+the members of the cirele. This coal he held thus for
+more than fivo minutes, giving trance communication
+all the time.
+The first eoal, while upon Mr. Home’s hand, was too
+hot to be laid hold of by those members of the circle
+who tried to take it at the request of the spirit speaking
+through the medium. He then remarked that one
+lady present had a portion of the same mediumistic
+power ; placing the hot coal upon her hand, he allowed
+it to remain there about half a minute, and nothing
+but a sensation of gentle warmth was felt. While this
+coal was still red, he curved his other hand close over
+the top of it, and the coal could be seen glowing
+through the spaces between his fingers; while he held
+it thus enclosed, he brought his hands before the eyes
+of oue or two witnesses in succession, that they might
+elearly examine it glowing between his fingers. While
+this was being done his hands were, of course, exposed
+to the full heat due to contact, radiation, and conveetion
+eurrents. Some other remarkable manifestations took
+place at this séance, and after it was over, when Mr.
+Home was in his normal state, in reply to a question,
+he said that the spirits tell him that while he handles
+red-hot coals, they send a current of some of the forces
+under their eontrol down his arms and hands in such
+way as to prevent injury from heat. This séance took
+place at the residence of Mr. C. F. Varley, C.E.; but
+Mr. Varley was on the continent at the time
+In the evidence given by Mr. H. D. Jencken, F.R.G.S.,
+before the Dialectical Society, it will be remembered that
+he deposed that he had seen Mr. Home plaee his face on
+the top of a coal-fire, in such a way that the flame
+played between his locks of hair, but that no injury or
+pain resulted.
+The Banner of Light, of the fifth of last month, cor
+tains the following statement by Lord Adare, about the
+faets witnessed at a séance held at the house of Mrs.
+Hennings, at Norwood
+“He (Mr. Home) went to the fire, poked up th¬
+coals, and putting his hand in, drew out a hot burnin
+ember, about the size of an orange; this he carried
+about the room as if to show it to the spirits (who, he
+said, were present), and then brought it to us; we
+all examined it. He then put it back in the fire and
+showed us his hands; they were not in the leas
+blaekened or seorched, neither did they smell of fire, but
+on the contrary of a sweet scent, which ho threw off
+from his fingers at us across the table. Having ap¬
+parently spoken to some spirits, he went back to the
+fire, and with his hand stirred the embers into a flame;
+then kneeling down, he placed his face right among the
+burning coals, moving it about as though bathing it in
+water. Then, getting up, he held his finger for sonie
+time in the flame of a eandle. Presently he took the
+same lump of coal he had previously handled and came
+over to us, blowing upon it to make it brighter. He
+then walked slowly round the table, and said, I want
+to see which of you will be the best subject. Ah!
+Adare will be the easiest, because he has been the most
+with Dan.' Mr. Jencken held out his hand, saving,
+“Put it in mine.' Home said, No, no; touch it and
+Ho touched it with the tip of his finger and
+
+
+burned himself. Home then held it within four or five
+inches of Mr. Saul's and Mr. Hurt's hands, and the
+eould not endure the heat. He eame to me and said,
+Now if you are not afraid, hold out your hand.
+I did
+so, and having made two rapid passes over my hand, lie
+plaeed the coal on it. I must have held it for half a
+minute—long enough to have burned my hand fearfully;
+the coal felt scarcely warm. Home then took it away,
+laughed, and seemed mueh pleased. As he was going
+back to the fire-place, he suddenly turned round and
+said, "Why, just fancy, some of them think that onl
+one side of tho ember was hot.” He told mo to make a
+hollow of both of my hands; I did so, and he plaeed
+the coal in them, and then put both his on top of the
+coal, so that it was completely eovered by our four
+hands, and we held it there for some time. Upon this
+occasion scarcely any heat at all could be perccived
+Again at Ashley-house, after the measured elon
+gation of Mr. Home’s arms, Lord Adare says:
+"Walking over to the fire-place Home took from thence
+with his hand a red-hot glowing ember about the size
+of a small orange. Mrs. G. (the names are given in
+full, but I omit those of persons unknown to me, and
+who might object to publicity) became nervous, fearing
+that he would request her to take it. He, however
+went to Miss D., and said, “Now, if you have sufficient
+faith, let me plaee this eoal in your hand"
+She
+replied, "I havo faith, but I eannot overcome the
+physical dread; pray do not ask me to take it.' Home
+then placed it on the Master of Lindsay’s head, but
+immediately took it, crushed it in his hand, and threw
+it away, because it had beeome blaek. But presently
+he took another red-hot ember from the fire, and hold-
+ing it in his hand, spoke a few words to Miss D. on the
+subject of faith. Sho held out her hand, and he placed
+the coal in it. Miss D. was not in the least burned,
+and said it felt rather cold, like marble. After allowing
+it to remain a few seconds, Homo took the coal and
+requested Miss D. to touch it ; she placed her fingers
+near it, but withdrew them immediately, saying that it
+burned her. He then placed it in Mr. B.’s hand.” Earl
+Dunraven adds in a note : “ I am informed by Miss D.
+and the Master of Lindsay, that Lord Adare has omittec
+to state that Mr. Home put this coal between his coat
+and shirt, under the arm, and that no mark of singeing
+or burning was visible on the shirt."
+The Countess M. de Pomar writes to Lord Dur
+—s, at
+raven an aceount of a séance held at Lady
+Brighton, in which she says: “ Mr. Home went to the
+fire and took out a large red-hot mass of coal, which ho
+held in his extended hands and blew upon it to keep it
+alight. He walked up and down the room with it ;
+and wauted to put it in her
+then went to Lady
+hands, but she drew back. He then said: “No, you
+must not have it, for you have no faith; it will burn
+you.' Lady G. extended her hands, saying: I wil
+take it without fear, for I have faith.” Mr. Home then
+placed the burning mass in her hands, and she did no
+feel it at all hot, although she held it for at least one
+minute. It was afterward put on a sheet of paper
+which directly began to blaze, and had a great hole
+burned in it"
+This matter, says the Banner of Light, is of such ex
+ceeding interest to men of science, as well as inquirers
+into the marvellous, that we copy entire some more
+testimony—a letter from the well known authoress,
+Mrs. S. C. Hall, to the Earl of Dunraven
+“ 15, Ashley place, July 5, 1869
+“ DEAR LORD DUNRAVEN,—You have requested me to
+recall the circumstances of a séance that took plaeo here
+several weeks ago. I have much pleasure in doing so;
+but I never take notes. I am, however, certain of the
+facts, though I shall not be able to placo them in the
+order in which they occurred
+"We were nine (a greater number than Mr. Hom
+likes) ; we were seated round the table, as usual, in the
+small drawing-room, which communicates with a much
+larger room ; the folding-doors were pushed back into
+the wall, and the portiers unclosed. I think there was
+one lamp burning over the table, and a very large fire
+twas blazing away in the largo room. I know that there
+was a great deal of light. The Master of Lindsay, Rev
+Mr. Y. and his wife, Mr. Hall and myself, Mr. Home
+and the Misses Bertojacci were present. We sat for
+some little time before tho tremulous motion, that se
+frequently indicates stronger manifestations, commenced
+
+
+but it was quiekly followed by raps, not only on the
+table, but in different parts of the room; the table was
+moved up and down—lifted perfeetly off the ground
+made 'light' and' heavy' at the request of one or tw
+of the gentlemen present; and, after the lapse of, I
+suppose, nearly an hour, Mr. Home went into a trance
+Presently he pushed his chair, or the chair was pushed
+quite away from the table. He got up, walked abou
+the room in his usual manner; went to the fire-place
+half knelt on tho fender stool; took up the poker and
+poked the fire, which was like a red-hot furnace, so as
+to increase the heat; held his hands over the fire fo-
+some time, and finally drew out of tho fire with hi
+hand a large lump of live burning coal, so large that he
+held it in both hands, as he came from the fire place in
+the large room into the small room, where, seated round
+the table, we were all watching his movements. Mr
+Hall was seated nearly opposite to where I sat; and
+saw Mr. Home, after standing about half a minute a
+the back of Mr. Hall’s chair, deliberately place the
+lump of burning coal on his head ! I have often won
+dered that I was not frightened, but I was not; I had
+perfect faith that he would not be injured. Some ond
+said: "Is it not hot?"
+Mr. Hall answered, "warm
+but not hot." Mr. Home had moved a little way, but
+returned, still in a trance; he smiled, and seemed quite
+pleased, and then proceeded to draw up Mr. Hall's
+white hair over the red eoal. The white hair had the
+lappearance of silver thread over the red coal. Mr
+Home drow the hair into a sort of pyramid, tho coal
+still red, showing beneath the hair; then, after, I think
+four or five minutes, Mr. Home pushed the hair back
+and, taking the eoal off Mr. Hall's head, he said (in the
+peculiar low voice in whieh, when in a trance, he always
+speaks), addressing Mrs. Y.,
+"Will you have it?"
+She drew back, and I heard him murmur, "Little faith
+little faith."
+“Two or three attempted to toueh it but it burned
+their fingers. I said, 'Daniel, bring it over to me; I
+do not fear to take it.' It was not red all over, as when
+Mr. Home put it on Mr. Hall's head, but it was still red
+in parts. Mr. Home came and knelt by my side;
+put out my right hand, but he murmured, 'No, not
+that, the other hand.
+He then placed it in my left
+hand, where it remained more than a minute. I felt
+it, as my husband had said, warm,’ yet, when I stooped
+down to examine the coal, my face felt the heat so mueh
+that I was obliged to withdraw it. After that, Mrs
+Y— took it, and said she felt no inconvenience
+When Mr. Hall brushed his hair at night he found
+quantity of einder dust. Mr. Home was elongated, and
+all the manifestations that evening were very remark
+able; but, I believe, your Lordship requested me to
+relate only what I remember of the eoal test
+"Dear Lord Dunraven, sineerely yours
+"ANNA MARIA HALL"
+(Mrs. S. C. Hall.)
+Of course if these manifestations were the only ones
+obtainable through Mr. Home’s mediumship, they would
+be more severely critieised than now may be deemec
+necessary. A wet hand may be momentarily dippec
+with impunity into melted iron or copper ; the sudden
+transformation of the liquid into vapour tends to
+chill the skin, and during the instant the ehill lasts,
+thin layer of vapour lies like a cushion, between the
+metal and the skin. This is why blacksmiths can for
+Conjurors, who
+an instant lick a white hot poker.
+handle hot things, are said to previously toughen the
+skin of the hand, by repeated washings with diluted
+sulphuric aeid. In Mr. Home’s case, the question resolves
+into one of length of eontact, and temperature at the
+point of contact, carbon not being a very good conductor
+of heat. The first eoal which we saw lying steadily on
+his hand, was so hot at first, that its refleeted light made
+the skin of his hand appear to be ineandescent for a
+little distance all round the edge of the plane of contact
+The second and larger coal he carried about the room a
+first, so that it was not so minutely examined at the
+point of contact ; it was not shifted from its one place
+on the hand until he threw it in the fender
+THE Rev. Charles White, of the Free Christian Church
+Notting Hill, recently delivered a lecture on Spiritualism, in
+the Shire Hall, Haverfordwest. The tenor of his remark
+was to the effect that modern Spiritualism consists of a little
+truth and much falsehood.
+
+
+50
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+MARCH 15, 1870.
+
+
+Reports of Meetings.
+
+
+[When reports of the speeches of spirits are printed in this Journal, non-
+Spiritualists should understand that spirits out of the body are wise o
+foolish, truthful or untruthful, just the same as spirits in the body. More
+over, they are but individuals, so do not know everything. The statements of
+a spirit are but the assertions of an individual; but by comparing the state-
+ments of many spirits, it may in time be possible to discover in what points
+they agree, and to sift out the unreliable communications. Many spirits
+cannot see each other, any more than we can see them, and as some of then
+are thus in different states of life, it does not follow that contradictory
+messages are therefore untruthful. Spirits are of different religions, conse-
+sequently their teachings do not altogether agree; there is no more uniformity
+in the next world than in this one. It is the business of this journal to report
+facts, so we are in no way responsible for the religious, scientific, or any other
+teachings given by individual spirits.
+
+
+THE ROYAL INSTITUTION.
+MAX MULLER ON THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION.
+
+
+MAX MULLER ON THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION.
+ON Saturday morning, February 19th, Professor Max
+Müller, M.A., LL.D., delivered the first of four lectures at
+the Royal Institution, upon “The Science of Religion,"
+Prince Christian presided. The theatre of the Institution
+was well filled, and among the listeners present were Dean
+Stanley, of Westminster; Professor Tyndall; Sir Henry
+Hollaud, Bart., M.D., F.R.S.; Mr. J. M. Peebles; and Mr
+Moncure D. Conway.
+Professor Max Müller began by pointing out what very
+great progress the science of language has made, since he
+first advocated its claims at the Royal Institution, chairs of
+Sanscrit and Comparative Philology having of late been
+established at many of the chief universities in Great Britain
+and upon the Continent. On the present occasion, while
+advocating the founding of a science of religion, he felt in
+much the same position as when he advocated in that theatre
+several years ago, the study of language as a science. He felt
+that he had chosen a subject on which it was scarcely possible
+to speak without giving offence, for many people think reli-
+gion too sacred a subject to be touched, whilst others class it
+with alchemy and astrology, and think it beneath the notice
+of a man of science. The truest reverence is to give the sub-
+ject close examination. Although he should be most careful
+against giving offence, he knew that some things he should
+have to say would jar upon the ears of many, quite as much
+as did the title of the lecture.
+The science of religion is not all gain, for it entails the loss
+of many cherished ideas, but the gain is immcasurably higher
+than the loss. A few hundred years ago, the belief that
+Hebrew was the original language of the world, was accepted
+almost without question, and sometimes was made a matter
+of faith. Of late the fallacy of this notion has been demon-
+strated; it is now known that the invention of words was left
+to man, and that languages originate from the workings of
+the human mind. Some look upon religion as so many tradi-
+tions handed down to Jew, Christian, Hindoo, and so on,
+but the word religion is also used in a different sense. There
+is a faculty of religion in the mind, independent of all this,
+and without that faculty no religion would be possible; in all
+religions there is a longing for the infinite, and a belief in the
+love of God
+The foundation of a science of comparative theology will
+not be complete, until all the religions of the world have been
+analysed and classified, and as a science this subject has
+never yet been seriously taken in hand. The materials for
+such a science were not within reach in olden times, but now
+they surround us in rich profusion. The Emperor Akbar,
+250 years ago, had a passion for the study of religions, but
+he could not get possession of many of the sacred books
+which are now in the hands of students, and if at present we
+have not English translations of all of them, it is our own
+fault. Of late years also, very much knowledge of the re-
+ligions of savages has been gained, and this unveils much
+about religions in their early growth. Now, we have not only
+these materials, but we have the rules of critical analysis.
+We know that the questions to be settled about any books are
+- When was it written? Where? By whom? Was the author
+an eye-witness? Had the writer any party feeling? Was
+the whole book written at once, or at different times, and how
+can we separate them? We must know the most ancient forn
+of every language, before we can begin the work of compara
+tive philology, and so must it be with the study of religion.
+for religious tenets change with time. Buddhist literature
+teems with accounts of miserable miracles, yet Buddha him-
+self ordered his disciples not to perform them, except by
+hiding their own good deeds, and confessing to the world their
+evil actions, and Buddha says nothing about the castes of
+modern times. While Buddha was in the world his presence
+was sufficient for his disciples, it was only after his death that
+they began to put his deeds on record, and everything that
+could glorify their beloved master they seized upon with
+avidity. Those who made suggestions in opposite directions
+had no chance of a hearing, dissension and sects sprang up.
+and very shortly words equivalent to “ unbeliever ” and
+“heretic” were invented. Then, as in other religions, the
+secular power was invoked, to settle disputes about creeds and
+canonical books. King Asoka, among others, was called upon
+to decide what books were sacred.
+Canonical books require more stringent criticism than others.
+In the science of religion no partisans are wanted, who wish
+to lift up or depress Christianity in comparison with other
+religions—the same close rule and method must be applied
+impartially to all. This is a favourable time for the work,
+and no creed but Christianity and perhaps early Buddhism,
+would have tolerated a scientific investigation of religion at all
+Comparative philology has already done much efficient work.
+It has proved that the notion that Pagan religions and ideas
+of one God are not corruptions of the ancient Jewish religion
+- that theory is now entirely abandoned. The languages of
+antiquity are not like those of the present day, for many words
+change their meaning by lapse of time ; the same words also
+often do not mean the same thing in different languages. To
+learn the truth, ancient thoughts must be applied to ancient
+words. For instance, what we call “Divine guidance,” the
+ancient Jews called “ a pillar of cloud,” and the fault is ours
+if we do not understand their words, and believe in the mate-
+rial instead of the spiritual. More than half the difficulties
+and disputes in the history of religions, arise from this inter-
+pretation of ancient words by modern thoughts. Is it likely
+that the Hebrew and the other Semitic languages should have
+escaped changes by growth, such as have changed all other
+languages, and should we not try to get at the ancient meaning
+rather than the modern interpretation ? Before the Gods of
+the Trinity had been worshipped, one supreme Deity had been
+made by the ancestors of our race, and He was known by a
+name which has never since been erased. The ancient religion,
+after its rust and dirt have been removed, will come out bright
+and clean and pure ; it will be the word of God revealed where
+it alone can be revealed—in the heart of man.
+
+
+On Saturday, Feb. 26th, Professor Max Müller delivered
+his second lecture on the same subject. The auditory, as
+before, was a very large one. Prince Christian presided, and
+among the listeners were H.R.H. the Princess of Wales, the
+Princess Louise, the Queen of Holland, General Sir William
+Knollys, and the Countess of Macclesfield. The lecturer
+began by speaking of the four great book-religions of the
+world—Christianity, Mosaism, Mahometanism, Brahminism
+the religion of the Zend Avesta, Buddhism, and the reli-
+gions of Confucius and Laotse. The religion of Fo, in
+China, is nothing but a corruption of Buddhism; the
+latter religion, in fact, covers the greater part of the
+habitable globe. He then spoke of the religions of Africa
+with their strange worship of snakes and ancestors, and vague
+ideas of one God, the father of the black as well as of the
+white. Among the Polynesians there are whisperings about
+one Divine being, and there are ideas of a future life. After
+speaking of the religions of the American Indians, he remarked
+that the vast panorama of religions offers a rich field for
+investigation by the student, who is puzzled where to begin
+his work.
+Nothing much can be done until the religions are classified,
+and then each scholar can go on with his own branch of the
+work. It may be thought that the simplest classification is
+the division into “true and false religions,” but that would be
+like dividing earthly languages into “one’s own language, and
+the languages of all the rest of the world."
+(Laughter and
+applause.) Such a classification is useless for scientific pur-
+poses. Another classification, quite as worthless, is their
+division into “ revealed and natural religions."
+With us, all
+religions but Christianity would then be classed as “natural,"
+and a scientific Buddhist could not accept the definition.
+Many philosophers of the last century, after examining differ-
+ent religions, found that there were certain principles which
+all of them shared in common; moreover, when all that seemed
+miraculous and irrational was taken from the New Testament,
+this natural religion remained behind. These investigators
+however, soon found out that no philosophy could take the
+place of religious faith. The divisions of religions into re-
+vealed and natural religions, would be useless, because then
+our science would be denied by all but Jews and Christians.
+Buddha himself, in his teachings, appealed only to the light
+within him, but his followers claim for him enormous powers.
+His earliest pupils called him “omniscient,” but as he made
+mistakes about the shape of the earth and the movements of
+the heavenly bodies, modern Buddhist theologians limit his
+omniscience to the articles of his faith, and in these he is
+declared to be infallible. This is very much to the credit of
+the candour of the theologians. When the founders of nearly
+all tle religions of the world claim some revelation as the
+foundation of their teachings, it is clear that the classification
+of religions into “revealed and natural” will not do for scien-
+tific purposes. Besides, if we granted that Christianity and
+Judaism were the only revealed religions, they would also be
+natural religions, for no religion can be entirely separated from
+natural religion without destruction. Natural religion sup-
+plies the only ground upon which revealed religion can stand,
+and without this support revealed religion is degraded into a
+creed which unreasoning people must be made to accept, igno-
+rantly and without questioning. When Joshua tried to re-
+claim the backsliding Jews, he set before them the claims of
+the gods of other nations and of their former god and religion
+and closed by asking them to choose that day the God whom
+they would serve. Man, therefore, possesses a power of
+choosing, based upon natural faith, and this power he has the
+right to exercise.
+Another suggestion might be that religions should be
+divided into three classes—monotheistic, dualistic, and poly-
+theistic. This would be useful in some respects, as there
+would be an agreement in the number of the deities, but in
+other respects it would be an incongruous mixture. Besides,
+it would exclude some religions—Atheism for instance. His
+hearers might be surprised at his calling Atheism a religion.
+but it is a fact that the religion of Buddha was from the first
+purely Atheistic, and taught the highest morality long before
+the advent of Christianity ; it did not even erect an altar “to
+the Unknown God."
+On Saturday, March 5th, Professor Max Müller delivered
+his third lecture on the “Science of Religion"
+Prince
+Christian presided, and among the listeners present were the
+Deanof Westminster, Professor Tyndall, Mr. C. F. Varley, C. E.
+Sir Henry Rawlinson, K.C.B., Mr. J. P. Gassiott, F. R. S., and
+Sir Henry Holland, Bart., F.R.S., President of the Royal
+Institution.
+Professor Max Müller said that upon surveying the religions
+of the world without prejudice, it is possible to see that they
+are separated by strongly marked divisions. In old times
+there was a stronger relation between religion and nationality
+than there was between language and nationality. In those
+early times the religions were very simple, and confined to a
+few words, including the name of the Deity, and also of His
+attributes, such as goodness, purity, and holiness; in time also
+words for “altar” and “sacrifice” were in some cases invented
+Religion in those early times may be defined as a simple dialect
+of human speech, dependent upon the resources of the language.
+In Asia and its peninsula of Europe, there are three great
+streams of languages—the Turanian, the Aryan, and the
+Semitic,—and some of these languages, as he maintained
+could only have been petrified and rendered so lasting because
+of similarity of religion aud politics on the part of the people
+who spoke them.
+The Chinese language is the earliest representative of Tura-
+nian speech. The religion may be called “monosyllabic,” fo¬
+it consists of the worship of a host of single deities—the
+spirits of the earth, the air, the woods, and the streams; the
+Chinese also worship the spirits of their ancestors, who are
+supposed to still possess the power of influencing human
+affairs. The nature of the ancient religion of China is known
+from the writings of Confucius alone ; yet in reality he was
+but the transmitter of a more ancient religion still, and he
+says so himself. The religion of the Semitic races is pre-
+eminently the worship of God in history—of God as a ruler
+and founder of nations ; the words used by all the Semites for
+“God” represent strength and authority. Some of the ancient
+gods of the Semites were stronger than others, hence the
+Semitic Gods had a natural tendency to flow together, and to
+make the one God of later times. The ancient worship of the
+Aryan races has been carried into other lands by that pushing
+people; they do not worship nature, but God in nature. The
+Aryans before their separation—that is to say, before Sanscrit
+was spoken in India, and before Greek was spoken in Europe
+-had a religion which can still be to some extent ascertained.
+By picking out those words which are the same in French.
+Italian, and Spanish—words which must have been derived
+from a common source, it is possible to learn something of the
+
+
+religion, manners, and daily habits of the people who lived in
+ancient Italy; and by this method alone it is possible to prove
+that before Spanish was spoken in Spain, or French in France,
+ancient Italy had kings and lords, and was highly civilised.
+On the same principle we can learn something of the ancient
+Aryan people, by searching out from among the languages of
+Europe and Asia the words which they spoke, and ascertain-
+ing their original meaning. By this method it has been ascer-
+tained that the Aryans had kings, and towns, and houses,
+and their idea of the “ Highest Good” was enshrined in a
+name which is yet retained over half the world. That name was
+"Dyaus* pitar” in Sanscrit, and the same words are traceable
+in Latin, Greek, and German. These words are facts, and
+help to show us that in pre-historic times the Aryans wor-
+shipped an unseen Being, with the highest name which they
+“Dyaus pitar” meant
+could find in their vocabulary.
+“heaven father, who became the “Zeus” of the Greeks,
+and until comparative philology laid bare the secret, we knew
+not what sacred records lay enshrined in the unholy name of
+"Ju-piter.” Thousands of years have passed away since the
+Aryan races have separated, yet in these high and exalted
+times, when we wish to utter the name that is highest and
+most dear, we can but use the words of our forefathers, and,
+instead of saying “Heaven Father,” say “ Our Father which
+art in Heaven."
+The Semitic languages are much more elosely bound to¬
+gether than the Aryan languages, making it so easy to colleci
+identical words, that few scholars have as yet thought it
+worth while to devote their abilities to the task. Yet it
+would be well to do so, to discover the nature of the language
+spoken by the ancient Semites before they separated, that is
+to say, before Hebrew was Hebrew, and Arabic was Arabie
+The names used for “God” in all the Semitic languages mear
+king,” “strong,” or “powerful.” The ancient Semitie
+race had many deities, and the names of many of these
+deities were fixed before the race separated to form the
+Hebrew, Arabian, Ethiopian, Babylonian, and other nations
+One of the most ancient names for “God” was “El," o
+“strong,” and this name was applied not only to the true gods
+but to the false gods of the Gentiles. “ Allal” is derived from
+the ancient word “El,” thereby proving that the same God
+belongs both to the Hebrews and to the followers of Mahomet.
+Another name given by the ancient Semites to one of their
+favourite deities was “Baal,” who was by no means a strange
+god to the Jews, and was probably worshipped by them
+among their other gods, before the flood, since he was wor¬
+shipped by nearly all the Semitic nations, after they separated.
+The Semites had also female deities, one of whom was Baall, and
+another Allât—the feminine of Allah. Even in Southern Arabia
+there are traces of the worship of the ancient goddess Baall.
+Some of the names were given to their gods by the Semitie races
+after the separation, so these names are found only in the
+languages of one or two of the modern Semitie nations;
+Jehovah is an example, and this name, after many tortuous
+changes, was the origin of the name of the young and
+beautiful “Adonis” of the Greeks. The name Jehovah was
+the same in the Jewish and Babylonian nations. The pre-
+historic period of the Semitic race is now therefore historie in
+the strongest and most accurate sense of the word. There was
+a primitive religion among the Semitic races, and a god named
+El, long before the god of the Jews was worshipped by the
+Hebrew nation.
+Turning now to the Turanians and their languages, less
+interest is felt in the subject, for what have we with them in
+common? We are Aryans ourselves, and our religion is partly
+Semitic, but what have we to do with the Turanians, with their
+yellow faces, high cheek bones, and slanting eyes? It is true
+we have little in common with them, except our common
+humanity, yet if we look into the bright Chinese eyes, we
+shall see that there is a soul within, and that the God whom
+they mean, is the same God that we mean. The Turanian
+languages are of a shifting nature, and have not yet been
+sufficiently studied to yield much information as to their
+origin. The Chinese believe in a vast number of spirits, and
+they worship the spirits of the departed. Two of their most
+ancient spirits are the spirits of heaven and earth, but the
+spirit of heaven “Tien," is older than the spirit of earth.
+“Tien" means - exalted one - peerless - high - Lordof Heaven.
+The Chinese sacred books speak much of the decrees and will
+of heaven, and say that Tien moulds man as a potter moulds
+clay. The Chinese pay very little respect to any of their gods
+but the chief one, and adopt the advice of Confucius, who said
+“Respect the gods, but keep them at a distance."
+Among
+the Mongolians and Tartars there are traces of the ancient
+Chinese religion, but not of the name of the god Tien ; their
+chief god is sometimes called “Father, and sometimes the
+“Old One.” They worship spirits. “Jumna-la,” the name
+of the ancient god of the Finns, means the “god of the sky,"
+or the “thunderer."
+Last Saturday, Professor Max Müller delivered his fourth
+and closing lecture at the Royal Institution. Prince Christian
+presided, and among the listeners in the very large meeting
+were H.R.H. the Princess Louise, Lord Stratford de Red-
+cliffe, Earl Stanhope, the Dean of Westminster, Mr. C. F.
+Varley, C.E., Dr. John Tyndall, F.R.S., Lord Clanwilliam, 
+Mr. E. Fournier, and Mr. J. P. Gassiot, F.R.S.
+Professor Max Müller said that a lawyer is apt to see an
+angel in his own client, and anything but an angel in the
+client of his professional neighbour; in like manner there is
+too much tendency in these days, to view the religions of our
+neighbours with anything but charity. In thus ignoring the
+beauties of other religions, we assume for our own specialities
+which its founder never claimed for it, and if comparative
+theology drives away this bad feeling towards the honest con-
+victions of our neighbours, it will do a good work, and it is
+high time this work were begun. He did not deny that the
+ancient religions were imperfect, but it is certain that Socrates
+and Plato were not worshippers of stocks and stones.
+Although he could now speak fearlessly on theological sub-
+jects, there was a time when it would have been impossible,
+when religion was supported by fire and sword and fiery zeal,
+when it was taught that all idols were to be overthrown, and
+their worshippers cut up. But now we are not afraid of the
+progress of the worship of Jupiter. In the religions of other
+people there is always something which is good, and if the
+myriads who do not think with ourselves are to be cut down
+and cast into the oveu, then must we be of less value than the
+sparrows, for God cares for them. (Applause.) A mother
+may offer her infant a full repast, yet the infant is not pre-
+pared to receive it, so may God have offered truth to man from
+the beginning, yet the people were not sufficiently advanced to
+receive the boon. God is no respecter of persons, so doubtless
+all who love Him, and work righteously, will be accepted by
+Him in the end. Religion is always oscillating between two poles
+* Pronounced “ Youse."
+
+
+MARCH 15, 1870.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+51
+
+
+—between teachings fit for children, and teachings fit for men;
+when it approaches too close to the one pole it becomes mere
+superstition, and when it approaches too close to the other it
+becomes mere philosophy. How much “this wicked world,” as
+it is called, may be improved when we give each other credit for
+good motives ! for that course will reform even the man who
+has bad motives ; so will it be when we view with more
+charity differences in religion. If the different religions of
+the world are the work of the devil, then indeed is his king-
+dom divided against itself, for there is no religion which does
+not teach “Do good, and shun evil.” “Do good, my boy,”
+was once the advice of a father to his son, and in those words
+were included all the law and the prophets. He would take
+the liberty of reading in the original tongue one of the hymns
+of the Rig Veda. [Here the lecturer read the extract.) This
+doubtless, to his hearers was, like spirit-rapping, “unintelli-
+gible;” and, to a certain extent, spirit-rapping it was—rapping
+at the door of the Royal Institution.* But fortunately it was
+a spirit-rapping which could be interpreted, so he would read
+the interpretation. [The interpretation was to the effect that
+God made the heavens and the earth ; that God was angry
+with man; and that man, after purifying himself, should pray
+Here, then, were noble
+to be absolved from his sins.]
+thoughts, in a hymn written at least 3,000 years ago. Next
+he read some extracts from the Zend Avesta of the Persians,
+containing pure and noble ideas, followed by extracts of like
+character from the teachings of Buddha. Although Buddhism
+ignores all feeling of dependence on a higher power, so is
+utterly different from Christianity, there are strange coinci-
+dences between the two religions, so that some of the Buddhist
+parables would seem to have been taken from the New Testa-
+ment were it not certain that the Buddhist records are much
+the oldest of the two. For instance, a disciple of Buddha
+meets a woman who was an outcast, near a well ; she
+told him that she was a transgressor of the customs of society,
+but he replied. “I did not ask thy caste. Give me to drink."
+The lecturer then spoke of other coincidences, after which he
+told how Confucius taught— “What you do not like one to do
+to yourself, that thing do not do to others.”. He then pointed
+out that there was something good, even in the mythologies
+of the Greeks and Romans, when they were examined in a
+charitable spirit, and added that research would prove that
+the ancient religions were the only ones which were possible
+at the time, taking into consideration all the surrounding con-
+ditions. He knew it might be asked whether the religion of
+Moloch were true, which taught that people should burn their
+sons and daughters in the fire, and that questions of a like
+nature might be put about other religions. But weapons like
+these were very dangerous to those who used them, because
+others might ask, Could that be a holy religion which burnt
+men because they did not believe in the Virgin Mary, or in
+some of the interpretations of the attributes of the Son of
+God—a religion which teaches the reality of eternal punish-
+ment? People who argue thus, will never reach the real
+spirit of religion. We must study all religions as much as
+possible, in that light in which they appeared to their
+founders. He then explained how the early languages, being
+poor in words, abounded in metaphor, and one great mistake
+often made in these days, is to accept literally what was
+spoken metaphorically ; he also explained how it is utterly
+impossible to know the original meaning of many things in
+the Old and New Testaments, without a previous acquaint-
+ance with ancient languages and comparative philology.
+When we begin to leave off forcing literal interpretations,
+and seek more for the spiritual truth in our religions, it wil
+teach us to be much more charitable, both at home and
+abroad. (Applause.)
+The lecture then closed. This brief summary of four lec
+tures full of wisdom and the result of years of research, of
+course does anything but full justice to the speaker. When
+the lectures are published in full, the book will be one of the
+most remarkable and valuable works printed in this genera-
+tion. Professor Max Müller knows far more about the lan-
+guages of the Chinese and Brahmins than the Chinese and
+Brahmins know themselves, and in his general acquaintance
+with the ancient and modern languages of the world, he stands
+without a rival.
+
+
+THE SERVICES AT THE CAVENDISH ROOMS.
+SPECULATIONS ABOUT THE DEITY—THE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL PROGRES-
+SION—SPIRITUALISM AMONG THE AMERICAN INDIANS—THE RESULTS OI
+A DREAM—SPIRITUALISM AS DEFINED BY MR. PEEBLES.
+THE Sunday evening meetings of Spiritualists at the
+Cavendish Rooms, Mortimer-street, Langham-place, Regent
+street, will be continued regularly, and the services begin at
+seven o’clock
+Mr. J. M. PEEBLES, American Consul at Trebizond, lectured
+at the Cavendish Rooms on Sunday evening, Feb. 27th. He
+commenced—The inspired psalmist once said, “ Oh worship
+the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” It is not more in harmony
+with nature for water to seek its level, or the mystic needle to
+point to the North Pole, than for man to worship. Wherever
+man has been, he has left marks of his worship of God. The
+power to ask the question, “ What is God?” implies to some
+extent the power to answer it, and God is infinite life and
+truth, and gladness, and intelligence, and love, God has
+implanted in man a belief in a Superintending Existence,
+guiding all worlds; we do not comprehend him, we cannot
+even fathom ourselves. We can only grasp and digest what
+is inferior to ourselves. He supposed that God was not a
+personal being with a definite shape, but that God is in the
+universe, and just as much present to-day as in the days of the
+patriarchs. Directly you personalise God you localise Him;
+whatever you localise you limitise, and whatever you limitise
+is imperfect and may be destroyed. He could only say with
+Jesus, “ God is a spirit.” He thought that man was the ulti-
+mate of the rest of the earthly creation, and that all the lower
+forms of life and matter are focalised in him, from the oyster
+to the monkey, upwards. He did not mean that man was
+made of the primates, but of the spiritual ultimates of the
+primates. There is reason to suppose that there is a portion
+of the spirit of God in every human being, and that this
+Divine portion never becomes impure ; it is only when this
+innermost purity tries to externalise itself through the spirit
+body and the material body, both of them containing and
+being surrounded with inharmonious conditions, that troubles,
+and sorrow, and suffering afflict the progressing mortal.
+The Lecturer next stated that the condition of man is one
+of endless progression. If they asked, “ Is God a progressive
+Being?” he would answer at once in the negative. But if
+God does not progress, and man does, will not man in the
+end reach Him, and be lost in Him? No; for the progression
+
+
+of man is finite, and no number of finite movements will
+reach the infinite. It is a fact capable of mathematical de-
+monstration that two lines may continually approach each
+other, yet never meet ; also, in the attempt to divide the
+number ten by three, on the decimal principle, one may keep
+on carrying figures until the whole universe is filled with
+them, yet never get to the end. No aggregation of finites
+can make up infinity. A man should never bow down in
+sackcloth and ashes before his Creator, but stand up in the
+glory of his manhood, as a being destined for eternal pro-
+gression in the spheres. Spiritualism does not teach that God
+is a tyrant and angry with man.
+He would tell them some of his experiences among the
+North American Indians, who have many very good healing
+mediums among their tribes. About two years ago, the
+American Congress appointed a committee to meet the
+Indian tribes at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, to make
+peace treaties. The committee consisted of General Sherman,
+General Sheridan, General Taylor, Colonel S. F. Tappan, and
+others. He (Mr. Peebles) was invited to accompany them,
+and he did so, in consequence of which he spent nearly two
+months among the Indians, and learnt much about their
+habits and religious views. Some one thousand Indians met
+in council, drawn up in half-moons, near the confluence of
+the rivers North and South Platte ; the discussion then began
+and old grievances were brought up. General Sherman, a
+kind-hearted man, but shrewd withal, put some question
+about one point in which the Indians had broken a former
+treaty, and these questions rather puzzled the chief speaker
+on the other side, who was known to the whites as “Old
+Being puzzled he refused to give an im-
+Spotted-tail."
+mediate answer, and summoned to his side a young Indian,
+who directly afterwards ran away, and for nearly one hour and
+a-half from that time, not a single word would the old Indian
+chief, or any subordinate chief, lisp, but when the young
+man came back, old Spotted-tail made a most eloquent speech.
+He (Mr. Peebles) afterwards ascertained that nine days before
+the council met, a celebrated medicine man among the
+Indians had begun to prepare himself to hold converse with
+the Great Spirit, and to give advice to the tribes. By being
+calm, perspiring, and taking little food, he became passive
+and negative enough to enter the clairvoyant state, and thus
+the advice was given. There was not a single Indian youth
+to be seen in all that council, and on inquiry he was told that
+three days before it began, orders had been issued that all
+young Indians should absent themselves from the camp, be
+cause the chiefs did not wish them to become contaminated
+by the vices of the Christian whites.
+General Sherman has very good impressional powers.
+General Harney also, had told him (Mr. Peebles) that his life
+had once been saved by a dream. General Harney is now a
+dignified old man, about seventy years of age, and he said
+that about forty years ago he was engaged in the war with
+the Florida Indians. One night, at about eleven o’clock, he
+sent one part of his army to attack the Indians, but the latter
+discovered the movement too soon, and surrounded their op-
+ponents, who were thereby placed in great danger. Harney
+started to the rescue, and at break of day, found himself and
+his followers in a valley, and in great danger. He felt a
+drowsiness suddenly come over and overpower him, so that
+he dropped to the ground, and dreamt that he was surrounded
+by the enemy, with only one possible way of escape, through
+a deep gorge. He saw the rocks and the gorge distinctly, anc
+thought that he and his followers entered the gorge, and
+covered themselves with black mud, so that at a distance they
+looked like negroes, and in this disguise escaped. The negroes
+were friendly with the Indians. He then awoke, and not far
+off saw the entrance to the very same gorge he had seen in
+his dream. They found a pool lined with black mud, they
+covered themselves with the mud, and escaped, because in
+the distance they were taken by the Indians for negroes.
+Spiritualism, he said, is not Sectarian; it must never be
+allowed to crystallize into a sect. Institutions do not grow,
+but souls do. Creeds to thinking men are as shrouds and
+coffins. Spiritualism is a phenomenon and a philosophy—a
+science and a religion. It needs no handle—requires no prefix
+-to make it palatable. Policy, not principle, resorts to ex-
+pedients. There could be no term more significant and far-
+reaching than Spiritualism, because spirit alone is substantial,
+permanent, eternal. “It is the Spirit that giveth life,” wrote
+the ancient apostle.
+America, with its estimated eleven millions of Spiritualists,
+has Bible Spiritualism, Christian Spiritualism, Eclectic Spiri-
+tualism, Harmonial Spiritualism, and Spiritualism unadorned
+by adjective or epithet. Those who affirm Spiritualism
+squarely, and relish the food the truth affords, constitute about
+nine hundred and ninety-nine of every one thousand in the
+United States. In England you have Christian Spiritualism,
+scientific Spiritualism, and plain natural Spiritualism with no
+embellishments. France gives us radical Spiritualism and re-
+incarnation Spiritualism. Several of these definitions are dis-
+tinctions without differences, and forcibly exhibit the law of
+diversity in unity. But differ as we may in our theories,
+when pushed into the mythic realm of speculative theology
+our facts are one. On this common ground, then this broad
+platform of tolerance and good will, let us stand a banded
+brotherhood of true souls—stand like polished shafts of light
+and truth in the Temple of the Eternal.
+As a Spiritualist striving to conserve the good found in all
+religions, past and present, seeking constantly to lead a holier
+life, looking trustingly for higher unfoldings of truth and
+fresher developments in the fields of science, I extend the
+fraternal hand of fellowship to each and all, and in this
+hand buds and blossoms the olive-branch of peace. “By
+this,” said Jesus, “shall all men know that ye are My dis-
+ciples if ye have love one for another."
+What matters
+nationality, clime, or dogma to God, who beneficently
+"sendeth rain upon the just and the unjust?”. What cared the
+Good Shepherd of Judea about the colour or names of the
+sheep constituting the flock?” “Other sheep I have, said
+He, “which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and
+there shall be one fold and one shepherd.” What will it be
+to angels when the curtain of immortality is uplifted and you
+stand in the presence of those glorified Hosts? The question
+will not be asked, Were you a Christian Spiritualist, a radical
+Spiritualist, or a re-incarnation Spiritualist ; but did you live
+up to the light you had received as soul-convictions? Were
+the heart’s affections right and the life-purposes pure? Did
+you feed the hungry, clothe the naked, provide for the orphan,
+sympathise with the sorrowing ; or scripturally expressed, did
+you “go about doing good?”. These determine the immediate
+conditions, the heavens and the hells of the future existence.
+Progress pertains to all worlds. Angels are the teachers of
+spirits, and spirits come to instruct and spiritually enlighten
+mortals. The more philosophical of the Swedenborgians be-
+lieve in the “ continual mitigation of the hells ;” while many
+nominally orthodox clergymen, rejecting the doctrine of eter-
+
+
+nal torments, accept as a truth this teaching of the spirits-
+the final restoration of all souls.
+Spiritualism does not say “believe my creed;” but “ feed my
+sheep.” Does not say “ worship in my church;” but “ wor-
+ship as your own conscience dictates.” And, does not insist
+so much upon the saying, as the doing of prayers, that the
+heart’s best affections may be baptized into a love holy and
+heavenly. In fine, Spiritualism is that “other angel,” that
+the Revelator John saw “flying in the midst of heaven," and
+preaching the everlasting gospel of immortality—the gospel
+of “peace and good will to men."
+He loved the living gospel of Spiritualism, because it shows
+so much of the kindness and love of God. Pain is only an
+angel leading us back to nature and truth ; sickness purifies
+the physical organisation, and disappointments strengthen
+individuality of character. Even Jesus, it is said, was purified
+by suffering, and there is no eternal endless evil in the universe.
+He was so organised that he could not love a hateful object.
+Human love is a thing which comes out like the flowers, to
+drink in the dewdrops, and to rejoice in the sunlight of
+heaven. Human love is a great reforming power, and its
+binding influence was never more plainly shown than when
+William Penn made his treaty with the Indians, by the rolling
+river, under the old elm tree’s shade.
+Mr. PEEBLES then eloquently described Penn’s interview
+with the Indians, after which he spoke of the influence of
+woman, and he closed by speaking of the high moral influences
+of Spiritualism, and the happiness and power of the love of
+God.
+The hall was well filled, and the speaker was listened to
+with close attention throughout.
+
+
+PRIVATE SEANCES
+MEDIUMSHIP IN THE DAYS OF MOSES—CURIOUS PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS,
+-VOICE MANIFETSATIONS AND THEIR PRODUCTION—THOUGHT—READING
+-MANIFESTATIONS AT THE CAVENDISH ROOMS—A “DIALECTICAL"
+MEDIUM.
+ON Wednesday evening, February 23rd, at a séance held at
+the house of Mr. T. Everitt, 26, Penton-street, Pentonville,
+eight persons in all were present. Mrs. Everitt was the
+medium.
+Directly the sitting began, the floor of the room began to
+shake with a tremulous motion, which continued more or less
+for about half an hour ; once it was sufficiently strong to cause
+some of the furniture to rattle. Raps came upon the floor
+and upon the table, and spelt out short messages. The first
+message requested Mr. Peebles, who was present, to read from
+the Bible the sixteenth chapter of the first book of Samuel
+beginning at the fourteenth verse. The quotation begins
+with the following verses: -
+“But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from
+the Lord troubled him.
+“And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God
+troubleth thee
+“Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek
+out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass,
+when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand,
+and thou shalt be well."
+The narrative then tells how David was brought to Saul,
+and the last verse says:
+“And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that
+David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and
+was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
+Raps once more came upon the table, and requested Mr.
+Peebles to read also the eleventh chapter of Numbers, from
+29th verse, as follows : -
+the 23rd to the
+“ And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? thou
+shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
+“And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and
+gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round
+about the tabernacle.
+“And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of
+the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders; and it
+came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and
+did not cease.
+“But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was
+Eldad, and the name of the other Medad; and the spirit rested upon them;
+and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the the
+tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
+“And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad
+do prophesy in the camp.
+“And Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young
+men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
+“And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake ? would to God that
+all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His spirit
+upon them!"
+The raps then requested Mr. Peebles to offer up a prayer,
+which he did, thanking the Almighty for the privilege and
+the happiness, of permitting communication between mortals
+aud departed friends.
+Other messages were then spelt, and finally the spirits
+requested that a musical box in the room might be set going.
+All this time the vibrations of the floor continued. There was
+a good light in the room. The table, which was a large and
+heavy one, rectangular in shape, now and then moved and
+kept time with the tunes, without contact with human hands.
+When the music began, the patter of feet, or what sounded
+like feet, was heard dancing in splendid time to the music
+and this lasted for perhaps nearly twenty minutes, in the
+course of which time an arm chair with nobody touching it
+moved about slowly, and on one occasion made a run of fully
+six inches in the direction of the table. Then a request was
+made by raps that the light be put out. After fifteen or
+twenty minutes in darkness, by means of the direct spirit
+writing (described in another column) the message was given
+“You do not give us the right conditions to enable us to
+?" It
+speak.” The inquiry was made “ What is the matter
+was then spelt out “ You are sleepy.” Two of the company
+then owned to being in that state, and one remarked that he
+did not know before that it was not a favourable condition, as
+passivity of the members of the circle is always advantageous.
+John Watt then took up the tube and touched several persons
+with it, after which his voice was heard, at first near the
+medium (who was in a mesmeric sleep), then floating
+about near one end of the table, afterwards close up
+to the ceiling over the centre of the table, and from that
+position he spoke during the rest of the evening, in a strong
+clear voice, which fell at intervals when the power weakened.
+In answer to questions, he said that he could not see common
+matter except by an effort of will-power, neither could he see
+the members of the circle. He could see the spirits of some
+of the members of the circle—such as were in his sphere—and
+the others he could see indistinctly, in consequence of his
+necessarily having, to some extent, taken upon himself some
+material conditions while producing the manifestations. He
+did not want to see common matter at that time, therefore he
+did not see it ; on much the same principle as a man looking
+at landscape through a window—he does not see the pane of
+glass, because he does not want to, yet he can concentrate his
+attention upon it if he likes. The spirits of all the persons
+
+
+* Professor Max Müller teaches, in effect, that the study of religion as s
+science will reconcile the beliefs of the world. Mr. Varley testifled lons
+ago that the study of Spiritualism as a science tends to do the same thing,
+as will be seen on reference to the last page of this journal.—ED.
+
+
+52
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+MARCH 15, 1870.
+
+
+present were of neccessity in the spirit world. Spirits can read
+the thoughts of each other and of mortals, but not at all times
+thoughts are words to spirits in the same sphere. Spirits
+have the power of concealing their thoughts if they like, and
+of concealing themselves at will by passing into another state.
+He produced the voice manifestations by forming a kind of
+lungs out of the cinanations from the members of the circle;
+he did not use any of the organs of the medium, not even the
+lips, but only her breath. He also used some of the breath of
+the persons present, which was why he often put questions to
+those who were silent, to keep them talking, so as to furnish
+him with more power. He wished that people would not
+come in a desultory way to spirit circles, but that a few would
+attend regularly to receive a steady course of instruction and
+information ; very little knowledge was gained, and much
+time wasted, under present conditions. His reward for the
+work of producing the manifestations was the consciousness
+of doing good. When very great names of very high spirits,
+such as Moses, Michael Angelo, Bacon, and so on, are given
+through mediums, these spirits are not in direct communi-
+cation with the medium, but the message passes down through
+a chain of mediums among the spirits, till at last it reaches
+the recipient, and is often much coloured by the channel
+through which it has passed. Sometimes low spirits assume
+great names, and give them for purposes of deception.
+In answer to questions put by Mr. Peebles, he said that he
+did not hear any raps at the public service at the Cavendish
+Rooms on the preceding Sunday evening. Such manifesta-
+tions he did not mind on a week night, but he thought it best
+to omit them on Sunday. Many of the spirits were of the
+same opinion in this matter, but he did not know whether all
+were. One disadvantage was, that if they continued the
+rappings, strangers would come there and imitate them, and
+get found out, so as to throw discredit on the real manifesta-
+tions. As Mr. Peebles did not like the idea of answering
+questions put by the audience at the close of the Sunday
+evening meetings, after the listeners had been brought into a
+serious train of thought, it was worth consideration whether
+those present should not be invited to write the questions
+they wished to ask, on the understanding that he would
+answer them from the platform at the beginning of the follow-
+ing Sunday evening.
+After a little more conversation the séance was closed, by
+John Watt pronouncing a benediction and saying, “ Good
+night, dear friends, good night."
+Dr. Dixon and Mrs. Dixon, of Great Ormond-street, were
+present at this séance.
+
+
+On Wednesday evening, March 2nd, at a meeting of Mrs.
+C. Berry’s circle, a gentleman, a member of the Dialectical
+Society, whose name we have no permission to publish, and
+who three weeks since was developed into a medium, was en-
+tranced, and made to go through some operatic singing. A
+spirit also spoke through him, and expressed the greatest sur-
+prise and awe, at finding himself back surrounded once more
+by the conditions of earth-life. When in his normal state,
+the gentleman said that since the development of his medium
+ship, the spirits had made him speak on phrenology, a subject
+he knew nothing about ; they had also made him speak in
+foreign languages, of which, in his ordinary condition, he
+knew not a word. One day, the spirits entranced him against
+his will, in presence of some of the other members of the
+Dialectical Society.
+Mr. PERRIN said that a vast multitude of spirits out of the
+body, like those in the body, do not believe that communica-
+tion between the two worlds is possible ; hence when one of
+these makes the trial, and finds himself back again, it is na-
+tural to be awestruck and overwhelmed. Some spirits in the
+other world, like some still in earth-life, think it wicked to
+communicate with their friends.
+In the course of the evening John King and Ambo made
+their voices heard, and a short and quiet conversation fol-
+lowed.
+
+
+SPIRIT-SEEING IN CRYSTALS.
+
+
+LAST Thursday night Mr. Kenneth R. H. Mackenzie, F.S.A.,
+F.A.S.L., gave a short lecture at 15, Southampton-row,
+Bloomsbury, W.C., on “Spirit-Seeing in Crystals." Mr. C.
+F. Varley, C.E., F.R.G.S., who chanced to be among the
+listeners, was unanimously invited to preside over the meeting.
+The PRESIDENT, in introducing the lecturer, briefly remarked
+that the question of crystal-seeing, which in his opinion was
+closely allied to the odic force of Reichenbach, often seen
+to issue from magnets, would probably give investigators the
+first insight into the connection between the spiritual and
+material forces, for there must be a connection somewhere.
+Mr. MACKENZIE said that his attention was first drawn to
+Spiritualism in 1853, by the perusal of the book written by
+Judge Edmonds and Dr. Dexter ; he was neccssarily somewhat
+startled by the contents of the book, and he and his friends
+tried to obtain the phenomena of table-moving and raps at
+home, but with such indifferent success that after a time they
+ceased their experiments. In 1856 he by accident met Mr.
+Hoekley, of Croydon, who had long been experimenting with
+crystals, and who placed all his notes at the disposal of the
+lecturer. From that time he (Mr. Mackenzie) closely followed
+up the subject, and made notes on the spot of all the facts
+witnessed, which notes now make a great many volumes of
+manuscript. The late Earl Stanhope gave much time to the
+investigation of crystal-seeing.* A crystal or mirror is placed
+before the eyes of the sensitive or medium, who first sees a
+dense cloud form in the mirror, followed by blackness ; after-
+wards come flashes of fire or light, and then come visions of
+distant places, persons, or so-called spirits. He used the expres-
+sion “so-called” because he had not entirely given up the idea
+that these might be subjective phenomena, and he did not want
+to bind himself or others by his remarks. Crystal-seeing is more
+or less known in many parts of the world; everybody has heard
+of Dr. Dee and his magic crystals, also how mirrors were used
+by the magicians of old. The spiritual communications he
+had recorded in the volumes before him contained such a web
+of truth and falsehood as his hearers would scarcely consider
+to be possible. He then read a minute description of the in-
+terior of a laboratory of one of the ancient alchemists and
+magicians; among the instruments described by the eye-wit-
+ness was one just the same as a particular form of the plan-
+chette of the present day ; there was also a crystal vessel and
+a crystal ball with “perpetual fire” flashing inside. Some of
+the knowledge of the ancient magicians was possessed by the
+
+
+* The untimely death of the late Earl Stanhope prevented the completion
+of his great reflecting telescope, six feet in diameter, and longer in focus
+than Lord Rosse's giant instrument. He was distinguished both as a
+scientific man and a statesman.—ED.
++ One “Benjamin Tochla,“ who died about the beginning of the seven-
+teenth century, in Germany. The description of the laboratory is published
+in the Aurifontina Chymica, 1680.—ED.
+
+
+Rosicrucians, who were a very different body to the present
+London so-called Rosicrucians. The London society is to all
+practical intents and purposes a social club, and its business
+for the most part nonsense. Balls of rock-crystal were once
+much used for crystal seeing, but they are very rare and diffi-
+cult to obtain. Artificial crystals, egg-shaped polished pieces
+of glass, are also much used. Seeing in mirrors differs in no
+way from seeing in crystals, except that the pictures or repre-
+sentations are larger. The spirits of the mirrors say that
+there are many wandering spirits bound to the earth, who
+make raps and move tables, but cannot produce the higher
+phenomena of crystal vision; the rapping spirits on the other
+hand declare themselves to be a much better sort of people
+than the crystal spirits; and the writing spirits say that they
+are infinitely superior to the crystal and rapping spirits.
+(Laughter.) Swedenborg seems to be communicating to people
+all over the world at the same time, and the mirror spirits say
+that those spirits wlo assume his name come from a lowersphere
+than themselves. The mirror spirits say that they are not in
+the mirror, but that they can reflect into it whatever the
+wish to communicate. Sometimes they show themselves, and
+sometimes they show a book or scroll, containing the message.
+They have told him that every person in the world has a
+“double” or atmospheric spirit, and that the bodied and dis-
+embodied spirits of the individual perform all the acts of his
+life, but not at the same moment. The theory is that there is a
+place of record of all the acts of each individual life, and that
+when the earthly spirit is troubled, the atmospheric spirit is
+troubled like a shadow in water. It is a curious theory. At
+times, by crystal-vision, persons in distant places may be seen
+One day, a sceress was looking into one of his mirrors, and she
+saw in it the Royal College of Surgeons, with a little figure
+walking in front, who announced himself to her as Dr. Dixon,
+and said that he wanted to see Mr. Mackenzie at about eight
+o’clock that evening, to tell him something about Mr. --.
+This vision was seen between twelve and one o’clock in the
+day; he (Mr. Mackenzie) wrote down the details at once in a
+book. The medium had never heard of Dr. Dixon. He then
+tied up and sealed the book, and asked a friend to write upon
+the outside of the wrapper, that he had seen it tied up and
+sealed at that hour. The signature was given, and in the
+evening he called upon Dr. Dixon, who at first sight of him
+said that he was so glad to see him, as he wanted particularly
+to tell him something about Mr. --.
+On being questioned,
+Dr. Dixon said that he had been walking in Lincoln’s-inn-
+fields in the morning, and wishing very much to see Mr.
+After these statements
+Mackenzie about the said Mr. --.
+were made, he (the lecturer) gave Dr. Dixon the sealed parcel,
+and asked him to read the contents, the accuracy of which
+astounded him. On another occasion, while Captain R. F.
+Burton, the celebrated traveller, was performing his perilous
+journey to Mecca and Medina, a seer was looking into one of
+Mr. Mackenzie’s crystals, and said that she saw Captain
+Burton very strangely dressed, in a tent, with sand and palin
+trees outside ; an angry man came in, and Captain Burton
+laughed at him, offering him his pipe ; this made the man
+more angry still, and then Captain Burton drew out a pistol
+When Captain Burton returned to England, the record of this
+vision was shown him; he said that it was all true, and a
+faithful description of the only squabble he had while he was
+in the desert. Captain Burton then wrote an attestation in
+the book that the account was perfectly true.
+It is a strange thing, but you can call your own atmospheric
+spirit into the mirror yourself. “On one occasion,” said the
+lecturer, “I called myself into the mirror, and asked 'what
+year it was with him.' He said that 'it was 1865.' I said
+'It’s only 1862 with me; what am I doing in 1865?’ (Laughter.
+Then a large building was seen in the mirror, there was a
+public platform in it, and I was addressing a public meeting
+therefrom. Much to my surprise this came true afterwards, for
+I attended the British Association at Birmingham, in 1865, and
+spoke upon a public platform about anthropology and kindred
+subjects.” One somewhat eccentric spirit, who gave the name
+of Captain Anderson, sometimes appeared in the mirror ; once
+he showed them a picture which he said was at the Crystal
+Palace, and which they went and found there ; on several
+occasions he told them what was taking place in the private
+families of people who were unknown to the seer. He simply
+narrated facts, attested by those who had no object in making
+false representations ; he offered no theory as to spirits being
+at the bottom of them, or otherwise. His mother was a few
+years ago a writing medium. She had communications from
+a spirit who called himself Samuel Jennings, and who said
+that he was a curate, first at Dover, and afterwards in
+Wales. On making enquiries at Dover, he found people
+there who knew that such a clergyman lived in the
+town at the time mentioned by the spirit. In May,
+1865, he was ill, and a spirit who gave the name of Dr.
+Mizaldus prescribed for him. It was not until yesterday
+(Wednesday) he knew that a doctor of that name had ever
+lived, and then, as Dr. Carter Blake could bear witness, he
+found the name in the British Museum Library. Mizaldus
+lived at Montluc, France, in 1550, and was the author of
+at least fourteen books ; his prescriptions on record in the
+books resembled those the spirit gave at Mr. Macken-
+zie’s house. The physic had a beneficial effect. Neither he
+nor his mother had heard the name of Dr. Mizaldus, a remark-
+able one, before fit was written through her mediumship.
+Those who have the power of crystal seeing are often unedu-
+cated, and some of them have the greatest dislike to use the
+faculty; many people are seers and do not know they possess
+the power. One medium he knew went into a cold and rigid
+state while looking in the crystal. Once, and only once, he
+met Mr. Home, and asked him what he could see in the crys-
+tal? Mr. Home looked for a time, then said he could see
+nothing; this gave him rather a favourable idea of Mr. Home
+because if he had wanted to deceive him he would certainly
+have seen a great deal. Messages have sometimes been trans-
+mitted by visions in crystals.
+Dr. CARTER BLAKE, F.G.S., Lecturer on Anatomy at West-
+minster Hospital, said that much testimony had been given by
+the lecturer, but very little evidence. He thought it quite
+possible that a Samuel Jennings existed before Mr. Mackenzie
+had the spirit message: in fact, he thought he had heard the
+name of Jennings before. Then as to Mizaldus, Mr. Mac-
+kenzie was a man of very extensive reading, and he might
+have once known the name, and afterwards forgotten it.
+Although he asked for more evidence, and was a sceptic, he
+did not think that scientific men should place themselves in
+opposition to phenomena which may be observable. He had
+read some of the evidence given before the Dialectical Society,
+and was glad to see that a part of it was given by the chairman,
+a scientific man of the highest standing, and one who knew
+what is pure evidence. He thought that scientific men should
+not place themselves in opposition to any form of human
+thought.
+
+
+Mr. C. F. VARLEY said that it was extremely interesting to
+find that, from almost pre-historic times, up to the present day,
+the records of all countries contained accounts of spiritual and
+psychological phenomena. These agree amongst themselves
+in a remarkable manner, as to the way in which spirits have
+manifested themselves to mankind. The present movement
+is the same tale over again, but with a much more extended
+variety of mediumship. Last Saturday Professor Max Müller
+gave a most interesting lecture at the Royal Institution, on
+the “ Science of Religion.” He proved philologically that the
+people who preceded the ancient Chinese, as well as those from
+whom the Aryan race derived their language and customs, had
+theological worship, and believed in one supreme deity; they
+also knew of spiritual communion, which ultimately became a
+prominent part of their religions. They have very early records
+of mesmeric phenomena, as well as of spiritual manifestations,
+which are to this day well known and practised in all eastern
+countries. At frequent intervals, in various parts of the world,
+these phenomena have cropped up in a manner which cannot
+rationally be attributed to chance, much less to delusion.
+Socrates philosophically demonstrated the existence of the
+soul after the dissolution of the physical body, and the ten-
+dency of modern science is to confirm and not to destroy that
+belief. One of the great standpoints of science is the inde-
+structibility of force, and, when any investigations tend to the
+contrary, it is at once concluded that the data are incorrect.
+Now what is life if not a force or combination of forces? It
+must, therefore, like other forces, be indestructible—eternal,
+(Applause.)
+
+
+Mr. MACKENZIE, in answer to various questions, then said
+that the mirrors used by spirits are devoted or consecrated to
+their use, and they object to employment of them for shaving, or
+any other purposes. Those persons who have the power of “call-
+ing” spirits in mirrors have very rarely the power of “ seeing"
+also. One day he and his friends tried to get a translation of
+some Assyrian inscriptions ; one of the spirits fetched another
+who he said understood such things, and the latter asked that
+the pictures of the inscriptions should be laid before the mirror
+The seeress saw him place a long roll over the plates, and
+when he lifted it up, the scroll was covered with printed marks
+apparently accurate copies of the writings on the plates. He
+rolled up the scroll, and appointed a time for them to be
+present again to receive the translation. The seeress was there
+at the appointed hour, but owing to some misunderstanding
+as to the time, the other persons were not. The spirit was
+there at the instant appointed, as is always the case, but finding
+the auditory absent, he exhibited a scroll for one instant, to
+show that he had a translation, then put on an indignant look
+and walked off. They never saw him again. As to what Dr.
+Carter Blake said about evidence, what could be more complete
+than the written attestation of Captain Burton, who had such
+a high reputation to lose ? Captain Burton said that the facts
+were unquestionably true. Did Dr. Carter Blake say that the
+Captain had written a wilful lie? He (Mr. Mackenzie) was not
+in the habit of reading books on such subjects as those written
+upon by Dr. Mizaldus, but if he had ever heard Mizaldus
+name before, how could that account for his mother writing it
+out? As for the facts he had seen, and faithfully recorded at
+the time, he was ready to take his volumes of manuscript into
+any court of justice, and affirm that he had witnessed all the
+facts stated therein. The facts were strange ones, but Mr.
+Varley, without fearing the opinion of the world, had very
+nobly given testimony in public, that facts equally strange
+were true.
+Mr. BURNS said that one person then present in the room
+had been to one of Mrs. Mary Marshall’s séances, and found
+everything unsatisfactory and inconclusive ; another person
+also in the room, had been to Mrs. Marshall’s and received
+the most unquestionable evidence of the existence of de-
+parted spirits. Perhaps the latter person was what Mr.
+Mackenzie would describe as a good “caller” of mirror-
+spirits, the said caller being probably a person who possesses
+powers complementary to those of the medium.
+Very warm votes of thanks were unanimously accorded to
+the lecturer and the chairman, and the proceedings closed.
+
+
+Ir Dr. Newton, the healing medium, leaves New York
+on the day at present fixed, he will reach England about a
+week before the end of April.
+SUNDAY SERVICES FOR SPIRITUALISTS.—At the close of
+the Sunday evening meeting at the Cavendish Rooms, the
+proceedings at which are reported in another column, a short
+discussion took place about the desirability of making the
+meetings permanent. Mr. Luxmoore made a sensible speech,
+to the effect that one or two public addresses from incompetent
+speakers will do Spiritualism more harm than six months'
+work by competent men will do good. He therefore thought
+that the committee, who have very wisely secured the right to
+use the hall for a lengthened period, should print a prospectus
+letting the public know the particulars of the plan they are
+asked to aid. This advice has been followed, and it is emi-
+nently satisfactory to find that the permanent engagement of
+Mr. J. M. Peebles to conduct the meetings is contemplated.
+The prospectus is incomplete, in that it does not state who
+the members of the committee are, whether they are to be
+elected by the other subscribers or by themselves ; in short,
+no “ constitution ” is published.
+A MUSICAL MEDIUM.—Last Wednesday, Mr. Jesse B.
+Shepard arrived in England from New York, and he has
+shown us extracts from American newspapers, stating that he
+has very remarkable musical powers, conferred upon him by
+spirits. One of the published descriptions of his séances is
+signed by five members of Congress. He cannot read music,
+and until his mediumship was developed, knew nothing of it.
+One newspaper says—“ He is the greatest male soprano living.
+His voice is clear and full, and cannot be distinguished from
+that of a female soprano. It is certainly one of the most
+remarkable gifts ever conferred upon the male sex. Our
+readers can form some idea of the power and scope of his
+voice when we say that he rises to E flat, which is only one
+note below the great Jenny Lind, and equal to the famous
+Parepa."
+In playing musical instruments his fingers are
+moved with great velocity. Another newspaper states--
+" His voice in one instance reached to high D flat, apparently
+with perfect ease. He says that he can reach E flat. His in-
+strumental performances are equally fine ; he rendered some
+of the most difficult passages with perfect ease and without a
+false note. The most remarkable feature of his playing is that
+he can reach an octave and a half (12 keys), and frequently
+does so in making a longrun. He is only about nineteen years
+of age.”
+We believe that to-morrow evening he will be
+present at a meeting at 15, Southampton-row, Holborn, W.C.,
+when those who are present will have an opportunity of wit-
+nessing his powers, and of forming an opinion for themselves,
+respecting the extent to which he is aided by unseen friends.
+
+
+MARCH 15, 1870.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+53
+
+
+1. Advertisements of Public Companies, Half-a-guinea per
+sixth of a column, or every portion of sixth of a column.
+2. General Advertisements, Five Shillings per twelfth of a
+column, or portion of twelfth of a column.
+Note.—Advertisements at the foregoing rates will be
+"displayed” so as to occupy the full space paid for, but
+advertisements at the following rates will be in closely set
+type.
+3. General Advertisements, Half-a-crown per first five
+lines or portion of five lines, and Fourpence for every line in
+addition.
+4. Situations Wanted, or Apartments to Let, One Shilling,
+per first four lines, or portion of four lines; Threepence for
+every line in addition.
+Ten words are allowed to the line, and six figures or
+initial letters count as one word.
+When five or more insertions of the same advertisemen
+are paid for, twenty per cent. reduction will be made in the
+above rates.
+The power is reserved of refusing to insert any advertise-
+ment.
+Advertisements and remittances should be sent to the
+Publisher, Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's
+Church-yard, London, E.C., or to Mr. J. BURNS, 15,
+Southampton-row, High Holborn, London, W. C.
+
+
+To Correspondents
+
+
+All letters should be brief and to the point, as the amount
+of space available for correspondence is at present small.
+Communications intended for the Editor should be by
+letter only, addressed to the care of the Publisher, Mr. E. W.
+ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's Church-yard, London
+E.C. Until the Spiritual movement in England, together
+with this journal, have both grown considerably, time cannot
+be spared for personal interviews on subjects connected with
+the literary worh of THE SPIRITUALIST, but all letters will
+meet with careful consideration.
+THE SPIRITUALIST is a periodical intended to give great
+freedom of expression to all the different shades of opinion
+to be found among Spiritualists. There will therefore be
+very little uniformity in the ideas promulgated in this journal,
+more especially in the correspondence columns. Under these
+circumstances every reader will find occasionally somethine
+in THE SPIRITUALIST which he or she does not like, but the
+right of reply remains. This freedom of thought given to
+others, the Editor claims for himself, and those who do not
+like the contents of leading articles, can write against them
+in the correspondence columns. This plan is thought better
+than that of reducing the contents of the journal to a
+pale weak mediocrity, by inserting only those contributions
+which please everybody The preceding remarks are not
+intended to imply that those who have crotchets which the
+cannot get printed anywhere else, can find an outlet for them
+here, for none but those letters which are considered worth
+publication will be inserted.
+Notices of Public Meetings in connection with Spiritualism
+should be sent to the office several days in advance.
+
+
+To Subscribers.
+
+
+The first twelve numbers of THE SPIRITUALIST will be
+forwarded regularly by penny post to subscribers, who remit
+four shillings in payment, to Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Publisher
+Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's-churchyard, E.C. No notice
+will be taken of orders received unaccompanied by a remit
+tance.
+
+
+“THE SPIRITUALIST” IS PUBLISHED ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF EVERY
+MONTH; THE OTHER JOURNALS DEVOTED TO SPIRITUALISM ARE PUBLISHED
+ON THE FIRST OF EVERY MONTH. THERE IS THEREFORE A FORTNIGHTLY
+SUPPLY OF NEWS
+
+
+THe SPIRITUALIST
+
+
+TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 1870.
+
+
+THE PHENOMENAL PHASE OF SPIRITUALISM.
+MANY Americans who visit this country have remarked
+that Spiritualism here is as yet in its phenomenal phase
+only, and that Great Britain is now in exactly the same
+position with regard to Spiritualism as America was
+fifteen years ago. Admitting that we are fifteen years be-
+hind the Americans in Spiritualism, as well as in some
+other movements which are essential to national happi-
+ness, there are very good reasons for thoroughly investi-
+gating spiritual phenomena, before attaching much credit
+or discredit to the alleged teachings of Spiritualism. If
+telegraphic instruments, instead of being machines, had
+each the faculty of colouring and altering the messages
+they transmit, it is evident that we ought to know what
+amount of error is introduced by each machine, and
+what machines transmit messages with most accuracy,
+Until this is done we should not be justified in attri
+buting to the sender of the message all the ideas con-
+tained in the message as delivered to us. In the early
+stages of mediumship, very much of the thoughts of
+the medium are often mixed up with the communica
+tions, though the names, and dates, and localities,
+unknown to the medium, and given in the messages, as
+well as many other facts, prove the presence of a com-
+municating intelligence, other than that of the medium.
+Hence it is a wise course to thoroughly investigate the
+
+
+lower phenomena of Spiritualism before attaching
+implicit credence to messages coming even from truth-
+ful spirits. The messages from spirits given publicly
+through Mr. Morse, for instance, are by some sceptical
+outsiders, who have never tested physical manifesta-
+tions, assumed to be impostures, whilst a few very cre-
+dulous Spiritnalists consider them to be absolutely true.
+Investigation, however, has proved that the majority
+if not all, of the original messages are truthful, but that
+errors get into a portion of them because of the diffi-
+culty of transmitting them through the organisation of
+the medium.
+When any medium has intensely biassed
+opinions upon one particular subject, whether it be
+politics, sectarianism, teetotalism, or any other  "ism,"
+communications through him on those subjects are very
+likely to be coloured. A strict Buddhist, for instance,
+not being open to receive truth in all directions, may
+refuse to hold communication with any spirits who do
+not believe in Buddha and his teachings.
+Such a
+medium may be surrounded by good spirits, who, to
+some extent, humour him in his views, and try to
+gradually enlarge the narrow mind of the warped
+instrument they use ; or he may be surrounded by the
+undeveloped spirits of Buddhists who have just left the
+world; or again, there is the alternative that he may
+be surrounded by low and idle spirits, who amuse
+themsclves by hoaxing him. Until we understand more
+about the amount of error likely to be introduced into
+messages passing through any given mediumistic instru-
+ment, we need not haste to quit the investigation of the
+phenomenal phase of Spiritualism, and in the mean
+time should accept all the communications with a
+reasonable amount of caution.
+
+
+SPIRITUALISM AND POLITICS AT NAPLES.
+
+
+THE Anti-Œcumenical Council met in St. Ferdinand's
+Theatre, Naples, on the 9th of December last, under the pre
+sidency of the convener of the meeting, Count Ricciardo, a
+Spiritualist, and a member of the Italian Parliament
+The PRESIDENT, at the close of his opening address to the
+vast audience present, submitted the following questions to
+the congress for discussion :—I. Religious liberty, and the
+best means for rendering it full and permanent. II. The com¬
+plete separation of Church and State. III. The necessity of a
+code of morals, independent of religious belief. IV. The
+establishment of an international association to promote the
+principles of freedom, and the general good, intellectual and
+moral.
+The secretaries read letters of adhesion and approval from
+Garibaldi, Victor Hugo, and many other distinguished patriots
+authors, thinkers, in Europe, Mexico, United States, Brazil
+Chili, West Indies, the Grecian Isles, and some of the cities of
+Asia and Africa. Signor Damiani and Mr. J. M. Peebles were
+present among the audience.
+Mr. PEEBLES, in course of a speech, gave the following as
+his definition of the principles of Spiritualism, and we quote
+his words from a New York paper called The Universe: -
+“As a general definition of Spiritualism, the following is
+submitted: Its fundamental idea of God—the infinite spirit
+presenee, imminent in all things. Its fundamental thought is
+joyous communion with spirits and angels, and the practical
+demonstration of the same through the instrumentality of
+media. Its fundamental purpose is to rightly generate, edu-
+cate, and spiritualise all the races and nations of the earth
+Spiritualism, considered from its philosophical side, is
+rationalism, from its scientific side, naturalism, and from its
+religious side, the embodiment of love to God and man, a pre-
+sent inspiration and a heavenly minister. In the year 1900
+it will be the religion of the enlightened world. It underlies
+all genuine reform movements, physiological, educational
+social, philanthropic, and religious, and spanning all human
+interests with holy aim, it seeks to reconstruet society upon
+the principles of a universal brotherhood, and the strict equa-
+lity of the sexes. Desirous of greater knowledge touching
+the relations of spirit with matter, and of men with God and
+the intelligences of the surrounding world of spirits, Spiritua-
+lists study and reverently interrogate the laws and principles
+that govern the phenomena and occult forces of the universe,
+the histories of the past, and the experiences of the present,
+anxious to solve those psychological and spiritual problems oi
+the ages—man’s origin, capacity, duty, and final destiny.
+Interrelated with spirit and matter in their varied evolutions
+and with the highest interests connecting all worlds, Spiritua-
+lism is neither supernatural in philosophy, nor sectarian ir
+tendency; but broad, catholie, and progressive—the voiced
+truth of God through nature to the rational soul—a science, a
+philosophy, and a religion. Contemplated from the mount
+of vision, it may be compared to a temple whose outer foun-
+dations are upon earth, and whose golden dome is in heaven
+Its facts, its workmanship, are embellished by the fingers of
+angels, and its principles are upheld by the hand of God.
+Thanking you for your patience in listening to a stranger in a
+language that few of you understand, I close with the senti
+ments:—May Italians speedily possess all Italian territory
+may proud historic Rome be its capital; may capital and
+country constitute one united Republic, and may that Republic
+be sustained by the enlightened influences of education, jus-
+tice, universal suffrage, the equality of the sexes, and the
+beautiful peace principles of love and wisdon."
+On the second day of the session, while a fiery Frenchman
+was speaking eloquently of the value of republican institutions
+and of freedom in religion, and hundreds of listeners were
+applauding, up rose an officer searfed and ribboned, and said
+"In the name of the laws I pronounce this meeting dissolved !"
+An intense feeling of indignation, which broke into murmurs.
+pervaded the meeting; it seemed as though a storm were
+about to burst, when President Ricciardo rose and said,—"
+beg of you to disperse quietly—quietly and in order.” In this
+manner the meeting was brought to an unexpeetedly prompt
+conclusion.
+
+
+A BooK has just been published, entitled The Home
+Lise of Sir David Brewster, and is written by his
+daughter, Mrs. Gordon.* In that part of the book
+relating to his experiences in Spiritualism, extracts
+from his own letters and diary are given, from which
+we quote the most interesting portions : -
+“ London, May, 1851.-
+I have been at two mes-
+meric séances, one with Dr. Macdonald and the Duke
+of Argyll, at a Mrs. Holmes’, who utterly failed in her
+clairvoyant pretensions. A Count Possenti mesmerised
+her. The other was at Dr. Ashburner’s, where I saw
+things that confounded me."
+In a letter, dated London, April 25th, 1851, he tells
+of a breakfast party at the house of Chevalier Bunsen,
+and says that the great subject of talk was spirit-rapping,
+and the moving of tables. He adds: -
+“ Just as we were discussing the subject, Mr. Bunsen
+received a letter from the King of Prussia, saying that
+the experiment was made at the palace by the royal
+party, who were alone, and no conjuror present. Three
+of the young ladies had each letters from Berlin, men
+tioning these experiments, which sometimes fail. One
+letter stated that it succeeded three times out of
+seven. . . . Of course it is nonsense, and there must
+be some trick in it. . . . Mr. Monckton Milnes asked
+us to breakfast with him to-morrow, to meet Mr. Galla,
+the African traveller, who assured him that Mrs. Hayden
+told him the names of persons and places [in Africa
+which nobody but himself knew. The world is obviously
+going mad. .. . An American whom I met at Rogers'
+the other day, told me that hundreds had been sent to
+lunatic asylums in consequence of the communications
+made to them by the spirit rappers. . . . The spirit-
+rapping is exciting great interest in London, but very
+few believe in it, and there are many facts which tend
+to prove that it is done by some machinery or apparatus
+by which the hands and feet of the medium may pro-
+duce the observed phenomena."
+The following is the most important note of all : -
+“ London, June, 1855.—Last of all I went with Lord
+Brougham to a séance of the new spirit-rapper, Mr.
+Home, a lad of twenty, the son of a brother of the late
+Earl of Home. He went to America at the age of
+seven, and, though a naturalised American, is actually
+a Scotchman. Mr. Home lives in Cox’s Hotel, Jermyn-
+street; and Mr. Cox, who knows Lord Brougham,
+invited me to accompany him in order to assist in
+finding out the trick. We four sat down at a mode
+rately-sized table, the structure of which we were
+invited to examine. In a short time the table shud-
+dered, and a tremulous motion ran up all our arms;
+at our bidding these motions ceased and returned.
+“The most unaccountable rappings werc produced
+in various parts of the table, and the table actually rose
+from the ground when no hand was upon it. A larger
+table was produced, and exhibited similar movements.
+“ An accordion was held in Lord Brougham’s hand,
+and gave out a single note, but the experiment was a
+failure ; it would not play either in his hand or mine.
+“ A small hand-bell was then laid down with its
+mouth on the carpet, and, after lying for some time, it
+actually rang when nothing could have touched it.
+The bell was then placed on the other side, still upon
+the carpet, and it came over to me and placed itself in
+my hand. It did the same to Lord Brougham.
+“These were the principal experiments ; we could
+give no explanation of them, and could not conjecture
+how they could be produced by any kind of mechanism.
+Hands are sometimes seen and felt ; the hand often
+grasps another, and melts away, as it were, under the
+grasp.
+“ The object of asking Lord Brougham and me seems
+to have been to get our favourable opinion of the exhi-
+bition, but though neither of us can explain what we
+saw, we do not believe that it was the work of idle
+spirits."
+Whatever Sir David Brewster may assert to the con-
+trary, Lord Brougham died a believer in Spiritualism:
+he has also placed his opinion on record in writing, as
+will be seen upon reference to the last number of this
+journal
+In the book now under notice, Mrs. Gordon attempts
+no explanation of the phenomeua, beyond simply quoting
+a letter of an advertising character, from a philosophical
+instrument maker named Faulkner, published in the
+Standard a few months ago. Faulkner asserted that
+he had fitted up the houses of several persons with
+electrical apparatus to make spirit rapping noises. On
+being asked for references to persons whose houses he
+has thus fitted up, he has admitted in writing that he
+has never fitted up anybody’s house with such apparatus
+except that of Mr. Addison, a man who is not a Spiri-
+tualist, and who asserts all Spiritualists to be impostors
+Genuine Spiritual manifestations take place in any
+house, and are not confined to the home of the medium:
+the raps also, do not sound like noises mechanically pro-
+duced, for they are phenomena of “life,” and arc full of
+expression.
+
+
+CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.
+
+
+SIR DAVID BREWSTER AND SPIRITUALISM.
+
+
+* Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas. 1869.
+† This is a pure and very modest assumption on the part of the write
+The facts of nature are quite independent of the sayings, doings, and
+opinions of men. Mr. Home never invited them to the séance at all—ED.
+
+
+54
+
+
+MARCH 15, 1870.
+
+
+OURS
+
+
+IT chanced on a beautiful summer night,
+When the moon was young, when the stars were bright,
+And the blossom slept in the tender light,
+And dreamed of the zephyr’s sighs,
+That a wondrous spell in our home was wrought,
+Of hopes and fears and bewildering thought,
+By a fairy flower that an angel brought,
+From the gardens of paradise.
+
+
+The south wind fluttered its perfumed wings,
+And essayed the song that the bulbul sings;
+And the flrefly sparkled in mystic rings,
+Like lamps at a fairy ball;
+The young leaves whispering sweet and low,
+In a tongue that only Dryads know,
+Made love to the waves that danced below,
+To the chant of the waterfall.
+
+
+The cloud-ships lay in the far-off west,
+With their masts and spars and sails at rest,
+Or floated along in an idle quest,
+Of some bright Elysian Isle;
+And fairy gondolas here and there,
+Moved down the streams of the upper air,
+And moved their prows to the shadow stair,
+Of some Gothic palace-pile.
+
+
+So the hours of that summer-night were told,
+The starlight faded from river and wold,
+And morning, in garments of purple and gold,
+Awakened the slceping earth;
+But the cherub form with its face so fair,
+Crowned with a glory of golden hair -
+Like the morning and sunshine gleaming there -
+Stili nestled beside our hearth.
+The Universe.
+
+
+J. G. GERRAXS, Surgeon, &c.
+7a, Wyndham-place, Bryanston-square
+P.S.—I could say much more on the above subject, but fear
+occupying too much of your space. I will by your permission
+recur to it on a future occasion.
+SIR,—I am very mueh pleased with Mr. Pearce’s letter
+printed in your last issue, especially with his want of reve-
+renee for Tertullian. Who on earth was Tertullian, that his
+opinions should bind mine? The man is dead and buried; I
+cannot become personally acquainted with him or his friends
+or know much that is reliable about this antiquated indi-
+vidual. The evidence of one or two respeetable intelligent
+men, living now—in civilised times—in London, is worth more
+than the evidenee of a hundred dead and buried worthies
+who lived when the world was only half-way out of its state of
+primitive savagery, and whose sayings have come down to
+us through the hands of priestly and political mountebanks
+History, books, and the press, have almost always as yet been
+under the thumbs of the powers that be, and it is only within
+the last forty years that absolutely reliable history, giving all
+sides of disputed subjects, has risen into being. Let those
+Englishmen who worship antiquity carry their precepts into
+practice, paint their bodies as their forefathers, the ancient
+Britons, did, divest themselves of superfluous clothing, and
+make beastly savages of themselves generally. Modern civili-
+sation would then pronounce its verdict upon the worshippers
+of tradition, barbarism, superstition, and antiquity, by lodging,
+them in the nearest police-station.
+Mareh 12th, 1870.
+A. P
+
+
+This is a mistake, because readers do not care for a
+continual supply of the opinions of one person, however
+good they may be, and the newspaper ought to contain
+reports of what is now taking place in connection with
+Spiritualism in Melbourne. There is plenty of internal
+evidence that The Glowworm is not under the control
+of a practical journalist, and we fear that its life is
+almost certain to be a short one, unless a considerable
+change be made in description and arrangement of the
+matter it publishes. However, failure in a good cause
+is better than success in a bad one.
+The second number only of The Glowworm has reached
+us, and no statement is made in it whether it is pub-
+lished weekly or monthly, but probably it is intended
+to be a monthly journal.
+
+
+Poetry.
+
+
+spirits could for a special mighty purpose cause the immacu-
+late conception of a human being. Verily, this is straining at
+a gnat and swallowing a camel.
+J. G. GERRAXS, Surgeon, &c.
+
+
+THE BIBLE-SPIRITUALISM CONTROVERSY.
+
+
+SIR.—I read my friend Mr. Pearce’s letter in your last with
+great regret, and I know that some excellent Christian men
+who had begun to be interested in Spiritualism, have been
+much shocked by it. And no wonder ! Our Christian friends
+though some of their views may be erroneous and illogical
+hold their creeds, naturally enough very sacred ; and it savours
+to them very much of blasphemy when they see the Bible
+treated with no more respect, and as of little more authority,
+than other books. I sympathise to some extent with Mr.
+Pearce in his complaint that W. H. evinced in his letter a
+little want of charity towards those who have ventured to
+express sentiments at variance with his own ; but I do not
+think it is a sufficient answer to W. H. to attempt to prove
+that the biblical narratives are incredible, for that is only
+supporting, instead of confuting W. H.’s position—that there
+is a class of Spiritualists who seem only too glad of an oppor-
+tunity of making attacks upon "Moses, Jesus, and the Bible."
+Would it not rather be wiser for W. H. and Mr. Pearce, and
+every other Spiritualist, to avoid altogether the discussion of
+theological tenets in Spiritualistic publications? For what
+has Spiritualism to do with the questions that have been
+raised—the Divinity of the Lord Jesus and the inspiration of
+the first chapter of Genesis? As a Swedenborgian I hold both
+most completely, even though I am a Spiritualist also. And
+what is more, notwithstanding Mr. Pearce’s attempt to dis-
+prove them, I think I could show—if I regarded a Spiritual-
+istic publication as the proper place for it—that in so believing
+them I violate neither reason nor common sense. I am, in
+fact, rationally convinced of their truth, and I do not for a
+moment anticipate that any spirit will ever expect me to
+abjure them on his authority alone ! If I ever meet with such
+a one I shall suspect him to be a departed Pope, and shall
+refuse to have anything to say to him.
+But I will say no more, for I write this with the simple view
+of inducing you to discourage theological controversies in your
+columns, and in order to assure inquirers that a belief in
+Spiritualism and a belief also in the inspiration of the written
+Word of God are by no means incompatible.
+EDMUND D. ROGERS.
+
+
+Old Palace-road, Norich.
+March 4, 1870.
+
+
+SIR.—In the last number of the SPIRITUALIST I read a letter
+from Mr. C. W. Pearce, of South Stockwell, in reply to one by
+W. H. The purpose of Mr. Pearce appears to be to condemn
+certain propositions advanced by W. H., one of which is the
+divinity of our Saviour. Alluding to the statements set forth
+in the first chapters of Matthew and Luke, Mr. Pearce demurs
+to this dogma, submitting the same to the “test of reason."
+Arguing from the analysis of natural law as it exhibits itself
+in the generation of the human race, he comes to the conclu-
+sion that Jesus being a man, He must necessarily have had a
+human father. Speaking of the perfection of the Creator’s
+laws, he says, “ One of these laws is that before a child can be
+conceived, there must be a union between man and woman,"
+Of course there must, in the fulfilment of the natural law of
+propagation, and there needs no dogmatism to prove a fact
+known to the most ignorant savage. But the observation
+cannot apply to the conception of Jesus of Nazareth, for that
+was supernatural. It is a subject of such great delicacy, that
+in its very nature it is scarcely proper, however carefully
+treated, to be placed before the eye of the general reader
+but were it not for this consideration, Mr. Editor, I could by a
+little anatomical and physiological detail, place the matter in
+such a plain and simple point of view, that the immaculate
+conception of Jesus Christ could be no longer considered such
+a great mystcry and improbability. I will conclude by
+putting the question to any sceptic who may read this letter
+“Do you believe in a God the Creator of the universe?"
+None but an atheist, we know, will deny it. Well, then
+surely the Being who could create the universe could perform
+such a trifling operation as the impregnation of the germ of a
+human being, and for the stupendous purpose of rescuing a
+sinful world from its lost condition. It was a miracle indeed,
+and great was its object. But there are persons who make
+this fact a great stumbling-block, because it is contrary to
+natural law. Yet such is the caprice of human nature, that
+they will go to a séance, impelled by curiosity, and witness
+certain facts which in the present condition of scientific
+knowledge can only be accountd for on the presumption that
+what takes place is through spiritual agency, fully believing
+the same, and are thoroughly satisfied with the genuineness of
+the manifestations, yet demur to the immaculate conception of
+Christ. Now, if a spirit, often no doubt an ungodly one, can
+enter into, or in some manner physically influence dead, inert
+matter in the form of chairs and tables, causing these articles
+of furniture to eut extraordinary capers round a room, and
+often for no good practical purpose, surely the Father of
+
+
+THE GLOWWORMW: The First Australian Newspaper on
+Spiritualism. Melbourne, December 31st, 1869.
+A CLOSE examination of this newspaper, with its super
+fluity of words printed in italics and small capitals,
+with its trenchant style, and its many words which
+would appear to be ill-spelt to any but a good philo
+logist, revealed that somebody was at the helm of the
+new journal, whose writings are not unknown in one
+section of Great Britain. Long before seeing the name
+in the imprint, we were perfectly certain that Mr. B. S.
+Nayler, late of Milford, South Wales, has full control
+of The Glowworm.
+This new newspaper deals principally with the re-
+ligious aspects of Spiritualism. As the writer is well
+versed in the literature and early history of the Bible,
+and has a forcible and convincing method of expressing
+his ideas, many good answers to sectarian attacks upon
+Spiritualism may be drawn from the columns of the
+little Australian journal. The Glowworm reveals very
+clearly that the phenomena of Spiritualism which are
+witnessed in Melbourne bear the same characteristics
+as in every other part of the globe, and that the burden
+of the first messages given by the spirits is “ Love -
+Love—nothing but Love.
+Among the spiritual com-
+munications of interest in the journal, is one from the
+mother of Mr. Nayler, dated April 15th, 1869, in which
+she says: -
+"There are many millions of spirits who do not know of such
+a method of communicating, and others to whom such a pro¬
+cess is new ; therefore they have to learn the modus operandi.
+You must wait with patience the unfolding of the law. It is
+only a very short time since I understood this way of holding
+communion with you. Previous to it my only way of in
+fluencing you was by impression, which mode I alway-
+exercise as well, though you are not cognizant of the fact.”
+In another message, dated March 25th, 1869, his
+mother said: -
+“ My dear son, blissful beyond comparison with aught on
+earth, is this my home. The language we speak is of the soul
+We do not commune orally, but by our eyes. Everyone’s
+condition, thoughts, and desires, are known by the aroma
+which surrounds them, and we do not, cannot hold communion
+with all—only those with whom we are in affinity, or, that
+their personal spheres attract us, so that we are all linked
+together in the bonds of love. There is no discord here in
+our heavenly home—truly one of many mansions prepared
+for all the children of the earth. Each one will find their
+home here ; some in brighter and more glorious homes than
+others, but all, that place adapted to their wants and desires."
+The Glowworm also contains messages from Mr.
+Nayler’s father, and one dated December 2nd, 1869,
+from Dr. J. Field, who quitted the earth-life at Milford,
+Pembrokeshire, in May, 1864. In one portion of the
+paper Mr. Nayler states that John Wesley often made
+his home at the house of his (Mr. Nayler’s) grandfather
+Mr. George Merryweather, at Yarm, in Yorkshire, and
+that Wesley privately owned that he did not believe
+in eternal damnation, a doctrine which he purposely
+ceased to preach in public, though he said nothing
+openly about his belief in the universal restoration of
+all mankind.
+In a list of eminent Spiritualists published in The
+Glowworm are the names of Lyndhurst, Bulwer Lytton,
+De Morgan, Robert Chambers, William Howitt, Ash
+burner, Elliotson, John Stuart Mill, Tennyson, Varley
+Sir Charles Wheatstone, Professor Hare, Washington
+Irving, Abraham Lincoln, Robert Dale Owen, Judge
+Edmonds, Horace Greeley, Longfellow, Whittier, the
+Emperor of the French, Victor Hugo, Guizot, Leon
+Favre, and Garibaldi.
+The Glowworm, from beginning to end, is filled
+almost entirely with the argumentative writing of the
+editor, and it might, with much more accuracy, bo
+entitled, Mr. B. S. Nayler's Opinions of Spiritualism.
+
+
+The Food Journal. Published Mouthly. London, J.
+M. Johnson and Sons, March 1, 1870.
+Tais is is a new and valuable periodical, since it gives
+attention to food and its adulterations, and has several
+medical and other gentlemen of ability among the con -
+tributors to its pages. Butter is now very largely adu -l
+terated with various kinds of grease, and with silicate
+of potash. Vast quantities of tea, made of dirty leaves
+which have been previously used, and in some
+cases have begun to putrefy, are regularly imported
+from China. A journal is greatly needed which will
+work hard to keep such unpleasant impurities from
+entering the human body. Among the articles in the
+number of the Food Journal now under notice, is one
+by Dr. J. Muter, from which it appears that among the
+many substances used to adulterate coffee are chicory
+roasted roots, peas, and acorns, also saw-dust, lupin
+seeds, oak bark, and baked horse’s liver. The raspings
+of loaves and stale sea biscuits are very much used to
+adulterate coffee. The journal also contains a good ar -
+ticle by Mr. E. Fournier, on the disadvantages of a potato
+diet. Potatoes do not contain all the ingredients neces-
+sary to support life, but potatoes and ground bones, or
+potatoes and milk, make very nutritious diet. It is a
+principle in political economy, “ the cheaper the food
+the lower the wages of the population," therefore it is
+to the money interest of capitalists that the bulk of the
+people shall be supplied with cheap rather than pure
+food. The practical effects of the working of this prin-
+ciple may well be investigated by the Food Journal.
+
+
+MRS. EVERITTS MEDIUMSHIP.
+
+
+Some of the remarkable Spiritual manifestations,
+which so often take place through the mediumship
+of Mrs. T. Everitt, of 26, Penton-street, Pentonville,
+have, from time to time, been published in the periodicals
+devoted to Spiritualism, so it is thought that the follow -
+ing brief account of the development of her powers as
+a medium will be of interest. The particulars are
+furnished by Mr. Everitt.
+About thirteen or fourteen years ago, Mrs. Everitt
+left London for a few days on a visit to Mr. G. W.
+Bitten, of Saffron Walden, Essex; and in his house first
+saw what was then calied “ table-turning.
+At first
+she sat at a distance from the table, and refused to go
+near it; but afterwards, being pressed by her friends.
+she joined the circle ; the table continued to move, and
+she could see, by the hands of the members of the
+circle, that the power moving the table came from
+below it, and not from their hands on the top. On the
+following Sunday some very heavy “ thumps” came
+upon the floor of the room, while Mr. Bitten was read-
+ing a sermon ; he then looked up, and said to his niece
+"If you are not quiet, I shall discontinue reading."
+She replied, “ It's not me, uncle."
+The noises grew
+louder, and he accused her a second time. The thumps
+then became so violent, that Mrs. Bitten said that it
+was “ the devil,” upon which tremendous blows were
+heard upon the floor, so that they were all frightened.
+and left the room. Mr. Bitten went down and searched
+the cellar beneath the room, but could find nothing to
+account for the violent blows.
+Mrs. West, a friend of Mrs. Everitt’s, witnessed these
+things also, and, on their return to London, they tried
+to get some “table-turning” at home, in Mr. Everitt’s
+present house. Tiltings of the table were obtained;
+the name of Mr. Everitt’s mother was spelt out, and
+she answered test questions so as to fully prove her
+identity; in fact, documents had to be examined after
+wards to ascertain the accuracy of some of the state-
+ments she made. Other sittings took place, and it was
+soon noticed that the manifestations only took place
+while Mrs. Everitt was present ; she was very nervous
+about it, and would not believe that these things took
+place through her mediumship. About three months
+after her return from Saffron Walden, the spirits gave
+her the following message: - "
+You have often wondered
+how we were ablo to produce that noise which you
+heard at Mr. Bitten’s; we were able to produce it
+through Mrs. Everitt—she is a rapping medium. Mrs.
+West is a tilting medium."
+From that time she be
+lieved that the manifestations came through hermedium-
+ship.* During the first three months after her return
+
+
+* It is often the case, that when two undeveloped media meet at a circle
+the spirits can give powerful manifestations for the time, but little or none
+when the two persons are separated. Somebody besides Mrs. Everitt, at
+Saffron Walden, must have contributed to the medium power which made
+the first manifestations so striking.—ED.
+
+
+Correspondence.
+
+
+[Great freedom is given to correspondents, who sometimes express opinions
+diametrically opposed to those of this journal and its readers].
+
+
+Book Notices.
+
+
+MARCH 15, 1870.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+from Saffron Walden, table-motions only were obtained
+through Mrs. Everitt’s mediumship; but the move-
+ments were of a marked character, for once a small
+table moved without contact with anybody, and at
+another time, at supper, the table rose from the ground
+with all the things on it. At the end of the three
+months slight “ticks” or raps were heard, and these
+quickly grew more powerful, till before another three
+months had passed away, tremendous blows would come
+upon the floor,“ as if,” says Mr. Everitt, “somebody were
+striking the floor from the kitchen underneath with a
+log of timber, jarring the whole house up to the top
+For a whole year the physical manifesta-
+windows.
+tions increased in power.
+It was not meaningless noise, but always showed
+that there was an intelligence behind, or using this
+power, for it sometimes gave very startling information,
+and by her placing only one finger on a small table, it
+would sometimes walk along the passage, and up and
+down stairs. During all this time Mrs. Everitt was
+very timid; she could even hear the spirits walking
+before and after her sometimes. These things did not
+come by her will or wish, and she seemed to care very
+little about her mediumship ; it was a very considerable
+time—perhaps two or three years—before she would
+let the spirits use her hand as a writing medium,
+although they often asked her permission. She let
+them write messages by means of the planchette,
+shortly before she allowed them to write through her
+hand.
+Very often at the séances the power was so strong,
+that the spirits would shake the whole house from
+cellar to garret, and the vibrations at last loosened
+the hold of the ends of the rafters in the brick-
+work of the front of the house, so that the floors
+of the upper bed-rooms were in danger of falling
+through. Mr. Everitt accordingly had to have the
+brickwork of the two upper storeys of the front of his
+house wholly rebuilt, and after this expensive opera-
+tion was performed, he was told by the spirits that the
+damage had been done to give evidence that the mani-
+festations were real, and not mental impressions. Since
+the rebuilding, the house has not been shaken so vio-
+lently, although powerful vibrations are often set up.
+It was in November, 1867, that the audible spirit
+voice was first obtained through the mediumship of
+Mrs. Everitt. Miss Nichols (now Mrs. Guppy) called
+upon Mrs. Everitt, and they had a dark séance. Fruit
+and flowers were brought by the spirits, who then
+changed the places of the sitters, and asked Mrs.
+Everitt to go to the other side of the room. A peculiar
+low whisper was then heard, as if somcbody were
+trying to articulate; this frightened Mrs. Everitt and
+Mrs. Guppy; but the former was then thrown into a
+trance-sleep for the first time, and the spirit John Watt
+first made himself known to the mortals present. He
+gave an account of himself, saying that he was a native
+of Torquay; that he was an engineer by trade; that
+he left this world at the age of thirty years; he was
+not married in this world, but has since met with his
+conjugal partner, whose spirit name is Mercia. He
+speaks of her as a pure spirit, for she never breathed in
+this world, as she was still-born. During the next ten
+or twelve sittings, John Watt always refused to use a
+paper tube; but at last he took it, and then could
+speak very much louder. Later still, other voiccs were
+obtained through Mrs. Everitt’s mediumship.
+John
+Watt often sends an assistant of his, Joseph Smith, of
+Torquay, to talk to the circle when his other work will
+not let him come himself; his assistants also often get
+everything ready before his arrival, so that he may
+then begin to speak at once. One day, about two years
+ago, Mrs. Hardinge came to the circle, and from that
+time a spirit, who gives the name of Znippy, and says
+that he was born on one of the South Sea Islands,
+has often spoken with an audible voice through Mrs.
+Everitt’s mediumship. He says that he came over
+with Mrs. Hardinge in a big ship, and that he "died"
+in America when about fifteen years old. Now and
+then departed friends of persons who have casuall
+visited Mrs. Everitt’s circle, have come to talk with an
+audible voice, and, in some instances, have satisfactorily
+proved their identity.
+In connection with Mrs. Everitt’s mediumship, a very
+curious circumstance once took place, tending to shov
+that perhaps the eastem superstition as to efficacy of
+charms and amulets originally had a foundation upon
+facts. On the 25th March, 1868, Mrs. Everitt went to
+a séance at the house of Mrs. Gregory, near Hyde-park,
+and a ring was taken off her finger, in the course of the
+sitting. When she came home she searched for it, but
+it could not be found. Next day, March 26th, John
+Watt said that the ring was in his possession, and that
+Mrs. Everitt's spirits were throwing their influence into
+the ring to strengthen her mediumship. For three or
+four weeks afterwards, John Watt’s voice and the other
+manifestations were very weak, and John Watt said that
+the power could not be regained till she had the ring
+back again. Twenty-nine days after the ring was
+taken, Mrs. Everitt was at a dark séance, at the house
+of Mr. Childs, 21, Offord-road, Islington, and was told
+that the ring had been brought back. A light was
+
+
+struck, but they could not see the ring on the table, on
+anywhere else, and a seeing medium who was present
+said, “ Look under the Bible.” There, sure enough, was
+the ring, returned in a house several miles distant from
+that at which it was taken off. The spirits said that
+they would put the ring on again when the light was
+extinguished. The ring was placed on the table, the
+light was put out, and instantly Mrs. Everitt said, “ It's
+A light was struck, and the ring was found on
+on!"
+her finger, behind another ring of exactly the same size
+though whether it passed over, under, or through it, or
+neither, nobody knows. It was done instantaneously
+and Mrs. Everitt felt herself lifted from the chair at the
+instant it surrounded her finger. From the day of the
+return of this ring, Mrs. Everitt has been in better
+health than she ever was before, for up to that time she
+was generally ill the day after a séance. Often, after
+wards, while narrating this story of the ring to others
+Mrs. Everitt would take it off her finger to show to the
+listeners. John Watt said, last October, he would pre-
+vent her from doing that again, as the influence of those
+who took the ring marred its beneficial effects upon Mrs
+Everitt. Accordingly, on awaking one morning she
+found the ring on another finger, and discovered that it
+fitted very closely, and could not be slipped over the
+first joint to be taken off; in fact, the only way to get
+it off now, is by the file, or by chemical reagents
+On another occasion also, Mrs. Everitt had a ring taken
+away, and returned at a distant place
+Unlike most other voice mediums, Mrs. Everitt is
+usually, though not always, in a mesmeric sleep while
+the spirits speak with audible voices. Direct spirit
+writing is also obtained through her mediumship, and
+it began three years ago; they exercised full control of
+the pencil at first trial. Darkness, unfortunately, is re-
+quired for this manifestation. Sentences are written
+out with enormous velocity, only one or two seconds
+being required to write senteuces of twelve or twenty
+words, and then the pencil is thrown down on the table
+The pencil does not make a scratching noise while
+writing, but a rattle, as if the point were making a
+rapid shower of taps upon the paper.
+All mediums are usually very nervous, but Mrs
+Everitt is exceptionally sensitive. The presence of
+strangers at her séances of a suspicious or antagonistic
+disposition, is felt by her at once, and gives her absolute
+physical pain. Hence it is not often that anybody is
+invited to her séances, who has not previously been
+present at other manifestations, so as to know the
+reality of spiritual phenomena beforehand, and to come
+to the circle in a more affable frame of mind than is
+usually the case with strangers. She has given the
+Dialectical Society no facilities for investigation
+although by chance, one or two members of the
+Society have been present at some of her séances.
+All along, she has taken very little interest in her
+own mediumship, but began to value it more when, a
+few months ago, she saw the character of a man’s life
+entirely changed in consequence of the manifestations
+made by her spirits, when nothing else could possibly
+have reclaimed him from drinking, swearing, and other
+vices. Mr. Everitt is a respectable master tailor, who
+has been in business in Pentonville for many years, and
+neither he nor Mrs. Everitt have ever accepted an
+payment from those whom they have permitted to
+witness the manifestations. Mr. Everitt is often be-
+sieged with letters, asking permission to be present
+at first he answered them, till he found them too great
+a tax upon him, and that he must either leave them
+unnoticed, or keep a clerk. Mr. Everitt wishes these
+facts to be publiely known, that those who write ma-
+not attribute his silence to want of courtesy
+Mr. S. C. Hall, F.S.A., the Countess de Pomar, and
+many others, have publicly testified to the genuine
+character of the manifestations obtained through the
+mediumship of Mrs. Everitt. The following letter
+which was originally published in the Spiritual Maga-
+zine, describes one of the most remarkable séances ever
+witnessed in her presence: -
+"26, Penton-street, Pentonville, Feb. 22nd, 1868
+“ SIR,—The following are a few facts in connection with
+our spirit circle:—In the first place, I may here state that we
+are now always directed by spirit intelligenees as to when and
+where we shall hold our séances; sometimes we are told whom
+we are to invite, and it is pleasing to know that this is done
+with an evident knowledge of, and consideration for, my busi
+ness and other engagements.
+“I wish that some one who attends our meetings, and
+whose powers of description are more graphic than mine,
+would send you some account of the interesting conversationt
+and eommunications that are given “audibly" by spirits
+'John Watt’ is the name of the spirit who attends our
+séances, and speaks to us more than any other spirit whose
+individuality and identity has, by the last three months
+experience, been proved to my mind most conclusively. In
+more ways than it is possible for me to enumerate here, he
+has identified himself with the best interests of the medium
+and he tells that it is his special privilege to have eharge of
+this circle.
+“ He has informed us that he has been in the other world
+aceording to our reckoning, about thirty years ; that he was
+ill about six months, and died of consumption ; that he was
+(when in this world) an engineer, and helped to get out the
+plans for the first line of railway from London-bridge to
+Greenwich.
+“On one occasion, a medium who was a seer, described
+what he saw at our séance. He said we appeared to be sitting
+
+
+under a blue dome, round the bottom of which was a gold
+band ; and at the top was an opening with another gold band
+round it, and over this opening was a reddish cloud, in which
+appeared a beautiful, angelic face ; that, we were told, of the
+presiding angel at our circle, and, it was added, the spirit who is
+speaking looks up to him when he wants any information, and
+sometimes hesitates in answering us till he gets permission.
+“ When having a séance at Mrs. Berry’s, 'John Watt ’ said,
+I wish you had a seer here to describe the glorious sight over
+you.' We asked him if he could not tell us. Well,’ he said.
+if your spiritual sight were opened, you would see a beautiful
+blue dome, like the dome of a cathedral, filled with stars
+but which are angelic faces ; and at the top is the presiding
+angel. Ah ! it is a glorious sight ; I wish you could see it.
+“ We have asked him about the seasons in the spirit world:
+he says, “that every one lives in the temperature that proceeds
+from himself, and which is therefore best suited to his state.
+He said, “The sun never sets, it always appears in the east :
+and strange as it may seem, to whichever quarter the angels
+are going, their faces are always turned towards it ; they have
+no night—but morning, noon, and evening
+“I will now give you an account of the most remarkable
+séance it has ever becn my happiness to witness.
+Mrs. E
+"this evening, had a most violent head-ache
+and when “John Watt’ came, he said, Good evening
+friends, I see your medium is out of condition, I shall not be
+able to stay long.'
+We asked him if he could not remove the
+head-ache ; he said, I will try.’ He took the tube and made
+passes over Mrs. E
+’s head, which soon removed the pain.
+He then said, Mr. Everitt, you have a message for me, have
+you not? I said, Yes.' He said, I know all about it; go
+on Friday.' And after he had arranged our meetings for the
+following week, Mrs. E
+exclaimed, 'There's a beautiful
+light !’ We looked, and all saw a light rising towards the
+centre of the room, like the moon in its first quarter; it
+moved aeross the room, and disappeared ; then arose from
+the same place, and ascended to the ceiling, a most beautiful
+constellation of stars, as many as ten or twelve in number.
+all twinkling brightly, appearing and disappearing so that it
+was impossible to count them from the quickness of their
+motion ; then came a comet like Halley’s, with two streams
+of light diverging from the head, and another, and another:
+so that there were several of them near the centre of the
+room. And then, in another part of the room, a much larger
+light appeared, and remained near the ceiling; in front of it
+there was a dark embankment of elouds, and from behind
+them this light streamed up continuously, similar to what
+may be seen sometimes before the rising of the sun. This we
+were told, represented the dawning of Spiritualism ; and it is
+worthy of remark, that the heads of the comets were turned
+towards this great light.
+“'John Watt' kept asking us how we liked the lights, and
+told us to keep our eyes open, as we should see more wonders;
+and so it was, something fresh was continually presented—a
+spirit hand, a spirit arm, a spirit form, was seen to pass
+through the light, or appear above our heads. The lights
+were seen for full an hour by the twelve persons who were
+present, and who testify to the truth of this statement.
+'John Watt' told us that we should in time see spirits and
+angels in that light which they themselves produce. At his
+suggestion we then concluded the séance with prayer.
+“I append the names and addresses of those present
+namely,—Mr. and Mrs. Everitt, 26, Penton-street, Pentonville
+Mr. Charles Everitt, 26, Penton-street, Pentonville ; Mr.
+White and Mrs. Wise, 30, Rahere-street, Goswell-road ; Mr.
+Jones and Miss Jones, 34, Rahere-street, Goswell-road ; Mr.
+Towns, 32, Lloyd’s-row, St. John’s-street-road ; Mr. Davis
+Old-street-road ; Mrs. Ridley, 11, Brunswick-square, Hackney-
+road; Mrs. Childs, 21, Offord-road, Caledonian-road ; Mrs.
+Sparey, 3, Cambridge-place, Kingsland-road.
+"THOS. EVERITT."
+
+
+SOME very powerful physical manifestations have recently
+been obtained by Mr. Collier and a few friends, at Forest
+Gate, Essex.
+A CORRESPONDENT informs us that Mr. John Jones, of
+Enmore-park, South' Norwood, delivered a lecture on
+Spiritualism in St. John’s Hall, Clerkenwell, about three
+weeks ago, and that the listeners were much interested.
+LAST Thursday the Daily Telegraph had a long article
+written by one of its “funny men", about one of Mr. Morse’s
+public séances at 15, Southampton-row, W.C. We have no
+space to quote the article, which was not a specially disagree
+able one, and if it gave its readers inaccurate ideas, at all
+events it is of a better tone than the articles on Spiritualism
+which were commonly published a few years ago by the
+misleaders of public opinion.
+SPIRITUALISM AT THE ANTIPODES. — A private letter
+from Mr. W. D. Meers, of Dunedin, New Zealand, dated
+December 23rd, 1869, has just been received by Mr. George
+Childs, of 21, Offord-strect, Islington, N. In the course of
+the letter Mr. Meers states that much interest in Spiritualism
+is evinced in Dunedin, but as the people there have only just
+began to make experimental trials the manifestations are not
+yet sufficiently developed to be of a very striking character.
+In Australia Spiritualism has made more progress, and Mr
+Meers says the editor of the daily paper at Dunedin told him
+that the Spiritualists in Melbourne intend bringing onto a
+weekly or a monthly paper in connection with the movement
+and that the Melbourne Argus has recently published two very
+favourable articles on the subject.
+SPIRITUALISM IN HALIFAX.—Mr. J. M. Peebles delivered
+a lecture last night in the Mechanics' Hall, Halifax, York¬
+shire, in which he called attention to the value of reason as
+one of the most precions gifts given to man by the Almighty,
+and as a faculty which must be applied to all subjects,
+whether theological or otherwise. He then spoke of the pro-
+gress of religious ideas, and of the origin aud progress of
+Spiritualism in Europe and America. To-night he will speak
+of the Bible proofs of Spiritualism, and of mediumship. To-
+morrow he will speak of the book religions of the world. and
+of the relations ot modern Christianity to the primal teaehings
+of Jesus ; on Thursday he will speak of the objections made
+to Spiritualism by the uninformed.
+
+
+ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
+A. G. (Glasgow).—Kept over again for want of space
+T. N. C. (Jamaica).—A parcel has been sent as desired.
+B. S. N. (Melbourne).—The first ripples of the waves of Spiritual-
+ism have spread nearly all over Wales, but practical acquaintance
+with the phenomena is at present confined chiefly to Merthyr
+Hirwain, and Llanelly.
+A. B. (Stoke Newington).—The publication of your letter would
+only start an angry and endless theological dispute. Shall be
+glad to hear from you on another subject. Remittances intended
+for the publisher, should not be enclosed to the editor. On appli-
+tion at the publishing office the amount will be returned.
+
+
+55
+
+
+56
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST
+
+
+MARCH 15, 1870.
+
+
+FACTS FOR NON-SPIRITUALISTS.
+THE phenomena seen at spiritual circles are
+so extraordinary, and so unlike those coming
+within the ordinary range of human experi-
+ence, that it is quite right not to accept them
+on the testimony of others. Each individual
+should witness and test them personally, and
+believe nothing until the absolute knowledge
+is gained that denial is impossible.
+
+
+EVIDENCE THAT SPIRITUALISM DESERVES INVES-
+TIGATION.
+The testimony of reliable and respectable wit-
+nesses that the phenomena of Spiritualism are
+actual facts, and not imposture or delusion, has of
+late years so accumulated as to possess very great
+weight. In the case of Lyon v. Home, Mr. Rober
+Chambers, Mr. C. F. Varley, Dr. Gully, Mr. and
+Mrs. S. C. Hall, and others, all made affidavits
+strongly in favour of Mr. Home. The following
+was the affidavit of Mr. C. F. Varley, C.E.,
+F.R.G.S., M.R.I.:
+
+
+“I, Cromwell Flestwood Varley, of Fleetwood House
+Beckenham, in the County of Kent, Esquire, make oath
+and say as follows: -
+“I have been a student of electricity, chemistry, and
+natural philosophy for twenty-six years, and a tele-
+graphic engineer by profession for twenty-one years,
+and I am the consulting electrician of the Atlantic Tele-
+graph Company, and of the Electric aud International
+Company.
+“ About nine or ten years ago, having had my atten-
+tion directed to the subject of Spiritualism by its spon-
+taneous and unexpected development in my own family
+in the form of clairvoyant visions and communications,
+I determined to test the truth of the alleged physical
+phenomena to the best of my ability, and to ascertain,
+if possible, the nature of the force which produced them.
+“Accordingly, about eight years ago, 1 called on Mr.
+Home, the defendant in this suit, and stated that I had
+not yet witnessed any of the physical phenomena, but
+that I was a scientific man and wished to investigate
+them carefully.
+"He immediately gave me every facility for the pur-
+pose, and desired me to satisfy myself in every possible
+way, and I have been with him on divers occasions
+when the phenomena have occurred. I have examined
+and tested them with him and with others, under con-
+ditions of my own choice, under a bright light, and have
+made the most jealous and searching scrutiny. I have
+been, since then, for seven months in America, where
+the subject attracts great attention and study, and where
+it is cultivated by some of the ablest men, and having
+experimented with and compared the forces with elec-
+tricity and magnetism, and after having applied me-
+chanical and mental tests, I entertain no doubt whatever
+that tho manifestations which I have myself examined
+were not due to the operation of any of the recognised
+physical laws of nature, and that there has been present
+on the occasions above-mentioned some intelligence
+other than that of the medium and observers.
+"The subject of course offers many opportunities and
+inducements for fraud, and I only speak of what I have
+myself seen and tested. Since my acquaintance with
+Mr. Home began I have pursued the enquiry, and I have
+found engaged in it able, learned, and scientific men,
+who are convinced as I am, that the physical manifesta-
+tions are but the introduction to an extensive fleld of
+mental and physical knowledge which will in a great
+measure explain and reconcile the beliefs of all ages and
+nations. I know of several instances both in Europe
+and America in which this course of study has awak-
+ened the perception of the purest and loftiest truths and
+principles. There have been no doubt cases in which
+the intellect has been too feeble for the stimulus, and
+has been overpowered by it, just as frequently results
+from excessive application to religion and other exciting
+topics, but such cases have not come within my own
+observation.
+“Mr. Home, like several other non-professional me-
+diums whose cases I have studied, was passive during
+the occurrence of the manifestations. He, like the
+other mediums, is extremely susceptible to external in-
+fluences, and has a mind better suited to receive impres-
+sions than to prosecute enquiries. I willingly testify m
+entire conviction of his truthfulness and honesty.
+"C. F. VARLEY."
+
+
+very eminent American Spiritualist, who has also
+written interesting books on the subject. Recently,
+in England, Viscount Adare has written a book
+bearing testimony to the truth of Spiritualism, and
+it has a preface by Lord Dunraven. This book is
+printed for private circulation only, which is an
+error in judgment. Valuable evidence in favour
+of Spiritualism is given by John Wesley and his
+family; for spirit rapping and movements of
+wooden materials by invisible agency occurred in
+their own house. Documentary evidence of what
+they witnessed was drawn up and signed on the
+spot, and is published in Southey's Life of Wesley.
+Signor G. Damiani, a Sicilian gentleman living
+at Clifton, has written a pamphlet, still in print
+in which he severely censures Professor Tyndall,
+Mr. G. H. Lewes, and others like them, for refus-
+ing to investigate the subject. He further offers a
+reward of 1,000 guineas to any respectable, scien-
+tific or educated men, who will investigate the
+subject and prove it to be an imposture. The
+following are his words:
+“I now offer you two challenges.
+“First, I challenge you, or either of you, or any of
+the public who, like you, disbelieve in the genuine cha-
+racter of spiritualistic phenomena, to deposit in the
+hands of any well-known London banker whom you or
+they may name, the sum of five hundred guineas; and
+I pledge myself to immediately deposit in the same bank
+a like amount,—the ownership of such sum of one thou-
+sand guineas to depend upon my proving by evidence
+sufficicut to establish any fact in history or in a criminal
+or civil court of justice.
+First—That intelligent communications and answers
+to questions put, proceed from dead and inert matter in
+a manner inexplicable by any generally recognised law
+of nature.
+"Secondly—That dead and inert matter does move
+without the aid of any mechanical or known chemical
+agency, and in deflance of all the admitted laws of gravi-
+tation.
+"Thirdly—That voices appertaining to no one in the
+flesh are heard to speak aud hold rational converse with
+men.
+“A jury of twenty-four gentlemen, twelve to be chosen
+by each party (such jury to consist exclusively of mem-
+bers of the learned professions and literary men), to
+decide whether or not the facts contained in the above
+propositions are conclusively proved per testes—ie., by
+witnesses of established character. A majority of
+the twenty-four to decide. If the verdict be that these
+facts have not been established, the thousand guineas
+are to belong to the party accepting this challenge; if
+the verdict be that these facts are established, the thou-
+sand guineas to be mine.
+“Secondly—Immediately after the above wager being
+decided, either way, I offer a like challenge of five hun-
+dred guineas (to be met on the other side in like manner
+as above)—the ownership of the second sum of one
+thousand guineas to depend upon the establishment of
+the facts contained in the propositions already given, by
+experiments conducted in the actual presence of the twenty-
+four gentlemen who have decided the previous wager;
+the verdict of the majority to decide in this case likewise
+“In either case, the séances are to be conducted in an
+public or private building which the jury may select,
+and which may be available for the purpose.
+“The result of these challenges (if accepted and de-
+cided) to be advertised by the victorious party, at the
+expense of the defeated party, in all the London daily
+papers.
+“I hope this is plain English
+“Awaiting a reply to this letter, and to the challenge
+with which it concludes, I am, gentlemen; your obedient
+G. DAMIANI.
+servant,
+“Clifton, Oct. 1, 1868
+“P.S.—Letters addressed “Sigr. Damiani, care of
+Manager of West of England and South Wales Distrie
+Bank, Corn-street, Bristol, will always reach the writer."
+In addition to the above evidence, there is the
+testimony of numbers that the modern spiritual
+manifestations are realities. Mr. Hepworth Dixon
+in his New America estimates the number of Spiri-
+tualists in the United States at rather less than
+three millions, and this is about the lowest estimate
+that anybody has made. There are no accurate sta-
+tistics, and different authorities vary in their esti-
+mates from three to eleven millions.
+
+
+on the plan proposed, and from this time an intelligent
+system of communication is established
+8. Afterwards the question should be put, “Are we
+sitting in the right order to get the best manifestations?"
+Probably some members of the eircle will then be tole
+to change seats with each other, and the signals will be
+afterwards strengthened. Next ask, “ Who is the
+medium?"
+When spirits come asserting themselves to
+be related or known to anybody present, well-chosen
+questions should be put to test the accuracy of the
+statements, as spirits out of the body have all the virtue
+and all the failings of spirits in the body.
+Possibly at the first sitting of a circle symptoms
+of other forms of mediumship than tilts or raps
+maymake their appearance. Information respect-
+ing the many kinds of mediumship will be found
+in Mrs. Professor De Morgan’s book, From Matter
+to Spirit, published by Longmans; and this is a
+good book to read bcfore trying to start a new
+circle.
+There are in England several very interesting
+circles for physical manifestations, where the
+spirits speak with audible voices, but, unfortu-
+nately, total darkness is a necessary condition
+Non-spiritualists who are inquiring into the sub-
+ject should have nothing to do with dark séances,
+which should be held only by those who knov
+each other, since they offer so many facilities for
+fraud. When any circle regularly obtains power-
+ful physical manifestations, they may desire to sit
+for the voices. The very slightest glimmer of
+light must be excluded from the room, while the
+members of the circle sit round the table in the
+ordinary way. One or two paper tubes, each
+twelve or eighteen inches long, with an orifice
+about an inch-and-a-half in diameter, should be
+placed on the table. They may be readily made
+by rolling up a piece of music and tying a fev
+pieces of cotton round the rough tube thus formed.
+In the early stages of a voice-circle these tubes
+are necessary for the use of the spirits, but after-
+wards they may be dispensed with except when
+the weather and other conditions are unfavour-
+able. When first trying to obtain the voices the
+spirits may not be able to lift the tubes from the
+table, afterwards they often get them up in the
+air a foot or two and let them drop again. When
+they get full control over them they can carry
+them about up to the ceiling and to all parts of
+the room, and they talk to the members of the
+circle often while floating about above their heads.
+Very beautiful luminous phenomena are some-
+times shown by the spirits at dark circles. While
+sitting for the voices, the spirits will tell by the
+ordinary table signals how they are progressing in
+their work of getting control of the tubes.
+
+
+THE GOOD BUT NOT EXPENSIVE
+CLOTHING ESTABLISHMENT.
+T. EVERITT & SON,
+26, PENTON-STREET, PENTONVILLE, N.,
+DESIRE to call attention to their new and well-selected
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+Fancy Trousers from 14s. 6d.; Black Doeskins from
+16s. 6d. (all wool); Frock or Dress Coat from from the
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+Style, Fit, and Workmanship guaranteed
+
+
+JOSEPH BARKER’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
+Now ready, neatly bound in cloth, price 2s. 6d.
+TEACHINGS OF EXPERIENCE; or,
+Lessons I have Learned on my Way through
+Life
+London: JAMES BEVERIDGE, 9, 10, 11, Fullwood's-rents,
+Holborn, W.C.
+
+
+MR. J. L. OLIVE, Professor of Modern
+Spiritual Science, 1, Gibson-place, Warrington
+crescent, Maida Vale, W. Mr. Olive is prepared to afford
+information relative to Spiritualism, the Development of
+Mediumistic power, &c., with facilities for investigation
+of Phenomena. Reliable advice based on large medical
+experience, and aided by beneficent Spirit Intelligences
+may also be obtained for the relief of ailments of Bod,
+or Mind. Consultation Fee, One Shilling
+
+
+On the first of every month
+“THE TRUTHSEEKER, a Review
+devoted to the advocacy of reverent free
+thought in matters pertaining to Religion.” Edited by
+the Rev. J. PAGE HOPPS. Price Threepence
+London: Trübner and Co., 60, Paternoster-row. Man-
+chester: Johnson and Rawson, and John Heywood; and
+through all booksellers and agents
+
+
+"THE NEWSPAPER PRESS"—THE PRESS ORGAN
+HIS JOURNAL is the adopted and re-
+cognised Representative of the Newspaper in
+terests, and the medium of intercommunication between
+Proprietors, Editors, Reporters, Correspondents, Pub-
+lishers, Printers, and all parties associated with News-
+papers.
+Subscriptions, 4s. per annum, post free, payable in ad-
+vance.
+London: E. W. ALLEN, Publisher, 11, Ave Maria-lane.
+
+
+FEMALE MEDICAL SOCIETY.
+Vice-Patrons:
+His Grace the Duke of Argyll, E.T
+Her Grace the Duchess of Argyll.
+The Baroness de Rothschild
+The Countess de Noailles.
+
+
+President
+The Right Honourable the Earl of Shaftesbury, K.G.
+Treasurer
+Henry Charles Stephens, Esq., 171 Aldersgate-street, E.C:
+Honorary Secretary
+James Edmunds, Esq. M.D.
+Lady Secretary
+Mrs. Blangy.
+Bankers
+The London and County Bank, 441, Oxford-street.
+
+
+The Female Medical Society is established for the
+following objects: -
+1.—To promote the employment of properly educated
+women in the practice of Midwifery, and the treatment
+of the Diseases of Women and Children
+2.—To provide educated women with proper facilities
+for learning the theory and practice of Midwifery, and
+the accessory branches of Medical Science.
+Midwifery and the aceessory branehes of medicine
+offer a wide fleld of honourable and lucrative employ-
+ment for educated women; also a means of intellectual
+culture and social usefulness to ladies who may not be
+dependent upon their own exertions. For want of
+properly qualified ladies the best portion of the practice
+of midwifery has drifted into the hands of gentlemen
+though female practitioners still attend tho bulk of the
+population. But any person may undertake the duties
+of a midwife. Proper means of study have never been
+provided for women, and there has never been an
+public examination, by which women when well qualifled
+might be distinguished from those who are illiterate and
+unqualifled
+The Society has carried on for five years the Ladies
+Medical College, which has taught the theory and prac-
+tico of Midwifery and the accessory branches of medi-
+cine. Eighty-two ladies have alreadyavailed themselves
+of its advantages, and many of these ladies are settled
+in practice, and succeeding admirably.
+A life subscription of ten guineas, or an annual sub-
+scription of one guinea, constitutes a member of the
+Society, but stamps or other small contributions will be
+gladly received
+Lady subscribers of not less than one guinea are
+invited to visit any Lectures in which they are likely to
+be interested.
+The addresses of skilled Lady Midwives, Prospectures
+of the College, and all particulars as to the operations of
+the Society, may be obtained of the Lady Secretary
+Temporary Offices—4 Fitzroy-square, W
+Cheques to be crossed London and County Bank
+
+
+It also came out in the evidence given at the
+trial, that Mr. Home had been the invited and un-
+paid guest of the Emperor and the Empress of the
+French, the Emperor, Empress, and the late Em-
+press Dowager of Russia, the Grand Duke Con-
+stantine, the King of Prussia, the late King of
+Bavaria, the late King of Wurtemburg, and the
+Queen of Holland. Mr. Home says that all his
+life he has never taken a farthing of pay for his
+séances. In March, 1869, the Spiritual Magazine
+gave the names of the following gentlemen as
+those who have long becn investigating the sub-
+ject: -
+“Cromwell F. Varley, Esq., Fleetwood-house, Becken-
+ham Alfred R. Wallace, Esq., 9, St. Mark's-crescent,
+N.W.; Professor De Morgan, 91, Adelaide-road, N.W.;
+Captain Drayson, R.A., Woolwich; Dr. J. M. Gully,
+The Priory, Great Malvern: Dr. J. J. G. Wilkinson, 4
+St. John’s-wood-villas, N.W.; Dr. Dixon, 8, Great Or-
+mond-street, W.C.: S. C. Hall, Esq., 15, Ashley-place,
+Victoria-street, S.W.; Newton Crosland, Esq.; William
+Howitt, Esq., The Orchard, Hare-green, Esher, Surrey;
+Robert Chambers, Esq., St. Andrew’s, Edinburgh; H.
+D. Jencken, Esq., Kilinorey-house, Norwood; J. G.
+Crawford, Esq., 52, Gloucester-crescent, N.W; W. M.
+Wilkinson, Esq., Oakfleld, Kilburn; Lord Adare, 5
+Buckingham-gate; The Master of Lindsay, Grosvenor-
+square.
+Mrs. De Morgan has written a book, entitled
+From Matter to Spirit (Longmans), where she
+gives many interesting particulars, the result of
+ten years' experience in Spiritualism. Professor
+De Morgan, President of the Mathematical Society
+of London, in his preface to the book, says
+“I am perfectly convinced that I have both seen and
+heard, in a manner which should make unbelief impos-
+sible, things called spiritual, which cannot be taken by
+a rational being to be capable of explanation by impos-
+ture, coincidence, or mistake. So far I feel the ground
+firm under me.
+Dr. Hooker, in his opening address, as President
+of the British Association at Norwich in 1868
+spoke very highly of the scientific attainments of
+Mr. Alfred R. Wallace, F.L.S. Mr. Wallace is an
+avowed Spiritualist. Professor Hare, of Phila-
+delphia, the inventor of the Hare’s Galvanic Bat-
+tery, once refused to witness spiritual phenomena,
+alleging that Faraday's “unconscious muscular
+action"” theory explained all the facts. A friend
+wrote to him detailing things he had seen which
+were inexplicable by that theory. Hare at once
+like a sensible man, went to see for himself. The
+result was that he came into communication with
+some of his own departed relatives. He then
+made mechanical telegraphic machines, which
+were intelligently worked by spirits while the
+apparatus was screened from the sight of the
+medium, and he wrote a book recording all these
+facts. That book is now in the British Museum
+Library. Judge Edmonds, of New York, is another
+
+
+HOW TO FORM SPIRIT CIRCLES
+An experimental trial at home, among family
+friends and relatives, often gives the most satis-
+factory evidence of the reality of spiritual pheno-
+mena. At the same time, as no fully developed
+medium is present among those who have never
+obtained manifestations before, the probability is
+that there will be no results. Nevertheless, it is
+a very common thing for striking manifestations
+to be obtained in this way at the first sitting of a
+family circle; perhaps for every one successful
+new circle thus started without a medium, there
+are six or seven failures, but no accurate statistics
+on this point have yet been collected. When
+once manifestations have been obtained they will
+gradually increase in power and reliability at suc-
+cessive sittings. The following is a good plan of
+action: -
+1. Let the room be of a comfortable temperature, but
+cool rather than warm—let arrangements be made that
+nobody shall enter it, and that there shall be no inter-
+ruption for one hour during the sitting of the circle.
+Wet, damp, and foggy weather is bad for the production
+of physical phenomena.
+2. Let the circle consist of four, five, or six individuals,
+about the same number of each sex. Sit round an un-
+covered wooden table, with all the palms of the hands
+in contact with its top surface. Whether the hands
+touch each other or not is usually of no importance.
+Any table will do, just large enough to convenienty
+accommodate the sitters. The removal of a hand from
+the table for a few seconds does no harm, but when one
+of the sitters breaks the circle by leaving the table it
+sometimes, but not always, very considerably delays the
+manifestations.
+3. Before the sitting begins, place some pointed lead-
+pencils and some sheets of clean writing paper on the
+table, to write down any communications that may be
+obtained.
+4. People who do not like each other should not sit in
+the same circle, for such a want of harmony tends to
+prevent manifestations, except with well-developed
+physical mediums; it is not yet known why. Belief or
+unbelief has no influence on the manifestations, but an
+acrid feeling against them is a weakening influence
+5. Before the manifestations begin, it is well to engage
+in general conversation or in singing, and it is best that
+neither should be of a frivolous nature. A prayerful
+earnest feeling among the members of the circle is likely,
+to attract a higher and more pleasing class of spirits.
+6. The first symptom of the invisible power at work is
+often a feeling like a cool wind sweeping over the hands
+The first manifestations will probably be table tiltings or
+raps.
+7. When motions of the table or sounds are produced
+freely, to avoid confusion, let one person only speak
+and talk to the table as to an intelligent being.
+Let him tell the table that three tilts or raps mean
+“Yes," one means “No," and two mean “Doubtful
+and ask whether the arrangement is understood. I
+three signals be given in answer, then say, “If I speak
+the letters of the alphabet slowly, will you signal ever
+time I come to the letter you want, aud spell us out a
+message?" Should three signals be given, set to work
+
+
+HUMAN NATURE, a Monthly Record
+of Zoistic Science, Intelligence, and Popular
+Anthropology. Recent numbers give full details of the
+extraordinary Manifestations through the celebrated
+Medium, D. D. Home, Esq., with philosophical reason
+ings as to the nature and cause of the phenomena: a
+new series of lessons on Phrenology and the Tempera-
+ments is being given, containing some new instruction
+of great value to the student; first-class Portraits of
+eminent men and women, with Biographies and Phreno-
+logical delineations are frequently introduced; a serial
+Tale of great power and beauty; articles on Physiology
+Diet, Temperance, and Health; translations from Con-
+tinental Works and Periodicals; treatises on Mesmerism,
+Clairvoyance, Spiritualism; reviews of Books; reports
+of Lectures, Mectings, and Societics, renders this the
+cheapest, most varied, and instructive Periodical of the
+kind in the world. The fact that this Periodical is en-
+tirely unbiased and devoted to the truth respecting all
+the topics on which it treats, is a point not to be over
+looked by all earnest investigators, whatever their
+opinions may be. Post free, 7s. per annum, or 6d. per
+month from the Booksellers. JAMES BURNS, Progres
+sive Library, 15, Southampton-row, Bloomsbury-square
+Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+THE PROGRESSIVE LIBRARY and
+SPIRITUALIST DEPOSITORY has been re-
+moved from Camberwell to No. 15, Southampton-row,
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, W.C
+There is a Publishing Office and Shop for the sale of
+Books; a Circulating Library of all Works on Spiritualism
+&c.; a Reading-Room supplied with the Spiritual and
+Progressive Publications of the World; a Drawing
+Room for the special use of Ladies and Subscribers;
+Private Rooms for Séances, Committees, Meetings, &c.
+and whore all information respecting the Cause and the
+Progress of events may be obtained.
+The Subscription, entitling to all the privileges of the
+Establishment, including the use of two Books at a
+time from the Library for home perusal, is 21s.per annum
+A well-assorted Stock of Stationery, Periodicals, cur-
+rent Progressive Literature, Standard Works, Cheap
+Books and Tracts, Planchettes, Materials for Writing
+and Drawing Mediums; also Works and Appliances on
+Phrenology, Physiology, Health, and Dietetic Reform
+Temperance, Hydropathy, Gymnastics, Mesmerism
+Clairvoyance, Anthropology, &c., will be kept on sale.
+As the responsibilities incurred in establishing this
+"Home for Spiritualism" and the Science of Man are
+very heavy, the Proprietor earnestly solicits the kind
+co-operation and support of all who sympathise with
+the enterprisc. Strangers in London should at once
+call at the Progressive Library, where they may hear of
+Lodgings and get other useful information.
+J. BURNS, Progressive Library, 15, Southampton-row,
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE, pub-
+lished Monthly, contains all the news of Spiri-
+tualism, and psychological articles by writers of ability
+Publisher, JAMES BURNS, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn
+W.C.
+
+
+THE BANNER OF LIGHT, the Chie
+Weekly Newspaper on Spiritualism in the Unitec
+States, may be ordered through Mr. JAMES BURNS, 15
+Southampton-row, Holborn, W.C.
+
+
+NO. 1 of THE SPIRITUALIST is from be-
+ginning to end a compact mass of good evidence
+that the facts of Spiritualism are true. It contains a
+summary of the evidence given before the Dialectical
+Society by twenty witnesses of eminenco and ability; it
+also gives the testimony of respectable non-Spiritualists:
+therefore it is a valuable publication to place in the
+hands of non-Spiritualists, and should be selected for
+that purposo rather than later numbers of the same
+journal, as the later numbers will run out of print first
+and should be ordered while they are still obtainable by
+those who wish to preserve them for binding. A fev
+copies of No. 1 should be kept on hand for the benefit of
+non-Spiritualists, but later numbers should be retained in
+the possession of the early friends of the movement
+before they become scarce and unobtainable. Covers
+with stringed backs, to keep copies clean till required
+for binding, 2s. 6d. each.
+London: E. W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, E.C.; or J.
+BURNS, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn, W.C.
+
+
+The only Cheap Weekly Horticultural Journal
+2d. Weekly; and in Monthly Parts, 10d
+THE GARDENER'S MAGAZINE for
+Amateur Cultivators, Collectors, and Exhibitors
+of Plants, Flowers and Fruits, for Gentlemen's Gar-
+deners, Florists, Nurscrymen, and Seedsmen; for Na-
+turalists, Botanists, Bee-keepers, and Lovers of the
+Country.
+Conducted by SHIRLEY HIBBERD, Esq.,
+F.R.H.S.
+London: E. W. ALLEN, 11, Ave Maria-lane, E.C.
+And by Order of all Booksellers and Newsageuts in
+Townand Country
+
+
+Contents.
+
+
+Haudling of Red-hot Coals under Spirit Influence 43
+REPORTS OF MEETINGS—The Royal Institution.—Max
+Muller on the Science of Religion ....... 50
+The Services at the Cavendish Rooms.—Speculations
+about the Deity—The Doctrine of Eternal Pro-
+gression — Spiritualism among the American
+Indians - The Results of a Dream—Spiritualism
+as defined by Mr. Peebles .. 51
+Private Séances.—Mediumship in the Days of Moscs
+—Curious Physical Manifestations—Voice Mani-
+festations and their Production—Thought-Read-
+ing—Manifestations at the Cavendish Rooms—A
+“Dialectical” Medium ... 51
+Spirit-seeing in Crystals ... 52
+LEADER:—The Phenomenal Phase of Spiritualism 53
+Spiritualism and Politics at Naples ... 53
+Sir David Brewster and Spiritualism ... 55
+POETRY:—Ours ... 54
+CORRESPONDENCE:—The Bible-Spiritualism Contro
+versy ... 54
+BOOKNOTICES:—The Glowworm—The Food Journal 54
+Mrs. Everitt's Mediumship 
+... 54
+PARAGRAPHS:—Sunday Services for Spiritualists, 52
+A Musical Medium, 52; Spiritualism at the Anti-
+podes, 55; Spiritualism at Halifax, 55
+ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS ... 55
+
+
+Printed for the Proprietor by JAMES BEVERIDGE, at the
+Holborn Printing Works, Fullwood's Rents, High
+Holborn, in the Parish of St. Andrew-above-Bar and
+St. George the Martyr, London, and published by E
+W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, London, E.C.
+
+
+The Spiritualist.
+
+
+A RECORD OE THE PROGRESS OF THE SCIENCE AND ETHICS OF SPIRITUALISM
+
+
+SIR J. EMERSON TENNENT once wrote and invited
+Faraday to be present at a séance, where Mr. Home
+was the medium. Faraday wrote and demanded a pro-
+gramme of what was to take place, and requiring Mr
+Home, who had not communicated with him, to answer
+several insulting questions. As it is well known that
+nobody knows beforehand what manifestations, if any,
+will take place at a séance, any more than the details of
+an expected star-shower can be given in advance, this
+demand, apart from the insults, amounted practically to
+a refusal to investigate. What would Faraday have
+thought had he invited Sir E. Tennent to witness some
+new experiments, and in return been required to give a
+written answer to the question— Would an insult to
+Professor Faraday’s apparatus be considered as an insult
+Here is the letter of Michael Faraday
+to himself?”
+which for the sake of his historical and psychological
+reputation, we regret most sincerely was ever penned by
+this great and good man
+Folkestone, June 14, 1861
+—I cannot help feeling that
+MY DEAR SIR EMERSON
+you are indiscreet in your desire to bring me into con-
+tact with the occult phenomena which it is said are made
+manifest in Mr. Home’s presence. I have investigated
+such in former times, during some years, and as much
+as I thought consistent with the self-respect that an
+experimental philosopher owes to himself. It would be
+a condescension on my part to pay any more attention
+to them now; and I can only do so under the persua-
+sion that all concerned wish to have the phenomena un-
+ravelled and understood, and will do all they can to aid
+in such a result. To settle whether I can go or not, I
+wish to put to you the following points
+1. Who wishes me to go?—to whose house ?—for
+what purpose?
+2. Does Mr. Home wish me to?
+3. Is he willing to investigate as a philosopher, and
+as much to have no concealments, no darkness, to be
+open in communication, and to aid inquiry all he can?
+4. Does he make himself responsible for the effects,
+and identify himself more or less with their cause?
+5. Would he be glad if their delusive character were
+established and exposed, and would he gladly help to expose
+it, or would he be annoyed and personally offended?
+6. Does he considerthe effects natural or supernatural?
+If natural, what are the laws which govern them? or
+does he think they are not subject to laws? If super-
+natural, does he suppose them to be miracles or the
+work of spirits? If the work of spirits, would an in-
+sult to the spirits be considered an insult to himself?
+7. If the effects are miracles, or the work of spírits
+does he admit the utterly contemptible character, both
+of them and their results, up to the present time, in r-e
+spect either of yielding imformation or instruction, or sun-
+plying any force or action of the least value to mankind?
+8. If they be natural effects without natural law, can
+they be of any use or value to mankind?
+9. If they be the glimpses of natural action not yet
+reduced to law, ought it not to be the duty of every one
+who has the least influence in such actions personally
+to develop them, and aid others in their development by
+the utmost openness and assistance, and by the applica-
+tion of every critical method, either mental or exper-
+mental, which the mind of man can devise ?*
+I do not wish to give offence to any one, or to meddle
+with this subject again. I lost much time about it
+formerly, in hopes of developing some new force or
+power; but found nothing worthy of attention. I can
+only look at it now as a natural philosopher; and, be-
+cause of the respect due to myself, will not enter upon
+any further attention or investigation unless those who
+profess to have a hold upon the effects agree to aid to
+the uttermost. To this purpose they must consent (and
+desire) to be as critical upon the matter and full of test
+investigation in regard to the subject, as any natural
+philosopher is in respect of the germs of his discoveries.
+How could electricity, that universal spirit of matter,
+ever have been developed in its relations to chemical
+action, to magnetic action, to its application in the ex-
+plosion of mines, the weaving of silk, the extension of
+printing, the electro-telegraph, the illumination of
+light-houses, &c., except by rigid investigation,
+grounded on the strictest critical reasoning and the
+* Most decidedly “ Yes," and this is why Faraday was asked to aid in.
+doing so.— ED.
+
+
+most exact and open experiment? and if these so-
+called occult manifestations are not utterly worthles
+they must and will pass through a like ordeal.
+As I do not want to debate this matter with those who
+have already made up their minds in a direction contrary
+to my own, but (if I see sufficient reason) only to work
+it out with such a desire to find incontrovertible proof
+independent of opinion or assertion, so I wish you
+would show this letter to Mr. Home, and those who
+want me to meet him and them on his ground; after
+which you will know whether you should persevere in
+asking me.
+You will understand that I decline to meet
+any whose minds are not at liberty to investigate accord-
+ing to the general principles I have here expressed
+Further, I claim the right of publishing the whole
+or any part of this letter, or any further written com-
+munication that may arise out of it, in any manner
+that I may think fit.—Ever, my dear Sir Emerson,
+your very faithful servant,
+M. FARADAY
+You will see that I consent to all this with much
+reserve, and only for your sake.—M. F.
+
+
+SPIRIT-RAPPING IN JOHN WESLEY'S FAMILY
+IN TEN PARTS.—PART TWO
+
+
+THE first document which we reprint about the
+physical manifestations which took place in John
+Wesley’s family, is the diary written by his eldest
+brother, Mr. Samuel Wesley. The disturbances took
+place in his parsonage house at Epworth, Lincolnshire
+in December and January, 1716. The following are
+his words :-
+“ From the first of December, my children and ser-
+vants heard many strange noises, groans, knockings
+&c., in every story, and most of the rooms of my house
+But I hearing nothing of it myself, they would not tell
+me for some time, because, according to the vulgar
+opinion, if it boded any ill to me, I could not hear it.
+When it increased, and the family could not easily con-
+ceal it, they told me of it.
+"My daughters, Susannah and Ann, were belov
+stairs in the dining-room; and, heard, first at the
+doors, then over their heads, and the night after, a
+knocking under their feet, though nobody was in the
+chambers or below them. The like they and my ser-
+vants heard in both the kitchens, at the door against
+the partition, and over them. The maid-servant heard
+groans as of a dying man. My daughter Emilia, com-
+ing downstairs to draw up the clock and lock-the door
+at ten at night as usual, heard under the staircase a
+sound among some bottles there, as if they had been
+all dashed to pieces ; but when she looked, all was safe.
+“Something like the steps of a man was heard going
+up and downstairs, at all hours of the night, and vast
+rumblings below stairs, and in the garrets. My man,
+who lay in the garret, heard some one come slaring
+through the garret to his chamber, rattling by his side,
+as if against his shoes, though he had none there ; at
+other times walking up and downstairs, when all the
+house were in bed, and gobbling like a turkey-cock.
+Noises were heard in the nursery, and all the other
+chambers; knocking first at the feet of the bed and
+behind it; and a sound like that of dancing in a
+matted chamber, next the nursery, when the door was
+locked, and nobody in it.
+“ My wife would have persuaded them it was rats
+within doors, and some unlucky people knocking with
+out ; till at last we heard several loud knocks in our
+own chamber, on my side of the bed; but till, I
+think, the 21st at night, I heard nothing of it. That
+night I was waked a little before one by nine distinct
+very loud knocks, which seemed to be in the next room
+to ours, with a sort of a pause at every third stroke.
+thought it might be somebody without the house; and hav-
+ing got a stout mastiff, hoped he would soon rid me of it
+“ The next night I heard six knocks, but not so loud
+as the former. I know not whether it was in the
+morning after Sunday the 23rd, when about seven my
+daughter Emily called her mother into the nursery, and
+told her she might now hear the noises there. She went
+in, and heard it at the bedstead, then under the bed,
+then at the head of it. She knocked, and it answered
+her. She looked under the bed, and thought something
+ran from thence, but could not well tell of what shape
+but thought it most like a badger.
+“ The next night but one we were awaked about one
+
+
+by the noises, which were so violent, it was in vain to
+think of sleep while they continued. I rose, and my
+wife would rise with me.
+We went into every cham-
+ber, and downstairs; and generally as we went into
+one room we heard it in that behind us, though all the
+family had been in bed several hours. When we were
+going downstairs, and at the bottom of them, we heard
+as Emily had done before, a clashing among the bottles
+as if they had been all broke to pieces, and another
+sound distinct from it, as if a peck of money had been
+thrown down before us. The same, three of my daugh-
+ters heard at another time.
+“ We went through the hall into the kitchen, when
+our mastiff came whining to us, as he did always after
+the first night of its coming
+; for then he barked vio-
+lently at it, but was silent afterwards, and seemed more
+afraid than any of the children. We still heard it
+rattle and thunder in every room above or behind us
+locked as well as open, except my study, where as yet
+it never came. After two, we went to bed, and were
+pretty quiet the rest of the night
+“ Wednesday night, December 26, after or a little
+before ten, my daughter Emilia heard the signal of it
+beginning to play, with which she was perfectly ac-
+quainted; it was like the strong winding-up of a jack.
+She called us; and I went into the nursery, where it
+used to be most violent. The rest of the children were
+asleep. It began with knocking in the kitchen under-
+neath, then seemed to be at the bed’s feet, then unde
+the bed, at last at the head of it. I went downstairs,
+and knocked with my stick against the joists of the
+kitchen. It answered me as often and as loud as I
+knocked; but then I knocked as I usually do at my
+door, 1—2 3 4 5 6—7 ; but this puzzled it, and it did no
+answer, or not in the same method ; though the chil-
+dren heard it do the same exactly twice or thrice after
+"I went upstairs, and found it still knocking hard
+though with some respite, sometimes under the bed
+sometimes at the bed’s head. I observed my children
+that they were frighted in their sleep and trembled very
+much till it waked them. I stayed there alone, bid
+them go to sleep, and sat at the bed’s feet by them
+when the noise began again. I asked it what it was
+and why it disturbed innocent children, and did not
+come to me in my study, if it had anything to say to
+me. Soon after it gave one knock on the outside of the
+house (all the rest were within), and knocked off for
+that night.
+"I went out of doors, sometimes alone, at others with
+company, and walked round the house, but could see or
+hear nothing. Several nights the latch of our lodging-
+chamber would be lifted up very often, when all were
+in bed. One night, when the noise was great in, the
+kitchen, and on a deal partition, and the door in the
+yard, the latch whereof was often lifted up, my daughter
+Emilia went and held it fast on the inside ; but it was
+still lifted up, and the door pushed violently against
+her, though nothing was to be seen on the outside.
+“ When we were at prayers, and came to the prayer
+for King George and the Prince, it would make a great
+noise over our heads constantly, whence some of the
+family called it a Jacobite. I have been thrice pushed
+by an invisible power, once against the corner of my
+desk in the study, a second time against the door of the
+matted chamber, a third time against, the right side of
+the frame of my study door, as I was going in.
+"I followed the noise into almost every room in the
+house, both by day and by night, with lights and with
+out, and have sat alone for some time, and when I
+heard the noise, spoke to it to tell me what it was, but
+never heard any articulate voice, and only once or twice
+two or three feeble squeaks, a little louder than the
+chirping of a bird; but not like the noise of rats, which
+I have often heard.
+“I had designed on Friday, December 28th, to make
+a visit to a friend, Mr. Downs, at Normandy, and stay
+some days with him ; but the noises were so boisterous
+on Thursday night, that I did not care to leave my
+family. So I went to Mr. Hoole, of Haxey, and desired
+his company on Friday night. He came; and it begar
+after ten, a little later than ordinary. The younger
+children were gone to bed, the rest of the family and
+Mr. Hoole were together in the matted chamber. I
+sent the servants down to fetch in some fuel, went with
+them, and staid in the kitchen till they came in. When
+they were gone, I heard loud noises against the door
+
+
+No. 2.—VOL. I.
+
+
+FARADAY'S REFUSAL TO OBSERVE FACTS
+
+
+LONDON: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1869
+
+
+Published Fortnightly
+Price Threepence
+
+
+10
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+DEC. 3, 1869.
+
+
+and partition ; and at length the usual signal, though
+somewhat after the time. I had never heard it before
+but knew it by the description my daughter had given me.
+It was much like the turning about of a windmill when
+When the servants returned, I went
+the wind changes.
+up to the company, who had heard the other noises
+below, but not the signal. We heard all the knocking
+as usual, from one chamber to another, but at its going
+off, like the rubbing of a beast against the wall. From
+that time till January the 24th we were quiet.
+“ Having received a letter from Samuel the day be-
+fore relating to it, I read what I had written of it to me
+family ; and this day at morning prayer the family
+heard the usual knocks at the prayer for the king. At
+night they were more distinct, both in the prayer for
+the king, and that for the prince ; and one very loud
+knock at the amen was heard by my wife, and most of
+my children, at the inside of my bed. I heard nothing
+myself. After nine, Robert Brown sitting alone by the
+fire in the back kitchen, something came out of the
+copper-hole like a rabbit, but less, and turned round
+five times very swiftly. Its ears lay flat upon its neck,
+and its little scut stood straight up. He ran after it
+with the tongs in his hands; but when he could find
+nothing, he was frighted, and went to the maid in the
+parlour.
+“ On Friday, the 25th, having prayers at church, I
+shortened, as usual, those in the family at morning,
+omitting the confession, absolution, and prayers for the
+I observed, when this is done, there
+king and prince.
+is no knocking. I therefore used them one morning
+for a trial ; at the name of king George it began to
+knock, and did the same when I prayed for the prince.
+Two knocks I heard, but took no notice after prayers
+till after all who were in the room, ten persons besides
+me, spoke of it, and said they heard it. No noise at
+all the rest of the prayers
+Sunday, January 27. Two soft strokes at the morn-
+ing prayers for king George, above stairs.
+
+
+Addenda.
+
+
+“Friday, December 21. Knocking I heard first, I
+think, this night; to which disturbances, I hope, God
+will in His good time put an end.
+“Sunday, December 23. Not much disturbed with
+the noises, that are now grown customary to me.
+“ Wednesday, Dccember 26. Sat up to hear noises.
+Strange ! spoke to it, knocked off.
+“ Friday 28. The noises very boisterous and dis-
+turbing this night
+“Saturday 29. Not frighted with the continued
+disturbance of my family.
+"Tuesday, Jauuary 1, 1717. My family have had
+no disturbance since I went."
+
+
+REICHENBACH AT A SPIRIT CIRCLE.
+
+
+In the now work on Spiritualism, The Planchette, by
+Epes Sargent, are the following statements about
+Baron Reichenbach : - 
+“ At first distrustful of the spiritual significance of
+certain phenomena, Reichenbach, if we may believe
+Mr. D. Hornung, of Berlin, now entertains views not
+opposed to Spiritualism. While in London in 1861, at
+the residence of Mr. Cowper, son-in-law of Lord
+Palmerston, he attended a spiritual circle.
+“'On that occasion, says Mr. Hornung, 'two
+media, Mrs. Marshall and her niece, were present, who
+did not understand a word of German. Reichenbach
+therefore, after the rapping had commenced, put his
+questions intentionally in German ; and they were
+answered correctly by raps on the table, and he had the
+names of several members of his family correctly given.
+In regard to one name, however, he began to doubt the
+capacity of the table to give it ; the name to be spelled
+being “ Fredericke, while it spelled the letters 'R. I.'
+But when the name 'RICKE' was completed, the
+baron was much surprised, as his sister had been wont
+to be called 'Ricke.'”
+“ Now comes the most remarkable part of the per-
+formance, and I give it in the Baron’s own words. He
+says, 'The answers were rapped by the foot of the
+table in a brightly lighted room. I wished to ascertain
+whether the rapping could not be prevented, and for
+this purpose I leaned with my breast against one of the
+feet of the table, taking hold of two others with both
+hands, and pressing them down. The rapping of the
+feet ceased ; but the rapping continued above me, on
+the top of the table. All at once, by a sudden jerk
+the table dragged me forward, with the carpet on which
+it stood; and I lay prostrate in the middle of the room.
+“ This experiment convinced the baron that, besides
+the emanation of the odie element, higher spiritual
+powers can manifest themselves; and these he now no
+longer ignores, but recognizes them as facts of
+experience, for which, however, be as yet knows no
+explanation. He regards the great influences of od
+upon the human spirit’ as the mere “physical side of
+the matter,'— 'the roots by which it adheres firmly to
+the ground;’ and he is thankful to see the day when all
+his former discoveries show themselves as the portal
+through which it is possible for him “to go forward into
+the spiritual department.””
+
+
+Reports of Meetings.
+
+
+EAST LONDON ASSOCIATION OF SPIRITUALISTS.
+
+
+ON Tuesday evening, Nov. 16th, Mr. John Jones, of Enmore-
+park, South Norwood, gave a lecture in connection with the
+East London Association of Spiritualists, at the Stepney
+Temperance Hall, Mile-end-road, E. It was the same lecture
+as the one given in Clerkenwell, and reported in the last
+number of THE SPIRITUALIST, but he stated a few additional
+facts. He said that once in his own family, he had had a
+prescription written out by spirit agency, which prescription
+was taken to a chemist, who pronounced it to be all right
+and made it up for the invalid accordingly. He stated as
+a curious fact, that neither Mr. nor Mrs. S. C. Hall could
+singly get spirit writing by the aid of the planchette, but
+when the former placed his hand over that of Mrs. S. C.
+Hall, the most exalted sentences were written out. The Bib-
+lical narrative that an angel opened the doors of the prison
+where Peter lay, showed that in ancient times the spirits could
+He knew of a case where the spirits
+move solid objccts.
+had predicted beforehand the time and the details of a certain
+event, and the prophesy proved true.
+There was a large attendance at this lecture, numbers
+being unable to obtain admission.
+Mr. JAMES BURNS gave a lecture at the same place or
+Thursday, Nov. 25. the subject being “The Evidences of
+Spiritualism"
+Mr. S. E. Goss lectured last Tuesday at a meeting of the
+Association, on "The Harmonial Philosophy of Spiritualism."
+In highly poetical phraseology, he described some of
+the teachings of a large section of the American Spi-
+ritualists, headed by Andrew Jackson Davis. The sub-
+stance of the lecture was to the effect that Spiritualisn
+tcaches that it is a duty in every way to perfect the body
+mind, and reasoning faculties, and to remove all obstacles to
+such development. He said that one great obstacle is the
+accumulation by unjust laws of the wealth produced by
+labour, into the hands of those who labour not, so that the
+great bulk of the population live on earth in never-ending toil
+and suffering, while others live in idleness and selfishness
+upon the wealth produced by their labour. These privations
+have the effect also of causing the industrious classes to prey
+upon each other. This philosophy teaches man to remove
+such evils and to perfect his body ; also it teaches him to per-
+fect his mind, more especially the reasoning faculties. It is a
+deadly foe to priestcraft of every kind—to men who employ
+reason to teach their followers that reason may not be trusted.
+His own preacher was reason, the flower of the spirit, and his
+temple the wide universe on which God has written His
+eternal laws. He said that the great reformers of all ages
+always met with opposition from those who had the bulk of
+the people under control, and use them to serve their own ends.
+The Preacher of the Sermon on the Mount was crucified be¬
+cause His doctrines were anti-Moses ; Martin Luther was pro-
+nounced anti-Christ because he helped to free people some
+what from the power of the Roman Catholic Church, and
+similar denunciations were hurled by all sectarians at geology
+and astronomy, because they found no place in the universe
+for a hell of fire and brimstone, and proved that the world
+turned round, also that it was but one little world out of
+Sectarianism, he said, teaches eternal
+millions of others.
+punishment, which Spiritualism does not. Sectarianism
+teaches that wars come from God, whilst Spiritualism teaches
+that they came from man’s bad education and misdirection.
+Spiritualism teaches also that man and woman are equal, and
+that the one is at present unjustly placed in a worse position
+on earth than the other. Sectarianism hates philosophy and
+science, whilst Spiritualism receives these noble gifts of intelli-
+gence with open arms. Spirits in prison are those who dare
+not think for themselves, and who are kept in subjection by a
+gloomy fear of the death, and of the world beyond. Spirit-
+ualism removes all this, and proves that the art of commui-
+cating with the higher world has not been lost, although penal
+laws werc passed in the early days of English history, to kill
+out such communication on the part of the general public
+In the course of the lecture the words “electricity” and
+"magnetism” were often misapplied to unknown spiritual
+forces.
+Mr. W. CRESSWELL proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer
+and added that Spiritualism was gaining ground in East
+London, in evidence of which a quiet peaceable evening had
+just been passed, whereas a few years ago they were mobbed
+and interrupted at such gatherings. He said that the St.
+John’s Association of Spiritualists was an offshoot from the
+East London Association.
+Mr. LAMBERT seconded the vote of thanks, and the pro-
+ceedings closed.
+
+
+THE DIALECTICAL SOCIETY.
+
+
+AT a recent meeting of the Dialectical Society, Mr. Holy-
+oake was present, and made a long speech attacking Spiritual
+phenomena, which speech is published in the Spiritual Maga-
+zine of last Tuesday. At the next meeting a gentleman
+made a speech in reply, and he has sent us the following cor
+of it, accompanied by the request that the initials of his name
+only be attached thereto : -
+Mr. J. S. B., a member, said—“ One would have thought the
+histories of some of the greatest of modern discoveries would
+have prevented a man like Mr. Holyoake from casting a slur
+on a subject because 'it had not arrived at either dignity or
+decency in its procedure, nor certitude in its results.' I have
+a story to tell of a discovery which at its birth was, to use Mr.
+Holyoake’s own words, undignified, indecent and uncertain, yet
+which has proved to be one of the greatest blessings of modern
+An old woman sat cooking her husband’s dinner, it
+days.
+consisted of dead frogs’ hind legs, a pair of these legs jumped
+she told her husband, but he, unbeliever as he was, tried his
+own conditions, put the legs in a plate, watched for hours and
+never got a single jump. Weary of this and hearing that with
+more willing inquirers his wife was more successful, he gave
+in, and after several watchings, at the kitchen dresser
+midst knives and spoons, he succecded in seeing a jump,
+with a lot of witnesses. He goes before a society (I forget it
+name, we’ll call it the Old Dialectical), and is there told by
+a Mr. Holyoake sen., that his wife and his maid’s mental capa-
+cities and attainments must first be ascertained before their
+evidence can be taken, and as for himself he must be mooney-
+minded, otherwise how could he believe that a dead frog’s legs
+could move when dead legs never moved before ? He asks for
+investigation and is told by the same Mr. H. that he must
+accept certain conditions, and adds Mr. H. 'I have been pre-
+sent at some of these experiments and I saw how it was done,
+the frog was touched—I mean shoved—with a steel knife. Sir,
+
+
+your phenomena have not atfained either dignity or decency in
+their procedure or any certitude in their results, but if you wil
+have it then you must accept my conditions ; I will not enter
+your kitchen, I have been there three times, and have seen
+nothing; a scientific man, sure of his results, would give me
+light ; here, sir, under this gaslight’s glare I place a plate, no
+spoons, no knives : I will not have your frogs— I have one
+that has been dead six wecks, try him; or stay, I'II tell you
+what will satisfy me—if by your process, or any other, I care
+not what it is, you do what I wish, you make a dead man
+walk, you make my grandmother comc in here then—I don’t
+say I’ll believe you, but I’Il pay you very proper respect. But
+really, sir, it is impossible to look at those remnants of zoology
+that old woman, and that dead frog, and believe that they
+are heralds of a new blessing to man : there never were two
+more unlikely philosophers than your wife and the hind legs
+of a frog. To tell you the truth I am unfriendly to the entire
+theory that dead legs might possibly be made to move by a
+new dodge : the dead are better where they are, and it would
+hurt me to think that my legs might some day be made to
+dance a horizontal jig to the tunc of some beery student.'
+What would Galvani have said to Mr. Holyoake?
+Poor
+Galvani ! Not having yet discovered the exact conditions,
+but feeling sure he was dealing with a new force, to have such
+arguments hurled at his head, and then upon asking for
+further investigation, to be told by a rising, perhaps riser
+engineer, of the Quelchian school, 'Have we not something
+better to occupy ourselves with? The jumping of kettle-lids,
+the rubbing of amber, the flying of kites, the idiotic uncertain
+movements of frog’s hind quarters, are nice amusements for
+women and children ; but we who have humanity’s welfare at
+heart have better and more practical things to study; take
+for example the means of transporting our bodies more
+rapidly, and our thoughts and wishes less tardily than by a
+stage-coach.' Now all that has been said against an inquiry
+into any phenomena, even those called spiritual, has in effect
+been said against every discovery, and these discoveries
+obtained and mastered, not by dint of dialcetic argument, but
+by careful and constant observation, have given their oppo-
+nents the lie. The undignified, indecent, uncertain frog phe-
+nomenon, heralded in by very unlikely philosophers, has given
+us the greatest of modern marvels, the galvanic battery, and
+hence the electric telegraph. Having said as much in Mr
+Holyoake’s own language, let us be serious, and see whether
+his suggestions are worth any more than his observations.
+To teach, one should at least know the lesson oneself, but in
+pretending to give laws for investigating unknown phe-
+nomena, Mr. Holyoake has shown his utter ignorance
+of any scientific investigation. There can be no laws,
+the process is a tentative one. Taking as an example the
+frog’s legs, not knowing what produced the movement, we
+should have to wait patiently till constant experiments and
+good luck gave us an opportunity of seeing the movement, we
+should then, if we conformed to every possible condition, aye,
+even the position of a spoon, perhaps get another movement
+and then by repeated trials we might—there is no certainty
+in it—have the good fortune to hit upon the cause. Every
+scientific man has some story to tell how by accident he hit
+upon the cause of a phenomenon that had been bothering him
+for years. And this I take it, is what the sub-committee
+should do; obey every condition, no matter what, get the
+phenomena at any price, and by tentative processes—argu-
+ments are useless—they may arrive at something, they may
+possibly arrive at what produces them, or at any rate what
+conduces to their production. And here I will remind you of
+what you have heard before i.e., the way in which Mr. Varley
+(a strictly scientific man) made one of his experiments with
+reference to this subject. A gentleman, a Mr. Pears, made at
+the last meeting the unwarranted statement that Mr. Varley
+had not tested the phenomena scientifically, and absurdly
+wished to know whether he had tried them in the samc way
+he would electricity ! Mr. Varley’s experiment was this. At
+a séance one of his coat tails happened to move ; he won-
+dered whether the other would move, at that moment it did
+so. This looked like coincidence ; he tested for it by thinking
+of his collar-flaps—first one side, then the other, then both.
+and so dodging about till he was satisfied that it was no
+coincidence, but that in reality his mind had something to do
+with the phenomenon, and conscquently that intelligence was
+an element in the conditions. And here I must pause, for this
+is very important ; for if the mind has something to do with
+the phenomena, the state of the mind may have also something
+to do with them, consequently it is not so very unreasonable
+to be told that your mind must not be in too actively oppos-
+ing a state. Imagine a man disbelieving the possibility of
+getting communications from his brother by telegraph across
+the Atlantic, going to the instrument room at Valentia with
+a magnet in his pocket, and saying to the electrician, 'Now
+then, if there is anything in it, ask my brother to tell you
+what his wife’s name is.' The message is sent, and instead of
+an answer, the instrument is out of range. The electrician
+declares therc is somcthing wrong in the conditions, he can’t
+tell what, to the intense delight of the sceptic. At last he
+asks, 'Have you a magnet about you?' 'What has that todo
+with you? I've come to test, not to be examined. Well, I’II
+tell you I have a magnet.' 'Then I can’t get an answer. Will
+you please to put an armature on?' 'Not I; I want an answer
+and you can’t give it me ; you say the magnet interferes. I
+tell you I can’t see what my magnet can have to do with my
+brother in New York, especially as it is in a brass box, so you
+must be a humbug.'* No sooner is the sceptic out of the room
+than the answer begins to come, he is shouted after, and told
+that it is coming; but he only waits to say, 'Of course it does
+when my back is turned,’ and goes away as ignorant as he
+was before, whilc a compliance with the conditions, a mere
+putting on of the armature, would have shown him what he
+professed he wished to see. This example speaks, I think, for
+itself. Then, as to taking evidence, I would say to the sub-
+committees, no matter how Mr. Holyoake or anybody else may
+laugh, proceed with your examinations. Mental attainments
+have nothing to do with the observation of facts ; Mr. Holy-
+oake says so himself. He says jugglers do not like children,
+not on account of their mental capacities, but their power of
+observing facts. If a sailor were to tell a naturalist of a new
+fact—that he had seen a fish fly, he had seen it hundreds of
+times, but could not believe it till he caught the fish in the
+act—what would you think of your philosopher, if he told
+you that he would not listen to the man because his
+mental attainments were below par, and because he was
+unacquainted with the breathing apparatus of the fish.
+Facts remain facts whether they are comprehensible or not
+and what in the name of wisdom is there that is comprehensible
+
+
+* Messages by the Atlantic Telegraph are read off by means of Professor
+Sir William Thomson’s reflecting galvanometer, an instrument so sensitive
+that a strong magnet in the room will disturb its indications.—ED.
+
+
+Dec. 3, 1869.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+11
+
+
+ON Tuesday evening, November 23rd, the Rev. W. Brock,
+D.D., lectured at Mr. Spurgeon's Tabernacle upon "the
+Witchcraft of the Seventeenth Century." Mr. Charles Gilpin,
+M.P., presided. About five hundred persons were present.
+Mr. Charlesworth began the proceedings with prayer, after
+which
+Mr. CHARLES GILPIN, M.P., said that he knew nothing
+about witchcraft, so would leave that subject to the lecturer.
+The proceeds of the lecture were to go to the support of the
+Stockwell Orphan Home, founded by Mr. Spurgeon, This
+Home now contains 110 boys, by Christmas the number will
+probably be 150, and before long 250 are expected to be
+within its walls. It is a good institution, and he hoped soon
+to see a similar one established for girls. Although he knew
+nothing about witchcraft, he would, before sitting down, nar-
+rate a supernatural adventure which once befell George Fox.
+George Fox was once travelling, leather breeches and all
+through a rural district, and stopped at a country inn where
+he wanted to rest for the night, but was told that all the beds
+were taken, and that there was no room for travelling
+preachers. After some parley with the landlady, she told him
+that he might have the “haunted room” if he liked, as
+nobody else would sleep in it. “Give me a dry bed,” said the
+sturdy Quaker, “and I’ll take my chance of everything else."
+When in bed he soon went to sleep, but was awakcned by a
+deep-toned voice saying to him, “Thou art of the devil."
+Friend George looked round, but could see nothing, and he
+replied, “Thou art a liar, for I feel that within me at this
+moment which tells me that I am out of the power of the
+devil.” Next day an ostler confessed that in order to get a
+good bed himself, he had been in the habit of haunting the
+room given to George Fox.
+Mr. W. BROCK, D.D., a Baptist minister, said that he be-
+lieved in evil spirits, because the Scriptures state that there
+are such beings, not as a figure of speech, but as a statement
+of fact. The Bible also says expressly that there are such
+persons as wizards and witches, most of whom seem to have
+been individuals who pretended to possess supernatural powers.
+Whether they really possessed such powers or not, he could
+not say; in the case of the witch of Endor, it may be that
+God permitted the spirit to appear while the necromancer
+was at work. The witchcraft of the seventeenth century in
+England was a very different thing, and its history is little
+else than a narrative of cruelty and fraud. King James I,
+wrote a book on the subject, recommending that witches
+should be seized at once, and put to death. The suspected
+persons were believed to have sold their souls to the devil, in
+return for which he gave them the power to sink ships, raise
+storms, and to cause men and animals to fall sick; the witches
+were mostly old women. One of the bishops declared before
+the monarch that he had seen people rotting away because of
+the mutterings of one particular witch. Statesmen, judges,
+and learned men were in that age firm believers in witchcraft,
+and a race of witchfinders quickly sprung up. The chief
+witchfinder was an impudent scoundrel of the name of
+Matthew Hopkins, who called himself “ Witchfinder General,”
+and undertook to pick out witches anywhere for a moderate
+fee. He travelled in state with a large retinue of servants
+he was paid for every witch he found, and sometimes he would
+contract to do a whole town for a certain sum. (Laughter.)
+He was officially employed by the British Parliament
+(Laughter.) When he reached a town, his plan of action was
+to ask if any persons were suspected. The reply of course
+being “yes," he then ordered the suspected persons to be
+brought before him, and he told them that about their persons
+he had no doubt that he should find warts or moles, or some
+other symptoms of their being witches. When these signs of
+guilt were discovered about an old woman, further proof was
+sought ; she was made to sit tied to a stool in the middle of
+a room, for twenty-four hours at least, without food, during
+which time it was supposed that her imps would come to see
+lier, and be detected by Hopkins. Hopkins not only said
+that he saw them, but he had the impudence to make rough
+drawings of them, and to write their names beneath. If he
+did not see imps, she was made to run up and down the roon
+till she was ready to die with fatigue, Hopkins all the time
+uttering adjurations such as, “ Oh, my darling Firebrand,
+shall find it out at last.” Then came the water trial, the mob
+with Hopkins at their head carrying the victim, who was tied
+round the middle with a rope, and thrown into the river. If
+she was guilty she floated, and if innocent she sank. King
+James wrote learnedly on the efficacy of this test. He said
+that by making a league with the devil she had rejected the
+water of her baptism, so that when she is thrown into the
+river, the water, if she be guilty, in its turn rejects her
+Hopkins could always get a verdict of guilty when he wanted.
+There were several other witchfinders, and one in the North
+of England effected the conviction of 250 witches, at £3 each
+The lecturer then narrated many horrible examples of persons,
+principally women, who, on the worst of evidence, lost their
+lives for witchcraft. Most of them were hanged, but a fey
+were burnt. Jane Brooks and others were hanged at Hun-
+tingdon on a charge of making a wax figure of young
+Throgmorton, sticking it full of pins, and melting it before a
+fire ; the consequence was that “young Throgmorton ” pined
+away till the necromancers were hanged, and the proceeds of
+the sale of their property handed over to the parson at Hun-
+tingdon, on condition that he should preach a sermon against
+witchcraft once a year for ever. The lecturer also narrated
+analogous cases, which were tried at Castle Carey, Lowestoft,
+and Taunton. He stated that within the limit of a very few
+years 3,192 persons were put to death for witchcraft in England.
+
+
+THE following is a leading article from the Daily News of
+Friday last: -
+“We published the other day a letter from a correspondent
+respecting an advertisement for haunted-houses, which was
+understood to have been connected with investigations con-
+cerning spirit-rapping. Since then we have been favoured
+with the sight of a new organ, established to spread the
+doctrines of the believers in ghosts. The fact is that for the
+last few years — for the last three years especially
+Spiri-
+tualism, or, as we should prefer to call it, Spiritism, has been
+gaining considerable ground in London. It was first taker
+up as a fashionable excitement by ladies of the Mrs. Leo
+Hunter type. These good matrons, having their Wednesdays
+or their Fridays with tea and foreign lions, were suddenly
+made acquainted with the methods of conversing with de-
+parted friends. They attended a few séances at the houses of
+professional mediums, and were more than satisfied with what
+they saw and heard. From that time forward they devoted
+themselves and their guests to the invocation of what Johnson
+termed shadowy beings. A sort of rivalry was got up amongst
+them on the score of the character of the demonstrations. To
+secure a good medium was the first object. This medium was
+supposed to act as a sort of decoy duck ; he or she did nothing,
+and yet it was according to the powers of attraction resident
+in the lady or gentleman that the chairs and the tables became
+audible in their revelations. Hence a new branch of busines
+arose. Mediums were imported from America, and our own
+city of course soon began to furnish persons of the same
+quality. The market, however, has not yet been overcrowded
+for we read, in the journal before us 'that good physical media
+are much wanted in Glasgow.' By good 'physical media’  is
+understood persons in whose vicinity the spirits are numerous,
+communicative, many-sided, and brisk. Your inferior five
+shilling medium has only a limited stock of 'phenomena' at
+his back. The ghosts may rap for him, may even trace lines
+upon his bare arm, and jog the dining-table a little, but that
+is the most you can expect, whereas the good physical media
+(such as are now required for the Scotch in Glasgow) can send
+the upholstery into fits, and in a dark room cause the spirits
+to manifest themselves by thumping some of the company or
+the head.
+“It will startle our readers to learn that there are nearly four
+millions of believers in this creed in America, for those who
+imagine the vain things of this gross superstition, are already
+claiming for it a precedence of Christianity. The paper from
+which we derive our information contains messages of spirit
+doctrine, not only shocking to religious feeling,* but revolting
+to common sense. These revelations took place under the
+auspices of a decidedly superlative medium; and we hear of
+a table defining the attributes of the Almighty ('at each
+letter of the name of God a tremulous motion of the table
+was perceptible ’), followed by a tune on the accordion, the
+joint production of the medium and a spirit. The recorder of
+these marvels thinks it necessary to state, 'We were all per-
+fectly sober ; and so rigid was he in his determination to
+remain in a clear state of mind throughout the evening, that
+he refused a cup of coffee, which suggests that he entertained
+an unworthy suspicion of his host. It should be known that
+there are several places of meeting now established by the
+spiritists in the metropolis. It is from these that the media
+are taken, who afterwards perform before the aristocracy
+For instance, there is the 'St. John’s Association of Spi-
+ritualists.' Here a lecture was delivered on the 4th of
+November by a gentleman who was sadly serious in his folly.
+He has lost a number of children by death, and he seeks
+his consolation in this grotesque nonsense. It is very pain-
+ful to read such a lecture, and note the misdirected earnest-
+ness, and the dogged obstinate sincerity leading to the lowest
+depths of credulity.
+“We might fairly ask the few gentlemen of talent whose
+names are used as baits to catch disciples for Spiritism, to
+take a serious view of the situation. Spiritism throws weak
+souls into a desolate confusion, from which there is no
+relief, but in constant draughts from the same treacherous
+cup, to keep up the intoxication of fancy to which the whole
+mind is abandoned. It may not effect all this amongst
+students of psychology, who are never happier than when
+examining morbid human pathology, with a cruel craving
+for another intellectual sensation; but they should have
+mercy on their weaker brethren.† As for the fashion of
+wealthy people hiring mediums, at the least it is a mis-
+chievous form of amusement, and tends to promote an ad-
+ditional kind of imposture. If they choose to make fools 
+themselves and others, while encouraging a fresh race of
+rogues, they must do so, but they might certainly be better
+occupied than in sanctioning a degrading superstition.
+
+
+WHAT THE '"NORTH LONDONER" THINKS.—The North
+Londoner newspaper often has some sagaciously-worded para-
+graphs. Here is one which reads so as to be satisfactory both
+to Spiritualists and to non-Spiritualists:— "We recently re-
+ferred to the wide diffusion of Spiritualism in the United
+States, and to-day we reprint from the current number of the
+
+
+* 1. This Daily News article contains several statements direetly untrue.
+2. It defames the characters of many honest people. 3. It misleads and
+misinforms the numerous readers it professes to guide. Therefore, it is o
+great advantage to the publie to be as free as possible from those “ religious
+feelings" (whatever they may be), which are exemplified by the acts of the
+writer thereof.—ED.
+† On page 14 will be found some of the poetical ravings of one of the
+media, suffering from the dreadful diseases described by this veracious
+writer. Such ravings, either in poetry or prose, are common enough now
+among tranee media in London, but, unfortunately, they are not recorded
+because the world, misled by false teaehers, knows and cares nothing of
+the boon placed within its reach.—Eb.
+
+
+Spiritual Magazine an extraordinary narrative by Mr. S. C.
+Hall, the well-known editor of the Art Journal, which afford as
+remarkable illustration of the existence of the same faith among
+ourselves. Of the sincerity of Mr. and Mrs. Hall there can be
+no doubt. Their frank and courageous evidence in a matter
+wherein laughter and contempt are their certain portion, can-
+not fail to command the respect of thoughtful and generous
+minds, even should it be held that they are under a lamentable
+delusion. Spiritualism has been exposed and exploded over
+and over again, but it is certainly odd that those who profess
+to have enjoyed an actual acquaintance with the supernatural
+phenomena are never known to retract, or have their eyes
+opened to the imposture."
+MR. PEPPER'S LAST GHOST.—A few days ago Mr. (com-
+monly known as “ Professor”) Pepper, F.C.S., introduced a
+new ghost at the Polytechnic, in an entertainment called the
+“Mysteries of Udolpho.” It consisted of a gigantic skeleton
+which was made to execute a comic dance to the tolling of a
+bell ; such an outrage on good taste caused a violent com-
+motion among the spectators, and a great deal of hissing.
+The skeleton will not appear for the future
+CURIOUS SUSPENSION OF SPEECH.—A contemporary says
+that it is not often, in these prosaic and sceptical times, that
+a miracle comes formally attested by an official Government
+report, to be duly included in a Government Blue Book. But
+the Governor of Aldershot has reported that a prisoner who
+being lately checked on drill by one of the warders, wished
+with a blasphemous oath that the warder “ might be struck
+dumb,” was himself “struck dumb on the spot,” all which
+may be found solemnly recorded in the recent report on mili-
+tary prisons of Captain Du Cane, Inspector-General. Captain
+Du Cane informs us that the man remained dumb for seven
+days, and was very much frightened. On recovering his
+speech it appears that he made great promises of amendment;
+but we regret to add that he is reported to have been “soon
+in prison again."
+PLASTICITY OF THE MIND.—When children are young
+their bones are in a somewhat gelatinous state, and can then
+be bent to some extent in the living body into unnatural
+forms. The analogy holds good with respect to the mind
+which may be unnaturally warped by parents who press their
+helpless children into particular grooves of foolish thought.
+In this way superstitions descend from generation to genera-
+tion, just as some tribes of American savages, age after age,
+flatten out the skulls of their children when young by long
+pressure between two boards.
+THE EFFECTS OF MEDIUMSHIP.—The following remarks
+are extracted from a speech made in London by Mrs. Har-
+dinge :—Some sixteen or seventeen years ago a young girl,
+studying for a profession which necessitated the use of the
+voice, found herself afflicted with a disease of the throat and
+lungs which threatened serious consequences. As the whole
+of her life depended upon the maintenance of the voice, it
+was necessary that stringent measures should be made for her
+relief. A celebrated physician operated upon her, but without
+much effect. A second, third, fourth, and fifth operation was
+performed. Assumed to be on the verge of incurable con-
+sumption, she proceeded to America. The disease followed
+her, till at last she found her voice was quite gone as far as
+music was concerned— a victim to injudicious operations
+Finding herself in a foreign land, with the staff upon which
+she leaned broken, she visited a clairvoyant, who declared that
+spirits would restore her voice. She was at that time a
+spiritual medium, having become acquainted with Spiritualism
+a short time previously. Six weeks after the dictum of the
+spirits, she stood before 2,000 persons and spoke for a length-
+ened time. For fourteen years she has sustained similar
+addresses six times a week, speaking to audiences of between
+700 and 2,000 persons without difficulty.
+"That illustration,"
+Mrs. Hardinge said, “stands before you.” This, she said, was
+a case showing the beneficence of spirits in opposition to the
+assertions of the dangers of Spiritualism.—Daybreak.
+"ASSUMPTIONS.”—The Cardiff Times, the chief and best
+weekly newspaper in Wales, calls “facts ” testified to by
+numerous witnesses “assumptions,” as will be seen by the
+following paragraph which it published last Saturday about
+this joumnal:—“ THE SPIRITUALIST is the title of a new
+fortnightly journal, which has been commenced as a 're-
+cord of the progress of the science and ethics of Spiritual-
+ism.'
+Hitherto “Spiritualism’ has been represented by
+three monthly periodicals of rather limited circulation, but
+this new venture partakes of the character of a newspaper.
+It contains reports of public meetings and assemblies con-
+nected with Spiritualism, and also papers by persons of more
+or less scientific celebrity on the same subject, while about
+a fourth of the paper is devoted to 'facts for non-Spiritualists.'
+The style in which the new journal is got up is highly credit-
+able to its promoters, and believers in Spiritualism will be
+able to say the same of the literary ability displayed in the
+composition of its contents. Our estimate of the facts and
+arguments, adduced by the several writers, is best stated by
+the expressive term 'bosh.' We, however, can commend the
+journal both to those who desire to know the assumptions which
+a belief in Spiritualism leads to, and to those who may be
+interested in a collection of curious statements."
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.—During the last fortnight a stead
+and continued sale of the first number of THE SPIRITUALIST
+has taken place. It has sold well in London, and to a limited
+extent in the country, but the present demand comes chiefly
+from the provinces. The possible future of this journal may
+be divided into three heads.—1. It may sell well enough to be
+published weekly at an early date. 2. There may be a small
+loss upon its publication. 3. It may be a failure.—The sale of
+the first number, and the favourable comments in letters
+received, give plenty of evidence that the third possibility is
+not likely to prove a fact, nor, from the present dimensions of
+the spiritual movement, is the first possibility likely to be
+realised as yet. Should the second one prove true, we have
+been thinking that it would be a good plan to bring out the
+paper monthly for a time, but not on the first day of the
+month, as that would be underselling our contemporaries
+which we should not like to do. With this journal published
+in the middle of each month, and the others at the beginning,
+there would be a fortnightly supply of news. The three
+periodicals could then quictly gather strength while the move
+ment grows ; and as soon as the ground will bear it, this
+journal will fulfil its chief object, and come out weekly. This
+idea requires consideration, and the best plan of action will
+be more clearly seen after five or six numbers of THE SPIRIT-
+UALIST have been published. Already it has found its way,
+more or less, into nearly all the chief towns and counties in
+the three kingdoms; and we printed off an extra supply of
+the first number, copies of which were posted to five hundred
+of the most eminent men of science in Great Britain.
+
+
+to the most scientific, the most highly cultivated? One more
+point and I have done. Mr. Holyoake’s logic is at fault. In
+what people choose to call the natural, a scientific man will
+tell you and tell you truly, given precisely the same conditions
+precisely the same results will follow; if then you find
+that the same conditions give different results or do not pro-
+duce the same results, then either your phenomena are not
+natural, or your conditions simply conduce to the production of
+the phenomena, another necessary element being an independ-
+ent intelligence or what Mr. Holyoake would call supernatural.
+Thus his very slur 'uncertain’ is the best argument he could
+use to prove that provided the phenomena occur at all, they
+are not bound by mere material conditions and are in reality
+—according to his views—supernatural. It is useless fighting
+against facts, it is useless to dislike them, and we must take
+the world as it is and not think we can fight with destiny by
+hiding our heads, like the silly ostrich, in the sand. If such
+things be, let us hear them, let us seek for them. Knowledge
+is power, and may help us, and it can be but blind prejudice
+and ignorance that cry out to wisdom 'What have we to do
+with thee, hast thou come hither to torment us before the
+time?'"
+
+
+alone, and that one of these executions took place as late as
+the year 1786. He said that in many English agricultural
+districts the belief in witchcraft and the “evil eye” is still
+prevalent, for he knew places in Devonshire where it still
+lingers. When juries began to give damages against witch
+finders who were prosecuted in their turn, the gentry rapidly
+grew scarce, and Mr. Matthew Hopkins was himself at last
+seized by an angry mob, and drowned in the dirty water of a
+pond at Manningtree—the water did not reject him. In these
+days, said Mr. Brock, his hearers need not fear wizards
+witches, conjurors, nor the greatest rogues, impostors, and
+mountebanks of all, namely—the Spiritualists. (Applause.)
+They would be protected from all evil by following the Divine
+command, “ Watch and pray."
+The proceedings closed with the usual votes of thanks and
+prayer.
+
+
+Newspaper Abuse.
+
+
+UNTRUTH FORM THE “DAILY NEWS."
+
+
+A LECTURE ON WITCHCRAFT.
+
+
+12
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+Ded. 3, 1869.
+
+
+SPIRITUALISM IN ALL AGES.
+
+
+SPIRITUALISM IN ALL AGES.
+In the course of a lecture upon Spiritualism once
+delivered by Judge Edmonds in New York, he said :-
+“ In two ancient works lately falling under my
+notice (Dr. John Dee’s Dealings with Spirits, published
+in 1659; and Glanvil’s Sadducismus Triumphatus,
+published in 1681), I have found an account of mani-
+festations two hundred and three hundred years since
+identical with those of to-day. The faith of the
+Methodists under Wesley, and of the Quakers under
+George Fox, was inaugurated one hundred years ago
+under the same influenee. The manifestations through
+Swedenborg in the last century, were of the same
+character. The thirty years' war which attended the
+Reformation under Luther and Melanethon, was accom-
+panied by a lively display of the same power. The
+preaching mania, which so much disturbed both the
+church and the government in Sweden in 1842, was
+the same as our tranee-mediumship. And now modern
+Spiritualism, much contemned as it is, has within the
+last ten years sprung up in all parts of the earth, every
+where bearing the same characteristies, under circum-
+stances which absolutely preclude all idea of collusion
+—often betrayed but never exposed; defying the
+utmost severity of investigation to which human
+ingenuity can subject it ; calling to its aid, thousands of
+intelligent witnesses ; invoking human testimony, which
+no sane mind can disregard; and establishing a marvel
+unsurpassed in the history of mankind; namely, the
+marvel of inanimate matter moving without mortal
+contact, and displaying intelligence, and that intelli-
+gence embracing a knowledge of the alphabet, of
+reading, writing and arithmetic; speaking in man
+tongues, and reading human thought, and revealing
+to us what purports to be the spirit life, with details
+which no imagination can fabricate.
+"Now, may we not ask, whence comes this, and
+what produces it?
+“ The man of seienee denounces it as superstition
+the man of the world calls it delusion, and the
+religionist characterises it as satanic. We, on the other
+hand, insist that we must believe the evidenee of our
+senses, and the deductions of our reason—that we can
+not reject the overwhelming evidence that is all around
+us. We insist that there is no other hypothesis but
+that of spiritual intercourse which can give any
+solution to the phenomena we behold. And we insist
+that there is a power now at work in our very midst
+capable of producing marvellous results, which is well
+worthy the investigation of the learned, rather than
+their scoffs and sneers.
+“ And now let us pause yet once again, and ask what
+is it that the opponents of our faith demand
+“ They ask us to yield to their opinion, against the
+universal belief of mankind in all ages; against the
+teachings of sacred history of all religions; against
+the testimony of profane history as to all nations
+against human testimony which the human intellect can
+not disregard; against the evidence of our own senses
+without whieh we could not live; and against the
+opinions of the wise and the good in many ages.
+“ Nay, they ask even yet more. They demand that
+we acknowledge that man has attained the end of his
+knowledge of the works and the word of God, and
+that, though in former times and places He has once
+and again spoken to man through His ministering
+spirits, He can not, and will not, thus speak to him
+again; that the glory which once descended and sat
+between the wings of the Cherubim, has faded alike
+from the sight and the memory of man; that the light
+whieh onee shone on Mount Sinai is extinguished, and
+for ever ! Can this be so?
+“ No, my friends, it is not ; in can not be. If there
+is faith to be placed in human testimony—if the past
+can speak its lessons of wisdom to the present ; if it
+is the destiny of man to move onward ever in the
+pathway of knowledge—we must believe that the
+spirits of the departed do commune with us; that a
+power has entered into our midst and abides with us
+which we yet may know; and which can work
+marvellous things in the sight of God and angels ; and
+we may be well assured that the time is not distant
+though it may not be in my day nor in yours, when
+the work which has been begun so feebly in the present
+will be finished in the future by elevating us, both
+physically and morally, yet nigher and nigher to Him
+who has created us in His own image."
+
+
+FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN:—The fear of the unknown is a
+very potent influence among savages, and is lost only as man
+ascends in the scale of civilisation and edueation. The medi-
+eine men, to be found more or less among nearly all savages,
+owe their influence entirely to this fear of the unknown
+among their less crafty brethren. The feeling is very preva-
+lent among animals. The Rev. Charles Kingsley once spoke
+of a pony which reared on end and snorted with affright at a
+terrible object in its path. The owner of the animal picked
+up the source of terror and gave it to the pony to smell.
+After a few trembling sniffs the pony calmed down—it was
+only a kettle. So man, in his upward path, has “ shied ” at
+many kettles—he has committed endless crimes because of
+superstitious fears—but it is to be hoped that those “good old
+times” have now gone for ever, and that better and happier
+times await him in the future.
+
+
+General News.
+
+
+MRS. HARDINGE'’s History of Spiritualism will be out
+next month.
+THe DIALECTICaL SOCIETY.—Last week a general meet
+ing of the Dialectical Society was held at 1, Adam-street
+Adelphi, to pass the accounts, and to transact other routine
+business. The Committee of Inquiry on Spiritualism holds no
+meetings at present, but in a short time the work will be
+resumed.
+SPIRIT IDENTITY.—During the recent visit to England
+of Mr. J. M. Peebles, the medium, and the consul at Trebi-
+zond to the government of the United States, Mr. Peeble
+went to York to test the identity of a spirit, who had given
+him very truthful communications for some years. The
+result was that the descriptions given of York and its old
+cathedral by the spirit proved true, and upon searching in the
+Will Office at York, an entry of the last century, relating to a
+brother of the spirit, was found there, as the spirit had stated
+would be the ease. Mr. Peebles has now reached Trebizond.
+CARLYLE ON SPIRITUALISM.—The eccentric writer, Mr.
+Thomas Carlyle, recently called Spiritualism, “The Liturgy
+of Dead Sea Apes.” Mr. George Tommy, of 12, Clare-street
+Bristol, wrote and asked him, “ Have you at any time, by the
+aid of your own senses, investigated the phenomena of modern
+Spiritualism?” Carlyle replied, “ By volitn. or except pas-
+sively or by accidt. I never did; nor have I the least intentn.
+of ever doing.” A fac simile of this brief document is pub-
+lished this month, both in the Spiritual Magazine and Human
+Nature.
+MRS. GERALD MASSEY.—Mr. Gerald Massey, poet, in the
+course of his evidence on Spiritualism before the Dialectical
+Society, said that the late Mrs. Gerald Massey was a medium
+and that her powers had been tested before the Duke of
+Argyll and others. Once the spirits referred him to some old
+editions of Shakspeare for some literary information which
+he much wanted ; and he found it there. He also had some
+unpleasant experiences connected with spiritualism ; on one
+occasion the spirits told him where to find the bones of a
+child buricd in his garden, and they were dug up accord-
+ingly, to prove the truth of the statement.
+THe SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE.—The Spiritual Magazine
+for December, has some interesting contributions, including
+“A Remarkable Cure of M. Leon Favre,” and a description
+of the voice and musical manifestations at one of Mr. Child’
+séances. Mr. Coleman gives an article on an attack upon
+Spiritualism, made by Mr. Holyoake at the Dialectica; Society
+Mr. William Howitt also gives a short contribution to the
+effect that the recently-deceased Rev. W. Harness, Prebendary
+of St. Paul’s, and a warm friend of Byron, was a firm believer
+in spiritual phenomena. He told Mr. Howitt, at the house of
+Miss Burdett Coutts, that he had published accounts of the
+appearance of departed friends to those left behind on earth
+and that he knew sueh things to be true
+ANTI-SPIRITUALISM IN WEST HARTLEPOOL.—A corres-
+pondent writes that a lecturer, Mr. George Duncan, of Glasgow
+recently gave a course of lectures in the Temperance Hall
+West Hartlepool, on “ Modern Spiritualism a Delusion and a
+Snare.” The point of his remarks was to the effect that
+spiritual manifestations are not due to the known forces of
+nature, but to unknown forces, not however employed by
+beings out of the flesh. He could not explain their origin
+himself. He tried to obtain some of the manifestations in
+the presence of the audience, and failed. Three lectures
+were given, and there was a thin attendanee at each,
+LECTURES ON SPIRITUALISM.—Mr. John Jones, of Enmore
+Park, is about to begin the work of lecturing very actively in
+different parts of London, on Spiritualism. Most of these lec-
+tures, he says, will include the three following ranges of sub-
+jects :—“ 1. The blending of the natural with the supernatural
+2. What do the phenomena teach? 3. Spiritualism and its
+witnesses.” The lectures will be short, to let a few speakers
+address the audience afterwards, and he will answer any ques-
+tions that may be proposed. In his last lecture he said that
+“Spirits do not think as we do.” Other close observers have
+come to the same conclusion, and some very condensed infor-
+mation about this and otber facts or possibilities, which he has
+noticed during his long experience at spirit circles, would be
+interesting to read.
+EAST LONDON ASSOCIATION OF SPIRITUALISTS.—This
+Association was first formed in June, 1868, under the presi-
+dency of Mr. James Burns, and the first large general meeting
+took place in Stepney, on the 8th of July of the same year
+under the chairmanship of Mr. J. M. Speard. Monthly séances
+were from that time held regularly, and the finances of the
+association were much aided by Mr. Luxmoore, as well as by
+Mrs. Emma Hardinge, who gave some of her excellent
+lectures in aid of the funds. Meetings were afterwards held
+weekly, Messrs. Shorter, Cogman, and Goss, also assisting in
+the work, and at last the pressure on the part of the public for
+admission to the séances became greater than the circles could
+bear, but it is not so heavy now. The secretary is Mr. W.
+Cresswell, 11, Emma-street, Hackney-road.
+SPIRIT CIRCLES IN LONDON.—The pressure for admission
+to circles in London, where thoroughly good manifestation
+are obtained, is now very great. Séances in connection with
+the St. John’s Association of Spiritualists at Clerkenwell are
+overcrowded by the presence of strangers, who are admitted
+as freely as possible, but the pressure and the unfavourable
+conditions militate against getting the best results. Mr.
+Pearce, the secretary, writes that one of the circles is of a
+more private nature, although the public are not entirely ex-
+cluded, and that the consequent quietness and freedom from
+interruption give superior results.—Mr. Cresswell, the secre-
+tary of the East London Association of Spiritualists, writes
+that their numerous circles were at first completely unable to
+meet a tithe of the demand for admission on the part of the
+public, but that since less has been published about the locali-
+ties of the circles, the pressure has been brought within
+reasonable limits.—Mr. Everitt, of Penton-street, Pentonville,
+has so many letters asking permission to see the very wonder-
+ful manifestations that take place through the mediumship
+of Mrs. Everitt, that he is compelled, much against his will
+either to keep a clerk or to leave the letters unanswered. He
+reluctantly adopts the latter alternative, as Spiritualism has
+always been a commercial loss to him, though in itself it is a
+great boon and source of happiness. Mrs. Everitt says that
+the spirits out of the body, known to her, are much kinder
+and better than spirits in the body. This is good testimony
+coming, as it does, from one who has had so much experience.
+It is difficult to get sittings with Mr. Childs, because of the
+pressure.—There are only three or four paid media in all
+London, and one of the best of these, Mrs. Mary Marshall
+has been sitting at circles so much to meet the public de-
+
+
+mand, that the consequent exhaustion has made her ill, and it
+is said that she is now out of town. In fact, the best way for
+non-Spiritualists to get manifestations is to form private
+circles in their own homes. Then, when they see manifesta-
+tions for the first time, they will have the satisfaction of
+knowing either that the facts are true, or that they are cheat-
+ing each other, and they will have no unfortunate medium
+from without to make uncomfortable with suspicious glances
+words, or acts.
+MESMERISM AND CLAIRVOYANCE.—Since our last notice,
+Dr. S. Chadwick has given two other Wednesday-evening
+lectures on mesmerism and clairvoyance at the British-schools
+Stoke Newington. Speaking of the curative power of mes-
+merism, he gave the name and address of a lady who was
+mesmerically cured by him, in half an hour, of paralysis in
+one of her legs. For years previously she had been unable to
+walk. This, he said, was the most successful ease he had ever
+had ; for judicious mesmeric treatment, though beneficial
+docs not always produce such striking results. He spoke
+highly of Dr. Elliotson, who battled all his life with popular
+prejudices on this subject, and who founded the Mesmeric
+Hospital, Weymouth-street, Regent’s-park. He said that the
+combustion of the elements of food in the body, manufactures
+invisible forces, and that mesmerism may be compared to the
+transference of a dose of good health from one person to
+another. Frequently he misused the words “electricity” and
+“magnetism, by applying them to these unknown vital
+forces.
+SPIRITUALISM IN BRISTOL.—During the past few months
+Mr. D. D. Home has given several public readings in Bristol
+and other large towns in the west of England. During his
+stay in Bristol he was the guest of Mr. John Beattie, 2, West
+bourne-place, Clifton, who has written a detailed description
+of some séances held in his house during Mr. Home’s visit
+This account is published in Human Nature for Deeember
+and is well worth reading. Mr. Beattie says that on the 13th
+of September Mr. Home first visited him, and he was then
+totally unacquainted with him (Mr. Beattie), or his relations.
+On the 16th of September, at the first séance, Mr. Home went
+into the trance state, and then followed conversations with
+Mr. Beattie’s father, mother, brothers, uncle, and aunts, long
+since passed away. One aunt’s name was given, and Mr.
+Beattie himself did not know at the time that such a relative
+had ever lived. Some visitors who had been invited to attend
+also had communications from their departed relatives. Other
+séances are described by Mr. Beattie, at which other residents
+in Bristol were present, most of whom had evidence of a
+most conclusive nature, that they were in receipt of messages
+from departed friends. The physical manifestations were, as
+usual, of a remarkable character.
+DARWIN ON MAN.—The Daily News says that Mr.
+Darwin is about to publish a book in which his theory of
+natural selection will be carried into the domain of the
+human family. The significance of this brief announcement
+is evidently scarcely appreciated by those who have noticed it.
+The “rivalry between males of the same species for the pos-
+session of the female” has, indeed, long been a patent fact in
+ball-rooms, at pienics, and wherever flirtation can be carried
+on. Are not our plays and novels mostly built on this founda-
+tion ? indeed, are not grave historical crises constantly traced
+to it? But hitherto nobody has ventured to look on these
+things with the cold, discerning eye of the natural philosopher,
+much less to trace the preference among ladies for “attractive
+males” to those remote consequences which Mr. Darwin con-
+templates. It may be hard upon the “ plain people” that
+they must eventually become extinct; but Mr. Darwin will no
+doubt be able to show that the principle of natural selection
+which has improved so many species out of existence must
+eventually take man in hand until the ill-favoured and the
+ungraceful shall have gone the way of the Dodo.
+THE VALUE OF REASON.—Reason and logical habits of
+thought are of more value to man than his legs and arms.
+When Hindoo priests ask men to throw themselves under the
+ear of Juggernaut, the dupes are very properly punished by
+the loss of legs and arms, and sometimes of life. Also, when
+priests or dervishes ask men to sacrifice reason, the dupes who
+do so very properly punish themselves by mentally maiming
+themselves for life, so as to be unfit for all responsible posi-
+tions, and qualified only for the commonest drudgery.
+AN ECCENTRIC WILL.—The following (according to the
+Toronto Globe) is the will of Dr. Dunlop, at one time a
+member of the Legislature for Upper Canada :—“In the name
+of God. Amen. I, William Dunlop, of Gairbread, in the
+township of Colborne, county of Huron, Western Canada
+Esquire, being in sound health of body and mind, which my
+friends who do not flatter me, say is no great shakes at the
+best of times, do make my last will and testament as follows
+revoking, of course, all former wills. I leave the property of
+Gairbread, and all other property I may be possessed of, to my
+sisters, Helen Boyle Story and Elizabeth Boyle Dunlop ; the
+former because she is married to a minister, who (may God
+help him) she henpecks ; the latter because she is married to
+nobody, nor is she likely to be, for she is an old maid, and not
+market rifc. And also I leave to them and their heirs my
+share of the stock and implements on the farm, providing
+always that the enclosure round my brother’s grave be re-
+served; and if either of them should die without issue, the
+other is to inherit the whole. I leave to my sister-in-law.
+Louisa Dunlop, all my share of the household furniture, and
+such traps, with the exceptions hereafter mentioned. I leave
+my silver tankard to the oldest son of old John, as the re-
+presentative of the family. I would have left it to old John
+himself, but he would have melted it down to make tem-
+perance medals; and that would have been a sacrilege.
+However I leave him my big horn snuff-box; he can only
+make temperance horn spoons out of that. I leave my sister
+Jenny my Bible, the property formerly of my great-great-
+grandmother, Betsey Hamilton, of Woodhall; and when she
+knows as much of the spirit as she does of the letter, she
+will be a much better Christian than she is. I leave my late
+brother’s watch to my brother Sandy, exhorting him at the
+same time to give up Whiggery and Radicalism, and all other
+sins that do most easily beset him. I leave my brother-in-
+law, Allan, my punch-bowl, as he is a big gauey man, and
+likely to do credit to it. I leave to Parson Chevassie my big
+silver snuff-box I got from the Simcoe Militia, as a small
+token of my gratitude to him for taking my sister Maggie,
+whom no man of taste would have taken. I leave to John
+Caddell a silver tea-pot, to the end that he may drink tea
+therefrom, to comfort him under the affliction of a slatternly
+wife. I leave my books to my brother Andrew, because he
+has been jingling wally, that he may yet learn to read with
+them. I leave my silver cup, with the sovereign in the
+bottom of it, to my sister, Janet Graham Dunlop, because
+she is an old maid and pious, and therefore necessarily given
+to horning ; and also my grandmother’s snuff-box, as it looks
+decent to see an old maid taking snuff.
+
+
+DEC. 3, 1869.
+
+
+CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.
+1. Advertisements of Public Companies, Half-a-guinea per
+sixth of a column, or every portion of sixth of a column.
+2. General Advertisements, Five Shillings per twelfth of a
+column, or portion of twelfth of a column.
+Note.—Advertisements at the foregoing rates will be
+'displayed” so as to occupy the full space paid for, but
+advertisements at the following rates will be in closely set
+type.
+3. General Advertisements, Half-a-crown per first five
+lines or portion of five lines, and Fourpence for every line in
+addition.
+4. Situations Wanted, or Apartments to Let, One Shilling
+per first four lines, or portion of four lines; Threepence for
+every line in addition.
+Ten words are allowed to the line, and six figures or
+initial letters count as one word.
+When five or more insertions of the same advertisement
+are paid for, twenty per cent. reduction will be made in the
+above rates.
+The power is reserved of refusing to insert any advertise-
+ment.
+Advertisements and remittances should be sent to the
+Publisher, Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's
+Church-yard, London, E.C., or to Mr. J. BURNS, 15
+Southampton-row, High Holborn, London, W. C.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+To Correspondents.
+
+
+All letters should be brief and to the point, as the amount
+of space available for correspondence is at present small.
+Communications intended for the Editor should be by
+letter only, addressed to the care of the Publisher, Mr. E. W.
+ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's Church-yard, London
+E.C. Until the Spiritual movement in England, together
+with this journal, have both grown considerably, time cannot
+be spared for personal interviews on subjects connected with
+the literary work of THE SPIRITUALIST, but all letters will
+meet with careful consideration.
+THE SPIRITUALiST is a periodical intended to give great
+freedom of expression to all the different shades of opinion
+to be found among Spiritualists. There will therefore be
+very little uniformity in the ideas promulgated in this journal,
+more especially in the correspondence columns. Under these
+circumstances every reader will find occasionally somethine
+in THE SPIRITUALIST which he or she does not like, but the
+right of reply remains. This freedom of thought given te
+others, the Editor claims for himself, and those who do no
+like the contents of leading articles, can write against them
+in the correspondence columns. This plan is thought better
+than that of reducing the contents of the journal to a
+pale weak mediocrity, by inserting only those contributions
+which please everybody. The preceding remarks are not
+intended to imply that those who have crotchets which they
+cannot get printed anywhere else, can find an outlet for them
+here, for none but those letters which are considered worth
+publication will be inserted.
+Notices of Public Meetings in connection with Spiritualism
+should be sent to the office several days in advance.
+
+
+To Non-Spiritualists,
+
+
+A large amount of information is printed on the last two
+pages of this journal, clearly demonstrating that the facts of
+Spiritualism, highly improbable as they appear to be, are
+real, and deserve serious investigation by all thoughtful
+people. In other columns of every number of THE SPIRI-
+TUALIST will also be found plenty of additional evidence to
+the same effect.
+
+
+To Subscribers.
+
+
+The first twelve numbers of THE SPIRITUALIST will be
+forwarded regularly by penny post to subscribers, who remit
+four shillings in payment, to Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Publisher
+Ave Maria-lane, St. Pauls-churchyard, E.C.
+
+
+The Spiritualist.
+
+
+FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1869.
+
+
+THE PHILOSOPHY OF SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS.
+THE higher spirits, as well as many of those of a
+more imperfect order, come back to earth, bearing
+messages of affection and love to the friends and rela-
+tives left behind; these visitants from the higher
+spheres also often alleviate sickness and pain, and with
+kind words comfort those who are afflicted by many
+sorrows. Their teachings demonstrate also, beyond all
+doubt, that according to the good or evil done by
+dwellers in this world, so shall they reap happiness or
+misery in the next. Such lessons as these coming from
+those who have passed the boundary of the grave, and
+sealed with the seal of indisputable authority, are
+exactly fitted to do good in these hard unfeeling
+money-worshipping times, when high and low alike are
+so greedily absorbed in the love of self, that the happi-
+ness of the great bulk of the nation is crucified, and
+the United Kingdom with its thirty million inhabitants,
+contains a million paupers, and five or six millions of
+other persons living in constant fear of the loss of the
+bare means of subsistence.
+Knowing that the great power of Spiritualism will in
+the course of many long years, help to remove those
+
+
+national evils which now appear to be permanent, it is
+not a very pleasant task to quit the consideration of
+these higher principles, to deal with the scientific laws
+which govern the phenomena. Yet the duty must be
+performed, and while the majority of people are occu-
+pied in witnessing the varied phenomena of thrilling
+interest seen in spirit circles, men of science will for
+long ages to come have to plod steadily at their work,
+collecting stones in the shape of facts, and gradually
+building up a staircase of knowledge and common
+sense, till the nature of the border-land between this
+world and the next is thoroughly understood. In the
+unknown region into which Spiritualism has so sud-
+denly introduced its first students, there is so much
+resembling “ the stuff that dreams are made of,” that
+but for the physical phenomena research would appear
+to be hopeless. But, as in every other portion of God’s
+universe, let the observer but investigate carefully, the
+shadowy region around gradually begins to yield up to
+him some of those laws and truths which are ever con-
+cealed from idle and superstitious spectators. Any opinions
+about the facts which are advanced at this early date
+are necessarily put forward with caution, and are liable
+to error, so the succeeding portion of this article should
+be accepted only with due reservation.
+One great established fact is that spirits have the
+power, to a very great extent, of reading the thoughts
+of those in the same condition of life as themselves
+and among the higher spirits especially thought-read-
+ing rather than speech seems to be the ordinary method
+of conversation. The eye of the human body can see
+only within a given distance and within a limited
+radius, whereas to the clairvoyant eye of the spirit
+distance offers little obstruction, nor does the interven-
+tion of common matter intercept vision. In many
+other respects also, spirits have powers or senses of a
+superior nature to those appertaining to the human
+body; so much higher indeed, that observers are as
+much perplexed upon witnessing such great and unex-
+pected powers, as a caterpillar would be, were a butter-
+fly to settle on the leaf before it, and say, “ As I am
+so shall you be."
+These two facts of the power of
+thought-reading and clairvoyant vision possessed by
+spirits, have been selected from a vast number of
+others, to help to prove the point which it is probable
+that future research will establish, namely—that the
+spiritual world is as high above the animal world, as
+the animal world is higher than the vegetable world.
+Assuming this simple explanation to be true, there
+is nothing surprising that the greatest intellects should
+feel overwhelmed for a time by the apparent hopeless-
+ness of attempting to gain accurate knowledge as to
+the method of production of spiritual phenomena.
+Suppose a vegetable could think, and that a cabbage
+saw an animal, say a horse, for the first time, how
+utterly overwhelmed the cabbage would feel, to see a
+new vegetable walking about on four stalks, with its
+roots in its stomach. The cabbage would be obliged
+either to adopt the theory that it was a miracle, or
+that the animal world was as high above the vegetable
+world, as the vegetable world is above the mineral
+world. The latter assumption on the part of the cab-
+bage would show most sense, especially when it saw
+that the horse, like itself, was influenced by material
+conditions, such, for instance, as temperature.
+This brings us to the true relation of spiritual
+phenomena to experimental natural philosophy.
+Mathematics is the highest and purest form of
+science, demonstrating its positions beyond all doubt
+or question. Who, for instance, can doubt that two
+and two make four, or that a straight line is the
+shortest distance between two points? Experimental
+science comes next in order, for by weight, calculation,
+and measurement, its chief points can be established.
+Notwithstanding this, the experimental sciences are
+surrounded by a penumbral region, and are based upon
+the assumption of the reality of vibrating atoms; that
+there are such atoms cannot be proved, and if there be
+none, many of the theories in the books of the leading
+members of the Royal Society fall to the ground,
+although of course their experiments stand firm. Out
+side the experimental sciences, come ethnology, political
+economy, and other studies, where the influences at
+work are so numerous, that an approximation only
+to accuracy is seen in the results. Physical science
+
+
+13
+
+
+has great power over the mineral world, and can repro-
+duce many of its phenomena, nay, it can even make
+artificially the oxalic acid which gives the flavour to
+common sorrel, and it can manufacture the formic acid
+which was once obtainable only from the bodies of
+ants. But at the artificial formation of the minutest
+vegetable cell, physical science breaks down utterly and
+entirely, and from this point upwards through the
+marvellous phenomena of the vegetable and animal
+worlds, men of science know themselves to be mere ob-
+servers, and not masters. Now, assuming that the spi it
+world is simply a great step in advance of the animal
+world, nearly all its phenomena are so high as to be
+far beyond the reach of the experimental philosopher.
+Very few of its forces, if any, are likely ever to be
+shut up in a-bottle, and utilised like electricity, for its
+phenomena are mostly produced by forces highly vital
+and organic in their nature. Research, for instance,
+we think will prove beyond doubt, that the will alone,
+without acts or spoken words, can influence persons at
+a distance from the human body.
+These ideas as to the relation between the animal
+and spiritual worlds we believe to be entirely new ;
+they have been formed after two years careful examina-
+tion of the phenomena seen at spirit circles, and they
+are published here more especially for the education
+and instruction of the Royal Soeiety.
+
+
+THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CHILDREN’S BOOKS
+(From the Daily News.)
+IN a new American monthly, the Radical, Mr. E. W. Win-
+throp has written an indignant protest against the “ merciless
+cruelty of children’s books.” He charges that although the
+hideous doll of the past has become extinct, and would terrify
+the poorest child of to-day if admitted to the baby house, the
+tragical horrors of the ancient story-books are still preserved.
+Mr. Winthrop instances the “ Babes in the Wood,” with its
+heartrending narratives of the dying parents, the sad parting,
+the cruel uncle, the ruffians, the murder of one of them, the
+slow starvation of the babes, all so poorly compensated by the
+kindliness of the robins in covering them with leaves; and
+also the direful story of Cock Robin s Courtship, and his death
+in the heyday of wedded happiness. His strongest appeal is
+against the tragedy of “ Little Red Ridinghood."
+"The pic-
+ture of the wolf in bed in the grandmother’s nightcap, and the
+dreadful dialogue beginning, 'Grandmother, what great eyes
+you’ve got,’ is enough to make a child’s flesh creep with
+horror. We positively assert that we would rather be devoured
+any day by the wolf at one mouthful than cause one-half the
+misery to one-half the little ones that this story gives. And
+the French ending, which saves little E. R. at the critical
+moment by the woodmen, does not help it much ; there still
+remains the swallowed grandmother.” As might be naturally
+supposed, Dr. Watts does not find much favour with tho
+writer. He denounces the holding up of the “terrors of the
+law” over children, and tells a story of two children of his
+own acquaintance who, after reading the verse in “ Songs for
+the Little Ones at Home,” beginning “There is a dreadful
+hell,” tried to commit suicide by holding their breaths. He
+commends the custom which, it seems, prevails among some
+mothers, of cutting out such pictures as those which seek to
+awaken an interest in foreign missions by representing croco-
+diles swallowing children cast to them by Hindoo mothers.
+The chief sinners Mr. Winthrop holds to be Jane and Ann
+Taylor. Recognising their good intentions, the writer declares
+that their poems for the young filled his childhood with
+terrors. The childish offences against which they seek to
+warn the young are, he holds, rarely connected with the ter-
+rible retributions which filled his imagination, and so the
+moral purpose of the verses is itself invalidated.
+We have all read the story of the little boy who wept at the
+picture of Daniel in the lion’s den—not for the prophet, but
+“for the poor little lion who wasn’t getting any."
+But on the
+other hand, there are children of acute, or perhaps precocious
+sensibilities, who can be made to weep at the desolations of a
+broomstick kept out in the pitiless snowstorm ; and these do
+undoubtedly, suffer much from some of the tragical legends of
+the nursery. Story-books, however, will always be written for
+the average child ; and it is just possible that the great dis-
+proportion often observed between the fault which the story-
+teller would reprove and the dire retribution awarded it has
+grown gradually out of the incapacity exhibited by so many
+children of being reached by any but terrible results. Thus,
+when Miss Ann Taylor would frighten little nest-robbers, it
+might be enough for one or two children to depict the sorrows
+of the parent birds at the loss of their young; but to four out
+of five the picture she draws of a vast monster, stalking up to
+the child’s bed and flying away with it would probably be
+found more effectual. Nevertheless, so long as Nature affixes
+to each offence its proper and logical penalty, it must be ad-
+mitted to be a very questionable morality which seeks to
+secure good behaviour by suggesting unnatural consequence
+for the reverse. In the course of time the child will discover
+that they who go a-swimming on Sunday are not always
+drowned, nor they who play with fire always burnt to ashes;
+and when these myths have been exploded, it may become
+more difficult to show the actual benefits of the Sunday and
+the real dangers of fire. Equally questionable are the books
+which bring to bear upon the young mind the deeper pro-
+blems of religious expcrience and the vast mysterics of death.
+There are few who have been fed on such strong meat in early
+life who do not feel a certain relief when some little reac-
+tionist asserts his right to his childhood, though it be with the
+boy in Punch, who says to his brother, “ Don’t be a good boy.
+Johnny; good boys always die.” Since Nature has given
+parents and teachers the physical superiority by which
+children may be restrained from wrong behaviour, there would
+seem to be the less need for springing upon them the great
+engines of moral terror or excitement, which at best can but
+tear open the flower that should expand naturally. Nor is it
+impossible that the danger of certain nervous disorders, to
+which children of a susceptible nature are liable, may be en-
+hanced by such premature mental and moral stimulants.
+
+
+14
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+DEC. 3, 1869.
+
+
+Poetry.
+
+
+ON INJUDICIOUS ATTEMPTS TO MAKE PROSELYTES.
+Leave thou thy sister when she prays
+Her early heaven, her happy views;
+Nor thou with shadow’d hint confuse
+A life that leads melodious days
+Tennyson.
+
+
+BIRDIE'S SONG
+This Spirit song is extracted from Poems of Inner Life, by Miss Lizzie
+Doten, an American inspirational public speaking medium. With such
+media the spirits control the vocal organs, which are made to utter words
+not in the mind of the speaker. This poem was recited by Miss Doten at
+the close of one of her lectures in Boston, when she was inspired by the
+spirit of Anna Cora Wilson (a child of the chairman’s), whose career on
+earth closed at the age of twelve years and seven months. She was known
+among her family and friends by the pet name of “ Birdie." The poem was
+taken down in shorthand by a reporter at the time of its delivery upon the
+platform.
+
+
+With rosebuds in my hand,
+Fresh from the Summer Land,
+Father! I come and stand
+Close by your side.
+You cannot see me here,
+Or feel my presence near,
+And yet your Birdie dear
+Never has died.
+
+
+Chorus
+Check then the falling tear;
+Think of me still as near;
+Father and Mother dear.
+Soon on that shore,
+Where all the loved ones meet,
+Resting your pilgrim feet,
+Shall you with blessings gree
+Birdie once more.
+
+
+Oh no! for angels bright
+Out of that blessed light
+Shone on my wondering sight,
+Singing—“ We come,
+Lamb for the fold above -
+Tender young nestling dove -
+Safe in our arms to love,
+Haste to thy home!"
+
+
+Mother, I could not stay;
+In a sweet dream I lay,
+Wafted to heaven away,
+Far from the night.
+Then, with a glad surprise,
+Did I unclose mine eycs
+Under its cloudless skies,
+Smiling with light.
+
+
+O were you with me there
+Free from all earthly care,
+All of my joys to share!
+I were more blest.
+But it is best to stay
+There in the earthly way,
+Till the good angels say -
+“Come to your rest!"
+
+
+Correspondence.
+
+
+[Great freedom is given to correspondents, who sometimes express opinion-
+diametrically opposed to those of this journal and its readers).
+
+
+and guide, and therefore telling him that I was satisfied in
+the truth of his statement, we walked to the end of the field
+and returned ; nor did the ghost meet us at that time but
+once.
+“On the 27th July, 1665, I went to the haunted field by my-
+self, and walked the breadth of it without any encounter. I
+then returned, and took the other walk and then the spectre
+appeared to me, much about the same place in which I saw it
+when the young gentleman was with me. It appeared to
+move swifter than before, and seemed to be about ten feet
+from me on my right hand, insomuch that I had not time to
+speak to it as I had determined with myself beforehand. The
+evening of this day the parents, the son and myself being in
+the chamber where I lay, I proposed to them our going alto-
+gether to the place next morning. We accordingly met at
+the place I had appointed ; thence we all four walked into the
+field together. We had not gone more than half the field be-
+fore the ghost made its appearance. It then came over the
+stile just before us, and moved with such rapidity that by the
+time we had gone six or seven steps it passed by. I immedi-
+ately turned my head and ran after it with the young man
+by my side. We saw it pass over the stile at which we
+entered, and no farther. I stepped on the hedge at one place,
+and the young man at another, but we could discern nothing;
+whereas I do aver. that the swiftest horse in England could
+not have conveyed himself out of sight in that short space of
+time. Two things I observed in this day’s experience ; first, a
+spaniel dog which had followed the company unregarded
+barked and ran away, as the spectrum passed by ; whence it
+is easy to conclude that it was not our fear or fancy that made
+the apparition. Secondly, the motion of the spectrum was
+not gradation or by steps, or moving the feet, but by a kind of
+gliding as children upon ice, or as a boat down a river, which
+punctually answers the description the ancients give of the
+motion of these Lamures. This ocular evidence clearly con-
+vinced, but withal strangely affrighted the old gentleman and
+his wife. They well knew this woman, Dorothy Durant, in
+her lifetime, were at her burial, and now plainly saw hei
+features in this apparition.
+“The next morning being Thursday, I went very early by
+myself, and walked for about an hour’s space in meditation
+and prayer in the field next adjoining. Soon after five, I
+stepped over the stile into the haunted field, and had not gone
+above thirty or forty paces before the ghost appeared at the
+further stile. I spoke to it in some short sentences with a
+loud voice, whereupon it approached me, but slowly, and when
+I came near it moved not. I spoke again, and it answered in
+a voice neither audible nor very intelligible. I was not in the
+least terrified, and therefore persisted until it spoke again and
+gave me satisfaction, but the work could not be finished at
+this time. Whereupon the same evening, an hour after sun-
+set, it met me again near the same place, and after a few
+words on each side it quietly vanished, and neither doth
+appear now, nor ever will more to man’s disturbance. The
+discourse in the morning lasted about a quarter of an hour.
+“These things are true, and I know them to be so, with as
+much certainty as eyes and ears can give me ; and until I can
+be persuaded that my senses all deceive me, about their
+proper objects, and by that persuasion deprive myself of the
+strongest inducement to believe the Christian religion, I must
+and will assert, that the things contained in this paper are
+true. As for the manner of my proceeding, I have no reason
+to be ashamed of it. I can justifiy it to men of good prin-
+ciples, discretion, and recondite learning, though in this case
+I choose to content myself in the assurance of the thing rather
+than be at the unprofitable trouble to persuade others to be¬
+lieve it, for I know full well with what difficulty relations of so
+uncommon a nature and practice obtain belief.
+“Through the ignorance of men in our age in this peculiar
+and mysterious part of philosophy and religion, namely, the
+communication betwcen spirits and men, not one scholar in
+ten thousand, though otherwise of excellent learning, knows
+anything about it. This ignorance breeds fear and abhorance
+of that which otherwise might be of incomparable benefit to
+
+
+SCIENTIFIC AID TO SPIRITUALISM.
+A VERY good idea was carried out at the lectures
+recently given by Mr. J. Jones, of Enmore Park, to
+the two Spiritual Associations in London. Dissolving-
+view apparatus was called into play, and no more effi-
+cient instrument can possibly be found, to make
+lectures attractive and interesting.
+The apparatus
+used at the two lectures just mentioned, perhaps does
+well enough for small rooms, but in a hall of
+moderately large size it would be a failure, because the
+light is too feeble to bear dilution over the area which
+it would be necessary to make the picture cover, when
+the building is a large one. In such cases the oil lamps
+must be abolished, and the oxhydrogen light substituted.
+Doubtless it would be good policy to have one good
+set of dissolving-view apparatus made for common use
+at spiritual lectures in London. In such apparatus,
+much depends upon the condensers—the large lenses
+between the slide and the light. In some lanterns
+there is only one lens instead of two, at this place, and
+with such instruments there is such a great loss of light
+that it is falsc economy to buy them. Another very
+important part of a lantern, is the combination of
+lenses known as the “ object-glass.”
+Bad object -
+glasses will often give bad definition, and will not give
+a “flat field."
+When the latter fault is present, the
+centre and the circumference of the picture cannot
+possibly both be brought into sharp focus upon the
+screen at the same time.
+Very much good taste
+was displayed in the lantern slides painted by Mr.
+Bielfeld, and shown at the two lectures recently
+delivered, one of them representing a butterfly and
+caterpillar upon the branch of a tree, being specially
+well done.
+There was also much ideality in the
+design of most of them. In one picture, however
+spirits were painted with wings, and these wings had
+better be left out, otherwise they may give good hold
+for adverse criticism, when many stiffnecked unbelievers
+chance to be present during their exhibition.
+
+
+PERIODICAL LITERATURE.—Last month the first num-
+ber of a very valuable weekly publication, called Nature
+was published by Macmillan. It is a journal receiving the
+countenance and literary support of Tyndall, Huxley, Darwin
+Lockyer, Balfour Stewart, Thomson, and thirty or forty more
+of the leading philosophers of Europe and America. A high-
+class publication, popularising science, has long been wanted
+for as yet no weekly publication in England has becn devoted
+exclusively to natural philosophy. It is well printed and
+edited, and its motto by Wordsworth -
+
+
+“To the solid ground
+Of Nature trusts the mind which builds for aye."
+
+
+A CORNISH GHOST STORY.*
+SIR,—The following ghost story is takcn from Drew’s
+History of Cornwall, a standard work published in 1817, and
+still considered to be one of the most authentic and valuable
+histories of that county. The story itself being well authen-
+ticated and there being many remarkable points in it, yor
+may perhaps consider it not unworthy of insertion in THE
+SPIRITUALIST.
+London, November 22nd, 1869.
+R. PEARCE.
+About 152 years since a ghost is said to have made its ap-
+pearance in this parish, South Petherwin, near Launceston,
+in afield about half-a-mile from Botaden or Botathen. In the
+narrative which is given of this occurrence, it is said to have
+been seen by a son of Mr. Bligh, aged about sixteen, by his
+father and mother, and by the Rev. John Ruddle, master of
+the Grammai School of Launceston, and one of the prebend-
+aries of Exeter, and vicar of Alternon. The relation given by
+Mr. Ruddle is in substance as follows:
+Young Mr. Bligh, a lad of bright parts and of no common
+attainments, became on a sudden pensive, dejected and melan-
+choly. His friends, observing the change without being able
+to discover the cause, attributed his behaviour to laziness, an
+aversion to school, or to some other motive which they sus-
+pected he was ashamed to avow. He was, however, induced
+after some time to inform his brother that in a field through
+which he passed to and from school, he was invariably met by
+the apparition of a woman, whom he personally knew while
+living, and who had been dead about eight years. Ridicule,
+threats and persuasions were alike used in vain by the family
+to induce him to dismiss these absurd ideas. Mr. Ruddle was
+however sent for, to whom the lad ingenously communicated
+the time, manner, and frequency of this appearance. It wa
+in a field called Higher Broomfield. The apparition, he said
+appeared dressed in female attire, met him two or three times
+while he passed through the field, glided hastily by him, but
+never spoke. He had thus bcen occasionally met about two
+months before he took any particular notice of it ; at length
+the appearance became more frequent, meeting him both
+morning and evening, but always in the same field, yet in-
+variably moving out of the path when it came close by him.
+He often spoke, but could never get any reply. To avoid this
+unwelcome visitor he forsook the field, and went and returned
+from school through a lane, in which place between the quarry
+park and nursery it always met him. Unable to disbelieve
+the evidence of his senses, or to obtain credit with any of his
+family, he prevailed upon Mr. Ruddle to accompany him to
+the place. “I arose” says this clergyman, “ the next morn-
+ing and went with him. The field to which he led me I
+guessed to be about twenty acres, in an open country, and
+about three furlongs from my house. We went into the field
+and had not gone a third-part before the spectrum in the
+shape of a woman, with all the circumstances he had described
+the day before, so far as the suddenness of its appearance and
+transition would permit me to discover, passed by,
+“I was a little surpriscd at it, and though I had taken up a
+firm resolution to speak to it, I had not the power, nor durst
+I look back, yet I took care not to show any fear to my pupil
+
+
+EVIDENCE AT THE DIALECTICAL SOCIETY.
+SIR,—On page three of the first number of THE SPIRITUALIST
+there is a serious error in the statement made under the name
+of Miss Blackwell. Mr. S. C. 'Hall has informed me “that
+no incident like that named ever took place at his house, but
+that Mr. Livermore, banker, America, related to him at his
+house a singular phenomenon that took place, which had a
+kind of resemblance to that narrative.” I presume the news-
+paper reporter misunderstood Miss Blackwell. I find the
+reporters are “not upto the subject of spiritualism, and
+therefore easily fall into-errors. It is the duty of spiritualists
+to see to it, that all facts are so reported, that they may have
+equal weight to a declaration before a magistrate.
+JOHN JONES.
+Emmore-park, S. Norwood, Nov. 26, 1869.
+[As stated at the time, the evidence was extracted from the
+Eastern Post newspaper.—ED.
+
+
+A HAUNTED CASTLE
+SIR,—The following is eopied from the Irish Times Special
+Commissioner's Report on the Land question :—“ Parsonstown,
+Oct. 14, 1869.“ It would be strange if Leap Castlel was not
+haunted. It would not be easy to imagine a more appropriate
+habitation for ghosts, considering its antiquity, its traditions,
+the deeds-of violence and blood of which it was the theatre,
+the quaint and curious apartments in the pre-historic dwelling-
+house attachcd to the castle, now used for kitchen and ser-
+vants’ apartments, the great trees dying of age, and the weird
+aspect of the whole place. Accordingly while partaking of
+Mr. Darby’s genial hospitality, and going through the build-
+ing, the ladies told me of scveral most extraordinary and un-
+accountable apparitions and noises of which they were them-
+selves personally the witnesses, and which would afford ample
+materials for a lot of sensational romances. But even these
+stories were scarcely more strange than the psychological fact,
+that the children of the family are all ghost-proof ; even the
+youngest will go asleep alone, without light, in rooms where
+women in white have been seen, where loud laughter and
+awful shrieks have been heard, and the sounds of feet moving
+about, and of hands cautiously lifting and drawing back bed
+curtains at the witching hour of night."
+J. De M.
+
+
+we thought of stealing for THE SPIRITUALIST, but space here
+is too valuable for such poetical repetitions. The first article
+in Nature is by Goethe, a Spiritualist, who has in this case
+found a translator in Professor Huxley, of all men in the
+world. The fault of the new journal is that it does not
+include the greatest of all the sciences—Spiritualism.
+When learned bodies who have persistently ignored mes-
+merism for many long years, see it firmly established by
+the aid of its stronger brother, Spiritualism, in the public
+mind, they will find themselves in a position from which they
+must retreat, whether they like to do so or not. So much for
+the introduction of dogmatism into science. The managers
+of the Times are again, it is believed, seriously contemplating
+another reduction in the price of the journal, the competition
+of other papers more truthfully representing public interests
+being severe. The Morning Star last month died a very
+quiet death, after transferring its worldly interests to the Daily
+News. The Newspaper Press, a monthly organ of newspaper
+people, published by Mr. E. W. Allen, states that Mr. E. R.
+Russell, late of the Morning Star, has returned once more to
+Liverpool, as editor of the Liverpool Daily Post, on a salary
+of £1,000 a year. Canada is to have a comic paper under the
+title of Grinchuckle.
+THe THOUGHTS OF A MOLE.—My hyacinths would blos-
+som if the moles did not cat up the bulbs at such a fearful
+rate.
+I consider a mole’s opinion of the structure
+and use of my hyacinths to be very much like most folk's
+notions of moral truth. The moles see the bottom, and
+nothing else. Imagine a mole forming a philosophical theory
+of my bulbs. In mole’s language, he would say. A hyacinth
+is a vegetable creation put under ground for the benefit of the
+moles.
+It has been held by some moles that a hyacinth
+has an existence above ground, and speculatists have gone so
+far as to say that this root is only a kind of starting point,
+while the best part of the plant is above ground. But there
+is no evidence of that, and it is doubtless a vagary of the
+imagination.
+-H. W. Beecher.
+
+
+ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
+V.—Your friend has twisted the words to make them bear a
+meaning which they do not convey to the ordinary reader.
+Dr. Tyndall said that under the action of the chemical rays,
+clouds were formed by chemical decomposition, and that one of
+these clouds chanced to take the shape of a fish, with eyes, gills
+and feelers.
+G. H.—Both addresses were right, and your newsvendor misin-
+formed you.
+J. J.—Experience will show what days are the best for the purpose.
+Why should the two mentioned be easier to recollect?
+W. N.—We are very much obliged to you for your information/
+Your communications should be more statistical and condensed;
+dates also should not be omitted. It would do no good to us or
+to you, to print a letter praising this journal.
+R. P.—A report shall be made of one or both of the next two mect
+ings you mention. No doubt “they all like THE SPIRITUALIST,
+and wish to see it reduced in price and published weekly,” but it
+requires practical knowledge of newspaper work and of the extent
+of the Spiritual movement to appreciate the exceeding modesty of
+the request. As soon as the cause is likely to support, or nearly
+support, a cheaper supply of news of good quality, it will be
+forthcoming, but such a step as a permanency is utterly out of tho
+question at present.
+
+
+* As a general rule, not without exceptions like those of the indisputable
+Wesley manifestations, ghost narratives of previous times, however well
+authenticated, are not much desired for THE SPIRITUALIST. Such records
+have as yet had little influence on the public mind, and as this journal has
+begun to find its way somewhat largely among non-Spiritualists, we more
+require authenticated accounts of manifestations now going on in our midst
+signed with the names and addresses of all the witnesses. Such evidence is
+best for hard-headed business people, now so numerous, whose practica
+religion as exemplified in their daily life, is manifestly “cash and landed
+property." ED.
+
+
+Cork, Dec. 1, 1869
+
+
+Mr. BURNS, of the Spiritual Library, is now giving a
+course of Tuesday evenings lectures on subjects connected
+with man and his habits. He knows how to give plenty of
+useful information on the best methods of keeping the body
+and mind in good health.
+
+
+DEC. 3, 1869.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+15
+
+
+FACTS FOR NON-SPIRITUALISTS.
+As this Journal will necessarily often come
+under the observation of those who are not
+Spiritualists, it has been thought judicious to
+reprint regularly on this and the next page,
+the following condensed evidence that spiri-
+tualism deserves serious investigation. The
+phenomena witnessed in spiritual circles are
+so extraordinary, and so unlike those coming
+within the ordinary range of human experi-
+ence, that it is quite right not to accept them
+on the testimony of others. Each individual
+should witness and test them personally, and
+believe nothing until the absolute knowledge
+is gained that denial is impossible.
+
+
+EVIDENCE THAT SPIRITUALISM DESERVES INVES-
+TIGATION.
+The testimony of reliable and respectable wit-
+nesses that the phenomena of Spiritualism are
+actual facts, and not imposture or delusion, has of
+late years so accumulated as to possess very great
+weight. In the case of Lyon v. Home, Mr. Robert
+Chambers, Mr. C. F. Varley, Dr. Gully, Mr. and
+Mrs. S. C. Hall, and others, all made affidavits
+strongly in favour of Mr. Home. The following
+was the affidavit of Mr. C. F. Varley, C.E.,
+F.R.G.S., M.R.I.:-
+
+
+“I, Cromwell Fleetwood Varley, of Fleetwood House
+Beckenham, in the County of Kent, Esquire, make oath
+and say as follows: -
+“I have been a student of electricity, chemistry, and
+natural philosophy for twenty-six years, and a tele
+graphic engineer by profession for twenty-one years,
+and I am the consulting electrician of the Atlantic Tele-
+graph Company, and of the Electric and International
+Company.
+“About nine or ten years ago, having had my atten-
+tion directed to the subject of Spiritualism by its spon-
+taneous and unexpected development in my own family
+in the form of clairvoyant visions and communications
+I determined to test the truth of the alleged physical
+phenomena to the best of my ability, and to ascertain
+if possible, the nature of the force which produced them.
+“Accordingly, about eight years ago, I called on Mr.
+Home, the defendant in this suit, and stated that I had
+not yet witnessed any of the physical phenomena, but
+that I was a scientific man and wished to investigate
+them carefully.
+"He immediately gave me every facility for the pur-
+pose, and desired me to satisfy myself in every possible
+way, and I have been with him on divers occasions
+when the phenomena have occurred. I have examined
+and tested them with him and with others, under con-
+ditions of my own choice, under a bright light, and have
+made the most jealous and searching scrutiny. I have
+been, since then, for seven months in America, where
+the subject attracts great attention and study, and where
+it is cultivated by some of the ablest men, and having
+experimented with and compared the forces with elec-
+tricity and magnetism, and after having applied me-
+chanical and mental tests, I entertain no doubt whatever
+that the manifestations which I have myself examined
+were not due to the operation of any of the recognised
+physical laws of nature, and that there has been present
+on the occasions above-mentioned some intelligence
+other than that of the medium and observers.
+“The subject of course offers many opportunities and
+inducements for fraud, and I only speak of what I have
+myself seen and tested. Since my acquaintance with
+Mr. Home began I have pursued the enquiry, and I have
+found engaged in it able, learned, and scientific men,
+who are convinced as I am, that the physical manifesta-
+tions are but the introduction to an extensive field of
+mental and physical knowledge which will in a great
+measure explain and reconcile the beliefs of all ages and
+nations. I know of several instances both in Europe
+and America in which this course of study has awak-
+ened the perception of the purest and loftiest truths and
+principles. There have been no doubt cases in which
+the intellect has been too feeble for the stimulus, and
+has been overpowered by it, just as frequently results
+from excessive application to religion and other exciting
+topics, but such cases have not come within my own
+observation.
+“Mr. Home, like several other non-professional me-
+diums whose cases I have studied, was passive during
+the occurrence of the manifestations. He, like the
+other mediums, is extremely susceptible to external in
+fluences, and has a mind better suited to receive impres-
+sions than to prosecute enquiries. I willingly testify my
+entire conviction of his truthfulness and honesty.
+“C. F. VARLEY."
+
+
+It also came out in the evidence given at the
+trial, that Mr. Home had been the invited and un-
+paid guest of the Emperor and the Empress of the
+French, the Emperor, Empress, and the late Em-
+press Dowager of Russia, the Grand Duke Con-
+stantine, the King of Prussia, the late King of
+Bavaria, the late King of Wurtemburg, and the
+Queen of Holland. Mr. Home says that all his
+life he has never taken a farthing of pay for his
+séances. In March, 1869, the Spiritual Magazine
+gave the names of the following gentlemen al
+those who have long been investigating the sub-
+ject.
+
+
+“Cromwell F. Varley, Esq., Fleetwood-house, Becken-
+ham; Alfred R. Wallace, Esq., 9, St. Mark’s-crescent,
+N.W.; Professor De Morgan, 91, Adelaide-road, N.W.;
+Captain Drayson, R.A., Woolwich; Dr. J. M. Gully,
+The Priory, Great Malvern: Dr. J. J. G. Wilkinson, 4
+St. John’s-wood-villas, N.W.; Dr. Dixon, 8, Great Or-
+mond-street, W.C.: S. C. Hall, Esq., 15, Ashley-place,
+Victoria-street, S.W.; Newton Crosland, Esq.; William
+Howitt, Esq., The Orchard, Hare-green, Esher, Surrey;
+Robert Chambers, Esq., St. Andrew's, Edinburgh; H.
+D. Jencken, Esq., Kilmorey-house, Norwood; J. G.
+Crawford, Esq., 52, Gloucester-crescent, N.W.; W. M
+Wilkinson, Esq., Oakfield, Kilburn; Lord Adare, 5,
+Buckingham-gate; The Master of Lindsay, Grosvenor-
+square."
+Mrs. De Morgan has written a book, entitled
+From Matter to Spirit (Longmans), where she
+gives many interesting particulars, the result of
+ten years' experience in Spiritualism. Professor
+De Morgan, President of the Mathematical Society
+of London, in his preface to the book, says:
+"I am perfectly convinced that I have both seen and
+heard, in a manner which should make unbelief impos
+sible, things called spiritual, which cannot be taken by
+a rational being to be capable of explanation by impos
+turc, coincidence, or mistake. So far I feel the ground
+firm under me."
+The following is an extract from another
+affidavit, made in the suit of Lyon v. Home: -
+"L. James Manby Gully, of The Priory, Great Malvern,
+in the County of Worcester, doctor of medicine, make
+oath and say as follows: -
+“I have known the above-named defendant, Daniel
+Dunglass Home, for seven years and upwards, last past
+and have during that period been in the habit of attend-
+ing him professionally, and also of receiving him in my
+house as a personal friend, and I have never had the
+smallest reason to doubt his character as a man of
+honour and proper moral feeling.
+“I have during the past seven years witnessed both
+in my own house, and elsewhere, in the presence of the
+
+
+said Mr. Home many curious occurrences, which I am
+unable to explain, in the way of singular phenomena,
+such as displacement of objects without physical con-
+tact, &c., and from my personal and careful investiga-
+tions (which Mr. Home himself ever urges) I am positive
+that it is not in consequence of any trick or device that
+such phenomena occur. I have even been witness to
+singular phenomena when the said Mr. Home was not in
+the same room, and also when he has been asleep. I
+have never known the said Mr. Home receive money for
+what is termed 'a séance,’ but I have known him re-
+peatedly refuse offers of as much as twenty guineas for
+“J. M. GULLY, M.D."
+a single séance.
+Dr. Hooker, in his opening address, as President
+of the British Association at Norwich in 1868,
+spoke very highly of the scientific attainments of
+Mr. Alfred R. Wallace, F.L.S. Mr. Wallace is an
+avowed Spiritualist. Professor Hare, of Phila-
+delphia, the inventor of the Hare's Galvanic Bat-
+tery, once refused to witness spiritual phenomena,
+alleging that Faraday’s “unconscious muscular
+action” theory explained all the facts. A friend
+wrote to him detailing things he had seen which
+were inexplicable by that theory. Hare at once,
+like a sensible man, went to see for himself. The
+result was that he came into communication with
+some of his own departed relatives. He then
+made mechanical telegraphic machines, which
+were intelligently worked by spirits while the
+apparatus was screened from the sight of the
+medium, and he wrote a book recording all these
+facts. That book is now in the British Museum
+Library. Judge Edmonds, of New York, is another
+very eminent American Spiritualist, who has also
+written interesting books on the subject. Recently
+in England, Viscount Adare has written a book
+bearing testimony to the truth of Spiritualism, and
+it has a preface by Lord Dunraven. This book is
+printed for private circulation only, which is an
+error in judgment. Valuable evidence in favour
+of Spiritualism is given by John Wesley and his
+family; for spirit rapping and movements of
+wooden materials by invisible agency occurred in
+their own house. Documentary evidence of what
+they witnessed was drawn up and signed on the
+spot, and is published in Southey's Life of Wesley.
+The Spiritual Magazine for October, 1869, give
+the following names of friends of Spiritualism
+who have now and then contributed to its pages
+“Viscount Adare; John Ashburner, M.D., Translator
+of Reichenbach, author of Philosophy of Animal Mag-
+netism and Spiritualism; T. B. Barkas, author of Outlines
+of Ten lears' Investigation into the Phenonena of Modern
+Spiritualism; George Barth; Richard Beamish, F.R.S.,
+author of The Life of Brunel; Rev. S. E. Bengough,
+M.A.; Edward L. Blanchard; Edward Brotherton; Cap-
+tain Richard F. Burton (the African traveller;) Willian
+Carpenter, author of Political Letters, The English Bible;
+Captain Edward Henry Chawner; Henry T. Child
+M.D. (Philadelphia, U.S.A.); Benjamin Coleman, author
+of Spiritualism in America; Robert Collyer, M.D., F.C.S.
+Christopher Cook; Robert Cooper, author of Spiritual
+Experiences; Mrs. De Morgan, author of From Matter to
+Spirit; Jacob Dixon, L.R.C.P., author of Clairvoyance
+Hygienic, and Medical; Hugh Doherty, M.D, author of
+Organic Philosophy; Captain Drayson, R.A.; Judge
+Edmonds (New York); Captain H. A Fawcett, R.N.;
+John M. Gully, M.D.; Professor W. D. Gunning (Boston,
+U.S.A.); Samuel Carter Hall, F.S.A.; Emma Hardinge;
+George Harris, M.A., F.S.A., President of the Manches-
+ter Anthropological Society; W. E. Hickson, late editor
+of the Westminster Foreign Quarterly Review; Rev. A.
+W. Hobson, M.A.; Baron C. Dirckinck Holmfeld; Daniel
+Dunglass Home; Rev. J. Page Hopps, editor of The
+Truthseeker; Mary Howitt; William Howitt; Henry D.
+Jencken, M.R.I., F.G.S.; John Joncs, author of Man:
+Physical, Apparitional, and Spiritual; Rev. William
+Ker, M.A.: Seymour Kirkup (Florence); Andrew Leigh
+ton; Robert Leighton; Kenneth R. P. Mackenzie, F.S.A.
+Rev. William Mountford (Boston, U.S.A.); A. E. New
+ton (Boston, U.S.A.) author of The Ministry of Angel
+Realised; Mary S. Gove Nichols; J. H. Powell: Baron
+Reiehenbach, author of Researches on the Dynamics of
+Magnetism; Elihu Rich, author of several articles in the
+Encyclopædia Metropolitana; J. Lockhart Robertson
+M.R.C.P.: Mary C. Hume Rothery; Rev. W Hume
+Rothery, M.A.; Epes Sargent, author of The Planchette;
+Thomas Shorter; Rev. W. R. Tomlinson, M.A.; Crom
+well F. Varley, F.R.G.S.; C. Staniland Wake, author of
+Chapters on Man; Alfred R. Wallace; A. M. H. Watts;
+William White, author of Emanuel Swedenborg: His
+Life and Writings; W. M. Wilkinson, author of Spirit
+Drawings; James J. Garth Wilkinson, M.D., author of
+The Human Body, and its Connection with Man; Rev. F.
+R. Young.
+Signor G. Damiani, a Sicilian gentleman living
+at Clifton, has written a pamphlet, still in print
+in which he severely censures Professor Tyndall,
+Mr. G. H. Lewes, and others like them, for refus-
+ing to investigate the subject. He further offers a
+reward of 1,000 guineas to any respectable, scien-
+tific or educated men, who will investigate the
+subject and prove it to be an imposture. The
+following are his words:
+“I now offer you two challenges
+"First, I challenge you, or either of you, or any of
+the public who, like you, disbelieve in the genuine cha-
+racter of spiritualistic phenomena, to deposit in the
+hands of any well-known London banker whom you or
+they may name, the sum of five hundred guineas; and
+I pledge myself to immediately deposit in the same bank
+a like amount,—the ownership of such sum of one thou-
+sand guineas to depend upon my proving by evidence
+sufficient to establish any fact in history or in a criminal
+or civil court of justice.
+First—That intelligent communications and answers
+to questions put, proceed from dead and inert matter in
+a manner inexplicable by any generally recognised law
+of nature.
+“Secondly—That dead and inert matter does move
+without the aid of any mechanical or kuown chemical
+agency, and in deflance of all the admitted laws of gravi-
+tation.
+"Thirdly—That voices appertaining to no one in the
+flesh are heard to speak and hold rational converse with
+men.
+“A jury of twenty-four gentlemen, twelve to be chosen
+by each party (such jury to consist exclusively of men
+bers of the learned professions and literary men), to
+decide whether or not the facts contained in the above
+propositions are conclusively proved per testes—ie., by
+witnesses of established character. A majority of
+the twenty-four to decide. If the verdict be that these
+facts have not been established, the thousand guineas
+are to belong to the party accepting this challenge; if
+the verdict be that these facts are established, the thou
+sand guineas to be mine
+"Secondly—Immediately after the above wager being
+decided, either way, I offer a like challenge of five hun-
+dred guineas (to be met on the other side in like manner
+as above)—the ownership of the second sum of one
+thousand guineas to depend upon the establishment of
+the facts contained in the propositions already given, by
+experiments conducted in the actual presence of the twenty-
+four gentlemen who have decided the previous wager
+the verdict of the majority to decide in this case likewise
+“In either case, the séances are to be conducted in an
+public or private building which the jury may select,
+and which may be available for the purpose
+“The result of these challenges (if accepted and de-
+cided) to be advertised by the victorious party, at the
+expense of the defeated party, in all the London daily
+papers.
+“I hope this is plain English.
+
+
+“ Awaiting a reply to this letter, and to the challenge
+with which it concludes, I am, gentlemen; your obedient
+servant,
+G. DAMIANI
+“Clifton, Oct. 1, 1868.
+“P.S.—Letters addressed 'Sigr. Damiani, care of
+Manager of West of England and South Wales District
+Bank, Corn-street, Bristol,' will always reach the writer."
+In addition to the above evidence, there is the
+testimony of numbers that the modern spiritual
+manifestations are realities. Mr. Hepworth Dixon
+in his New America estimates the number of Spiri-
+tualists in the United States at rather less than
+three millions, and this is about the lowest estimate
+that anybody has made. There are no accurate sta-
+tistics, and different authorities vary in their esti-
+mates from three to eleven millions.
+All these facts, together with those which
+follow, prove that Spiritualism deserves serious
+investigation. Not a few learned men have pri-
+vately been examining the phenomena in order to
+explode the imposture,” but these extinguishers
+soon catch fire themselves. In short, in the
+minds of most of the English public, Spiritualism
+has to pass through the following five stages :
+
+
+1. The manifestations do not take place.
+2. Spiritualism is a gross imposture.
+3. It is a delusion.
+4. It is the work of the Devil.
+5. It is a great blessing, and we always said so.
+
+
+Experience shows that the feebler the intellect
+and the lower the standard of energy and educa-
+tion, the sooner does the investigator break down
+at one of the first four out of the above five steps
+in the ladder of progress.
+
+
+MR. HOME'S AFFIDAVIT.
+In the Chancery suit of Lyon v. Home, for the
+recovery of certain monies given by Mrs. Lyon
+to Mr. Home against the advice of her lawyer
+and her friends, Mr. Home made an affidavit, from
+which the following is an extract: -
+“I, Daniel Dunglass Home, of 22, Sloane-street, in
+the County of Middlesex, one of the above-named de-
+fendants, make oath and say as follows:
+“I was born in Scotland on the 20th of March, 1833,
+and from my childhood have been subject to the occa-
+sional happening of singular physical phenomena in my
+presence, which are most certainly not produced by me
+or by any other person in connection with me. I have
+no control over them whatever: they occur irregularly
+and even when I am asleep. Sometimes I am many
+months, and once I have becn a year without them.
+They will not happen when I wish, and my will has
+nothing to do with them. I cannot account for them
+further than by supposing them to be effected by intelli-
+gent beings or spirits. Similar phenomena occur to
+many other persons. ... These phenomena occurring in
+my presence have been witnessed by thousands of
+intelligent and respectable persons, including men of
+business, science, and literature, under circumstances
+which would have rendered, even if I desired it, all
+trickery impossible. They have been witnessed repeat-
+edly and in their own private apartments, when an
+contrivance of mine must have been detected, by their
+Majesties the Emperor and the Empress of the French,
+their Majesties the Emperor, Empress and late Empress
+Dowager of Russia, their Imperial Highnesses the Grand
+Duke and Duchess Constantine of Russia and the mem-
+bers of their august family, their Majesties the King of
+Prussia, the late King of Bavaria, the present and late
+King of Würtemberg, the Queen of Holland, and the
+members of the Royal Family of Holland; and man
+of these august personages have honoured, and I be-
+lieve still honour, me with their esteem and goodwill, as
+I have resided in some of their palaces as a gentleman
+and their guest, and not as a paid or professional pe-
+son. They have had ample opportunities, which the
+have used, of investigating these phenomena, and of
+inquiring into my charaeter. I have resided in America,
+England, France, Italy, Germany, and Russia, and in
+every country I have been received as a guest and
+friend by persons in the highest position in society, who
+were quite competent to discover and expose, as the
+ought to have done, anything like contrivance on my
+part to produce these phenomena. I do not seek, and
+never have sought, the acquaintance of any of these
+exalted personages. They have sought me, and I have
+thus had a certain notoriety thrust upon me. I do not
+take money, and never have taken it, although it has
+been repeatedly offered me for or in respect of these
+phenomena, or the communications which appear to be
+made by them. I am not in the habit of receiving those
+who are strangers to me, and I never force the subject
+of Spiritualism on any one’s attention. ... Some of the
+phenomena in question are noble and elevated, others
+gappear to be grotesque and undignifled. For this I am
+not responsible, any more than I am for the many
+grotesque and undignifled things which are undoubtedly
+permitted to exist in the material world. I solemnly
+swear that I do not produce the phenomena aforesaid,
+or in any way whatever aid in producing them," &c
+“I have been subjected to much persecution through-
+out my life, because of my conscientious belief as to the
+meaning and great purpose of spiritual phenomena
+taken as a whole. That belief I have not, like the
+plaintiff, foresworn. I have always courted the strictest
+investigation, although I have not condescended to
+notice all the attacks and anonymous slanders that have
+been circulated respecting me. The book shown to me
+at the time of swearing this affidavit, marked H 8, con-
+tains a correct list of upwards of 1,300 letters, with the
+writers' names, which I still retain (after having de-
+stroyed about 10,000), written to me by persons of ever
+rank and class, including persons of the highest social,
+political, literary, and scientific position, who have in¬
+vestigated these phenomena, and corresponded with me
+about them. After the fullest opportunities of examina-
+tion, they have formed different opinions as to their
+origin and meaning; but I believe that all are
+thoroughly satisfied of my entire honesty in the matter
+and lately, while the plaintiff's base and unfounded
+charges of fraud and imposition have been hanging
+February, 1868, these phenomena have been thoroughly
+over me, and during the months of January and
+tested by another scientific man, named Mr. Hawkins
+Simpson, the inventor of electrical apparatus, including
+one for printing at a distance by the telegraph—a
+drawing and description of which were, as I am in
+formed and believe, given in the Engineer newspaper of
+the 15th November, 1867.
+Omitting the remainder of Mr. Home's affidavit,
+the following evidence given by him before the
+Dialectical Society, is of interest: -
+“He had seen a pencil lifted by a spirit hand write on
+paper in the presence of the Emperor Napoleon. This
+took place in a large room, the Salon Louis Quinze. The
+Empress was also present. The hand, after writing,
+went to the Emperor, who kissed it; it then went to the
+Empress; she withdrew from the touch, and the hand
+followed her. The Emperor said, “Do not be fright-
+ened, kiss it!' She then kissed it, and it shortly after-
+wards disappeared. The writing was an autograph
+of the Emperor Napoleon I. The Emperor of Russia
+had also seen and handled spirit hands, which after-
+wards seemed to melt away into thin air.
+The Emperor Napoleon has been at a great
+many of Mr. Home's séances, and Mr. Home was
+asked by members of the Dialectical Society to
+state other things which had been observed on
+those occasions. Mr. Home said that he did not
+feel at liberty to state any more than the Emperor
+was in the habit of telling himself.
+
+
+WHAT IS THE USE OF SPIRITUALISM?
+Strange to say there are people who can ask
+what is the use of communication with friends
+and relatives, who have passed the great barrier
+of the grave. One use of Spiritualism is, that all
+Spiritualists who lead moderately good lives, are
+found to gradually lose the fear of death. Spirits
+through the agency of suitable media have much
+power in the healing of diseases, and the removal
+of deformities, though such power is far from
+absolute. The following is a narrative, published
+in Daybreak, of some of the powers excercised
+through Mr. Newton, the best healing medium in
+the United States; he is expected to visit England
+in the course of the year 1870. The following ex-
+ample from a very boundless field of choice, is
+enough for the present on the subject of the uses
+of Spiritualism: -
+'Friday, May 22, of the present year (1868) will for
+ever remain one of the most memorable days of my life.
+It was on that day, when the sun was shining brightly
+and bathing the world with its light and heat, that I
+arrived at Newport, Rhode Island, and first came under
+the healing powers of Dr. J. A. Newton. I had heard
+of him through The Spiritual Magazine, Mr. William
+Howitt, and Mr. Coleman, and was assured that if I
+placed myself in his hands I should be speedily and
+radically cured of the neuralgic affection in my head
+for which I had been suffering for eleven years. It was
+not until I had become a little more familiar with some
+of the facts and phenomena of modern Spiritualism
+that I felt a quiet faith in the power of Dr. Newton to
+remove my disease. Having once attained to that state
+of mind, and becoming satisfled that it was my duty to
+cross the Atlantic in search of health, I made arrange-
+ments for doing so, and left Liverpool for New York on
+Saturday, May 9, arriving at the latter place on Tuesday
+evening, the 19th
+The moment Dr. New-
+ton and I met, I found in his face and simple kindly
+manner a human image of the outside sunshine, and
+but few words had been spoken when I was convinced
+that the errand upon which I had come would be ful-
+fllled. I was about to give him the history in detail of
+my affliction when he stopped me by saying, That
+after I had been cured he would be very glad to listen
+to anything I might wish to say, but that the cure itself
+was the first matter to be attended to.' He then poured
+a large quantity of very hot water upon my head while
+I was leaning it over a basin into which the water fell.
+After my head had been dried with a coarse towel, I
+was made to sit upon a moveable seat, similar to a
+music-stool, the doctor standing behind me, and placing
+my head against his chest with his hands crossed upon
+my forehead. He then moved my head in various
+directions until all at once a clicking noise was heard af
+the top of my spine. The doctor immediately cried out,
+That noise is the sign that you will be cured; the dis-
+turbance of the nerve current has been removed.' He
+then faced me, and lifting both his hands towards
+heaven, he looked me hard in the face, saying, Look a
+me. In the name of God our Heavenly Father, and of
+the Lord Jesus Christ the Great Healer, I bid this
+disease depart from this dear suffering brother and
+never more afflict him. It is gone—it is gone—it is
+gone for ever, my brother; you are cured; rise up or
+your feet and be cured.' At that instant I felt a strong
+current of new life flowing into and through every part
+of my body, and I was conscious that I had entered
+upon an altogether new phase of existence. From that
+day to the present hour, July 13, I have been entirely
+free from my pain, and have felt as well, I should think
+as it is possible for any human being to feel. Physically
+speaking, I am a new creature; old things have passed
+away and all things have become new. Of course it is
+not for me to say absolutely that the cure will be per-
+manent, but, if I may judge from my present expe-
+rience, I see no reason why it should not be so.
+Wonderful as my case is, it is only one of thousands, so
+far as Dr. Newton is concerned. He has cured almost
+every form of disease, and removed almost every kind
+of suffering. In fact, he appears to have done every-
+thing but raise the dead. And yet even he does not
+cure all cases, and this failure enables him to keep alive
+the consciousness that it is not he who cures, but God
+who works in and through him. He tells me that he
+has cured something like a quarter of a million of
+people. * * * * Most of his cures are done without
+fee or reward. In my own case he steadily refused to
+take a single dollar, and I saw him act in like manner
+towards several others. During my stay I witnessed
+several instances of his healing power; some of them
+being so manifest as to defy all attempts at explaining
+them away. On the very morning that my own cure
+was effected, I witnessed his cure of a paralytic who for
+three years had been unable to walk without the aid of
+crutches, and even then, only in a partial degree. This
+woman was brought by her parents to Newport, and, in
+less than five minutes from the time when she came
+under Dr. Newton's hands, she got up from the couch
+on which she had been laid, and walked away up the
+street and baek again, a full mile, and afterwards
+walked and ran and jumped and danced, as so many
+signs that her cure was a complete one. I also saw him
+cure a young man who had a withered hand. Indeed,
+might have seen day by day, and hour by hour, ex-
+amples of this healing power had I chosen to have done
+so. Every now and again, there are trains from Boston
+and Providence freighted with the lame, the halt, the
+blind, and the diseased, sometimes to the number of
+500 or 600. These come to Newport, and a large majo-
+rity of them are sent away perfectly cured. In one part
+of Dr. Newton’s house there is a room of considerable
+size, full of crutches, sticks, spectacles, eye-shades
+bandages, and other memorials of disease and sickness
+which have been left behind by patients as so many
+signs and trophies of their cure.
+
+
+"FREDERICK ROWLAND YOUNG
+“Minister of the Free Christian Church, Swindon
+There are very many healing mediums in the
+United States, who can do good only in certain
+diseases, or whose powers are so feeble that suc-
+cessful results may with more probability of accu-
+racy be put down to the imagination of the
+patient.
+A great use of Spiritualism is that it demon-
+strates the immortality of the soul. But why
+ask, “Of what use is Spiritualism?” for here the
+thing is in our midst as much a part of nature as
+the trees, the clouds, and the flowers, and as it
+cannot be abolished there is no alternative but to
+subject it to investigation, or to look,on in igno-
+rauce.
+
+
+HOW TO FORM SPIRIT CIRCLES
+An experimental trial at home, among famil-
+friends and relatives, often gives the most satis-
+factory evidence of the reality of spiritual pheno-
+mena. At the same time, as no fully developed
+medium is present among those who have never
+obtained manifestations before, the probability is
+that there will be no results. Nevertheless, it is
+a very common thing for striking manifestations
+to be obtained in this way at the first sitting of a
+family circle; perhaps for every one successful
+new circle thus started without a medium, there
+are six or seven failures, but no accurate statistics
+on this point have yet been collected. When
+once manifestations have been obtained they will
+gradually increase in power and reliability at suc-
+cessive sittings. The following is a good plan of
+action.
+
+
+1. Let the room be of a comfortable temperature, but
+cool rather than warm; let arrangements be made that
+
+
+16
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+DEC. 3, 1869.
+
+
+nobody shall enter it, and that there shall be no inter-
+ruption for one hour during the sitting of the circle.
+Wet, damp, and foggy weather is bad for the production
+of physical phenomena.
+2. Let the circle consist of four, five, or six individuals
+about the same number of each sex. Sit round an un-
+covered wooden table, with all the palms of the hands
+in contact with its top surface. Whether the hands
+touch each other or not is usually of no importance.
+Any table will do, just large enough to conveniently
+accommodate the sitters. The removal of a hand from
+the table for a few seconds does no harm, but when one
+of the sitters breaks the circle by leaving the table it
+sometimes, but not always, very considerably delays the
+manifestations.
+3. Before the sitting begins, place some pointed lead-
+pencils and some sheets of clean writing paper on the
+table, to write down any communications that may be
+obtained.
+4. People who do not like each other should not sit in
+the same circle, for such a want of harmony tends to
+prevent manifestations, except with well-developed
+physical mediums; it is not yet known why. Belief or
+unbelief has no influence on the manifestations, but an
+acrid feeling against them is a weakening influence.
+5. Before the manifestations begin, it is well to engage
+in general conversation or in singing, and it is best that
+neither should be of a frivolous nature. A prayerful,
+earnest feeling among the members of the circle is likely
+to attract a higher and more pleasing class of spirits.
+6. The first symptom of the invisible power at work is
+often a feeling like a cool wind sweeping over the hands
+The first manifestations will probably be table tiltings or
+raps.
+7. When motions of the table or sounds are produced
+freely, to avoid confusion, let one person only speak,
+and talk to the table as to an intelligent being.
+Let him tell the table that three tilts or raps mean
+“Yes," one means “No,” and two mean “Doubtful
+and ask whether the arrangement is understood. If
+three signals be given in answer, then say, “If I speak
+the letters of the alphabet slowly, will you signal ever
+time I come to the letter you want, aud spell us out
+message?" Should three signals be given, set to work
+on the plan proposed, and from this time an intelligent
+system of communication is established.
+8. Afterwards the question should be put, “Are we
+sitting in the right order to get the best manifestations:
+Probably some members of the circle will then be told
+to change seats with each other, and the signals will be
+afterwards strengthened. Next ask, “ Who is the
+medium?“ When spirits come asserting themselves to
+be related or known to anybody present, well-chosen
+questions should be put to test the accuracy of the
+statements, as spirits out of the body have all the virtues
+and all the failings of spirits in the body.
+
+
+sible to comply with his demand. Faraday also
+required an answer to the following questions,
+among others, before attending :
+“Would he [Mr. Home] be glad if their [the manifesta
+tion’s] delusive charaeter were established and exposed
+and would he gladly help to expose it, or would he be
+annoyed and personally offended? [The italics in this
+sentence are not in the original.]
+“Does he consider the effects natural or supernatural?
+If natural, what are the laws which govern them? or
+does he think that they are not subject to laws? If
+supernatural, does he suppose them to be miracles, or
+the work of spirits? If the work of spirits, would an
+insult to the spirits be considered as an insult to
+himself?"
+Mr. Home took no notice of tho above insults,
+and, it is believed, never wrote Faraday in the
+first instance, or took any notice of him whatever.
+He never even saw his letters
+Dr. John Tyndall, F.R.S., in a note dated May
+8, 1868, commenting upon Faraday's letter just
+mentioned, wrote:
+“I hold myself in readiness to witness and investigate,
+in the spirit of the foregoing letter [of Faraday's], such
+phenomena as Mr. Home may wish to reveal to me
+during the month of June."
+A few days previously Mr. Home had written
+in the Pall Mall Gazette:
+“It will give me pleasure to meet Professor Tyndall
+and any two gentlemen he shall designate. On my side
+I shall have at least two gentlemen whose names and
+position plaee them above the suspicion of aiding on
+a betting a fraud. I will meet Professor Tyndall and
+these gentlemen when and where they please, and
+under such circumstances as they may decide on.
+must only crave their patience if nothing should occur
+at the first, or even the second, séance."
+From that day to this Dr. Tyndall has not
+accepted the above invitation.
+A demand for a programme where no programme
+can be given, and the writing of supercilious
+letters in reply to eivil invitations, amounts prac-
+tically to a refusal to observe faots. Dr. Tyndall,
+and men who act like him, are recommended to
+bear in mind the following words of Galileo:
+“Oh, my dear Kepler, how I wish that we could have
+our hearty laugh together. Here, at Padua, is the prin-
+cipal professor of philosophy, whom I have repeatedly
+and urgently requested to look at the moon and planets
+through my glass, which lie pertinaciously refuses to do.
+Why are you not here? What shouts of laughter we
+should have at this glorious folly ; to hear the Professor
+of Philosophy at Pisa, labouring before the Grand Duke
+with logical arguments, as if with magical incantations
+to charm the planets out of the sky!"
+A little society known as the Dialectical Society,
+is now investigating Spiritualism. It number
+among its members many shrewd and intelligent
+men, belonging chiefly to the legal and medical
+professions. Spiritualists watch its proceedings
+with a moderate amount of interest; nothing that
+any man or body of men may say or do can alter
+the established phenomena and laws of nature.
+THE LITERATURE OF SPIRITUALISM.
+The literature of Spiritualism now consists of
+several hundreds of volumes, good, bad, and indif-
+ferent, and almost entirely of American origin.
+Among the best volumes on the subject are Mrs
+De Morgan's From Matter to Spirit (Longmans)
+with a preface by Professor De Morgan, President
+of the Mathematical Society of London; The
+Planchette, by Epes Sargent; Spiritualism (2 vols.)
+by Judge Edmonds and G. T. Dexter, of New
+York; a History of Spiritualism, by Emma Hard-
+inge; and The Autobiography of Andrew Jackson
+Davis. An interesting book, consisting simply of
+narrations of facts witnessed at remarkable seances,
+is Incidents of My Life (Longmans), by D. D.
+Home. The Soul of Things, by Denton, is a curious
+book indirectly connected with Spiritualism, and
+worth reading. Those unacquainted with Spiri-
+tualism are recommended to read these books in
+the order in which they have just been mentioned.
+The only large lending library of Spiritual books
+in Great Britain is that belonging to Mr. J. Burns
+15, Southampton-row, High Holborn, London,
+W.C. The English periodicals on the subject
+are, The Spiritual Magazine, Human Nature, Day-
+break, and The Spiritualist.
+
+
+inquirers; the sittings exhaust their vitality like a
+hard days’ work, and they have to put up with
+much abuse when uneducated roughs unaccus-
+tomed to investigation persecute them by attend
+ing. The inquirer should mention to the medium
+civilly and kindly, his doubts respecting the
+phenomena he may witness; the invisible beings
+around will at once, on the spot, do their best to
+remove those doubts, or an explanation will be
+obtained from the medium. When there is real
+foundation for suspicion, the best plan is to go
+often to the medium, accompanied by witnesses
+detect the imposture, and prosecute the medium
+for obtaining money under false pretences.
+Genuine manifestations are not under the control
+of the medium, so that a paid medium who does
+not get manifestations, is under a great temptation
+to try to make them. This fact makes it difficult
+for Spiritualists to speak absolutely as to the relia-
+bility of any paid mediums, however genuine the
+majority of the manifestations may be which occur
+in their presence. After getting thoroughly inte-
+rested in Spiritual phenomona, the inquirer should
+take his friends to see them, and afterwards get up
+a private circle in his own house. Manifestations
+will most likely not be obtained at the first sitting,
+but after very few or very many sittings they will
+come; gradually the great barrier of the grave
+whieh now separates friends will be broken down,
+and after the experience of a year or two the
+dread of the beautiful natural process, called
+"death,” will be destroyed, as it is destroyed in
+the minds of all experienced Spiritualists, except
+those who during life have done harm to thein
+fellow-creatures. Very high spirits and their
+homes are perfectly invisible to very low spirits
+this, coupled with the fact that there is no more
+uniformity in the next world than there is here
+accounts for the endless contradictions about spirit
+life given in Spiritual communications.
+An investigator of a logical and scientific turn of
+mind may possibly have to closely follow up the
+subject for some weeks before gaining the absolute
+knowledge that the manifestations come fron
+spirits. Unlike Mr. Homc and a few other excep-
+tional individuals, most mediums are developed
+for one or two special purposes only. Thus, vio-
+lent physical manifestations, inexplicable by an
+of the recognised laws of matter, may be seen in
+the presence of one medium, but mental tests and
+questions may bring forth a majority of inaccurate
+aud unreliable answers. Where good mental tests
+are obtainable through a medium, the physical
+manifestations may be altogether absent.
+There are so few public or semi-public spirit
+circles at work in London, and the pressure for
+admission is so great where the manifestations are
+good, that the best plan for novices is usually to
+try to get manifestations at home among their own
+
+
+JOSEPH BARKER'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY
+Now ready, neatly bound in cloth, price 2s. 6d.
+TEACHINGS OF EXPERIENCE; or
+Lessons I have Learned on my Way through
+Life.
+“At the time he told me of these things, I had become
+rather uncharitable towards the Spiritualists, and very
+distrustful of their statements, and the consequence was
+that my friend’s acconnt of what he had witnessed,
+and of the effect it had on his mind, made but little im-
+pression on me. But when I saw things resembling
+what my friend had seen, his account of what lie had
+witnessed came back to my mind with great power, and
+helped to increase my astonishment. ...“The result of
+my visit to Dr. Redman was, that I never afterwards
+felt the same impatience with Spiritualists, or the same
+inclination to pronounce them foolish or dishonest, that
+I had felt before. It was plain, that whether their theory
+of a spirit world was true or not, they were excusable in
+thinking it true. It looked like truth."—Pp. 163, 164
+London: JAMES BEVERIDGE, 9, 10, 11, Fullwood's-rents,
+Holborn, W.C
+
+
+T LIFE POLICY-HOLDERS.
+The
+recent disclosures in the Chancery Court indis-
+putably prove that neither the antiquity of a life office
+nor the magnitude of its income, affords to the public
+any security that the premiums they have paid for the
+purpose of securing a sum of money to their families
+may not be frittered away in costly amalgamations, or
+jeopardised by fire, marine, or accidental risks
+In order to remove this insecurity the BRITISH IM-
+PERIAL INSURANCE CORPORATION was esta-
+blished on the principle substantially adopted by Her
+Majesty's Government for small policies, and carried out
+through the medium of the Post-office.
+The Life Funds of the British Imperial Corporation
+are placed beyond the control of the Directors, being in-
+vested in the Government Funds (for the sole purpose
+of meeting policy claims) in the names of trustees, who
+act independent of the Directors, and solely on behalf of
+the policy-holders.
+The system of investing Insurers' net premiums in
+Consolidated three per cent. Annuities in Trustees'
+names for the sole purpose of meeting Policy Claims
+combined with the creation of a number of Separate
+Trusts, presents entirely new elements of security to
+Insurers.
+Any section of the community who are dissatisfied
+with the ordinary plan of entrusting their premiums to
+the care of the Directors of a life office may, without
+cost or risk, constitute themselves into a separate sec-
+tion of the British Imperial Corporation, and appoint
+their own trustees to control the life insurance funds
+contributed by them.
+
+
+Trustees:
+Christopher Weguelin, Esq., Director of the Bank of
+England (Messrs. Thomson, Bonar, and Co.)
+Charles Oppenheim, Esq., Director of the Union Bank of
+London (Messrs. S. Oppenheim and Sons).
+William G. Goodliffe, Esq., Accountant-General, India
+Office, Westminster.
+Augustus F. Bayford, Esq., LL.D., Senior Registrar,
+Court of Probate, Doctor's-commons, Chancellor of
+the Diocese of Manchester.
+Alderman Thomas Dilworth Crewdson, J.P., Greenheys,
+
+
+Head Offices:
+81, KING-STREET, AND 60, SPRING-GARDENS.
+MANCHESTER
+Chief Offices for London:
+20, COCKSPUR-STREET, PALL-MALL
+
+
+FEMALE MEDICAL SOCIETY.
+Vice-Patrons:
+His Grace the Duke of Argyll, K.T
+Her Grace the Duchess of Argyll.
+The Baroness do Rothschild.
+The Countess de Noailles.
+President:
+The Right Honourable the Earl of Shaftesbury, K.G.
+Treasurer:
+Henry Charles Stephens, Esq., 171 Aldersgate-street, E.C.
+Honorary Secretary:
+James Edmunds, Esq., M.D.
+Lady Secretary:
+Mrs. Blangy.
+Auditors:
+Colonel Oldfleld, Ticehurst, Sussex.
+Captain Webber, 94, Gower-street, W.C.
+Bankers:
+The London and County Bank, 441, Oxford-street.
+Temporary Offices:
+4, Fitzroy-square, Loudon, W
+
+
+The Female Medical Society is established for the
+following objects:
+1.—To promote the employment of properly educated
+women in the practice of Midwifery, and the treatment
+of the Diseases of Women and Children.
+2.—To provide educated women with proper facilities
+for learning the theory and practice of Midwifery, and
+the accessory branches of Medical Science.
+Midwifery and the accessory branches of medicine
+offer a wide fleld of honourable and lucrative employ-
+ment for educated women; also a means of intellectual
+culture and social usefulness to ladies who may not be
+dependent upon their own exertions. For want of
+properly qualifled ladies the best portion of the practice
+of midwifery has drifted into the hands of gentlemen
+though female practitioners still attend the bulk of the
+population. But any person may undertake the duties
+of a midwife. Proper means of study have never been
+provided for women, and there has never been any
+public examination, by which women when well qualified
+might be distinguished from those who are illiterate and
+unqualified.
+The Society has carried on for five years the Ladies
+Medical College, which has taught the theory and prac-
+tice of Midwifery and the accessory branches of medi-
+cine. Eighty-two ladies have alreadyavailed themselves
+of its advantages, and many of these ladies are settled
+in practice, and succeeding admirably.
+A life subscription of ten guineas, or an annual sub-
+scription of one guinea, constitutes a member of the
+Society, but stamps or other small contributions will be
+gladly received.
+Lady subscribers of not less than one guinea are
+invited to visit any Lectures in which they are likely to
+be interested.
+The addresses of skilled Lady Midwives, Prospectuses
+of the College, and all particulars as to the operations of
+the Society, may be obtained of the Lady Secretary.
+Temporary Offices—4 Fitzroy-square, W.
+Cheques to be crossed London and County Bank
+
+
+Possibly at the first sitting of a circle symptoms
+of other forms of mediumship than tilts or raps
+may make their appearance. Information respect-
+ing the many kinds of mediumship will be found
+in Mrs. Professor De Morgan’s book, From Matter
+to Spirit, published by Longmans; and this is a
+good book to read before trying to start a new
+circle. It usually takes several years for an
+medium to attain full power, and it is not an
+uncommon although not an everyday thing, for
+chairs and other articles to move about in the
+presence of a good well-developed physical medium
+without anybody touching the articles at all. This
+fact effectually disposes of Faraday’s “unconscious
+muscular action” theory. Some have suggested
+that the phenomena are all mental, since mental
+conditions influence their production, and that
+those present all believe they see and hear things
+which they do not in reality see and hear. The
+answer is that there is sometimes such a noise
+with improperly powerful manifestations that the
+sounds are heard all over the house by persons
+not in the room; the furniture sometimes gets
+broken by movements of too violent a character
+and the broken portions remain as evidence that
+the phenomena were not of a mental character.
+The upholsterers' bills which result also serve to
+convince that the occurrences are facts. The
+ligher spirits seem to have little power over
+common matter, and the highest communications
+are not usually obtained through physical mani-
+festations.
+There are in England several very interesting
+circles for physical manifestations, where the
+spirits speak with audible voices, but, unfortu-
+nately, total darkness is a necessary condition.
+Non-spiritualists who are inquiring into the sub-
+ject should have nothing to do with dark séances
+which should be held only by those who know
+each other, since they offer so many facilities for
+fraud. When any circle regularly obtains power
+ful physical manifestations, they may desire to sit
+for the voices. The very slightest glimmer of
+light must be exeluded from the room, while the
+members of the circle sit round the table in the
+ordinary way. One or two paper tubes, each
+twelve or eighteen inches long, with an orifice
+about an inch-and-a-half in diameter, should be
+placed on the table. They may be readily made
+by rolling up a piece of music and tying a few
+pieces of cotton round the rough tube thus formed.
+In the early stages of a voice-circle these tubes
+are necessary for the use of the spirits, but after-
+wards they may be dispensed with except when
+the weather and other conditions are unfavour
+able. When first trying to obtain the voices the
+spirits may not be able to lift the tubes from the
+table, afterwards they often get them up in the
+air a foot or two and let them drop again. When
+they get full control over them they can carry
+them about up to the ceiling and to all parts of
+the room, and they talk to the members of the
+circle often while floating about above their heads.
+Very beautiful luminous phenomena are some-
+times shown by the spirits at dark circles. While
+sitting for the voices, the spirits will tell by the
+ordinary table signals how they are progressing in
+their work of getting control of the tubes.
+Every human being is surrounded by an atmo-
+sphere which to the spirits is luminous and mate
+rial, and this atmosphere is largely used by the
+spirits in the production of the physical manifes-
+tations. Baron Reichenbach, while he knew
+nothing of Spiritualism, discovered by experiment
+the presenee of unknown forces emauating from
+human bodies, and published the results in his
+Researches on Animal Magnetism. All the pheno-
+mena of Spiritualism draw temporarily upon the
+vital powers of those composing the circle, but
+the medium is the chief source of energy.
+A still atmospliere and subdued light in the
+room are favourable conditions for the physical
+manifestations.
+
+
+ADVICE TO INQUIRERS.
+Those who know no intelligent Spiritualists,
+and nothing about Spiritualism, yet who want to
+investigate, are recommended to begin by reading
+the first two books mentioned in the preceding
+paragraph. Then they should call upon the chief
+publisher of Spiritual books in London, Mr. J.
+Burns, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn (where they
+are sure to be treated with attention and courtesy
+and ask for the names and addresses of say four
+good professional or non-professional mediums
+accessible to the public, and “ recognised by Spiri-
+tualists as reliable for powerful physical manifes-
+tations.” There are plenty of mediums or of people
+whofancy themselves mediums, who can rarely show
+anything satisfactory, and with whom an inquire:
+might waste much time. He should then get sa-
+two sittings by daylight in his own house with
+each of the four mediums, because the power
+varies in strengtlh at times with every medium
+at the end of the eight sittings he is sure to be
+thoroughly interested in Spiritualism, and to have
+thrown overboard the imposture theory, which is
+the clumsiest and most superficial one of all.
+Many of the public have vague ideas that electri-
+city can do all kinds of unaccountable things, but
+A GENUINE MEDIUM NEVER HAS ANY HESITATION
+IN SITTING WITE A CIRCLE IN A HOUSE AND AMONG
+FURNITURE WHICH HE OR SHE HAS NEVER SEEN IN
+HIS OR HER LIFE BEFORE. Even with a good
+medium it is best, if time be valuable, not to
+investigate at crowded public circles, because,
+assuming imposture to be at work, there is no
+telling who may not be aiding, among the
+numerous spectators. Besides, where so many
+people want to ask questions of the spirits, the
+investigator has not time to put many himself.
+Investigators are recommended to be thus careful
+in the selection of mediums, because as public
+attention is gradually more rivetted upon Spiri-
+tualism, impostors are sure to spring up, and even
+to advertise in Spiritual periodicals, for the editors
+manifestly cannot investigate the claims of ever
+professing medium. At present (November, 1869)
+thero is very little imposture mixed up with the
+Spiritual movement in Great Britain, and there are
+only four or five paid mediums in all London.
+Good paid mediums deserve high praise rather
+than that censure which is thrown upon them even
+by Spiritualists; they find house-room; they are
+ready to receive strangers at stated times when
+private circles could not sit for the convenience of
+
+
+HUMAN NATURE, a Monthly Record
+of Zoistic Science, Intelligence, and Popular
+Anthropology. Recent numbers give full details of the
+extraordinary Manifestations through the celebrated
+Medium, D. D. Home, Esq., with philosophical reason
+ings as to the nature and cause of the phenomena: a
+new series of lessons on Phrenology and the Tempera-
+ments is being given, containing some new instructions
+of great value to the student; first-class Portraits of
+eminent men and women, with Biographies and Phreno-
+logical delineations are frequently introduced; a serial
+Tale of great power and beauty; articles on Physiology,
+Diet, Temperance, and Health; translations from Con-
+tinental Works and Periodicals; treatises on Mesmerism.
+Clairvoyance, Spiritualism; reviews of Books; reports
+of Lectures, Meetings, and Societies, renders this the
+cheapest, most varied, and instructive Periodical of the
+kind in the world. The fact that this Periodical is en-
+tirely unbiased and devoted to the truth respecting all
+the topics on which it treats, is a point not to be over
+looked by all earnest investigators, whatever their
+opinions may be. Post free, 7s. per annum, or 6d. per
+month from the Booksellers. JAMES BURNS, Progres-
+sive Library, 15, Southampton-row, Bloomsbury-square,
+Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+THE PROGRESSIVE LIBRARY and
+SPIRITUALIST DEPOSITORY has been re-
+moved from Camberwell to No. 15, Sonthampton-row
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, W.C.
+There is a Publishing Office and Shop for the sale of
+Books; a Circulating Library of all Works on Spiritualism
+&c.; a Reading-Room supplied with the Spiritual and
+Progressive Publications of the World; a Drawing
+Room for the special use of Ladies and Subscribers;
+Private Rooms for Séances, Committees, Meetings, &c.,
+and where all information respecting the Cause and the
+Progress of events may be obtained
+The Subscription, entitling to all the privileges of the
+Establishment, including the use of two Books at a
+time from the Library for home perusal, is 21s. per annum
+A well-assorted Stock of Stationery, Periodicals, cur-
+rent Progressive Literature, Standard Works, Cheap
+Books and Tracts, Planchettes, Materials for Writing
+and Drawing Mediums; also Works and Appliances or
+Phrenology, Physiology, Health, and Dietctic Reform
+Temperance, Hydropathy, Gymnastics, Mesmerism
+Clairvoyance, Anthropology, &c., will be kept on sale
+As the responsibilities incurred in establishing this
+“Home for Spiritualism" and the Science of Man are
+very heavy, the Proprietor carnestly solicits the kind
+co-operation and support of all who sympathise with
+the enterprise. Strangers in London should at once
+call at the Progressive Library, where they may hear of
+Lodgings and get other useful information
+J. BURNS, Progressive Library, 15, Southampton-row,
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+R. J. L. OLIVE, Professor of Modern
+Spiritual Science, 6, The Junction, Cambridge-
+road, Kilburn, W. Mr. Olive is prepared to afford infor-
+mation relative to Spiritualism, the Development on
+Mediumistic power, &c., with facilities for investigation
+of Phenomena. Reliable advice based on large medica
+experience, and aided by beneficent Spirit Intelligences
+may also be obtained for the relief of ailments of Body
+or Mind. Consultation Fee, One Shilling
+
+
+Contents.
+
+
+Faraday’s Refusal to Observe Facts.
+9
+Spirit-rapping in John Wesley’s Family. Part II
+9
+... 10
+Reichenbach at a Spirit Circle
+REPORTS OF MEETINGS:—East London Association
+of Spiritualists.—The Dialectical Society.
+... 10
+Lecture on Witchcraft
+... 11
+NEWSPAPER ABUSE:—Untruth from the Daily News 11
+Spiritualism in all Ages ..
+... 12
+GENERAL NEWS:—The Dialectical Society.—Spirit
+Identity.—Carlyle on Spiritualism.—Mrs. Gerald
+Massey.—The Spiritual Magazine.—Anti-Spiritual
+ism in West Hartlepool.—Lectures on Spiritualism
+—East London Association of Spiritualists.—Spirit
+Circles in London.—Mesmerism and Clairvoyance
+—Spiritualism in Bristol.—Darwin on Man.—The
+Value of Reason.—An Eccentric Wil
+... 12
+LEADER:—The Philosophy of Spiritual Manifesta-
+tions
+... 13
+The Psychology of Children’s Books...
+13
+POETRY:—On Injudicious Attempts to make Prose-
+lytes—Birdie's Song
+... 14
+CORRESPONDENCE:—A Cornish Ghost Story.—Evi-
+dence at the Dialectical Society.— A Haunted Castle 14
+Scientific Aid to Spiritualism
+... 14
+PARAGRAPHS:— What the North Londoner thinks, 11
+Mr. Pepper's Last Ghost, 11.—Curious Suspension
+of Speech, 11.—Plasticity of the Mind, 11.—The
+Effects of Mediumship, 11—"Assumptions," 11
+The “Spiritualist," 11.—Fear of the Unknown, 12.
+Periodical Literature, 14.—Thoughts of a Mole, 14.
+
+
+SPIRITUALISM AND MEN OF SCIENCT
+Sir J. Emerson Tennent once invited Faraday
+to a séance at which Mr. Home was to be the
+medium. Faraday wrote and asked for a pro-
+gramme of the manifestations, and as nobody
+knows beforehand what will take place at a circle
+any more than the details of an expected star-
+shower can be given in advance, it was not pos-
+
+
+"THE NEWSPAPER PRESS"—THE PRESS ORGAN
+HIS JOURNAL is the adopted and re-
+cognised Representative of the Newspaper in
+terests, and the medium of intercommunication between
+Proprietors, Editors, Reporters, Correspondents, Pub-
+lishers, Printers, and all parties associated with News-
+papers.
+Subscriptions, 4s. per annum, post free, payable in ad-
+vance.
+London: E. W. ALLEN, Publisher, 11, Ave Maria-land
+
+
+Printed for the Proprietor by JAMES BEVERIDGE, at the
+Holborn Printing Works, Fullwood’s Rents, High
+Holborn, in the Parish of St. Andrew-above-Bar and
+St George the Martyr, London, and publislied by E
+W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, London, E.C.
+
+
+2
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+Nov. 19, 1869.
+
+
+GOD IS LOVE.' At each letter of the name of God a
+tremulous motion of the table was perceptible.
+At Mr. Home’s suggestion one of the sceptics asked
+that the table should be made light, and to his surprise
+when he placed his hand under the edge of the table it
+moved up as lightly as a sheet of paper. He then said,
+'Please let it be heavy,' and it required considerable
+exertion to move it off the ground. Each of the sceptics
+tried this experiment in turn, and with the same result.
+Two of them then went with Mr. Home into another
+room where there was a heavy mahogany loo table on
+a pillar and claw, and immediately they placed their
+hands on it, it tilted from one side to the other; and
+when Mr. Home was sitting some three feet away from
+it, it moved about two feet in the opposite direction to
+that in which Mr. Home was sitting. The table be-
+came very light and very heavy by turns, and oscillated
+violently without shaking off a small statuette standing
+under a glass shade in the centre of it. The chairs
+also moved, and the room appeared to shake, whilst
+raps were heard on the walls, the windows, and on the
+table itself. Returning to the other room, the whole
+party sat again round the table, and an accordion of
+Mr. Jones’s, which had been previously inspected by
+the sceptics, was observed to rock upon the table; and
+Mr. Home, having asked whether the spirits wished to
+play upon it, and being answered in the affirmative, he
+held the accordion at arm’s length by the lower end of
+it (that is, not the key end) under the table, one of the
+sceptics moving his seat so that he could observe the
+movements of the accordion. The accordion then com-
+menced playing, and the 'Blue Bells of Scotland’ being
+mentioned by Mr. Bremner, a bar or two of that air
+was played; then Mr. Jones asked for some echoes, and
+a series of echoes proceeded from the accordion with
+remarkable precision and a very beautiful effect. Some
+louder strains then proceeded from the accordion, and
+Mr. Home held the accordion close to the feet of the
+writer hereof, so that he could feel the keys moving up
+and down against his feet. Mr. Ward was asked to
+look under the table ; he did so, and saw the accordion
+playing—Mr. Home only holding it by the reverse end,
+and with one hand, his other hand being upon the
+table. The accordion then ceased playing, and repeated
+raps being heard, the alphabet was ealled over, and the
+following words spelt out : 'We regret that we can do
+no more.'
+“We do not intend to enter upon any speculations
+as to the cause of the manifestations we have related
+We are not believers in Spiritualism, although we
+confess ourselves totally unable to discover the cause,
+or the motive power of what we here relate. Mr. Home
+was at times sitting away from the table when raps
+were heard and movements felt. The accordion he
+eertainly only held by one hand. We were allowed
+to watch him as closely as we pleased. He did not
+fix his attention upon any of us, or we might have
+imagined ourselves under mesmeric influence. We
+were permitted to examine the furniture, to move it
+about, to make any remarks, and to ask any questions
+we pleased. We were perfectly sober. Some tea and
+coffee had been served out—the writer partook of none;
+and we are as we have said, utterly unable to say from
+what cause or by what power the various incidents
+occurred. We can only say that they certainly hap-
+pened very nearly as we have recorded them, and we
+have to thank Mr. Jones and Mr. Home for thein
+courtesy towards us. We went to Mr.Jones’s house disbe-
+lieving his statements of fact: we saw phenomena which
+were sufficient to show us that all he has related could
+occur by the same power, whatever that power may be."
+
+
+WHY GALILEO WAS PERSECUTED.
+In the days of old, men who taught unpopular
+scientific truths received proper attention at the hands
+of the Holy Inquisition. In these days things are not
+so bad. Because of the backward state of education in
+England, the public and the newspapers begin by ridi-
+culing and abusing unpopular facts, but when they find
+the facts too strong for them, it is possible to raise the
+cry of—“ Investigate ! investigate !”—which cry ought
+to be raised at the outset. The reason why Galileo
+was imprisoned, and threatened with (if he did not
+actually receive) the torture, is shown in the official
+condemnation giving the following dogmatical declara-
+tion of the Cardinals :—“ That the sun is the centre of
+the world, and immoevable in respect of local motion, is
+an absurd proposition, false in philosophy, and formally
+heretical ; seeing it is expressly contrary to Holy Scrip-
+ture. That the earth is not the centre of the world,
+nor immoveable, but moves even with a diurnal motion,
+is also an absurd proposition, false in philosophy, and
+considered theologically, is at least an error in faith."
+For these heretical, absurd propositions, Galileo was
+condemned to the prison of the Holy Inquisition, and
+enjoined, under the title of salutary penitence, that
+during three years he was to recite once a week the
+seven penitential psalms. At seventy years of age he
+was compelled on his knees to abjure and recant the
+false dogma, that the sun is the centre of the motion of
+the world, and immoveable, and that the earth is not the
+centre, and moves.
+
+
+ST. JOHN'S ASSOCIATION OF SPIRITUALISTS.
+ON Thursday, November 4th, a lecture on Spiritualism was
+delivered in connection with the St. John’s Association of
+Spiritualists, at the St. John’s Temperance Hall, 7, Corpora-
+tion-row, Clerkenwell, by Mr. John Jones, of Enmore-park
+South Norwood. Mr. Jones is a retired City merchant, and a
+well-known friend of Spiritualism. The admission was free,
+and the room was completely filled with an audience who
+listened to the lecturer with respectful attention through-
+out. The lecture was illustrated by a series of dissolving
+views, painted and thrown on the screen by Mr. Henry Biel-
+field.
+Mr. JONES said that his lecture was probably but the first
+of a series of the same description, which it is intended to
+deliver in all parts of London during the coming winter. At
+one time the public when speaking of a Spiritualist would
+tap their foreheads with the finger, and say, "Ah! poor
+fellow ! There’s something wrong here!"
+Now, all that
+feeling is dying out, and one of deep and absorbing interest
+in Spiritualism is taking its place. Many now wish to under-
+stand it, which it is not so easy to do ; the supernatural can
+not be understood because it is so high above our own powers
+of mind and body. On the preceding evening he had been
+present at a meeting of the Dialectical Society—a body of
+materialists, who look upon themselves as something like
+grasshoppers, having a brief existence here, and then going
+off somewhere, they are not sure where, but they believe
+neither in devils nor in angels. In a reply which he (Mr.
+Jones) read on the preceding evening at the Dialectical
+Society, in answer to some attacks on Spiritualism, he ven-
+tured to give definitions of his opinion of the natural
+and supernatural. In one sense there is nothing super-
+natural, for all universal nature seen or unseen is natural,
+whether organic or inorganic. He stated that there were
+two classes of intelligent beings in nature, some of them
+in a body of flesh, and the others outside of it. All
+movements which man can make, whether physical or chemi-
+cal, he defined to be natural. All movements which spirits
+can make by means of the visible or invisible forces of
+nature which man cannot make, he defined as supernatural.
+Spiritual ideas are difficult of acceptance to thorough ma-
+terialists. If one fish told another that there were strange
+beings in another atmosphere, who did not use fins for loco-
+motion, but who walked on two legs, other fishes, materialists,
+would laugh at the statement. In like manner spirits are in a
+different state to man, and they think and act differently
+from us. People often say in a conceited way, “ Well, if there
+are spirits in our midst, why don’t they do so and so ?"—ex
+pecting beings in a higher state of existence to be at the
+beck and call of anybody who makes idle suggestions. Even
+though spirits be but human beings out of the flesh, the
+stand upon a higher plane of existence. To go into some of
+the details of the subject, he would state that there are
+essences or forces emanating from all substances, which pro
+duce effects on matter visible to the eye. He might, for
+illustration, quote the fact that if a plate of bright easily
+oxidisable metal was suspended for a moderate length
+of time over a manure heap, its surface would become tar-
+nished by the simple chemical action of the gases emanat-
+ing below, but there are also emanations of a more subtle
+nature from all substances. God had given him (Mr. Jones)
+thirteen children, five of whom are now alive, and as he was
+a man who never sought publicity or public honours of an
+description, his delight had always been to spend his evenings
+with his children at home trying experiments of a somewhat
+strange nature. He had thus found out many curious facts as
+to the action of the emanations from shells and minerals upon
+clairvoyant sensitives, and when he first heard of Spiritualism
+he came to the conclusion that it was all caused by the action
+upon clairvoyants of the forces emanating from surrounding
+material objects, but the sight of a few of the simplest of the
+phenomena of Spiritualism soon convinced him of his error.
+His experiments with shells and mincrals were conducted in
+a room absolutely and perfectly dark. One of his best clair-
+voyant patients was a lady, and in her presence he one by
+one took some English and foreign shells out of the paper in
+which they were wrapped, and placed them on the top of the
+piano. The sensitive, who saw luminous emanations from the
+shells, would say of one shell, “ That’s blue,” and of another,
+“That’s pink.” From some she saw long lambent flames and
+smoke arising, which sometimes reached as high as the ceil
+ing; some shells looked dark like pewter, and had a painful
+influence upon the clairvoyant. After being in the dark roon
+some time she said she could see him and everything in it
+quite distinctly. His hearers might say, “ How did he know
+Well, he tested that by
+that he was not duped by the girl?"
+means of a fresh lot of perhaps two dozen shells, bringing
+each of them for a short time within range of her eyes in the
+dark room, and then taking it into the light, and writing
+down what she said about each shell. The clairvoyant never
+saw them in the light at all. He then placed them on the
+top of the piano, and told the clairvoyant to write out in the
+pitch dark room a description of the emanations from each
+shell, and place the description on the shell itself. This was
+done, and when lights were admitted he found that the two
+descriptions of each shell agreed exactly, in every case but
+one. Lately he had been regretting that he did not think at
+the time to break up that one sbell, and give her the pieces to
+examine separately, to see whether there was much difference
+in the emanations from the different parts. The aura from
+the shells is disturbed by the motion of the air, and sensitives
+are sometimes made very ill by shells containing traces of
+putrefying matter. The lecturer then spoke of the aura fron
+magnets, as seen in the experiments of Reichenbach and
+others, and pointed out how iron filings or Taranaki iron sand
+may be sifted over a table, and the particles made to arrange
+themselves in the lines of magnetic force, when a magnet is
+placed at some little distance beneath. Here, then, is an
+invisible force proceeding right through a wooden table, and
+moving solid matter on the other side. Give a spirit the
+necessary conditions, and it can also throw invisible power to
+make solid objects move. A mesmeric aura, seen by sensi-
+tives, proceeds from every human being, and influences the
+actions of people more than most of them are aware. As
+combustion of the elements of food goes on in the body, this
+aura is thrown out, and by the exercise of the will-power it
+can be sent in any desired direction. This aura often has
+health-giving properties, so that certain individuals have the
+power to a large extent of curing the sick by mesmeric influ-
+ence. Many may doubt the reality of these emanations
+because they themselves cannot see them, still that is no
+proof that they do not exist. Sunlight is built up of many
+colours, which nobody can see in the light itself, but the
+
+
+philospher takes his prism, disentangles the mixed rays in
+white light, and spreads them out in all the beautiful colours
+of the rainbow. By invisible forces then, the spirits, when
+the necessary conditions are supplied them, can act upon solid
+matter. He had seen an accordion belonging to himself, with
+no hidden machinery inside, which, when held in only one of
+the hands of Mr. Home, the medium, produced the most ex-
+quisite music. The accordion is so much used by spirits
+because no tricks of man can possibly get music out of it
+under these conditions. The spirits give different tunes
+grave or gay, according to the humour of the circle at the
+time, and when in a serious mood they will sometimes give
+music of the most exquisite and ethereal beauty, now swelling
+out with a grand roll as if from a great organ, and gradually
+dying away. Such music no man could bring out of the same
+instrument.
+A VOICE—Did the accordion move, sir?
+Mr. JONES—Yes; it expanded and contracted. He con
+tinued by saying that he had seen it sometimes travel round
+the room playing in the air, touched by no visible person, and
+this too in the presence of from eight to twelve witnesses.
+He had seen a table go up to the ceiling in the presence of
+seven individuals, holding distinguished positions in life, and
+one of them wrote about it in The Cornhill Magazine, in an
+article headed “Stranger than Fiction.” Friends of his,
+whose statements he could perfectly trust, had seen three
+tables floating round the room at the same time, but he had
+not seen this himself. Sometimes the spirits controlled the
+hand of a person—of a writing medium—and while he was
+talking with those around him, would make him write out
+intclligent messages, sometimes with as much velocity as if
+his arm were driven by a steam engine.
+A VOICE—I suppose you want us to believe all this?
+Mr. JONES calling attention to a very pretty picture of a
+chrysalis, caterpillar, and butterfly, upon the screen, said that
+it was a picture of a natural resurrection, and asked if they
+had never seen the insect except in this condition (the cater-
+pillar), would they ever believe it would come to that (point
+ing to the butterfly). Very beautiful invisible phenomena
+are diffused everywhere in nature. The rose and the flower
+of the garden throw off their invisible fragrance, and where
+there is fragrance there must be substance. To spirits, who
+see the aura thrown off by flowers, a garden glows with all
+the varied hues of the rainbow. [At this point another pic-
+ture was thrown upon the screen, representing the spirit leav-
+ing the head of a dying woman, and angels receiving the
+newly-born spirit].
+Here, said Mr. Jones, is the spiritual
+resurrection. Here is the thing called death. I know some
+thing of death, for I have lost eight children, and have also
+sat by the dying bed of brothers and sisters. Once I sat at
+such scenes weeping and wailing, but now I no longer grieve
+so deeply, and sorrow only because they are leaving me alone
+in my old age, though going from me to a land of beauty,
+light, and love. Mr. Jones continued that the next picture
+represented an angel pointing out to St. John the beauties
+the New Jerusalem, and he had had the picture introduced
+because he was one of those who believed in the Old and
+New Testaments. They would remember that when the
+angel gave St. John the Revelation, the latter fell down on his
+knees to worship, but the angel said to him, “ I am of thy
+fellow-servants and thy brethren the prophets.” An angel
+then, is only a spiritualised prophet. The very best text-book
+of Spiritualism is the Bible. (Applause). Nearly all the
+phenomena seen at the present day in spiritual circles, are
+clearly described in the Bible, though in those days there
+may have been greater power at work. Still Spiritualism is
+spreading in England far and wide. The literature of Eng-
+land is saturated with Spiritualism, for very many of the
+writers are well up in the subject, though most of them do
+not wish it to be known; it has even forced its way among
+the scientific journals, and the literature of England works
+its way all over the world.*
+The lecturer then sat down amid loud applause, and the
+meeting closed with the usual votes of thanks.
+
+
+SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE GIVEN BEFORE
+THE DIALECTICAL SOCIETY.
+OF all the subjects that ever engaged the attention of a
+learned society, Spiritualism has proved to be the strangest
+as shown by the evidence given before the Dialectical Socicty
+and reported in a fragmentary way by most of the daily
+papers during the present year. Portions of the evidence
+of those witnesses who would allow their statements to be
+made public were regularly reported in a good east-Londor
+paper, called The Eastern Post. Some of the witnesses. in
+consequence of fear of adverse public opinion, or of injury to
+business reputation, would not let their evidence be reported
+at all in the public papers; others requested the suppression of
+their names, but most of them took no shelter of this kind.
+The following information is abstracted by us for the most
+part from long reports in The Eastern Post, extending over the
+issues of some months.
+The London Dialectical Society was established three years
+ago ; to consider "all subjects with a view to the elucidation of
+truth," taking up questions not ordinarily investigated by
+other scientific societies. Sir John Lubbock, Bart., F.R.S., is
+the president of the Society, and among the vicc-presidents
+are Professor Huxley, F.R.S., Lord Amberley, Mr. G. H.
+Lewes, and Miss Frances Power Cobbe. At one of the meet-
+ings a physician read a paper on some very extraordinary
+phenomena which he had witnessed himself, and it was stated
+that the physical and other facts of Spiritualism were believed
+to be real by Professor De Morgan (President of the Mathe-
+matical Society of London), Mr. C. F. Varley, C.E., F.R.G.S.
+Mr. Robert Chambers, Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Hall, Mr. William
+Howitt, aud others of like eminence. A somewhat acrimonious
+debate followed, in which the Spiritualists were in a great
+minority, and a committee of thirty persons was appointed to
+investigate the phenomena alleged to be spiritual manifesta-
+tions, and to report thereon.” This committee, under the
+chairmanship of Dr. Edmunds, comprises members of the
+legal, medical, and clerical professions, as well as a few engi-
+neers and architects, and some gentlemen of general scientific
+and literary attainments. Mr. Serjeant Cox has all along
+taken a very prominent part in questioning the witnesses.
+The plan of proccedings is to take the evidence of witnesses
+which will be published hereafter in a book), and to witness
+all the phenomena which can be brought under the notice of
+the investigators. Of the great quantity of testimony already
+given, the following are a few of the most striking items :
+
+
+* Practical information about sensitives, who are very numerous in
+society, and how to perform many of the curious experiments mentioned
+by Mr, Jones, will be found in Baron Von Reichenbach’s book on Mag-
+netism. There is a work on tho action of shells and minorals upon sensitives
+entitled The Soul of Things, by Denton.—ED
+
+
+Reports of Meetings.
+
+
+Nov. 19, 1869.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+3
+
+
+Mr. H. D. JENCKEN, M.R.I., F.R.G.S., Barrister-at-Law,* of
+Kilmorey House, Penge, deposed that he had often seen the
+levitations of Mr. Home’s body. He had seen Mr. Home’s
+bodyrise in the air, and pass out of one open window and into
+another at Ashley House, near the Victoria Railway Station
+and he had seen him gliding in the air, several feet above the
+ground, at Adare Manor. He had often heard the raps, and
+seen tables suspended in the air without visible means of sup-
+port, and once, at the house of Dr. Gully, at Great Malvern,
+he had seen an accordion suspended in space, and played by
+invisible agencies, the music being accompanied by three
+spirit voices chanting a hymn. He also deposed that he had
+seen Lord Adare hold in his bare hand, without pain, a burn-
+ing live coal which Mr. Home had placed there, and which
+burnt the hands of other persons who only touched it momen-
+tarily. He had likewise seen a burning coal similarly placed
+on the top of the head of Mr. S. C. Hall, F.S.A., Barrister
+at-Law, without any injury resulting. He had seen Mr. Home
+place his head in the flames of the grate, and seen the flame
+playing between the locks of Mr. Home’s hair, but no injury
+or pain resulted. He had seen the elongation and the con-
+traction both of the body of Mr. Home and Miss Bertolacci;
+he had also often seen spirit hands and forms at circles.
+Many witnesses besides himself had seen these things at the
+same time.
+The Rev. J. MURRAY SPEAR, of 14, Ampthill-square, Hamp-
+stead-road, N.W., deposed that he was an American, and had
+no belief in Spiritualism, till one day he found his hand moved
+as a writing medium. The first message was— "We wish yor
+to go to Abingdon to see David Binning.” He knew no such
+person, but made inquiries for David Binning at Abingdon
+U.S., and found him very ill with neuralgia. Instantly some-
+thing passed from his (Mr. Spear’s) hand to Mr. Binning, the
+latter felt a shock or two, then all pain ceased, and he was
+cured. These facts he considcred proved intelligence and
+benevolence on the part of the unseen power. Mr. Spear nar-
+rated also other incidents.
+Mr. E. L. BLANCHARD, the well-known author, deposed
+that he went to Marshalls’, the paid mediums, for the express
+purpose of showing them up in the newspapers. The mani-
+festations he saw there compelled him to know that they came
+from spirits. He had seen a small spark appear on the floor
+and gradually grow into a hand, which had power to lift up a
+handkerchief when thrown upon it. He had been uplifted by
+the spirits himself, and kept for some time in the air, but for
+somc years past he had refused to let them use him as a
+medium, as it was inconvenient to be interfered with by them
+when printers were waiting for “copy."
+Mr. J. JONES, of Enmore-park, South Norwood, deposed
+that when in Mr. Home’s presence he had seen a chair floating
+through the air, and had seen his own mother, an aged lady,
+raised off the ground, chair and all, by invisible agencies.
+These things all occurred in the presence of many witnesses,
+Apart from the physical manifestations, the communication
+made by the spirits were of a high order of intelligence and
+benevolence, and had done much good in his family.
+Mr. C. F. VARLEY. C.E., F.R.G.S., the electrician, deposed
+that the first spiritual message he ever received told him that
+on a certain day, hour, and minute, an ulcer would break in
+the throat of a lady relative, and that if he made certain pre-
+parations there was a chance that she would survive the trial.
+Everything took place as predicted. As he did not knov
+beforehand that the ulcer would break then, and as the lady
+did not know it, and was not told of the message till the
+danger was over, he believed that his communicants told the
+truth when they said they were spirits. He also narrated hov
+a spirit gave the same message to himself at Beckenham, and
+to a gentleman at Birmingham on the same night, neither of
+them expecting any such message, or anticipating the con-
+tents. The forces called electricity and magnetism by Spiri-
+tualists are not electricity, and are not magnetism. He said
+that all who give evidence on Spiritualism should always
+doubt the accuracy of the observing instrument, namely,
+“themselves,” and chiefly select cases in which their testi-
+mony can be amply supported by other witnesses of the same
+facts. †
+Mrs. HONEYWOOD said that at one of her sittings, at which
+Mr. Home was the medium, the table rose, and the roon
+vibrated so violently that an engineer present said that
+nothing but the strongest machinery would cause such oscilla-
+tion. An accordion was played in the air, Mr. Home holding
+one strap. Three or four persons mentally wished for par-
+ticular tunes, unknown to Mr. Home, and they were played.
+The Hon. Mrs. EGERTON deposed—Tle most remarkable
+manifestations I have seen were those of last Sunday evening
+at my house. We were scated in a room which would have
+been dark but for the light outside. We first heard raps, and
+then we saw a figure at the window. It entered, and then
+figures came trooping in by dozens. One waved its hand and
+passed through us—the atmosphere became fearfully cold. A
+figure—that of a relative—passed behind my chair, leaned
+over, and brushed my hair lightly with its hand. It was eight
+feet high, and approaching the person of Lindsay, passed
+through him. He sobbed hysterically from the intense cold
+But the most extraordinary thing of all was, the laughter
+One of us said something, and all the spirits laughed with
+joy. The sound was indescribably strange, and it appeared to
+us as if it came from the ground. We were seven in number.
+Five of the seven saw just what I have described, and the
+others saw something, but not so distinctly. Mr. Home said
+there were nineteen spirits in the room at one time, and I
+could see their eyes—peculiarly brilliant cyes—looking at us
+Mr. Home said to me, “Don’t be frightened, there is a spirit
+coming to you !” and in a few moments I saw the bright eyes
+of the spirit looking at me. The figure was defined. There
+were no clothes, but there was a peculiar rustle like that of
+silk. The faces were not defincd to my view, but Mr. Home
+said he could see them; they had bare faces. Mr. Home was
+in the trance state, walking about the room. I did not sleep
+much that night, for the spirits followed me to my room.
+Mr. Home had no previous access to the room where the
+séance took place beyond having dined there.
+Mr. DANIEL D. HOME, in the course of his deposition, said
+that once his body was elongated about eight inches, when
+Lord Adare had hold of his head, and the Master of Lindsay
+had hold of his feet. He had seen a pencil lifted by a spirit
+hand write on paper in the presence of the Emperor Napoleon.
+This took place in a large room, the Salon Louis Quinze. The
+Empress was also present. The hand, after writing, went to
+the Emperor, who kissed it; it then went to the Empress; she
+withdrew from the touch, and the hand followed her. The
+
+
+The English gentleman who was recently nearly murdered by a mob in
+Spain, as reported in The Times.
+† A burlesque of the weakest part of Mr. Varley’s evidence was published
+in The Echo newspaper. In the report he was made to speak in the first
+person words which he never uttered, and the few paragraphs forming the
+burlesque were printed as if they constituted the whole of his evidence
+before the Dialectical Society, which occupied more than an hour in delivery.
+
+
+Emperor said, “ Do not be frightened, kiss it!”. She then
+kissed it, and it shortly afterwards disappeared. The writing
+was an autograph of the Emperor Napoleon I. The Emperor
+of Russia has also seen and handled spirit hands, which after-
+wards seemed to melt away into thin air.
+Mrs. Cox, of Cox’s Hotel, Jermyn-street, said that she had
+seen Mr. Home, as well as furniture, floating in the air, and
+that the spirits had cured her of an ailment (something the
+matter with her side) of many years’ standing.
+The COUNTESS DE POMAR said that she had witnessed the
+handling of red hot coals with bare fingers without pain
+resulting.
+Signor DAMIANI, a Sicilian gentleman, residing at Clifton
+Bristol, said that at Mrs. Mary Marshall’s, who did not knov
+him, a spirit had communicated with him, professing to be his
+sister. He replied that he had never had a sister of that name.
+The spirit answered that he was mistaken. Accordingly, he
+wrote to his mother, then in Sicily, and leart that a sister or
+that name had died in infancy. The spirits, he said, are good
+bad, and indifferent, as upon earth, and some of them are
+ragamuffins.
+The MASTER OF LINDSAY, Grosvenor-square, deposed that
+he had seen Mr. Home elongated, that he had seen him float-
+ing through the air, and that he had seen him float out of the
+window at Ashley House, as narrated by Mr. Jencken. He
+had also, while in bed in the same room with Mr. Home, seen
+the spirit of Mr. Home’s wife in a long, flowing gown, which
+hung without belt from the shoulders. The figure appeared
+quite solid, and not at all transparent.
+Mr. B. COLEMAN, Bernard-villas, Upper Norwood, said that
+some years ago, soon after he had arrived in New York, he
+called upon Miss Kate Fox, the celebrated American medium,
+and expressed his curiosity to learn something of this latest
+and most remarkable phase of Spiritualism. While seated by
+her side on the sofa three loud raps were heard on the table
+(which was in the centre of the room), apparently in answer
+to some jocular remark he had made. “It seems we have
+listeners here,” he said. The three raps were repeated. It
+may be remarked, for the sake of the uninitiated, that in the
+spiritualistic system of telegraphy three raps are generally
+understood to imply an affirmative. “ Shall we come to the
+table?” Three raps. “Is there any spirit here waiting to
+communicate with me?”. Three raps again. “Will you tell
+me your name?” he asked. The answer was spelt out by
+means of an alphabet, “ Your stepson Harry.
+(The medium
+could scarcely have known the fact of his having a stepson of
+that name, for he was an entire stranger in the city.) “How
+happy I am to be able once more to converse with you.” Here
+there appeared to be a break in the sentence, for the table
+proceeded to rap out the words, “ Let me speak;” and Miss
+Fox suggested that it was perhaps another spirit who desired
+to speak to him. The table rapped assent. “ Is there another
+spirit present, then, who wishes to communicate with me?” I
+then asked. “Yes.” “Are you a friend of mine?”. “Yes."
+“A relative?” “Yes.” “Your name?” “Annie.” Mr.
+Coleman assured the committee that he had been unable at
+the moment to recollect any one in his family of that name
+and that he had accordingly denied stoutly that he had an
+such relative. The words were then spelt out—“ O how your
+voice recalls the memory of the past. How rejoiced I am to
+be able to thank you for your kindness to my daughter Eliza.”
+It was his wife’s mother who had “passed away” twenty-five
+years ago. He also mentioned a rather remarkable fact that
+had occurred while he was staying at Malvern. He had been
+conversing on Spiritualism with the family at whose house he
+was lodging, and had afterwards gone out to see a friend in
+the neighbourhood. On his return he was proceeding straight
+way to bed, when the master of the house came rushing into
+his room, and asked him, for Heaven’s sake, to come down
+stairs immediately. He accordingly went, and upon entering
+the drawing-room a strange sight met his gaze. Miss
+-, a
+young lady who was staying in the house, was lying on the
+sofa in violent hysterics. Mrs.
+appeared overwhelmed
+with terror, and a small tripod table was dancing frantically
+up and down the room, as if delighted beyond measure at the
+consternation it had created. On Mr. Coleman’s entrance the
+table ambled towards the door, made a low bow to him, and
+then proceeded to execute a series of Terpsichorean extrava-
+gances of a most curious and remarkable description. He then
+strove to calm the young lady; she was just beginning to re-
+cover when the table came bobbing towards her in a most
+extraordinary manner, and sent her off again. Mr. Coleman
+then went to the table, and placing his hand upon it, said
+“We have had enough of this nonsense. In God’s name, go;"
+when the movemonts instantly ceased. Upon explanation, it
+appeared that during his absence they thought they would try
+for themselves whether there was any truth in Spiritualism on
+not. A circle was formed, consisting of the father, mother
+and daughter, her friend Miss
+and a bluff, incredulous
+Yorkshireman. The most surprising results were obtained
+“It was the most extraordinary thing I ever saw,” said the
+Yorkshireman afterwards to me, “that table talked to me
+and told me of my father and mother for all the world like a
+human” [sic]. At another séance at which Mr. Coleman had
+been present with Mr. D. D. Home, the table rose right up to
+the ceiling, he all the time holding Mr. Home’s hands firmly
+in his own. This, too, was in a private house, where all the
+persons in the circle were friends of his own, and incapable of
+trickery or imposture. He had also seen, while sitting with
+the same circle, a beautiful hand and arm, which he was cer-
+tain could not have belonged to any one present, appear above
+the table and ring a bell. The same hand was afterwards
+placed in his hand.
+Mr. Serjeant Cox remarked that he had heard of women
+who could make people believe they were tormented by a
+wasp; that they could smell flowers, and so on, by the mere
+exercise of their will. He desired to ask Mr. Coleman how he
+could be certain he was not biologised at the time, and merely
+imagining these things.
+Mr. COLEMAN said—Biology might explain some of the
+phenomena, but there were others that it could not possibly
+account for—such, for instance, as spirit drawings. He had
+been present at the production of several elaborate crayon
+drawings in spaces of time varying from seven to ten seconds.
+He had himself previously marked the paper so as to enable
+him with certainty to identify it. These drawings were still
+in his possession, and he would be glad to exhibit them to the
+committee. The modus operandi for the production of these
+spirit drawings was very remarkable. Clean pieces of paper
+with crayons, were placed in a covered box; a rapid
+scratching of the paper was then heard, and in a few seconds
+the crayons were heard to fall, and the drawing was ready for
+inspection. He would like to know how biology could account
+for this.
+Mr. BORTHWICK said that without desiring to propound an
+theory with regard to the phenomena, he could certainly
+substantiate the statement of Mr. Coleman with regard to
+
+
+spirit drawings. The blank paper was marked by those
+present and placed under a shawl which had been tied round
+the table; a scratching noise was then heard, and in from
+seven to nine seconds the drawing was completed.
+M. CHEVALIER expressed his belief that the manifestations
+were diabolical, and said that one spirit had candidly acknow-
+ledged to him that he was the Devil. The manifestations at
+his house always stopped at the name of the Trinity.
+The Countess ADELINA DE POMAR then made a few re-
+marks to the effect that it was very narrow-minded and wrong
+to drive away as diabolical those poor spirits who chanced
+not to believe in the Trinity.
+Miss HOUGHTON, of 20, Delamere-crescent, Westbourne
+square, W., deposed that for years she had refused to com-
+municate with any spirits but those who confessed their belief
+in the Trinity, and joined with the members of the circle in
+prayer. The manifestations did not stop at the name of the
+Trinity, and her spirit friends were good ones.
+Miss ANNA BLACKWELL, of the Avenue d’Eylau, Paris, deposed
+that at her séances they always began with prayer. Once at
+Mr. S. C. Hall’s the spirits said, “ Now, pay attention, and we
+will show you how we form things out of the air!"
+They
+watched, and presently they saw the air become thick, fog
+like, in one spot, and then it became solidified into cloth.
+That cloth was passed around, examined, pulled, and was
+seen to be such a piece of cloth as might be sewn on a
+trowsers. It was then put down, and gradually melted away
+into the air.
+Mr. PERCIVAL, an officer in the Guards, narrated several
+instances in which, after prayer, he had seen some of the
+future events of his life pass before his eyes, and that these
+visions, together with the persons represented in them, were
+afterwards met with in reality.
+Mr. HAIN FRISWELL. author, deposed that he had seen the
+manifestations in Mrs. Marshall’s presence in his own house.
+He knew they were real, and the ladies of his family had
+even searched Mrs. Marshall, clothes and all, thoroughly.
+Raps and table movings had also been obtained by the mem-
+bers of his own family without the presence of a professional
+medium. He regarded it all as the work of the Devil.
+A great many other persons also deposed that they had seen
+certain remarkable manifestations. At one of the meetings
+of the society, when fifty or sixty ladies and gentlemen were
+present, including the reporters of several London news-
+papers, Mrs. Mary Marshall, the medium, of 2, Bennett-street
+St. James’s, W., attended. A public séance was the result.
+The mental tests were failures in all cases but one, when a
+name asked for and unknown to the medium was signalled
+out. The physical manifestations were successful, as the
+table bounced about the room, and got up on a sofa, without
+anybody being able to detect trickery. Raps also came upon
+one of the folding doors, at a distance from the medium, in a
+good light, with plenty of witnesses looking on. The pro-
+ceedings were fully reported in the Daily Telegraph next
+morning. The other practical investigations made by the
+Dialetical Society have been conducted in private, and have
+not yet been published. The inquiry into this subject will be
+continued during the winter months
+
+
+THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY
+On the evening of Tuesday, November 2nd, the first meeting
+of the present session of the Anthropological Society was held
+at 4, St. Martin’s-place, Trafalgar-square, Mr. Hermann
+Beigel, M.D., M.R.C.P., in the chair.—Mr. L. O. Pike, M.A.
+read a long paper upon “ Methodical Anthropological Re-
+search,” in the course of which he made a casual remark about
+the psychological branch of the subject.—After a few remarks
+from Mr. Braybrook and Mr. J. Gould Avery, Mr. John
+Jones said that the society ought to give more study to
+psychology, and he had often said so to various mem-
+bers of the society, although his suggestion was generall
+“ pooh poohed.” Psychology, he said, is to a considerable ex-
+gent an index to race, for local superstitions prevalent in par-
+ticular districts in the United Kingdom can often be traced to
+their sources. Slavonic superstitions exist in our midst
+although often no tradition or historical connection can be
+traced in the same direction. He should like to have permis-
+sion to bring this subject more prominently before the society
+on a future occasion.—Dr. Carter Blake, after a few remarks
+on the study of skulls, said that the society was in a state
+of the most profound and entire ignorance about the alleged
+psychological forces.—Major S. R. J. Owen, F.L.S., said that
+the society in its researches might investigate many things
+some of which he was almost afraid to name—the Davenport
+Brothers, for instance; their manifestations might be all
+“humbug”—he would not say they were not—still, he thought
+the subject a fair one for investigation.—Mr. W. Dendy sug-
+gested that as many of the members seemed afraid to talk
+about spiritual things, or psychology, they should coin some
+new word to represent the science of the mind.—After some
+remarks by Mr. Mackenzie and the Rev. Dunbar Hoath
+Mr. T. Bendyshe, M. A., of Cambridge University, called
+attention to an article in the North British Review or
+“The Early History of Man,” which he said well de-
+served consideration by the members of the society. He
+also recommended the perusal of a book on “The Origin
+of Religion and its Developments,” by the Rev. Baring
+Gould, a minister of the Church of England.—Mr. L. O.
+Pike said that the word “psyche” in the original Greek
+meant both “the soul” and “the breath,” wherefore it
+may be logically used by those who do not wish to be under-
+stood to be speaking of “the soul,” leaving also no necessity
+for the coining of a new word, as Mr. Dendy had suggested.
+Dr. Beigel, in conclusion, said a few respectful words on
+the great loss sustained by the society in the death of its
+founder, Dr. James Hunt, and added that he would have
+spoken further on the subject were it not that it would be
+brought before a future meeting of the society by the presi-
+dent. The proceedings then closed.
+
+
+A SPIRIT ON “GHOSTs.”—The editor of an old-estab-
+lished scientific periodical recently attended the “voice"
+circle at the house of the non-professional medium, Mr. E.
+Childs, 21, Offord-street, Caledonian-road, N. The visitor
+who had previously thoroughly tested the genuine character
+of the manifestations, remarked that he should not feel in the
+slightest degree nervous if any or all of the spirits there
+present made themselves visible to him at any time. A spirit
+calling himself “Alonzo Bates” replied—“ What! Not if I
+suddenly appeared before you in a white sheet on a dark
+night?” “No,” said the editor, “but surely you would not
+be so foolish as to put on a white sheet?”. “Certainly not.'
+replied the spirit, “but you know that such is the orthodox
+ghost of the servant girls!”. The pressure on the part of the
+public for admission to Mr. Child’s séances is now very great.
+
+
+4
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+Nov. 19, 1869.
+
+
+SPIRIT GREETINGS
+SOME very interesting spirit communications from
+Swedenborg and Lord Bacon were received in the
+course of the years 1853 and 1854, at Judge Edmonds
+circle in New York. These communications were after-
+wards published in a work on Spiritualism, in two
+volumes, by Judge Edmonds, Mr. G. T. Dexter, M.D.
+and the Governor of Wisconsin. The messages de-
+scribed much of the life and habits of tbe spirits in the
+condition of life incidental to the two spirits who com-
+municated, and the opening greetings of the spirits
+every evening before the real work began were of a
+very pleasing nature. On the evening of May 1, 1850,
+Swedenborg said:
+"With feelings of affection and love to you all, and
+with my spirit gushing forth with joy for the opportu-
+nitics I enjoy in communicating with you, I again most
+sincerely greet you in God’s most holy name."
+On April 24, 1853, he said:—
+“In our circle, where the spirits of those we love
+most do congregate, are gathered together once more,
+weekly, this number, and we celebrate what to us is
+the Sabbath-day. It is indeed a beautiful thought to
+you, dear friends, that we live and act almost as you
+do, that we cherish a thousand associations which on
+earth were most dear. With all my feelings alive to
+the affectionate remembrances of life with my friends
+and eternity with my spirit companions too, I this
+night greet you cordially, heartily, and truthfully, in
+the name of our heavenly Father."
+On May 8, 1853, he said:—
+“ The night is dark and stormy, and the air should
+be chill and uncomfortable. You draw near your fire-
+sides and sit conversing with one another, and opening
+your hearts to the genial influence of social connections.
+With us, we do not feel the effects of storm or cold when
+approaching your earth, and our spirits are not clothed
+with such garments as hide the true purposes of our
+hearts. We converse with one another, but our mean-
+ing is perceived without the expression of thought; and
+the farther we progress the more is our spirit manifest
+through all the developments of its covering. But to-
+night, in spite of rain and chill, I meet warm hearts
+and strong desires to excel, and I give you a response
+founded on the very basis of our creation—a response o
+love and truth, and greet you in the name of God."
+On May 19, 1853, he said:
+“There are to-night with me many spirits of your
+friends, who have met accidentally, but who delegate
+me to say that their affection surrounds you, and their
+love is a part of your existence, as through it you may
+receive many impressions for good, and by it you are
+supported to endure many of the troubles and ills of
+life. Cordially, heartily, and affectionately they, witl
+me, greet you to-night."
+On May 22, 1853, he said
+“ While we are listening to thoughts from the spirit-
+land, and wonder at the developments made of what
+have been mysteries, have we, when our hearts have
+been filled with joy at the description of the beautiful
+abodes of the just, and the happiness diffused like air
+through all the higher sphercs of the spirits’ dwelling -
+place, have we ever asked ourselves the question, for
+what purpose are these teachings? Why have spirits
+left their homes, their pursuits, their affections, their
+upward flight towards the ultimate point of their exist
+ence?
+Why have they come to us, and why have they
+taught us the higher truths of spirit-revelation? Why
+have they selected us as the recipients of spirit-bounty?
+“ Is it not that your own natures should be made to
+correspond with the pure and holy existences of those
+good spirits whose habits, life, and progress we have de-
+scribed? Is it not that you should struggle to elevate
+your own internal natures, and divest yourselves of
+those charactcristics which mark you as still bound in
+the fetters of error?
+"How hard have you struggled? How much have
+you succeeded? And how long will it be before you
+shall have cast off all that cloaks your true feelings, and
+manifest the true condition and action of your life?
+How long will you battle with causes which you suffer
+to influence you, and not purge yourselves of all un-
+righteousness?
+“ These are grave and important inquiries, which
+should be put to every heart, and earnestly too, sinccrely
+too, in the spirit of truth, of love, and of strong desire
+to answer truly the respouses of our own hearts, before
+our friends who know and the God who made us.
+“ In a spirit, to-night, of affection that brings you
+near my soul, and with a love that brings me to you for
+the high object of doing you good, do I greet you in the
+name of God."
+On June 16, 1853, Swedenborg said:
+“ My friends, could you but know the great joy there
+is among us, could you see the unspeakable happiness
+which animates every countenance at the spread of the
+glorious truths which are being revealed to man, and
+could you know the dcep earnest faith we have in those
+selected to give to the world the first revelations of the
+higher spirits to man, you would then realise the emo-
+tions of spirit in the spheres, the emotion of unmixed love
+at the dawningof truth. Our blessings with each and all.”
+
+
+General News.
+THE SPIRITUALIST.—The first number of this Journal has
+to meet a demand which at the present time is to large extent
+unknown, hut it is helieved that a supply considerably in
+At the
+excess of the probable sale, has been printed.
+same time, as new journals of this kind, connected with a
+growing movement, often run out of print before the demand
+ceases, subscribers who wish to preserve copies for binding
+had either hetter keep those they receive in the first instance
+or let orders for additional copies reach the publisher by
+Wednesday next. Up to that day this number will be still in
+type, so that more copies can he printed if they are likely to
+be wanted. Stiff covers, with elastic strings at the back, to
+hold for reference many copies of THE SPIRITUALIST, and
+to kecp them clean till required for hinding, may he obtained
+of Mr. H. K. Judd, bookhinder, 15, Little New-street, Farring-
+don-street, E.C., at various prices.
+THE DIALECTICAL SOCIETY.—A summary of the past pro-
+ccedings of the Dialectical Society is printed on another page,
+and their future meetings will he regularly reported in this
+journal. The evidence already given necessarily relates
+mostly to physical manifestations, since these, when proved
+to be facts, are beyond the reach of fancy, and cannot he con-
+sidered as obscure psychological phenomena incidental to
+human beings in an abnormal state. Still, non-Spiritualist
+should understand that physical phenomena at circles are
+usually followed, or accompanied, by spirit communications.
+After the production in our presence of some of the wonderful
+phenomena incidental to Mr. Home’s mediumship, the spiritis
+once gave an address to the effect that they only gave the
+manifestations to demonstrate that a real, practical, and intel-
+ligent power was at work. These high-class spirits disclaimed
+the possession of miraculous powers, and said that they were
+able to produce the effects simply hecause they have learnt
+more of the laws of Nature than we have. Sometimes they
+fail when they attempt to give manifestations.
+THE GOWER-STREET CONFERENCE.—In November, 1868
+a Conference of London Spiritualists began to he held weekly
+at Lawson’s Rooms, Gower-street, close to the Metropolitan
+Railway-station. Non-spiritualists also attended largely ; the
+meetings were of an interesting character ; so much so that
+on nearly every evening many persons could only find stand
+ing room. These meetings lasted till the summer of 1869.
+the addresses of Mrs. Emma Hardinge, the logical inspira-
+tional speaker, being a great attraction. At present it is un
+decided when the meetings shall begin again, but the Secre-
+tary has enough surplus cash in hand from last season to
+clear the expenses incidental to the next five meetings. The
+committee of management consists of Mr. Luxmoore (pre-
+sident), Mr. and Mrs. Everitt, Mrs. Hardinge, Mr. T. Shorter,
+Mrs. Floyd, Mrs. Wilkinson, and Mr. T. Slater.
+SPIRITUALISM IN NEW ZEALAND.—Mr. W. D. Meers
+medium, in a letter dated Dunedin, New Zealand, Sept. 2,
+1869, written to Mr. and Mrs. Everett, of Penton-street, Pen-
+tonville, gives some information about Spiritualism in his
+neighbourhood. He says that before his arrival there had
+been much talk about Spiritualism, and the periodicals on the
+subject had been very generally read, but few persons had
+tried any practical experiments. His séances contributed to
+give fresh impetus to the subject, and the result was that one
+of the ministers in Dunedin gave a lecture on Spiritualism
+beginning by saying that it was all animal-magnetism, and
+ending by saying that it was all the work of the Devil. He
+did not deny the facts, for he admitted he had been to one
+séance himself, and had had his test questions about departed
+friends correctly answered—a result which he ascribed to
+thought-reading. Somehow the devil-theory people are
+almost always persons who have been only to three or four
+séances, or who have investigated only a week or a month, and
+then rushed before the public with their very valuable and
+deep experience. The result of the lecture was a newspaper
+war, and as the editors gave fair-play to both parties, the
+Spiritnalists, supported by hard well-attested facts, neces-
+sarily came off best. Mr. Meers is a very good seeing medium
+and is able to describe accurately the appearance and dresses
+of the spirit-friends of persons present at his circles. He
+also sees them at work while they are producing the physical
+manifestations which are obvions to the senses of others
+SPIRITUALISM IN EAST LONDON.—An East London Asso=
+ciation of Spiritualists was formed a year or two ago, and
+now has a large number of spirit-circles at work, easy of
+access to those of the public who really desire to investigate.
+Particulars about the Association will he published in an
+early numher of this Journal. It is getting difficult to ohtair
+sittings with some of the highly-developed media whose
+séances have been often recorded in the Spiritual periodicals
+most of these being persons who will not take payment, and
+who cannot accommodate the large number of people who
+want to be present.
+SPIRITUALISM IN CLERKENWELL.—The St. John’s Asso-
+ciation of Spiritualists was formed in May last, and at start-
+ing had twenty-seven members, but the number has since
+increased to forty. A great many strangers from all parts of
+London attend its meetings at intervals. The members sub-
+scribe, when necessary, enough to clear the expenses of the
+room, gas, and advertising. Séances are held every Thursda
+cvening at St. John’s Temperance Hall, 7, Corporation-row,
+Clerkenwell, when from forty to sixty persons are usually in
+attendance. The mediums are Mr. Davis and Mr. Woolnough,
+who obtain trance manifestations, and a few of the physical
+description also. Mr. Herne and Mr. Morse are sometimes in
+attendance. During the winter it is the intention of the
+society to have lectures or social meetings monthly. Strangers
+are admitted by tickets, obtainable of Mr. Steele, 36, Great
+Sutton-street, Clerkenwell. At one time anyhody was ad-
+mitted without a ticket, but the present arrangement became
+necessary hecause sometimes roughs attended for the express
+purpose of making a disturbance. The hon. secretary is Mr.
+R. Pearce, 34, Halliford-street, Downham-road, N.
+SPIRITUALISM IN BLOOMSBURY.—Every Friday evening
+a semi-public séance is held at the Spiritual Library, 15 South-
+ampton-row, High Holborn, W.C. Admission is by introduc-
+tion, which may very easily be obtained by any stranger really
+desirous to investigate ; also, a fee of one shilling each person
+is charged. The medium is Mr. Morse, who does not obtain
+physical manifestations, therefore this circle is not the best
+for a notice to attend ; but many of the communications
+received through the mediumship of Mr. Morse are of a highly
+mental charactcr. The séances begin at eight o’clock, afte
+which hour the doors are closed against all comers, to preven-
+the annoyance of interruptions caused in many circles by the
+entrance of those who are not punctual.
+
+
+General News.
+
+
+THERE are many Spiritualists, and persons interested in
+Spiritualism, living in the neighbourhood of Kingsland and
+Dalston. The result is likely to he the early formation of a
+local society in that district. Spiritualists are numerous in
+the picturesque district surrounding the Crystal Palace.
+There are also many at Kingston-upon-Thames.
+MESMERISM AND CLAIRVOYANCE.—Dr. Sheldon Chadwick
+is now giving a course of four lectures on Mesmerism and Clair-
+voyance, at the British Schools, Stoke Newington. Three out
+of the four have been delivered, and the last one will be given
+next Wednesday evening, at eight o’clock. One of the most
+curious of the experiments is one wherein Miss Montague, a
+pretty little girl about thirteen years of age, is seated by her-
+self in the middle of a large platform, with her eyes bound
+with a handkerchief. The lecturer then walks about among
+the audience, and the name of anything which those present
+choosc to take ont of their pockets and show the lecturer is
+spoken by the little girl. It is a common conjuring trick to
+get in this way the names of ordinary articles of dress and of
+figures, by wording the questions according to preconcerted
+arrangement, and having a sharp grown-up blindfolded col-
+league on the platform to catch the signals and give the replies
+To Dr. Chadwick, however, nothing came amiss, whether the
+articles were purses, babies’ shoes, red tape, lockets, or the
+proper names inside the crowns of hats. For instance, on
+Wednesday, November 10, a perfect stranger to Dr. Chadwick
+wrote two words (chosen as being difficult to guess) on a
+piece of paper, and suddenly pushed them into the hands of
+the lecturer, by whom the action was totally unexpected.
+“What name is this?” said the lecturer. “Carter, said the
+hlindfolded little girl. “ What is the other name ?” “Blake
+was the reply. “Right,” said the lecturer. The distance
+between them was about ten feet, and no other words were
+exchanged. Ahont 200 witnesses were present. Dr. Chad-
+wick stated that the result was obtained by his “willing"
+very strongly that Miss Montague should give certain answers,
+and they always came. In fact, it seemed to be a clear case
+of trance mediumship, only the patient was influenced by a
+spirit in the hody, instead of a spirit of of the body. He
+then exhibited some of the usual mesmeric experiments, from
+fifteen to twenty-two persons being influenced each evening
+and sometimes more than a dozen of them at the same time.
+He remarked that too many were influenced, and they had too
+many friends among the listeners, for the collusion theory to
+held good. A single word from the lecturer would make those
+under his influence exhibit the most violent activity and
+passions; another word would instantly fix them with all the
+rigidity of stone, and that, too, in uncomfortable positions
+with countenances still and immoveable. The lecturer stated
+that in the first instance he gave them eoins to look at, to
+withdraw their attention from surrounding objects, and to
+concentrate it upon one point. “Then,” said he, “ the various
+faculties of their mind began to sleep and fold up like the
+leaves of a flower, and when, with a strong will, I imperiously
+told them that they could not open their eyes, some of them
+were unable to do so. I then had the wills of these in my own
+possession, and the will is the governing power of the whole
+body, so that I could make them perform many things, but
+could not influence all of them in the same degree. When I
+told them to wake up, it meant practically 'I give you your
+will back again, and then they were all right once more.” In
+answer to the theological charge that the curative powers of
+mesmerism are due to demoniacal agency, he said that it was
+prepesterous to suppose that God sends diseases and the devil
+cures them. Dr. Chadwick has lectured before the royal
+household at Windsor Castle.
+CHARGE OF IMPOSTURE.—A Mr. Addison has been writing
+to the Standard, alleging that he, in the presence of some of
+his friends, had detected Mrs. Mary Marshall doing “ spirit
+writing” under the tahle, with a pencil held between her toes.
+and that he than seized hold of her naked foot. His letters
+were very rough in their style, and contained insulting remarks
+about the personal appearance of Mrs. Marshall’s mother-in-
+law. Mrs. Marshall wrote that his tale was wholly natrue
+and narrated instances of his misconduct. Mr. Addison then
+called two of his friends to support his assertions, which they
+did not do, but they went half-way, and said they saw Mrs
+Marshall writing with her foot. One of these witnesses was a
+comic actor, wbo spent most of his time at the séance by roll-
+ing about on the floor, pretending to be in a fit, and frighten-
+ing the Mrs. Marshall’s considerably. The other witness spent
+some of his time in drawing a caricaturc of the elder Mrs,
+Marshall. In opposition to the testimony of these highly
+respectable gentlemen, attention may be called to the evidence
+given before the Dialectical Society, and printed in another
+column, wherein Mr. E. L. Blanchard, the author, testifies
+that his body has been uplifted and held in the air by the
+spirits at Mrs. Marshall’s séances. Mr. Hain Friswell, author
+testifies that table manifestations have taken place in Mrs.
+Marshall’s presence in his own house, and were obtained after
+she had been searched, as well as among his own relatives
+after she had left the premises. The evidence given hy Signor
+Damiani should also be read. Mr. Epes Sargent, in his book,
+The Planchette, narrates that Baron Reichenbach attended a
+circle in London in 1861, at the house of Mr. Cowper, son-in-
+law of Lord Palmerston ; the media present were the two
+Mrs. Marshall’s. Violent physical manifestations were ob-
+served, which the Baron was convinced were not caused by
+imposturc. The correspondence in The Standard ended with
+a letter from a philosophical instrument maker, named
+Faulkner, who wrote that he was a manufacturer of goods for
+spirit-rapping people, he having fitted up their houses with
+wires and concealed electro-magnets, to make raps. Mr.
+Faulkner has since been asked for references to those whose
+houses he has so fitted up, and the only reference he gives is
+to Mr. Addison. Genuine spiritual phenomena go on in any
+house, which the medium has never entered till the time of
+the séance, and Mrs. Mary Marshall has for years been in the
+habit of acepting such out-door engagements. Charges of
+the kind mentioned in this paragraph, more or less beset every
+paid medium, and are among the disagreeable things the-
+have to endure, even when the manifestations are genuine.
+WHERE THE LIARS GO TO. —An anecdote is told by a
+correspondent of the New York World, the editors of which,
+in printing it, seem charmingly unconscious of its personality.
+A clergyman, catechising a little hoy, was trying to impress
+on his tender mind some useful lessons from the Bible.
+“Where, my child, do the liars go to?” “To New York, sir,
+to write for the newspapers.” We think some of them have
+found their way to London.—Spiritual Magazine.
+THE public Spiritual circles once held at 2, Great Coram
+street, under the mediumship of Mr. F. Herne, have bcen
+given up.
+MR. D. D. HOME has been giving public readings during
+the past few months in Bristol and other large towns in the
+West of England. He is a good speaker.
+
+
+Nov. 19, 1869.
+
+
+CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS
+1. Advertisements of Public Companies, Half-a-guinea per
+sixth of a column, or every portion of sixth of a column.
+2. General Advertisements, Five Shillings per twelfth of a
+column, or portion of twelfth of a column.
+Note.—Advertisements at the foregoing rates will be
+“ displayed” so as to occupy the full space paid for, but
+advertisements at the following rates will be in closely se
+type.
+3. General Advertisements, Half-a-crown per first five
+lines or portion of five lines, and Fourpence for every line in
+addition.
+4. Situations Wanted, or Apariments to Let. One Shilling
+per first four lines, or portion of four lines; Threepence for
+every line in addition.
+Ten words are allowed to the line, and six figures or
+initial letters count as one word.
+When five or more insertions of the same advertisement
+are paid for, twenty per cent. reduction will be made in the
+above rates.
+The power is reserved of refusing to insert any advertise-
+ment.
+Advertisements and remittances should be sent to the
+Publisher, Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's
+Church-yard, London, E.C., or to Mr. J. BURNS, 15,
+Southampton-row, High Holborn, London, W. C.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+regularly, so that every number of THE SPIRITUALIST
+will be an efficient instrument in the hands of friends of
+the movement to draw the attention of the outside
+public to Spiritualism. At first this journal will be
+published fortnightly, to “feel the ground,” before its
+transformation into a weekly paper—a step which, to-
+gether with other improvements, is likely to be taken
+before long, should all go well. Much care will be taken
+to make THe SPIRITUALIST useful to the pioneers of the
+greatest movement of modern times, so it is hoped that
+it will meet with a friendly reception from all engaged
+in the noble work of strengthening the chain of com-
+munication between this world and the spirit-land, and
+of clearing away the mystery which ignoranee throws
+over the life beyond the grave. Nay, some of those
+who are as yet unacquainted with the facts of
+Spiritualism are expected to take a little kindly interest
+in this journal, for their elaims to attention have not
+been forgotten.
+
+
+paper and postage, in addition to the printing of a few
+circulars. Abbreviated reports of the results might be
+published at once, not necessarily with the names of all
+the witnesses, if some of them are liable to persecution
+from conneetion with Spiritualism, and the authenti-
+cated documents could be stored away, so as to form a
+most valuable littie mine of information for the "Insti-
+tution of Scientifie Spiritualists,” of the future.
+
+
+WHICH IS THE BEST EVIDENCE?
+
+
+To Correspondents.
+
+
+All letters should be brief and to the point, as the amount
+of space available for correspondence is at present small.
+Communications intended for the Editor should be by
+letter only, addressed to the care of the Publisher, Mr. E. W.
+ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's Church-yard, London,
+E.C. Until the Spiritual movement in England, together
+with this journal, have both grown considerably, time cannot
+be spared for personal interviews on subjects connected with
+the literary work of THE SPIRITUALIST, but all letters wil.
+meet with careful consideration.
+THe SPiRITUALIST is a periodical intended to give great
+freedom of expression to all the different shades of opinion
+to be found among Spiritualists. There will therefore be
+very little uniformity in the ideas promulgated in this journal,
+more especially in the correspondence columns. Under these
+circumstances every reader will find occasionally something
+in THE SPIRITUALIST which he or she does not like, but the
+right of reply remains. This freedom of thought given to
+others, the Editor claims for himself, and those who do not
+like the contents of leading articles, can write against them
+in the correspondence columns. This plan is thought better
+than that of reducing the contents of the journal to a
+pale weak mediocrity, by inserting only those contributions
+which please everybody. The preceding remarks are not
+intended to imply that those who have crotchets which the
+cannot get printed anywhere else, can find an outlet for them
+here, for none but those letters which are considered worth
+publication will be inserted.
+Notices of Public Meetings in connection with Spiritualism
+should be sent to the office several days in advance.
+
+
+To Non-Spiritualists.
+
+
+A large amount of information is printed on the last two
+pages of this journal, clearly demonstrating that the facts of
+Spiritualism, highly improbable as they appear to be, are
+real, and deserve serious investigation by all thoughtfu
+people. In other columns of every number of THE SPIRI-
+TUALIST will also be found plenty of additional evidence to
+the same effect.
+
+
+To Subscribers.
+
+
+The first twelve numbers of THE SPIRITUALIST will be
+forwarded regularly by penny post to subscribers, who remit
+four shillings in payment, to Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Publisher,
+Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's-churchyard, E.C.
+
+
+The Spiritualist.
+
+
+FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1869
+
+
+OPENING ADDRESS.
+
+
+SPIRITUALISM in England has long been represented by
+three periodicals, all published monthly, namely, The
+Spiritual Magazine, Human Nature, and Daybreak.
+The Spiritual Magazine was first published in January
+1860, Human Nature in April, 1867, and Daybreak in
+June, 1868. THE SPIRITUALIST, issued for the first time
+this day, is not started for the purpose of competing
+with these three journals just mentioned, but is in-
+tended to occupy new ground, and to meet a want as
+yet unsupplied. At the Gower-street Conferences last
+winter, several of the speakers mentioned the want of
+reports and records of public meetings connected with
+Spiritualism, and one chief object of this new journal is
+to chronicle the proecedings of such assemblies. Another
+feature of THE SPIRITUALIST will be, its scientific cha-
+racter. A third feature, of considerable value to sub-
+scribers, is seen on pages seven and eight of this number,
+in the shape of a large quantity of well-authenticated
+evidence that Spiritualism deserves most serious investi-
+gation by all thoughtful people. This evidence, written
+for the benefit of non-Spiritualists, will be republished.
+
+
+THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA
+NOT much observation of the phenomena of Spiritualism
+is necessary to learn that the manifestations are
+governed by physical and mental laws, though very few
+of these laws are at present known,
+Systematic,
+seientific research applied to Spiritualism would there-
+fore, in the course of a few years, be sure to give very
+valuable results, by clearing away much of the mystery
+overhanging the border land between this world and
+the next, and by strengthening the conditions which
+now enable spirits to communicate. At the present
+time, while most of the English people are innocently
+swallowing the highly reliable information about
+Spiritualism given them by the daily papers, and while
+the orthodox scientific world is standing aloof, afraid to
+search after truth beeause of the apparent danger of
+being caught in the investigation of nonsense, there
+may still be a sufficient number of persons in the ranks
+of Spiritualism competent to begin the work of reducing
+its facts to a science. In general society the proportion
+of people experienced in experimental natural philoso-
+phy and mental science is very small, partly because
+these subjects are generally neglected in schools and
+universities, and partly beeause everybody has not a
+liking for such pursuits. Probably the necessary mate-
+rials may now be found within the ranks of Spiritualism
+to found a scientific society, but if not, the work need
+not be altogether neglected.
+Supposing a scientifie society were formed, its first
+work must be to collect a large mass of authenticated
+facts, and then try to extricate some few general prin-
+ciples from the tangled mass. Anonymous articles in
+periodicals cannot be accepted as good evidence, neither
+can facts long stored up in the memory of witnesses be
+accepted as free from error. But this necessary work
+of collecting authenticated facts might as well be begun
+at once, with or without the formation of a scientific
+society. Perhaps the best way to begin would be to
+arrange with different cireles, to write down all the
+manifestations observed, and all the information ob-
+tained as to how they are produced, sueh documents to
+be drawn up directly the sittings are over, signed with
+the names and addresses of witnesses, and posted to a
+central quarter where the records should be preserved.
+The documents should be short, and
+contain nothing but scientific facts, for a scientific body
+would have nothing to do with the good or evil of
+Spiritualism, or with the religious aspect of the ques-
+tion ; its only business would be to find out what
+natural laws give the observed results.
+If a system of this kind were now at work, evidently
+great additional power in the way of investigation
+would be gained. For instance, if a notification were
+sent to all the different circles, asking them at the next
+sitting to “ learn as mueh as possible about how the
+moving of wooden articles is effected,” when the reports
+afterwards came in from each circle, there would of
+course be a great mass of contradictions, arising from
+imperfections of spirits both in and out of the body
+but soon a few glimpses of daylight would begin to
+shine through the mist. The comparison of the in-
+formation thus obtained by a few dozen well educated
+and intelligent circles, independently of each other,
+would be highly interesting to all engaged in the work,
+and the plan is good because it would cost nothing but
+
+
+Two statements of facts observed are quoted below, one of
+the statements being made by Dr. John Tyndall, F.R.S., M.R.I.
+and the other by Mr. S. C. Hall, F.S.A., Editor of the Art
+Journal. The first of the two statements was published in
+No. 105 of The Proceedings of the Royal Society, in a paper
+wherein Professor Tyndall describes the formation of incipient
+clouds produced in certain vapours by the action of light. He
+used a glass tube 2•8 feet long and 2•5 inches internal diameter,
+closed with flat discs of glass at the ends. By means of a
+stopcock and air-pump the air was removed from the tube, after
+which a few bubbles of air were re-admitted after passing
+through certain volatile liquids, from which the air took up
+traces of vapour. A bright parallel or conical beam of light
+from the electric lamp, was then passed along the axis of the
+tube, and the chemical rays in the light at once began to
+decompose the transparent vapour, and to form very curious
+clouds. The following quotation shows what he says he saw,
+when experimenting thus with vapour of hydriodic acid: -
+HOW PROFESSOR TYNDALL SAW A FISH!
+I have seen nothing so astonishing as the effect obtained,
+on the 28th of October, with hydriodic acid. The cloud ex-
+tended for about eighteen inches along the tube, and gradually
+shifted its position from the end nearest the lamp to the most
+distant end. The portion quitted by the cloud proper was
+filled by an amorphous haze, the decomposition which was
+progressing lower down, being here apparently complete. A
+spectral cone turned its apex towards the distant end of the
+tube, and from its circular base filmy drapery seemed to fall.
+Placed on the base of the cone was an exquisite vase, from
+the interior of which sprung another vase of similar shape;
+over the edges of these vases fell the faintest clouds, resem-
+bling spectral sheets of liquid. From the centre of the upper
+vase a straight cord of cloud passed for some distance along
+the experimental tube, and at each side of this cord two in-
+volved and highly iridescent vortices were generated. The
+frontal portion of the cloud, which the cord penetrated, as-
+sumed in succession the forms of roses, tulips, and sunflowers.
+It also passed through the appearance of a series of beautifully
+shaped bottles, placed one within the other. Once it pre-
+sented the shape of a fish, with eycs, gills, and feelers.
+The witnesses who saw Dr. Tyndall’s tube experiments
+performed, were his two assistants, and Mr. Ladd, the
+philosophical instrument maker. Now for Mr. S. C. Hall’s
+narrative, which was written in a letter from him to Judge
+Edmonds of New York, and is here quoted from the British
+Journal of Photography: -
+
+
+HOW MR. S. C. HALL SAW A SPIRIT!
+I have a fact to relate, apropos of the trial of Mumler—par-
+ticulars of which have reached me. It is this :—A few days
+ago, sitting with Daniel Home and seven other friends, my
+venerable and truly Christian sister, who passed from earth
+about eight months ago, was enabled to be visible to me and
+those who were with me. She was not only not a spiritualist
+but strongly and sternly objected to the principle, as anti-
+Christian or demoniacal. She had never been present at any
+manifestation, never would be. But not long before her de-
+parture, I said to her, “I am sure God will permit you to visit
+me after you leave earth. You will be permitted to do so for
+my comfort, and as a helper on my way to Christ. I wish you
+to promise that you will do so, if God gives you power."
+She
+did not absolutely make me the promise ; but she did say
+“ My dear brother, if it be for your good, and God’s permits it
+-and He may do so—I will be with you when He has called
+me from earth.” When she appeared to us in my drawing-
+room, her face was so healthy—so full of the red and white
+that exhibit health—that at the moment I did not recognise
+her ; for she had been two years confined to bed, “ died ” of
+cancer, was a great sufferer, and was naturally reduced to a
+skeleton—so to speak. Suddenly I said, with an exclamation
+"It is my sister !” Three blows were struck on the table. The
+eyes were closed—she had been blind during the last ten
+years of her earth-life—possibly but forthat I should not have
+recognised her ; there was so marvellous a contrast between
+the face, as I saw it on her “death” bed, and the face as I saw
+it then; so healthful, so beautiful, so happy, smiling ; but the
+likeness was exact, for I recognised every feature after my
+exclamation ; the hair exactly as she wore it, or plaited back,
+and the cap exactly as she wore it also, which the Master of
+Lindsay, the Hon. Mr. Lindsay. called a “mutch,” i. e.. the
+cap of the old Scottish model. She remained before us thus
+palpably for about two minutes—certainly more than one
+long enough for any photographer to have made a photograph
+of her ; and I am very sure there would have been no difficulty
+whatsoever in taking such a photograph if the apparatus had
+been ready ; that it would have been at once recognised by
+any person who knew her during her “life” here, and that it
+would have been as distinct and palpable as any photograph
+of any (so-called) living persons. I have no doubt that each
+of the eight persons present would make exactly the statement
+I have made
+Dr. Tyndall says he saw a fish form in the air, and his state-
+ment is corroborated by three witnesses. Mr. S. C. Hall says
+he saw a spirit form in the air, and his statement is corrobo-
+rated by eight witnesses. Which is the best evidence?
+
+
+BELIEF.—Belief is not a voluntary or a meritorious act
+and is no more under the control of the individual than the
+colour of the eyes or the length of the nose. For instance, no
+reader of these lines can, by the hardest efforts of his own
+possibly believe that the moon is a cucumber, yet it would be
+possible to do so if belief were under control, which it is not.
+
+
+6
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+Nov. 19, 1869.
+
+
+Poetry.
+
+
+THE POETRY OF SCIENCE.
+These verses, by the Editor of THE SPIRITUALIST, have been previously published
+in several journals.
+
+
+O say not Science lacketh charms
+To woo the poet's pen,
+To swell the pages of romance.
+Or thrill the souls of men;
+Her’s is a realm of fairy-land,
+A scene of endless change,
+Wliere eye and ear are all confused
+With wonders passing strange.
+
+
+She binds the eternal elements,*
+She yokes them to the plough,
+And iron steeds with hearts of fire
+Speed at her bidding now;
+Deep in the Ocean's solitude
+She her bright name engraves
+Unscathed she treads its golden sands
+And cleaves its surging waves.
+
+
+She joins the nations of the earth
+With mystic net-work bands,
+Binding in common brotherhood
+The dwellers in all lands,
+Whilst through these wondrous arteries
+The lightning pulses thrill,
+Bearing glad news of "Peace on Earth,"
+To all mankind, "Goodwill."
+
+
+She bends their orbits, and the stars
+Speed on their track of light,
+Sparkling afar in heaven's dark hall
+Like glories in the night;
+The planets feel her lion grasp
+As their bright paths they run,
+And with relentless laws she guides
+The Chariot of the Sun
+
+
+The trees relate their fairy-tales,
+The plants unfold their store
+Of wisdom and design, and tell
+Truths never dreamt before
+The lightning plays around her feet
+And does her bidding well,
+The very stones break forth in song,
+List' to the tales they tell : -
+
+
+They tell how chaos ruled—how earth
+Lay wrapped in deathlike sleep,
+How silence reigned in majesty,
+And darkness veiled the deep.
+They tell how life uprose on earth,
+How forests clothed the land,
+And step by step reveal the work
+Of HIS Almighty hand.
+
+
+Calmly in silence and in gloom,
+In caverns of the earth,
+They teach vain man the nothingness
+Of his ephemeral birth.
+Show him dread scenes of former life
+Long to destruction hurled,
+And on earth’s pillars bid him read
+The history of a world.
+
+
+Behold another votary still-
+The light her aid has given,
+Light, whose bright beams of purity
+Rushed angel-winged from heaven.
+Then fair Aurora lit the north,
+And shook her streaming bars,
+Then earth awoke, awoke to life-
+Then sang the morning stars.
+
+
+Yet learn, Enchantress, thy domain
+A limit still must know,
+Thus far, O Science, is thine own -
+Further thou canst not go.
+In the councils of eternity
+His wondrous ways were planned;
+Ways that clude thy piercing eye,
+Defy thine iron hand.
+
+
+some spirit wished to communicate, and we replaced our
+hands on the table, when my brother-in-law immediately
+manifested himself in his usual manner; but he had no mes-
+sage to give, appearing only to have come in response to my
+thought. I then asked if my brother and nephew were there
+both of whom have lately passed into the spirit-world. I
+received an affirmative answer; and then I told the latter that
+I wished him to give me a sign, adding that he would know
+of what character I wished it to be.
+The table moved gently backwards and forwards a few times
+with a kind of undulating motion ; it then bent quite down
+into Mrs. Marshall’s lap, and after remaining thus for a few
+seconds, rose to its place, and then bent for the second time
+into her lap; when suddenly it turned aside, and slipped off
+down to the ground. The poor old lady was quite startled
+and could not think what it meant, but to me it was quite
+clear :—first, the gentle waves of the sea, then the two days
+that the unfortunate Carnatic was on the rock, and finally
+the sudden slip, when the vessel sank, and my dear nephew
+Mr. Warren, was drowned ! I had wanted something ex-
+pressive of the wreck, but had not formed any idea in my own
+mind as to how it was to be exemplified.
+GEORGIANA HOUGHTON.
+20, Delamere-crescent, W.
+
+
+TRANCE MEDIUMSHIP.
+SIR,—I hail with pleasure the contemplated appearance of
+a fortnightly paper devoted to the science and facts of Spiri-
+tualism. Although we have two able monthly exponents,
+Human Nature and the Spiritual Magazine, yet we need a
+sound weekly or bi-monthly organ ; therefore I bid the Spiri-
+tualist God speed. The other evening, while sitting with my
+wife and a friend, I was entranced by an influence purporting
+to be the spirit of a fire-worshipper. The language was a
+strange one, of which my friend can only remember one word
+viz., “ Sin Syu.” Can you, or any of your readers, tell me the
+meaning of this phrase, as it would be a good test?
+I send you a tracing of some characters written by me while
+JOHN DE MORGAN.
+in a trance state on Sunday last.
+Cork, Nov. 17.
+
+
+[It is an established fact in Spiritualism that trance media are sometimes
+made to converse accurately in languages which they do not understand in
+their normal state. There is a kind intention in complimentary remarks
+still their omission in letters intended to be printed would be preferred, in
+order that the small space at present at disposal may be economised for
+strictly useful purposes.—ED.]
+
+
+FRIENDS OF SPIRITUALISM.—At a time when Spiritualism
+was far more unknown and unpopular in England than at
+present, Mr. C. F. Varley, the electrician, came publicly for-
+ward, and on oath, before the Court of Chancery, bore testi-
+mony that the facts of Spiritualism were true. That affidavit
+will be found on page seven of this journal. By thus risking
+a high scientific reputation, at a time when many others who
+were asked to bear testimony to what they knew to be true
+were afraid to do the same, Mr. Varley earned a very deep
+amount of respect from all Spiritualists. Accordingly, the
+following testimonial, which probably has never been pub-
+lished before, will be read with all the more interest : -
+ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY. Instituted 1774. For the recovery of per-
+sons apparently drowned or dead. Patroness, Her Majesty the Queen;
+Vice-Patron, His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, K.G.; Pre-
+sident, His Grace the Duke of Norfolk, E.M., K.G.—At a committee
+holden at the society’s office, 3, Trafalgar-square, on Wednesday, the 16th
+day of January, 1850, Benjamin Hawes, Esq., in the chair, it was resolved
+unanimously "That the grateful and sincere thanks of this committee are
+hereby most cordially presented to Mr. Cromwell Fleetwood Varley, for his
+courage and humanity in going upon unsound ice to the relief of Mr
+Joseph Gay, who had become exhausted while rescuing a boy immersed in
+a deep pond at Hampstead, on the 6th January, 1850, and by whose timely
+aid, assisted by others, two lives were saved.—(Signed) Norfolk, E.M., pre
+sident; Benjamin Hawes, chairman; J. Chailier, secretary."
+
+
+DR. THOMAS YOUNG ON SPIRITS.
+DR. THOMAS YOUNG, the colleague of Sir Humphrey
+Davy, and one of the predecessors of Faraday and
+Tyndall, as Professor of Natural Philosophy at the
+Royal Institution, has placed on record some specula-
+tions of his own respecting Spiritual beings, considered
+from a physical science point of view. Dr. Young was
+the first in this country to work out and advocate the
+wave theory of light, but he was crushed for the time
+being by the great weight of authority brought to bear
+against him by Sir Isaac Newton and Lord Brougham,
+who held that light was not wave motion, but consisted
+of particles shot out with infinite velocity from the
+luminous source. It is now known that Dr. Thomas
+Young was in the right, and Professor Tyndall, F.R.S.,
+has scarcely delivered a single lecture on light within
+the last two years, in which he has not called attention
+to the eminence of Young as a philosopher, and pointed
+out how his labours were long overlooked because of the
+eminence of those who held opposing opinions.
+Strange to say, Young held more accurate views in
+his day as to the nature of spiritual beings than Fara-
+day and Tyndall ever attained, notwithstanding the rich
+rain of evidence falling on every side of the latter
+philosophers—evidence whieh they refused to examine.
+Here is a long-forgotten paragraph written by Dr.
+Thomas Young, and the words thereof will live in
+history: -
+"We see forms of matter differing in subtilty and
+mobility under the names of solids, liquids, and
+gases; above these are the semi-material existences
+which produce the phenomena of electricity and
+magnetism, and either caloric or universal ether
+higher still perhaps are the causes of gravita-
+tion, and the immediate agents in attractions of
+all kinds, whieh exhibit some phenomena apparently
+still more remote from all that is compatible with
+material bodies ; and of these different orders of beings
+the more refined and immaterial seem to freely pervade
+the grosser. It seems, therefore, natural to believe that
+the analogy may be continued still further, until it
+rises into existence absolutely immaterial and spiritual.
+We know not but that thousands of spiritual worlds
+may exist unseen for ever by human eyes; nor have
+we any reason to suppose that even the presence of
+matter in a given spot necessarily excludes those exist-
+ences from it. Those who maintain that nature always
+teems with life wherever living beings can be placed,
+may therefore speculate with freedom on the possibility
+of independent worlds; some existing in different parts
+of space, others pervading each other, unseen and un-
+known, in the same space, and others again to which
+space may not be a necessary mode of existence.
+
+
+Ages of dim futurity
+Shall own thy powerful sway,
+Till man with all his noble works
+Shall pass from earth for aye.
+For ever teach him Nature’s laws,
+Unfold his Maker’s will,
+Guide him in paths of light and truth,
+And lead him upwards still.
+
+
+Correspondence.
+
+
+[Great freedom is given to correspondents, who sometimes express opinion
+diametrically opposed to those of this journal and its readers].
+
+
+THE SEPARATION BETWEEN SPIRIT SOCIETIES.
+SIR,—As I chance to be aware that in the first number of
+the new journal you intend to advocate an organised system
+of questioning the spirits at different circles, at the same time
+and upon the same subject, in order to compare the answers
+thus independently obtained, I have a suggestion to make.
+Very often; in fact in the majority of cases, many of the
+spirits surrounding a circle cannot see each other, any more
+than we can ordinarily see them. Very high spirits are
+usually, if not always, quite invisible to very low spirits,
+though I do not know whether the reverse is also the case.
+Therefore, when questioning spirits, no two circles may be
+questioning beings in the same conditions of existence, and
+the answers given at the two circles, as to the mode of life of
+the spirits, will be as different as answers from a German and
+a Hottentot when questioned separately about their daily life.
+What I suggest is, that at the very outset some knowledge
+should be gained as to the amount and the causes of the sepa-
+rations. If well-educated people, who can ask questions with-
+out putting their own theories into the mouths of the spirits,
+would only get all the information they can on these points at
+circles, and briefly send you the results, I am sure that the
+publication of the answers would be very interesting, and of
+use in further research.
+A TRUTH-SEEKER.
+
+
+THOUGHT-READING AND PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS.
+SIR,—I called on the afternoon of Sunday, October 31st, on
+the elder Mrs. Marshall, medium, 13, Bristol-gardens, W.
+After chatting for some little time, she suggested that we
+should have a séance, so we placed our hands on the table
+only she and I being present. There were some taps, as if in
+response to questions, and she enquired if I were asking any-
+thing ; but as I had nothing to ask, we took our hands off.
+I had, however, wondered (mentally) whether a brother-in-
+law of mine was present, whosc movement of the table is
+peculiar to himself. Presently, rappings were heard, one just
+under my arm, so Mrs. Marshall considered those a sign that
+
+
+Mr. Varley has also saved other persons than the above fron
+death by drowning. The following passage from the Buchs
+Herald narrates some of Mrs. Varley’s abilities as an amateur
+operatic actress. It is taken from an account recently pub-
+lished therein, describing an amateur performance of “Lucrezia
+Borgia” at Winslow.: “Lucrezia (Mrs. Varley) then entered,
+wearing a mask, and sang the difficult and touching song ad
+dressed to her son in a style worthy of an artiste, the florid
+passages being well executed, and taken with a precision which
+showed that she was quite equal to the part. We have seldom
+seen a Lucrezia who so thoroughly looked 'the Duchess’ as
+this lady, her dress and whole appearance being quite magni-
+ficent. She pleads for the life of Gennaro, at first mildly, but
+receiving denials from the duke, her anger is gradually raised
+into fury, and she bursts forth in a splendid air, full of ven-
+geance. It was the first time either Mrs. Varley or Mrs. Frend
+had ever undertaken anything of the kind.
+
+
+SOLOMON, KING OF ISRAEL.—Nobody knows better than
+Mrs. Emma Hardinge, the eminent medium, how to narrate a
+good story with effect. In one of her anecdotes she tells how
+she was dining with friends, in some American town, we
+forget where, and a messenger arrived in breathless haste,
+inviting her immediate attendance at a new circle then
+sitting in a neighbouring street. "Please come at once,” said
+the excited messenger,  "Solomon wants to speak to you."
+“Solomon !” said Mrs. Hardinge, “Solomon who?” “Solo-
+mon, King of Israel,” was the reply. “I suppose you obtained
+that name through the physical manifestations?” said Mrs.
+Hardinge. “Yes,” replied the bearer, who did not know the
+full force of the remark. Mrs. Hardinge continued—“Then
+tell Solomon, King of Israel, I am engaged at dinner with
+friends, and can’t come.” The messenger seemed to be very
+much startled by the answer, which, however, he delivered to
+the circle, but soon returned, saying, "That she really must
+come, Solomon wanted to speak to her very badly indeed."
+She accordingly went, and being a good seeing medium, a
+once knew more of the facts of the case than did the members
+of the circle. The table, which before her entrance had been
+bouncing up and down, and making a great clatter, then
+edged about very shyly and quietly. The members of the
+circle expressed their surprise at the falling off in the vigour
+of the manifestations. Mrs. Hardinge said, “Go on, Solomon
+Don’t be afraid of me. Let me see what you can do."
+Accordingly, up and down went the table with a violence.
+which placed its legs in danger of breaking.
+"Solomon,"
+buying up old hats about the streets of this city?” “Three
+months, was the reply. “ Solomon, now, tell me, what do
+you mean by coming here to deceive these good people in this
+manner?” “Well, said Solomon, who was not a bad sort of
+fellow at bottom, “They wouldn’t have nothin’ else, and so
+give it ’em !” A warning, this, to Spiritualists who have a
+weak reverence for great names; the supply is sure to meet
+the demand.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUAL LIBRAY—The only lending library in
+London for books on Spiritualism and kindred subjects is that
+belonging to Mr. James Burns, bookseller and stationer, 15,
+Southampton-row, Holborn, W.C. Mr. Burns has fitted up
+rooms on the premises wherein friendly meetings for the
+furtherance of the Spiritual cause often take place. In the
+course of September last a meeting was held in these rooms
+under the presidency of Mr. Coleman, to welcome an eminent
+American medium, Mr. J. M. Peebles, consul at Trebizonde
+to the Government of the United States, and one of the
+editors of The Banner of Light, the chief newspaper of the
+American Spiritualists. At that meeting Mr. Burns narrated
+how he first began the formation of the Spiritual Library by
+the importation of a small box of books from New York, and
+how the undertaking grew gradually until his little establish
+ment in Wellington-road, Camberwell, became very well
+known to those who required scarce books on progressive sub-
+jects connected with man. The growth of modern Spiritualism
+at last rendered it advisable for him to take his present more
+extensive and central premises. Spiritualism is known to
+have no more unselfish and hard-working advocate anywhere
+than Mr. Burns, in evidence of which it may be stated that
+although he is the owner of one Spiritual periodical, Human
+Nature, he placed every facility in the way of the issue of this
+new journal, The Spiritualist, because he thought it would helt
+the movement. There are so many points wherein the two
+periodicals entirely differ from each other that it is hoped
+that injurious competition has been avoided. The work that
+Mr. Burns has performed for many years past, makes it a duty
+on the part of Spiritualists to strengthen his hands in ever
+possible way in his new establishment.
+APPARITIONS.— You can scarcely select hap-hazard a
+dozen families, without finding one or two members of them
+who have received at the moment of the death of some near
+relative, a communication announcing the fact at a distance.
+These communications are often made by the dying person
+appearing to some member of the family at the moment of
+passing away. The death moment seems the most easy one
+in which tomake such communications. Notwithstanding the
+enormous number of such cases, some of them supported with
+such striking collateral proof as to remove all doubt, the pos-
+sessors of such information are afraid to narrate these interest-
+ing facts except under the seal of confidence, because the world
+at large ridicules that which it does not understand.— Varley.
+
+
+* “ Bridges unsupported by arches can be made to span the foaming
+current; man shall descend to the bottom of the Ocean safely, breathing
+and treading with firm steps on the golden sands, never brightened by the
+light of day. Call but the secret powers of Sol and Luna into action, and
+behold a single steersman sitting at the helm guiding the vessel, which
+divides the waves with greater rapidity than if she had been filled with a
+crew of mariners toiling at the oars. And the loaded chariot, no longer
+encumbered with panting steeds, darts on its course with relentless force
+and activity. Let the simple elements do their duty; bind the eternal
+elements, and yoke them to the same plough."—Friar Bacon's Prophecy.
+
+
+ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
+B. EDINBURGH.—Evidence is best obtained by industry in visiting
+different circles, selecting at first those where powerful physical
+manifestations are common, since these cannot be the result of
+imagination or credulity. Much depends upon the medium; in
+London good physical media are rare, and the rush to obtain
+sittings with them is now very great. This is caused partly by
+the fact that it usually takes several years to develop the most
+striking manifestations through a medium, and partly because
+very many who see symptons of mediumship appearing in them-
+selves, get frightened, and will not allow the spirits to use them
+for manifestations. Good physical media are much wanted in
+Glasgow; and perhaps you find it the same in Edinburgh. We
+thank you for your good wishes.
+
+
+Nov. 19, 1869.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+FACTS FOR NON-SPIRITUALISTS.
+As this Journal will necessarily often come
+under the observation of those who are not
+Spiritualists, it has been thought judicious to
+reprint regularly on this and the next page
+the following condensed evidence that spiri-
+tualism deserves serious investigation. The
+phenomena witnessed in spiritual circles are
+so extraordinary, and so unlike those coming
+within the ordinary range of human experi-
+ence, that it is quite right not to accept them
+on the testimony of others. Each individual
+should witness and test them personally, and
+believe nothing until the absolute knowledge
+is gained that denial is impossible.
+
+
+EVIDENCE THAT SPIRITUALISM DESERVES INVES-
+TIGATION.
+The testimony of reliable and respectable wit-
+nesses that the phenomena of Spiritualism are
+actual facts, and not imposture or delusion, has of
+late years so accumulated as to possess very great
+weight. In the case of Lyon v. Home, Mr. Robert
+Chambers, Mr. C. F. Varley, Dr. Gully, Mr. and
+Mrs. S. C. Hall, and others, all mado affidavits
+strongly in favour of Mr. Home. The following
+was the affidavit of Mr. C. F. Varley, C.E.,
+F.R.G.S., M.R.I.:
+“I. Cromwell Fleetwood Varley, of Fleetwood House
+Beckenham, in the Couuty of Kent, Esquire, make oath
+and say as follows
+“I have been a student of electricity, chemistry, and
+natural philosophy for twenty-six years, and a tele-
+graphic engineer by profession for twenty-one years,
+and I am the consulting electrician of the Atlantic Tele-
+graph Company, and of the Electric and International
+Company.
+“About nine or ten years ago, having had my atten-
+tion directed to the subject of Spiritualism by its spon-
+taneous and unexpected development in my own family
+in the form of clairvoyant visions and communications,
+I determined to test the truth of the alleged physical
+phenomena to the best of my ability, and to ascertain
+if possible, the nature of the force which produced them.
+“Accordingly, about eight years ago, I called on Mr
+Home, the defendant in this suit, and stated that I had
+not yet witnessed any of the physical phenomena, but
+that I was a scientific man and wished to investigat-
+them carefully.
+“He immediately gave me every facility for the pur-
+pose, and desired me to satisfy myself in every possible
+way, and I have been with him on divers occasions
+when the phenomena have occurred. I have examined
+and tested them with him and with others, under con-
+ditions of my own choice, under a bright light, and have
+made the most jealous and searching scrutiny. I have
+been, since then, for seven months in America, where
+the subject attracts great attention and study, and where
+it is cultivated by some of the ablest men, and having
+experimented with and compared the forces with elec-
+tricity and magnetism, and after having applied me-
+chanical and mental tests, I entertain no doubt whatever
+that the manifestations which I have myself examined
+were not due to the operation of any of the recognised
+physical laws of nature, and that there has been present
+on the occasions above-mentioned some intelligence
+other than that of the medium and observers.
+“The subject of course offers many opportunities and
+inducements for fraud, and I only speak of what I have
+myself seen and tested. Since my acquaintance with
+Mr. Home began I have pursued the enquiry, and I have
+found engaged in it able, learned, and scientific men
+who are convinced as I am, that the physical manifesta-
+tions are but the introduction to an extensive fleld of
+mental and physical knowledge which will in a great
+measure explain and reconcile the beliefs of all ages and
+nations. I know of several instances both in Europe
+and America in which this course of study has awak-
+ened the perception of the purest and loftiest truths and
+principles. There have been no doubt cases in which
+the intellect has been too feeble for the stimulus, and
+has been overpowered by it, just as frequently results
+from excessive application to religion and other exciting
+topics, but such cases have not come within my own
+observation.
+“Mr. Home, like several other non-professional me-
+diums whose cases I have studied, was passive during
+the occurrence of the manifestations. He, like the
+other mediums, is extremely susceptible to external in-
+fluences, and has a mind better suited to receive impres-
+sions than to prosecute enquiries. I willingly testify my
+entire conviction of his truthfulness and honesty.
+“C. F. VARLEY"
+
+
+It also came out in the evidence given at the
+trial, that Mr. Home had been the invited and un-
+paid guest of the Emperor and the Empress of the
+French, the Emperor, Empress, and the late Em-
+press Dowager of Russia, the Grand Duke Con-
+stantine, the King of Prussia, the late King of
+Bavaria, the late King of Wurtemburg, and the
+Queen of Holland. Mr. Home says that all his
+life he has never taken a farthing of pay for his
+séances. In March, 1869, the Spiritual Magazine
+gave the names of the following gentlemen as
+those who have long been investigating the sub-
+ject: -
+“Cromwell F. Varley, Esq., Fleetwood-house, Becken-
+ham; Alfred R. Wallace, Esq., 9, St. Mark’s-crescent
+N.W.; Professor De Morgan, 91, Adelaide-road, N.W.;
+Captain Drayson, R.A., Woolwich; Dr. J. M. Gully
+The Priory, Great Malvern: Dr. J. J. G. Wilkinson, 4
+St. John’s-wood-villas, N.W.; Dr. Dixon, 8, Great Or-
+mond-street, W.C.: S. C. Hall, Esq., 15, Ashley-place
+Victoria-street, S.W.; Newton Crosland, Esq.; William
+Howitt, Esq., The Orchard, Hare-green, Esher, Surrey
+Robert Chambers, Esq., St. Andrew’s, Ediuburgh; H.
+D. Jencken, Esq., Kilmorey-house, Norwood; J. G.
+Crawford, Esq., 52, Gloucester-crescent, N.W.; W. M.
+Wilkinson, Esq., Oakfleld, Kilburn; Lord Adare, 5,
+Buckingham-gate; The Master of Lindsay, Grosvenor-
+square.
+
+
+said Mr. Home many curious occurrences, which I am
+unable to explain, in the way of singular phenomena
+such as displacement of objects without physical con-
+tact, &c., and from my personal and careful investiga-
+tions (which Mr. Home himself ever urges) I am positive
+that it is not in consequence of any trick or device that
+such phenomena occur. I have even been witness to
+singular phenomena when the said Mr. Home was not in
+the same room, and also when he has been asleep. I
+have never known the said Mr. Home receive money for
+what is termed 'a séance,' but I have known him re-
+peatedly refuse offers of as much as twenty guineas for
+“J. M. GULLY, M.D."
+a single séance.
+
+
+Dr. Hooker, in his opening address, as President
+of the British Association at Norwich in 1868
+poke very highly of the scientific attainments of
+Mr. Alfred R. Wallace, F.L.S. Mr. Wallace is an
+avowed Spiritualist. Professor Hare, of Phila-
+delphia, the inventor of the Hare's Galvanic Bat-
+tery, once refused to witness spiritual phenomena,
+alleging that Faraday's “unconscious muscular
+action” theory explained all the facts. A friend
+wrote to him detailing things he had seen which
+were inexplicable by that theory. Hare at once,
+like a sensible man, went to see for himself. The
+result was that he came into communication with
+some of his own departed relatives. He then
+made mechanical telegraphic machines, which
+were intelligently worked by spirits while the
+apparatus was screened from the sight of the
+medium, and he wrote a book recording all these
+facts. That book is now in the British Museum
+Library. Judgo Edmonds, of New York, is another
+very eminent American Spiritualist, who has also
+written interesting books on the subject. Recently
+in England, Viscount Adare has written a book
+bearing testimony to the truth of Spiritualism, and
+it has a preface by Lord Dunraven. This book is
+printed for private circulation only, which is an
+error in judgment. Valuable evidence in favour
+of Spiritualism is given by John Wesley and his
+family; for spirit rapping and movements of
+wooden materials by invisible agency occurred in
+their own house. Documentary evidence of what
+they witnessed was drawn up and signed on the
+spot, and is published in Southey's Life of Wesley.
+The Spiritual Magazine for October, 1869, gives
+the following names of friends of Spiritualism
+who have now and then contributed to its pages:
+“Viscount Adare; John Ashburner, M.D., Translator
+of Reichenbach, author of Philosophy of Animal Mag-
+netism and Spiritualism; T. B. Barkas, author of Outlines
+of Ten Years’ Investigation into the Phenomena of Modern
+Spiritualism; George Barth; Richard Beamish, F.R.S.,
+author of The Life of Brunel; Rev. S. E. Bengough,
+M.A.; Edward L. Blanchard; Edward Brotherton; Cap-
+tain Richard F. Burton (the African traveller;) William
+Carpenter, author of Political Letters, The English Bible;
+Captain Edward Henry Chawner; Henry T. Child,
+M.D. (Philadelphia, U.S.A.); Benjamin Coleman, author
+of Spiritualism in Anerica; Robert Collyer, M.D., F.C.S.
+Christopher Cook; Robert Cooper, author of Spiritual
+Experiences; Mrs. De Morgan, author of From Matter to
+Spirit; Jacob Dixon, L.R.C.P., author of Clairvoyance
+Hygienic, and Medical; Hugh Doherty, M.D, author of
+Organic Philosophy; Captain Drayson, R.A.; Judge
+Edmonds (New York); Captain H. A Fawcett, R.N.;
+John M. Gully, M.D.; Professor W. D. Gunning (Boston,
+U.S.A.); Samuel Carter Hall, F.S.A.; Emma Hardinge
+George Harris, M.A., F.S.A., President of the Manches
+ter Anthropological Society; W. E. Hickson, late editor
+of the Westminster Foreign Quarterly Review; Rev. A
+W. Hobson, M.A.; Baron C. Dirckinck Holnifeld; Daniel
+Duuglass Home; Rev. J. Page Hopps, editor of The
+Truthseeker; Mary Howitt; William Howitt; Henry D.
+Jencken, M.R.I., F.G.S.; John Jones, author of Man:
+Physical, Apparitional, and Spiritual; Rev. William
+Ker, M.A.: Seymour Kirkup (Florence); Andrew Leigh
+ton; Robert Leighton; Kenneth R. P. Mackenzie, F.S.A.;
+Rev. William Mountford (Boston, U.S.A.); A. E. New
+ton (Boston, U.S.A.) author of The Ministry of Angels
+Realised; Mary S. Gove Nichols; J. H. Powell: Baron
+Reichenbach, anthor of Researches on the Dynamics of
+Magnetism; Elihn Rich, author of several articles in the
+Encyclopædia Metropolitana; J. Lockhart Robertson,
+M.R.C.P.: Mary C. Hume Rothery; Rev. W Hume
+Rothery, M.A.; Epes Sargent, author of The Planchette;
+Thomas Shorter; Rev. W. R. Tomlinson, M.A.; Crom
+well F. Varley, F.R.G.S.; C. Stauiland Wake, author of
+Chapters on Man; Alfred R. Wallace; A. M. H. Watts
+William White, author of Emanuel Swedenborg: His
+Life and Writings; W. M. Wilkinson, author of Spirit
+Drawings; James J. Garth Wilkinson, M.D., author of
+The Human Body, and its Connection with Man; Rev. F.
+R. Young.
+
+
+“ Awaiting a reply to this letter, and to the challenge
+with which it concludes, I am, gentlemen; your obedient
+servant,
+G. DAMIANI.
+“Clifton, Oct. 1, 1868.
+“P.S.—Letters addressed 'Sigr. Damiani, care of
+Manager of West of England and South Wales District
+Bank, Corn-street, Bristol, will always reach the writer.
+In addition to the above evidence, there is the
+testimony of numbers that the modern spiritual
+manifestations are realities. Mr. Hepworth Dixon
+in his New America estimatcs the number of Spiri-
+tualists in the United Statcs at rather less than
+three millions, and this is about the lowest estimate
+that anybody has made. There are no accurate sta-
+tistics, and different authorities vary in their esti-
+mates from three to eleven millions.
+
+
+All these facts, together with those which
+follow, prove that Spiritualism deserves serious
+investigation. Not a few learned men have pri-
+vately been examining the phenomena in order to
+“explode the imposture," but these extinguishers
+soon catch fire themselves. In short, in the
+minds of most of the English public, Spiritualism
+has to pass through the following five stages :
+1. The manifestations do not take place.
+2. Spiritualism is a gross imposture.
+3. It is a delusion.
+4. It is the work of the Devil
+5. It is a great blessing, and we always said so
+
+
+Experience shows that the feebler the intellect
+and the lower the standard of energy and educa-
+tion, the sooner does the investigator break down
+at one of the first four out of the above five steps
+in the ladder of progress.
+
+
+MR. HOME'S AFFIDAVIT.
+In the Chancery suit of Lyon v. Home, for the
+recovery of certain monics given by Mrs. Lyon
+to Mr. Home against the advice of her lawyer
+and her friends, Mr. Home made an affidavit, from
+which the following is an extract:
+“I, Daniel Dunglass Home, of 22, Sloane-street, in
+the County of Middlesex, one of the above-named de-
+fendants, make oath and say as follows :
+“I was born in Scotland on the 20th of March, 1833,
+and from my childhood have been subject to the occa-
+sional happening of singular physical phenomena in my
+presence, which are most certainly not produced by me
+or by any other person in connection with me. I have
+no control over them whatever: they occur irregularly
+and even when I am asleep. Sometimes I am many
+months, and once I have been a year without them.
+They will not happen when I wish, and my will has
+nothing to do with them. I cannot account for them
+further than by supposing them to be effected by intelli-
+gent beings or spirits. Similar phenomen occur to
+many other persons. ... These phenomena occurring in
+my presence have been witnessed by thousands of
+intelligent and respectable persons, including men of
+business, science, and literature, under circumstances
+which would have rendered, even if I desired it, all
+trickery impossible. They have been witnessed repeat-
+edly and in their own private apartments, when any
+contrivance of mine must have been detected, by their
+Majesties the Emperor and the Empress of the French,
+their Majesties the Emperor, Empress and late Empress
+Dowager of Russia, their Imperial Highnesses the Grand
+Duke and Duchess Constantine of Russia and the mem-
+bers of their august family, their Majesties the King of
+Prussia, the late King of Bavaria, the present and late
+King of Würtemberg, the Queen of Holland, and the
+members of the Royal Family of Holland; and man
+of these august personages have honoured, and I be-
+lieve still honour, me with their esteem and goodwill, as
+I have resided in some of their palaces as a gentleman
+and their guest, and not as a paid or professional per-
+son. They have had ample opportunties, which the
+have used, of investigating these phenomena, and of
+inquiring into my character. I have resided in America,
+England, France, Italy, Germany, and Russia, and in
+every country I have been received as a guest and
+friend by persons in the highest position in society, who
+were quite competent to discover and expose, as the
+ought to have done, anything like contrivance on my
+part to produce these phenomena. I do not seek, and
+never have sought, the acquaintance of any of these
+exalted personages. They have sought me, and I have
+thus had a certain notoriety thrust upon me. I do not
+take money, and never have taken it, although it has
+been repeatedly offered me for or in respect of these
+phenomena, or the communications which appear to be
+made by them. I am not in the habit of receiving those
+who are strangers to me, and I never force the subject
+of Spiritualism on any one’s attention. ... Some of the
+phenomena in question are noble and elevated, others
+appear to be grotesque and undignifled. For this I am
+not responsible, any more than I am for the man
+grotesque and undignified things which are undoubtedly
+permitted to exist in the material world. I solemnly
+swear that I do not produce the phenomena aforesaid
+or in any way whatever aid in producing them," &c
+“I have been subjected to much persecution through
+out my life, because of my conscientious belief as to the
+meaning and great purpose of spiritual phenomena
+taken as a whole. That belief I have not, like the
+plaintiff, foresworn. I have always courted the strictest
+investigation, although I have not condescended to
+notice all the attacks and anonymous slanders that have
+becn circulated respecting me. The book shown to me
+at the time of swearing this affidavit, marked H 8, con-
+tains a correct list of upwards of 1,300 letters, with the
+writers' names, which I still retain (after having de-
+stroyed about 10,000), written to me by persons of ever
+rank and class, including persons of the highest social
+political, literary, and scientific position, who have in
+vestigated these phenomena, and corresponded with me
+about them. After the fullest opportunities of examina-
+tion, they have formed differeut opinions as to thein
+origin and meaning ; but I believe that all are
+thoroughly satisfled of my entire honesty in the matter
+and lately, while the plaintiff’s base and unfounded
+charges of fraud and imposition have been hanging
+over me, and during the months of January and
+February, 1868, these phenomena have been thoroughly
+tested by another scientific man, named Mr. Hawkins
+Simpson, tho inventor of electrical apparatus, including
+one for printing at a distance by the telegraph—a
+drawing and description of which were, as I am in-
+formed and believe, given in the Engineer newspaper of
+the 15th November, 1867.
+
+
+WHAT IS THE USE OF SPIRITUALISM?
+Strange to say there are people who can ask
+what is the use of communication with friends
+and relatives, who have passed the great barrier
+of the grave. One use of Spiritualism is, that all
+Spiritualists who lead moderately good lives, are
+found to gradually lose the fear of death. Spirits
+through the agency of suitable media have much
+power in the healing of diseases, and the removal
+of deformities, though such power is far from
+absolute. The following is a narrative, published
+in Daybreak, of some of the powers excrcised
+through Mr. Newton, the best healing medium in
+the United States ; he is expected to visit England
+in the course of the year 1870. The following ex-
+ample from a very boundless field of choice, is
+enough for the present on the subject of the uses
+of Spiritualism:
+'Friday, May 22, of the present year (1868) will for
+ever remain one of the most memorable days of my life
+It was on that day, when the sun was shining brightly
+and bathing the world with its light and heat, that
+arrived at Newport, Rhode Island, and first came under
+the healing powers of Dr. J. A. Newton. I had heard
+of him through The Spiritual Magazine, Mr. William
+Howitt, and Mr. Coleman, and was assured that if I
+placed myself in his hands I should be speedily and
+radically cured of the neuralgic affection in my head,
+for which I had been suffering for eleven years. It was
+not until I had become a little more familiar with some
+of the facts and phenomena of modern Spiritualism
+that I felt a quiet faith in the power of Dr. Newton to
+remove my disease. Having once attained to that state
+of mind, and becoming satisfied that it was my duty to
+cross the Atlantic in search of health, I made arrange-
+ments for doing so, and left Liverpool for New York on
+Saturday, May 9, arriving at the latter place on Tuesday
+evening, the 19th. * * * * The moment Dr. New-
+ton and I met, I found in his face and simple kindly
+manner a human image of the outside sunshine, and
+but few words had been spoken when I was convinced
+that the errand upon which I had come would be ful-
+filled. I was about to give him the history in detail of
+my affliction when he stopped me by saying, “That
+after I had been cured he would be very glad to listen
+to anything I might wish to say, but that the cure itself
+was the first matter to be attended to. He then poured
+a large quantity of very hot water upon my head while
+I was leaning it over a basin into which the water fell.
+After my head had been dried with a coarse towel,
+was made to sit upon a moveable seat, similar to a
+music-stool, the doctor standing behind me, and placing
+my head against his chest with his hands crossed upon
+my forehead. Ho then moved my head in various
+directions until all at once a clicking noise was heard at
+the top of my spine. The doctor immediately cried out
+That noise is the sign that you will be cured ; the dis-
+turbance of the nerve current has been removed.' He
+then faced me, and lifting both his hands towards
+heaven, he looked me hard in the face, saying, Look at
+me. In the name of God our Heavenly Father, and of
+the Lord Jesus Christ the Great Healer, I bid this
+disease depart from this dear suffering brother and
+never more afflict him. It is gone—it is gone—it is
+gone for ever, my brother; you are cured; rise up on
+your feet and be cured.' At that instant I felt a strong
+current of new life flowing into and through every part
+of my body, and I was conscious that I had entered
+upon an altogether new phase of existence. From that
+day to the present hour, July 13, I have been entirely
+free from my pain, and have felt as well, I should think
+as it is possible for any human being to feel. Physically
+speaking, I am a new creature; old things have passed
+away and all things have become new. Of course it is
+not for me to say absolutely that the cure will be per
+manent, but, if I may judge from my present expe-
+rience, I see no reason why it should not be so.
+Wonderful as my case is, it is only one of thousands, so
+far as Dr. Newton is concerned. He has cured almost
+every form of disease, and removed almost every kind
+of suffering. In fact, he appears to have done every-
+thing but raise the dead. And yet even he does not
+cure all cases, and this failure enables him to keep alive
+the consciousness that it is not he who cures, but God
+who works in and through him. He tells me that he
+has cured something like a quarter of a million of
+people. * * * * Most of his cures are done without
+fee or reward. In my own case he steadily refused to
+take a single dollar, and I saw him act in like manner
+towards several others. During my stay I witnessed
+several instances of his healing power; some of then
+being so manifest as to defy all attempts at explaining
+them away. On the very morning that my own cure
+was effected, I witnessed his cure of a paralytic who for
+three years had been unable to walk without the aid of
+crutches, and even then, only in a partial degree. This
+woman was brought by her parents to Newport, and, in
+less than five minutes from the time when she came
+under Dr. Newton's hands, she got up from the couch
+on which she had been laid, and walked away up the
+street and back again, a full mile, and afterwards
+walked and ran and jumped aud danced, as so many
+signs that her cure was a complete one. I also saw him
+cure a young man who had a withered hand. Indeed,
+might have seen day by day, and hour by hour, ex-
+amples of this healing power had I chosen to have done
+so. Every now and again, there are trains from Boston
+and Providence freighted with the lame, the halt, the
+blind, and the diseased, sometimes to the number of
+500 or 600. These come to Newport, and a large majo-
+rity of them are sent away perfoctly cured. In one part
+of Dr. Newton’s house there is a room of considerable
+size, full of crutches, sticks, spectacles, eye-shades
+bandages, and other memorials ,of disease and sickness
+which have been left behind by patients as so many
+signs and trophies of their cure
+
+
+Mrs. De Morgan has written a book, entitled
+From Matter to Spirit (Longmans), where she
+gives many interesting particulars, the result of
+ten years' experience in Spiritualism. Professor
+De Morgan, President of the Mathematical Society
+of London, in his preface to the book, says:
+“I am perfectly convinced that I have both seen and
+heard, in a manner which should make unbelief impos-
+sible, things called spiritual, which cannot be taken by
+a rational being to be capable of explanation by impos-
+ture, coincidence, or mistake. So far I feel the ground
+firm under me."
+
+
+The following is an extract from another
+affidavit, made in the suit of Lyon v. Home:
+“I, James Manby Gully, of The Priory, Great Malvern,
+in the County of Worcester, doctor of medicine, make
+oath and say as follows:
+“I have known the above-named defendant, Daniel
+Dunglass Home, for seven years and upwards, last past,
+and have during that period been in the habit of attend-
+ing him professionally, and also of receiving him in my
+house as a personal friend, and I have never had the
+smallest reason to doubt his character as a man of
+honour and proper moral feeling.
+“I have during the past seven years witnessed both
+in my own house, and elsewhere, in the presence of the
+
+
+Signor G. Damiani, a Sicilian gentleman living
+at Clifton, lias written a pamphlet, still in print,
+in which he severely ensures Professor Tyndall
+Mr. G. H. Lewes, and others like them, for refus-
+ing to investigate the subject. He further offers a
+reward of 1,000 guincas to any respectable, scien-
+tific or educated men, who will investigate the
+subject and prove it to be an imposture. The
+following are his words:
+“I now offer yon two challenges
+“First, I challenge you, or either of you, or any of
+the public who, like you, disbelieve in the genuine cha-
+racter of spiritualistic phenomena, to deposit in the
+hands of any well-known London banker whom you or
+they may name, tho sum of five hundred guineas; and
+I pledge myself to immediately deposit in the same bank
+a like amount,—the ownership of such sum of one thou-
+sand guineas to depend upon my proving by evidence
+sufficient to establish any fact in history or in a criminal
+or civil court of justice.
+First—That intelligent communications and answers
+to questions put, proceed from dead and inert matter in
+a manner inexplicable by any generally recognised law
+of nature.
+“Secondly—That dead and inert matter does move
+without the aid of any mechanical or known chemical
+agency, and in deflance of all the admitted laws of gravi-
+tation.
+“Thirdly—That voices appertaining to no one in the
+flesh are heard to speak and hold rational converse with
+men.
+A jury of twenty-four gentlemen, twelve to be chosen
+by each party (such jury to consist exclusively of mem-
+bers of the learned professions and literary men), to
+decide whether or not the facts contained in the above
+propositions are conclusively proved per testes—ie, by
+witnesses of established character. A majority of
+the twenty-four to decide. If the verdict be that these
+facts have not been established, the thonsand guineas
+are to belong to the party accepting this challenge; if
+the verdict be that these facts are established, the thou-
+sand guineas to be mine.
+“Secondly—Immediately after the above wager being
+decided, either way, I offer a like challenge of five hun-
+dred guineas (to be met on the other side in like manner
+as above)—the ownership of the second sum of one
+thousand guineas to depend upon thee establishment of
+the facts contained in the propositions already given, by
+experiments conducted in the actual presence of the twenty
+four gentlemen who have decided the previous wager
+the verdict of the majority to decide in this case likewise
+“In either case, the séances are to be conducted in an
+public or private building which the jury may select,
+and which may be available for the purpose.
+“The result of these challenges (if accepted and de-
+cided) to be advertised by tho victorious party, at the
+expense of the defeated party, in all the London daily
+papers.
+“I hope this is plain English.
+
+
+Omitting the remainder of Mr. Home's affidavit,
+the following evidence given by him before the
+Dialectical Society, is of interest :
+“He had seen a pencil lifted by a spirit hand write on
+paper in the presence of the Emperor Napoleon. This
+took place in a large room, the Salon Louis Quinze. The
+Empress was also present. The hand, after writing,
+went to the Emperor, who kissed it; it then went to the
+Empress; she withdrew from the touch, and the hand
+followed her. The Emperor said, Do not be fright-
+ened, kiss it!' She then kissed it, and it shortly after
+wards disappeared. The writing was an autograph
+of the Emperor Napoleon I. The Emperor of Russia
+had also seen and handled spirit hands, which after
+wards seemed to melt away into thin air."
+
+
+The Emperor Napoleon has been at a great
+many of Mr. Home's séances, and Mr. Home was
+asked by members of the Dialectical Society to
+state other things which had been observed on
+those occasions. Mr. Home said that he did not
+feel at liberty to state any more than the Emperor
+was in the habit of telling himself.
+
+
+"FREDERICK ROWLAND YOUNG,
+“Minister of the Free Christian Church, Swindon.
+There are very many healing mediums in the
+United States, who can do good only in certain
+diseases, or whose powers are so feeble that suc-
+cessful results may with more probability of accu-
+racy be put down to the imagination of the
+patient.
+A great use of Spiritualism is that it demon-
+strates tho immortality of the soul. But why
+ask, “ Of what use is Spiritualism ?” for here the
+thing is in our midst as much a part of nature as
+the trees, the clouds, and the flowers, and as it
+cannot be abolished there is no alternative but to
+subject it to investigation, or to igno-
+rance.
+
+
+HOW TO FORM SPIRI
+An experimental trial at home, among family
+friends and relatives, often gives the most satis-
+factory evidence of the reality of spiritual pheno-
+mena. At the same time, as no fully developed
+medium is present among those who lave never
+obtained manifestations before, the probability is
+that there will be no results. Nevertheless, it is
+a very common thing for striking manifestations
+to be obtained in this way at the first sitting of a
+family circle; perhaps for every one successful
+new circle thus started without a medium, there
+are six or seven failures, but no accurate statistics
+on this point have yet been collected. When
+once manifestations have been obtained they will
+gradually increase in power and reliability at suc-
+cessive sittings. The following is a good plan of
+action: -
+1. Let the room be of a comfortable temperature, but
+cool rather than warin; let arrangements be made that
+
+
+8
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+Nov. 19, 1869.
+
+
+nobody shall enter it, and that there shall be no inter-
+ruption for one hour during the sitting of the circle.
+Wet, damp, and foggy weather is bad for the production
+of physical phenomena.
+2. Let the circle consist of four, five, or six individuals
+about the same number of each sex. Sit round an un-
+covered wooden table, with all the palms of the hands
+in contact with its top surface. Whether the hand
+touch each other or not is usually of no importance.
+Any table will do, just large enough to conveniently
+accommodate the sitters. The removal of a hand from
+the table for a few seconds does no harm, but when one
+of the sitters breaks the circle by leaving the table it
+sometimes, but not always, very considerably delays the
+manifestations.
+3. Before the sitting begins, place some pointed lead-
+pencils and some sheets of clean writing paper on the
+table, to write down any communications that may be
+obtained.
+4. People who do not like each other should not sit in
+the same circle, for such a want of harmony tends to
+prevent manifestations, except with well-developed
+physical mediums; it is not yet known why. Belief or
+unbelief has no influence on the manifestations, but an
+acrid feeling against them is a weakening influence.
+5. Before tlie manifestations begin, it is well to engage
+in general conversation or in singing, and it is best that
+neither should be of a frivolous nature. A prayerful,
+earnest feeling among the members of the circle is likely
+to attract a higher and more plcasing class of spirits.
+6. The first symptom of the invisible power at work is
+often a feeling like a cool wind sweeping over the hands.
+The first manifestations will probably be table tiltings or
+raps.
+7. When motions of the table or sounds are produced
+freely, to avoid confusion, let one person only speak,
+and talk to the table as to an intelligent being.
+Let him tell the table that three tilts or raps mean
+"Yes," one moans “No," and two mean “Doubtful"
+and ask whether the arrangement is understood. If
+three signals be given in answer, then say, “If I speak
+the letters of the alphabet slowly, will you signal ever
+time I come to the letter you want, and spell us out a
+message?" Should three signals be given, set to work
+on the plan proposed, and from this time an intelligent
+system of communication is established
+8. Afterwards the question should be put, “Are we
+sitting in the right order to get the best manifestations?"
+Probably some members of the circle will then be told
+to change seats with each other, and the signals will be
+afterwards strengthened. Next ask, “ Who is the
+medium?“ When spirits come asserting themselves to
+be related or known to anybody present, well-chosen
+questions should be put to test the accuracy of the
+statements, as spirits out of the body have all the virtues
+and all the failings of spirits in the body.
+
+
+Possibly at the first sitting of a circle symptoms
+of other forms of mediumship than tilts or raps
+may make their appearance. Information respect-
+ing the many kinds of mediumship will be found
+in Mrs. Professor De Morgan's book, From Matter
+to Spirit, published by Longmans; and this is a
+good book to read before trying to start a new
+circle. It usually takes sevcral years for any
+medium to attain full power, and it is not an
+uncommon although not an everyday thing, for
+chairs and other articles to move about in the
+presence of a good well-developed physical medium
+without anybody touching the articles at all. This
+fact effectually disposes of Faraday’s “unconscious
+muscular action” theory. Some have suggested
+that the phenomena are all mental, since mental
+conditions influence their production, and that
+those present all believe they see and hear things
+which they do not in reality see and hear. The
+answer is that there is sometimes such a noise
+with improperly powerful manifestations that the
+sounds are heard all over the house by persons
+not in the room; the furniture sometimes gets
+broken by movements of too violent a character
+and the broken portions remain as evidence that
+the phenomena were not of a mental character.
+The upholsterers' bills which result also serve to
+convince that the occurrences are facts. The
+higher spirits seem to have little power over
+common matter, and the highest communications
+are not usually obtained through physical mani-
+festations.
+There are in England several very interesting
+circles for physical manifestations, where the
+spirits speak with audible voices, but, unfortu-
+nately, total darkness is a necessary condition.
+Non-spiritualists who are inquiring into the sub-
+ject should have nothing to do with dark séances,
+which should be held only by those who know
+each other, since they offer so many facilities for
+fraud. When any circle regularly obtains power
+ful physical manifestations, they may desire to sit
+for the voices. The very slightest glimmer of
+light must be excluded from the room, while the
+members of the circle, sit round the table in the
+ordinary way. One or two paper tubes, ech
+twelve or eighteen inches long, with an orifice
+about an inch-and-a-half in diameter, should be
+placed on the table. They may be readily made
+by rolling up a piece of music and tying a few
+pieces of cotton round the rough tube thus formed.
+In the early stages of a voice-circle these tubes
+are necessary for the use of the spirits, but after-
+wards they may be dispensed with except when
+the weather and other conditions are unfavour-
+able. When first trying to obtain the voices the
+spirits may not be able to lift the tubes from the
+table, afterwards they often get them up in the
+air a foot or two and let them drop again. When
+they get full control over them they can carry
+them about up to the ceiling and to all parts of
+the room, and they talk to the members of the
+circle often while floating about above their heads.
+Very beautiful luminous phenomena are some-
+times shown by the spirits at dark circles. While
+sitting for the voices, the spirits will tell by the
+ordinary table signals how they are progressing in
+their work of getting control of the tubes.
+By the aid of the mediumship of Mr. D. D. Home,
+whose sittings nearly always take place either in
+bright or subdued light, the spirits sometimes
+make themselves visible, so as to be recognised
+by those who know them, and to be seen by all
+present. There are two ways of seeing spirits:
+in the first case the spirits materialise their own
+forms till they becomc visible to everybody; in
+the second the spiritual powers of the individual
+are temporarily or permanently brought into play,
+and he becomes a "seeing medium."
+Every human being is surrounded by an atmo-
+sphere which to the spirits is luminous and mate-
+rial, and this atmosphere is largely used by the
+spirits in the production of the physical manifes-
+tations. Baron Reichenbach, while he knew
+nothing of Spiritualism, discovered by experiment
+the presence of unknown forces emanating fron
+human bodies, and published the results in his
+Researches on Animal Magnetism. All the pheno-
+mena of Spiritualism draw temporarily upon the
+vital powers of those composing the circle, but
+the medium is the chief source of energy.
+
+
+A still atmosphere and subdued light in the
+room are favourable conditions for tlie physical
+manifestations.
+SPIRITUALISM AND MEN OF SCIENCE
+Lord Brougham and Sir David Brewster many
+years ago had a séance with Mr. Home. Ever,
+facility was given them for investigation; they
+witnessed some remarkable manifestations, and
+deeply impressed, parted with Mr. Home on the
+most friendly terms. Some little time afterwards
+Brewster, finding that he was much laughed a
+for his testimony, began gradually to back out of
+his first position, and to say that possibly trickery
+was at the root of the manifestations. This led
+to angry letters in the newspapers. Full par-
+ticulars are published in Mr. Home's Incidents of
+My Life. Lord Brougham did not support Brews-
+ter in his later assertions.
+Sir J. Emerson Tennant once invited Faraday
+to a séance at which Mr. Home was to be the
+medium. Faraday wrote and asked for a pro-
+gramme of the manifestations, and as nobody
+knows beforehand what will take place at a circle
+any more than the details of an expected star-
+shower can be given in advance, it was not pos-
+sible to comply with his demand. Faraday also
+required an answer to the following questions,
+among others, before attending:
+“Would he [Mr. Home] be glad if their [the manifesta
+tion's] delusive character were established and exposed,
+and would he gladly help to expose it, or would he be
+annoyed and personally offended? [The italics in this
+sentence are not in the original.]
+“Does he consider the effects natural or supernatural?
+If natural, what are the laws which govern them? or
+does he think that they are not subject to laws? If
+supernatural, does he suppose them to be miracles, of
+the work of spirits? If the work of spirits, would an
+insult to the spirits be considered as an insult to
+himself?"
+Mr. Home took no notice of the above insults,
+and, it is believed, never wrote Faraday in the
+first instance, or took any notice of him whatever.
+He never even saw his letters.
+
+
+Dr. John Tyndall, F.R.S., in a note dated May
+8, 1868, commenting upon Faraday's letter just
+mentioned, wrote:
+“I hold myself in readiness to witness and investigate
+in the spirit of the foregoing letter [of Faraday's], such
+phenomena as Mr. Home may wish to reveal to me
+during the month of June."
+
+
+A few days previously Mr. Home had written
+in the Pall Mall Gazette:
+“It will give me pleasure to meet Professor Tyndall
+and any two gentlemen he shall designate. On my side
+I shall have at least two gentlemen whose names and
+position place them above the suspicion of aiding or
+abetting a fraud. I will meet Professor Tyndall and
+these gentlemen when and where they please, and
+under such circumstances as they may decide on. I
+must only crave their paticnce if nothing should occur
+at the first, or even the second, séance."
+
+
+From that day to this Dr. Tyndall has not
+accepted the above invitation. Possibly it would
+be no usc if he did, for Mr. Home is like a sens-
+tive plant, which is one reason why he is so pliant
+in the hands of spirits, and the presence of any-
+body he does not like interferes seriously with
+the very wonderful manifestations which we have
+seen take place in his presence. Dr. Tyndall's
+best plan, if he desire to gain knowledge, is to
+invite some medium, who gets common violent
+physical manifestations, to meet him at the Royal
+Institution.
+
+
+These great errors on the part of Faraday and
+Tyndall are here put on record with regret, for
+men of their stamp deserve higher honours at the
+hands of a nation than any others whatever; their
+intellectual standing is of the very noblest order
+but, from a psychological point of view, their
+letters show them to be imperfect. Faraday is
+now im a position to know and repent of his errors.
+As for Dr. Tyndall, assuming that the dwellers in
+the spirit land wish to and know how to commu-
+nicate with men, a glimmering of a great idea may
+at last get inside his head, namely, that it is just
+possible that the hosts of heaven may go on with
+their work without asking his consent. However,
+we believe him to be very honourable and fearless
+and think that when he knows the facts to be true
+hè will go behind the Royal Institution table and
+say so publicly.
+A demand for a programme where no programme
+can be given, and the writing of supercilious
+letters in reply to civil invitations, amounts prac-
+tically to a retusal to observe facts. Dr. Tyndall,
+aud men who act like lim, are recommended to
+bear in mind the following words of Galileo :
+“Oh. my dear Kepler, how I wish that we could have
+our hearty laugh together. Here, at Padua, is the prin-
+cipal professor of philosophy, whom I have repeatedly
+and urgently requested to look at the moon and planets
+through my glass, which he pertinaciously refuses to do.
+Why are you not here? What shouts of laughter we
+should have at this glorious folly ; to hear the Professor
+of Philosophy at Pisa, labouring before the Grand Duke
+with logical arguments, as if with magical incantations
+to charm the planets out of the sky!"
+Several eminent members of the Royal Society
+and of the Institution of Civil Engineers, have
+recently been privately investigating Spiritualism,
+and know it to be true. Till they choose to attach
+thcir names publicly to an unpopular truth, it it
+not our business to do it for them, so names must
+be withheld.
+A little society known as the Dialectical Society,
+is now investigating Spiritualism. It number
+among its members many shrewd and intelligent
+men, belonging chiefly to the legal and medical
+professions. Spiritualists watch its proceedings
+with a moderate amount of interest; nothing that
+any man or body of men may say or do can alter
+the established phenomena aud laws of nature.
+THE LITERATURE OF SPIRITUALISM
+The literature of Spiritualism now consists of
+several hundreds of volumes, good, bad, and indif-
+ferent, and almost entirely of American origin.
+Among the best volumes on the subject are Mrs
+De Morgan’s From Matter to Spirit (Longmans)
+with a preface by Professor De Morgan, President
+of the Mathematical Society of London; The
+Planchette, by Epes Sargent; Spiritualism (2 vols.)
+by Judge Edmonds and G. T. Dexter, of New
+York; a History of Spiritualism, by Emma Hard-
+inge; and The Autobiography of Andrew Jackson
+Davis. An interesting book, consisting simply of
+narrations of facts witnessed at remarkable seances
+is Incidents of My Life (Longmans), by D. D
+Homc. The Soul of Things, by Denton, is a curious
+
+
+ADVICE TO INQUIRERS
+Those who know no intelligent Spiritualists
+and nothing about Spiritualism, yet who want to
+investigate, are recommended to begin by reading
+tho first two books mentioned in the preceding
+paragraph. Then they should call upon the chief
+publisher of Spiritual books in London, Mr. J
+Burus, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn (where the
+are sure to be treated with attention and courtesy),
+and ask for the names and addresses of say four
+good professional or non-professional mediums
+accessible to the public, and “recognised by Spiri-
+tualists as reliable for powerful physical manifes-
+tations.” There are plenty of mediums or of people
+who fancy themselves inediums, who can rarely shov
+anything satisfactory, and with whom an inquirer
+might waste much time. He should then get say
+two sittings by daylight in his own house with
+each of the four mediums, because the power
+varies in strength at times with every medium;
+at the end of the eight sittings he is sure to be
+thoroughly intcrested in Spiritualism, and to have
+thrown overboard the imposture theory, which is
+the clumsiest and most superficial one of all.
+Many of the public have vague ideas that electri
+city can do all kinds of unaccountable things, but
+A GENUINE MEDIUM NEVER HAS ANY HESITATION
+IN SITTING WITH A CIRCLE IN A HOUSE AND AMONG
+FURNITURE WHICH HE OR SHE HAS NEVER SEEN IN
+HIS OR HER LIFE BEFORE. Even with a good
+medium it is best, if time be valuable, not to
+investigate at crowded public circles, because
+assuming imposture to be at work, there is no
+felling who may not be aiding, among the
+numerous spectators. Besides, where so many
+people want to ask questions of the spirits, the
+investigator has not time to put many himself.
+Investigators are recommended to be thus careful
+in the selection of mediums, because as public
+attention is gradually more rivetted upon Spiri-
+tualism, impostors are sure to spring up, and even
+to advertise in Spiritual periodicals, for the editors
+manifestly cannot investigate the claims of ever
+professing medium. At present (November, 1869)
+there is very little imposture mixed up with the
+Spiritual movement in Great Britaiu, and there are
+only four or five paid mediums in all London.
+Good paid mediums deserve high praise rather
+than that censure which is thrown upon them even
+by Spiritualists; they find house-room; they are
+ready to receive strangers at stated times when
+private circles could not sit for the convenience of
+inquirers ; the sittings exhaust their vitality like a
+hard days' work, and they have to put up with
+much abuse when uneducated roughs unaccus-
+tomed to investigation persecute them by attend-
+ing. The inquirer should mentiou to the medium,
+civilly and kindly, his doubts respecting the
+phenomena he may witness; the invisible beings
+around will at once, on the spot, do their best to
+remove those doubts, or an explanation will be
+obtained from the medium. When there is real
+foundation for suspicion, the best plan is to go
+often to tle medium, accompanied by witnesses,
+detect the imposture, and prosecute the medium
+for obtaining money under false pretences.
+Genuine manifestations are not under the control
+of the medium, so that a paid medium who does
+not get manifestations, is under a great temptation
+to try to make them. This fact makes it difficult
+for Spiritualists to speak absolutely as to the relia-
+bility of any paid mediunis, however genuine the
+majority of the manifestations may be which occur
+in their presence. After getting thoroughly inte-
+rested in Spiritual phenomena, the inquirer should
+take his friends to see them, and afterwards get up
+a private circle in his own house, Manifestations
+will most likely not be obtained at the first sitting
+but after very few or very many sittings they will
+come; gradually the great barrier of the grave
+which now separates friends will be broken down
+and after the experience of a year or two the
+dread of the beautiful natural process, called
+death," will be destroyed, as it is destroyed in
+the minds of all experienced Spiritualists, except
+those who during life have done harm to their
+fellow-creatures. Very high spirits and thein
+homes are perfectly invisible to very low spirits
+this, coupled with the fact that there is no more
+uniformity in the next world than there is here,
+accounts for the endless contradictions about spirit
+life given in Spiritual communications.
+An investigator of a logical and scientific turn of
+mind may possibly have to closely follow up the
+subject for some weeks before gaining the absolute
+knowledge that the manifestations come from
+spirits. Unlike Mr. Home and a few other excep-
+tional individuals, most mediums are developed
+for one or two special purposes only. Thus, vio-
+lent physical manifestations, inexplicable by any
+of the recognised laws of matter, may be seen in
+the presence of one medium, but mental tests and
+questions may bring forth a majority of inaccurate
+and unreliable answers. Where good mental teste
+are obtainable through a mediuin, the physical
+manifestations may be altogether absent.
+
+
+To LIFE POLICY-HOLDERS.
+The
+recent disclosures in the Chancery Court indis-
+putably prove that neither the antiquity of a life office
+nor the magnitude of its income, affords to the public
+any security that the premiums they have paid for the
+purpose of securing a sum of money to their families
+may not be frittered away in costly amalgamations, on
+jeopardised by fire, marine, or accidental risks.
+In order to remove this insecurity the BRITISH IM-
+PERIAL INSURANCE CORPORATION was esta-
+blished on the principle substantially adopted by Her
+Majesty's Government for small policies, and carried out
+through the medium of the Post-office.
+The Life Funds of the British Imperial Corporation
+are placed beyond the control of the Directors, being in-
+vested in the Government Funds (for the sole purpose
+of mecting policy claims) in the names of trustees, who
+act independent of the Directors, and solely on behalf of
+the policy-holders.
+The system of investing Insurers’ net premiums in
+Consolidated three per cent. Annuities in Trustees
+names for the sole purpose of meeting Policy Claims
+combined with the creation of a number of Separate
+Trusts, presents entirely new elemeuts of security to
+Insurers. Such principles are in contradistinction to
+those of ordinary Life Insurance, where all the premiums
+paid by Insurers are under the sole control of a Central
+Board, exercising power to invest them in almost any
+description of sccurity at home or abroad.
+Any section of the community who are dissatisfied
+with the ordinary plan of entrusting their premiums to
+the care of the Directors of a life office may, without
+cost or risk, constitute themselves into a separate sec-
+tion of the British Imperial Corporation, and appoint
+their own trustees to control the hfe insurance funds
+contributed by them.
+Life policies, if only in force for one, two, or three
+years, may be transferred to the British Imperial Cor¬
+poration on equitable terms.
+
+
+Trustees
+Christopher Weguclin, Esq., Director of the Bank of
+England (Messrs. Thomson, Bonar, and Co.)
+Charles Oppenheim, Esq., Director of the Union Bank of
+London (Messrs. S. Oppenheim and Sons).
+William G. Goodliffe, Esq., Accountant-General, India
+Office, Westminster
+Augustus F. Bayford, Esq., LL.D., Senior Registrar
+Court of Probate, Doctor's-commons, Chancellor of
+the Diocese of Manchester
+Uderman Thomas Dilworth Crewdson, J.P., Greenheys
+Manchester
+Head Offices
+81, KING-STREET, AND 60, SPRING-GARDENS.
+MANCHESTER.
+Chief Offices for London
+20, COCKSPUR-STREET, PALL-MALL.
+
+
+HUMAN NATURE, a Monthly Record
+of Zoistic Science, Intelligence, and Popular
+Anthropology. Recent numbers give full details of the
+extraordinary Manifestations through the celebrated
+Medium, D. D. Home, Esq., with philosophical reason-
+ings as to the nature and cause of the phenomena: a
+new series of lessons on Phrenology and the Tempera-
+ments is being given, containing some new instructions
+of great value to the student; first-class Portraits of
+eminent men and women, with Biographies and Phreno-
+logical delineations are frequently introduced; a serial
+Tale of great power and beauty; articles on Physiology,
+Diet, Temperance, and Health; translations from Con-
+tinental Works and Periodicals; treatises on Mesmerism,
+Clairvoyance, Spiritualism; reviews of Books; reports
+of Lectures, Mectings, and Soeieties, renders this the
+cheapest, most varied, and instructive Periodical of the
+kind in the world. The fact that this Periodical is en-
+tirely unbiased and devoted to the truth respecting all
+the topics on whieh it treats, is a point not to bo over-
+looked by all earnest investigators, whatever their
+opinions may be. Post free, 7s. per annum, or 6d. per
+month from the Booksellers. JAMES BURNS, Progres
+sive Library, 15, Southampton-row, Bloomsbury-square
+Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+THE PROGRESSIVE LIBRARY and
+SPIRITUALIST DEPOSITORY has been re-
+moved from Camberwell to No. 15, Southampton-row
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, W.C J. BURNS has much
+pleasure in announcing that he now occupies the above
+named commodious Premises, which he intends to de-
+vote to the furtherance of the cause of Spiritualism aud
+Kindred Studies.
+There is a Publishing Once and Shop for the sale of
+Books: a Circulating Library of all Works on Spiritualism
+&c.; a Reading-Room supplied with the Spiritual and
+Progressive Publications of the World: a Drawing
+Room for the special use of Ladies and Subscribers;
+Private Rooms for Séances, Committees, Meetigs, &c.
+and where all information respecting the Cause and th
+Progress of events may be obtained.
+The Room will be furnished with interesting Speci-
+mens of Spirit Drawings, Paintings, Photographs. Direct
+Writings, Portraits, Devices, and all that can interest
+and instruct those who inquire into the subject of
+Spiritualism.
+The Subscription, entitling to all the privileges of the
+Establishment, including the use of two Books at a
+time from the Library for home perusal, is 21s. per
+annum.
+
+
+A well-assorted Stock of Stationery, Periodicals, cur-
+rent Progressive Litcrature, Standard Works, Cheap
+Books and Tracts, Pianchettes, Materials for Writing
+and Drawing Mediums; also Works and Appliances on
+Phrenology, Physiology, Health, and Dietetic Reform,
+Temperance, Hydropathy, Gymnastics, Mesmerism
+Clairvoyance, Anthropology, &c., will be kept on sale.
+As the responsibilities incurred in establishing this
+"Home for Spiritualism" and the Science of Man are
+very heavy, the Proprietor earnestly solicits the kind
+co-operation and support of all who sympathise with
+the enterprise. Strangers in London should at once
+call at the Progressive Library, where they may hear of
+Lodgings and get other useful information
+J. BURNS Progressive Library, 15, Southampton-row,
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+Contents.
+
+
+book indirectly connected with Spiritualism, and
+worth reading. Those unacquainted with Spiri-
+tualism are recommended to read these books in
+the order in which they have just been mentioned.
+The only large lending library of Spiritual books
+in Great Britain is that belonging to Mr. J. Burns
+15, Southampton-row, High Holborn, London
+W.C. The English periodicals on the subject
+are, The Spiritual Magazine, Human Nature, Day-
+break, and The Spiritualist.
+
+
+JOSEPH BARKER’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY
+Now ready, neatly bound in cloth, price 2s. 6d.
+TEACHINGS OF EXPERIENCE; or
+Lessons I have Learned on my Way through
+Life.
+“At the time he told me of these things, I had become
+rather uncharitable towards the Spiritualists, and very
+distrustful of their statements, and the consequence was
+that my friend’s account of what he had witnessed,
+and of the effect it had on his mind, made but little im-
+pression on me. But when I saw things resembling
+what my friend had seen, his account of what he had
+witnessed came back to my mind with great power, and
+helped to increase my astonishment." ... “The result of
+my visit to Dr. Redman was, that I never afterwards
+felt the same impatience with Spiritualists, or the same
+inclination to pronounce them foolish or dishonest, that
+I had felt before. It was plain, that whether their theory
+of a spirit world was true or not, they were excusable in
+thinking it true. It looked like truth."—Pp. 163, 164.
+London: JAMES BEVERIDGE, 9, 10, 11, Fullwood's-rents
+Holborn, W.C.
+
+
+Spirit-rapping in Jolin Wesley's Family
+1
+Philosophy of Death
+1
+Number of Spiritualists in America...
+1
+Testimony of Non-Spiritualists...
+Why Galileo was Perseeuted
+2
+REPORTS OF MEETINGS:—St. John's Association of
+Spiritualists. 2—Summary of Evidence Given be-
+fore the Dialectical Society—The Anthropological
+Society
+...2
+...
+Spirit Greetings
+GENERAL NEWS:—The Spiritualist—The Dialectical
+Society—The Gower-street Conference—Spiritual-
+ism in New Zealand—Spiritualism in East London
+-Spiritualism in Clerkenwell — Spiritualism in
+Mesmerism and Clairvoyance
+Bloomsbury
+Charge of Imposture—Where the Liars go to...
+LEADERS:—Opening Address—The Scientiflc Inves-
+tigation of Spiritual Phenomena
+5
+Which is the Best Evidence
+5
+POETRY
+6
+CORRESPONDENCE—The Separation between Spirit
+Societies—Thought-reading and Physical Manifes-
+... 6
+tations—Trance Mediumship...
+Dr. Thomas Young on Spirits
+... 6
+ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS ...
+... 6
+PARAGRAPHS:—A Spirit on Ghosts, 3—Friends of
+Spiritualism, 6—Solomon, King of Israel, 6—The
+Spiritual Library, 6 —Apparitious, 6.
+
+
+Printed for the Proprietor by JANES BEVERIDGE, at the
+Holborn Printing Works, Fullwood’s Rents, High
+Holborn, in the Parish of St. Andrew-above-Bar and
+St. George the Martyr, London
+
+
+The Spiritualist
+
+
+No. 3
+-VOL. I.
+
+
+A RECORD OF THE PROGRESS OF THE SCIENCE AND ETHICS OF SPIRITUALISM
+
+
+LADIES IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
+SPIRITUALISM demonstrates that no immediate im-
+provement is made in the moral or mental condition of
+any human being, after passing through the process
+called “ death.” Hence, everything done on this earth
+to improve human bodies and human minds, causes a
+higher class of spirits to enter the next world. Such
+facts have a very useful and beautiful practical teach-
+ing, for they let us know that to raise the present
+average condition of this world and the next, we must
+begin by doing everything possible to improve the
+bodies and souls of man and woman-kind. Why
+should women be in a worse condition upon earth than
+men, and be cut off so much from freedom of action, as
+well as from facilities to earn an independent liveli-
+hood? Why should they not have equal opportunities
+with men to gain a good education, when any of them
+desire so to do? The sight of the advertisement about
+the Female Medical Society, printed on the last page of
+this journal, led us to make a few inquiries about this
+new opening for female industry, and the remainder of
+this article is a summary of the information received
+upon the subject.
+During the last few weeks the University of Edin-
+burgh has opened its doors to ladies who wish to study
+medicine, on the sole condition that they comply with
+the same regulations, and undergo the same graduated
+examinations, as the students of the other sex. The
+classes, however, are to be kept separate, each of the
+university professors having a second-class for women
+only, so that the sexes do not attend in mixed classes.
+The women students, while so few in number, will have
+to subscribe a large quota of the expenses of the course
+in order to furnish a reasonable honorarium to the
+respective teachers, and on that point the students wil
+have to arrange for themselves with the professors.
+But the class-rooms, the museums, and the thousand
+other standing accessories associated with the great
+school of Edinburgh, are now as freely at the disposal
+of women as of men. The professors have promised to
+give separate courses of lectures, for a mere nominal
+acknowledgment in the shape of fee, in some cases
+indeed allowing the women simply to pay the same
+small fees as are paid by the men students in their
+very large classes. Five women have already presented
+themselves in the medical matriculation examination,
+two of whom were “ honours students ” at the Obstet-
+rical College of the Female Medical Society in Fitzroy
+square, London—Mrs. Isabel Thorne and Miss Matilda
+Chaplin—one was a lady from America—Miss J. Blake
+and the two other ladies were Miss Peachey and Mrs.
+Evans. The ladies came out almost at the top of the
+lists, and one of the past students of the Female
+Medical Society obtained special commendation.
+On the bare question of right it has been a monstrous
+violation of equity that women have been so long ex-
+cluded by technical means, from disposing of themselves
+and their abilities as they choose, and as they can get
+the public to employ them. The Female Medical So-
+ciety, a semi-benevolent society, founded on a purely
+public basis, has not contemplated eleemosynary help
+to ladies desiring to practice as physicians, or as general
+practitioners, but seems to have thought that ladies of
+that rank of ability were quite able to help themselves
+and that the proper way would be for them to gain that
+access to the existing medical schools which has now
+been gained at the Universities of Edinburgh, Paris,
+Zurich, and some other places. Similar facilities must
+ere long be given by all the medical colleges.
+A very valuable and practically useful auxiliary
+college has, however, been kept in operation for now five
+years by the Female Medical Society, in order to teach
+for a small fee the theory and practice of midwifery
+and the accessory branches of medical science, to educated
+women. When it is considered that more than a million
+births occur every year in this country, and that probably
+more than half-a-million sterling is paid annually for
+professional attendances in that respect, which could be
+infinitely better rendered by women than by men,
+manifestly this branch of medical practice would be a
+most valuable addition to the now narrow and over
+crowded fields of usefulness which are open to women.
+Of late years women have been artificially excluded
+from the practice of midwifery, because they have had
+no proper aids to study, and have had access to no
+public examinations which would enable skilled women
+
+
+to distinguish themselves from the drunken old women
+into whose hands the female practice has drifted, and
+who are of course quite unable to compete with the
+well-educated “gentlemanly” person whom recent
+collegiate medical teaching and certificating has intro-
+troduced in displacement. With singular acumen the
+new order of men-midwives still hold that women are
+the proper persons to attend—paupers—but that it is
+highly improper and even dangerous for women to
+attend patients of that class who are accustomed to
+remunerate their attendants handsomely. It is very
+noteworthy, however, that even illiterate old women
+have fewer casualties and fewer deaths among their
+lying-in patients than occur with educated medical
+gentlemen, and Dr. Edmunds and other authorities have
+proved that this fact is due to the circumstance that
+medical men engaged in general practice, and having
+to pass from cases of fever to those under notice, convey
+upon their hands an animal virus which produces by
+direct infection those febrile diseases which in the deli-
+cate condition of the recipient are so fatal and unman-
+ageable. Some additional facts about the Female Medical
+Society are set out in our advertisement pages, and the
+addresses of lady midwives, prospectuses of the college,
+and all particulars as to the operations of the society,
+may be obtained by writing to the lady secretary.
+We may add that the society is much in need of
+additional subscriptions in order to carry out its objects
+more effectively, and that there are few directions in
+which money could be better utilised in helping women
+to help themselves, and at the same time to render
+valuable service to the public.
+
+
+SPIRIT-RAPPING IN JOHN WESLEY’S FAMILY.
+IN TEN PARTS.—PART THREE
+THE following is the account written and published
+by John Wesley himself, about the spirit-rapping dis-
+turbances in the house of his brother:
+"When I was very young, I heard several letters
+read, wrote to my elder brother by my father, giving
+an account of strange disturbances, which were in his
+house at Epworth, in Lincolnshire.
+“ When I went down thither, in the year 1720, I
+carefully inquired into the particulars. I spoke to each
+of the persons who were then in the house, and took
+down what each could testify of his or her own know-
+ledge. The sum of which was this:—
+"On Dec. 2, 1716, while Robert Brown, my father's
+servant, was sitting with one of the maids a little
+before ten at night, in the dining-room which opened
+into the garden, they both heard one knocking at the
+door. Robert rose and opened it, but could see nobody.
+Quickly it knocked again, and groaned. “It is Mr.
+Turpine, said Robert, he has the stone, and uses to
+groan so.’ He opened the door again twice or thrice,
+the knocking being twice or thrice repeated; but still
+seeing nothing, and being a little startled, they rose
+and went up to bed.
+When Robert came to the top of
+the garret stairs, he saw a handmill, which was at a
+little distance, whirled about very swiftly. When he
+related this, he said, 'Nought vexed me, but that it was
+empty. I thought, if it had but been full of malt, he
+might have ground his heart out for me.'
+When he
+was in bed, he heard as it were the gobbling of a
+turkey-cock close to the bed-side; and soon after, the
+sound of one stumbling over his shoes and boots; but
+there were none there, he had left them below. The
+next day he and the maid related these things to the
+other maid, who laughed heartily, and said, What a
+couple of fools are you ! I defy anything to fright me.'
+After churning in the evening, she put the butter in
+the tray, and had no sooner carried it into the dairy,
+than she heard a knocking on the shelf where several
+puncheons of milk stood, first above the shelf, then
+below. She took the candle, and searched both above
+and below; but being able to find nothing, threw down
+butter, tray, and all, and ran away for life. The next
+evening, between five and six o’clock, my sister Molly,
+then about twenty years of age, sitting in the dining-
+room reading, heard as if it were the door that led into
+the hall open, and a person walking in, that seemed to
+have on a silk night-gown, rustling and trailing along.
+It seemed to walk round her, then to the door, then
+round again; but she could see nothing. She thought,
+
+
+'It signifies nothing to run away; for, whatever it is,
+it can run faster than me.' So she rose, put her book
+le under her arm, and walked slowly away.
+After
+it supper she was sitting with my sister Sukey (about
+year older than her), in one of the chambers, and
+telling her what had happened; she made quite light
+of it, telling her, I wonder you are so easily frighted
+I would fain see what would fright me.' Presently
+knocking began under the table. She took the candle
+and looked, but could find nothing. Then the iron
+casement began to clatter, and the lid of a warming
+pan. Next the latch of the door moved up and down
+without ceasing. She started up, leaped into the bed
+without undressing, pulled the bed-clothes over her
+head, and never ventured to look up till next morning.
+A night or two after my sister Hetty, a year younger
+than my sister Molly, was waiting as usual, between
+nine and ten, to take away my father’s candle, when
+she heard one coming down the garret stairs, walking
+slowly by her, then going down the best stairs, then up
+the back stairs, and up the garret stairs; and at every
+step it seemed the house shook from top to bottom.
+Just then my father knocked. She went in, took his
+candle, and got to bed as fast as possible. In the
+morning she told this to my eldest sister, who told her
+'You know I believe none of these things ; pray let me
+take away the candle to-night, and I will find out the
+trick.’ She accordingly took my sister Hetty’s place,
+and had no sooner taken away the candle, than she
+heard a noise below. She hastened downstairs to the
+hall, where the noise was; but it was then in the
+kitchen. She ran into the kitchen, where it was drum-
+ming on the inside of the screen.
+When she went
+round, it was drumming on the outside : and so always
+on the side opposite to her. Then she heard a knock-
+ing at the back kitchen door. She ran to it, unlocked
+it softly, and when the knocking was repeated, suddenly
+opened it; but nothing was to be seen. As soon as
+she had shut it, the knocking began again. She
+opened it again, but could see nothing. When she
+went to shut the door, it was violently thrust against
+her; she let it fly open, but nothing appeared. She
+went again to shut it, and it was again thrust against
+her; but she set her knee and her shoulder to the door,
+forced it to, and turned the key. Then the knocking
+began again; but she let it go on, and went up to bed
+However, from that time she was thoroughly convinced
+that there was no imposture in the affair.
+“ The next morning, my sister telling my mother
+what had happened, she said, 'If I hear anything
+myself, I shall know how to judge.' Soon after, she
+begged her to come into the nursery. She did, and
+heard in the corner of the room, as it were, the violent
+rocking of a cradle ; but no cradle had been there for
+some years. She was convinced it was preternatural,
+and earnestly prayed it might not disturb her in her
+own chamber at the hours of retirement; and it never
+did. She now thought it was proper to tell my father.
+But he was extremely angry, and said, 'Sukey, I am
+ashamed of you: these boys and girls frighten one
+another; but you are a woman of sense, and should
+know better. Let me hear of it no more.'
+"At six in the evening, he had family prayers as
+usual. When he began the prayer for the king, a
+knocking began all round the room; and a thundering
+knock attended the Amen. The same was heard fron
+this time every morning and evening, while the prayer
+for the king was repeated. As both my father and
+mother are now at rest, and incapable of being pained
+thereby, I think it my duty to furnish the serious
+a reader with a key to this circumstance.
+“The year before King William died, my father
+observed my mother did not say Amen to the prayer
+for the King. She said she could not, for she did not
+believe the Prince of Orange was king. He vowed he
+never would cohabit with her till she did. He then
+took his horse and rode away; nor did she hear any
+thing of him for a twelvemonth. He then came back,
+and lived with her as before. But I fear his vow was
+not forgotten before God.
+"Being informed that Mr. Hoole, the vicar of Haxey
+(an eminently pious and sensible man), could give me
+some farther information, I walked over to him. He
+said, 'Robert Brown came over to me, and told me
+your father desired my company. When I came, he
+gave me an account of all that had happened, particu-
+
+
+LONDON: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1869
+
+
+Price Threepence.
+
+
+Published Fortnightly.
+
+
+18
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+DEC. 17, 1869.
+
+
+larly the knocking during family prayer. But that
+evening (to my great satisfaction) we had no knocking
+at all. But between nine and ten a servant came in
+and said, '"Old Jeffrey is coming (that was the name of
+one that died in the house), for I hear the signal."
+This, they inform me, was heard every night about a
+quarter before ten. It was toward the top of the
+house, on the outside, at the north-east corner, resem-
+bling the loud creaking of a saw, or rather that of a
+windmill, when the body of it is turned about, in order
+to shift the sails to the wind. We then heard a knock-
+ing over our heads; and Mr. Wesley, catching up a
+candle, said, '"Come, Sir, now you shall hear for your-
+self.'" We went upstairs; he with much hope, and I(to
+say the truth) with much fear. When we came into the
+nursery, it was knocking in the next room; when we
+were there, it was knocking in the nursery. And there
+it continued to knock though we came in, particularly
+at the head of the bed (which was of wood), in which
+Miss Hetty and two of her younger sisters lay. Mr.
+Wesley, observing that they were much affected, though
+asleep, sweating and trembling exceedingly, was very
+angry; and pulling out a pistol, was going to fire at the
+place from whence the sound came. But I catched him
+by the arm, and said, '"Sir, you are convinced this is
+something preternatural. If so, you cannot hurt it
+but you give it power to hurt you.'"
+He then went
+close to the place, and said stemly, '"Thou deaf and
+dumb devil, why dost thou fright these children, that
+cannot answer for themselves ? Come to me in my study
+that am a man?'". Instantly it knocked his knock,
+(the particular knock which he always used at the gate
+as if it would shiver the board in pieces; and we heard
+nothing more that night.' Till this time my father
+had never heard the least disturbances in his study.
+But the next evening, as he attempted to go into his
+study (of which none had any key but himself), when
+he opened the door, it was thrust back with such vio-
+lence as had like to have thrown him down. However,
+he thrust the door open, and went in. Presently there
+was knocking, first on one side, then on the other; and
+after a time, in the next room, wherein my sister Nancy
+was. He went into that room, and (the noise con-
+tinuing) adjured it to speak, but in vain. He then
+said, 'These spirits love darkness; put out the candle
+and perhaps it will speak.' She did so, and he repeated
+his adjuration ; but still there was only knocking, and
+no articulate sound. Upon this he said, Nancy, two
+Christians are an overmatch for the devil. Go all of
+you downstairs ; it may be when I am alone, he will
+have courage to speak. When she was gone, a thought
+came in, and he said, 'If thou art the spirit of my son
+Samuel, I pray knock three knocks, and no more.'
+Immediately all was silence ; and there was no more
+knocking at all that night. I asked my sister Nancy
+(then about fifteen years old) whether she was not
+afraid when my father used that adjuration? She
+answered, she was sadly afraid it would speak, when
+she put out the candle; but she was not at all afraid in
+the day-time, when it walked after her, as she swept
+the chambers, as it constantly did, and seemed to sweep
+after her; only she thought he might have done it for
+her, and saved her the trouble. By this time all my
+sisters were so accustomed to these noises, that they
+gave them little disturbance. A gentle tapping at their
+bed-head usually began between nine and ten at night.
+They then commonly said to each other, Jeffrey is
+coming; it is time to go to sleep. And if they heard
+a noise in the day, and said to my youngest sister,
+'Hark, Kezzy, Jeffrey is knocking above;’ she would
+run upstairs, and pursue it from room to room, saying
+she desired no better diversion.
+“ A few nights after, my father and mother were just
+gone to bed, and the candle was not taken away, when
+they heard three blows, and a second, and a third three,
+as it were with a large oaken staff, struck upon a chest
+which stood by the bed-side. My father immediately
+arose, put on his night-gown, and hearing great noises
+below, took the candle and went down; my mother
+walked by his side. As they went down the broad
+stairs, they heard as if a vessel, full of silver, was
+poured upon my mother’s breast, and ran jingling down
+to her feet. Quickly after there was a sound, as if a
+large iron ball was thrown among many bottles under
+the stairs; but nothing was hurt. Soon after, our
+large mastiff dog came, and ran to shelter himself
+between them. While the disturbances continued, he
+used to bark and leap, and snap on one side and the
+other; and that frequently before any person in the
+room heard any noise at all. But after two or three
+days, he used to tremble, and creep away before the
+noise began. And by this the family knew it was at
+hand; nor did the observation ever fail. A little
+before my father and mother came into the hall, it
+seemed as if a very large coal was violently thrown
+upon the floor, and dashed all in pieces ; but nothing
+was seen. My father then cried out, “Sukey, do you
+not hear? All the pewter is thrown about the
+kitchen.' But when they looked, all the pewter stood
+in its place. There then was a loud knocking at the
+back-door. My father opened it, but saw nothing.
+It was then at the fore door. He opened that, but it
+was still lost labour. After opening first the one, then
+
+
+the other, several times, he turned, and went up to bed.
+But the noises were so violent all over the house, that
+he could not sleep till four in the morning.
+“ Several gentlemen and clergymen now earnestly
+advised my father to quit the house. But he constantly
+answered, “No ; let the devil flee from me; I will
+never flee from the devil.' But he wrote to my eldest
+brother at London to come down. He was preparing
+so to do, when another letter came, informing him the
+disturbances were over; after they had continued (the
+latter part of the time day and night) from the second
+of December to the end of January."
+
+
+Reports of Meetings.
+
+
+[When reports of the speeches of spirits are printed in this Journal, non-
+Spiritualists should understand that spirits out of the body are wise of
+foolish, truthful or untruthful, just the same as spirits in the body. More-
+over, they are but individuals, so do not know everything. The statements of
+a spirit are but the assertions of an individual; but by comparing the state-
+ments of many spirits, it may in time be possible to discover in what points
+they agree, and to sift out the unreliable communications. Many spirits
+cannot see each other, any more than we can see them, and as some of them
+are thus in different states of life, it does not follow that contradictory
+messages are therefore untruthful. Spirits are of different religions, conse-
+sequently their teachings do not altogether agree; there is no more uniformity
+in the next world than in this one.]
+
+
+ON Thursday evening, December 9th, a social meeting of
+the St. John’s Association of Spiritualists was held in St.
+John’s Hall, Corporation-row, Clerkenwell, the proceedings
+beginning with tea, and ending with speeches. When the
+business of the evening began, Mr. W. Cresswell was voted
+into the chair.
+The CHAIRMAN said that it had been thought desirable to
+spend the rest of the evening in the public narration of the
+experience of each speaker on the subject of Spiritualism.
+Many years ago he had discarded an intimate friend because
+that friend took up the imposture of Spiritualism, and it was
+not till the winter of 1860-61 that he (the Chairman) saw an
+manifestations himself. After investigating the reality of the
+common table manifestations, he satisfied himself that the
+were true. He knew that much which is seen in Spiritualism
+taken separately, could be explained without assuming the in-
+tervention of disembodied spirits, but considering the pheno-
+mena as a whole, that spirits are at the bottom of them is
+certain. Since 1861 he had been a very active worker in the
+movement.
+Mr. J. S. STEELE, watchmaker, of 36, Great Sutton-street,
+Clerkenwell, E.C., said that he first saw the spiritual mani-
+festations in the room in which he was speaking, and Messrs.
+Cresswell, Davis, and Blackwell were present. He thought all
+he then witnessed was contemptible rubbish, but he attended
+twice more, and, his curiosity being aroused, he joined the so-
+ciety for the sake of obtaining regular admittance. After a
+time he discontinued his visits, and at last said to his wife,
+who had been a Spiritualist for some time, “ If you go to that
+place again I’II go to St. Luke’s madhouse and get one
+straight jacket for you and another for Davis.” (Laughter.)
+However, he attended once more, and the spirits selected him
+and ten other persons to sit at a dark séance. At that séance
+Mr. Davis was entranced, and repeated to him the dying
+words of his son. This son had died a year before he knew
+Mr. Davis, and he had never spoken to the latter on the sub-
+ject. The words were, “Good bye, God bless you. You'll
+never forget me, will you?” Davis finished by saying, “Is
+there anybody here who remembers these words?” He (Mr.
+Steele) shouted “Yes, I do.” Davis replied, “I should think
+you do, father.”. His wife was not present at the séance. A
+short time afterwards, a medium, Miss Dixon, came to his
+house. He entered the parlour to speak to her, and she went
+off into a trance upon the sofa. He felt very uncomfortable
+to see a strange young woman apparently fainting away in
+his house, as he did not know how to bring her round, and
+was not used to that sort of thing. He thought to himself
+“Here’s a pretty pickle I’m in !"
+She rose from the sofa,
+bent one foot so that she walked on the edge of it, drew up
+one arm into a cramped position, and limped in a peculiar
+way across the room. He said, “Why, that’s my mother."
+The medium, who never knew his mother, replied, “ Yes, my
+boy, I should think it is.” His mother had died many years
+before, and she was much afflicted with paralysis. Another
+spirit, purporting to be his son, spoke to him through Miss
+Dixon, and said, “ Father, you once made me an earthly pro-
+mise.” He replied,“Yes, for shortly before his son died the
+boy asked him to always wear a ring on his finger in remem-
+brance of him, with the date of his birth, death, and burial
+engraved upon it. He (Mr. Steele) had not kept the promise
+and had not told his wife about it, because he knew that if he
+did she would always be pressing him to wear the ring. His son
+through the medium, continued, “ Will you now make me a
+spiritual promise?”. He replied, “ Yes, but will you tell me
+what was to be inside the ring?”. The answer was, “Do you
+want me to tell you more than the three dates?” “No, he
+said, “I am satisfied.” And he was satisfied, for no being on
+earth knew anything about the private conversation between
+him and his son about the ring.
+Mr. AVERY, an American, said that in the August of 1861
+he was told through a trance medium that his little daughter
+who was very ill, was suffering from a bad rupture, and would
+soon enter the spirit world, although a short time before the
+change she would appear to be much better. In October he
+received, through a drawing medium, an accurate likeness of
+his grandfather, who had then been in the spirit world for
+sixty years. The medium was a stranger to him, and lived
+500 miles from the locality where his grandfather spent his
+life while on earth. The portrait was recognised by all who
+once knew his grandfather. About this time his daughter got
+worse again. She was very sick, and she told him that she
+would come back to him sometimes from the spirit world if
+she could. Through his own mediumship he was told several
+days in advance that she would pass away on one particular
+Sunday, a little after twelve o’clock. Everything took place
+as predicted. In the following December he went to New
+York, and while in his sister’s house a woman, a medium, en-
+tered in the trance state, and he heard his child’s voice saying,
+"Where’s Pa?” She added, "I’m Lavinia. Pa! Didn’t I
+tell you I’d come back again?”. She chatted with him for
+some time, told him that "he was going crazy about Spiritual-
+ism,” and that in a short time she would find out a way of
+convincing her mother through a medium. She finished by
+saying, “ Oh, l’m so sick, I can’t stay longer.”. She then left,
+and the medium appeared to be very unwell, though other
+
+
+spirits soon brought her round again.* The following summer
+his wife went to Philadelphia, and said she was going to see
+some clairvoyance, “ because that’s not Spiritualism, you
+know.” (Laughter.) She went, and received more than she
+expected. When she entered the room, the clairvoyant walked
+up to her and said, “ Mother ! mother !” and the spirit of her
+child forthwith told her the whole history of her life, as well
+as many things which occurred before she was born, and
+which were known to nobody but the listener. From that
+time forth his wife never said another word about the foolish-
+ness of Spiritualism. “ It is one thing,” said the speaker, “to
+get evidence like this, and another thing to obtain the pure
+love which belongs to the spirit world, and then act it out in
+daily life. God is love, and to be true Spiritualists, you must
+love everybody and everything. When you do that, heaven is
+within you, and it is yours.” (Applause.)
+Mr. J. DAVIS said that he was an unlettered man, that he
+once thoroughly disliked Spiritualism, though his prejudices
+were overruled by a friend who induced him to go and see
+“the jugglery ” at the house of Mr. Blackwell in Bunhill-row.
+Many of the persons present on that occasion he saw among
+the listeners before him. He saw the table moving about, and
+said, with a laugh, “ Why, anybody can do that.”. He said to
+his friend,“ Let’s put our hands on this table, and see whether
+it will move for us.” It was a heavy four-legged table, with
+coffee cups on it, and directly their four hands touched it, it
+began to move. He turned red, and said to his friend, “ You
+did that.” “No, I didn’t,” said the friend, “ you did it, and
+they began to quarrel. He said, “ Well, let’s try again, and
+you be honest this time." “I was before,” said the friend.
+“No you wasn’t,” was the answer, and the quarrel was re-
+sumed. However, they tried again, and not only did the
+table move, but another small table, with nobody near it
+quietly walked by itself, in three strides, several feet along the
+floor up to him (Mr. Davis). He jumped up and laid hold of
+the table, which he examined for strings and wires, but could
+find nothing. He did not follow up the subject for some
+months afterwards, but he was very much perplexed, and, at
+last, he joined an experimental circle of six persons who re-
+solved to try for themselves, and to investigate Spiritualism
+thoroughly. They obtained the manifestations, they searched
+the Bible to discover its connection with the subject, and they
+found out that both taught that men should love God with all
+their hearts and minds, and love their neighbour as them-
+selves ; that they need not care for this, that, or the other
+"ism,” but should go about doing good everywhere. A few
+weeks after the formation of the circle the spirits told him
+that they were going to make him a trance medium ; he re-
+plied that "he should not like to be entranced except by some
+relation who would not hurt him.” However, he was en-
+tranced by not a very high influence, and “ a pretty figure he
+cut," for he frightened everybody in the room ; he was rather
+ill afterwards from the physical effects. Afterwards partial
+entrancement came on at times, but he had no confidence in
+his mediumship, and thought it was something springing from
+his own brain or physical body, and not from spirits. One
+night, at a circle, he had this thought in his mind, and a
+writing medium present wrote out very swiftly, “ You have
+been doubting your own entrancement ; don’t do it again, on
+it will be to your own destruction.” From that time his
+doubts about the reality of the power were gradually re-
+moved, and he had found his mediumship to be a great bless-
+ing—a source of happiness, quietness, and ease of mind—a
+divine influence springing from the love of the Almighty
+God.
+The CHAIRMAN said that he was one of the circle of six
+persons mentioned by Mr. Davis. The spirits who came to
+that circle professed the Christian religion, and gently lec-
+tured the members when they did not act up to its principles ;
+once they spoke to Mr. Davis about his not having spent a
+Sunday in a proper way. One day Davis asked them for an
+evening off, when he did not want to attend circle, and they
+told him he might go; but they let the other members know
+that they would bring him that evening as usual. While the
+circle was sitting they heard a noise, saw the handle of the
+door turn, saw the door open, and saw Mr. Davis just mount-
+ing the top stair, which was about six feet from the door
+Davis was in an entranced state, and had been walked by the
+spirits in that condition all the way from Lincoln’s-inn-fields
+to Bunhill-row. Those who witnessed his entrance into the
+room have no reason to doubt that, in ancient times, spirits
+could open prison doors.
+Mr. WOOLNOUGH said that he first heard of Spiritualism in
+the adjoining coffee-house, and he asked Mr. Davis, “ When
+does the performance come off?"
+He indignantly replied
+that it was “no performance,” and brought him into the
+room ; but the spirits turned him and others out again, saying
+that their presence interfered. During the short time he was
+in the room he saw nothing very striking, except that one of
+the legs of a four-legged table rose off the floor, whilst the
+other three stood firm, the table appearing to bend in the
+middle ; this perplexed him a little, as he could not see how it
+could be done. He thought it peculiar, and followed up the
+subject for twelve months. They had pipes and coffee at the
+circles on Sunday; the spirits said nothing about this habit at
+first; they did not knock their pipes out of their mouths
+but slowly and gently, as is ever their way, they spoke to
+them of the impropriety, and induced them to break off the
+custom. One evening, at Mr. Cresswell’s, an aunt of his
+signalled through the table. This aunt died before he was
+born, and he (Mr. Woolnough) did not know that such a
+person had ever lived, neither did his friends at home know of
+her; but after searching for the particulars in a book, the
+found out that what was said at the circle was quite true. He
+had had eight years experience of the sayings and doings of
+his spirit friends, and he had always found that when there
+was a quarrel between members of the circle they never took
+any part in it, and when they rebuked anybody, it was always
+done gently and mildly ; they are good guides, and set a good
+example. When entrancement comes on slowly it is accom-
+panied by a feeling of intense happiness and pleasure, and if
+death resembled entrancement, death would have no terrors
+for him. When the entrancement comes suddenly, for the
+instant the feeling is as if the head werc dashed in, and is not
+pleasant. When he first saw Mr. Blackwell, the medium, he
+thought he looked very much like a conjuror ; and, as for Mr
+Davis, he thought him stupid; but having now become a
+medium himself, his views were altered.
+The CHAIRMAN said that he was very pleased to see Mr
+Shorter present, as he had not attended one of their meetings
+for a very long time previously, and he was sure that every-
+body present would like to hear a few words from him.
+
+
+* In the trance mediumship of Mrs. Olive, of 6, The Junction, Cambridge
+road, Kilburn, W., it has often been noticed that after the spirits have left
+Mrs. Olive has felt symptoms of the diseases which afflicted them when they
+died. Some spirits will not stay long, lest she should be too much incon-
+venienced in this way. Have similar facts been noticed elsewhere ?—ED.
+
+
+DEc. 17, 1869.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST
+
+
+19
+
+
+Mr. T. SHORTER said that Spiritualism has no class-sympa-
+thies or prejudices, and is adapted to meet the wants of
+humanity at large. It is a boon to sorrowing, struggling
+humanity. Sore and severe are the trials of the labouring
+classes ; but Spiritualism strengthens them in their times of
+weakness, and makes life more cheerful, more happy, and
+more noble, for, among other things, it takes away all doubt
+and distress of mind about the nature of the future life. It is
+a noble movement, and though some of the manifestation
+may seem to be trivial, it should be remembered that Franklin,
+simply by flying a kite with a key ticd to the end of the wet
+string, learnt much about electricity, and Watt, while watch-
+ing the movements of the lid of a kettle, conceived the idea
+of a steam-engine ; great things, therefore, may spring from
+small motions, even though the articles moved be tables.
+Spiritualism teaches men to realise more than they ever did
+before, that they are preparing for a higher and better life
+hereafter ; it teaches that our former friends, whose bodies are
+laid away in the grave, still really and actually are with us
+and that their love still surrounds us. Death is not the grim
+monster and the grisly image which he has bcen pictured;
+for, although he strips us of our robes of clay, he is a benefi-
+cent angel who opens to us the flower-encircled door of the
+summer land, and introduces us once more to those we love.
+(Applause).
+Mr. OVERTON said that he knew that spirits still live with
+their friends on earth, and guide them, as he was a little bit
+of a medium himself. He had travelled much in the world
+and found that when he was humble enough to be guided by
+them, they had done him and others a great deal of good
+still, he often resisted their influence.
+Mr. TOWNs said that he never sought Spiritualism, but
+Spiritualism sought him. He knew the preceding speaker
+Mr. Overton, six years ago, when they were both living in
+Melbourne, Australia. They lost sight of each other, and
+both came to England about the same time, though neither
+knew that the other was returning also. One day on returning
+to his house in Clerkenwell, his wife told him that Mr. Overton
+had called to see him, which surprised him very much, as he
+did not know how Mr. Overton could be in England, or how
+he discovered his address. Next day Mr. Overton called
+again, and said that he had been told to come to that address
+by the spirits, who had also stated that he (Mr. Towns) was a
+medium. He told Mr. Overton he should like to see some-
+thing of Spiritualism. and on the following Sunday Mr. Over-
+ton brought a Mr. Hillman with him, and they had a séance.
+His wife did not approve of the step, and went upstairs into a
+bedroom, where she locked herself in. They sat round a table
+which soon began to move, and presently they said, “ Your
+father’s here.”
+He replied with a knowing look, “ Oh ! is
+he!” (Laughter.) But then the table spelt out his father
+name, next where he used to live, and then came statement
+of fact which he knew could not be known to Messrs. Overton
+or Hillman. After they had gone, he sat down very seriously
+and told his wife he would try for half-an-hour if he could get
+some more communications. After earnest prayer he made
+the trial ; the manifestations soon began, and answers were
+given to mental and other questions, at which Mrs. Towns
+was much frightened. From that time he began to attend
+many spirit circles. Soon he began to feel the effects upon
+himself of this strange power, which on some few occasions
+has made him hold his hands in gas-flames, where they were
+not hurt. Once he, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Childs, went to the
+Marshall’s to hear the voices at a dark séance. He remarked
+to his friends that he did not like the look of the tubes upon
+the table; they agreed to seize them directly the lights were
+put out, and they did so. John King’s voice roared out
+“George Childs.” “Yes, was the answer. “ What are you
+doing with our trumpets? However, never mind, you may a
+well keep them.”. Katie was there, and talked a great deal
+and grapes were given him, with the remark, “There’s one
+apiece for each of your five children at home ; the other six
+are with us here.” A gentleman on a visit to London, who
+was then stopping at the Norfolk Hotel in the Strand, was at
+the séance, and considered it to be all an imposture, and next
+day he brought a letter which he had written to publicly ex-
+pose it, to him (Mr. Towns) to read. Before taking further
+steps they went to the Marshalls again, wherc Katie at once
+told them that she had heard the letter read in his house, and
+she narrated some little incidents which took place on the
+occasion. Since then he had seen many wonderful manifesta-
+tions. He had been to church and chapel till he had been
+preached outside of both (hear hear), and never could believe
+that God would hereafter cook him like a leg of mutton, for
+ever. Would any earthly father do such a thing to even the
+worst of his children, or would any mother present ever do so
+and listen eternally without relenting, to cries of the child
+subjected to the torture ? He entreated his hearers to use
+their common sense, to investigate honestly, and they would
+discover the truth.
+Mr. MORSE, trance medium, said that he first heard of Spiri-
+tualism by reading the particulars of the trial of Lyon v. Home
+and he told his friends that he considered it to be partly mesmer-
+ism, partly imagination, and partly trickery. Still he saw
+that respectable persons, more intelligent than himself, testi-
+fied to its truth, so he thought he was not justified in con-
+demning it without investigation. Accordingly he went to
+Mr. Cogman’s circle, at the East-end, to expose it. After sit-
+ting about twenty minutes he felt as if his head was split
+open and a shovel-full of sand dropped in. Then a power
+stronger than himself made him get up and begin to roar and
+bellow, though all the time he was conscious of his acts, and
+very much ashamed of his behaviour. Mr. Cogman told the
+spirit to leave him, and the reply through his (Mr. Morse’s)
+lips was, “ Sit down, you old fool!”. The influence made hin
+misbehave himself for half-an-hour, and then it left him. He
+was very much exhausted, and not a little out of temper, for
+he felt that he had attended there to expose others and been
+“taken in” himself. On the fourth Sunday of his attendance
+at Mr. Cogman’s circle better influences controlled him, and
+he was made to take the Bible, give out a text, and preach a
+sermon for half-an-hour, and those present declared the dis-
+course to be very good. He himself now and then had a
+faint, dreamy consciousness of what his mouth was saying.
+For a long time the control of the spirits over him was imper-
+fect, and there was much stuttering when they tried to speak
+through him. For months he did not belicve that spirits had
+anything to do with it, and thought that it was something
+connected with his own bodily or mental organisation which
+he did not quite understand. But on one occasion he chanced
+to be at a circle where a seeing medium was present, who not
+only described his spirit friends most accurately, but gave
+their names in addition. He thought this rather singular, as
+the young man was a stranger to him, and had never seen him
+but once before. Later still he had been developed as
+writing medium, and had received a long communication
+signed with the name of his mother, telling him much about
+
+
+his future life. The first part of it had since proved true, and
+he hoped that it would be the same with the rest. Then
+seeing-mediumship came on at intervals. The spirits had
+made him lead a better life than he ever did before. The
+had made him break off several bad habits by gently reason-
+ing with him, and pointing out what the consequences would
+be if he persisted. His guardian spirit had, by advice, in-
+duced him to leave off smoking tobacco and drinking intoxi-
+cating liquors. He thought that the true saviour of mankind
+was knowledge. He could feel the spirit influence beginning
+to act upon him as he stood upon that platform.
+Mr. STEELE said that he was present when Mr. Morse first
+attended Mr. Cogman’s circle, and he could bear witness to the
+fact that Mr. Morse made the disturbance stated, and alto-
+gether cut a most ridiculous figure. He was sorry to see the
+young man in that state, especially as it was his first expe-
+rience of the subject, so he walked part of the way home with
+him to see that he was all right. Mr. Morse remarked to him
+on the road, “I know I have been doing something wrong
+What is the matter with me ?"
+The CHAIRMAN asked Mr. Landore to say a few words to
+the meeting.
+Mr. LANDORE replicd that he had nothing to say, but that
+Mr. Morse sitting by his side was evidently “going off,” so
+that probably the spirits wanted to say a few words on their
+own account.
+Mr. MORSE then mounted the platform again, passed into
+the trance state, and in an impressive manner delivered the
+short address, which is printed on another page.
+Mr. CROCKETT then stated that he had seen a young man
+lifted chair and all, three times off the floor, without visible
+agency, in the presence of some dozens of persons, at the Star
+Inn, Golden-lane.
+Mr. YOUNG narrated evidence in favour of Spiritualism,
+and said that he would leave it to his wife to say whether
+their home had been made more like hell or more like heaven
+since he became a Spiritualist.
+Mr. R. PEARCE proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman
+and speakers, and Mr. DAVIS seconded the motion, which was
+carried by acclamation.
+The CHAIRMAN said that sometimes it was grievous to see
+how Spiritualism interferes with the preconceived notions of
+people, who have grown aged in old ideas ; it is also trying to
+be constantly told by them that research into the facts of
+Spiritualism is a wrong step, but people must look at these
+things in a rational way, and think for themselves. He was
+sorry that a Christian minister could so thoroughly condemn
+Spiritualists as the Rev. Mr. Brock had done recently in Mr
+Spurgeon’s Chapel, but words such as those uttered by Mr.
+Brock gave him (Mr. Cresswell) greater energy to go on in
+the work.
+The proceedings then closed.
+
+
+SEANCES AT THE SPIRITUAL LIBRARY.
+ON Friday, December 3rd, one of the weekly séances was
+held at the house of Mr. Burn’s, the Progressive Library
+Southampton-row, Holborn, under the trance mediumship of
+Mr. Morse.
+The circle sat punctually at eight p.m., in a well-lighted
+room, and in a few minutes the medium was influenced by
+spirits purporting to be his uncle and a friend, who endeavoured
+to elongate his body in a manner similar to that which has
+caused so much astonishment and controversy at the séances
+given by Mr. Home. They failed, and the circle was subse
+quently informed by the guardian spirit of the medium, that
+their failure was attributable to the absence of the spirit of
+Anton Mesmer, who usually superintended the operation.
+A spirit then entranced Mr. Morse, who did not give his
+name, but said he had been in life a staunch Wesleyan
+Methodist, and quoted the text, “If I tell you of earthly
+things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you
+of heavenly things ?”. It was a hard task to make such of his
+earthly friends who had been trained, as he had, to ignore the
+very idea that spirits could return to earth, as foolish or pre-
+sumptuous, appreciate any narrative from him of what was
+going on in the spirit world. Such an idea had never been
+countenanced by his own strict earthly religion, about the
+truth of the dogmas of which, although of a questioning in
+tellect, he had never cared to inquire. In the world, there-
+fore, he had never heard of Spiritualism ; if he had, he would
+have set it down as untrue, or the work of the devil. Nor did
+he learn, until he had been out of his earthly body for eight
+years, that it was possible for him to return, and communicate
+with man. When brought down to earth by kind spirit
+friends, and shown how he could do so by means of physical
+manifestations, he was terrified by the mistaken notion that it
+was evil and wrong, and begged to be taken from the circle.
+Two years more elapsed before he fully comprehended the
+value and blessedness of the privilege, after much patient
+teaching from spirit tutors. He comprehended now what he
+would have given much to have known in his earthly life
+that spiritual communication was right and good, and consis
+tent with the great plan of the Deity. Those people whe
+knew of, and could appreciate Spiritualism in life, were, or
+the entry into the next world, far in advance of those who
+had died ignorant of such a grand truth.
+Another spirit, who gave us her earthly name, “ Maria
+Thompson,” but said she was known among her spirit friends
+as the“ Little Forget-me-Not,” then took up the discourse of
+the former spirit so quickly, and almost imperceptibly, that the
+change was only noticed at first by one member of the circle.
+She stated that the wonder of most spirits was great, when
+after death, they found that in their new condition the
+could, under fitting circumstances, not only influence the
+minds of those left on earth, but also exert forces to convince
+them that could move common matter. There was much
+that Spiritualists should learn before they commenced higher
+experimental investigation. It would be best to study well
+the subject in its early stages first. It was far better to work
+upwards from the commencement, and not jump half way
+over the bridge, and begin in the middle. Gradual develop-
+ment, both for mediums and inquirers, was best.
+The highly intelligent guardian spirit of the medium, who
+states that in life, long ago, he was a Chinaman named Tien
+Sien Tie, then entranced him, and gave a long and eloquent
+discourse, chiefly on mesmeric and clairvoyant phenomena, to
+which, in this necessarily short report, we can hardly do jus-
+tice. He said that the diversity of minds on earth required
+that spirits should manifest themselves there by diversity of
+phenomena, wide in their range. These various modes all re-
+flected the Divine wisdom, from whence comes universal good
+The use of the odic force, which is thrown off by human
+bodies, chiefly from the extremities, is one great agent for
+producing high results. A person with much of this force
+could, by his will, influence the body and spirit of another
+person, throwing the former into profound slumber, and send
+
+
+ing the latter to far distant places, there to gather informa-
+tion, and state, by means of the controlled bodily organs, what
+was passing there. During natural sleep natural clairvoyance
+took place, and the spirit left the body and visited the other
+world. In answer to a question, the spirit said that he knew
+of no one instance in his long experience, of the spirit of an
+living person that had not, at some period of life, during
+slumber, visited one or more of the planets. The reason why
+so few persons remembered their spiritual travels on awaking
+was, because their clairvoyant faculties were uneducated and
+undeveloped. A mesmeric operator, who had studied the sub-
+ject, and influenced patients while on earth, would, after
+leaving it, naturally return and operate upon the same persons
+and in most cases it was as easy and natural for him to do so
+in the spirit as it was while in the body. Hence it was that
+clairvoyants so often astonished their friends by going into
+their peculiar condition uninfluenced apparently by any one
+present. In answer to questions, the spirit said that the un-
+satisfactory result of many clairvoyant experiments was owing
+to the fact that the patient had learnt an inkling of what in-
+formation was to be sought for through him, and so confused
+ideas filled his brain. That retarded the efforts, and stood in
+the way of the will of the operator. He said, speaking of
+mental culture, that it was a great mistake to put books at
+first into the hands of young children at schools. The primary
+education of a tender child should be in the sunshine, among
+the works of Nature, that the young mind might first learn
+through the wonderful and beneficent works of the Deity to
+study His Divine attributcs of wisdom, justice, and love.
+
+
+On Friday evening, December 10th, at eight o’clock, another
+séance was held at the Spiritual Library, Mr. Morse being the
+medium ; twenty ladies and gentlcmen were present
+The medium having passed into the trance state, the first
+spirit did not speak, but began pulling the little finger of the
+left hand of Mr. Morse, and bending its joints to and fro. In
+reply to a question why he did so, he said that it was a very
+peculiar sensation to be back on earth in the body again, but
+stranger still to have a little finger, for he had lost his by an
+accident before his death. A lady present asked him to tell
+his history, more particularly that part of it relating to his
+death, and his after-life in the next world.
+The spirit said that he would do his best. He began life as
+a boy baby, he grew into a boy child, and at last became a
+young man. There was nothing very good or very bad about
+him ; he was considered to be the fool of the family, and he was
+continually in mischief, which was the cause of his losing his
+little finger. He was taken ill with inflammation of the chest
+and could feel some of its pains coming back again while he
+was speaking through the medium. This inflammation at last
+brought him to what people call “ death,” and as he lay on his
+dying bed, he thought to himself, “I have been a fool, and
+never prepared myself for the life to come. Lord help me ;
+what shall I do?"
+His sister-in-law was a good girl, and a
+religious young woman, so she sat by his bedside and talked to
+him. She asked him “If he did not love Jesus, and whether
+he did not feel himself to be a miserable sinner?”. He replied
+that he “ did not see why he should not love Him, as by all
+accounts He was a very good sort of person."
+Then she
+prayed, after which he praycd too, and then he felt much
+better. One afternoon, just as the sun was setting, he went
+into a kind of sleep—half asleep and half awake ; it seemed
+as though one side of the room had fallen away, and through
+the opening he saw a beautiful country, with men, women,
+and children walking about. Two of them came out and said
+Timothy, my boy, you’ll soon be with us ; good-bye,” and
+then all faded away. He at once thought that he was feverish,
+or that his imagination was excited, or that he was a little
+mad, for those two people were his father and mother, who
+had been dead some years. He told his sister-in-law, who said
+that he had better dismiss the subject from his mind. Next
+day he felt numbed all over ; he could not open or shut his
+eyes and he laid on the bed like a log of wood. Then he felt
+as if he were falling a very very long way, through the floor,
+and next he lost consciousness. When he came to himself he
+had lost the pain in his chest, and felt better in health than
+ever, so he thought that he had been to sleep and got over his
+illness. But he was down in the front parlour, whereas he
+went to sleep in his bed on the first floor. Folks came into the
+room, and he said to them, “ Oh, l'm beautiful ! l'm first-rate!
+How are you?"
+They never took any notice of him, which he
+thought very unkind. He went upstairs, where he found his father
+and mother, and the latter said to him, “ You have got over
+the river none the worse for it.”. He replied, “ What do you
+mean
+She said, “ You are what the world calls dead.'
+He answered, “ What do you mean? I have got a body, what
+do you call this?”. She told him that his body was dead
+and, pointed to his former house of clay, lying on the bed
+before him. He looked at it, and then at himself—there was
+no mistake about it, it was a clear case of the Corsican
+brothers. (Laughter). They left the house together, and he
+found that he could pass up through the air with ease, and
+at last they reached what the Spiritualists call the “Summer
+Land,” but in reality the compound essence of seventeen
+summers distilled into one, would not equal it in loveliness
+They were in a place surrounded by trees and flowers ; a path
+covered with beautiful shells led through a grove, and at the
+end of the path was a house, where his father and mother said
+that they lived, and that he might stay there with them as
+long as he liked. His father took him into a little room
+filled with pictures, and each picture represented the leading
+events of his (the son’s) life, and they showed him how, while
+upon earth, he had been saved from getting into man
+little scrapes through the guiding spiritual influence of his
+unseen father and mother. One picture, representing him on
+his sick bed, was unfinished at the upper part when he cast
+his eyes upon it, but while he gazed the smudge cleared away
+the colours seemed to spread out, and the picture was finished.
+Well, this was all very nice, and very strange, and very unex-
+pected. He asked, “ How is it that I have been good enough
+to come here? What do they do with the wicked folks, if a
+place like this is the home of half-aud-half people like me
+Where’s that place that people are turned into for offending
+God?"
+A solemn look came over his mother’s face as she
+aid, “Ah, my child, you’ll have to look a long time before
+you find that.” As he was very selfish he did not trouble
+much about it, and did not feel inclined to go and look for
+the place, being perfectly contented where he was. In the
+large hall of the house he found plenty of friends, grandfather
+and grandmothers, and great-grandmothers, and so on, but all
+very bright, and beautiful, and happy. Next came a very
+strange thing, and his listeners ought not to think his state-
+ments to be untrue, because they in earth-life never saw or felt
+anything of the kind. He felt drawn, he did not know how
+or why, and he passed through the crowd of friends to the
+other side of the room. There he saw a person, a lady, ad
+vancing in the same way to meet him, and they both felt very
+
+
+20
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+DEC. 17, 1869
+
+
+pleased to have met each other, and had never parted since.
+This was all very peculiar, and they told him that the lady
+was his “ spiritual affinity.” Her name was Rose. His own name
+was Timothy. His hearers must excuse his jumbling material
+and spiritual things together. Everybody there was very
+happy and comfortable, and everybody helped everybody else,
+and it is astonishing what a lot of labour and unhappines
+that plan saved. They followed whatever pursuits they liked
+best. In the garden was a fountain of what his listeners
+would call “water,” but which the spirits call “magnetism."
+They were in the habit of sitting near it to study, and it had
+a very soothing influence. The spirits among whom he dwelt
+were not entirely free from sorrows. They had cares and
+troubles about friends left behind on earth, as well as about
+other matters. One society in his sphere was fond of travel-
+ling. Its members sometimes made excursions, not onl
+throughout their spirit land, but to some of the planets seen
+from the earth. He once travelled with some members of
+this society for two years, reckoning by earthly time. They
+visited the earth, and when he got home again it was astonish-
+ing what a lot of knowledge he had gained, how strongly he
+felt what a little mite in creation he was, and how little he
+knew. He found that he did not understand himself, so what
+right had he to judge other people ? He felt that he was very
+selfish, and that God had been very good to give him a much
+better place to live in than he deserved, so he tried to make
+himself better, and his father took him to a teacher, full of
+knowledge and wisdom, who helped him. Once he could only
+see a little good in the universe, and a great deal of evil, but
+now he could see good in everything, because it comes from
+the source of all good. He should like everybody to see these
+things the same as he saw them, and a great deal better. He
+said that his name was Timothy Martin ; in earth-life he was
+a grocer’s assistant in Hull, and he entered the spirit world
+about twenty-three years ago.
+Another spirit then took possession of the medium, and said
+that he was “only a poor nigger,” with no soul, born to put
+dollars in the pocket of his master, who often beat him, and
+treated him very badly. He hated that master, but the first
+thing his teachers did in the next world was to send him to do
+good to the man, and he didn’t at all like the job, but he did
+it, and felt all the better and happier afterwards. That master
+is now in the spirit world too, with nobody to attend upon
+him, and he goes about “cussing” and swearing, and longing
+to be back once more in his earthly body. The nigger was
+much the happiest man of the two.
+The question was asked, “ Was his spirit body black in
+colour?” and he replied, “ No. The black man has a white
+soul, so when he dies he is turned inside out.” (Laughter.)
+The next influence purported to be the spirit of an Indian,
+who said, “ Brothers and sisters, I cannot say much through
+this medium to-night, but I'll do the best I can. I am glad to
+see that many love the red man better than they used to do.
+Things are changing here, where all is endless progression,
+and ere many moons have passed away his whole race will be
+above in the happy land, where all must come. Clear you
+minds of all that is wrong, for that is the only thing to carry
+you happily onwards to the land of light.
+Next came the guardian spirit, who gives the name of Tien
+Sien Tie, and he said, “Good evening, friends. How strange
+it is that man has overlooked one fact belonging to his nature.
+If he studied the evidence, he would find that his religion is
+but the highest result of individual expressions of opinion
+and knowledge. Certain minds see the same object in the
+same light, and, forming a nucleus, they think that they have
+all truth. So a religion is formed. They overlook the fact
+that others have not the same religion. But men afterwards
+spring up who see principles more clearly, and form the nucleus
+of a higher religion ; at once a war begins between the
+higher and the lower, and the followers of the latter say,
+They would draw us from the truth, and from our ancient
+allegiance.' This is true, not only in matters of religion, but
+in all things appertaining to your daily life ; it is true of the
+vices and the virtues, of beauty and ugliness ; it is the same in
+all things. What is vice and virtue to you, is your highest know-
+ledge of your individual self, and your perception of the things
+around you. When things do not harmonise with your
+interior light, you call that 'evil.' Then how charitable we
+ought to be to our brothers and sisters around us. It shows us
+that where another sins, he is but acting in accordance with
+the light he has got. A man who has passed through life clad
+in robes of light, and wisdom, and love, has only done what
+his brother has done—acted up to his light. That poor one is
+just beginning his earthly development, and the interior mind
+is only just beginning to get the proper control of its bodily
+covering ; it gets experience, it builds by the aid of its mis-
+takes, and plaits a grand cable of evidence harmonious in its
+interweavings. Be charitable then, and bear with all around
+you. Great changes in a few months will sweep over your
+earth, and people will see the falsity of creedal opinions,
+which are but the expression of individual ideas. It would
+be a good plan for a few of the wisest men, of all nations, to
+meet together to consider their religions, and to select the one
+which can be supported by the largest amount of evidence."
+A visitor said, “ But some people do wrong, and know that
+they are doing wrong."
+The Chinese philosopher replied, that when a man does a
+thing knowing that he is doing wrong, he breaks a law, and
+the law punishes him; but if his perceptions were fully
+awakened, he would not do wrong. There is nothing but
+universal law everywhere, although the laws may be un-
+written, and every law carries with it its own punishment for
+those who break it. For instance, if a man break the laws
+which govern the health of his physical frame, say, by eating
+too much, the breaking of the law also inflicts the penalty.
+In answer to the question of how many spiritual spheres
+there are, he said that each spirit will give different state-
+ments according to the states or conditions of spirit life
+through which he has passed. There is no defined separation
+between them, but the states of spirit life merge into one
+another like the colours of the solar spectrum.
+In answer to a question as to how spirit hands and voices
+are produced at circles, he said that the hands are formed
+sometimes by the spirits covering their own hands with ema-
+nations from the medium, and sometimes by their making
+separate hands out of the same emanations by the aid of their
+knowledge of the laws of chemistry. The voices are produced
+in several ways. Sometimes the spirits make a tube out of
+the emanations from the medium, and some of those who are
+experienced at the work will even form a throat.
+In answer to the question whether the spirits, who produce
+physical manifestations, are of a lower order than the others,
+he said that generally it is so, though not always, so a safe
+rule cannot be laid down. The lower spirits live upon the
+earth, and are more earthy in their natures and atmospheres
+than the higher ones, so, as a general rule, with exceptions
+they have more power over common matter.
+
+
+A VISITOR—But how can they be lower since some of then
+speak loudly and clearly?
+TIEN SIEN TIE—You can see upon this earth, my brother
+that loud speaking is not a test of knowledge.
+Many other questions were briefly asked, and promptly
+answered, and the séance closed at about ten o’clock.
+
+
+General News.
+
+
+Mr. JAMES BURNS has during the past fortnight been
+lecturing in Wales on Spiritualism and kindred subjects
+THE British and Foreign Mechanic has been printing
+some inaccurate statements about spirit photographs. The
+articles are so poorly written as to be not worth quoting.
+The watching of the Welsh fasting girl by four profes-
+sional nurses from Guy’s Hospital, began yesterday week, and
+up to the present time, they have not detected her taking an
+food.
+MR. S. C. HALL, F.S.A., will give a lecture at the
+Literary Institute, Newington Causeway, on the evening of
+the 10th of February next. The subject he has chosen is,
+“The Fairy Legends of Ireland.” The chair will be taken a
+half-past eight o’clock.
+Mr. C. F. VARLEY, C.E., has been in the course of the
+past fortnight, assisting in the work of laying a submarine
+cable between the south coast of England and Cape Finisterre,
+for the purpose of establishing more direct communication
+between London and New York, via the French Atlantic
+cable.
+VISCOUNT ADARE is one of the Committee of “The Rev.
+Charles Voysey’s Defence Fund.” Among the other member
+of the Committee are Sir Charles Lyell, Bart., F.R.S., and
+Dean Stanley, of Westminster. Subscriptions are received
+by Messrs. Robarts, Lubbock, and Co., 15, Lombard-street
+E.C. ; and subscribers are not considered to pledge them-
+selves to any of the Rev. Charles Voysey’s opinions.
+Mr. JOHN DE MORGAN, public lecturer and trance medium,
+Cork, is about to publish a “Guide to Health,” in which he
+says that all the systems of medical treatment will be reviewed
+and explained in clear and simple language ; instructions wil
+be given as to the treatment of diseases, and the best methods
+of keeping the body in good condition.
+SPIRITUALISM IN EAST LONDON.—For a long time the
+circle of of Mr. R. Cogman, 22, New-road, Whitechapel-road
+E.C., has been one of the best known and most popular in
+East London. Mr. Cresswell writes that Mr. Cogman’s
+mediumship has begun to change ; the physical manifestations
+are on the decline, and trance speaking has begun, though as yet
+it is only at times that the spirits have their vocal organs under
+full control. At one seance he poured forth streams of de
+votional poetry, “of a character that fully established its origin
+ality.” Mr. Herne, medium, was present, and was influenced
+in like manner. This mediumship is of the character men
+tioned in the November number of Temple Bar Magazine
+but not having been present at the manifestations, we cannot
+say whether the poetry is of the same high character as that
+quoted in the periodical just mentioned.
+SPIRIT IDENTITY.—Mr. R. Pearce, of 34, Halliford-
+street, Downham-road, N., first had evidence of the truth of
+Spiritualism in the January of this year, through a good
+trance medium, Mrs. John Olive, 6, The Junction, Cambridge-
+road, Kilburn, W. While he was present, Mrs. Olive passed
+into the trance state, and letting down her back hair, she
+motioned him to a low seat in front of the fire, then sat down
+by his side, and chatted to him at a madcap rate, every now
+and then calling him “ Dicky.” Mr. Olive asked Mr. Pearce
+whether he knew what it all meant. He said, “Yes, my
+little sister before she died, was in the habit of sitting like
+this, and playing with me nearly every Sunday. Afterwards
+while in her normal state, Mrs. Olive’s hand was moved by
+spirit influence, and she drew a picture of the front of Mr
+Pearce’s early home in Cornwall. There were three window
+above, and two below, with a door in the corner. The bottom
+windows had a few large panes of glass, and the upper
+windows many small ones. A creeping plant growing up the
+front of the house, was also represented ; and a willow-tree,
+as well as shrubs, and a garden path, were all drawn in their
+proper places. Since then he has followed up the subject
+and is now the Hon. Secretary to the St. John’s Association
+of Spiritualists in Clerkenwell.
+TRANCE MEDIUMSHIP.—In this number of the SPIRI-
+TUALIST there is very much about trance-mediumship, and
+many persons may very reasonably ask “ What is the evidence
+that such manifestations are genuine?” The evidence that
+trance manifestations are real, is of the same nature as the
+proof that headaches are real. If an individual who all his
+life had not heard of such a thing as a headache, nor had met
+anybody so afflicted, were introduced to a person who said lie
+suffered from the complaint, the listener might think it was
+not true, it being contrary to his experience. But when he
+saw headaches breaking out among his own friends and rela-
+tions, he would gradually know that they were real, and by ex-
+perience would begin to know pretty accurately the symptoms
+which indicate whether they are real or assumed. The com-
+munications received by trance-mediumship, are often very
+much higher and more intelligent than could be given by the
+medium in the normal state, and sometimes they are lower.
+We have been told of a fashionable lady who was suddenly
+convinced of the truth of trance-mediumship by seeing one of her
+daughters influenced at a circle, and made to whistle a tune
+with great vigour, to the great horror of the mother at the
+vulgarity of the act. Experienced Spiritualists do not care
+so much for the physical manifestations as strangers do, be-
+cause so much time is saved by getting communications
+through the higher forms of mediumship. Signalling by table
+movements or raps is slow work.
+EAST LONDON ASSOCIATION OF SPIRITUALISTS. — On
+Tuesday, December 7th, Mr. R. Cogman, who intended to
+deliver a lecture to the East London Association of Spiri-
+tualists, upon “Facts and Gleanings from the Science of
+Mind,” was unable to be present. Mr. S. C. E. Goss kindly
+supplied the place of Mr. Cogman, and gave a lecture upon
+“The Pioneers of Human Regeneration." He said that in
+examining the growth of a tree, its progress would be watched
+from the bursting of the germ-seed, to the development of
+trunk, branches, leaves, blossom, and fruit. In like manner
+he would trace the growth of the different religions of the
+earth, and show how they improved in quality as man grew
+sufficiently advanced to be able to appreciate higher teachings.
+After reviewing the religions of Buddha, Zoroaster, and man
+other teaehers, he spoke of Christianity, pointed out the
+
+
+atrocities which have been committed in its name, and said
+that even now men have forgotten its primary objects, the
+fostering of brotherly love, and doing good to everybody.
+These principles are much hidden by a mass of dead leaves,
+in the shape of unmeaning dogmas and foolish ceremonies.
+He thought that people should preach more by deeds and less
+by speech, and should cease multiplying professions of faith
+and creeds. He said that the vice of intense love of self, is
+the only barrier to universal happiness and human brother-
+hood. The lectures in connection with the East London As-
+sociation of Spiritualists, will be resumed after Christmas.
+THE SPIRITUAL LIBRARY.—In other columns will be
+found reports of two of the séances held every Friday even-
+ing, under the mediumship of Mr. Morse, at the Spiritual
+Library, 15, Southampton-row, High Holborn, W.C. Mr.
+Morse is a very good trance medium. A week or two ago he
+was at Cambridge, and had a séance with some of the under-
+graduates of the University there. The philosophical Chinese
+spirit, some of whose sayings are recorded at length in these
+pages, took possession of the medium, and carried on an
+animated debate with those present on theological subjects.
+The opinion some of them expressed about the manifestations
+was, that they were “very curious, and probably arose from
+some abnormal state of the brain.” Admission to the séances
+on Friday evenings is by introduction, readily obtainable by
+those who really desire to investigate, and an entrance fee of
+one shilling is charged. Trance mediumship, however, is
+rarely convincing to beginners; and Mr. Burns, the pro-
+prietor of the establishment, is, we are told, likely, before
+long, to get up regular séances for the physical manifestations.
+Such a circle would be a great attraction. Addresses through
+the mediumship of Mr. Morse would well sustain the interest
+of the Gower-street conferences, should they be resumed.
+THE FAMINE FEVER. —Great Britain, although not the
+most thickly-populated nation in Western Europe, has for
+many long years had more paupers in proportion to the total
+population than any other country in the world. During the
+last few years also the pauperism has been greatly on the in-
+crease, as shown by the Government returns. The result is
+another outbreak of what is known as the “famine fever” in
+London, and the Medical Department of the Privy Council
+has just issued a circular to the London Vestries and District
+Boards of Works detailing what precautions should be adopted.
+Famine fever has not been epidemic in London since 1855.
+In 1861 England had an average population of 373 persons,
+and Wales 150 persons, to the square mile. At that time
+Belgium had 400 persons to the square mile. Last Sunday
+morning the Rev. Mr. Pennefather, Incumbent of St. Jude’s,
+Islington, told his congregation that in his district not only
+were the ordinary poor in great distress, but that actually he
+knew many families in respectable houses, to look at from the
+outside, in want of bread to eat, and suffering from starvation.
+The proceeds of the collection, he said, would not be given to
+the poor in money, but would literally be expended in food to
+go direct to the mouths of the hungry. English pauperism is
+chiefly caused by the depopulation of agricultural districts.
+For twenty years past, as shown by the census returus, all
+the agricultural districts of England and Wales, except the
+Midland counties, have been in course of depopulation of their
+agricultural labourers — men and women. Ireland, which
+once had 8,000,000 inhabitants, now has but 5,000,000.
+Many of these agricultural paupers emigrate, but most of
+them pour into towns seeking work, thus reducing wages by
+an over-supply of labour, increasing competition in business
+and filling the poor-houses and prisons. The destitution will
+keep on increasing till the over-crowding of great towns is
+stopped, and the population of agricultural districts is allowed
+to rise to its natural level.
+SPIRITUALISM IN CLERKENWELL.—On Sunday evening
+December 5th, a semi-public séance was held at the house of
+Mr. J. Steele, 36, Great Sutton-street, Clerkenwell. About
+thirty visitors were present. The proceedings began by the
+reading of the 17th chapter of John, after which those present
+sang the anthem, “I will arise and go to my father, and will
+say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and be
+fore thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.'"
+This was followed by prayer, after which a table with a circle
+of seven persons sitting round it began to move, and signalled
+out a message for all present to remain quiet, and wait a short
+time for further manifestations. Three mediums, Messrs.
+Woolnough, Davis, and Towns, then passed in succession into
+the trance state, and delivered addresses of a sermonising
+character. The burden of the teachings was, “ Love God, and
+love one another."
+A statement was made by one of the
+spirits that many spirits directly after they are released from
+the body at death do not know at first that they have passed
+through the change. They feel as if they have lost a burden,
+and then they see the house that they formerly inhabited lying
+motionless, their will-power over the organisation being
+severed. “Therefore," said the communicating spirit, “we
+want you to improve yourselves, that spirits of higher quality
+may come amongst us, and work with us in unity and love."
+He continued, that when the body sleeps the spirit does not,
+and that all human beings pass hours in other scenes, of
+which they know nothing when they awake in the body.
+There is no time wasted, for while the body sleeps the spirit
+is still progressing, though sometimes people are permitted to
+remember what they see while in the spirit world. In the
+course of another communication it was stated that the mind
+has a dual nature, that there is a spiritual and a bodily mind,
+and that the two are often not developed to the same extent
+and do not harmonise as they should do. This is the reason,
+it was said, why some highly intellectual men, so far as the
+bodily mind is concerned, are slow to search after truth in
+particular directions, and cannot investigate spiritual subjects
+so readily as should be the case were they more perfect.
+THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—Last Tuesday even-
+ing, the Anthropological Society met, under the chairmanship
+of Dr. R. S. Charnock, F.S.A., and Mr. C. Staniland Wake,
+F.A.S.L., read a paper upon “The Race Affinities of the
+Natives of Madagascar.” The paper and the discussion
+proved that, in the shape of the skull, the Hovas of Mada-
+gascar bear resemblances to the Kaffirs; but that the Kaffirs
+have woolly heads, whereas the Hovas have hair. In gram-
+matical structure, the language of the Hovas resembles that
+of the Hottentot Bushmen of the mainland, whereas in verbal
+points it resembles the language of the Malays : the numerals
+and commonest words being the same in both. On the whole,
+the discussion perhaps tended to show that the Hovas are
+more nearly allied to the Malays, than to the negroes of the
+east coast of Africa. Traces of tree and serpent worship are
+found in Madagascar, as well as in nearly every other part of
+the world. The speakers were, Dr. Berthold Seemann, F.L S.,
+Lieutenant Olliver, Mr. W. C. Dendy, Mr. Mackenzie, Mr.
+Macgrigor Allen, and Dr. Carter Blake.
+
+
+DEC. 17 1869.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST
+
+
+21
+
+
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+ment.
+Advertisements and remittances should be sent to the
+Publisher, Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's
+Church-yard, London, E.C., or to Mr. J. BURNS, 15
+Southampton-row, High Holborn, London, W. C.
+
+
+To Correspondents.
+
+
+of one second as the time lost between each letter of
+the alphabet, manifestly much time is lost before such
+letters as T, W, and Y, are reached. This loss may
+be obviated by writing the alphabet in the following
+way, and by getting the spirits to adopt a method of
+signalling hereinafter described :
+A
+B
+C
+D
+E
+G
+H
+F
+I
+J
+K
+I
+M
+C
+N
+Q
+P
+R
+S
+T
+U
+W
+X
+Y
+V
+Z
+
+
+The six crosses in the foregoing alphabet should be
+pointed to one after the other, and when the cross in
+the same line with the letter wanted is touched, the
+spirits should be requested to give one, two, three, four,
+or five raps or tilts, to denote the identical letter. If
+the letter be the third in the horizontal line, three raps
+should be given. Thus, to get the letter Y, five crosses
+only have to be touched in succession, instead of twenty-
+five letters, as would be the case by the ordinary plan,
+so the saving of time is very great, and three or four
+messages may be obtained in the time now occupied in
+getting one only.
+
+
+WANTED a Ghost, of whatever variety,
+Fitted to mingle in learned society:
+Able to work on the feelings electric
+Of savans devoted to themes dialectic!
+Wanted—a house full of murderous hoards,
+Bells autophonic and creakiest boards!
+Regions by restless departed ones haunted,
+That’s what, to keep up the spirits, is wanted.
+Wanted to sit up the whole of the night
+Waiting the advent of goblin or sprite!
+Wanted from t’other side Jordan to roam,
+Vampires inclined for a go-in "at Home !"
+Wanted some damon to give us a note
+What it is keeps airy DANIEL afloat!
+Wanted at least elementary traces
+What is the power that elongates his braces.
+Wanted to know what on earth are the merits
+That make Mrs. MARSHALL affected by “sperrits.”
+Wanted to know why respectable dead
+Come back to life at five shillings a-head.
+Wanted old ladies and children to fright,
+Waked up by cats in the dead of the night!
+Wanted this age of inquiry to daunt-
+That’s what these pseudo-philosophers want.
+Wanted to galvanise once and again
+All the exploded old tricks of Cock Lane!
+Wanted to make a white sheet and a post
+Go down once more as a genuine ghost!
+Wanted—how idle such needs ’tis to flaunt !
+Blessed if I think they know what ’tis they want.
+Wanted—it seems to me : don’t it to you?—
+Dialecticians want something to do!
+
+
+All letters should be brief and to the point, as the amount
+of space available for correspondence is at present small.
+Communications intended for the Editor should be by
+letter only, addressed to the care of the Publisher, Mr. E. W.
+ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, St. Pauls Church-yard, London
+E.C. Until the Spiritual movement in England, together
+with this journal, have both grown considerably, time cannot
+be spared for personal interviews on subjects connected with
+the literary worh of THE SPIRITUALIST, but all letters will
+meet with careful consideration.
+THE SPIRITUALIST is a periodical intended to give great
+freedom of expression to all the different shades of opinion
+to be found among Spiritualists. There will therefore be
+very little uniformity in the ideas promulgated in this journal
+more especially in the correspondence columns. Under these
+circumstances every reader will find occasionally something
+in THE SPIRITUALIST which he or she does not like, but the
+right of reply remains. This freedom of thought given to
+others, the Editor claims for himself, and those who do not
+like the contents of leading articles, can write against them
+in the correspondence columns. This plan is thought better
+than that of reducing the contents of the journal to a
+pale weak mediocrity, by inserting only those contributions
+which please everybody. The preceding remarks are not
+intended to imply that those who have crotchets which the
+cannot get printed anywhere else, can find an outlet for them
+here, for none but those letters which are considered worth
+publication will be inserted.
+Notices of Public Meetings in connection with Spiritualism
+should be sent to the office several days in advance.
+
+
+To Non-Spiritualists,
+
+
+A large amount of information is printed on the last two
+pages of this journal, clearly demonstrating that the facts of
+Spiritualism, highly improbable as they appear to be, are
+real, and deserve serious investigation by all thoughtful
+people. In other columns of every number of THE SPIRI-
+TUALIST will also be found plenty of additional evidence to
+the same effect.
+
+
+To Subscribers.
+
+
+The first twelve numbers of THE SPIRITUALIST will be
+forwarded regularly by penny post to subscribers, who remit
+four shillings in payment, to Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Publisher
+Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's-churchyard, E.C.
+
+
+The Spiritualist.
+
+
+FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1869.
+
+
+ECONOMY OF TIME IN SPIRITUAL RESEARCH.
+THOSE who are in the habit of attending miscel-
+laneous spirit circles, for the purpose of collecting in-
+formation about spirit life, and the methods employed
+to produce the manifestations, soon discover that a
+very large amonnt of time must be consumed to gain a
+very small quantity of thoroughly reliable knowledge.
+This is caused, partly by the uncertainty of the com-
+munications, partly because half-an-hour or so some-
+times passes away before the manifestations begin,
+partly because some of the statements made are unre-
+liable, and partly because everybody present at a circle
+wants to put questions, and one person cannot arrogate
+the whole of the conversation with the spirits to him-
+self.
+A great deal of time may be saved when receiving
+communications by the ordinary tilts or raps, if the
+alphabet be appealed to in a different way to that noy
+in vogue. By the present plan a member of the circle
+points to all the letters of the alphabet slowly and
+deliberately, and a rap or tilt is given by the spirit
+when the right letter is reached. Allowing an interval
+
+
+The speed of signalling may be still further increased,
+by arranging the letters so that those which occur most
+frequently shall be in the upper lines. Printers’ com-
+positors know very well which are the letters most
+commonly used in the words of the English language
+and the best order of arrangement is as follows:
+O
+E
+A
+T
+I
+D
+S
+H
+R
+N
+L
+U
+M
+F
+C
+B
+G
+P
+Y
+W
+K
+Q
+X
+V
+J
+Z
+
+
+With the alphabet thus arranged, the greater num-
+ber of the letters in all words will be obtained by
+pointing only to three crosses in succession. The
+plan here described was tried once at Messrs. Mar-
+shalls, the professional mediums, who looked on for
+some minutes in a manifest state of perplexity at the
+celerity with which the messages were obtained, for
+the spirits understood the plan at once, and talked
+away for several minutes before the mediums say
+clearly the nature of the new system of signalling.
+Much time that might be saved, is wasted in other
+ways in Spiritualism. The primary measure of the
+value of anything, whether in the heavens above of
+upon the earth beneath, is its use, beauty being a
+secondary consideration—in fact, there is a use in
+beauty. When spirits in the body waste years in use-
+less pursuits—such, for instance, as in elaborately carv-
+ing a piece of ivory, it is only right that their wiser
+brethren should point out the folly of such reckless waste
+of time. So, likewise, when spirits out of the body
+spend much time, as very many of them do, both in
+England and America, in making mediums draw fan-
+tastical designs, which are of no use when finished, it
+is only common sense to break off such mediumship,
+after giving the spirits say two or three weeks trial, to
+see whether the work actually results in something
+useful or instructive. Raps and tilts are always useful
+messages be wise or foolish, because the
+movements and sounds are evidence to non-Spiritualist
+of some very remarkable power being at work, but un-
+meaning drawings executed through the hand of a
+medium have not even this to recommend them. These
+remarks are not intended to apply to the works of art
+which are sometimes executed in this way, and are
+ornamental enough to deserve framing and suspension
+in the drawing-room, because then some good is done
+by work. Neither are the remarks intended to apply
+to direct drawings by spirits, without the intervention
+of human hands, for the production of such designs is
+splendid evidence of an independent intelligence and
+power at the root of the manifestations. Spirits who
+spend much time in the useless though harmless way
+herein described, should be taught by the medium to
+act more wisely, just as undeveloped spirits in the body
+ought to be taught better under the same circumstances.
+
+
+AN ADDRESS FROM A SPIRIT.
+ON Thursday evening, December 9th, a public meet-
+ing of the St. John’s Association of Spiritualists was
+held in St. John’s Hall, Corporation-row, Clerkenwell,
+and the proceedings are reported upon another page.
+In the course of the evening, Mr. Morse, medium, was
+entranced by one of his guardian spirits, who gives the
+name of Tien Sien Tie, and states that he was a Man-
+darin of the Second Order, who passed from earth at
+Pekin a little more than one hundred years ago.*
+Under this inspirational influence the following speech
+was given from the platform :—
+“ Brothers and sisters still journeying along the path
+of time, pleased am I and the invisible host with me
+here, to be able to speak a few words of love and
+sympathy. Many ask,  What is the use of the mani-
+festations?' Let the minds of all here to-night
+travel back to their inmost recesses, and ask if there is
+anything in nature which is not useful? No. All
+things are useful, for they reflect the source from
+whence they came for universal good. The manifesta-
+tions open the dark portals of the tomb, and permit
+you to see the bright and glorious path beyond, thickly
+dusted with the diamonds and flowers of affection and
+love. They show you that communication exists be-
+tween the two worlds, that the friends who by the
+love of God you have been permitted to love, remember
+you when they have passed through the change called
+'Death.' They show how loving that Being is, by
+opening the gates for you. Is there no use in know-
+ing that the wife, father, husband, brother, whom you
+have loved long and tenderly, still entertains remem-
+brances of you, and can still speak to you? Greater
+than the consolation of that, is the knowledge of the
+great stream of love, pouring down from the higher
+spheres, trying to draw you upwards and onwards,
+teaching you that you contain that priceless gem, a
+human spirit, endowed with the attributes of the Deity
+from whence it came. Cradled in the bosom of infini-
+tude, man—so far as I can read—has eternally existed,
+world without end. When you feel happy within your-
+selves—when the silver cord of the soul is struck, and
+you feel full of happiness, you desire that others shall
+share that happiness also. You talk about the manifesta-
+tions with your friends, who in their turn become
+centres of another circle spreading the truth, and so on
+through infinity of extension. See the good, then, you
+do by getting up meetings such as this to-night, faint
+foreshadowings of those in the summer land, so called
+Think of the great truths we teach, but remember
+especially these three principles : let your relations be
+love—let justice govern your love—and let wisdom
+govern both, that you may be perfection ; then will
+heaven be within and around you. Friends, farewell
+and carry away with you messages of affection from
+the immortal host awaiting your entrance into tho
+realms of everlasting light and love. Farewell.”
+Silence followed the delivery of this address, which
+was spoken in a very impressive manner, and nobody
+seemed inclined to say anything for the next few
+
+
+We regret to see from a notice in Daybreak, that it is
+possible that it will be discontinued very shortly. There can-
+not be too many workers in the field of the literature of Spi-
+ritualism, since every journal meets the wants of certain
+readers. The December number of Daybreak contains some
+very interesting information about spirit life, furnished by
+Mrs. De Morgan.
+
+
+Mr. J. M. PEEBLES has arrived at Trebizond, but is ex-
+pected in England again in two months.—Dr. Willis is now in
+the South of France.—Miss Hay has arrived in New York
+quite safe and sound, and is comfortably located at the Hygienic
+Institute. She produced some remarkable spirit drawings on
+board ship, when the roll was so great that she could not
+write.—Daybreak.
+
+
+*Those of our readers who chance to have friends in China, are re-
+quested to try whether they can get this statement substantiated.—ED.
+
+
+WANTED A GHOST
+(From last week's PUNCH)
+“ To Proprietors of Haunted Houses.—A few gentlemen wish
+to have the opportunity of visiting a house said to be haunted,
+situate in or near London, for the purpose of scientific obser-
+(See Advertisement.)
+vation."
+
+
+22
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST
+
+
+DEC. 17, 1869.
+
+
+Are there spirits floating round us,
+Sinking from the Tranquil Land
+Breaking through the chains that bound us
+To this melancholy strand:
+Where the surge of being’s ocean
+Ever roars in tempest strife,
+And its flerce continual motion
+Wearies out the heart of life?
+
+
+London, December, 1869.
+
+
+Poetry.
+"QUID VERUM?"
+
+
+Faintly dawns the longed-for morning,
+Dim and vaguo the mountains show;
+Will the sun arise, adorning
+Earth and heaven with gorgeous glow?
+Is it but a faithless glimmer
+Born of some electric blast,
+Like those northern lights that shimmer
+Through the sky, and then are past?
+
+
+May the gloom be really over
+And its grief and sadness gone!
+May the earth, an ardent lover,
+Rise to heaven, its glorious throne
+While the choirs of morn awaking
+Pass to us in bright array,
+And the night's dominion breaking,
+Open out the awful day!
+H. C.
+
+
+BELSHAZZAR
+
+
+Belshazzar is King! Belshazzar is Lord!
+And a thousand dark nobles all bend at his board;
+Fruits glisten, flowers blossom, meats steam, and a flood
+Of wine that man loveth runs redder than blood:
+Wild dancers are there, and a riot of mirth,
+And the beauty that maddens the passions of earth;
+And the crowds all shout,
+Till the vast roofs ring,
+“ All praise to Belshazzar—Belshazzar the King!"
+
+
+“Bring forth," cries the monarch, “the vessels of gold
+Which my father tore down from the temples of old:
+Bring forth—and we’ll drink, while the trumpets are blown,
+To the gods of bright silver, of gold, and of stone.
+Bring forth!"—and before him the vessels all shine,
+And he bows unto Baal, and he drinks the dark wine;
+Whilst the trumpets bray,
+And the cymbals ring,
+“Praise, praise to Belshazzar—Belshazzar the King!"
+
+
+Now what cometh?—Look! Look! Without menace or call
+Who writes with the lightning's bright hand on the wall?
+What pierceth the King like the point of a dart?
+What drives the bold blood from his cheek to his heart?
+“Chaldeans! Magicians! The letters expound!"
+They are read—and Belshazzar is dead on the ground!
+Hark! The Persian has come
+On a conqueror's wing,
+And a Mede’s on the throne of Belshazzar the King!
+Barry Cornwall.
+
+
+THE CHILD'S QUESTIONS
+
+
+Where will his house be now, mother? Beyond the bright blue sky?
+Will he gather roses there, mother? Or chase the butterfly?
+And will he play with the stars there, those shining twinkling things?
+Will he ride through the air there, with angels on golden wings?
+Will he be near the sun, mother? Close to the Lady Moon?
+Will there never be night, mother? All light as day at noon?
+Will he see the lightning made, mother? And climb on the hills of snow,
+Go where the thunder’s kept, and where sleep the rough winds that blow?
+Will he never be sad, mother? And never wish in vain?
+But live for years and years, mother, without a single pain?
+That must be very beautiful,—a land all joy and flowers:
+I would we went there too, mother, and his bright home were ours.
+Tait's Magazine.
+
+
+Newspaper Criticism.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST. Mr. H. Jeneken, barrister-at-law, de-
+clared that he had seen Mr. Home, the medium’s body
+rise in the air, and pass out of one open window and into
+another at Ashley House.' He had seen 'an accordion sus-
+pended in space and played by invisible agencies, the music
+being accompanied by three spirit-voices chaunting a hymn.'
+This experienced lawyer had also seen the body of Mr. Home
+lengthened and shortened by similar agency; he had seen
+this medium place his head in the flames of the grate, and
+seen the flames playing between the locks of Mr. Home’s hair
+but no injury or pain resulted ;’ and finally, Mr. Jencken had
+seen spirit forms and spirit hands in the presence of man,
+witnesses, who 'had seen these things at the same time.' Mr.
+E. L. Blanchard, the well-known author, deposed that he went
+to Marshalls, the paid mediums in London, for the express
+purpose of 'showing them up’ in the newspapers, but the
+manifestations displayed on that occasion compelled him to
+believe in the presence of spirits. He saw, or supposed he
+saw, a spark upon the floor, which gradually grew into a hand
+and picked up a napkin. He had been raised into the air by
+spirits, and kept in that elevated position for some time, but
+latterly he had refused the use of himself as a medium, be-
+cause it was 'inconvenient to be interfered with by spirits
+when printers were waiting for copy.'
+“No doubt it was. It is bad enough for a writer to be
+afflicted with a 'devil’ at his elbow 'waiting for copy,' but his
+misery must be intensified prodigiously with a batch of spirits
+hovering about the apartment, tilting his table, and swinging
+himself through the air. Under such conditions, literary
+labour must have been anything but a joke, and we think
+that Mr. Blanchard acted wisely in getting rid of his super
+natural associates. But other witnesses had also their expe-
+riences to relate. The Master of Lindsay had seen the spirit
+of Mr. Home’s wife 'in a long flowing robe which hung with
+out belt from the shoulders ;' and, moreover, the shade ap-
+peared quite solid, and not by any means transparent. Mr. S.
+C. Hall, author and barrister-at-law, had seen the spirit of his
+venerable and truly Christian sister,' plump, rosy-cheeked
+and fair to look upon, although she had died eight months be
+fore an emaciated skeleton ; and this vision, he affirms, was
+also seen by eight different persons at the same time. Spirit
+rapping and table-tilting sink into insignificance when com-
+pared with such manifestations, and we might multiply them
+indefinitely. What, then, are we to make of such statements?
+Are we to reject them in toto as deliberate falsehoods ? We
+cannot. The character of the witnesses, as we have said, is
+above suspicion, and therefore we must believe that they are
+stating what they believe to be the truth. Are they labouring
+under a delusion, or is there something, after all, in this thing
+which we call Spiritualism? There may be something in it
+unknown or unexplained—some hidden force of nature more
+subtle than electricity which these men set down to the
+agency of disembodied spirits. Mr. C. F. Varley, the eminent
+electrician, entertains no doubt whatever that the manifesta-
+tions which he has tested were not due to the operation of an
+physical laws of Nature at present recognised, 'but to some
+intelligence other than that of the medium and observers.'
+Professor de Morgan is equally confident in his belief. He
+says— 'I am perfectly convinced that I have both seen and
+heard, in a manner which should make unbelief impossible,
+things called spiritual, which cannot be taken by a rational
+being to be capable of explanation by imposture, coincidence,
+or mistake.'
+
+
+THE GLORIES OF THE HEAVENS.
+Translated from the German.
+“ GOD called up from dreams a man into the vestibule
+of Heaven, saying, “Come thou hither, and see the
+glory of my house. And to the servants that stood
+around his throne, he said, 'Take him, and undress him
+from his robes of flesh : cleanse his vision, and put a
+new breath into his nostrils; only touch not with any
+change his human heart—the heart that weeps and
+trembles.' It was done: and, with a mighty angel for
+his guide, the man stood ready for his infinite voyage
+and from the terraces of heaven, without sound or
+farewell, at once they wheeled away into endless space.
+Sometimes with the solemn flight of angel wing they
+fled through Zaarahs of darkness, through wildernesses
+of death, that divided the worlds of life ; sometimes
+they swept over frontiers, that were quickening under
+prophetic motions from God. Then, from a distance
+that is counted only in heaven, light dawned for a time
+through a sleepy film; by unutterable pace the light
+swept to them ; they, by unutterable pace, to the light.
+In a moment, the rushing of planets was upon them
+in a moment, the blazing of suns was around them.
+“ Then came eternities of twilight, that revealed,
+but were not revealed. On the right hand and on the
+left, towered mighty constellations, that, by self-repeti-
+tions and answers from afar, that, by counter-positions,
+built up triumphal gates, whose architraves, whose
+archways, horizontal, upright, rested, rose, at altitude
+by spans that seemed ghostly from infinitude. With-
+out measure were the architraves, past number were
+the archways, beyond memory the gates. Within
+were stairs that scaled the eternities bclow; above was
+below, below was above, to the man stripped of gravi-
+tating body: depth was swallowed up in height insur-
+mountable—height was swallowed up in depth un-
+fathomable. Suddenly, as thus they rode from infinite
+to infinite,—suddenly, as thus they tilted over abysmal
+worlds, a mighty cry arose, that systems more
+mysterious, that worlds more billowy, other heights and
+other deptbs were coming, were nearing, were at hand.
+“Then the man sighed, and stopped, shuddered,
+and wept.
+His overladened heart uttered itself in
+tears ; and he said, Angel, I will go no farther; for
+the spirit of man acheth with this infinity. Insuffer-
+able is the glory of God. Let me lie down in the
+grave and hide me from the persecution of the infinite;
+for end, I see, there is none.'
+And from ail the listen-
+ing stars that shone around issued a choral voice, 'The
+man speaks truly : end there is none, that ever yet we
+heard of!’ 'End is there none ? ’ the angel solemnly
+demanded : 'Is there indecd no end ? and is this the sor-
+row that kills you?'
+But no voice answered, that he
+might answer himself. Then the angel threw up his
+glorious hands to the heaven of heavens, saying, 'End
+is there none to the universe of God. Lo ! also there
+is no beginning.'"
+
+
+THE “GLASGOW HERALD” ON SPIRITUALISM.
+THE Glasgow Daily Herald has the honour of being the
+first morning paper which has told anything like a portion of
+the truth in a leading article about Spiritualism. The follow-
+ing is its article of November 27th last:—
+“Spiritualism in the 19th century is either a great fact or a
+gigantic delusion, or both. That faith in spiritual manifesta-
+tions is, at all events, a fact, there can be no doubt whatever
+unless we are prepared to set down millions of men and
+women as deep, designing knaves, and wilful impostors. It
+would be unreasonable, as well as unjust, to adopt such an
+alternative. The charge of knavery and imposture would be
+too sweeping in any view of the case, and, besides, the charac-
+ter of not a few of the firmest devotees is far above such a
+suspicion. When we find the names of such men as Professor
+de Morgan, Robert Chambers, William Howitt, Judge Ed-
+monds, C. F. Varley, and S. C. Hall on the roll of believers
+we must discard once for all the theory of universal imposi-
+tion. On the other hand, it seems nearly as hard to believe
+that such men are simplctons or fools—the innocent dupes of
+vulgar “mediums, and the supporters of a doctrine or creed at
+variance with the laws of nature, human experience, and
+common sense. How are we to deal with such phenomena
+The faith cannot be laughed down ; exposure has also failed
+and persecution in these days is out of the question. Spiri-
+tualism, in short, is a fact, just as Mormonism is a fact ; and
+moreover, its progress has been infinitely more wonderful than
+that of the faith propounded by Saint Joseph Smith. In the
+United States, where both beliefs or systems originated, we
+find the Spiritualists far outstripping the Mormons in num-
+bers, as well as in respectability and intelligence. The Mor-
+mons can scarcely show a thousand adherents for every year
+that has elapsed since the advent of their original High-Priest,
+while the Spiritualists in the States have been variously esti-
+mated within the last two years at from three to thirteen
+millions. They are to be found in greater numbers than some
+people are willing to believe in this country, on the Continent
+in India, and at the Antipodes, and they are increasing instead
+of diminishing every year. They have magazines, newspapers,
+lecturers, and mediums by the hundred ; and they have lately
+commenced to defend their faith at the meetings of learned
+societies.
+“A movement such as this in an age which has been called
+materialistic and sceptical may well be considered remarkable,
+even by its most resolute opponents. It is too important, in
+fact, to be ignored altogether by the public, and too energetic
+and persevering to remain in obscurity. Not a few of its
+leading lights have published their experiences and their testi-
+mony, and challenge investigation and defy contradiction.
+At a recent meeting of the Dialectical Society, of which Sir
+John Lubbock is President, and Professor Huxley, Lord Am-
+berley, and Mr. G. H. Lewes are Vice-Presidents, a paper or
+Spiritualism was read which attracted much attention, and
+the result was the appointment of a committee to investigate
+the subject and to report thereon. This committee has already
+examined a considerable number of witnesses, and the follow-
+ing may be taken as a fair sample of the evidence as we find
+it recorded in the first number of a new publieation called
+
+
+“We may admit this without jumping to a supernatural
+conclusion. Set aside imposture of every kind, and take these
+manifestations as they appear—objects of the senses as the
+are said to be—in hearing, seeing. and feeling. We cannot
+explain them, we cannot even comprehend them ; but is that
+a sufficient reason for us to call in supernatural agency in
+order to get out of the difficulty? This was precisely the
+habit of our ancestors in the dark ages, when everything in
+comprehensible by ignorance was ascribed to devilry or witch-
+craft. History repeats itself, and now we find lawyers and
+literary men, mathematicians and philosophers, abjuring
+witches and accepting spirits with a confidence that cannot be
+shaken. And such spirits ! They profess to hold converse
+with the shades of Bacon, Shakespeare, Milton, and scores of
+other immortals ; but the spirits appear to have degenerated
+sadly since they left the flesh. They come to answer the most
+frivolous questions, to tilt tables, and to scratch commonplace
+remarks upon slips of paper. Other spirits tell lies, and show
+their want of education in the most ridiculous ways. We are
+told, indeed, that they are 'good, bad, and indifferent, as
+upon earth, and that some of them are ragamuffins’—a piece
+of information which seems necessary to account for their dis-
+reputable tricks. But why should the mediums confine the
+agency of great spirits to such ignoble uses as they have
+hitherto done? Could not the shade of Milton, for example
+be called upon for a second edition of Paradise Regained,
+which could not fail to be far more glorious in conception and
+execution than the original work? Could not Shakespeare be
+coaxed to give some of the London theatres a new drama,
+capable of driving such rubbish as After Dark and Formosa
+off the stage? Could not the spirit of Byron be induced to
+finish Don Juan, or to answer the 'True Story' of moral Mrs
+H. B. Stowe?
+“And again we may ask if spirit agency cannot be turned
+to a more profitablc account than in moving household furni-
+ture? If spirits can make heavy loo tables dance like ballet-
+girls and float in middle air like balloons, why cannot they be
+sent to turn grindstones, drive machinery, or drag railway
+trains? If spirits are able to whisk Mr. Home out of one
+window and in by another, why cannot they transport him
+across the Atlantic in forty minutes, and thus give the world
+a manifestation that could not be gainsayed ? Finally, if Mr
+Home is able to stick his head into a blazing fire without pair
+or injury, can he not open the eyes of the sceptic and shut the
+mouth of the scoffer by jumping into a pig-iron furnace while
+the metal is boiling white and the flames are roaring and
+rising high in the air? Experiments or manifestations such
+as these would certainly be awe-inspiring ; and when they are
+successfully accomplished we may look out for the millennium,
+or the fulfilment of Dr. Cumming’s prophecies."
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALlIST.—There is no doubt now that this
+journal meets a public want by supplying shorthand and other
+news of Spiritualism at brief intervals, and it may be con-
+sidered to be a permanent institution in connection with the
+movement. At the same time the question is open for the
+present, whether it will be the wisest plan to to bring it out
+monthly or fortnightly. The rate at which the circulation
+goes on rising during the next few weeks will answer the
+question ; the endeavour will be made to continue to bring
+it out as at present, unless the loss over the step be unrea-
+sonably heavy. We are much obliged to those readers who
+are aiding the journal in its early stages.
+
+
+Mrs. HARDINGE'S LECTURES.—If the following statement
+which we extract from the Banner of Light, be true, Mrs
+Hardinge is engaged to lecture in the United States until the
+end of April next. “Mrs. Emma Hardinge will lecture in
+Philadelphia, Pa., during October and November; in Boston
+Mass., during December and April. For lectures during other
+months, and week-evenings, address care of Mrs. J. M. Jackson.
+229, East Sixtieth-street, New York, or M. B. Dyott, Esq., 114,
+South Second-street, Philadelphia."
+WILL-POWER.—An interesting fact in mesmerism was
+stated one evening to the Dialectical Society by Mr. J. S.
+Bergheim, a powerful mesmerist. He said that one night he
+sat among the public at a lecture on Mesmerism, and, without
+saying anything to anybody, willed strongly and constantly
+that the lecturer should have no power over the individuals
+he tried to influence. Failure upon failure was the result of
+all the lecturer’s exertions, and while much perplexed at this
+he caught sight of Mr. Bergheim, whom he knew, and guessed
+the interference at work. He accordingly came to Mr. Berg-
+heim, and told him that “if he could not sit there without in-
+terrupting the lecture, he had better walk out."
+With the
+same will-power some unintelligent, strong-minded persons
+are able to stop weak physical manifestations at Spirit circles
+and when they chance to mentally or vocally utter a religious
+formula at the same time, have been known to ascribe the re-
+sulting stoppage to the efficacy of their theological adjuration.
+A SPIRIT ON “SPACE.”—The following remarks by a
+spirit, were recently made through the mediumship of Mrs. J.
+H. Conant, 158, Washington-strect, Boston, United States :
+“Space, as defined, doubtless, by your correspondent, is not
+what we understand it to be. Go wherever we may, we find
+no condition where there are not atmospheric tides ; electric
+conditions, that in their action are capable of generating life
+all kinds of life of which we can conceive. Could you,
+with your spiritual eyes, behold this atmosphere, you would
+find an infinite number of electric ramifications, coming out
+seemingly, from no centre except the earth centre. They are
+shooting north and south, and east and west. Then there are
+cross-lines; and each one is connected with all the rest, and
+acts upon all the rest. And each one is connected with every
+body in the universe, is acted upon by everybody, and, in
+turn, acts upon everybody. Every living thing that is capable
+of being sustained, or of living at all in this condition of
+being—the animal, vegetable, mineral, and spiritual life
+must, of necessity, be wedded to all those different currents
+that are passing to and fro through space. And if we go
+outside of the earth’s atmosphere, we find the same magnetic
+and electric wires stretching from planet to planet, and de-
+terming the course of each one ; and binding each one to a
+certain relationship with all the rest. Where is the vacuum?
+I fail to find it."
+
+
+ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
+A COUNTRY JOURNALIST.—Your letter in our next.
+
+
+DEC. 17, 1869.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+23
+
+
+FACTS FOR NON-SPIRITUALISTS.
+As this Journal will necessarily often come
+under the observation of those who are not
+Spiritualists, it has been thought judicious to
+reprint regularly on this and the next page
+the following condensed evidence that spiri-
+tualism deserves serious investigation. The
+phenomena witnessed in spiritual circles are
+so extraordinary, and so unlike those coming
+within the ordinary range of human experi-
+ence, that it is quite right not to accept them
+on the testimony of others. Each individual
+should witness and test them personally, and
+believe nothing until the absolute knowledge
+is gained that denial is impossible.
+
+
+EVIDENCE THAT SPIRITUALISM DESERVES INVES-
+TIGATION.
+The testimony of reliable and respectable wit-
+nesses that the phenomena of Spiritualism are
+actual facts, and not imposture or delusion, has of
+late years so accumulated as to possess very great
+weight. In the case of Lyon v. Home, Mr. Robert
+Chambers, Mr. C. F. Varley, Dr. Gully, Mr. and
+Mrs. S. C. Hall, and others, all made affidavits
+strongly in favour of Mr. Home. The following
+was the affidavit of Mr. C. F. Varley, C.E.,
+F.R.G.S., M.R.I.:
+“I, Cromwell Fleetwood Varley, of Fleetwood House,
+Beckenham, in the County of Kent, Esquire, make oath
+and say as follows:—
+“I have been a student of electricity, chemistry, and
+natural philosophy for twenty-six years, and a tele-
+graphic engineer by profession for twenty-one years,
+and I am the consulting electrician of the Atlantic Tele-
+graph Company, and of the Electric and International
+Company.
+“About nine or ten years ago, having had my atten-
+tion directed to the subject of Spiritualism by its spon-
+taneous and unexpected development in my own family
+in the form of clairvoyant visions and communications,
+I determined to test the truth of the alleged physical
+phenomena to the best of my ability, and to ascertain,
+if possible, the nature of the force which produced them.
+“Accordingly, about eight years ago, I called on Mr.
+Home, the defendant in this suit, and stated that I had
+not yet witnessed any of the physical phenomena, but
+that I was a scientific man and wished to investigate
+them carefully.
+“He immediately gave me every facility for the pur-
+pose, and desired me to satisfy myself in every possible
+way, and I have been with him on divers occasions
+when the phenomena have occurred. I have examined
+and tested them with him and with others, under con-
+ditions of my own choice, under a bright light, and have
+made the most jealous and searching scrutiny. I have
+been, since then, for seven months in America, where
+the subject attracts great attention and study, and where
+it is cultivated by some of the ablest men, and having
+experimented with and compared the forces with elec-
+tricity and magnetism, and after having applied me-
+chanical and mental tests, I entertain no doubt whatever
+that the manifestations which I have myself examined
+were not due to the operation of any of the recognised
+physical laws of nature, and that there has been present
+on the occasions above-mentioned some intelligence
+other than that of the medium and observers.
+“The subject of course offers many opportunities and
+inducements for fraud, and I only speak of what I have
+myself seen and tested. Since my acquaintance with
+Mr. Home began I have pursued the enquiry, and I have
+found engaged in it able, learned, and scientific men
+who are convinced as I am, that the physical manifesta-
+tions are but the introduction to an extensive field of
+mental and physical knowledge which will in a great
+measure explain and reconcile the beliefs of all ages and
+nations. I know of several instances both in Europe
+and America in which this course of study has awak-
+ened the perception of the purest and loftiest truths and
+principles. There have been no doubt cases in which
+the intellect has been too feeble for the stimulus, and
+has been overpowered by it, just as frequently results
+from excessive application to religion and other exciting
+topics, but such cases have not come within my own
+observation.
+“Mr. Home, like several other non-professional me-
+diums whose cases I have studied, was passive during
+the occurrence of the manifestations. He, like the
+other mediums, is extremely susceptible to external in-
+fluences, and has a mind better suited to receive impres-
+sions than to prosecute enquiries. I willingly testify my
+entire conviction of his truthfulness and honesty.
+"C. F. VARLEY."
+
+
+It also came out in the evidence given at the
+trial, that Mr. Home had been the invited and un-
+paid guest of the Emperor and the Empress of the
+French, the Emperor, Empress, and the late Em-
+press Dowager of Russia, the Grand Duke Con-
+stantine, the King of Prussia, the late King of
+Bavaria, the late King of Wurtemburg, and the
+Queen of Holland. Mr. Home says that all his
+life he has never taken a farthing of pay for his
+séances. In March, 1869, the Spiritual Magazine
+gave the names of the following gentlemen as
+those who have long been investigating the sub-
+ject.
+Cromwell F. Varley, Esq., Fleetwood-house, Becken-
+ham; Alfred R. Wallace, Esq., 9, St. Mark’s-crescent
+N.W.; Professor De Morgan, 91, Adelaide-road, N.W.
+Captain Drayson, R.A., Woolwich; Dr. J. M. Gully,
+The Priory, Great Malvern: Dr. J. J. G. Wilkinson, 4,
+St. John’s-wood-villas, N.W.; Dr. Dixon, 8, Great Or
+mond-street, W.C.: S. C. Hall, Esq., 15, Ashley-place,
+Victoria-street, S.W.; Newton Crosland, Esq.; Willian
+Howitt, Esq., The Orchard, Hare-green, Esher, Surrey;
+Robert Chambers, Esq., St. Andrew’s, Edinburgh; II.
+D. Jeneken, Esq., Kilmorey-house, Norwood; J. G.
+Crawford, Esq., 52, Gloucester-crescent, N.W.; W. M
+Wilkinson, Esq., Oakfleld, Kilburn; Lord Adare, 5,
+Buckingham-gate; The Master of Lindsay, Grosvenor-
+square.
+
+
+said Mr. Home many curious occurrences, which I am
+unable to explain, in the way of singular phenomena,
+such as displacement of objects without physical con-
+tact, &c., and from my personal and careful investiga-
+tions (which Mr. Home himself ever urges) I am positive
+that it is not in consequence of any trick or device that
+such phenomena occur. I have even been witness to
+singular phenomena when the said Mr. Home was not in
+the same room, and also when he has been asleep. I
+have never known the said Mr. Home receive money for
+what is termed 'a séance', but I have known him re-
+peatedly refuse offers of as much as twenty guineas for
+“J. M. GULLY, M.D."
+a single séance.
+Dr. Hooker, in his opening address, as President
+of the British Association at Norwich in 1868
+spoke very highly of the scientific attainments of
+Mr. Alfred R. Wallacc, F.L.S. Mr. Wallace is an
+avowed Spiritualist. Professor Hare, of Phila-
+delphia, the inventor of the Hare’s Galvanic Bat-
+tery, once refused to witness spiritual phenomena
+alleging that Faraday's “unconscious muscular
+action” theory explained all the facts. A friend
+wrote to him detailing things he had seen which
+were inexplicable by that theory. Hare at once,
+like a sensible man, went to see for himself. The
+result was that he came into communication with
+some of his own departed relatives. He then
+made mechanical telegraphic machines, which
+were intelligently worked by spirits while the
+apparatus was screened from the sight of the
+medium, and he wrote a book recording all these
+facts. That book is now in the British Museum
+Library. Judge Edmonds, of New York, is another
+very eminent American Spiritualist, who has also
+written interesting books on the subject. Recently
+in England, Viscount Adare has written a book
+bearing testimony to the truth of Spiritualism, and
+it has a preface by Lord Dunraven. This book is
+printed for private circulation only, which is an
+error in judgment. Valuable evidence in favour
+of Spiritualism is given by John Wesley and his
+family; for spirit rapping and movements of
+wooden materials by invisible agency occurred in
+their own house. Documentary evidence of what
+they witncssed was drawn up and signed on the
+spot, and is published in Southey's Life of Wesley.
+The Spiritual Magazine for October, 1869, gives
+the following names of friends of Spiritualism
+who have now and then contributed to its pages:
+“Viscount Adare; John Ashburner, M.D., Translator
+of Reichenbach, author of Philosophy of Animal Mag-
+netism and Spiritualism; T. B. Barkas, author of Outline
+of Ten Tears Investigation into the Phenomena of Modern
+Spiritualism; George Barth; Richard Beamish, F.R.S.
+author of The Life of Brunel; Rev. S. E. Bengough
+M.A.; Edward L. Blanchard; Edward Brotherton; Cap-
+tain Richard F. Burton (the African traveller;) William
+Carpenter, author of Political Letters, The English Bible;
+Captain Edward Henry Chawner; Henry T. Child,
+M.D. (Philadelphia, U.S.A.); Benjamin Coleman, author
+of Spiritualism in America; Robert Collyer, M.D., F.C.S.
+Christopher Cook; Robert Cooper, author of Spiritual
+Experiences; Mrs. De Morgan, author of From Matter to
+Spirit; Jacob Dixon, L.R.C.P., author of Clairvoyance
+Hygienic, and Medical; Hugh Doherty, M.D:, author of
+Organic Philosophy; Captain Drayson, R.A.; Judge
+Edmonds (New York); Captain H. A Fawcett, B.N.
+John M. Gully, M.D.; Professor W. D. Gunning (Boston,
+U.S.A.); Samuel Carter Hall, F.S.A.; Emma Hardinge
+George Harris, M.A., F.S.A., President of the Manches-
+ter Anthropological Society; W. E. Hickson, late editor
+of the Westminster Foreign Quarterly Review; Rev. A
+W. Hobson, M.A.; Baron C. Dirckinck Holmfeld; Daniel
+Dunglass Home; Rev. J. Pago Hopps, editor of The
+Truthseeker; Mary Howitt; William Howitt; Henry D.
+(Jencken, M.R.I., F.G.S.; John Jones, author of Man:
+Physical, Apparitional, and Spiritual; Rev. William
+Ker, M.A.: Seymour Kirkup (Florence); Andrew Leigh-
+ton; Robert Leighton; Kenneth R. P. Mackenzie, F.S.A.
+Rev. William Mountford (Boston, U.S.A.); A. E. New-
+ton (Boston, U.S.A.) author of The Ministry of Angel.
+Realised; Mary S. Gove Nichols; J. H. Powell: Baror
+Reichenbach, author of Researches on the Dynamics
+Magnetism; Elihu Rich, author of several articles in the
+Encyclovædia Metropolitana; J. Lockhart Robertson,
+M.R.C.P.: Mary C. Hume Rothery; Rev. W Hume
+Rothery, M.A.; Epes Sargent, author of The Planchette;
+Thomas Shorter; Rev. W. R. Tomlinson, M.A.; Crom
+well F. Varley, F.R.G.S.; C. Staniland Wake, author of
+Chapters on Man; Alfred R. Wallace; A. M. H. Watts
+William White, author of Emanuel Swedenborg: His
+Life and Writings; W. M. Wilkinson, author of Spirit
+Drawings; James J. Garth Wilkinson, M.D., author of
+The Human Body, and its Connection with Man; Rev. F.
+R.
+Young"
+
+
+“Awaiting a reply to this letter, and to the challenge
+with which it concludes, I am, gentlemen; your obedient
+servant.
+G. DAMIANI
+“Clifton, Oct. 1, 1868
+“P.S.—Letters addressed “Sigr. Damiani, care of
+Manager of West of England and South Wales District
+Bank, Corn-strect, Bristol,' will always reach the writer."
+In addition to the above evidence, there is the
+testimony of numbers that the modern spiritual
+manifestations are realities. Mr. Hepworth Dixon
+in his New America estimates the number of Spiri-
+tualists in the United States at rather less than
+three millions, and this is about the lowest estimate
+that anybody has made. There are no accurate sta-
+tistics, and different authorities vary in their esti-
+mates from three to eleven millions.
+
+
+All these facts, together with those which
+follow, prove that Spiritualism deserves serious
+investigation. Not a few learned men have pri-
+vately been examining the phenomena in order to
+“explode the imposture,” but these extinguishers
+soon catch fire themselves. In short, in the
+minds of most of the English public, Spiritualism
+has to pass through the following five stages :
+1. The manifestations do not take place.
+2. Spiritualism is a gross imposture
+3. It is a delusion.
+4. It is the work of the Devil.
+5. It is a great blessing, and we always said so.
+Experience shows that the feebler the intellect
+and the lower the standard of energy and educa-
+tion, the sooner does the investigator break down
+at one of the first four out of the above five steps
+in the ladder of progress.
+
+
+MR. HOME'S AFFIDAVIT.
+In the Chancery suit of Lyon v. Home, for the
+recovery of certain monies given by Mrs. Lyon
+to Mr. Home against the advice of her lawyer
+and her friends, Mr. Home made an affidavit, from
+which the following is an extract:—
+“I Daniel Dunglass Home, of 22, Sloane-street, in
+the County of Middlesex, one of the above-named de-
+fendants, make oath and say as follows:
+“I was born in Scotland on the 20th of March, 1833,
+and from my childhood have been subject to the occa-
+sional happening of singular physical phenomena in my
+presence, which are most certainly not produced by me
+or by any other person in connection with me. I have
+no control over them whatever: they occur irregularly,
+and even when I am asleep. Sometimes I am many
+months, and once I have been a year without them.
+They will not happen when I wish, and my will has
+nothing to do with them. I cannot account for them
+further than by supposing them to be effected by intelli-
+gent beings or spirits. Similar phenomena occur to
+many other persons.... These phenomena occurring in
+my presence have been witnessed by thousands of
+intelligent and respectable persons, including men of
+business, science, and literature, under circumstance
+which would have rendered, even if I desired it, all
+trickery impossible. They have been witnessed repeat-
+edly and in their own private apartments, when an
+contrivance of mine must have been detected, by their
+Majesties the Emperor and the Empress of the French
+their Majesties the Emperor, Empress and late Empress
+Dowager of Russia, their Imperial Highnesses the Grand
+Duke and Duchess Constantine of Russia and the mem-
+bers of their august family, their Majesties the King of
+Prussia, the late King of Bavaria, the present and late
+King of Würtemberg, the Queen of Holland, and the
+members of the Royal Family of Holland; and man
+of these august personages have honoured, and I be-
+lieve still honour, me with their esteem and goodwill, as
+I have resided in some of their palaces as a gentleman
+and their guest, and not as a paid or professional per-
+son. They have had ample opportunities, which they
+have used, of investigating these phenomena, and of
+inquiring into my character. I have resided in America
+England, France, Italy, Germany, and Russia, and in
+every country I have been received as a guest and
+friend by persons in the highest position in society, who
+were quite competent to discover and expose, as the
+ought to have done, anything like contrivance on my
+part to produce these phenomena. I do not seek, and
+never have sought, the acquaintance of any of these
+exalted personages. They have sought me, and I have
+thus had a certain notoriety thrust upon me. I do not
+take money, and never have taken it, although it has
+been repeatedly offered me for or in respect of these
+phenomena, or the communications which appear to be
+made by them. I am not in the habit of receiving those
+who are strangers to me, and I never force the subject
+of Spiritualism on any one’s attention. ... Some of the
+phenomena in question are noble and elevated, others
+appear to be grotesque and undignified. For this I am
+not responsible, any more than I am for the many
+grotesque and undignified things which are undoubtedly
+permitted to exist in the material world. I solemnly
+swear that I do not produce the phenomena aforesaid,
+or in any way whatever aid in producing them,” &c.
+“I have been subjected to much persecution through-
+out my life, because of my conscientious belief as to the
+meaning and great purpose of spiritual phenomena
+taken as a whole. That belief I have not, like the
+plaintiff, foresworn. I have always courted the strictest
+investigation, although I have not condescended to
+notice all the attacks and anonymous slanders that have
+been circulated respecting me. The book shown to me
+at the time of swearing this affidavit, marked H 8, con-
+tains a correct list of upwards of 1,300 letters, with the
+writers' names, which I still retain (after having de-
+stroyed about 10,000), written to me by persons of every
+rank and class, including persons of the highest social,
+political, literary, and scientific position, who have in-
+vestigated these phenomena, and corresponded with me
+about them. After the fullest opportunities of examina-
+tion, they have formed different opinions as to their
+origin and meaning ; but I believe that all are
+thoroughly satisfled of my entire honesty in the matter;
+and lately, while the plaintiff's base and unfounded
+charges of fraud and imposition have been hanging
+over me, and during the months of January and
+February, 1868, these phenomena have been thoroughly
+tested by another scientific man, named Mr. Hawkins
+Simpson, the inventor of electrical apparatus, including
+one for printing at a distance by the telegraph—a
+drawing and description of which were, as I am in-
+formed and believe, given in the Engineer newspaper of
+the 15th November, 1867."
+
+
+WHAT IS THE USE OF SPIRITUALISM?
+Strange to say there are people who can ask
+what is the use of communication with friends
+and relatives, who have passed the great barrier
+of the grave. One use of Spiritualism is, that all
+Spiritualists who lead moderately good lives, are
+found to gradually lose the fear of death. Spirits
+through the agency of suitable media have much
+power in the healing of diseases, and the removal
+of deformities, though such power is far from
+absolute. The following is a narrative, published
+in Daybreak, of some of the powers exercised
+through Mr. Nowton, the best healing medium in
+the United States; he is expected to visit England
+in the course of the year 1870. The following ex-
+ample from a very boundless field of choice, is
+enough for the present on the subject of the uses
+of Spiritualism:
+Friday, May 22, of the present year (1868) will for
+ever remain one of the most memorable days of my life
+It was on that day, when the sun was shining brightly
+and bathing the world with its light and heat, that
+arrived at Newport, Rhode Islaud, and first came under
+the healing powers of Dr. J. A. Newton. I had heard
+of him through The Spiritual Magazine, Mr. William
+Howitt, and Mr. Coleman, and was assured that if I
+placed myself in his hands I should be speedily and
+radically cured of the neuralgic affection in my head,
+for which I had been suffering for eleven years. It was
+not until I had become a little more familiar with some
+of the facts and phenomena of modern Spiritualism
+that I felt a quiet faith in the power of Dr. Newton to
+remove my disease. Having once attained to that state
+of mind, and becoming satisfied that it was my duty to
+cross the Atlantic in search of health, I made arrange-
+ments for doing so, and left Liverpool for New York on
+Saturday, May 9, arriving at the latter place on Tuesday
+evening, the 19th.*
+The moment Dr. New-
+ton and I met, I found in his face and simple kindly
+manner a human image of the outside sunshine, and
+but few words had been spoken when I was convinced
+that the errand upon which I had come would be ful-
+filled. I was about to give him the history in detail of
+my affliction when he stopped me by saying, That
+after I had been cured he would be very glad to listen
+to anything I might wish to say, but that the cure itselt
+was the first matter to be attended to.' He then poured
+a large quantity of very hot water upon my head while
+I was leaning it over a basin into which the water fell.
+After my head had been dried with a coarse towel, I
+was made to sit upon a moveable seat, similar to a
+music-stool, the doctor standing behind me, and placing
+my head against his chest with his hands crossed upon
+my forehead. He then moved my head in various
+directions until all at once a clicking noise was heard at
+the top of my spine. The doctor immediately cried out,
+'That noise is the sign that you will be cured; the dis-
+turbance of the nerve current has been removed. He
+then faced me, and lifting both his hands towards
+heaven, he looked me hard in the face, saying, 'Look at
+me. In the name of God our Heavenly Father, and of
+the Lord Jesus Christ the Great Healer, I bid this
+disease depart from this dear suffering brother and
+uever more afflict him. It is gone—it is gone—it is
+gone for ever, my brother; you are cured; rise up on
+your feet and be cured.' At that instant I felt a strong
+current of new life flowing into and through every part
+of my body, and I was conscious that I had entered
+upon an altogether new phase of existence. From that
+day to the present hour, July 13, I have been entirely
+free from my pain, and have felt as well, I should think
+as it is possible for any human being to feel. Physically
+speaking, I am a new creature; old things have passed
+away and all things have become new. Of course it is
+not for me to say absolutely that the cure will be per-
+manent, but, if I may judge from my present expe-
+rience, I see no reason why it should not be so
+Wonderful as my case is, it is only one of thousands, so
+far as Dr. Newton is concerned. He has cured almost,
+every form of disease, and removed almost every kind
+of suffering. In fact, he appears to have done every-
+thing but raise the dead. And yet even he does not
+cure all cases, and this failure enables him to keep alive
+the consciousness that it is not he who cures, but God
+who works in and through him. He tells me that he
+has cured something like a quarter of a million of
+people. * * * * Most of his cures are done without
+fee or reward. In my own case he steadily refused to
+take a single dollar, and I saw him act in like manner
+towards several others. During my stay I witnessed
+several instances of his healing power; some of them
+being so manifest as to defy all attempts at explaining
+them away. On the very morning that my own cure
+was effected, I witnessed his cure of a paralytic who for
+three years had been unable to walk without the aid of
+crutches, and even then, only in a partial degree. This
+woman was brought by lier parents to Newport, and, in
+less than five minutes from the time when she came
+under Dr. Newton’s hands, she got up from the couch
+on which she had becn laid, and walked away up the
+street and back again, a full mile, and afterwards
+walked and ran and jumped and danced, as so many
+signs that her cure was a complete one. I also saw him
+cure a young man who had a withered hand. Indeed,
+might have seen day by day, and hour by hour, ex-
+amples of this healing power had I chosen to have done
+so. Every now and again, there are trains from Boston
+and Providence freighted with the lame, the halt, the
+blind, and the diseased, sometimes to the number of
+500 or 600. These come to Newport, and a large majo-
+rity of them are sent away perfectly cured. In one part
+of Dr. Newton’s house there is a room of considerable
+size, fun of crutches, sticks, spectacles, eye-shades,
+bandages, and other memorials of disease and sickness
+which have been left behind by patients as so many
+signs and trophies of their cure.
+
+
+Mrs. De Morgan has written a book, entitled
+From Matter to Spirit (Longmans), where she
+gives many interesting particulars, the result of
+ten years’ experience in Spiritualism. Professor
+De Morgan, President of the Mathematical Society
+of London, in his preface to the book, says:
+“I am perfectly convinced that I have both seen and
+heard, in a manner which should make unbelief impos-
+sible, things called spiritual, which cannot be taken by
+a rational being to be capable of explanation by impos-
+ture, coincidence, or mistake. So far I feel the ground
+firm under me.
+The following is an extract from another
+affidavit, made in the suit of Lyon v. Home
+“I, James Manby Gully, of The Priory, Great Malvern
+in the County of Worcester, doctor of medicine, make
+oath and say as follows:
+“I have known the above-named defendant, Daniel
+Dunglass Home, for seven years and upwards, last past
+and have during that period been in the habit of attend-
+ing him professionally, and also of receiving him in my
+house as a personal friend, and I have never had the
+smallest reason to doubt liis character as a man of
+honour and proper moral feeling.
+“I have during the past seven years witnessed both
+in my own house, and elsewhere, in the presence of the
+
+
+Signor G. Damiani, a Sicilian gentleman living
+at Clifton, has written a pamphlet, still in print
+in which he severely censures Professor Tyndall
+Mr. G. H. Lewes, and others like them, for refus-
+ing to investigate the subject. He further offers a
+reward of 1,000 guineas to any respectable, scien-
+tific or educated men, who will investigate the
+subject and prove it to be an imposture. The
+following are his words:
+“I now offer you two challenges
+“First, I challenge you, or either of you, or any of
+the public who, like you, disbelieve in the genuine cha-
+racter of spiritualistic phenomena, to deposit in the
+hands of any well-known London banker whom you or
+they may name, the sum of five hundred guineas; and
+I pledge myself to immediately deposit in the same bank
+a like amount,—the ownership of such sum of one thou-
+sand guineas to depend upon my proving by evidence
+sufficient to establish any fact in history or in a criminal
+or civil court of justice.
+First—That intelligent communications and answers
+to questions put, proceed from dead and inert matter in
+a manner inexplicable by any generally recognised law
+of nature.
+Secondly—That dead and inert matter does move
+without the aid of any mechanical or known chemical
+agency, and in deflance of all the admitted laws of gravi-
+tation.
+“Thirdly—That voices appertaining to no one in the
+flesh are heard to speak and hold rational converse with
+men.
+A jury of twenty-four gentlemen, twelve to be choser
+by each party (such jury to consist exclusively of mem-
+bers of the learned professions and literary men), to
+decide whether or not the facts contained in the above
+propositions are conclusively proved per testes—i.e., by
+witnesses of established character. A majority of
+the twenty-four to decide. If the verdict be that these
+facts havo not been established, the thousand guineas
+are to belong to the party accepting this challenge; if
+the verdict be that these facts are established, the thou-
+sand guiueas to be mine.
+“Secondly—Immediately after the above wager being
+decided, either way, I offer a like challenge of five hun-
+dred guineas (to be met on the other side in like manner
+as above)—the ownership of the second sum of one
+thousand guineas to depend upon the establishment of
+the facts contained in the propositions already given, by
+experiments conducted in the actual presence of the twenty-
+four gentlemeu who have decided the previous wager,
+the verdict of the majority to decide in this case likewise.
+“In either case, the séances are to be conducted in an
+public or private building which the jury may select,
+and which may be available for the purpose.
+“The result of these challenges (if accepted and de-
+cided) to be advertised by the victorious party, at the
+expense of the defeated party, in all the London daily
+papers.
+I hope this is plain English.
+
+
+Omitting the remainder of Mr. Home’s affidavit
+the following evidence given by him before the
+Dialectical Society, is of interest:
+“He had seen a pencil lifted by a spirit hand write on
+paper in the presence of the Emperor Napoleon. This
+took place in a large room, the Salon Louis Quinze. The
+Empress was also present. The hand, after writing,
+went to the Emperor, who kissed it; it then went to the
+Empress; she withdrew from the touch, and the hand
+followed her. The Emperor said, Do not be fright-
+ened, kiss it!' She then kissed it, and it shortly after-
+wards disappeared. The writing was an autograph
+of the Emperor Napoleon I. The Emperor of Russia
+had also seen and handled spirit hands, which after-
+wards seemed to melt away into thin air.
+The Emperor Napolcon has been at a great
+many of Mr. Home's séances, and Mr. Home was
+asked by members of the Dialectical Society to
+state other things which had been observed on
+those occasions. Mr. Home said that he did not
+feel at liberty to state any more than the Emperor
+was in the habit of telling himself.
+
+
+"FREDERICK ROWLAND YOUNG,
+“Minister of the Free Christian Church, Swindon.
+There are very many healing mediums in the
+United States, who can do good only in certain
+diseases, or whose powers are so feeble that suc-
+cessful results may with more probability of accu-
+racy be put down to the imagination of the
+patient.
+A great use of Spiritualism is that it demon-
+strates the immortality of the soul. But why
+ask, “ Of what use is Spiritualism ?” for here the
+thing is in our midst as much a part of nature as
+the trees, the clouds, and the flowers, and as it
+cannot be abolished there is no alternative but to
+subject it to investigation, or to look on in igno-
+rance.
+
+
+HOW TO FORM SPIRIT CIRCLES.
+An experimental trial at home, among family
+friends and relatives, often gives the most satis-
+factory evidence of the reality of spiritual pheno-
+mena. At the same time, as no fully developed
+medium is present among those who have never
+obtained manifestations before, the probability is
+that there will be no results. Nevertheless, it is
+a very common thing for striking manifestations
+to be obtained in this way at the first sitting of a
+family circle; perhaps for every one successful
+new circle thus started without a medium, there
+are six or seven failures, but no accurate statistics
+on this point have yet been collected. When
+once manifestations have been obtained they will
+gradually increase in power and reliability at suc-
+cessive sittings. The following is a good plan of
+action:
+1. Let the room be of a comfortable temperature, but
+cool rather than warm let arrangements be made that
+
+
+24
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+DEC. 17, 1869.
+
+
+nobody shall enter it, and that there shall be no inter-
+ruption for one hour during the sitting of the circle.
+Wet, damp, and foggy weather is bad for the production
+of physical phenomena.
+2. Let the circle consist of four, five, or six individuals
+about the same number of each sex. Sit round an un-
+covered wooden table, with all the palms of the hands
+in contact with its top surface. Whether the hands
+touch each other or not is usually of no importance.
+Any table will do, just large enough to conveniently
+accommodate the sitters. The removal of a hand from
+the table for a few seconds does no harm, but when one
+of the sitters breaks the circle by leaving the table it
+sometimes, but not always, very considerably delays the
+manifestations.
+3. Before the sitting begins, place some pointed lead¬
+pencils and some sheets of clean writing paper on the
+table, to write down any communications that may be
+obtained.
+4. People who do not like each other should not sit in
+the same circle, for such a want of harmony tends to
+prevent manifestations, except with well-developed
+physical mediums; it is not yet known why. Belief or
+unbelief has no influence on the manifestations, but an
+acrid feeling against them is a weakening influence.
+5. Before the manifestations begin, it is well to engage
+in general conversation or in singing, and it is best that
+neither should be of a frivolous nature. A prayerful,
+earnest feeling among the members of the circle is likely
+to attract a higher and more pleasing class of spirits.
+6. The first symptom of the invisible power at work is
+often a feeling like a cool wind sweeping over the hands.
+The first manifestations will probably be table tiltings or
+raps.
+7. When motions of the table or sounds are produced
+freely, to avoid confusion, let one person only speak,
+and talk to the table as to an intelligent being.
+Let him tell the table that three tilts or raps mean
+“Yes," one means “No," and two mean “Doubtful",
+and ask whether the arrangement is understood. If
+three signals be given in answer, then say, “If I speak
+the letters of the alphabet slowly, will you signal ever
+time I come to the lettor you want, and spell us out a
+message?" Should three signals be given, set to work
+on the plan proposed, and from this time an intelligent
+system of communication is established.
+8. Afterwards the question should be put, “Are we
+sitting in the right order to get the best manifestations
+Probably some members of the circle will then be told
+to change scats with each other, and the signals will be
+afterwards strengthened. Next ask, “ Who is the
+medium?" When spirits come asserting themselves to
+be related or known to anybody present, well-chosen
+questions should be put to test the accuracy of the
+statements, as spirits out of the body have all the virtues
+and all the failings of spirits in the body.
+
+
+sible to comply with his demand. Faraday also
+required an answer to the following questions,
+among others, before attending
+“Would he (Mr. Home) be glad if their (the manifesta-
+tion's) delusive character were established and exposed,
+aud would he gladly help to expose it, or would he be
+annoyed and personally offended? [The italics in this
+sentence are not in the original.]
+“Docs he consider the effects natural or supernatural?
+If natural, what are the laws which govern them? or
+does he think that they are not subject to laws? If
+supernatural, does he suppose them to be miracles, or
+the work of spirits? If the work of spirits, would an
+insult to the spirits be considered as an insult to
+himself?"
+
+
+Mr. Home took no notice of the above insults
+and, it is believed, never wrote Faraday in the
+first instance, or took any notice of him whatever.
+He never even saw his letters.
+Dr. John Tyndall, F.R.S., in a note dated May
+8, 1868, commenting upon Faraday's letter just
+mentioned, wrote:
+“I hold myself in readiness to witness and investigate,
+in the spirit of the foregoing letter [of Faraday's], such
+phenomena as Mr Home may wish to reveal to me
+during the month of June."
+A few days previously Mr. Home had written
+in the Pall Mall Gazette:
+“It will give me pleasure to meet Professor Tyndall
+and any two gentlemen he shall designate. On my side
+I shall have at least two gentlemen whose names and
+position place them above the suspicion of aiding or
+abetting a fraud. I will meet Professor Tyndall and
+these gentlemen when and where they please, and
+under such circumstances as they may decide on. I
+must only crave their patience if nothing should occur
+at the first, or even the second, séance"
+
+
+From that day to this Dr. Tyndall has not
+accepted the above invitation.
+A demand for a programme where no programme
+can be given, and the writing of supercilious
+letters in reply to civil invitations, amounts prac-
+tically to a refusal to observe facts. Dr. Tyndall
+and men who act like him, are recommended to
+bear in mind the following words of Galileo:
+“Oh, my dear Kepler, how I wish that we could have
+our hearty laugh together. Here, at Padua, is the prin-
+cipal professor of philosophy, whom I have repeatedly
+and urgently requested to look at the moon and planets
+through my glass, whieh he pertinaciously refuses to do.
+Why are you not here? What shouts of laughter we
+should have at this glorious folly; to hear the Professor
+of Philosophy at Pisa, labouring before the Grand Duke
+with logical arguments, as if with magical incantations
+to charm the planets out of the sky!"
+A little society known as the Dialcctical Society
+is now investigating Spiritualism. It number
+among its members many shrewd and intelligent
+men, belonging chiefly to the legal and medical
+professions. Spiritualists watch its proceedings
+with a moderate amount of interest; nothing that
+any man or body of men may say or do can alter
+the established phenomena and laws of nature.
+
+
+inquirers; the sittings exhaust their vitality like a
+hard days’ work, and they have to put up with
+much abuse when uneducated roughs unaccus-
+tomed to investigation persecute them by attend-
+ing. The inquirer should mention to the medium
+civilly and kindly, his doubts respecting the
+phenomena he may witness; the invisible beings
+around will at once, on the spot, do their best to
+remove those doubts, or an explanation will be
+obtained from the medium. When there is real
+foundation for suspicion, the best plan is to go
+often to the medium, accompanied by witnesses
+detect the imposture, and prosecute the medium
+for obtaining money under false pretences.
+Genuine manifestations are not under the control
+of the medium, so that a paid medium who does
+not get manifestations, is under a great temptation
+to try to make them. This fact makes it difficult
+for Spiritualists to speak absolutely as to the relia-
+bility of any paid mediums, however genuine the
+majority of the manifestations may be which occur
+in their presence. After getting thoroughly inte-
+rested in Spiritual phenomena, the inquirer should
+take his friends to see them, and afterwards get up
+a private circle in his own house. Manifestations
+will most likely not be obtained at the first sitting
+but after very few or very many sittings they will
+come; gradually the great barrier of the grave
+which now separates friends will be broken down,
+and after the experience of a year or two the
+dread of the beautiful natural process, called
+“death,” will be destroyed, as it is destroyed in
+the minds of all experienced Spiritualists, except
+those who during life have done harm to their
+fellow-creatures. Very high spirits and their
+homes are perfectly invisible to very low spirits
+this, coupled with the fact that there is no more
+uniformity in the next world than there is here,
+accounts for the endless contradictions about spirit
+life given in Spiritual communications.
+An investigator of a logical and scientific turn of
+mind may possibly have to closely follow up the
+subject for some weeks before gaining the absolute
+knowledge that the manifestations come from
+spirits. Unlike Mr. Home and a few other excep-
+tional individuals, most mediums are developed
+for one or two special purposes only. Thus, vio-
+lent physical manifestations, inexplicable by an
+of the recognised laws of matter, may be seen in
+the presence of one medium, but mental tests and
+questions may bring forth a majority of inaccurate
+and unreliable answers. Where good mental tests
+are obtainable through a medium, the physical
+manifestations may be altogether absent.
+There are so few public or semi-public spirit
+circles at work in London, and the pressure for
+admission is so great where the manifestations are
+good, that the best plan for novices is usually to
+try to get manifestations at home among their own
+friends.
+
+
+TO LIFE POLICY-HOLDERS. — The
+recent disclosures in the Chancery Court indis-
+putably prove that neither the antiquity of a life office
+nor the magnitude of its income, affords to the public
+any security that the premiums they have paid for the
+purpose of securing a sum of money to their families
+may not be frittered away in costly amalgamations, or
+jeopardised by fire, marine, or accidental risks
+In order to remove this insecurity the BRITISH IM-
+PERIAL INSURANCE CORPORATION was esta-
+blished on the principle substantially adopted by Her
+Majesty’s Government for small policies, and carried out
+through the medium of the Post-office.
+The Life Funds of the British Imperial Corporation
+are placed beyond the control of the Directors, being in-
+vested in the Government Funds (for the sole purpose
+of meeting policy elaims) in the names of trustees, who
+act independent of the Directors, and solely on behalf of
+the policy-holders.
+The system of investing Insurers’ net premiums in
+Consolidated three per cent. Annuities in Trustees'
+names for the sole purpose of meeting Policy Claims
+combined with the creation of a number of Separate
+Trusts, presents entirely new elements of security to
+Insurers.
+Any section of the community who are dissatisfied
+with the ordinary plan of entrusting their premiums to
+the care of the Directors of a life office may, without
+cost or risk, constitute themselves into a separate sec-
+tion of the British Imperial Corporation, and appoint
+their own trustees to control the life insurance funds
+contributed by them.
+Trustees:
+Christopher Weguelin, Esq., Director of the Bank of
+England (Messrs. Thomson, Bonar, and Co.)
+Charles Oppenheim, Esq., Director of the Union Bank of
+London (Messrs. S. Oppenheim and Sons)
+William G. Goodliffe, Esq., Accountant-General, India
+Office, Westminster
+Augustus F. Bayford, Esq., LL.D., Senior Registrar
+Court of Probate, Doctor's-commons, Chancellor of
+the Diocese of Manchester.
+Alderman Thomas Dilworth Crewdson, J.P., Greenheys
+Manchester
+Head Offices
+S1, KING-STREET, AND 60, SPRING-GARDENS
+MANCHESTER.
+Chief Offices for London
+20, COCKSPUR-STREET, PALL-MALL.
+
+
+Possibly at the first sitting of a circle symptom
+of other forms of mediumship than tilts or raps
+may make their appearance. Information respect
+ing the many kinds of mediumship will be found
+in Mrs. Professor De Morgan's book, From Matter
+to Spirit, published by Longmans; and this is a
+good book to read before trying to start a nev
+circle. It usually takes several years for an
+medium to attain full power, and it is not an
+uncommon although not an everyday thing, for
+chairs and other articles to move about in the
+presence of a good well-developed physical medium
+without anybody touching the articles at all. This
+fact effectually disposes of Faraday's “unconscious
+muscular action” theory. Some have suggested
+that the phenomena are all mental, since mental
+conditions influence their production, and that
+those present all believe they see and hear things
+which they do not in reality see and hear. The
+answer is that there is sometimes such a noise
+with improperly powerful manifestations that tlie
+sounds are heard all over the house by persons
+not in the room; the furniture sometimes gets
+broken by movements of too violent a character
+and the broken portions remain as evidence that
+the plienomena were not of a mental character.
+The upholsterers' bills which result also serve to
+convince that thie occurrences are facts. The
+higher spirits seem to have little power over
+common matter, and the highest communications
+arc not usually obtained through physical mani-
+festations.
+There are in England several very interesting
+circles for physical manifestations, where the
+spirits speak with audible voices, but, unfortu-
+nately, total darkness is a necessary condition.
+Non-spiritualists who are inquiring into the sub-
+ject should have nothing to do with dark séances,
+which should be held only by those who know
+each other, since they offer so many facilities for
+fraud. When any circle regularly obtains power-
+ful physical manifestations, they may desire to sit
+for the voices. The very slightest glimmer of
+light must be excluded from the room, while the
+members of the circle sit round the table in the
+ordinary way. One or two paper tubes, each
+twelve or eighteen inches long, with an orifice
+about an inch-and-a-half in diameter, should be
+placed on the table. They may be readily made
+by rolling up a piecc of music and tying a few
+pieces of cotton round the rough tube thus formed,
+in the early stages of a voice-circle these tubes
+are necessary for the use of the spirits, but after-
+wards they may be dispensed with except when
+the weather and other conditions are unfavour-
+able. When first trying to obtain the voices the
+spirits may not be able to lift the tubes from the
+table, afterwards they often get them up in the
+air a foot or two and let them drop again. When
+they get full control over them they can carry
+them about up to the ceiling and to all parts of
+the room, and they talk to the members of the
+circle often while floating about above their heads.
+Very beautiful luminous phenomena arc some-
+times shown by the spirits at dark circles. While
+sitting for the voices, the spirits will tell by the
+ordinary table signals how they are progressing in
+their work of getting control of the tubes
+Every human being is surrounded by an atmo-
+sphere which to the spirits is luminous and mate-
+rial, and this atmosphere is largely used by the
+spirits in the production of the physical manifes
+tations. Baron Reichenbach, while he knew
+nothing of Spiritualism, discovered by experiment
+the presence of unknown forces cmanating from
+human bodies, aud published the results in his
+Researches on Animal Magnetism. All the pheno-
+mena of Spiritualism draw teniporarily upon the
+vital powers of those composing the circle, but
+the medium is the chief source of energy.
+A still atmosphere and subdued light in the
+room are favourable conditions for the physical
+manifestations.
+
+
+TIIE LITERATURE OF SPIRITUALISM
+The literature of Spiritualism now consists of
+several hundreds of volumes, good, bad, and indif-
+ferent, and almost entirely of American origin.
+Among the best volumes on the subject are Mrs
+De Morgan's From Matter to Spirit (Longmans
+with a prefacc by Professor De Morgan, President
+of the Mathematical Society of London; The
+Planchette, by Epcs Sargent; Spiritualism (2 vols.)
+by Judgo Edmonds and G. T. Dexter, of Nev
+York; a History of Spiritualism, by Emma Hard-
+inge; and The Autobiography of Andrew Jackson
+Davis. An interesting book, consisting simply of
+narrations of facts witnessed at remarkable seances
+is Incidents of My Life (Longmans), by D. D.
+Home. The Soul of Things, by Denton, is a curious
+book indirectly connected with Spiritualism, and
+worth reading. Those unacquainted with Spiri-
+tualism are recommended to read these books in
+the order in which thcy have just been mentioned.
+The only large lending library of Spiritual books
+in Great Britain is that belonging to Mr. J. Burns
+15, Southampton-row, High Holborn, London,
+W.C. The English periodicals on the subject
+are, The Spiritual Magazine, Human Nature, Day-
+break, and The Spiritualist
+
+
+ADVICE TO INQUIRERS
+Those who know no intelligent Spiritualists
+and nothing about Spiritualism, yet who want to
+investigate, are recommended to begin by reading
+the first two books mentioned in the preceding
+paragraph. Then they should call upon the chief
+publisher of Spiritual books in London, Mr. J
+Burns, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn (where the
+are sure to be treated with attention and courtesy)
+and ask for the names and addresses of say four
+good professional or non-professional mediums
+accessible to the public, and “recognised by Spiri
+tualists as reliable for powerful physical manifes-
+tations.” There are plenty of mediums or of people
+who fancy themselves mediums, who can rarely show
+anything satisfactory, and with whom an inquirer
+might wasto much time. He should then get say
+two sittings by daylight in his own house with
+cach of tho four mediums, because the power
+varies in strength at times with every medium
+at the end of the eight sittings he is sure to be
+thoroughly interested in Spiritualism, and to have
+thrown overboard tho imposture theory, which is
+the clumsiest and most superficial one of all.
+Many of the public havo vague ideas that electri-
+city can do all kinds of unaccountable things, but
+A GENUINE MEDIUM NEVER HAS ANY HESITATION
+IN SITTING WITE A CIRCLE IN A HOUSE AND AMONG
+FURNITURE WHICH HE OR SHE HAS NEVER SEEN IN
+HIS OR HER LIFE BEFORE. Even with a good
+medium it is best, if time be valuable, not to
+investigate at crowded public circles, because
+assuming imposture to be at work, there is no
+telling who may not be aiding, among the
+numerous spectators. Besides, where so man
+people want to ask questions of the spirits, the
+investigator has not time to put many himself.
+Investigators are recommended to be thus careful
+in the selection of mediums, because as public
+attention is gradually more rivetted upon Spiri-
+tualism, impostors are sure to spring up, and even
+to advertise in Spiritual periodicals, for the editors
+manifestly cannot investigate the claims of ever
+professing medium. At present (November, 1869)
+there is very little imposture mixed up with the
+Spiritual movement in Great Britain, and there are
+only four or five paid mediums in all London.
+Good paid mediums deserve high praise rather
+than that censure which is thrown upon them even
+by Spiritualists; they find house-room ; they are
+ready to receive strangers at stated times when
+private circles could not sit for the convenience of
+
+
+JOSEPH BARKER'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY
+Now ready, neatly bound in cloth, price 2s. 6d.
+TEACHINGS OF EXPERIENCE; or
+Lessons I have Learned on my Way through
+Life.
+London: JAMES BEVERIDGE, 9, 10, 11, Fullwood’s-rents,
+Holborn, W.C.
+
+
+HUMAN NATURE, a Monthly Record
+of Zoistic Science, Intelligence, and Popular
+Anthropology. Recent numbers give full details of the
+extraordinary Manifestations through the celebrated
+Medium, D. D. Home, Esq., with philosophical reason
+ings as to the nature and causc of the phenomena: a
+new series of lessons on Phrenology and the Tempera
+ments is being given, containing some new instructions
+of great value to the student; first-class Portraits of
+eminent men and women, with Biographies and Phreno
+logical delincations are frequently introduced; a serial
+Tale of great power and beauty; articles on Physiology,
+Diet, Temperance, and Health; translations from Con
+tinental Works and Periodicals; treatises on Mesmerism
+Clairvoyance, Spiritualism; reviews of Books; reports
+of Lectures, Meetings, and Societies, renders this the
+cheapest, most varied, and instructive Periodical of the
+kind in the world. The fact that this Periodical is en
+tirely unbiased and devoted to the truth respecting all
+the topics on which it treats, is a point not to bo over
+looked by all earnest investigators, whatever their
+opinions may be. Post free, 7s. per annum, or 6d. per
+month from the Booksellers. JAMES BURNS, Progres-
+sive Library, 15, Southampton-row, Bloomsbury-square,
+Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+THE PROGRESSIVE LIBRARY and
+SPIRITUALIST DEPOSITORY has been re-
+moved from Camberwell to No. 15, Southampton-row,
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, W.C.
+There is a Publishing Office and Shop for the sale of
+Books; a Circulating Library of all Works on Spiritualism.
+&c.; a Reading-Room supplied with the Spiritual and
+Progressive Publications of the World; a Drawing
+Room for the special use of Ladies and Subscribers
+Private Rooms for Séances, Committecs, Meetings, &c.,
+and where all information respecting the Cause and the
+Progress of events may be obtained.
+The Subscription, entitling to all the privileges of the
+Establishinent, including the use of two Books at s
+time from the Library for home perusal, is 21s. per annum
+A well-assorted Stock of Stationery, Periodicals, cur-
+rent Progressive Literature, Standard Works, Cheap
+Books and Tracts, Planchettes, Materials for Writing
+and Drawing Mediums; also Works and Appliances on
+Phrenology, Physiology, Health, and Dietetic Reform
+Temperance, Hydropathy, Gymnasties, Mesmerism,
+Clairvoyance, Anthropology, &c., will be kept on sale
+As the responsibilities incurred in establishing this
+“Home for Spiritualism" and the Science of Man are
+very heavy, the Proprietor earnestly solicits the kind
+co-operation and support of all who sympathise with
+the enterprise. Strangers in London should at onee
+call at the Progressive Library, where they may hear of
+Lodgings and get other useful information.
+J. BURNS, Progressive Library, 15, Southampton-row,
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE, pub-
+lished Monthly, contains all the news of Spiri-
+tualism, and psychological articles by writers of ability.
+Publisher, JAMES BURNS, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn
+W.C.
+
+
+THE BANNER OF LIGHT, the Chief
+Weekly Newspaper on Spiritualism in the United
+States, may be ordered through Mr. JAMES BURNS, 15
+Southampton-row, Holborn, W.C
+
+
+20, COCKSPUR-STREET, PALL-MALL.
+FMALE MEDICAL SOCIETY.
+Vice-Patrons
+His Grace the Duke of Argyll, K.T.
+Her Grace the Duchess of Argyll.
+The Baroness de Rothschild
+The Countess de Noailles
+President
+The Right Honourable the Earl of Shaftesbury, K.G.
+Treasurer
+Henry Charles Stephens, Esq., 171 Aldersgate-street, E.C
+Honorary Secretary
+James Edmunds, Esq., M.D
+Lady Secretary
+Mrs. Blangy
+Auditors
+Colonel Oldfleld, Ticehurst, Sussex
+Captain Webber, 94, Gower-street, W.C.
+Bankers
+The London and County Bank, 441, Oxford-street.
+Temporary Offices
+4, Fitzroy-square, London, W
+The Female Medical Society is established for the
+following objects:
+1.—To promote the employment of properly educated
+women in the practiee of Midwifery, and the treatment
+of the Diseases of Women and Children
+2. - To provide educated women with proper facilities
+for learning the theory and praetiee of Midwifery, and
+the accessory branches of Medical Science
+Midwifery and the accessory branches of medicine
+offer a wide field of honourable and lucrative employ
+ment for educated women; also a means of intellectual
+culture and social usefulness to ladies who may not be
+dependent upon their own exertions. For want of
+properly qualified ladies the best portion of the practice
+of midwifery has drifted into the hands of gentlemnen
+though female practitioners still attend the bulk of the
+population. But any person may undertake the duties
+of a midwife. Proper means of study have never beer
+provided for women, and there has never been an
+public examination, by which women when well qualified
+might be distinguished from those who are illiterate and
+unqualified.
+The Society has carried on for five years the Ladies
+Medical College, which has taught the theory and prac-
+tice of Midwifery and the accessory branches of medi-
+cine. Eighty-two ladies have already availed themselves
+of its advantages, and many of these ladies are settled
+in practiee, and succeeding admirably.
+A life subscription of ten guineas, or an annual sub-
+scription of one guinea, constitutes a member of the
+Soeiety, but stamps or other small contributions will be
+gladly received.
+Lady subscribers of not less than one guinea are
+invited to visit any Lectures in which they are likely to
+be interested.
+The addresses of skilled Lady Midwives, Prospectuses
+of the College, and all particulars as to the operations of
+the Society, may be obtained of the Lady Secretary
+Temporary Ofices—4 Fitzroy-square, W.
+Cheques to be crossed London and County Bank
+
+
+"THE NEWSPAPER PRESS"—THE PRESS ORGAN
+THIS JOURNAL is the adopted and re-
+cognised Representative of the Newspaper in-
+terests, and the medium of intercommunication between
+Proprietors, Editors, Reporters, Correspondents, Pub-
+lishers, Printers, and all parties associated with News-
+papers.
+“We hail with satisfaction the addition of the News-
+paper Press to the journalism of the United Kingdom."
+Saunders' News Letter.
+“Information of a kind peculiarly valuable to every
+one connected with newspapers."—Dublin Freeman
+Journal.
+"We feel it our duty especially to commend it to all
+newspaper men."—Brighton Gazette
+Subscriptions, 4s. per annum, post free, payable in ad-
+vance.
+London: E. W. ALLEN, Publisher, 11, Ave Maria-lane
+
+
+Contents.
+
+
+Ladies in the Medical Profcssion
+17
+Spirit-rapping in John Wesley’s Family. Part III. 17.
+REPORTS OF MEETINGS:—St. John's Association of
+.. 18
+Spiritualists
+Séances at the Spiritual Library
+... 19
+GENERAL NEWS:—Spiritualism in East London.
+Spirit Identity - Trance Mediumship - East Lon=
+don Association of Spiritualists.—The Spiritual
+Library—The Famine Fever. — Spiritualism in
+Clerkenwell.—The Anthropological Society
+20
+LEADER:—Economy of Time in Spiritual Research 21
+21
+Wanted a Ghost
+21
+An Address from a Spirit
+POETRY:— "Quid Verum."- Belshazzar.—The Child's
+22
+Questions
+NEWSPAPER CRITICISM:—The Glasgow Herald on
+22
+Spiritualism
+22
+The Glories of the Heavens
+PARAGRAPHS:—THE SPIRITUALIST, 22.— Will-Power
+22.—A Spirit on “Space," 22.—Mrs. Hardinge's
+Lectures, 22.
+
+
+SPIRITUALISM AND MEN OF SCIENCE
+Sir J. Emerson Tennent once invited Faraday
+to a séance at which Mr. Home was to be the
+medium. Faraday wrote and asked for a pro-
+gramme of the manifestations, and as nobody
+knows beforehand what will take place at a circle
+any more than the details of an expected star-
+shower can be given in advance, it was not pos-
+
+
+R. J. L. OLIVE, Professor of Modern
+Spiritual Science, 6, The Junction, Cambridge
+road, Kilbarn, W. Mr. Olive is prepared to afford infor-
+mation relative to Spiritualism, the Development of
+Mediumistic power, &c., with facilities for investigation
+of Phenomena. Reliable advice based on large medical
+experience, and aided by beneficent Spirit Intelligences
+may also be obtained for the relief of ailments of Body
+or Mind. Consultation Fee, One Shilling.
+
+
+Printed for the Proprietor by JAMES BEVERIDOE, at the
+Holborn Printing Works, Fullwood’s Rents, High
+Holborn, in the Parish of St. Andrew-above-Bar and
+St. George the Martyr, London, and published by E.
+W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, London, E.C.
+
+
+The Spiritualist
+
+
+No. 4.—VoL. I.
+
+
+A RECORD OF THE PROGRESS OF THE SCIENCE AND ETHICS OF SPIRITUALISM
+
+
+THE TESTIMONY OF A SPIRIT
+On Friday, December 17th, at a séance held at the
+Spiritual Library, and reported in another column, a
+spirit gave the following communication:
+“ Friends, I am a stranger among you. I was born
+of religious parents—of parents really and truly religious
+and good, acting up to the light which they had re-
+ceived. I was taught that God chastens those whom
+He loves, and I was chastened many, many times, and
+each stroke of the rod I esteemed as a blessing. Gene-
+rally, I said, with my lips, 'Lord, I thank thee for my
+chastening,' but in the inmost recesses of my soul a
+cry arose, 'Unjust! unjust ! Why should I be punished
+thus?' Years rolled on, and I became the wife of one
+I loved and respected; we were both of us regular
+attendants at a place of worship, and week by week
+I tried to draw nearer to the throne of mercy. Soon
+we were blessed with a little blue-eyed daughter, whom
+I loved most dearly, yet but five summers rolled over
+her pretty little head, when the angel of death called
+her away. Friends counselled and prayed, but she had
+gone to heaven, and they told me that “it was a mercy,'
+that “it was loving of God to call her from this sinful
+world.’ Outside I was calm, but what a sea was raging
+within, to hear them say so calmly and coldly, 'It is
+loving of God to take her away!' My heart rebelled
+though my lips were silent; I struggled against what I
+thought was the devil, but which I now know to have
+been my better nature. Again years rolled on, and a
+son was born. He was a wilful boy and wayward, and
+as he grew up to be a young man he became worse;
+he proved to be what those in earth life call 'a curse'
+in all his acts. His father and mother could not reclaim
+him; religion had no charms for him ; he could see no
+beauty in the Atonement, and said, 'I will trouble no
+Saviour with my sins, but be responsible for my own
+deeds.’ This led him into company I abhorred. Then
+my husband passed away, but still it was, 'Thy will be
+done.' Oh, the loneliness of the long winter months,
+with no kind husband with endearing attentions and
+loving words. Then I prayed, and asked for courage
+and hope. My life, as I now see, was a continual war
+between my inner nature and my outer. My son went
+abroad, sickened, and died. The news came home.
+Like a stone I sat; all life seemed to have deserted my
+frame; I neither moved nor stirred ; I merely thought.
+My other faculties were dead. I was pointed to my
+religion and told that there I could get happiness and
+hope, and should at last sit on the right hand of the
+throne. But where was my son? Friends held back
+what they would say, but the words rose in their minds
+like the whisper of a hissing serpent -
+'He is gone, we
+hope, to heaven; but, we fear, to hell.'
+Worse, worse
+and worse. Disease came, and death changed all. I re-
+covered consciousness on the shores of the other life;
+saw my husband, daughter, and son, so bright and
+glorious—the face of my son shone like a star fron
+heaven, and I was happy under his love. Still I could
+not understand how or where I was. I asked why they
+tarried on the way to God. My husband said, 'This is
+our home.'
+I said, 'Shall we never see the Saviour?'
+He replied, 'I cannot say; I have never seen Him; I
+have heard His precepts in spirit life, and I do not care
+to see him, for I have His precepts, and they are as
+good as His presence.' 'But why is our son here?
+They told me that he had gone to perdition.' 'Those
+words hastened thy departure; but see, he is here ! It
+is not a dream; it is real. You are a spirit—an
+“angel”
+so-called ; all around you is real, even as you
+are real.’ I replied, 'As God has been so good, so
+loving, surely He will extend the same clemency to
+all?' My husband said, 'True, it is so. All will be
+happy. and the fearful place the Church tells you about
+has no existence beyond their fevered imaginations.
+This bright and beautiful place is the inheritance of all
+God’s children.' Then, I said, with both my heart and
+my lips, 'Lord, be praised!' and from that moment I
+began to worship God in spirit and in truth. I trust
+that you will all be the happier for this ray of truth de-
+scending from above; I hope that the history I have
+related to you will never find its parallel, and that the
+way of people through life will not be so full of thorns
+as mine was. Love the truth. It is the brightes
+jewel in the treasury of the Deity. Friends, having
+passed through the narrow influences of an earthly life,
+I here tell you the truth. I find that creeds and dogmas
+
+
+have little influence for good on the spirit life ; it is by
+actions that we know each other. Your thoughts and
+actions here govern your state upon entering spirit life; if
+you have been good and noble here, you will find the home
+for the good and noble awaiting you on the other side
+if you were not good and noble, you cannot at first pass
+into that state, as it would be unnatural, and it is
+only by patient working that you will rise to gain
+wisdom."
+In answer to questions, the spirit said that her name
+was Catherine Plunkett, and that she “died” five years
+ago, at Lee, in Kent. The wayward nature of the son
+born of such quiet parents, she had recently discovered
+to be hereditary; it came from his grandmother on his
+mother’s side, and the conditions were such that the
+nature reappeared in the boy. He had entered the
+same state of life as herself, because he had been truer
+to his inner nature than she had, and had not artificially
+fettered himself with creeds and dogmas.
+
+
+TESTIMONY OF A NON-SPIRITUALIST
+THE following is an extract from a theological book
+just published, called Teachings of Experience,* an
+autobiography, by the Rev. Joseph Barker
+“The most credible testimony in the world was
+utterly powerless, so far as things spiritual were con-
+cerned. And when the parties, whose patience I tried
+by my measureless incredulity, entreated me to visit
+some celebrated medium, that I might see and judge
+for myself, I paid not the least regard to their entreaties.
+I was wiser in my own conceit than all the believers or
+earth.
+“ At length, to please a particular friend of mine in
+Philadelphia, I visited a medium, called Dr. Redman
+It was said that the proofs which he gave of the exist-
+ence and powers of departed spirits were such as no
+one could resist.
+My friend and his family had
+visited this medium, and had seen things which to
+them seemed utterly unaccountable, except on the
+supposition that they were the work of disembodied
+spirits.
+“ When I entered Dr. Redman’s room, he gave me
+eight small pieces of paper, about an inch wide and
+two inches long, and told me to take them aside, when
+no one could see me, and write on them the names of
+such of my departed friends as I might think fit, and
+then wrap them up like pellets, and bring them to him.
+I took the papers, and wrote on seven of them the
+names of my father and mother, my eldest and my
+youngest brothers, a sister, a sister-in-law, and an
+aunt, one name on each, and one I left blank. I
+retired to a corner to do the writing, where there was
+neither glass nor window, and I was so careful not to
+give anyone a chance of knowing what I wrote, that I
+wrote with a short pencil, so that even the motion of the
+top of my pencil could not be seen. I was, besides, en-
+tirely alone in that part of the room, with my face to
+the dark wall. The bits of paper which the medium
+had given me were soft, so that I had no difficulty in
+rolling them into round pellets, about the size of small
+peas. I rolled them up, and could no more have told
+which was blank and which was written on, nor which,
+among the seven I had written on, contained the name
+of any one of my friends, and which the names of the
+rest, than I can tell at this moment what is taking
+place in the remotest orbs of heaven. Having rolled
+up the papers as described, I laid them on a round
+table, about three feet broad. I laid on the table at
+the same time a letter, wrapped up, but not sealed,
+written to my father, but with no address outsided. I
+also laid down a few loose leaves of note-paper. The
+medium sat on one side the table, and I sat on the other;
+the pellets of paper and the letter lay between us. We
+had not sat over a minute, I think, when there came
+very lively raps on the table, and the medium seemed
+excited. He seized a pencil, and wrote on the outside
+of my letter, wrong side up, and from right to left, se
+that what he wrote lay right for me to read, these
+words: 'I came in with you, but you neither saw me
+nor felt me.
+WILLIAM BARKER.' And immediately
+he seized me by the hand, and shook hands with
+me.
+* This rather startled me. I felt very strange. For
+William Barker was the name of my youngest brother,
+
+
+*London: James Beveridge, Fallwood's rents, High Holborn, W.C.
+
+
+who had died in Ohio some two or three years before.
+I never named him, I believe, in Philadelphia, and I
+have no reason to suppose that any one in the city was
+aware that I had ever had such a brother, much less
+that he was dead. I did not tell the medium that
+the name that he had written was the name of
+brother of mine ; but I asked, 'Is the name of this
+person among those written in the paper pellets on the
+table ?'
+“ The answer was instantly given by three loud raps,
+'Yes.'
+“I asked, 'Can he select the paper containing his
+name?'
+“ The answer, given as before, was 'Yes.'
+“ The medium then took up first one of the paper
+pellets and then another, laying them down again, till
+he came to the fifth, which he handed to me. I opened
+it out, and it contained my brother’s name. I was
+startled again, and felt very strange. I asked, 'Will
+the person whose name is on this paper answer me
+some questions?'
+“ The answer was,' Yes.'
+“I then took part of my note-paper, and with my left
+hand on edge, and the top of my short pencil concealed,
+I wrote, 'Where d -,'
+intending to write, 'Where
+did you die?'
+But as soon as I had written 'Where
+d -,'
+the medium reached over my hand and wrote,
+upside down, and backwards way, as before,-
+“'Put down a number of places and I will tell
+you.'
+"Thus answering my question before I had had time
+to ask it in writing.
+" I then wrote down a list of places, four in all, and
+pointed to each separately with my pencil, expecting
+raps when I touched the right one ; but no raps
+came.
+“ The medium then said, 'Write down a few more.'
+I then discovered that I had not, at first, written down
+the place where my brother died: so I wrote down two
+more places, the first of the two being the place where
+he died.
+The list then stood thus: Salem, Leeds
+Ravenna, Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, New York.
+“The medium then took his pencil, and moved it
+between the different names, till he came to Cuyahoga
+Falls, which he scratched out. That was the name of
+the place where he died.
+" I then wrote a number of other questions, in no case
+giving the medium any chance of knowing what
+wrote by any ordinary means, and in every case he
+answered the questions in writing as he had done
+before ; and in every case but one the answers were
+such as to show, both that the answerer knew what
+questions I had asked, and was acquainted with the
+matters to which they had referred.
+“ When I had asked some ten or a dozen questions,
+the medium said, 'There is a female spirit wishes te
+communicate with you.'
+“'Is her name among those on the table?’ I asked.
+“ The answer, in three raps, was, 'Yes.'
+"' Can she select the paper containing her name ?" I
+asked.
+The answer again was, 'Yes.'
+“ The medium then took up one of the paper pellets,
+and put it down; then took up and put down
+a second; and then took up a third and handed it
+to me.
+“ I was just preparing to undo it, to look for the name,
+when the medium reached over as before, and wrote on
+a leaf of my note paper -
+“ It is my name. ELIZABETH BARKER'
+
+
+And the moment he had written it, he stretched out
+his hand, smiling, and shook hands with me again
+Whether it really was so or not, I will not say, but his
+smile seemed the smile of my mother, and the expression
+of his face was the old expression of my mother’s face
+and when he shook hands with me, he drew his hand
+away in the manner in which my mother had always
+drawn away her hand. The tears started into my eyes,
+and my flesh seemed to ereep on my bones. I felt
+stranger than ever. I opened the paper, and it was
+my mother’s name : ELIZABETH BARKER. I asked a
+number of questions as before, and received appropriate
+answers.
+But I had seen enough. I felt no desire to multi-
+ply experiments. So I came away—sober, sad, and
+thoughtful.
+
+
+LONDON: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1869.
+
+
+Prubished Fortnighly.
+Price
+Threepence.
+
+
+26
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+DEC. 31, 1869.
+
+
+EVIDENCES OF SPIRITUALISM.
+In Plato’s Divine and moral works, subject, “Theages"
+or “ Wisdom," Socrates tells Theages— "I have had by
+the favour of God, ever since I was born, a genius that
+always accompanies and governs me. This genius is a
+voice which, whenever it speaks to me, always diverts
+me from what I have a mind to do, and much more to
+the same effect. Socrates boldly told the truth, and for
+exposing the superstition of the day was killed, but not
+until he had demonstrated, on the morning of his exe-
+cution, the immortality of the soul.
+Joan of Arc, who led the French successfully against
+our soldiers, was burnt to death, not because the English
+were beaten, but because she declared that she was in-
+structed by a voice from an unseen intelligence which
+she called “ God,” and as her conscience would not
+allow her to recant she was burnt, and as the flames
+approached her she exclaimed, “ Yes, my voices were
+from God!”
+Galileo, who taught that the earth rotated on its
+axis and revolved around the sun, only saved his life by
+going down on his knees and recanting.
+These are sufficient warnings of the state of public
+opinion respecting those who have the courage to avoy
+a knowledge of facts, dissonant with popular prejudices.
+Wesley, the founder of a religion bearing his name
+was a witness of the spiritual phenomena called raps,
+which occurred in a marked manner in his own family
+one or more of whom were rapping media. All the
+details are perfectly authenticated by documents written
+and signed upon the spot, and many of the facts will be
+found in Southey’s Life of Wesley. Swedenborg, again
+a scientific writer of no small power, had most remark-
+able expcriences as a conscious clairvoyant.
+In the case of the Sceress of Prevorst many instances
+are given, attested by declarations of medical men and
+state functionaries, of remarkable phenomena similar to
+many I have personally witnessed. Dale Owen's list of
+cases in his Footfalls on the Boundary of Another World
+are well worth perusal.
+The Indian Government, some years since, caused an
+official inquiry to be made into the reality of certain
+mesmeric phenomena among the natives, and the result
+of the inquiry confirmed the truth of the facts of mes-
+merism. Notwithstanding all these and many other
+existing records of unusually well-authenticated cases,
+it is surprising how few people in this country have at-
+tempted to inquire into or know anything about the
+subject. I know many medical men who, when the
+study-door is locked, freely and earnestly discuss these
+matters, and tell their own experiences, but at the same
+time confess that they dare not open their mouths to
+others, fearing the fate of Dr. Elliotson, who lost a
+practicc of thousands a year for telling the truth.
+Varley.
+
+
+AGASSIZ ON EDUCATION.—At the close of the exercises of
+the Association of Science, which held its convention at
+Salem, U.S., recently, a compliment having been paid by
+one of the speakers to Mr. George Peabody, as the founder
+and patron of the Academy of Science which bears his
+name, Professor Agassiz rose and delivered himself of some
+remarks on the general subject of scientific education and
+its tendencies, which deserve to be repeated in their tenor in
+this place. He told the people of Salem that they scarcely
+realised what embryo they were trying to rear in ther
+academy, nor what was to be the result of its final intel-
+leetual growth. Its influenee over the community, he said
+could not fail to be wide. In regard to the plan of in-
+struction which had been adopted, he thought he could de-
+tect in it something which would dispel from the minds of
+the community certain obstructions to the truth concerning
+matters in which we are all interested — our future eternal
+life—but of which he said we now scarecly dared to speak
+because what we should have to say might go contrary to
+certain established doctrines and to certain long-cherished
+convictions with which the community was imbued, holding
+them as sacred, when well informed men knew better
+And he further said, what intelligent Spiritualists have long
+held, that the teaching which scientific institutions were to
+furnish, would tend to bring about a new era in that system
+of popular education of which they were all so proud, but
+which at present was merely a system of routine teaching
+in comparison to that rational study of Nature which ele-
+mentary education might become. It is a timely admission
+and from the foremost of our scientific men.—Banner of Light
+THE ROYAL INSTITUTION —The Royal Institution session
+began last Tuesday afternoon, when Dr. John Tyndall, F.R.S.
+delivered the first of a course of six lectures upon “Light,"
+adapted to a juvenile auditory. The theatre of the Institution
+was full to overflowing, so that many were unable to obtain
+seats. Among the lectures to be delivered this session, con-
+nected with man and his development, are six by Professor
+Humphry. M.D., F.R.S., on “The Architecture of the Human
+22nd. Two lec-
+Body;” Tuesdays January 18th to February
+tures on “ Plant Life as Contrasted with that of Animals, by
+Dr. Masters, F.L.S.; Tuesdays March 1st and 8th. Four
+lectures by Professor Rolleston, M.D., F.R.S., on “ Deductions
+from the Comparative Anatomy of the Nervous System,"
+Tuesdays March 15th to April 5th. Four lectures on “The
+Science of Religion,” by Professor Max Muller, M.A., LL.D.
+Saturdays February 19th to March 12th. Four lectures on
+“The Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy,” by Pro-
+fessor Blackie, Tuesdays April 26th to May 17th. Among the
+lectures delivered during past sessions at the Royal Institution,
+there were two in which the subject of Spiritualism was
+largely introduced. One of these lectures was by Mr. E. B
+Tylor, on “ The Survival of Savage Thought in Modern Civi-
+lisation,” and the other was by Dr. Carpenter, Vice-President
+of the Royal Society, on “The Unconscious Action of the
+Brain."
+The president of the Royal Institution is Sir Henry
+Holland, Bart., F.R.S.
+
+
+Reports of Meetings.
+
+
+[When reports of the speeches of spirits are printed in this Journal, non-
+Spiritualists should understand that spirits out of the body are wise of
+foolish, truthful or untruthful, just the same as spirits in the body. More
+over, they are but individuals, so do not know everything. The statements of
+a spirit are but the assertions of an individual; but by comparing the state-
+ments of many spirits, it may in time be possible to discover in what points
+they agree, and to sift out the unreliable communications. Many spirits
+cannot see each other, any more than we can see them, and as some of them
+are thus in different states of life, it does not follow that contradictory
+messages are therefore untruthful. Spirits are of different religions, conse-
+sequently their teachings do not altogether agree; there is no more uniformity
+in the next world than in this one. It is the business of this journal to report
+facts, so we are in no way responsible for the religions, scientific, or any other
+teachings given by individual spirits,]
+
+
+SEANCES AT THE SPIRITUAL LIBRARY.
+SEEING MEDIUMSHIP—MR. CLEGG OF YORK—SOMNAMBULISM—DISTURBING
+INFLUENCES AT CIRCLES—PURGATORY—BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT—PR-O
+GRESSION IN THE ANIMAL WORLD— SPIRITUAL COMMUNICATIONS—AN
+EARTH-BOUND SPIRIT—EARTHLY IMPEDIMENTS TO DEVELOPMENT—THE
+FORMATION OF THE SPIRIT WORLDS—GRINDSTONES—AUDIBLE SPIRIT
+VOICES—DEPARTED FRIENDS.
+ON Friday evening, Deeember 17th, at eight o’clock, the
+ordinary weekly séance was held at the Spiritual Library, 15
+Southampton-row, High Holborn, W.C., under the medium-
+ship of Mr. J. J. Morse. Rather more than twenty ladies and
+gentlemen were present.
+Mr. MORSE, who at times is a seeing medium, suddenly
+became fixed and rigid, and said that he saw a rough and
+angry sea, with a steamer coming towards him, which all at
+once tilted up, and went down. No explanation of the cir-
+cumstanee was given, and the medium said that the sight had
+made him feel nervous.
+A spirit then attempted to obtain control of the medium in
+order to speak, but failed, and then by writing mediumship
+said that she was Mrs. E. Farnham.
+Another spirit then obtained control of the medium, who
+with great gravity and deliberation began rubbing his knees
+and legs with his hands. He said that when in earth-life he
+was troubled with rheumaties, and felt them very badly when
+thus coming back through a medium ; the pains would sub-
+side presently, and then he would speak.
+Mr. BURNS—Why don't you take a Turkish bath? Accord-
+ing to some people you onght to have plenty of heat to prepare
+one, in your world. (Laughter).
+The spirit said that those who thought so had the heat in
+their own brains; he knew that many people believed that
+there was plenty of heat in the regions he came from, and as
+he himself held the same opinions while on the earth, the
+stone thrown at random by Mr. Burns had hit rather hard.
+Still, he always thought that he should not go to the hot regions
+himself, because he had been purified by suffering; now he
+felt all his pains coming back again, because being in an
+earthly body again brought back his old ideas, and the thought
+of the spirit acts upon the instrument it uses. It is on enter-
+ing and leaving the medium that the pains are always worst,
+but he had been told by old hands at speaking through
+mediums, that in time such effects would wear off ; he had
+been in attendance, like many other spirits, at previous
+séances, anxious to come before public, and this was the first
+opportunity he had had of doing so ; not that he got anything
+himself for speaking to them, but he came for the purpose of
+doing good to those present. He said that when he first woke
+up after passing through the dying process he found himself
+neither in heaven, hell, earth, or anywhere else, but passing
+through space with great velocity, with two spirit gentlemen
+one on each side of him, supporting him by the arms. He
+was very mueh startled, but directly afterwards felt “Oh,
+I’m all right. It’ll be all right presently,” so waited pa-
+tiently to see what would be the end of it. Soon they came
+in sight of a very beautiful island, with the ocean breaking
+against its rocks, and taking him to a large house near the
+shore, they told him that he would have to stop there till his
+mind became all right. “ Oh !” said he in reply, “then I
+don’t care how long my mind takes to get right. But when
+left to himself he began to think differently, and to remember
+very elearly some awkward little acts in earth-life which he
+had committed “on the quiet,” for nobody took any notice of
+what the “rheumaticky old man” said or did. He found
+that these thoughts gave him great pain, and made him very
+uncomfortable. Then one of the gentlemen—his teacher and
+guardian spirit—asked him to come with him to revisit the
+earth once more. He replied that he would rather stop where
+he was, “besides, you know, my mind’s not right yet.'
+His
+teacher told him that that was precisely why it was
+necessary for him to return to earth, and added that he could
+bring his present residence with him. He laughed, and
+said that “ he must be pretty strong to be able to do that
+but strange to say, he found the assertion true, and that he
+brought his residence with him in his mind.* However, he
+returned with a party of spirits, and found that some of them
+began to work hard at influencing the minds of individuals
+upon earth who harboured bad feelings, and in this way they
+in time undid the evil they themselves had committed. But
+it is slow and tiresome work—very much against the grain.
+Although he did not wish it, he felt that he must do the
+same. He met a friend he had injured, and had to trace out how
+far the injury extended ; it was astonishing how many people,
+in addition to the one who directly receives the injury, suffer
+from it ; a bad act is like a stone dropped into the water, for
+it throws out circles in all directions, and very hard and slow
+work it is for spirits to undo the evil they have committed
+They cannot feel at ease till it is done. The rheumatics
+were so bad he could not stand it any longer, so must leave
+the medium. His name was Walter Arthur Clegg.
+What was your occupation, and where did you live?
+Mr. CLEGG—He wants to know the occupation of the
+rheumaticky old man ! (Laughter.) Well, I was a carter at
+York, and died about nine years ago.
+Mr. MORSE then woke up, and complained of feeling pains
+all over his body.
+The next spirit gave the name of Catherine Plunkett, and
+said that she died about five years ago, at Lee, in Kent. Her
+narrative is printed on another page.
+TIEN SIEN TIE, the guardian spirit of Mr. Morse, took pos-
+session of the medium while the company were speaking
+about the possibility of somnambulic phenomena being ade-
+quate to explain away the spiritual origin of the manifesta-
+tions. Tien then said that by putting leading questions to
+somnambulists it is possible to lead them on, and to make
+them bring out things which are in the mind of the ques-
+tioner, but that where there is an external intelligence at
+work the plan will fail, although with a weak, imperfectly de-
+
+
+veloped medium it might be difficult at times to tell the dif-
+ference betwecn spiritual and somnambulic control.
+Mr. BURNS—Once I made a journey of twelve miles to a
+séance in Yorkshire, thinking upon one subject all the way
+and when I reached the circle the medium, a young man, ut-
+tered all my previous thoughts, and then carried on the subject
+much further. How do you explain that?
+TIEN SIEN TIE said that the mind of Mr. Burns might have
+been influenced by a spirit, who afterwards gave out the
+thoughts through the medium, and then pursued the subject
+further. In this case the mind of the medium was probably
+negative to the mind of Mr. Burns, and the thoughts of the
+latter might to some extent, have spoilt the integrity of the
+remarks by the communicating spirit.
+Mr. BURNS—Once I entered a room where a circle was
+sitting, so quietly that those present neither saw nor heard me,
+yet at once distinctly felt my presence. How was that?
+TIEN SIEN TIE said that “the sphere” had probably been
+formed round the circle by the spirits, and Mr. Burns being
+positive to members of the circle, they all felt his influeuce
+when he entered. Had he been negative, probably only one
+or two of the greatest sensitives present would have felt his
+entrance. In all circles where weak physical manifestations
+are obtained, the presence of persons of a sceptical or positive
+nature often overpowers the control of the presiding intelli-
+gence.
+Mr. BURNS - I have heard of circles where one of the persons
+present could, by his will, cause the table to move.
+TIEN SIEN TIE said that that could only be where the pre-
+siding spirit had not had sufficient experience in his work
+and because of this want of knowledge the will of the person
+in the body acted upon the link formed by the presiding in-
+telligence.
+How do you know that you, and the spirits with you, are not
+in an intermediate state of life, awaiting the final judgment?
+TIEN SIEN TIE said that he could see nothing in his sphere
+of life to warrant such an opinion. He saw around him
+Christians of all denominations, as well as people of other re-
+ligions, and countries, and planets. He found that, in their
+present state of existence, they were all improving in wisdom
+and love, and growing in goodness and happiness.
+There
+would be no use in being permitted to increase thus in love
+and wisdom were they simply waiting for hell and the judg-
+ment day.
+What is the difference between the soul, the spirit, and the
+body?
+TIEN SIEN TIE said that the soul is the garment of the spirit
+and the spirit cannot lose its soul, which is its outer conscious-
+ness. The persons in the room had each of them a physical
+organisation, and permeating the whole of it was a “life prin-
+ciple,” which continuously draws around it and spiritualises
+what it requires from the physical nature. At death, the
+physical body is no longer required, but the spiritualised par-
+ticles within ascend upwards in a bright golden shower; a
+principle of elective affinity runs through these particles, so
+that each one goes to its proper place, and a new body is
+formed, finer and rarer than his hearers could comprehend.
+This body is the soul, and it is animated by the spirit of the
+Deity.
+Is the spirit body composed of carbon, phosphorus, iron, and
+such-like substances?
+TIEN SIEN TIE said that all chemical substances containg
+within them an essential life, which is spirit, and is always
+subject to sublimation, the lower continually giving birth to
+something of a higher order. Those particles containing the
+essential life, form the spirit body. The spirit world is a
+natural world—as natural as the one on which his hearers
+lived.
+Do stones and minerals grow?
+Yes. All things improve and live, and clairvoyant sensitives
+are often affected by the action going on in minerals and
+stones.
+Does thought of a departed friend reach and influence that
+friend in the spirit world?
+Yes.
+Can you tell us the nature of animal life?
+TIEN SIEN TIE said that the development of all forms of life
+is progressive. The formation of the brain of animals is not
+so complete as in man, and when the change comes the
+animal dies, and gives out its as yet unindividualised spirit
+which floats out into the ocean of spirit. Men breathe the
+unseen spirit life of material essences. The body of the dying
+animal helped to give birth to a higher form of vegetable life
+which, again, eliminated a higher form of animal life. When
+the ultimate of materiality was reached, the spirit gained
+power, and became master of matter, so as to be able to control
+it progressively. Step by step the brain was elaborated. The
+first men were not individualised spirits, but were animals
+their brain being so sniall. In the slow course of time, spirit
+gained (complete mastery over matter, and man became a
+living soul—the breath of life was breathed into him, and he
+became a living soul for ever. Self-control only begins when
+development has reached a certain point.
+Are you spirits now communieating with earth according to
+a settled plan arranged among yourselves, or are the communi-
+cations given by individual spirits without any settled system?
+TIEN SIEN TIE—We are acting by a settled plan known to
+very high spirits, but, as in earth life, we often obey laws
+without knowing the existence of those laws, or whence they
+come.
+How far are you from the medium?
+TIEN SIEN TIE—I am six feet above the roof of the house in
+which you meet, and am acting upon the brain of the medium
+who gives forth my thoughts, clothed in his own words. The
+spirit then exhorted those present to improve their minds, to
+grow in wisdom, and to study nature, the Divine book of the
+Deity. Let them take the simplest flower that grows in the
+garden and ask themselves “ Am I not a flower? Have I not
+successively developed, step by step, as this flower has done
+Do not I also contain a spirit, and may I not become a brighter
+and a better being than I am now?"
+He desired them to
+think over these things, and when they felt the happiness
+which such thoughts would be certain to bring them, they
+should spread that happiness among their friends. He con-
+cluded by saying, “Farewell. Peaee be with you."
+
+
+* Some German and English metaphysicians have recently raised the
+question “Is there an external world?” and have tried to prove that what
+are supposed to be external phenomena, are merely mental impressions. -
+ED.
+
+
+On Friday, December
+24th, the usual weekly séance was
+held at the Spiritual Library, but, it being Christmas eve, only
+nine visitors were present. Mr. Morse went into the trance
+state, and the first spirit, who gave the name of “ Mary
+Willett,” delivered an address, whieh is printed in another
+column.
+The next one who came was a plain business man, who
+seemed dissatisfied with his state, and gave a very poor
+account of himself. His life, he said, had been orthodox
+enough, but, “on reaching the other side, the bank dis-
+honoured the note, when it was presented for payment."
+He
+
+
+DEC. 31, 1869.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+27
+
+
+was still wandering about this planet, and wanted very much
+to get away from it ; he had been taken in once, and would
+not believe anything in future till he saw it. When other
+spirits told him about the “ spheres,” he should put it down
+that they were “ gammoning” him. He died, he ex-
+pected to go to heaven and play a harp eternally, and when
+he found he had not to do so, his being the nature of an india-
+rubber ball, he bounded back from the wall of facts, into the
+valley of ignorance. There were plenty to teach him, who
+wanted him to become as a little child, to learn, and to fit
+himself for a higher life ; but when a person has got old in
+particular ideas, it takes long to get right again ; and it was
+this artificial nature which he had to work off. On earth he
+was in the habit, at present, of looking about for a medium
+who might be either a duke or a beggar, for he had his choice
+and he could partake of all the pleasures of the medium, see
+all that he saw, get the spirit portions of the food he ate, and
+could enjoy himself generally. All his education and belief
+in life had been superficial, and did not appeal to the inner
+man; the body and the clothes believed it, but not the soul
+within. Now he went to church sometimes, and when he saw
+the minister, he felt inclined to sit on him and extinguish him
+knowing that half the congregation would be very likely to
+take the same road that he had taken himself, and it made
+him feel very nasty towards the ministers. The worst of it
+was, that many of the ministers know about Spiritualism, and
+attend séances, but when they get back in the pulpit they are
+“mum ;“ they get wheat for themselves, and deal out fire and
+brimstone to their flocks. To return to himself—Wasn’t he a
+beautiful plant out of the garden of theology? (Laughter.)
+The worst of it was, he had not been allowed to use his
+reason ; he was not surrounded on earth by the right con-
+ditions, so the wrong flower had been blown. However, he
+was getting better, and went among benevolent people
+through whom he was gaining knowledge.
+What was your name, address, and occupation?
+That is too hard upon me. I would not have said so much,
+if I had known you were going to ask that. I am not going
+to tell you.
+After some pressing, he yielded a little to the ladies, and
+said his name was Michael Clarke ; he had been a baker, but
+would not give his address.
+Why don’t you go to the higher spirits to gain knowledge?
+If you were fond of chemistry, you would not go to a linen-
+draper to be taught. It is no use your going to the spirit
+world to learn what ought to have been learnt in the body in
+this world ; you cannot rise to a certain spiritual level, until
+you have worked up to it ; you cannot understand the higher
+till you apprehend the lower.
+TIEN SIEN TIE, the guardian spirit of the medium, then
+came as usual and said—Good evening, friends. You have
+seen this evening two opposing types of the development of
+the mind. Such an exhibition should carry with it a lesson -
+a lesson which I will endeavour to point to your understand
+ings. There are many well-disposed honest minds that would
+have welcomed with open heart and hand our sister who con-
+trolled the medium first, but who would have said to our
+brother who came next—“ You have a deal to learn. You had
+better learn manners before you come here again."
+Now,
+considering all the causes that act around individuals upon
+this planet, how charitable we ought to be. Our brother was
+placed in conditions not suitable for his spiritual faculty, and
+he had a superficial mentality ; the germs of spiritual truth
+are not developed. He was born of parents who of themselves
+had had no education in earthly things, and who by their
+occupation strove hard to sustain their existence, so rose not
+above the level of their wants. This was the first cause of
+the lack of development. The mind of the child therefore is
+not developed and enabled to bring itself to earth’s literature
+it cannot read, its chance of gaining knowledge from that
+source is closed. There are other sources than books, but the
+social status of the family still interferes. There is the school
+for daily instruetion, but the social condition of the parent
+makes it a necessity that as soon as the child can carry a mes-
+sage or work with its hands, the child must work to sustain
+itself. Yes, but we have another chance ; there is the Sabbath
+school. Still carrying with us the social status of the family
+the child is opposed to religious teaching and rebels against
+the Sabbath-school ; it is repugnant to the mind of the child
+and often more so to the minds of the parents. There are
+good folks who go about, and would instruct these waifs and
+strays of society, and make them good and useful. Yes, they
+instruct the child in matters beyond its comprehension; they
+try to force the mind of the child into blossom before its time,
+so the child feels a repulsion and will not listen. The spiri-
+tual things lie dormant within the mind ; it sees nothing be-
+yond its immediate wants and necessities ; and it would say of
+the future—“ When the future comes that will be time enough
+to attend to it ; I must attend to the present, else I starve."
+That condition is carried up through many grades of society.
+If right conditions are brought to bear upon an organisation,
+it is improved and purified, and the mind can improve itself
+and ascend to the limits of our system. But let the mind be
+of the lowest development, it will one day be greater than we
+at present believe to be possible. You should all love justice
+and wisdom for they are the attributes of the Deity. I am
+ready to answer any questions.
+How is it that though the two spirits were on earth both
+surrounded by the same hard conditions, one is now so much
+in advance of the other?
+Because our sister had naturally a higher spiritual nature
+and shook off many of the influemces of unfavourable sur-
+roundings.
+Is the spirit world objective or subjective?
+The spirit world is a real objective world, because man
+physically is the ultimate of all the developments of matter.
+Man contains within himself the elemental life of all forms
+and substances ; be may be compared to a “mill” grinding
+down these particles into a spirit body ; when the change
+comes, these particles for the most part escape upwards to
+form the free spirit body, but a portion of these particles
+remains in the earthly form, which is placed in the ground.
+Chemical action dissolves the remains, but the refined ma-
+terial particles (not quite so fine as those which composed the
+spirit body) then rise from the ground, and they are too re-
+fined to remain in the atmosphere of the earth. Each atom
+thus released, is itself an atom of a particular elemental life.
+The stream which thus rises from your planets is immense
+for you know how very many bodies are daily placed in the
+ground. Floating upwards, all these particles find their level
+they naturally unite according to their elemental life, and
+form the strata of an objective world. The flower particles
+are liberated, the tree particles are liberated, and they are
+prone to take the same forms as before, but their elemental
+life is then of a higher grade, and a further development or
+the vegetable kingdom takes place. There is nothing but
+external progression for the ultimates of matter.
+
+
+Do grindstones go to the spirit world? (Laughter).
+The grindstone consists of rock-particles, which at last
+crumble into dust. By many conditions extending over a
+long period of time, this dust gets into the soil, and rises into
+vegetable life. Then at last it is absorbed by man, and aids
+to form the spirit world in the way already stated.
+The houses in the spirit world are not the spirits of houses
+in this one?
+As the refined elements necessary for houses are in the spirit
+world, they are used. The houses are built by spirits with
+more extended knowledge and better appliances than you
+have here. Remember, all objective things are at first subjec-
+tive. Before a house is built, the idea of it exists in the brain
+of the designer.
+Will you give us a little morc information about how spirits
+produce audible voices.
+There are many ways. Sometimes they form a tube out of
+the emanations from the medium, and in connection with the
+medium, and are able to speak through it. Sometimes, in the
+atmosphere of the medium, they are able to make themselves
+heard, and are quite unconscious how or why they are audible.
+It is necessary that the medium should be very passive, that
+the emanations may be given off in a steady uninterrupted
+flow.
+Do spirits ever produec audible voices by sticking lips on the
+front of the tube, and lungs and bellows behind, so as to make
+an automatic voice?
+TIEN SIEN TIE (with a smile).—No. Never that I know of
+Such a case never came under my observation. And now, my
+friends, I must draw my control of the medium to a close.
+Ere I meet you again a season of festivity will have come
+and gone. In many homes will be marked a vacant chair
+many a half-suppressed sigh will rise as they gaze in the
+vacant corner, and they will pass through life with the sad
+remembrance that one of the circle is gone. You are Spirit-
+ualists, and you desire good for humanity, so tell them how
+to fill, once again, the vacant seat and the vacant corner.
+Stop the sigh of sadness, and turn sorrow to beaming joy and
+love, by giving them knowledge of the return of their friends.
+Good night.
+
+
+PRIVATE SEANCES.
+CLAIRVOYANCE—SPIRIT MAGNETISM—THE DEITY—JESUS OF NAZARETH-
+THE DOUBLE—MEDIUMSHIP—MARTYRDOM—THE FUTURE OF THE PHYSICAL
+BODY—BODILY DEFORMITIES—UNDEVELOPED SPIRITS—CAPITAL PUNISH
+MENT—RESPONSIBILITIES OF JUDGES—SPIRIT POETRY—SPIRIT VOICES
+SEEING MEDIUMSHIP—TABLE MOTIONS WITHOCT CONTACT WITH HUMAN
+BEINGS.
+
+
+ON Thursday, December 16th, a private séance took place
+at the residence of Mrs. C. Berry, a well-known Spiritualist.
+The medium was Mrs. P. Perrin, of 11, Westmoreland-place
+Southampton-street, Camberwell, S.E., and the other members
+of the circle were Mr. G. Perrin, Mrs. A. Cooper, Mrs. George
+Oliver, Mr. N. F. T. Daw, and the reporter to this journal.
+The medium passed into what was supposed to be the trance
+state, and described seenes in the life of a gentleman, begin-
+ning with one of bloodshed and battle. The narrative threw
+one of the ladies present into a state of intense excitement.
+She said that the medium had accurately described scenes in
+the past life of her husband and herself at the antipodes
+that she had gone further, and told her what was probably
+taking place at present, and could be verified on the arrival of
+an early mail from Australia and New Zealand. She had also
+told her of the future. The details are necessarily of a private
+nature. The lady and the medium had never met each other
+in their lives until a few minutes before the séance began.
+A spirit, who gave the name of Mrs. Farnham,* then spoke
+through the medium, and said that the preceding remarks
+were made by the medium herself, whose spiritual powers had
+been temporarily developed, so that she had been able to see
+into the past, the present, and the future, and had stated
+what she saw in her clairvoyant vision—it was not a spiritual
+communication. She (Mrs. Farnham) was glad to see that
+the members of the circle sat to accumulate facts and facts
+alone, so if what had already been stated proved to be true in
+the end, so much the better for the cause of Spiritualism.
+She would not speak much longer, for she knew that physical
+manifestations were desired. She was ready to answer an
+questions.
+Some physical manifestations require darkness. Shall we
+ever be able to get them in the light?
+The SPIRIT—By constant sitting and keeping together you
+will get much in the light, but not all. Some things I think
+you will never get in the light, for great laws stand against it.
+They have been laid down from the foundation, and can never
+be altered.
+Do you, who speak to us, move tables?
+The SPIRIT said that she could move a table spiritually, but
+not physically.
+Please explain the difference between the two.
+The SPIRIT said that she could move it gently to answer
+questions, but those spirits who had power to carry it from
+place to place, did it by physical force.
+How do you move tables?
+The SPIRIT said that tables are moved in many ways.
+Sometimes spirit hands are placed over the hands of the
+members of the circle, and they can draw the table up; some
+times they lift it by concentrating force underneath ; some
+times, also, the power falls from above, looking like light, and
+lifts the table. It is a power composed of magnetic forces.
+Magnetism as we understand it?
+The SPIRIT—What is your magnetism?
+The force which makes an iron needle, balanced on a pivot,
+swing round to the north.
+The SPIRIT—No. It is totally different from your magnetic
+forces. It is a power I cannot explain, and even to us it is
+mysterious. It is given us by the great Creator. I see it used
+and use it myself, yet cannot explain it any more than you
+can.
+Have you ever seen God?
+The SPIRIT—We are still in ignorance what is the great
+“I AM,” and have never seen Him, as some on earth say we
+have, except in surrounding objects, in landscapes bright and
+fair, in the hues of the rainbow, and in the emotions of the
+bosom. Thus do we behold God, but in no other way.
+Have you ever seen Jesus?
+The SPIRIT—I have never seen Jesus of Nazareth, but have
+heard Him spoken of as a great prophet inspired beyond the
+ordinary degree ; a prophet is a medium. This medium has
+seen Him three times.
+But He worked miracles?
+THE SPIRIT—We do not acknowledge miracles ; there are
+
+
+* Mrs. Farnham, an American lady, was the authoress of the tale, “The
+Ideal Attained," which was recently re-published in Human Nature.
+During the late American war she spent her time in nursing and tending
+sick and wounded soldiers, and she “died," as the phrase is, very soon
+after the suppression of the rebellion.—ED.
+
+
+nothing but natural laws. We know that upon earth there
+will again be greater men than Jesus of Nazareth, and why
+will men keep on saying that he is higher than others? Why
+ignore the prophets before Him, and the martyrs after Him,
+who also laid down their lives for the truth ?
+Is Jesus God?
+The SPIRIT—No.
+Is He the principal representative of God?
+The SPIRIT—No. God is so grand that He needs no form
+like that of man to represent Himself ; He has stamped Him-
+self and His divinity in His laws. God is not the Trinity
+which man, for His own purposes, has set Him forth to be.
+Do you consider the Bible to be accurate history?
+The SPIRIT—Yes, it is true. It is the prophecy of the past,
+the present, and the future, but it is not Divine. Take from
+it whatever will do you good.
+What is the difference between soul and spirit?
+The SPIRIT—If your spirit or vital spark once left your
+earthly body, it would never return, but the soul might go
+carrying some of your brain power with it, and could then
+even move a table at a spirit circle ; this is “the double” as
+known to you Spiritualists. In such cases the body of the
+person who thus acts at a distance, is always in a state of
+sleep or stupor.
+But while I have been awake I have manifested at a circle.
+The SPIRIT—I, as a spirit, cannot take what you say as a
+truth. Another may have been using your name, or you must
+have been unconscious.
+Mrs. Hardinge has often manifested at circles.
+The SPIRIT—Yes. We know Mrs. Hardinge well. She is
+never in her normal state when she is lecturing, and while
+the spirits are speaking to English audiences through her
+bodily organs, she may be moving tables in America.
+Is not Theodore Parker one of her guardian spirits?
+The SPIRIT—Yes, he is almost always with her, and another
+of her guardians is Pierpoint.
+In a general conversation that followed the name of Andrew
+Jackson Davis was mentioned.
+The SPIRIT said: Andrew Jackson Davis is a great favourite
+with the spirits, but all is not truth he tells ; there is some-
+thing of the medium in every communication you receive
+from us. Give fifty pieces of linen to fifty work-girls, let the
+linen and the thread be exactly the same, yet every girl will
+leave her own impression on her work. So with every
+medium. While I talk to you now you have my words but
+the mode of language of the medium ; I cannot take away
+the identity of the girl.
+Where are you yourself now?
+The SPIRIT—I am in the medium. Her vital spark is here
+[pointing to the space between the right shoulder and the ear.]
+Her soul is at home with her babe, but in an instant I can call
+back the soul or “double,” and all will be right again.
+Does this tire the medium?
+The SPIRIT—No. I could talk to you all night, and in the
+morning she would think that she had had a good night’s rest.
+The conversation again turned upon the Trinity, and the
+spirit said that people would do well to imitate the purity,
+innocence, and truth of Jesus.
+He died upon the cross.
+The SPIRIT said that he did do so, but martyrs after him
+when brought face to face with the pile refused to be saved
+from this worse death, yet Jesus asked that the cup might be
+passed from him. Joan of Arc never asked for life. The
+cross is not so bad as subjection to the thumbscrew and the
+torture, and being allowed to recover to be tortured and re-
+tortured. Spirits know, and doctors perhaps can bear witness
+that when a certain quantity of blood has left the body, either
+on the cross or elsewhere, all pain ceases, and torture may be
+defied. In the new Testament times a priesthood ruled the
+people ; an Intelligent Mind saw how priestcraft was deluding
+its dupes, and tried to persuade the people not to pin their
+faith to another man’s elbow, but to serve God freely and
+alone. When the priests saw that their craft was being exposed
+by the Nazarene, they thought it time to stop him. When in
+their power, he would not deny the truth within him—he had
+to lie or to die—so, as a man of truth, he died. Still he very
+naturally wished to live, and to go on in his noble work till he
+had grown grey in the scrvice of his Great Creator.
+Will our bodies rise again?
+The SPIRIT—Not your physical frame. Your bones will
+never come together again. Your clay body will manure the
+earth, and the trumpet will never wake it up again ; the earth
+wants what it lent you for a time.
+The body may go to feed the fishes.
+The SPIRIT—Well, that is not a pleasant thought for those
+who eat fish.
+Are ignorant and wise people equal after death?
+The SPIRIT—For a time ignorant people will be cramped in
+the next world, till they outgrow the narrow minds you give
+your children.
+Have deformities of the earthly body an injurious effect upon
+the spirit body?
+The SPIRIT—Those who have deformed bodies here, at first
+have undeveloped spirit bodies in the spirit world. Then
+comes the question, “ Who will suffer most—the giver or the
+receiver?"
+Parents, by their habits, hand down injuries to
+their children, and great will be their remorse hereafter. God
+has made His laws perfect ; and after planting the tree of
+humanity, left man with sufficient freedom to perfect himself ;
+if you do not act up to the laws of reason in bringing forth
+children, that is your fault. If you pollute yourselves, you
+cannot possibly have good children.
+Some low spirits say they come from spheres lower than this
+earth. Is it true?
+The SPIRIT—They tell you that, because you in the circle
+form a sphere of your own, which looks beautiful to such
+spirits, because you are higher than they. When very low
+spirits quit the body, they go prowling about the earth, and
+they are not good. The drunkard would go to his old haunts,
+and act and talk as he did before, though these things would
+be to the spirit imaginary. When such spirits wish to rise,
+there are plenty to help them.
+What do you think of capital punishment?
+The SPIRIT—Let your criminals live, but let him not go at
+large again who has imbued his hands in his brother’s blood.
+Let every compassion be about him, but no reproof or chas-
+tisement, and let man, innocent, pure, and noble, and woman,
+loving and gentle, hesitate not to call him “ brother,” and he
+will repent. Killing him is an awful crime under the name of
+justice—it is a most awful crime on the part of the man who
+condemns his brother; yes, ten times more black in the sight
+of angels than the act of the wretched criminal. And I will
+tell you the reason. The man who did it, must, in a degree,
+have been insane, or fired by passion, and not altogether in
+his normal state ; but the judge who condemns him, does it in
+cold blood ; and he is completely without excuse when he
+goes above.
+
+
+28
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+DEC. 31, 1869.
+
+
+But laws make the judge act so.
+The SPIRIT—Well, when those laws were made, there were
+men who suggested them, and others who accepted them ; in
+that day they should have been rejected. Man made them
+and not God. As for the judge, a man should not accept an
+office for the sake of gold, where he will be expected to kill
+his brother. If hanging were done away with, murder in
+some degree would cease ; the murderer knows that he will be
+hanged, and has but an indefinite idea of what will follow
+if he knew that he must live with a murder on his conscience
+the fear of living would be great.
+"An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth!"
+The SPIRIT—What was the punishment of Cain?—“ I will
+set a mark upon him, lest any man find him and slay him.” “Eye
+for eye, tooth for tooth, life for life,” is a law which never
+came from God. “Thou shalt not murder,
+and hanging a
+man is murder vile and gross ; murder in its most horrid form
+—premeditated murder.
+Other questions and answers followed, and just before de-
+parting, the spirit, in a low sweet voice, sang the following
+melody:
+
+
+The gaudy day is dying,
+The hours of evening flying
+Chasc household cares away;
+But while soft daylight lingers,
+Till night with gentle fingers
+Shall close the weary eye of day -
+
+
+LORD it is thy hand that guides us,
+And with all good provides us,
+In this our pilgrim age.
+Then be our love unceasing,
+And that each day increasing,
+Till life’s remote and latest stage.
+
+
+Then let us, o’er we slumber,
+Heaven's bounties try to number.
+Too great for tonguc to tell.
+For Thou wilt ne’er forsake us,
+But in the morning wake us, 
+Here, or in blest Eternity -
+Here, or in blest Eternity -
+
+
+The sitting then came to an end, the foregoing conversation
+having been so much prolonged that there was no time to
+wait for physical manifestations, which the spirits were pre-
+pared to give. But at supper afterwards, the table with all
+the things on it moved about very freely when requested, and
+answered questions in the ordinary way.
+
+
+On Thursday, December 23rd, the samc circle met again
+Mrs. Olliver was absent, but Mrs. Mary Marshall, Mr. and
+Mrs. Cogman, and another lady and gentleman were present,
+in addition to those named in the foregoing report, making
+eleven persons in all. A sitting took place in the dark to
+obtain the voices, two light tubes, about 14 inches long, and
+14 inch in aperture, being provided as usual. Each consisted
+of a peee of cardboard rolled into a rough tube, and tied with
+pieces of cotton at the two ends. John King soon made his
+debut, as well as a spirit who gives the name of Ambo. The
+voice produced by the latter was as clear as a bell, but shrill
+and piercing, amounting almost to a whistle. The conversa-
+tion was of a very jocular nature. John King was asked how
+he produced the voice. He said that he formed lips, which
+were placed at one end of the tube; that at the other end
+were artificial lungs, and behind the lungs a pair of bellows ;
+the tube acted as a windpipe. The voice, he said, was not his
+own, but one produced entirely automatically, common ait
+from the room being used for breath in the apparatus. This
+statement appeared to be made serionsly, but it is difficult to
+tell when he means what he says, or the reverse. Katie was
+also there, and held a conversation with Mrs. Marshall, warn-
+ing her seriously against a danger which was stated to
+threaten her on the following evening. Attempts were made
+to produce visible spirit-hands and forms, and three-fourths of
+the persons present having more or less the gift of clairvoyant
+vision, these forms were seen by them in proportion to the
+development of the power in themselves. It is a common
+thing at circles for such formations to gradually become
+visible to one person after another in this way, according to
+their ascertained powers of spiritual vision. Necessarily this
+raises the question whether the impression is not of a purely
+mental character, but a letter written by Mr. C. F. Varley
+C.E., to the Dialectical Society, and published in the Daily
+Telegraph, narrated how, at a circle under Mr. Home’s me-
+diumship, at which several members of the Institution of Civil
+Engineers were present, those who had clairvoyant vision saw
+a spirit hand forming above a smelling bottle on the table.
+Soon afterwards the bottle began to rock about and twist
+round upon the smooth table before the eyes of the nine per-
+sons prescut, none of whom were touching it. At Mrs
+Berry’s séance, which we are now describing, a clerical gentle-
+man present said that hands were formed at the same circle a
+fortnight previously, and that one of them manifestly belong-
+ing to a little child, took two or three minutes to pull a very
+tight ring off his finger, which ring was afterwards found tied
+in the curls of one of the ladies present. In short, it is a com-
+mon occurrence at spirit circles for seers to state they see
+hands or spirits about to move certain things, and directly
+afterwards the things are moved, to the satisfaction of the
+whole company. At the dark séance now under notice, the
+writer, and one or two others, saw nothing. Afterwards, at
+supper-time, in the light, quite unexpectedly, one of the
+supper tables, of oval shape, and averaging, perhaps, four fees
+or a little more in diameter, began to move about, making
+short runs of about a foot in various directions, with all the
+things on it. Two or three times it rose quite off the ground
+and was let down without breaking any of the glass or china.
+A small table, with nobody touching it, then began to rock
+about, and glided up to the larger table. Somebody asked,
+“ Would it like a tart ?” It then rose a little to slide over the
+larger table, pushed its edge under a plate with a tart on it
+and then, with a sudden upward motion, tried to jerk the
+plate over. Afterwards it retired from the larger table, and
+with nobody touching it, was raised vertically in the air two
+or three times, to the height of about a foot. So much for
+Faraday’s “unconscious muscular action” theory.
+Eleven persons saw this, and, so far as we know, the full
+names and addresses of all of them may be obtained by any-
+body who wishes to thoroughly authenticate the narrative.
+Nine of them are certainly ready to thus authenticate the
+facts, if any useful purpose should make it worth the trouble.
+The remaining one or two may be liable to suffer considerably
+were it publicly known that they consented only to observe
+such unpopular facts of nature as spiritual phenomena. Plenty
+of evidence as to facts like the above has already been given
+by other persons before the Dialectical Society.
+
+
+General News.
+
+
+A CURIOUS case of somnambulism was published in the
+Echo newspaper, of last Saturday week. In bitterly cold
+weather a girl, walking in her sleep, left her room and wan-
+dered through the streets to the police-station of the L divi-
+sion, where she woke up and was much frightened. She was
+then conducted to her home.
+A NEWSPAPER BURLESQUE.—A journal called the Civilian
+published for circulation among clerks in the Civil Service,
+contains the following exaggerated narrative, drawn from the
+unhealthy imagination of the writer thereof, coupled perhaps
+with a few highly coloured facts :—“ Scene, a poorly-furnished
+room in the East-end of London. By the light of the moon
+which ever and anon breaks from behind a heavy mass of
+clouds, we can distinguish some fifteen to twenty people, the
+majority of whom are clustered round a large round table.
+They meet in silence, and take their accustomed places with
+out making any remark, or giving more than a furtive glance
+of mutual recognition. When they are all seated, they pro-
+ceed to join in a strain of weird, unearthly music, which is
+followed by a few moments of solemn and impressive quiet.
+We have now time to notice the appearance of our fellov
+guests ; the majority are women,—nearly all, we should judge
+of a more or less unhealthy tone of mind and body, their
+complexions are sallow, their foreheads low, and their fingers
+lank and bony. Of the men, at least some two or three, we
+should say, have come like ourselves, from curiosity. The rest
+are characterised by much the same peculiarities as the women.
+A slight tremulous movement is observable in the hands of some
+of those who are seated round the table. One of the women
+slowly rises to her feet, and commences to move her arms and
+body about, as if she were wrestling with some unseen foe.
+Her tortuous and convulsive movements affect her companions
+in a remarkable manner; some of them stand up and go
+through a scries of strange and uncouth gestures. They all
+seem as though they were “possessed."
+There is a wild
+vacant look about their eyes which strikes the observer with
+horror. One begins to chatter in a quick, sharp, inconsequent
+manner; another pours forth a torrent of rhetorical gibberish;
+a third, a young girl of about seventeen years of age, rushes
+into the adjoining room and shrieks as though in the last
+agonies of death. The rest troop after her, yelling, whooping,
+and blaspheming in a most awful manner, and the noise and
+riot is kept up for some ten or fifteen minutes. At last the girl
+is exhausted, and lies foaming, breathless, and insensible on
+the floor, while the others return to the room they had left. It
+is impossible in words to give more than a very faint and in-
+adequate sketch of this extraordinary performance ; the scene
+itself beggars description. From Shoreditch to Belgravia ! We
+have seen witchcraft lurking in the purlieus of the East ; let
+us see if it has met with any encouragement from people of a
+higher order of intelligence and culture. A party of eight,
+three ladies and five gentlemen, are seated round the dining
+room table of a West-end mansion. It is Sunday evening.
+Although the gas is lowered, you may distinguish, and pro-
+bably recognise, the features of most of those present. Two
+of the ladics are of high rank, one being the wife of a quondam
+Cabinet Minister, the other a lady of title. Of the male mem-
+bers of the company, one holds a distinguished position on the
+Bench, another is well known as a man of science, a third
+is among the most popular of writers of fiction, and the
+fourth is a physician of high—we may almost say, the
+highest—standing and repute. One other among the guest
+still remains to be described; it is the seeress, the witch.
+Possessed of more than ordinary beauty and intelligence,
+young, handsome, accomplished, and unmarried, she is yet
+of that peculiar abnormal constitution of body which would
+appear to be the unfailing characteristic of seeresses, witches,
+and “mediums’ in every age and country. She is somnambu-
+listic, hysterical, subject to ecstatic visions, and the favourite
+'case’ of her physician, who has for years been endeavour
+ing to discover the nature of her complaint. As we enter
+the room she is chaunting a mournful ditty, to which an
+accompaniment of raps is heard, proceeding apparently from
+the table. The song over, some questions are asked of the
+spirit whom this incantation is thought to have conjured
+up; and answers are clearly spelt out from the rappings
+and creakings of the table. The information thus obtained
+is not, perhaps, very valuable, nor the language in which
+it is conveyed very choice ; yet a new poem from Mr.
+Tennyson could not be more highly esteemed or more
+jealously scrutinised. And this is the nineteenth century
+the most critical and scientific, perhaps, in the whole history
+of man. With all our boasted philosophy, and after age
+of persecution, the witch is still a power among us. The
+instances we have given are but samples of hundreds that
+we might give—of hundreds that are almost daily occurring
+within a radius of ten miles from the Royal Exchange."
+THE DIALECTICAL SOCIETY.—Seventeen articles, by a
+member of the Dialectical Society, on the subject of Spirit-
+ualism, have been published at different times in The Queen
+newspaper. There is plenty of internal evidence that the
+writer is a skilled medical practitioner, and here is a brief
+extract from his last article :—“ That these phenomena are
+real—that they are neither delusions nor impostures—has been
+ascertained, to the entire conviction of those who have been
+testing them and experimenting upon them for nearly a year.
+There are, of course, many great differences of opinion as to
+their source, their nature, and the manner in which the visible
+and audible effects are produced ; but all are satisfied that
+they exist, though almost all, if not all (and the writer of this
+especially), went into the investigation with entire scepticism,
+and confident that they would speedily discover and expose
+what they fully believed to be either a delusion or a fraud.
+We now come to deal with another class of phenomena, not
+physical merely, but which are controlled by intelligence ;
+not meaningless motions and sounds, but motions and sounds
+manifestly directed by some power, having mind, will, know-
+ledge, wit, humour, and, indeed, most of the faculties of the
+human mind. It is mainly upon these that the Spiritist faith
+is built up. It is to these the Spiritualists point triumphantly
+and say, 'Admitting that nerve force has moved the table, and
+made the rappings, how could nerve force answer questions
+make sensible communications, and act in obedience to re-
+quests or commands?' We believe there is as sufficient an
+answer to this, as to the purely physical phenomena of motion
+and sound, without calling in the aid of spirits of the dead.
+We believe it will be possible to show that all this may be
+more probably produced by the action of the influence of the
+minds of one or more of the living persons present, than by
+the spiritual hands and minds of the dead. The theory—for,
+as yet, it is little more—will involve some difficulties both in
+explanation and in maintenance ; but it will, we believe, be
+found to involve vastly less of difficulty, of contradiction, of
+
+
+improbability, we might say even of impossibility, than the
+spirit theory of the Spiritualists. To make the explanation
+intelligible, it will be necessary to revert to certain phenomena
+of that state of artificial somnambulism to which the name of
+mesmerism was given ; which, under that name, was much
+tried, much abused, and much ridiculed some years ago ; but
+the genuineness of which, under the more scientific name of
+artificial somnambulism, is now generally admitted by physio-
+logists and psychologists. It will then be seen that there is a
+very close connection, indeed, between those phenomena and
+many of the supposed 'spiritual’ phenomena, if they be not,
+as there is great reason to conclude, actually identical.” Oh !
+so medical men now generally acknowledge mesmerism to be
+true, but they have changed its name to “artificial somnam-
+bulism,” and “mesmerism,” under another name, is to be
+called in to explain away Spiritualism, by those who have
+hitherto ridiculed mesmerism, and kept it back in every
+possible way. However, the admission that mesmerism is
+true, and that the physical manifestations of Spiritualism are
+real, mark great intellectual progress on the part of the in-
+vestigators. They are agreed that the phenomena are real,
+but there is a division of opinion as to their spiritual origin.
+The following paragraph about the Dialectical Society is from.
+Daybreak:— "These strong-minded men and women when
+they confronted the facts of Spiritualism, found themselves in
+the presence of principles to which they were utter strangers,
+and as incapable of adjudicating upon as the schoolboy or un-
+lettered peasant. Yet, even the members of the Dialectical
+Committee are human, beautifully human some of them, hence
+these great truths found a response in their inner nature, more
+or less, sooner or later. The committee of experiments deve-
+loped mediums and elicited phenomena. Some of the mem-
+bers tried the spirit circle in their own families, and were
+astonished to find that the angels of their household were in-
+deed ministering spirits or mediums for consummating com-
+munion with the world of spirits. The whole committee are
+now convinced that the phenomena are genuine, and many of
+them incline to the spiritual hypothesis, while a fair propor-
+tion are open spiritualists, visiting circles, developing mediums
+reading books, and busy spreading the good news. Indeed,
+they are now beginning to reap the odium that so pertinaci-
+ously adheres to the term Spiritualist or any other movement
+a step in advance of popular ignorance. This 'investigation
+has been another triumph for Spiritualism, and also for tho
+gentlemen engaged in it, in so far as they have candidly and
+intelligently opened their minds to the truth."
+TIEN SIEN TIE.—A statement has been made to us that
+the words “ Tien Sien Tie,” forming the name of the Chinese
+gentleman in the next world, who has come back to earth to
+deliver addresses to the English people through the medium-
+ship of Mr. Morse, were recently submitted without comment
+to an eminent Chinese scholar. The latter stated that the
+words mean “ The Fairy Spirit Ruler,” or, in English phrase-
+ology, “The Heavenly Spirit Ruler.”
+We have not tested the
+authenticity of this translation as yet, but tell the tale as it
+was told to us.
+SPIRITUALISM IN EAST LONDON.—A spirit circle is held
+twice a week at the house of Mrs. Main, 321, Bethnal-green-
+road. On Sunday evenings the sittings begin at seven o’clock
+and on Tuesdays at nine. Among the mediums who some-
+times attend are Mr. J. J. Morse, Mr. Frank Herne, Master
+Selwood, and Mrs. Fielder. All these are trance mediums
+but Messrs. Herne and Selwood get physical manifestations in
+addition. Several incipient mediums are developing at these
+meetings. In course of time particulars respecting other East
+London circles will be collected, and published in these
+pages.
+THe PHILOSOPHY OF SPIRIRITUALISM.—The philosophy of
+Spiritualism teaches us these things :1st. That man, the in-
+habitant of the universe, is endowed with an immortal spirit
+and that all material creation exists only for the development
+of that spirit.—2nd. That when this spirit breaks through the
+clay, it finds itself in a new phase of existence.—3rd. In
+this new phase the spirit works out its further advancement
+by deeds of love—by acquiring knowledge, and by imparting
+such knowledge to men or spirits less favoured.—4th. This
+progression is infinite as knowledge. From one stage, on
+phase of progress, the spirit, never losing its identity, passes
+to another and higher.—Damiani.
+SPIRITUALISM IN SOUTH WALES.—Until about a yeat
+ago, very little about Spiritualism was known in South Wales,
+though here and there in the district there were a few spirit
+circles held in strict privacy. Practically speaking, the move
+ment began to spread in Wales about nine months ago, in con-
+sequence of some lectures delivered in the district by Mr. James
+Burns, in which he incidentally introduced the subject of
+Spiritualism. This attracted the attention of some few per-
+sons in Merthyr, and the result was the formation of three or
+four spirit circles. Some of the ordinary manifestations were
+soon obtained, then many other circles were started, so that
+at the present time a great deal of interest in Spiritualism has
+been excited in Merthyr, Aberdare, and Hirwain. Mr. Burns
+went to Merthyr to lecture in the early part of this month, and
+had a crowded audience in the largest building in the town
+for public meetings. In a short time, as the local mediums
+become more fully developed, some of the more striking mani-
+festations will be obtained. The Merthyr district is the most
+populous one in the whole of Wales. All the agricultura
+districts of Wales have long been in course of depopulation
+of their agricultural labourers, as shown by the census returns
+and very many of these men get employment in the Merthyr
+mines and ironworks, before emigrating to America, con-
+sequently any knowledge gained by working men in
+Merthyr, spreads very rapidly among their friends in all parts
+of Wales. Some little interest in Spiritualism is felt by a
+few persons in Cardiff, as two deputations met Mr. Burns
+there, to question him on the subject. Very few people in
+Swansea as yet know anything about the reality and the im-
+portance of the movement, but in Llanelly it has begun to gain
+ground, and this paper has a small circulation there. We do
+not know anything about Spiritualism in Newport. The rest
+of the towns in South Wales, other than those mentioned. are
+small, and the majority of them being dependent upon the
+agricultural districts around them for support, are necessarily
+declining in prosperity as the depopulation progresses, and as
+the wealth accumulates in fewer hands. The great mines and
+ironworks around Merthyr and Aberdare are the chief sources
+of prosperity in Wales ; the other sources of strength are the
+copper-smelting works at Swansea and Llanelly. Cardiff and
+Newport are dependent upon the shipping trade, the coal and
+iron from the hill districts of Wales being brought down to
+these ports for further transport. The places in which some-
+thing about Spiritualism has been known in Wales for a few
+years past, are Llanelly and Hirwain, and there they first be-
+came known through the publications issued by Mr. Burns.
+
+
+DEC. 31, 1869.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST
+
+
+29
+
+
+CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.
+1. Advertisements of Public Companies, Half-a-guinea per
+sixth of a column, or every portion of sixth of a column.
+2. General Advertisements, Five Shillings per twelfth of a
+column, or portion of twelfth of a column.
+Note.—Advertisements at the foregoing rates will be
+displayed” so as to occupy the full space paid for, but
+advertisements at the following rates will be in closely set
+type
+3. General Advertisements, Half-a-crown per first five
+lines or portion of five lines, and Fourpence for every line in
+addition.
+4. Situations Wanted, or Apartments to Let, One Shilling
+per first four lines, or portion of four lines; Threepence for
+every line in addition.
+Ten words are allowed to the line, and six figures or
+initial letters count as one word.
+When five or more insertions of the same advertisement
+are paid for, twenty per cent. reduction will be made in the
+above rates.
+The power is reserved of refusing to insert any advertise-
+ment.
+Advertisements and remittances should be sent to the
+Publisher, Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's
+Church-yard, London, E.C., or to Mr. J. BURNS, 15
+Southampton-row, High Holborn, London, W. C.
+
+
+To Correspondents.
+
+
+All letters should be brief and to the point, as the amount
+of space available for correspondence is at present small.
+Communications intended for the Editor should be by
+letter only, addressed to the care of the Publisher, Mr. E. W.
+ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, St. Paul's Church-yard, London.
+E.C. Until the Spiritual movement in England, together
+with this journal, have both grown considerably, time cannot
+be spared for personal interviews on subjects connected with
+the literary work of THE SPIRITUALIST, but all letters will
+meet with careful consideration.
+THE SPIRITUALIST is a periodical intended to give great
+freedom of expression to all the different shades of opinion
+to be found among Spiritualists. There will therefore be
+very little uniformity in the ideas promulgated in this journal,
+more especially in the correspondence columns. Under these
+circumstances every reader will find occasionally something
+in THE SPIRITUALIST which he or she does not like, but the
+right of reply remains. This freedom of thought given to
+others, the Editor claims for himself, and those who do not
+lihe the contents of leading articles, can write against them
+in the correspondence columns. This plan is thought better
+than that of reducing the contents of the journal to a
+pale weak mediocrity, by inserting only those contribution.
+which please everybody. The preceding remarks are not
+intended to imply that those who have crotchets which they
+cannot get printed anywhere else, can find an outlet for them
+here, for none but those letters which are considered worth
+publication will be inserted.
+Notices of Public Meetings in connection with Spiritualism
+should be sent to the office several days in advance.
+
+
+To Non-Spiritualists,
+
+
+A large amount of information is printed on the last two
+pages of this journal, clearly demonstrating that the facts of
+Spiritualism, highly improbable as they appear to be, are
+real, and deserve serious investigation by all thoughtful
+people. In other columns of every number of THE SPIRI-
+TUALIST will also be found plenty of additional evidence to
+the same effect.
+
+
+To Subscribers.
+
+
+The first thing to be done is to define the nature of
+each force or union of forces employed by the spirits,
+producing distinct effects at spirit circles, and then to
+find names for each. For instance, sometimes at a par-
+ticular circle, the entrance of one person will stop the
+table or voice manifestations ; shall we call this force
+his “spiritual atmosphere,” or what?
+Again, some
+persons by their will alone can make their influence
+felt by clairvoyant patients miles away.
+What name
+shall we find for this? If those who are experienced
+in the facts of spiritual manifestations like to enter
+into correspondence on this matter, we shall be glad to
+make room in this journal for as many as possible of
+the letters, provided they be brief. Then, when ever
+force or union of forces, is clearly defined, and a name
+chosen for the same, a dictionary of a few words with
+their accepted meanings might be printed along with
+the standing matter on the two last pages of the paper,
+and adopted for general use from that time forth, in
+these pages at all events.
+What is the meaning of
+“ biologise?"
+What is meant by “ psychologise,"
+“mesmerise,” and “magnetise?”
+Have some of those
+words the same meaning? If so, why are not those
+which are superfluous abolished? Until we have sen-
+sible names for spiritual forces, each name conveying a
+clear, distinct, and unmistakeable idea to the minds of
+all persons using the same, research into Spiritualism
+will be retarded, and attempts at explanation of pheno-
+mena from public platforms will put the ideas of the
+listeners into a muddle. The misuse of the words
+“ electricity” and “magnetism" marred many of the
+splendid public addresses given by Mrs. Hardinge, not
+that the adoption of those particular words was in itself
+a great fault, but because it threw into confusion the
+ideas of most of listeners, many of the whom could not
+know what meaning she intended to convey, or what
+definition the words bore in her own mind. Perhaps
+also the use of the word “sceptic,” as applied to non-
+spiritualists is injudicious, because it is so often hurled
+as an offensive term from pulpit and platform, at the
+heads of thoughtful people, who will not accept the
+statements of noisy orators as truth, without coolly and
+calmly testing the evidence supporting their assertions.
+People who will not accept anything as a fact without
+reasonable evidence, make the best Spiritualists, and
+those who believe everything which they are told by
+spirits in and out of the body, make the worst.
+
+
+become a bright amber colour, but the marks made by
+each person who uses the leaves are of different colours,
+but I did not understand that then. Before I saw all this
+two persons came down and assisted me to rise, and de-
+posited me on a bank of leaves, a peculiar scent from
+which invigorated me and made me strong. One of
+them began fanning me with the hands round the head
+and face, and down my chest to the extremities; a
+warm glow seemed to run through me ; I soon was able
+to stand and look arouud me clearly, and then I saw
+what I have described to you. The two friends then I
+recognised to be an aunt and a cousin, who had passed
+over to the other side some few years before I did.
+They took me into a house and into a beautiful apart-
+ment, where I saw many more that I knew. There
+were pictures round the room, which seemed to be
+painted upon the walls of the house; some appeared to
+be portraits of people I knew, and among them was
+my own. Soon I fairly knew where I was. My first
+thought was, “ What has become of my child ?” and the
+next was, "How is this? This is not what I expected
+from my belief in the flesh."
+They told me not to be
+anxious about my child, and at once I felt it was true
+and that I had nothing to be anxious about, though I
+did not know why. I could not keep quiet about my
+religion. I wanted to know, “ Was this heaven, or
+what was it?” And I told them that I had been taught
+of the merits of Jesus. Their answers shocked me at
+first. I gave them much trouble and bother to answer
+my questions, and it was long before I became recon-
+ciled to my condition. I expected to be in heaven
+singing Hosannas to the Lamb. I did not find the
+throne of God, or the Lamb, or angels singing, and yet
+had anybody said anything against that belief in the
+flesh, I should have thought them very very wicked. I
+find that there is no hell, and I am very glad that there
+is none; I find that all people, no matter what they
+are, have good in them which will be brought out soon,
+and that knowledge gives me pleasure. We meet at
+times for mutual instruction ; we have conversational
+meetings and ask each other for advice. The patriarch
+of the family gives us missions to perform. Some of us
+are sent back to the earth to become masters of what
+belongs to your world; others in the spirit world study
+science ; some want to learn the geography of the spirit
+universe, or the conditions of spiritual existence. We
+come to earth and learn the conditions which govern
+you, and then we can advise you. I love to remain
+above with kind and tender friends. I must go now for
+I cannot control the medium much longer. My name
+is Mary Willett, I died giving birth to a child. The
+spirit of that child fled before it came to the material
+life. I was the wife of a baker, and "died" as you call
+it, at Orpington, a village just outside of St. Mary’s
+Cray, Kent.*
+Do all spirits go where you are?
+There are many who never reach the spirit world
+or summer land for years. Many never pass outside
+the atmosphere of your earth, but, as the Scriptures
+say, “ wander up and down like a roaring lion."
+The
+“spirit world” is a confusing term, for it means “ the
+inner life. The “spheres"
+are a distinct spiritual
+universe.
+The spirit, whose control of the medium had been
+very weak throughout, then left.
+
+
+The first twelve numbers of THE SPIRITUALIST will be
+forwarded regularly by penny post to subscribers, who remit
+four shillings in payment, to Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Publisher,
+Ave Maria-lane, St. Pauls-churchyard, E.C.
+
+
+The Spiritualist.
+
+
+FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1869.
+
+
+THE NOMENCLATURE OF SPIRITUALISM.
+WHEN educated people first begin to witness the
+manifestations at spirit circles, an unfavourable im-
+pression is sometimes produced, by the too frequent
+misapplication of scientific words having a definite
+meaning in English literature, to forces of an unknown
+nature. The abuse of the words “electricity” and
+“ magnetism” often grates on the ear, and spiritual
+“ethers," as well as other incomprehensibilities some-
+times crop up. Electricity is the force which deflects
+the needle of the galvanometer, and which causes the
+gold-leaves of the electrometer to diverge. Magnetism
+is the power which enables a steel magnet to attract
+iron. The unknown forces employed by spirits are not
+magnetism, and are not electricity, nor has it yet been
+demonstrated that they are even analogous thereto. As
+the two words just mentioned have a clear, established,
+and definite meaning, it is manifest that if they gra-
+dually get thoroughly into use among thousands on
+spiritualists, confusion will be the result, and eradica-
+tion of the words will be more difficult than at present.
+
+
+SCENERY IN THE SPIRIT WORLD.
+Lasr Friday evening, at eight o’clock, at a séance
+held at the Spiritual Library, 15, Southampton-row,
+Holborn, and reported in another column, the following
+communication was received through Mr. J. J. Morse,
+the trance medium :
+The first spirit who spoke through the medium said :
+My friends, it is very seldom that I come to use a
+medium, but perhaps I shall be able to do a little good
+this evening; I feel strange, almost awed, until I get
+calm again. It is now a little over five—no, let me see
+-a little over six years since I gave up the natural
+body in a little village a few miles out of London ; I will
+give you the address before I go away. When I re-
+covered consciousness after the change, I found myself
+in what you would call a beautiful garden. I was lying
+on a bank by the side of a stream: the stream gave
+forth a gentle musical sound, and I think it was that
+which brought me to consciousness again. I recovered
+and felt as if I had awoke from a deep sleep, and had
+been dreaming very heavily and was dreaming still.
+It was a gentle sloping bank; on the top of the bank
+was a broad plain, and above me were flowers distri-
+buted into beds; there was a broad path of dazzling
+whiteness that went right across the greensward to a
+house beyond. This house was enshrouded with trees.
+There was a terrace in frout of the house, with creeping
+vines over the balustrade, giving forth a blue and white
+flower about half as large as your hand, with fine
+leaves, blue at the edges and white at the centre. The
+leaf of the vine was nearly round, of a bright green
+tint. I had never seen a house like it before ; it was
+pure white, and I could see dimly through it shapes
+and forms moving about on the other side. I could not
+see clearly through it. In front of the house grew an
+immense tree; its branches spread out and seemed to
+shade the house from the light; the light was tempered
+by the shadow of the tree. On the lawn in front of the
+house were little bowers of the branches of a tree, with
+flowers much like your rose, but more beautiful ; the
+leaves were like silk in appearance, about a foot lon
+and about as broad as the palm of your hand. They
+pluck these leaves now and then and write on them;
+they will serve the purpose of books, for they dry and
+
+
+THE address of Mrs. John Olive, the trance-medium
+mentioned in our last, has been changed, and the new one will
+be found among the advertisements on the last page.
+PAUPERISM AND EMIGRATION.—At the present time peti-
+tions to Parliament in favour of free emigration have been
+displayed for signatnres in several public thoroughfares in
+London. Every person signing them gives his full address,
+and tens of thousands of signatures have thus been given, as
+the amount of pauperism in the country is growing so rapidly
+that soon the authorities will be unable to cope with it.—A
+more stringent Bankruptcy Act, re-establishing, to a large ex-
+tent, imprisonment for debt, will come into force very shortly,
+and as many persons know this, they are hastening to get
+“whitewashed ” as soon as possible. This explains the enor-
+mous number of bankrupts recorded in the daily papers during
+the past fortnight. Most of these people and their families
+will have to go into the poorhouse, while those who become
+bankrupt under the new Act will, for the most part, have to
+go to prison. Hence the necessity for facilities for emigra-
+tion. Since the publication of our last issue our rulers have
+poured a vast number of extra troops into Ireland ; they have
+sent several additional men-of-war to guard the coast ; they
+have also began to fortify the police-stations in some of the
+chief Irish towns by lining the window shutters with sheet
+iron plates, furnished with loopholes for musket barrels. The
+daily newspapers keep as quiet as possible about all these
+facts, because they have always hidden from the public those
+violations of the fundamental principles of political economy
+which cause all these evils, and they do so still.
+
+
+* Last Monday we went to Orpington to inquire into the accuracy of this
+statement. No baker of the name of Willett lives there now or is known to
+have lived there within the last thirty years. A respectable baker of the
+name of Tillott has been in business there for more than twenty years; he
+was much surprised at the nature of the inquiries, having never heard of the
+strange subject of Spiritualism before, and he stated that his brother’s wife
+died at Orpington about six years ago in childbirth, but her name was
+Harriett. It is more difficult to signal proper names through some me-
+diums, than ideas and words which can be placed in the thought of the
+medium, so this may be a case where a part of the message was spoilt in
+transmission, just as telegraphic messages from India have often been spoilt,
+and in a few cases have ruined great English commercial firms in conse-
+quence. Or, it may be, that a Mary Tillett died at Orpington, whose hus-
+band resided elsewhere. The records in the office of the local registrar will
+throw light on the subject, and further inquiries shall be made and pub-
+lished, since the whole value of the communications made through the
+mediumship of Mr. Morse, depends upon their truthfulness.—ED.
+
+
+30
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+DEC. 31, 1869.
+
+
+Poetry.
+SPIRIT VERSES.
+
+
+Three or four years ago Mr. D. D. Home lectured at Willis’s Rooms
+London, on Spiritualism, and gave the following verses, which had been
+dictated to him, March 25, 1851, by a spirit who gave the name of “Robert
+Southey." The verses refer to Southey’s temporary loss of reason while in
+earth life.
+
+
+Night overtook me e’er my race was run,
+And mind—which is the chariot of the soul
+Whose wheels revolve in radiance like the sun
+And utter glorious music as they rol
+To the eternal goal -
+With sudden shock stood still. She heard the boom
+Of thunders. Many cataracts seemed to pour
+From the invisible mountains; through the gloon
+Flowed the great waters ; then I knew no more
+But this—that thought was o'er
+
+
+EXTRACT FROM “THE MOURNING BRIDE."
+
+
+Almeria.
+It was a fancy’d noise; for all is hushed,
+Leonora.
+It bore the accent of a human voicc.
+Almeria.
+It was thy fear, or else some transient wind
+Whistling through hollows of this vaulted aisle :
+We'll listen -
+Leonora.
+Hark!
+Almeria.
+
+
+without having actually seen any manifestations. All that
+Spiritualists should ask for is a fair hearing, and after that
+fair hearing has been accorded I think that some people
+who now set them down to be “knaves and fools," will
+ultimately confess themselves dreadfully mistaken.
+Dec. 14th, 1869
+A COUNTRY JOURNALIST.
+P.S.—That remarkable account of the cure of Leon Favre
+Consul-General of France, which appeared in the Spiritual
+Magazine, ought to have been condensed and then printed on
+a separate slip and forwarded to every newspaper editor in
+England. Such testimony as is given by the Count in favour
+of Spiritualism should be circulated far and wide.
+[Several editors of standard London newspapers do know that Spiritual-
+ism is true, but are afraid to say so. Did one of them print the truth, the
+pulpit and the public would say that it was an untruthful “infidel” paper,
+and its closest competitor would write articles to the effect that the editor
+of its rival had gone mad, and put his lunacy in print. Consequently the
+circulation of the honest journal would be injured. This all arises from the
+low state of education in Great Britain, for the general public prefer pre-
+conceived notions, however foolish, to investigation after truth; therefore
+they are continually paying penalties for the sin of ignorance. Some edi-
+tors, also, who know the facts of the case, may not desire to speak of them
+just as most of the London daily papers purposely suppress facts which
+political-economists know to deeply injure the nation, though they benefit
+the private material interests of a few. What does our correspondent do in
+his own journal? We know several country newspapers which could ruin
+themselves in three weeks by speaking the truth about Spiritualism.—ED.]
+
+
+Book Notices.
+
+
+PURPOSE AND PASSION, by Keningale Robert Cook,
+B.A. London: Virtue and Co.—This book is of in-
+terest chiefly to those who have a taste for classical
+poetry.
+Some very prettily-written deseriptions of
+flowers, sunlight, and scenery are seattered here and
+there in the poems, and a few specimens may be quoted.
+Here, for instance, are a few selections from some
+verses on "Enthusiasm," whose praises are thus sung
+by the writer:
+
+
+Come all sweet loves in clusters round my head,
+Come scarce seen hyacinths of the forest dells,
+Come singing softly how ye filled and fed
+From out free skies your wealth of dripping bells.
+
+
+Calm me ye tcachings of the world-old hills,
+Whose ways lead up to where my maiden stands,
+Pointing down vistas that great hope fulfils -
+The brightest stardrop made of God’s fair hands.
+
+
+No, all is hushed, and still as death.—Tis dreadful!
+How reverend is the face of this tall pile;
+Whose ancient pillars rear their marble heads,
+To bear aloft its arched and ponderous roof,
+By its own weight made steadfast and immoveable -
+Looking tranquility! It strikes an awe
+And terror on my aching sight: the tombs
+And monumental caves of death look cold,
+And shoot a chillness to my trembling heart
+Give me thy hand, and let me hear thy voice:
+Nay, quickly speak to me, and let me hear
+Thy voice—my own affrights me with its echoes.
+Congreve.
+
+
+NIGHT.
+
+
+Oh! sweet and beautiful is night, when the silver moon is high,
+And countless stars, like clustering gems, hang sparkling in the sky;
+When the balmy breath of the summer breeze, comes whispering down the
+glen.
+And one fond voice alone is heard—Oh, night is lovely then!
+
+
+But when that voice in feeble moans of sickness and of pain,
+But mocks the anxious ear that strives to catch its sounds in vain,
+When silently we watch the bed by the taper’s flickering light,
+And all we love is fading fast—how terrible is night!
+Ingoldsby.
+
+
+Correspondence.
+
+
+[Great freedom is given to correspondents, who sometimes express opinion.
+diametrically opposed to those of this journal and its readers].
+
+
+THE BEST WAY TO SPREAD SPIRITUALISM.
+SIR.—I hail with satisfaction the publication of a periodical
+like THE SPIRITUALIST, and I trust that its bi-monthly issue
+will be continued.
+I presume that it is the desire of all true Spiritualists to
+spread a knowledge of the things they themselves understand
+but (excuse me for saying so), I fancy that most of them do
+not take the best means to extend their faith, and others are
+very uncharitable if scepticism is strongly exhibited.
+Allow me to make a remark or two on these points. In the
+first place, I do not think that Spiritualism will rapidly grow
+until a great opposing power—the metropolitan and provincial
+press of this country—has been won over to admit its miracles.
+Ten newspaper editors can do more to extend a knowledge of
+spiritual truths than ten thousand less influential people.
+Nothing succeeds now-a-days unless the press has smiled
+upon it. A new entertainment, a new book, a new pill, with-
+out the aid of the press, seldom takes. There are hundreds of
+thousands in this country who place implicit reliance on their
+weekly or daily newspaper, and accept its dictum almost for
+gospel. I would advise Spiritualists on all occasions to en
+deavour to secure the support of “ the fourth estate.” But, it
+may be asked, how is this support to be obtained. I would
+reply—in this manner. Whenever a trustworthy and good
+medium, like Mr. Home, visits the provinces, let a special in-
+vitation—if necessary, a personally-solicited one—be given to
+the local editors to attend at the séances, and let some mutual
+friend make it his duty to prevail on the editor (not the mere
+reporter) to be present. I was reading the interesting account
+of the recent seances at the house of Mr. Beattie, at Clifton
+and I thought what an oversight it was not to have invited
+the conductors of all the Bristol papers to be present. The
+would have narrated their experiences to the world, and must
+have confessed, in doing so, their inability to comprehend or
+explain away the phenomena, and the result would have been
+that a discussion would have croppod up in which thousands
+would have been interested. I think I am speaking the truth
+when I say that nine out of every ten people you meet, and
+who judge Mr. Home from the reports which appeared of him
+in the Home v. Lyon case, set him down to be a “ humbug,"
+and all Spiritualists, as a rule, are classed by unbelievers
+in the same interesting category. We should endeavour,
+I think, to remove this incorrect impression, not because
+we are individually injured by it, but because it is
+an obstacle to the advancement of our beautiful science. There
+is a great disposition on the part of many to convert medical
+men, but I think it is a sheer waste of precious time to dally
+too much with these gentlemen. They always have such
+grand theories—such hair-splitting and confusing explanations
+of what they have observed, and they usually only make
+matters worse. Besides an “ M.D.” if he does confess that the
+physical and mental phenomena of Spiritualism arise from an
+unseen intelligence, has but a very small influence over public
+opinion, and is generally afraid to utter forth the conclusions
+he has been compelled to arrive at. The conversion of a pro-
+fessional literary man, however, is a different thing. He sees
+in broad daylight inert matter move without visible help—he
+receives strange communications which only the so-called dead
+could communicate, and fairly non-plussed he goes straight
+away and publishes to the world those things, confessing his
+inability to account for them, but declaring them to be
+nevertheless facts. Suppose that Tyndall, Lubbock, Huxley,
+and Darwin (with Professor Pepper thrown in), were all read;
+to admit that the facts of Spiritualism are facts, that would
+be of far less importance than if the editors of the Saturday
+Review, the Spectator, the Pall Mall Gazette, and the Times
+were to depose to the same thing.
+Spiritualists should not be hard on those who are sceptical.
+It requires a great amount of credibility to accept many of
+the statements which appear in the spiritual publications.
+
+
+SOCIETY.
+Mr. CHARLES DICKENS, in one of his tales, narrates how
+Mr. Chops, the dwarf, one of the attractions of Magsman’s
+show, came into a fortune of twelve thousand five hundred
+pounds, owing to a successful speculation in a lottery ticket.
+He therefore had no further occasion to send round the saucer
+to collect halfpence, but he took a house at Pall-mall, and
+“went into society." His experience of the materiality of
+society, as narrated below, is forcible and valuable in the
+extreme:
+“One night when we had played the last company out,
+which was a shy company through its raining heavens hard, I
+was takin’ a pipe in the onc-pair-back along with the young
+man with the toes, which I had taken on for a month (though
+he never drawed, except on paper), and I heard a kickin’ at
+the street door. “Halloa !' I says to the young man, what
+up?'
+He rubs his eyebrows with his toes, and he says, 'I
+can’t imagine, Mr. Magsman’—which he never could imagine
+nothin’, and was monotonous company.
+“ The noise not leavin’ off, I laid down my pipe, and I took
+up a candle, and I went down and opened the door. I looked
+out into the street, but nothin' could I see, and nothin' was
+aware of, until I turned round quick, because some creetur run
+between my legs into the passage. There was Mr. Chops!
+“ 'Magsman,’ he says, “take me on the hold terms, and
+you’ve got me ; if it’s done, say done!'
+“I was all of a maze, but I said, Done, sir.'
+"'Done to your done, and double done !’ says he. 'Have
+you got a bit of supper in the house?'
+“Bearin’ in mind them sparklin’ warieties of foreign drains
+as we’d guzzled away at in Pall-mall, I was ashamed to offer
+him cold sassages and gin-and-water ; but he took ’em both
+and took ’em free ; havin’ a chair for his table, and sittin'
+down at it on a stool, like hold times—I all of a maze all the
+while.
+“It was arter he had made a clean sweep of the sassages
+(beef, and to the best of my calculations two pound and a
+quarter), that the wisdom as was in that little man began to
+come out of him like prespiration.
+“'Magsman,’ he says, 'look upon me ! You see afore you
+one as has both gone into society, and come out.'
+“'O, you are out of it, Mr. Chops? How did you get out,
+sir?'
+“'SOLD OUT!' says he. You never saw the like of the wis-
+dom as his Ed expressed when he made use of them two
+words.
+“ My friend Magsman, I’ll impart to you a discovery l’ve
+made. It’s wallable ; it’s cost twelve thousand five hundred
+pound ; it may do you good in life. The secret of this matter
+is, that it ain’t so much that a person goes into society, as that
+society goes into a person.'
+“Not exactly keeping up with his meanin’, I shook my
+head, put on a deep look, and said, 'You’re right there, Mr.
+Chops.'
+“ 'Magsman,’ he says, twichin me by the leg, Society has
+gone into me, to the tune of every penny of my property.'
+“I felt that I went pale, and though not nat’rally a bold
+speaker, I couldn’t hardly say, 'Where’s Normandy?'
+“ 'Bolted. With the plate,' said Mr. Chops.
+“And t’other one?'
+meaning him as formerly wore the
+bishop’s mitre.
+“ 'Bolted. With the jewels,’ said Mr. Chops.
+“I sat down and looked at him, and he stood up and looked
+at me.
+“ 'Magsman,’ he says, and he seemed to myself to get wiser
+as he got hoarser, 'Society, taking in the lump, is all dwarfs
+At the court of Saint James’s thcy was all a-doin’ my hold
+bisness—all a-goin' three times round the cairawan in the
+hold court-suits and properties. Elsewheres, they was most
+of ’em ringin’ their little bells out of make-believes. Every-
+wheres the sarser was a-goin’ round. Magsman, the sarser is
+the uniwersel institution !'"
+
+
+She is the happiest maiden in the world,
+Though beaten down a thousand times a day
+By winds and storm that round her feet are curled,
+By weight of mist that spheres the rose with grey.
+
+
+The next verse of the same poem shows some of the
+defeets of the author’s style :
+
+
+As earth-born monster, sorely maimed and spent,
+Cleaves close unto the nursing-mother’s breast,
+And, nostril-fed by breaths thus nurture-blent,
+Gains greater strength the more he is opprest -
+
+
+The following are the opening verses of another
+poem, entitled “ The World before Man ”:
+
+
+A sky of swollen mists exhaled
+From seething marsh and boundless green ;
+A Titan crowd of stems and reeds,
+Wide lakes and burning plains between.
+
+
+Mad riot and luxuriant growth,
+Festoonery upon each tree ;
+Gross life of verdure sweeping down
+By calm grey rivers to the sea.
+
+
+The panther’s roar is on the air,
+And full of song the jungle-wood;
+The blue snake winds his coils along,
+And seeks the singing bird for food.
+
+
+The heron by the loamy marge
+Of sheltered shallows, marks the smooth
+Bright silver fishes flash along,
+Taught keenness by her hunger’s tooth.
+
+
+The following lines again, from “ The Romance of
+Rest,” tell in very beautiful language how the poet and
+his friend were woocd on a summer’s day, to leave the
+house for the open air:
+
+
+Long converse had we in the window niche,
+While winds impatient in the ivy leaves,
+Said “ Come, O come to us,” and whispered low
+Their tales of couches with the heaven for roof,
+Tapping the lattice in their ecstacies;
+Till I, in envy of their joyous hearts,
+Longed to drink in the air, and be a boy,
+Taught by the breezes of the hill-side school.
+We wandered out by sheep-paths toward the moor,
+Staying our feet, where all things scemed to join
+With summer to make glad.
+
+
+From the song of “ Fairyland,” and from the lines
+“ To a Dying King," other quotations possessing beauty
+and foree might be made, but here are some verses of a
+different description:
+
+
+The ripple of music flows;
+Who knows, who knows?
+The kisses blossom like the rose
+Only the happy summer knows.
+
+
+Sunlights, rose lights, white lights,
+In the sweep of their fingers are music to us;
+Here and there idle thus,
+Hither and thither across the lattice see floating, how
+marvellous.
+
+
+THE Two GHOSTS.—Sir Walter Scott used to tell, with
+much zest, a story of a man who tried to frighten his friend
+by encountering him at midnight on a lonely spot which was
+supposed to be the resort of a ghostly visitant. He took his
+seat on the haunted stone, wrapped in a long white sheet.
+Presently, to his horror, the real ghost appeared, and sat down
+beside him with the ominous ejaculation, “You are a ghost
+and I am a ghost; let us come closer and closer together.
+And closer and closer the ghost pressed, till the sham ghost,
+overcome with terror, fainted away.
+THE WELSH FASTING GIRL.—After being watched for
+eight days by nurses from Guy’s Hospital, the Welsh fasting
+girl died, and the jury at the inquest have returned a verdict
+equivalent to that of “ manslaughter” against the parents.
+The members of the first committee who watched the child
+are strongly divided in opinion as to the guilt of the parents
+who, for the most part, have been condemned by the general
+public and the newspapers. Professional mesmerists, who are
+few in number, and free from the ignorance of medical men
+about many abnormal conditions of the body, think the facts
+to be in favour of the innocence of the parents, though pro
+bably thcy have too little influence to secure for the father
+and mother the benefit of the doubt when the case comes on
+for trial.
+
+
+Most of the classical poems in the book are elaborately
+finished works of art. They appeal not to the feelings,
+but they show considerable—sometimes too much
+knowledge on the part of the writer of the capabilities
+of the English language, and are adapted to please the
+conventional taste of the few, and not the natural taste
+of the many. Literature whieh meets a demand, caused
+by temporary and artificial conditions, will soon vanish
+beneath the effacing fingers of father Time. In our
+opinion Mr. Cook has been most successful in those
+poems wherein he has been most simple and most
+natural, as in some of the verses whieh have here been
+quoted. These specimens show for themselves that the
+author has some of the true spirit of poetry in him.
+The book is neatly bound, and altogether is creditable
+to the author, printers, and publishers.
+
+
+ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
+I. F. Y.—The lecturer deserves all you say, but we have no space
+to spare for strings of complimentary remarks. Some practical
+statistical information about Spiritualism in your town, with par-
+ticulars as to the number of mediums, and what kind of manifes-
+tations they get would be useful.
+J. M.—Clearly “coincidence.” One part of your friend’s story is
+certainly inaccurate; who can say on what particular day a tree
+dies, the process being so slow?
+NORWICH.—Your alphabet received. Shall have something to say
+about it at a future time.
+ISLE OF WIGHT.—Too late for this issue.
+
+
+DEC. 31, 1869.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+31
+
+
+FACTS FOR NON-SPIRITUALISTS
+As this Journal will necessarily often come
+under the observation of those who are not
+Spiritualists, it has been thought judicious to
+reprint regularly on this and the next page
+the following condensed evidenee that spiri-
+tualism deserves serious investigation. The
+phenomena witnessed in spiritual circles are
+so extraordinary, and so unlike those coming
+within the ordinary range of human experi-
+ence, that it is quite right not to accept them
+on the testimony of others. Each individual
+should witness and test them personally, and
+believe nothing until the absolute knowledge
+gained that denial is impossible.
+EVIDENCE THAT SPIRITUALISM DESERVES INVES-
+TIGATION.
+The testimony of reliable and respectable wit-
+nesses that the phenomena of Spiritualism are
+actual facts, and not imposture or delusion, has of
+late years so accumulated as to possess very great
+weight. In the case of Lyon v. Home, Mr. Robert
+Chambers, Mr. C. F. Varley, Dr. Gully, Mr. and
+Mrs. S. C. Hall, and others, all made affidavits
+strongly in favour of Mr. Home. The following
+was the affidavit of Mr. C. F. Varley, C.E.,
+F.R.G.S., M.R.I.:
+“I, Cromwell Fleetwood Varley, of Fleetwood House
+Beckenham, in the County of Kent, Esquire, make oatj
+and say as follows:
+“I have been a student of electricity, chemistry, and
+natural philosophy for twenty-six years, and a tele-
+graphic engineer by profession for twenty-one years,
+and I am the consulting electrician of the Atlantic Tele-
+graph Company, and of the Electric and International
+“About nine or ten years ago, having had my atten-
+Company.
+tion directed to the subject of Spiritualism by its spon-
+taneous and unexpected development in my own family
+in the form of clairvoyant visions and communications.
+I determined to test the truth of the alleged physical
+phenomena to the best of my ability, and to ascertain,
+if possible, the nature of the force which produced them.
+“Accordingly, about eight years ago, I called on Mr.
+Home, the defendant in this suit, and stated that I had
+not yet witnessed any of the physical phenomena, but
+that I was a scientific man and wished to investigate
+them carefully.
+He immediately gave me every facility for the pur-
+pose, and desired me to satisfy myself in every possible
+way, and I have been with him on divers occasions
+when the phenomena have occurred. I have examined
+and tested them with him and with others, under con-
+ditions of my own choice, under a bright light, and have
+made the most jealous and searching scrutiny. I have
+been, since then, for seven months in America, where
+the subject attracts great attention and study, and where
+it is cultivated by some of the ablest men, and having
+experimented with and compared the forces with elec-
+tricity and magnetism, and after having applied me-
+ehanical and mental tests, I entertain no doubt whatever
+that the manifestations which I have myself examined
+were not due to the operation of any of the recognised
+physical laws of nature, and that there has been present
+on the occasions above-mentioned some intelligence
+other than that of the medium and observers.
+“The subject of course offers many opportunities and
+inducements for fraud, and I only speak of what I have
+myself seen and tested. Since my acquaintance with
+Mr. Home began I have pursued the enquiry, and I have
+found engaged in it able, learned, and scientific men
+who are convinced as I am, that the physical manifesta-
+tions are but the introduction to an extensive fleld of
+mental and physical knowledge which will in a great
+measure explain and reconcile the beliefs of all ages and
+nations. I know of several instances both in Europe
+and America in which this course of study has awak-
+ened the perception of the purest and loftiest truths and
+principles. There have been no doubt eases in which
+the intellect has been too feoble for the stimulus, and
+has been overpowered by it, just as frequently results
+from excessive application to religion and other exciting
+topies, but such cases have not come within my own
+observation.
+“Mr. Home, like several other non-professional me-
+diums whose cases I have studied, was passive during
+the occurrence of the manifestations. He, like the
+other mediums, is extremely susceptible to external in-
+fluences, and has a mind better suited to receive impres-
+sions than to prosecute enquiries. I willingly testify my
+entire conviction of his truthfulness and honesty.
+“C. F. VARLEY."
+
+
+It also came out in the evidence given at the
+trial, that Mr. Home had been the invited and un-
+paid guest of the Emperor and the Empress of the
+French, the Emperor, Empress, aud the late Em-
+press Dowager of Russia, the Grand Duke Con-
+stantine, the King of Prussia, the late King of
+Bavaria, the late King of Wurtemburg, and the
+Queen of Holland. Mr. Home says that all his
+life he has never taken a farthing of pay for his
+séances. In March, 1869, the Spiritual Magazine
+gave the names of the following gentlemen as
+those who have long been investigating the sub
+ject:
+“Cromwell F. Varley, Esq., Fleetwood-house, Becken-
+ham; Alfred R. Wallace, Esq., 9, St. Mark's-crescent
+N.W.; Professor De Morgan, 91, Adelaide-road, N.W.;
+Captain Drayson, R.A., Woolwich; Dr. J. M. Gully,
+The Priory, Great Malvern: Dr. J. J. G. Wilkinson, 4
+St. John’s-wood-villas, N.W.; Dr. Dixon, 8, Great Or
+mond-street, W.C.: S. C. Hall, Esq., 15, Ashley-place
+Victoria-street, S.W.; Newton Crosland, Esq.; William
+Howitt, Esq., The Orchard, Hare-green, Esher, Surrey
+Robert Chambers, Esq., St. Andrew’s, Edinburgh; H.
+D. Jeneken, Esq., Kilmorey-house, Norwood; J. G.
+Crawford, Esq., 52, Gloucester-crescent, N.W.; W. M.
+Wilkinson, Esq, Oakfield, Kilburn; Lord Adare, 5,
+Buckiugham-gate; The Master of Lindsay, Grosvenor
+square."
+Mrs. De Morgan has written a book, entitled
+From Matter to Spirit (Longmans), where she
+gives many interesting particulars, the result of
+ten years' experience in Spiritualism. Professor
+De Morgan, President of the Mathematical Society
+of London, in his preface to the book, says:
+“I am perfectly convinced that I have both seen and
+heard, in a manner which should make unbelief impos-
+sible, things called spiritual, which cannot be taken be
+a rational being to be capable of explanation by impos-
+ture, coincidence, or mistake. So far I feel the ground
+firm under me."
+The following is an extract from another
+affidavit, made in the suit of Lyon v. Home
+“I, James Manby Gully, of The Priory, Great Malvern
+in the County of Worcester, doctor of medicine, make
+oath and say as follows:
+“I have known the above-named defendant, Daniel
+Dunglass Home, for seven years and upwards, last past
+and have during that period been in the habit of attend-
+ing him professionally, and also of receiving him in my
+house as a personal friend, and I have never had the
+smallest reason to doubt his character as a man of
+honour and proper moral feeling.
+“I have during the past seven years witnessed both
+in my own house, and elsewhere, in the presence of the
+
+
+Dr. Hooker, in his opcning address, as President
+of the British Association at Norwich in 1868
+spoke very highly of the scientific attainments of
+Mr. Alfred R. Wallace, F.L.S. Mr. Wallace is an
+avowed Spiritualist. Professor Hare, of Phila-
+delphia, the inventor of the Harc’s Galvanic Bat-
+tery, once refused to witness spiritual phenomena
+alleging that Faraday's “unconscious muscula-
+action” theory explained all the facts. A friend
+wrote to him detailing things he had seen which
+were inexplicable by that theory. Hare at once,
+like a sensible man, went to see for himself. The
+result was that he came into communication with
+some of his own departed relatives. He then
+made mechanical telegraphic machines, which
+were intelligently worked by spirits while the
+apparatus was screened from the sight of the
+medium, and he wrote a book recording all these
+facts. That book is now in the British Museum
+Library. Judge Edmonds, of New York, is another
+very eminent American Spiritualist, who has also
+written interesting books on the subject. Recently
+in England, Viscount Adare has written a book
+bearing testimony to the truth of Spiritualism, and
+it has a preface by Lord Dunraven. This book is
+printed for private circulation only, which is an
+error in judgment. Valuable evidence in favour
+of Spiritualism is given by John Wesley and his
+family; for spirit rapping and movements of
+wooden materials by invisible agency occurred in
+their own house. Documentary evidence of what
+they witnessed was drawn up and signed on the
+spot, and is published in Southey's Life of Wesley.
+The Spiritual Magazine for October, 1869, gives
+the following names of friends of Spiritualism
+who have now and then contributed to its pages:
+“Viscount Adare; John Ashburner, M.D., Translator
+of Reichenbach, author of Philosophy of Animal Mag-
+netism and Spiritualism; T. B. Barkas, author of Outline
+of Ten Years Investigation into the Phenomena of Modern
+Spiritualism; George Barth; Richard Beamish, F.R.S.,
+author of The Life of Brunel; Rev. S. E. Bengough
+M.A.; Edward L. Blanchard; Edward Brotherton; Cap-
+tain Richard F. Burton (the African traveller;) William
+Carpenter, author of Political Letters, The English Bible;
+Captain Edward Henry Chawner; Henry T. Child
+M.D. (Philadelphia, U.S.A.); Benjamin Coleman, author
+of Spiritualism in America; Robert Collyer, M.D., F.C.S.
+Christopher Cook; Robert Coopor, author of Spiritual
+Experiences; Mrs. De Morgan, author of From Matter to
+Spirit; Jacob Dixon, L.R.C.P., author of Clairvoyance
+Hygienic, and Medical; Hugh Doherty, M.D, author of
+Organic Philosophy; Captain Drayson, R.A.; Judge
+Edmonds (New York); Captain H. A Fawcett, R.N.;
+John M. Gully, M.D.; Professor W. D. Gunning (Boston,
+U.S.A.); Samuel Carter Hall, F.S.A.; Emma Hardinge
+George Harris, M.A., F.S.A., President of the Manches-
+ter Anthropological Society; W. E. Hickson, late editor
+of the Westminster Foreign Quarterly Review; Rev. A.
+W. Hobson, M.A.; Baron C. Dirckinck Holmfeld; Daniel
+Dunglass Home; Rev. J. Page Hopps, editor of The
+Truthseeker; Mary Howitt; William Howitt; Henry D.
+Jencken, M.R.I., F.G.S.; John Jones, author of Man:
+Physical, Apparitional, and Spiritual; Rev. William
+Ker, M.A.: Seymour Kirkup (Florence); Andrew Leigh
+ton; Robert Leighton; Kenneth R. P. Mackenzie, F.S.A.
+Rev. William Mountford (Boston, U.S.A.); A. E. New
+ton (Boston, U.S.A.) author of The Ministry of Angel
+Realised; Mary S. Gove Nichols; J. H. Powell: Baron
+Reichenbach, anthor of Researches on the Dynamics of
+Magnetism; Elihu Rich, author of several articles in the
+Encyclopædia Metropolitana; J. Lockhart Robertson,
+M.R.C.P.: Mary C. Hume Rothery; Rev. W Hume
+Rothery, M.A.; Epes Sargent, author of The Planchette;
+Thomas Shorter; Rev. W. R. Tomlinson, M.A.; Crom-
+well F. Varley, F.R.G.S.; C. Staniland Wake, author of
+Chapters on Man; Alfred R. Wallace; A. M. H. Watts;
+William White, author of Emanuel Swedenborg: His
+Life and Writings; W. M. Wilkinson, author of Spirit
+Drawings; James J. Garth Wilkinson, M.D., author of
+The Human Body, and its Connection with Man; Rev. F.
+
+
+Signor G. Damiani, a Sicilian gentleman living
+at Clifton, has written a pamphlet, still in print
+in which he severely censures Professor Tyndall
+Mr. G. H. Lewes, and others like them, for refus-
+ing to investigate the subject. He further offers a
+reward of 1,000 guineas to any respectable, scien-
+tific or educated men, who will investigate the
+subject aund prove it to be an imposture. The
+following are his words:
+“I now offer you two challenges.
+“First, I challenge you, or either of you, or any of
+the public who, like you, disbelieve in the genuine cha-
+racter of spiritualistic phenomena, to deposit in the
+hands of any well-known London banker whom you or
+they may name, the sum of five hundred guineas; and
+I pledge myself to immediately deposit in the same bank
+a like amount,—the ownership of such sum of one thou-
+sand guineas to depend upon my proving by evidence
+sufficient to establish any fact in history or in a eriminal
+or civil court of justice.
+"First—That intelligemt communications and answers
+to questions put, proceed from dead and inert matter in
+a manner inexplicable by any generally recognised law
+of nature.
+“Secondly—That dead and inert matter does move
+without the aid of any mechanical or known chemical
+agency, and in deflance of all the admitted laws of gravi-
+tation.
+"Thirdly—That voices appertaining to no one in the
+flesh are heard to speak and hold rational converse with
+men.
+“A jury of twenty-fonr gentlemen, twelve to be chosen
+by each party (such jury to consist exclusively of mem-
+bers of the learned professions and literary men), to
+decide whether or not the facts eontained in the above
+propositious are conclusively proved per testes—i.e., by
+witnesses of established character. A majority of
+the twenty-four to decide. If the verdict be that these
+facts have not been established, the thousand guineas
+are to belong to the party accepting this challenge; I
+the verdict be that these facts are established, the thou-
+sand guineas to be mine.
+“Secondly—Immediately after the above wager being
+decided, either way, I offer a like challenge of five hun-
+dred guineas (to be met on the other side in like manner
+as above)—the ownership of the second sum of one
+thousand guineas to depend upon the establishment of
+the facts contained in the propositions already given, by
+experiments conducted in the actual presence of the twenty
+four gentlemen who have decided the previous wager
+the verdict of the majority to decide in this case likewise
+“In either case, the séances are to be conducted in an
+public or private building which the jury may select,
+and which may be available for the purpose.
+“The result of these challenges (if accepted and de-
+cided) to be advertised by the victorious party, at the
+expense of the defeated party, in all the London daily
+papers.
+"I hope this is plain English.
+
+
+MR. HOME'S AFFIDAVIT
+In the Chancery suit of Lyon v. Home, for the
+recovery of certain monies given by Mrs. Lyon
+to Mr. Home against the advice of her lawyer
+and her friends, Mr. Home made an affidavit, from
+which the following is an extract:
+“I, Daniel Dunglass Home, of 22, Sloane-street, in
+the County of Middlesex, one of the above-named de-
+fendants, make oath and say as follows:
+“I was born in Scotland on the 20th of March, 1838,
+and from my childhood have been subject to the occa-
+sional happening of singular physical phenomena in my
+presence, which are most certainly not produced by me
+or by any other person in connection with me. I have
+no control over them whatever: they occur irregularly
+and even when I am asleep. Sometimes I am many
+months, and once I have been a year without them.
+They will not happen when I wish, and my will has
+nothing to do with them. I cannot account for then
+further than by supposing them to be effected by intelli-
+gent beings or spirits. Similar phenomena occur to
+many other persons.... These phenomena occurring in
+my presence have been witnessed by thousands of
+intelligent and respectable persons, including men of
+business, science, and literature, under circumstance
+which would have rendered, even if I desired it, all
+trickery impossible. They have been witnessed repeat-
+edly and in their own private apartments, when any
+contrivance of mine must have been detected, by their
+Majesties the Emperor and the Empress of the French,
+their Majesties the Emperor, Empress and late Empress
+Dowager of Russia, their Imperial Highnesses the Grand
+Duke and Duchess Constantine of Russia and the mem-
+bers of their august family, their Majesties the King of
+Prussia, the late King of Bavaria, the present and late
+King of Würtemberg, the Queen of Holland, and the
+members of the Royal Family of Holland; and many
+of these august personages have honoured, and I be-
+lieve still honour, me with their esteem and goodwill, as
+I have resided in some of their palaces as a gentleman
+and their guest, and not as a paid or professional per-
+son. They have had ample opportunities, which the
+have used, of investigating these phenomena, and of
+inquiring into my character. I have resided in America,
+England, France, Italy, Germany, and Russia, and in
+every country I have been received as a guest and
+friend by persons in the highest position in society, who
+were quite competent to discover and expose, as the
+ought to have done, anything like contrivance on my
+part to produce these phenomena. I do not seek, and
+never have sought, the acquaintance of any of these
+exalted personages. They have sought me, and I have
+thus had a certain notoriety thrust upon me. I do not
+take money, and never have taken it, although it has
+been repeatedly offered me for or in respect of these
+phenomena, or the communications which appear to be
+made by them. I am not in the habit of receiving those
+who are strangers to me, and I never force the subject
+of Spiritualism on any one’s attention. ... Some of the
+phenomena in question are noble and elevated, others
+appear to be grotesque and undignified. For this I am
+not responsible, any more than I am for the many
+grotesque and undignifled things which are undoubtedly
+permitted to exist in the material world. I solemnly
+swear that I do not produce the phenomena aforesaid,
+or in any way whatever aid in producing them," &c.
+“I have been subjected to much persecution through
+out my life, because of my conscientious belief as to the
+meaning and great purpose of spiritual phenomena
+taken as a whole. That belief I have not, like the
+plaintiff, foresworn. I have always courted the strictest
+investigation, although I have not condescended to
+notice all the attacks and anonymous slanders that have
+been circulated respecting me. The book shown to me
+at the time of swearing this affidavit, marked H 8, con-
+tains a correct list of upwards of 1,300 letters, with the
+writers' names, which I still retain (after having de-
+stroyed about 10,000), written to me by persons of every
+rank and class, including persons of the highest social,
+political, literary, and scientiflc position, who have in
+vestigated these phenomena, and corresponded with me
+about them. After the fullest opportunities of examina-
+tion, they have formed different opinions as to thein
+origin and meaniug ; but I believe that all are
+thoroughly satisfied of my entire honesty in the matter;
+and lately, while the plaintiff's base and unfounded
+charges of fraud and imposition have been hanging
+over me, and during the months of January and
+February, 1868, these phenomena have been thoroughly
+tested by another scientific man, named Mr. Hawkins
+Simpson, the inventor of electrical apparatus, including
+one for printing at a distance by the telegraph—a
+drawing and description of which were, as I am in
+formed and believe, given in the Engineer newspaper on
+the 15th November, 1867."
+Omitting the remainder of Mr. Home's affidavit,
+the following evidence given by him before the
+Dialcctical Society, is of interest:
+“He had seen a pencil lifted by a spirit hand write on
+paper in the presence of the Emperor Napoleon. This
+took place in a large room, the Salon Louis Quinze. The
+Empress was also present. The hand, after writing,
+went to the Emperor, who kissed it; it then went to the
+Empress; she withdrew from the touch, and the hand
+followed her. The Emperor said, “Do not be fright-
+ened, kiss it!' She then kissed it, and it shortly after
+wards disappeared. The writing was an autograph
+of the Emperor Napoleon I. The Emperor of Russia
+had also seen and handled spirit hands, which after-
+wards seemed to melt away into thin air."
+The Emperor Napoleon has been at a great
+many of Mr. Home's séances, and Mr. Home was
+asked by members of the Dialectical Society to
+state other things which had been observed on
+those occasions. Mr. Home said that he did not
+feel at liberty to state any more than the Emperor
+was in the habit of telling himself
+
+
+Friday. May 22, of the present year (1868) will for-
+ever remain one of the most memorable days of my life.
+It was on that day, when the sun was shining brightly
+and bathing the world with its light and heat, that I
+arrived at Newport, Rhode Island, and first came under
+the healing powers of Dr. J. A. Newton. I had heard
+of him through The Spiritual Magazine, Mr. William
+Howitt, and Mr. Coleman, and was assured that if I
+placed myself in his hands I should be speedily and
+radically cured of the neuralgic affection in my head
+for which I had been suffering for eleven years. It was
+not until I had become a little more familiar with some
+of the facts and phenomena of modern Spiritualism
+that I felt a quiet faith in the power of Dr. Newton to
+remove my disease. Having once attained to that state
+of mind, and becoming satisfied that it was my duty to
+cross the Atlantic in search of health, I made arrange-
+ments for doing so, and left Liverpool for New York on
+Saturday, May 9, arriving at the latter place on Tuesday
+evening, the 19th.
+The moment Dr. New-
+ton and I met, I found in his face and simple kindly
+manner a human image of the outside sunshine, and
+but few words had been spoken when I was convinced
+that the errand upon which I had come would be ful-
+filled. I was about to give him the history in detail on
+my affliction when he stopped me by saying, 'That
+after I had been cured he would be very glad to listen
+to anything I might wish to say, but that the cure itself
+was the first matter to be attended to.' He then poured
+a large quantity of very hot water upon my head while
+I was leaning it over a basin into which the water fell.
+After my head had been dried with a coarse towel, I
+was made to sit upon a moveable seat, similar to a
+music-stool, the doctor standing behind me, and placing
+my head against his chest with his hands crossed upon
+my forehead. He then moved my head in various
+directions until all at once a clicking noise was heard at
+the top of my spine. Tlie doctor immediately cried out
+'That noise is the sign that you will be cured; the dis-
+turbance of the nerve current has been removed.' He
+then faced me, and lifting hoth his hands towards
+heaven, he looked me hard in the face, saying, 'Look at
+me. In the name of God our Heavenly Father, and of
+the Lord Jesus Christ the Great Healer, I bid this
+disease depart from this dear suffering brother and
+never more afflict him. It is gone—it is gone—it is
+gone for ever, my brother; you are cured; rise up on
+your feet and be cured.' At that instant I felt a strong
+current of new life flowing into and through every part
+of my body, and I was conscious that I had entered
+upon an altogether new phase of existence. From that
+day to the present hour, July 13, I have been entirelyl
+free from my pain, and have felt as well, I should think,
+as it is possible for any human being to feel. Physically
+speaking, I am a new creature; old things have passed
+away and all things have become new. Of course it is
+not for me to say absolutely that the cure will be per-
+manent, but, if I may judge from my present expe-
+rience, I see no reason why it should not be so.
+Wonderful as my case is, it is only one of thousands, so
+far as Dr. Newton is concerned. He has cured almost
+every form of disease, and removed almost every kind
+of suffering. In fact, he appears to have done every-
+thing but raise the dead. And yet even he does not
+cure all cases, and this failure enables him to keep alive
+the consciousness that it is not he who cures, but God
+who works in and through him. He tells me that he
+has enred something like a quarter of a million of
+people. * * * * Most of his cures are done without
+fee or reward. In my own case he steadily refused to
+take a single dollar, and I saw him act in like manner
+towards several others. During my stay I witnessed
+several instances of his healing power; some of them
+being so manifest as to defy all attempts at explaining
+them away. On the very morning that my own cure
+was effected, I witnessed his cure of a paralytic who for
+three years had been unable to walk without the aid of
+crutches, and even then, only in a partial degree. This
+woman was brought by her parents to Newport, and, in
+less than five minutes from the time when she came
+under Dr. Newton's hands, she got up from the couch
+on which she had been laid, and walked away up the
+street and back again, a full mile, and afterwards
+walked and ran and jumped and danced, as so many
+signs that her cure was a complete one. I also saw him
+cure a young man who had a withered hand. Indeed, I
+might have seen day by day, and hour by hour, ex-
+amples of this healing power had I chosen to have done
+so. Every now and again, there are trains from Boston
+and Providence freighted with the lame, the halt, the
+blind, and the diseased, sometimes to the number of
+500 or 600. These come to Newport, and a large majo-
+rity of them are sent away perfectly cured. In one part
+of Dr. Newton's house there is a room of considerable
+size, full of crutches, sticks, spectacles, eye-shades,
+bandages, and other memorials of disease and sickness
+which have been left behind by patients as so many
+signs and trophies of their cure.
+
+
+“FREDERICK ROWLAND YOUNG,
+“Minister of the Free Christian Church, Swindon
+There are very many healing mediums in the
+United States, who can do good only in certain
+diseases, or whose powers are so feeble that suc-
+cessful results may with more probability of accu-
+racy be put down to the imagination of the
+patient.
+A great use of Spiritualism is that it demon-
+strates the immortality of the soul. But why
+ask, “Of what use is Spiritualism?” for here the
+thing is in our midst as much a part of nature as
+the trees, the clouds, and the flowers, and as it
+cannot be abolished there is no alternative but to
+subject it to investigation, or to look on in igno-
+rance.
+
+
+HOW TO FORM SPIRIT CIRCLES
+An experimental trial at home, among family
+friends and relatives, often gives the most satis-
+factory evidence of the reality of spiritual pheno-
+mena. At the same time, as no fully developed
+medium is present among those who have never
+obtained manifestations before, the probability is
+that there will be no results. Nevertheless, it is
+a very common thing for striking manifestations
+to be obtained in this way at the first sitting of a
+family circle; perhaps for every one successful
+new circle thus started without a medium, there
+are six or seven failures, but no accurate statistics
+on this point have yet been collected. When
+once manifestations have been obtained they will
+gradually increase in power and reliability at suc-
+cessive sittings. The following is a good plan of
+action :
+1. Let the room be of a comfortable temperature, but
+cool rather than warm—let arrangements be made that
+
+
+said Mr. Home many curious occurrences, which I am
+unable to explain, in the way of singular phenomena,
+such as displacement of objects without physical con-
+tact, &c., and from my personal and careful investiga-
+tions (which Mr. Home himself ever urges) I am positive
+that it is not in consequence of any trick or device that
+such phenomena occur. I have even been witness to
+singular phenomena when the said Mr. Home was not in
+the same room, and also when he has been asleep. I
+have never known the said Mr. Home receive money for
+what is termed 'a séance,' but I have known him re-
+peatedly refuse offers of as much as twenty guineas for
+“J. M. GULLY, M.D."
+a single séance.
+
+
+“ Awaiting a reply to this letter, and to the challenge
+with which it concludes, I am, gentlemen; your obedient
+servant.
+G. DAMIANI.
+“Clifton, Oct. 1, 1868.
+“P.S.—Letters addressed Sigr. Damiani, care of
+Manager of West of England and South Wales District
+Bank, Corn-street, Bristol,' will always reach the writer."
+In addition to the above evidence, there is the
+testimony of numbers that the modern spiritual
+manifestations are realities. Mr. Hepworth Dixon
+in his New America estimates the number of Spiri-
+tualists in the United States at rather less than
+three millions, and this is about the lowest estimate
+that anybody has made. There are no accurate sta-
+tistics, and different authorities vary in their esti-
+mates from three to eleven millions.
+All these facts, together with those which
+follow, prove that Spiritualism deserves serious
+investigation. Not a few learned men have pri-
+vately been examining the phenomena in order to
+“explode the imposture,” but these extinguishers
+soon catch fire themselves. In short, in the
+minds of most of the English public, Spiritualism
+has to pass through the following five stages :
+
+
+WHAT IS THE USE OF SPIRITUALISM?
+Strange to say there are people who can ask
+what is the use of communication with friends
+and relatives, who have passed the great barrier
+of the grave. One use of Spiritualism is, that all
+Spiritualists who lead moderately good lives, are
+found to gradually lose the fear of death. Spirits
+through the agency of suitable media have much
+power in the healing of diseases, and the removal
+of deformities, though such power is far from
+absolute. The following is a narrative, published
+in Daybreak, of some of the powers exercised
+through Mr. Newton, the best healing medium in
+the United States ; he is expected to visit England
+in the course of the year 1870. The following ex-
+ample from a very boundless field of choice, is
+enough for the present on the subject of the uses
+of Spiritualism:
+
+
+1. The manifestations do not take place.
+2. Spiritualism is a gross imposture.
+3. It is a delusion.
+4. It is the work of the Devil.
+5. It is a great blessing, and we always said so.
+
+
+Experience shows that the feebler the intellect
+and the lower the standard of energy and educa-
+tion, the sooner does the investigator break down
+at one of the first four out of the above five steps
+in the ladder of progress.
+
+
+32
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+DEC. 31, 1869.
+
+
+nobody shall enter it, and that there shall be no inter-
+ruption for one hour during the sitting of the circle.
+Wet, damp, and foggy weather is bad for the production
+of physical phenomena.
+2. Let the circle consist of four, five, or six individuals
+about the same number of each sex. Sit round an un-
+covered wooden table, with all the palms of the hands
+in contact with its top surface. Whether the hands
+touch each other or not is usually of no importance.
+Any table will do, just large enough to conveniently
+accomodate the sitters. The removal of a hand from
+the table for a few seconds does no harm, but when one
+of the sitters breaks the circle by leaving the table it
+sometimes, but not always, very considerably delays the
+manifestations.
+3. Before the sitting begins, place some pointed lead
+pencils and some sleets of clean writiug paper on the
+table, to write down any communications that may be
+obtained.
+4. People who do not like each other should not sit in
+the same circle, for such a want of harmony tends to
+prevent manifestations, except with well-developed
+physical mediums; it is not yet known why. Belief or
+unbelief has no influence on the manifestations, but an
+acrid feeling against them is a weakening influence.
+5. Before the manifestations begin, it is well to engage
+in general conversation or in singing, and it is best that
+neither should be of a frivolous nature. A prayerful,
+earnest feeling among the members of the circle is likely
+to attract a higher and more pleasing class of spirits.
+6. The first symptom of the invisible power at work is
+often a feeling like a cool wind sweeping over the hands.
+The first manifestations will probably be table tiltings or
+raps.
+7. When motions of the table or sounds are produced
+freely, to avoid confusion, let one person only speak,
+and talk to the table as to an intelligent being.
+Let him tell the table that three tilts or raps mean
+"Yes," one means “No,” and two mean “Doubtful,"
+and ask whether the arrangement is understood. If
+three signals be given in answer, then say, “If I speak
+the letters of the alphabet slowly, will you signal ever
+time I come to the letter you want, aud spell us out
+message?“ Should three signals be given, set to work
+on the plan proposed, and from this time an intelligent
+system of communication is established.
+8. Afterwards the question should be put, “Are we
+sitting in the right order to get the best manifestations
+Probably some members of the circle will then be told
+to change seats with each other, and the signals will be
+afterwards strengthened. Next ask, “ Who is the
+medium?“ When spirits come asserting themselves to
+be related or known to anybody present, well-chosen
+questions should be put to test the accuraey of the
+statements, as spirits out of the body have all the virtues
+and all the failings of spirits in the body.
+
+
+sible to comply with his demand. Faraday also
+required an answer to the following questions,
+among others, before attending:
+“Would he [Mr. Home] be glad if their (the manifesta¬
+tion's] delusive character were established and exposed,
+and would he gladly help to expose it, or would he be
+annoyed and personally offended? [The italics in this
+sentence are not in the original.]
+"Does he consider tlie effects natural or supernatural?
+If natural, what are the laws which govern them? or
+does he think that they are not subject to laws? If
+supernatural, does he suppose them to be miracles, or
+the work of spirits? If the work of spirits, would an
+insult to the spirits be considered as an insult to
+himself?"
+Mr. Home took no notice of the above insults
+and, it is believed, never wrote Faraday in the
+first instance, or took any notice of him whatever.
+He never even saw his letters.
+Dr. John Tyndall, F.R.S., in a note dated May
+8, 1868, commenting upon Faraday's letter just
+mentioned, wrote:
+"I hold myself in readiness to witness and investigate,
+in the spirit of the foregoing letter [of Faraday's], such
+phenomena as Mr Home may wish to reveal to me
+during the month of June."
+A few days previously Mr. Home had written
+in the Pall Mall Gazette:
+“It will give me pleasure to meet Professor Tyndall,
+and any two gentlemen he shall designate. On my side
+I shall have at least two gentlemen whose names and
+position place them above the suspicion of aiding ot
+abetting a fraud. I will meet Professor Tyndall and
+these gentlemen when and where they please, and
+under such circumstances as they may decide on. I
+must only crave their patience if nothing should occur
+at the first, or even the second, séance."
+From that day to this Dr. Tyndall has not
+accepted the above invitation
+A demand for a programme where no programme
+can be given, and the writing of supercilious
+letters in reply to civil invitations, amounts prac-
+tically to a refusal to observe facts. Dr. Tyndall
+and men who act like him, are recommended to
+bear in mind the following words of Galileo:
+“Oh, my dear Kepler, how I wish that we could have
+our hearty laugh together. Here, at Padua, is the prin-
+cipal professor of philosophy, whom I have repeatedly
+and urgently requested to look at the moon and planets
+through my glass, which he pertinaciously refuses to do.
+Why are you not here? What shouts of laughter we
+should have at this glorious folly ; to hear the Professor
+of Philosophy at Pisa, labouring before the Grand Duke
+with logical arguments, as if with magical incantations
+to charm the planets out of the sky!"
+A little society known as the Dialectical Society
+is now investigating Spiritualism. It numbers
+among its members many shrewd and intelligent
+men, belonging chiefly to the legal and medical
+professions. Spiritualists watch its proceeding
+with a moderate amount of interest; nothing that
+any man or body of men may say or do can alter
+the established phenomena and laws of nature.
+THE LITERATURE OF SPIRITUALISM.
+The literature of Spiritualism now consists of
+several hundreds of volumes, good, bad, and indif-
+ferent, and almost entirely of American origin.
+Among the best volumes on the subject are Mrs
+De Morgan’s From Matter to Spirit (Longmans)
+with a preface by Professor De Morgan, President
+of the Mathematical Society of London; The
+Planchette, by Epes Sargent; Spiritualism (2 vols.)
+by Judge Edmonds and G. T. Dexter, of New
+York; a History of Spiritualism, by Emma Hard-
+iuge; and The Autobiography of Andrew Jackson
+Davis. An interesting book, consisting simply of
+narrations of facts witnessed at remarkable seances,
+is Incidents of My Life (Longmans), by D. D.
+Home. The Soul of Things, by Denton, is a curious
+book indirectly connected with Spiritualism, and
+worth reading. Those unacquainted with Spiri-
+tualism are recommended to read these books in
+the order in which they have just been mentioned.
+The only large lending library of Spiritual books
+in Great Britain is that belonging to Mr. J. Burns,
+15, Southampton-row, High Holborn, London,
+W.C. The English periodicals on the subject
+are, The Spiritual Magazine, Human Nature, Day-
+break, and The Spiritualist.
+
+
+inquirers; the sittings exhaust their vitality like a
+hard days' work, and they have to put up with
+much abuse when uneducated roughs unaccus
+tomed to investigation persecute them by attenc
+ing. The inquirer should mention to the medium
+civilly and kindly, liis doubts respecting the
+phenomena he may witness; the invisible beings
+around will at once, on the spot, do their best to
+remove those doubts, or an explanation will be
+obtained from the medium. When there is real
+foundation for suspicion, the best plan is to go
+often to the medium, accompanied by witnesses
+detect the imposture, and prosecute the medium
+for obtaining money under false pretences.
+Genuine manifestations are not under the control
+of the medium, so that a paid medium who does
+not get manifestations, is under a great temptation
+to try to make them. This fact makes it difficult
+for Spiritualists to speak absolutely as to the relia-
+bility of any paid mediums, however genuine the
+majority of the manifestations may be which occur
+in their presence. After getting thoroughly inte-
+rested in Spiritual phenomena, the inquirer should
+take his friends to see them, and afterwards get up
+a private circle in his own house. Manifestatious
+will most likely not be obtained at the first sitting,
+but after very few or very many sittings they will
+come; gradually the great barrier of the grave
+which now separates frieuds will be broken down
+and after the experience of a year or two the
+dread of the beautiful natural process, called
+“death,” will be destroyed, as it is destroyed in
+the minds of all experienced Spiritualists, except
+those who during life have done harm to their
+fellow-creatures. Very high spirits and their
+homes are perfectly invisible to very low spirits
+this, coupled with the fact that there is no more
+uniformity in the next world than there is here
+accounts for the endless contradictions about spirit
+life given in Spiritual communications.
+An investigator of a logical and scientific turn of
+mind may possibly have to closely follow up the
+subject for some weeks before gaining the absolute
+knowledge that the manifestations come fron
+spirits. Unlike Mr. Home and a few other excep-
+tional individnals, most mediums are developed
+for one or two special purposes only. Thus, vio-
+lent physical manifestations, inexplicable by an
+of the recognised laws of matter, may be seen in
+the presence of one medium, but mental tests aud
+questions may briug forth a majority of inaccurate
+and unreliable answers. Where good mental tests
+are obtainable through a medium, the physical
+manifestations may be altogether absent.
+There are so few public or semi-public spirit
+circles at work in London, and the pressure for
+admission is so great where the manifestations are
+good, that the best plan for novices is usually to
+try to get manifestations at home among their own
+friends.
+
+
+JOSEPH BARKERS AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
+Now ready, neatly bound in cloth, price 2s. 6d
+TEACHINGS OF EXPERIENCE; or
+Lessons I have Learned on my Way through
+Life.
+London: JAMES BEVERIDGE, 9, 10, 11, Fullwood's-rents,
+Holborn, W.C
+
+
+of Zoistic Science, Intelligence, and Popular
+HUMAN NATURE, a Monthly Record
+Anthropology. Recent numbers give full details of the
+extraordinary Manifestations through the celebrated
+Medium, D. D. Home, Esq., with philosophical reason-
+ings as to the nature and cause of the phenomena : a
+new series of lessons on Phrenology and the Tempera
+ments is being given, containing some new instructions
+of great value to the student; first-class Portraits of
+eminent men and women, with Biographies and Phreno-
+logical delineations are frequently introduced; a serial
+Tale of great power and beauty; articles on Physiology
+Diet, Temperance, and Health; translations from Con-
+tinental Works and Periodicals; treatises on Mesmerism
+Clairvoyance, Spiritualism; reviews of Books; reports
+of Lectures, Meetings, and Societies, renders this the
+cheapest, most varied, and instructive Periodical of the
+kind in the world. The fact that this Periodical is en-
+tirely unbiased and devoted to the truth respecting all
+the topies on which it treats, is a point not to be over
+looked by all earnest investigators, whatever their
+opinions may be. Post free, 7s. per annum, or 6d. per
+month from the Booksellers. JAMES BURNS Progres-
+sive Library, 15, Southampton-row, Bloomsbury-square
+Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+To LIFE POLICY-HOLDERS.
+The
+recent disclosures in the Chancery Court indis-
+putably prove that neither the antiquity of a life office
+nor the magnitude of its income, affords to the public
+any security that the premiums they have paid for the
+purpose of securing a sum of money to their families
+may not be frittered away in costly amalgamations, or
+jeopardised by fire, marine, or accidental risks.
+In order to remove this insecurity the BRITISH IM-
+PERIAL INSURANCE CORPORATION was esta-
+blished on the principle substantially adopted by Her
+Majesty's Government for small policies, and carried out
+through the medium of the Post-office.
+The Life Funds of the British Imperial Corporation
+are placed beyond the control of the Directors, being in-
+vested in the Government Funds (for the sole purpose
+of meeting poliey claims) in the names of trustees, who
+act independent of the Directors, and solely on behalf of
+the policy-holders.
+The system of investing Insurers’ net peomiums in
+Consolidated three per cent. Annuities in Trustees
+names for the sole purpose of meeting Policy Claims,
+combined with the ereation of a number of Separate
+Trusts, presents entirely new elements of security to
+Insurers.
+Any section of the community who are dissatisfied
+with the ordinary plan of entrusting their premiums to
+the care of the Directors of a life office may, without
+cost or risk, constitute themselves into a separate sec-
+tion of the British Imperial Corporation, and appoint
+their own trustees to control the life insurance funds
+contributed by them.
+Chief Offices for London
+20, COCKSPUR-STREET, PALL-MALL.
+
+
+FEMALE MEDICAL SOCIETY.
+Vice-Patrons:
+His Grace the Duke of Argyll, K.T.
+Her Grace the Duchess of Argyll.
+The Baroness de Rothschild
+The Countess de Noailles.
+
+
+President:
+The Right Honourable the Earl of Shaftesbury, K.G
+Treasurer:
+Henry Charles Stephens, Esq. 171 Aldorsgate-street, E.C
+Honorary Secretary:
+James Edmunds, Esq., M.D.
+Lady Secretary:
+Mrs. Blangy.
+Bankers:
+The London and County Bank, 441, Oxford-stree
+
+
+The Female Medical Society is established for the
+following objects
+1.—To promote tho employment of properly educated
+women in the practice of Midwifery, and the treatment
+of the Diseases of Women and Children.
+2.—To provide educated women with proper facilitios
+for learning the theory and practice of Midwifery, and
+the accessory branches of Medical Science.
+Midwifery and the accessory branches of medicine
+offer a wide fleld of honourable and lucrative employ-
+ment for educated women; also a means of intellectual
+culture and social usefulness to ladies who may not be
+dependent upon their own exertions. For want of
+properly qualifled ladies the best portion of the practice
+of midwifery has drifted into tho hands of gentlemen
+though female practitioners still attend the bulk of the
+population. But any person may undertake the duties
+of a midwife. Proper means of study have never been
+provided for women, and there has never been an
+public examination, by which women when well qualifled
+might be distinguished from those who are illiterate and
+unqualifled.
+The Society has carried on for five years the Ladies'
+Medical College, which has taught the theory and prac-
+tice of Midwifery and the accessory branches of medi-
+cine. Eighty-two ladies have already availed themselves
+of its advantages, and many of these ladies are settled
+in practice, and succeeding admirably.
+A life subscription of ten guineas, or an annual sub-
+scription of one guinea, constitutes a member of the
+Society, but stamps or other small contributions will be
+gladly received.
+Lady subscribers of not less than one guinea are
+invited to visit any Lectures in which they are likely to
+be interested.
+The addresses of skilled Lady Midwives, Prospectuses
+of the College, and all particulars as to the operations of
+the Society, may be obtained of the Lady Secretary.
+Temporary Offices—4 Fitzroy-square, W.
+Cheques to be crossed London and County Bank.
+
+
+Possibly at the first sitting of a circle symptoms
+of other forms of mediumship then tilts or raps
+may make their appearauce. Information respect-
+ing the many kinds of mediumship will be found
+in Mrs. Professor De Morgan’s book, From Matter
+to Spirit, published by Longmans; and this is a
+good book to read before trying to start a nev
+circle. It usually takes several years for any
+medium to attain full power, and it is not an
+uncommon although not an everyday thing, for
+chairs and other articles to move about in the
+presence of a good well-developed physical medium
+without anybody touching the articles at all. This
+fact effectually disposes of Faraday’s “unconscious
+muscular action" theory. Some have suggested
+that the phenomena are all mental, since mental
+conditious influence their production, and that
+those present all believe they see and hear things
+which they do not in reality see and hear. The
+answer is that there is sometimes such a noise
+with improperly powerful manifestations that the
+sounds are heard all over the house by persons
+not in the room; the furniture sometimes gets
+broken by movements of too violent a character
+and the broken portions remain as evidence that
+the phenomena were not of a mental character.
+The upholsterers’ bills which result also serve to
+convince that the occurrences are facts. The
+higher spirits seem to have little power over
+common matter, and the highest communications
+are not usually obtained through physical mani-
+festations.
+There are in England several very interesting
+circles for physical manifestations, where the
+spirits spcak with audible voices, but, unfortu-
+nately, total darkness is a necessary condition.
+Non-spiritualists who are inquiring into the sub-
+ject should have nothing to do with dark séances,
+which should be held only by those who know
+each other, since they offer so many facilities for
+fraud. When any circle regularly obtains power-
+ful physical manifestations, they may desire to sit
+for the voices. The very slightest glimmer of
+light must be excluded from the room, while the
+members of the circle sit round the table in the
+ordinary way. One or two paper tubes, each
+twelve or eighteen inches long, with an orifice
+about an inch-and-a-half in diameter, should be
+placed on the table. They may be readily made
+by rolling up a piece of music and tying a few
+pieces of cotton round the rough tube thus formed.
+In the early stages of a voice-circle these tubes
+are necessary for the use of the spirits, but after
+wards they may be dispensed with except when
+the weather and other conditions are unfavour-
+able. When first trying to obtain the voices the
+spirits may not be able to lift the tubes from the
+table, afterwards they often get them up in the
+air a foot or two and let them drop again. When
+they get full control over them they can carry
+them about up to the ceiling and to all parts of
+the room, and they talk to the members of the
+circle often while floating about above their heads.
+Very beautiful luminous plienomena are some
+times shown by the spirits at dark circles. While
+sitting for the voices, the spirits will tell by the
+ordinary table signals how they are progressing in
+their work of getting control of the tubes.
+Every human being is surrounded by an atmo-
+sphere which to the spirits is luminous and mate-
+rial, and this atmosphere is largely used by the
+spirits in the production of the physical manifes-
+tations. Baron Reichenbach, while he knew
+nothing of Spiritualism, discovered by experiment
+the presence of unknown forces emanating from
+Researches on Animal Magnetism. All the pheno-
+human bodies, and published the results in his
+mena of Spiritualism draw temporarily upon the
+vital powers of those composing the circle, but
+the medium is the chief source of energy.
+A still atmosphere and subdued light in the
+room are favourable conditions for the physical
+manifestations.
+
+
+ADVICE TO INQUIRERS.
+Those who know no intelligent Spiritualists,
+and nothing about Spiritualism, yet who want to
+investigate, are recommended to begin by reading
+the first two books mentioned in the preceding
+paragraph. Then they should call upon the chief
+publisher of Spiritual books in London, Mr. J.
+Burns, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn (where the
+are sure to be treated with atteution and courtesy),
+and ask for the names and addresses of say four
+good professional or non-professional mediuins
+accessible to the public, and “recognised by Spiri
+tualists as reliable for powerful physical manifes-
+tations." There are plenty of mediums or of people
+who fancy themselves mediums, who can rarely show
+anything satisfactory, and with whom an inquire
+might waste much time. He should then get say
+two sittings by daylight in his own house with
+each of the four mediums, because the power
+varies in strength at times with every medium
+at the end of the eight sittings he is sure to be
+thoroughly interested in Spiritualism, and to have
+thrown overboard the imposture theory, which is
+the clumsiest aud most superficial one of all.
+Many of the public have vague ideas that electri-
+city can do all kinds of unaccountable things, but
+A GENUINE MEDIUM NEVER HAS ANY HESITATION
+IN SITTING WITH A CIRCLE IN A HOUSE AND AMONG
+FURNITURE WHICH HE OR SHE HAS NEVER SEEN IN
+HIS OR HER LIFE BEFORE. Even with a good
+medium it is best, if time be valuable, not to
+investigate at crowded public circles, because,
+assuming imposture to be at work, there is no
+telling who may not be aidimg, among the
+numerous spectators. Besides, where so man
+investigator has not time to put many himself.
+people want to ask questions of the spirits, the
+Investigators are recommended to be thus careful
+in the selection of mediums, because as public
+attention is gradually more rivetted upon Spiri-
+tualism, impostors are sure to spring up, and even
+to advertise in Spiritual periodicals, for the editors
+manifestly cannot investigate the claims of ever
+professing medium. At present (November, 1869)
+there is very little imposture mixed up with the
+Spiritual movement in Great Britain, and there are
+only four or five paid mediums in all London.
+Good paid medinms deserve high praise rather
+than that censure which is thrown upon them even
+by Spiritualists; they find house-room; tliey are
+rcady to receive strangers at stated times when
+private circles could not sit for the convenience of
+
+
+THE PROGRESSIVE LIBRARY and
+SPIRITUALIST DEPOSITORY has been re-
+moved from Camberwell to No. 15, Southampton-row,
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, W.C.
+There is a Publishing Office and Shop for the sale of
+Books; a Circulating Library of all Works on Spiritualism.
+&c.; a Reading-Room supplied with the Spiritual and
+Progressive Publications of the World; a Drawing
+Room for the special use of Ladies and Subscribers;
+Private Rooms for Séances, Committees, Meetings, &c.
+and where all information respecting the Cause and the
+Progress of events may be obtained.
+Establishment, including the use of two Books at a
+The Subscription, entitling to all the privileges of the
+time from the Library for home perusal, is 21s. per annum
+A well-assorted Stock of Stationery, Periodicals, cur-
+rent Progressive Literature, Standard Works, Cheap
+Books and Tracts, Planchettes, Materials for Writing
+and Drawing Mediums; also Works and Appliances or
+Phrenology, Physiology, Health, and Dieletic Reform
+Temperance, Hydropathy, Gymnastics, Mesmerism.
+Clairvoyance, Anthropology, &c., will be kept on sale.
+As the responsibilities incurred in establishing this
+"Home for Spiritualism" and the Science of Man are
+very heavy, the Proprietor earnestly solicits the kind
+co-operation and support of all who sympathise with
+the enterprise. Strangers in London should at one-
+call at the Progressive Library, where they may hear of
+Lodgings and get other useful information.
+J. BURNS, Progressive Library, 15, Southampton-row.
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE, pub-
+lished Monthly, contains all the news of Spiri-
+Publisher, JAMES BURNS, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn,
+tualism, and psychological articles by writers of ability
+W.C.
+
+
+THE BANNER OF LIGHT, the Chief
+Weekly Newspaper on Spiritualism in the United
+States, may be ordered through Mr. JAMES BURNS, 15,
+Southampton-row, Holborn, W.C.
+
+
+ginning to end a compact mass of good evidence
+NO. 1 of THE SPIRITUALIST is from be-
+that the facts of Spiritualism are true. It contains a
+summary of the evidence given before the Dialectical
+Society by twenty witnesses of eminence and ability; it
+also gives the testimony of respectable non-Spiritualists
+therefore it is a valuable publication to place in the
+hands of non-Spiritualists, and should be selected for
+that purpose rather than later numbers of the same
+journal, as the later numbers will run out of print first.
+and should be ordered while they are still obtainable by
+those who wish to preserve them for binding. A few
+copies of No. 1 should be kept on hand for the benefit of
+non-Spiritualists, but later numbers should be retained in
+the possession of tho early friends of the movement,
+before they become scarce and unobtainable. Cover
+with stringed backs, to keep copies clean till required
+for binding, 3s. each.
+London: E. W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, E.C.; or J
+BURNS, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn, W.C
+
+
+Contents.
+
+
+The Testimony of a Spirit
+25
+Testimony of a Non-Spiritualist
+... 25
+Evidences of Spiritualism
+... 26
+REPORTS OF MEETINGS:—Séances at the Spiritual
+Library.—Seeing Mediumship—Mr. Clegg of York
+-Somnambulism—Disturbing Influences at Cir-
+cles Purgatory—Body, Soul, and Spirit—Progres-
+sion in the Animal World—Spiritual Communica-
+tions—An Earth-bound Spirit—Earthly Impedi-
+ments to Development—The Formation of the
+Spirit Worlds - Grindstones - Audible Spirit Voices
+—Departed Friends
+... 26
+Private Séances.—Clairvoyance—Spirit Magnetism-
+The Deity—Jesus of Nazareth—The Double—Me-
+diumship-Martyrdom- The Future of the Physi-
+cal Body— Bodily Deformities — Undeveloped
+Spirits—Capital Punishment—Responsibilities of
+Judges—Spirit Poetry—Spirit Voices—Seeing Me-
+diumship—Table Motions without Contact with
+Human Beings
+... 27
+GENERAL NEWS:—A Newspaper Burlesque—The
+Dialectical Society—Tien Sien Tie—Spiritualism in
+East London—The Philosophy of Spiritualism-
+Spiritualism in South Wales
+LEADERS:—The Nomenclature of Spiritualism - 28
+Scenery in the Spirit World..
+29
+POETRY:—Spirit Verses—Extract from the “Mourn-
+ing Bride "—Night
+30
+CORRESPONDENCE:—The best way to spread Spiri-
+tualism...
+... 30
+Society
+... 30
+BOOK NOTICES:—Purpose and Passion
+... 30
+ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENT.
+... 30
+PARAGRAPHS:—Agassizon Education, 26—The Royal
+Institution, 26—Pauperism and Emigration, 29
+The Two Ghosts, 30—The Welsh Fasting Girl, 30
+
+
+SPIRITUALISM AND MEN OF SCIENCE
+Sir J. Emerson Tennent once invited Faraday
+to a séance at which Mr. Home was to be the
+medium. Faraday wrote and asked for a pro-
+gramme of the manifestations, and as nobody
+knows beforehand what will take place at a circle
+any more than the details of an expected star
+shower can be given in advance, it was not pos-
+
+
+MR. J. L. OLIVE, Professor of Modern
+Spiritual Science, 1, Gibson-place, Warrington-
+crescent, Maida Vale, W. Mr. Olive is prepared to afford
+information relative to Spiritualism, the Development of
+Mediumistic power, &c., with facilities for investigation
+of Phenomena. Reliable advice based on large medica
+experience, and aided by beneficent Spirit Intelligences
+may also be obtained for the relief of ailments of Body
+or Mind. Consultation Fee, One Shilling.
+
+
+Printed for the Proprietor by JAMES BEVERIDGE, at the
+Holborn Printing Works, Fullwood’s Rents, High
+Holborn, in the Parish of St. Andrew-above-Bar and
+St. George the Martyr, Loudon, and published by E
+W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, London, E.C.
+
+
+The Spiritualist
+
+
+A RECORD OF THE PROGRESS OF THE SCIENCE AND ETHICS OF SPIRITUALISM
+
+
+The Human "Double"
+THE most perplexing of all the phenomena of Spiri-
+tualism are perhaps those in which the spirits of persons
+still living in the body have manifested or made them-
+selves visible at spirit circles. At one of the meetings of
+the Gower-street conference, this subject occupied the
+whole evening, and we have notes of the whole of
+the proceedings, so that out of the valuable information
+given at those meetings, a portion has been saved from
+the general loss. The following is the testimony given
+by Mrs. Emma Hardinge in her opening address at the
+meeting of the conference just mentioned:
+Mrs. Hardinge said that she would state some
+facts that had come under her own observation
+in connection with the subject of the “ double.” The
+Rev. S. Binning, of New York, who is now living-
+anybody could write to him to get the facts authenti-
+cated—was eighteen years ago, a Wesleyan Methodist;
+he afterwards became a Spiritualist, and joined what
+was then known as the “ New York Circle” (consisting
+of about twenty individuals), which had several branch
+circles connected with other towns. One of these
+circles met one night at Troy, 160 miles from New
+York. There were twenty persons present. Accord-
+ing to their rules each member had to be in the room
+twenty minutes before the circle began sitting, and to
+stop the sitting out. One Saturday evening, when both
+circles, so far apart, were sitting, the Rev. S. Binning
+was expected in Troy. He did not come at the set
+time, and they began to sit at eight o’clock, when a
+ring was heard at the door. Two of the members rose,
+and answered the bell; Mr. Binning entered, much to
+their surprise, as they had ceased to expect his coming
+that time. He muttered some indistinct words, and
+pushed past them in tho hall passage, opened the door
+where the circle was sitting, and was beheld by eighteen
+of the members. He again spoke indistinctly, and
+quitted the room. The two who had been to the door
+then came in and asked for him—“ Had they not seen
+him again at the door?” “No!” They searched the
+passage and the house, but he could not be found. Next
+day, a telegram was received from him, stating that he
+was seriously ill, and could not attend. He had started
+the telegram from New York the night before, but
+owing to bad weather the wires had met with an acci-
+dent, and it did not reach its destination till the follow-
+ing morning. He stated afterwards, that at the very
+time he was seen his thoughts were earnestly fixed
+upon the circle, and he felt anxious they should get his
+message. In this case of the “ double ” it would be
+seen that three senses were appealed to—sight, touch,
+and hearing.
+Another case occurred in a family of the name of
+Dorchenbach at Wisconsin. The aged mother of the
+family had bought some land, and with somewhat of
+the childishness of extreme old age, was in, the habit
+of going very often to see it on a Sunday. One week she
+bought a new dress, and determined to first wear it
+when visiting her land next Sunday; but she was ill,
+and at the usual time of paying her visit was seized
+with a swoon, from which she recovered in about half -
+an-hour. Her son, who had fetched the doctor, then
+went back with him to the inn where he had left his
+horse.
+The landlord asked him who was ill, and the
+told him. He said, “That is quite impossible, for she
+passed through my back kitchen, and went out to see
+her land as usual."
+The landlady also declared she
+had seen her, and described her new dress, which had
+never yet been worn. A lad here came in from the
+land, and said he had seen Madame Dorchenbach there.
+She had been seen by three persons
+Another case occurred in Salem, Illinois. I was
+staying at the house of a lady friend whose last hour
+was approaching. She grieved at the absence of all
+her children ; especially of one, a little cripple, and
+bemoaned herself bitterly. I left her at four o’clock
+and called again late at night, when she was better,
+and said—“ I have seen my children, and dear little
+Jessie sitting on the grass in the midst of her sisters,
+playing with roses.
+She passed away for the better
+world. Some days afterwards we learned by letter
+that at the time when she saw her children, little
+Jessie, the cripple, who had been put out of doors to
+play, was heard to scream. Her sisters ran out, and
+found her covered with roses. She said she had seen
+her mother, and although there were rose bushes not
+
+
+No. 5.—VoL. I.
+
+
+
+
+far off, they were much too far away for little Jessie to
+reach them and pluck them for herself. These sister
+are all now living, and can corroborate the facts
+“Some five years ago I was lecturing in Dickson,
+Illinois, and one evening had some visitors to see me
+In the middle of our conversation I felt so weary that
+I asked permission to leave my friends for a short time
+It was twenty minutes to one o’clock. I went into my
+chamber and looked out upon the broad prairie, and
+there I saw a spirit, which did not surprise me, as I
+have been in the habit of seeing them from infancy
+He was a sullen, strange-looking spirit, with a very
+woful face, sitting in a chair, appearing to look out of a
+window something like my own, and looked as if
+mimicking, in an unpleasant manner, my own actions.
+Then I saw him draw a knife across his throat, and
+nearly sever his head from his body. I gazed for nearly
+five minutes on the horrid spectacle, and I could see all
+the details, even to the complete anatomy of the visible
+portions of the severed head. I returned to the parlour
+and told my visitors what I had seen (here Mrs. Har-
+dinge gave the names of some of those who were pre-
+sent at the time), and shortly afterwards I had a letter
+from one of them, who is a Government official, stating
+that the postmaster of Dickson had committed suicide
+four days later, but in exactly the same way in all the
+minute particulars as I had witnessed the act. Several
+other persons also wrote to me, stating that the details
+of my vision were perfect. There are many in this
+country who have proved to me most conclusively, again
+and again, that they have beheld me at a time when I
+have been distant from them, while I have been un-
+eonscious of thus manifesting myself."
+
+
+SPIRIT-RAPPING IN JOHN WESLEY'S FAMILY
+IN TEN PARTS.—PART FOUR
+LETTER  I.—To MR. SAMUEL WESLEY, from his MOTHER
+“January 12, 1716-17
+“ DEAR SAM,—This evening we were agreeably su-
+prised with your packet, which brought the welcom
+news of your being alive, after we had been in the
+greatest panic imaginable, almost a month, thinking
+either you were dead, or one of your brothers had by
+some misfortune been killed.
+“ The reason of our fears is as follows :—On the first
+of December our maid heard at the door of the dining
+room several dismal groans, like a person in extremes
+at the point of death.
+We gave little heed to her rela-
+tion, and endeavoured to laugh her out of her fears.
+Some nights (two or three) after, several of the family
+heard a strange knocking in divers places, usually three
+or four knocks at a time, and then staid a little. This
+continued every night for a fortnight; sometimes it was
+tin the garret, but most commonly in the nursery, or
+green chamber.
+We all heard it but your father, and
+I was not willing he should be informed of it, lest he
+should fancy it was against his own death, which, in-
+deed, we all apprehended. But when it began to be so
+troublesome, both day and night, that few or none of
+the family durst be alone, I resolved to tell him of it
+being minded he should speak to it. At first he would
+not believe but somebody did it to alarm us; but the
+night after, as soon as he was in bed, it knocked loudly
+nine times, just by his bedside. He rose, and went to
+see if he could find out what it was, but could see
+nothing. Afterwards he heard it as the rest.
+“ One night it made such a noise in the room over
+our heads as if several people were walking, then run
+up and down stairs, and was so outrageous that we
+thought the children would be frighted; so your father
+and I rose, and went down in the dark to light a
+candle. Just as we came to the bottom of the broad
+stairs, having hold of each other, on my side there
+seemed as if somebody had emptied a bag of money at
+my feet ; and on his, as if all the bottles under the
+stairs (which were many) had been dashed in a
+thousand pieces. We passed through the hall into the
+kitchen, and got a candle, and went to see the children,
+whom we found asleep.
+“ The next night your father would get Mr. Hoole to
+lie at our house, and we all sat together till one or two
+o’clock in the morning, and heard the knocking as
+usual.
+Sometimes it would make a noise like the
+winding up of a jack; at other times, as that night Mr.
+
+
+Hoole was with us, like a carpenter planing deals; but
+most commonly it knocked thrice and stopped, and then
+thrice again, and so many hours together. We per-
+suaded your father to speak, and try if any voice would
+be heard. One night, about six o’clock, he went into
+the nursery in the dark, and at first heard several deep
+groans, then knocking. He adjured it to speak, if it
+had power, and tell him why it troubled his house ; but
+no voice was heard, but it knocked thrice aloud. Then
+he questioned it if it were Sammy; and bid it, if it
+were, and could not speak, knock again; but it knocked
+no more that night, which made us hope it was no
+against your death.
+“ Thus it continued till the 28th of December, when
+it loudly knocked (as your father used to do at the gate)
+in the nursery, and departed. We have various con-
+jectures what this may mean. For my own part, I fear
+nothing, now you are safe at London hitherto; and
+hope God will still preserve you. Though sometimes I
+am inclined to think my brother is dead. Let me know
+your thoughts on it.
+S. W."
+LETTER II.—From MR. S. WESLEY to his FATHER
+“January 30, Saturday
+“HONOURED SIR,—My mother tells me a very strange
+sort of disturbances in your house. I wish I could have
+some more particulars from you. I would thank Mr
+Hoole if he would favour me with a letter concerning it.
+Not that I want to be confirmed myself in the belief on
+it, but for any other person’s satisfaction. My mother
+sends to me to know my thoughts of it, and I cannot
+think at all of any interpretation. Wit, I fancy, might
+find many, but wisdom none. Your dutiful and loving
+son,
+“ S. WESLEY.”
+LETTER III.—From MR. S. WESLEY to his MOTHER
+“ DEAR MO THER, —Those who are so wise as not to
+believe any supernatural occurrences, though ever so
+well attested, could find a hundred questions to ask
+about those strange noises you wrote me an account of
+but for my part, I know not what question to put
+which, if answered, would confirm me more in the belief
+of what you tell me. Two or three I have heard from
+others. Was there never a new maid or man in the
+house that might play tricks? Was there nobody above
+in the garrets when the walking was there? Did all
+the family hear it together when they were in one room,
+or at one time? Did it seem to all to be in the same
+place, at the same time? Could not cats, or rats, or
+dogs be the sprites? Was the whole family asleep
+when my father and you went down stairs? Such
+doubts as these being replied to, though they could not
+as God Himself assures us, convince them who believe
+not Moses and the Prophets, yet would strengthen such
+as do believe. As to my particular opinion concerning
+the events foreboded by these noises, I cannot, I must
+confess, form any. I think, since it was not permitted
+to speak, all guesses must be vain. The end of spirits
+actions is yet more hidden than that of men, and ever
+this latter puzzles the most subtle politicians. That we
+may be struck so as to prepare seriously for any ill
+may, it is possible, be one design of Providence. It is
+surely our duty and wisdom to do. Dear mother, I beg
+your blessing on your dutiful and affectionate son.
+
+
+“S. WESLEY."
+Jan. 19, 1716-7, Saturday
+Dean’s-yard, Westminster
+“I expect a particular account from every one."
+LETTER IV.—From MRS. WESLEY to her son SAMUEL.
+"Jan. 25 or 27, 1716-7
+“ DEAR SAM,—Though I am not one of those that
+will believe nothing supernatural, but am rather inclined
+to think there would be frequent intercourse between
+good spirits and us, did not our deep lapse into sen-
+suality prevent it ; yet I was a great while ere I could
+credit anything of what the children and servants re-
+ported concerning the noises they heard in several part
+of our house. Nay, after I heard them myself, I was
+willing to persuade myself and them that it was only
+rats or weasels that disturbed us; and having been
+formerly troubled with rats, which were frighted away
+by sounding a horn, I caused a horn to be procured, and
+made them blow it all over the house. But from that
+night they began to blow, the noises were more louc
+and distinct, both day and night, than before; and that
+night we rose and went down I was entirely convinced.
+
+
+LONDON: FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1870.
+
+
+Published Monthly
+Price Threepence
+
+
+34
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+JAN. 14, 1870.
+
+
+A LECTURE BY MRS. HARDINGE.
+
+
+A LECTURE BY MRS. HARDINGE.
+THE following is a slightly abbreviated report of a
+lecture delivered by Mrs. Emma Hardinge, a few Sun-
+days ago, in the Music Hall, Boston, United States, and
+published in the Banner of Light of the first of this
+month:
+“ Entering upon a fresh scene of inquiry to-day, we
+advance one step further, and question, Who am I? A
+single identity amid the vast masses of humanity, who
+on every side of me present structures as grand, micro-
+cosms as complete, powers as mighty as mine; in the
+midst of a multitude all fashioned with equal wisdom
+beneficence and care—Who am I? Whether I place
+myself on the lowest round of the ladder amid the out
+easts of the city streets, or picture myself achieving the
+highest conditions of human greatness, still there are
+minds—many higher, some lower than my own. Let
+me once more turn my thoughts inward, and through
+my own special identity strive to solve the question:
+Who am I? I will remove myself in imagination from
+amid the surrounding masses, and stand alone in the
+wilderness, far from the throng of my fellow-men, with
+none to rival me in power or beauty, save the blooming
+flowers, the sighing wind, and the waving grass, living
+isolated and unmatched. Here will I question of my-
+self, Who am I? As a mere external being I stand
+possessed of all the powers which constitute the gran
+deur of humanity; but I stand alone beneath the cold
+blast of winter, or the scorching heat of summer, with
+no one to construct me a shelter, none to fashion my
+garments ; my feeble hand unaided cannot execute these
+duties. I have neither the architect’s skill, nor the
+weaver’s craft. I can neither build nor clothe me in
+the fabrics which the hands of so many artisans must
+help to complete. My unaided power cannot accumulate
+the implements of use, nor get together all those condi-
+ments for which the whole civilized globe is taxed to
+spread the table of luxury. I cannot reproduce the
+forms of beauty which the painter imprints upon the
+canvas, nor hew out the marble into the living glory of
+the sculptor’s art. I stand a poor solitary unit, and
+what am I alone? As the snows of winter silver my
+head, and I bend beneath the infirmities of age, where
+are the kind hands of youth and strength to uphold m
+fading powers? Where the loving lips that shall whisper
+consolation in mine ears? Where the friendly eyes that
+shall look on me with assurances of undying love, when
+I tread the silent valley that leads me to the unknown
+land of souls? Living alone, dying alone, Who am I?
+I must be one amongst my kind—and hence I must hie
+me back to the multitudes who absorb me—and amongst
+them endeavour to find my identity and my place,
+though it should be one of the least that make up the
+sum of humanity.
+“ Now I return, and now once more resume my in-
+quiries. I place myself on the lowest round of the
+ladder of civilized existence. I behold myself plodding
+
+
+through the city streets, where all I behold speaks of
+plenty, wealth, ay, even luxury and splendour— a beg-
+gar, homeless, friendless, alone; I gaze with wistful
+face into the eyes of every passer-by, seeking one to
+whom I may appeal for bread. Hungry and fainting,
+I ask of some wealthy stranger, but he spurns me from
+him, and rudely denies me the poor pittance which I
+seek. Who am I, that I ask alms of him?
+Who is he
+that he should thus deny me? He is God’s steward
+entrusted with wealth and plenty, but only to be dis-
+pensed again to necessitous fellow-men like me. He is
+God’s vicegerent, commissioned to feed His poor.
+have tempted him, and he falls. I have demanded of
+him the store with which God trusted him. and he has
+failed in his commission. For this act my mark is set
+on him; his lack of charity to me is a failure in his
+duty—a sign on him which shall remain forever. Un-
+known by name yet in eternal destiny I am known to
+him as some one forever. We may never meet again
+I may look upon his face no more, but forever and
+forever he carries the stamp of my individuality through
+the temptation, to good or evil, which I became to him.
+“I pass on, and another gives me the alms which he
+has denied. We, too, part, perhaps forever, but the
+deed of kindness wrought on me can never die. Or
+that man’s fate my need has written mercy, and charity
+and through my agency there has a record gone up to
+heaven for him, and I have been the means. Though
+we may never more stand face to face on earth, yet in
+the great day of account, when God numbers up His
+jewels, that stranger’s deed wrought out through me,
+the beggar, shall be remembered. I am something then
+to him. And to both these strangers I am a part of
+destiny.
+“I pass on still further. There are curious eyes
+gazing upon me; there are inquiring lips, demanding
+of me my history; they give me neither alms nor scorn
+but they listen to my story, and in the organization of
+city life they cite me as an example—the pauper, and
+to them the representative of pauperism; they leave
+me to devise some schemes for remedying the condition
+of the poor, so that in all the reforms suggested by my
+condition, how much of consequence I have become to
+my kind!
+"I am no more the mere waif on the ocean of life.
+Society changes, and people think of and care for me.
+Though I know not my identity, yet I am one of those
+who form the sub-stratum of society. Beneath their
+feet my tears are falling; they tread upon my woes,
+and shape their pathways in my griefs. I am a motor
+in life’s noblest schemes of reformation, and when the
+world shall be made wiser, and society more equal, my
+name shall be found recorded in the series of causation.
+Pauper as I am, when night’s shadows fall around my
+way, I, like more favoured beings, seek some place of
+rest, and, no matter where I sleep or lay me down, be-
+neath the tattered banner of my wretchedness and rags
+there cluster round me some who love or own me.
+Perhaps it is a father, mother, or relative; perhaps
+some poor companion, but some one there is who knows
+and cares for me, to help me; and beneath the ragged
+vest burns human love as tender as fills the heart which
+throbs beneath the silken robe.
+"No ! in my houseless wanderings I am not alone.
+There are loving eyes that looked upon my own in
+unconscious infancy; there are kind voices still to
+bid me welcome, though it be but to the shelter of the
+wayside ; there is ever some one to love me, and for me
+to love. I am something to my kind, and millions such
+as I exist; millions, that walk the city streets—some
+to love, and some to hate—but all to make some mark
+upon the eternal page of human destiny.
+"I pass on. I am now the toiling operative ; there
+are thousands of rough coats, and blistered hands, and
+breaking backs and hearts like mine. Who knows me
+among the masses, as I carry my hod, or wield my
+hammer, and toil from early dawn to sinking sun?
+Who cares for me? I am weary now, and seek my
+humble home, and as I go, I look upon the various
+buildings of the splendid city, the bridges, dykes, roads,
+and canals which my hands, or the hands of such as I.
+have helped to form. Who am I?
+Why, I and mine
+are the thews and sinews, nerves and muscles of the
+world, and through our veins rushes the tide of power
+which brings the result of perfected civilization. The
+do not write my name on the shining roll of fame, on
+emblazon it on monuments of bronze or stone ; but the
+world is rife with me, and temples of worship, galleries
+of art, lyceums of science and works of use, are monu-
+mental tributes to my deeds and the deeds of such as I.
+We are all and each identities in the midst of masses;
+we can each say to the world, This I have done for you
+—what have you done for me?
+“ Let me enter my humble dwelling. Everywhere
+I see the good and use another’s hands have wrought
+the planks beneath my feet have been felled fron
+primeval woods, and sawed and laid down for my use
+the hands of toil erected the walls around me ; around
+me are the images of well-known faces which the sun
+god majesty of the heavens have traced for me—faces of
+loved ones, drawn by the magic finger of the sunbeam;
+the jet of flame which lights my humble home is a
+mighty gospel, written by God Himself; He laid the
+
+
+foundations of the coal in the ancient forests, and, as
+they fell, He packed them closely, during the process of
+ages, upon the floor of the heated earth, banked them
+up with mountains, and, in time, came man, to drag
+this wealth of treasure into light, and through veins
+and arteries beneath the city’s streets it circulates,
+until it gleams with equal splendour as a jet of flame,
+in the abode of the artisan and the prince alike ; the
+table is spread for me with the products of another’s
+toil; the fragrant tea that now invigorates my frame,
+was gathered in far-distant lands; the spices, from
+islands of the sea, are here; bread, from ears of wheat,
+prepared by toil and labour ; roots and fruits, gathered
+by many hands for me. The poor rough cloth that
+covers my board, is woven by the samc machinery that
+spins the fabric for the richest lady.
+All of man's
+toil I share in. I cannot number up the million hands
+that have been busy for my comfort. I cannot tell the
+gospel of eternal use mapped out around me ; for in all
+the perfections of the age in vast machinery, and all
+that is useful in civilization, I partake with all man-
+kind. My toil, too, blesses some who are dependent on
+me—an aged sire, or tender wife or child—for I am not
+alone, poor toiling operative though I be; this world is
+my world, and its heart-affections are as truly mine as
+thine, oh sovereign of my nation.
+“ And now I must pass away, and whether beggar
+artisan or king, poet, player, merchant or musician, I
+must die. To-day I am—to-morrow I shall be for
+gotten. Not so. Whatever has been my use will never
+die.
+Whatever place I have filled will send down its
+uses through all time. The works of my hands will
+still live on, or prompt men to imitation or improve-
+ment. Still, who am I? Granted that I may leave
+the world made better than I found it ; granted that its
+wheels roll smoother for my labours, what is that to
+me? Andwhen I am gone and my labours left behind,
+where am I gone? and what of the soul that enabled
+me to become the minister of use ?
+When my foot no
+more treads the earth, when I am not, what for me
+And here it is that my speculation fails, and the dark
+cloud of mystery settles down upon my future. Only as
+the hand of the spirit opens it; only as I shall know that
+I shall live beyond the uses of the passing hour ; only as
+I can realize that I may carry fruit with me to another
+life, will the uses of this be found. Beggar though I
+have been, crushed down beneath the load of poverty
+when I pass out to the vast unknown, what shall I
+carry with me? I know that the prince carries not
+with him the value of his shroud. What my place or
+mission may have been among men, earth alone can
+answer. But earth has ended for me, when the heart
+ceases to beat, the light is gone from the eye, and the
+curtain is dropped forever ! Oh raise it, lift it, souls of
+the mighty dead ! rend it asunder, oh spirits of the im-
+mortals ! leave me not in the dark mystery of material
+existence only! Religion answers me with the faint
+voices of the long ago which have come so far through
+the arches of time that their echoes are lost; and when
+I ask of the fathers for light, they answer me with
+strange, vague words. Sometimes they tell me I shall
+go to the Great Spirit, far off in some dim, mysterious
+land; sometimes, that I shall sleep the sleep that knows
+no waking till some distant day of wrath and doom ;
+sometimes they answer me with the cold external voice
+of science, and point to the fires extinguished, the mate-
+rial form fading into decay with no higher result than
+memory of its perished loveliness; sometimes they
+whisper of a life to come, but never tell me that my
+uses shall follow me—that the life I have lived on earth
+I shall carry with me to that land beyond.
+“ But behold the gates are opened to me, and there I
+see stored up in the spirit-world all that I did on earth.
+and there I can trace the results of every deed I’ve done
+there I may discover the resignation of the beggar, the
+tears and sighs of the poor. I see them woven into
+those crowns of glory and robes of transfigured beauty.
+I behold all treasured up; the works of the operative,
+the struggles of the player, the ideas of poet, sculptor
+and artist—all preserved.
+“ All that we have done is there ; I know that after
+I have fulfilled my mission I still shall be the man I
+was on earth, for I shall carry all my manhood with
+me. It only remains for me to return to my spirit and
+question whether I have made the most of its endow
+ments, and put to its best uses the life which has been
+entrusted to me. Have I borne as best I might the
+cross of the beggar? Have I done my duty as the
+toiling labourer? Have I, as the poor player, acted
+well my part? Have I striven for goodness?
+Have I
+sought to help some other more feeble than myself?
+Have I, as the merchant, faithfully discharged God’s
+commission entrusted to me? Have I been the soldier
+of the Lord in whatever place He has commissioned
+me to fight? Who am I? It matters not what round
+of the ladder my feet may tread—the lowest or the
+highest; the beggar is of as much worth as the king
+the poet as the mightiest onc who gives him patronage.
+Wherever the foot of man may tread, wherever he can
+toil, there is his mission marked out in the woof of
+existence. It is enough that around me lies my duty
+and my use; it is enough that I have seen that within
+
+
+that it was beyond the power of any human creature to
+make such strange and various noises.
+“ As to your questions, I will answer them particu
+larly: but withal, I desire my answers may satisfy
+none but yourself; for I would not have the matter
+imparted to any. We had both man and maid new this
+last Martinmas, yet I do not believe either of them
+occasioned the disturbance, both for the reason above-
+mentioned, and because they were more affrighted than
+anybody else. Besides, we have often heard the noises
+when they were in the room by us; and the maid par-
+ticularly was in such a panic that she was almost in
+capable of all business, nor durst ever go from one room
+to another, or stay by herself a minute, after it began
+to be dark.
+“ The man, Robert Brown, whom you well know
+was most visited by it, lying in the garret, and has been
+often frighted down barefoot, and almost naked, not
+daring to stay alone to put on his clothes; nor do I
+think, if he had power, he would be guilty of such vil-
+lany. When the walking was heard in the garret,
+Robert was in bed in the next room, in a sleep so sound.
+that he never heard your father and me walk up and
+down, though we walked not softly I am sure. All the
+family has heard it together, in the same room, at the
+same time, particularly at family prayers. It always
+seemed to all present in the same place at the same
+time; though often before any could say, It is here
+it would remove to another place.
+All the family, as well as Robin, were asleep when
+your father and I went down stairs, nor did they wake
+in the nursery when we held the candle close by them
+only we observed that Hetty trembled exceedingly in
+her sleep, as she always did, before the noise awaked
+her. It commonly was nearer her than the rest, which
+she took notice of; and was much frightened, because
+she thought it had a particular spite at her. I could
+multiply partieular instanccs, but I forbear. I believe
+your father will write to you about it shortly. What-
+ever may be the design of Providence in permitting
+these things, I cannot say. Secret things belong to
+God. But I entirely agree with you, that it is our
+wisdom and duty to prepare seriously for all events
+“ S. WESLEY."
+
+
+JAN. 14, 1870.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+35
+
+
+the vast confines of the eternal world those uses are
+never lost. If I have played well the part—however
+small or large—which He has given me, I shall surely
+reap my harvest in eternity; and not only so, but I
+shall continue the uses commenced on earth, and rise to
+others of which earth is but the corner stone. Since
+bright spirits have opened up the view of the land
+beyond, I have learned that nothing on earth is lost in
+the heavens eternal—for pain and toil and grief there
+is compensation, glory for the thorns of martyrdom
+and a crown for every cross. I will return to my life
+of effort, and never more may the voice of questioning
+murmur pass my lips. I live for ever; I shall be an
+immortal spirit ; and though here none may know like
+my Heavenly Father who I am, in the thought that I
+live for ever all my destiny here and hereafter is accom-
+plished."
+
+
+Reports of Meetings
+
+
+[When reports of the speeches of spirits are printed in this Journal, non-
+Spiritualists should understand that spirits out of the body are wise or
+foolish, truthful or untruthful, just the same as spirits in the body. More
+over, they are but individuals, so do not know everything. The statements of
+a spirit are but the assertions of an individual; but by comparing the state-
+ments of many spirits, it may in time be possible to discover in what points
+they agree, and to sift out the unreliable communications. Many spirit
+cannot see each other, any more than we can see them, and as some of them
+are thus in different states of life, it does not follow that contradictor
+messages are therefore untruthful. Spirits are of different religions, conse-
+sequently their teachings do not altogether agree; there is no more uniformity
+in the next world than in this one. It is the business of this journal to report
+facts, so we are in no way responsible for the religions, scientific, or any other
+teachings given by individual spirits.]
+
+
+SEANCES AT THE SPIRITUAL LIBRARY.
+
+
+CRUSHED TO DEATH—THE CONSEQUENCES OF CRIME—REMORSE IN THE
+SPIRIT WORLD—RESTITUTION AND REPENTANCE—THE EQUILIBRIUM OF
+THE MENTAL FACULTIES—PROPER NAMES IN TRANCE-MEDIUMSHIP.
+ON Friday evening, December 31st, the ordinary weekly
+séance was held at 15, Southampton-row, High Holborn.
+Twenty-two ladies and gentlemen were present.
+Master SELWOOD, a physical medium, being in attendance,
+a few of those present were formed into a circle for physical
+manifestations. After the lapse of considerable time, genuine
+raps and table motions were obtained, but under conditions in
+no way satisfactory to strangers. Manifestly it is necessary
+that the medium should be well developed beforehand, that
+the time of a large company may not be wasted in witnessing
+weak manifestations.
+Mr. J. J. MORSE, medium, then passed into the trance state,
+and the first spirit influence acting upon him made him cry
+bitterly. The spirit gave the name of Ellen Jones ; she said
+that she had been crushed to death at Bristol, and that her
+father was a carrier living at Weston-Super-Mare. Her con-
+trol of the medium only lasted for about two minutes, and she
+said—“ My friends cry and grieve a great deal about me.
+Can this be death? I wish
+So many think about me.
+father were here. Oh, do for pity’s sake tell father that
+Ellen’s not dead. Do tell him."
+She was promised that her message should be delivered, and
+she left the medium ; the intense grief displayed during this
+short communication, made the scene a painful one.
+A hard heavy look then came over the face of the medium
+and the next spirit said:—It very often strikes the minds of the
+listeners at these meetings, and the readers of the accounts of
+what transpires at these meetings, something like this—“ What
+fools those spirits must be to come back and tell people all about
+their past lives ; if I had done a dirty action and found that I
+was obliged to wipe out the smudge, I would do it in silence and
+try to do my best to put the wrong right, but I would not go
+Let such people enjoy
+to preach about my wrong-doing."
+that frame of mind as long as they can, and that will not be
+long; it is a state of mind that will not last for ever. The
+will become wiser, and do the same thing themselves, and lay
+themselves open to the same charge. It is not with any desire
+to show ourselves in brighter colours individually to you that
+we come. We don’t come to tell you these little histories to
+make ourselves appear as saints in your eyes. The motive we
+have is a deeper one ; it is to give you a practical lesson, so
+that you shall see for yourselves, reflected in the mirror of
+your minds, the consequences of your acts whether they be
+good or bad. It is to show you the certainty of the curse
+coming home to roost, of the dove returning with the olive
+branch of love in its mouth, that we come back to tell you
+these histories. With that short preface, I'll now give you
+mine, and you'll say as the scroll unfolds itself, that it is
+a somewhat strange one. The society of the world you move
+in knew nought of the story. When I was ushered into the
+physical life, and as I grew up to be a child, a temper sullen
+and morose manifested itself ; underneath this sullenness was
+a fierce vindictive nature—the nature of the cat that glides
+stealthily along the ground, fair to look at, yet when the prey
+is within its grasp the eyes dilate, the claws come forth, and
+the spring is made. I was feared and hated in my childhood’s
+day. I was strong physically ; few could match me in physical
+sports, and as my physical nature was well-known, all were
+very careful that they did not offend me. I rose to no heighr
+in earthly life, but I became acquainted with a young girl
+who in every way was unfitted to share a life with me. She
+saw this, and after a little time we parted—she with fair
+promises and kindly wishes to myself. But every kind wish was
+but a burning stone to my nature, and I swore a deadly ven-
+geance, not for disappointed love, but for disappointed calcula-
+tions, for I always prided myself that I could see so far ahead,
+and my pride was wounded. Some of you know what it is to
+have the pride touched to the quick. No opportunity presented
+itself for vengeance for a long time. She met with another, and
+according to the laws of your land became his wife. He was
+called away from home, and was expected to be absent for
+three days, and here the opportunity came that I had been
+watching for for several years then. “Vengeance” is an easy
+word to say, but how painstaking are we in our endeavours to
+accomplish a thing of that description. I knew her brother
+and you may be sure that I had no love for him. He called to
+visit his sister while her husband was away, and while I was
+drinking I had witnessed the call and the departure. While I
+was drinking it was easy to improve upon the hint, and to set
+a story afloat in our community, and these things slide glibly
+from the tongue. He returned. His wife was all smiles and
+happiness. But here and there he heard a rumour; bit by bit
+his confidence was usurped. He dared not accuse her, for he
+had no proof, but little by little he took to drink, and when
+once a man does that, he goes down the hill very rapidly.
+With all his drunkenness he still hid from his wife the real
+
+
+cause of his discontent, till from drinking he came to quar-
+relling about the slightest thing, then to cursing, and from
+cursing to blows, and from ill-usage and starvation (for he
+was carried to the poorhouse), he slowly drove her to her
+grave. He rapidly carried himself after her, for no mortal
+frame could bear the usage he threw upon his. All this gave
+me a fiendish joy I could scarcely conceive. It was I who
+plied him with liquor; it was I who excited to frenzy while
+appearing to calm him ; it was I who did it all.
+But he passed
+on. The children—there were two—became beggars, and
+were charged to the parish. One night, by some strange
+means, my walk led me to their old house, and I felt a strange
+uncomfortable fecling ; I don’t know why, but his wife’s face
+seemed to be before me. and I felt that I was a murderer.
+had no creature to whom I could confide my sorrow, because
+all feared and hated me. Then I sank deeper into the curse
+of drunkenness, until at last I became a wretched outcast
+myself. I had never married. What employment I had was
+taken from me because of my dissolute habits, till no one
+would give me a kind word or a crust of bread. I wandered
+through the country. I was a monster, the lowest of the low
+I was glad to herd with thieves and murderers for the sake of
+getting a meal ; but everybody seemed to give it under pro-
+test ; it seemed indeed as if the mark of Cain had been set
+upon my brow. Ten years I led that life. Let our orthodox
+friends talk of hell and of flames mountains high, and of
+caverns of boiling brimstone, they could not picture one line
+of the agonies I suffered. I was but mortal, and had to bow
+to the inevitable laws of nature. The change came to
+me. It was an easy sleep, for I was but a shadow, and
+had not tasted food for three days. The bright sun was
+shining, and the hay-field was my bed. I arose; stag-
+gering I became faint; it was a field by the wayside
+close to the town. I sank, and passed on.
+When I re-
+covered she was before me, bright to look upon, but sad
+to gaze on long, for though she was bright when I first saw
+her, a deep sadness came over her face. He was there, but
+not with her. He looked fierce and revengeful. I had lost
+my old vindictive feelings, and was afraid ; I crouched down
+and shut him out of sight. And she spoke, and this is what
+she said—“ Go. Undo what you have done. Then shall yor
+find peace, but not till then.” I looked up and she was gone
+not a sight of her could I see. But there was he, fierce and
+vindictive, ready to tear me to pieces, and I fled from him
+aye, fled like a cur. I felt myself drawn, I did not know
+where, but I followed my inclination to go, and I stood before
+a house on your planet, and sitting by the fireside saw an aged
+couple bowed down with grief and sorrow, and saying in thein
+hearts bitter things about the poor thing’s husband. A voice
+said to me, “ See what you have done.” Then the attraction
+ceased, and I was off again. This time it was the children
+in a poor house, alone, though with many, their little hearts
+sighing for their mother and the father who had ill-used then
+so. One sank on her knees, and offered up a prayer for
+“mother” and “ dear father.” I could not stay long, and felt
+forsaken worse than ever. I felt that I was not fit to speal
+to the meanest among men or spirits. The curtain lifted, and
+continued to lift. until at last the picture before my mental
+eye was so fearful, so awful, that I prayed to be crushed fron
+existence. I traced the lie through the minds of hundreds
+each turn of the lie had done its work, and a voice said
+“ That is thy work. There is much for thee to undo. No
+rest till you have made right that which you have made
+wrong."
+Many years of your time rolled on before I righted
+one consequence of my original lie. Time and time rolled
+on, and the unweaving of the web I once taugled is drawing
+near its completion. Those who suffered so much have passed
+on to spirit life, and are far higher in their development than
+I am, and sometimes indeed I scarcely dare to hope to be equal
+with them. They visit me, but it is the visit of the angel to the
+penitent man. Such, friends, is my history. It is a sad one
+but I begin to see glimpses now of the causes which produce
+the effects I have described. Much was caused by lack of
+knowledge in the world of time. They knew not how to
+instruct children. There was too little attention paid to the
+true principles of right and wrong; everyone had a standard
+for himself. I was gross and undeveloped physically, and no
+means were provided to refine the grossness of my disposition
+and so I entailed upon myself the consequences which I have
+had to bear. Truly does the proverb say “Curses, like
+chickens, come home to roost.”. My name was Arthur Samuel
+Walker, and all I have told you took place many of your
+years ago—more than a hundred. The scene of my life was
+Blackheath Vale, and I passed away on the outskirts of the
+city of Bath.
+TIEN SIEN TIE, the guardian spirit of the medium, then
+came as usual, and said : Good evening, my friends. The
+whole of the faculties of the human mind are given for the
+beneficial use of mankind, and when you have discovered the
+use of each faculty, aud have applied it to its proper use
+benefit results to yourselves and to those connected with you.
+But if one portion of the mind be unduly taxed, a derange-
+ment of the organs of expression takes place, and insant
+results. There are many mad persons that the world of your
+passes by, and takes no heed of. There are many who so use
+their physical nature that all spiritual perception is ignored
+The base of the brain is entirely devoted to the action of the
+individual’s life ; the lower faculties are unduly used, and the
+result is a man or woman gross and physical in desires and acts
+with no perception of spiritual truths, incapable of under-
+standing spiritual existences or spiritual teaching, incapable
+of appreciating the mental labours of others. With them the
+most sublime mental efforts pass as commonplace and dull
+But give them a class of food suitable to their minds; they
+appreciate it. The mind, in fact, is diseased, and the brain is
+thrown from its balance
+; the man passes through the world,
+but not as mad. The same result is produced by the excessive
+use of any one of the faculties of the mind. Excessive use of
+the mental or spiritual faculties of the mind will throw the
+triangle of the brain from its balance, but each in its proper
+place assists the other. The physical portion takes note of a
+thing, the mental faculties analyse it, and the spiritual per-
+ceptions show the principle, or the real attributes, of the
+thing perceived. When the faculties are properly used the
+mind is “circular,” by which I mean “harmonious,” and
+principles as well as attributes are arrived at. Where we
+find excessive predominance of one portion of the mind, we
+should try to remove it, first by taking away the attraction
+and then by introducing a corresponding attraction to the
+higher portion of the brain; if it be done harmoniously
+equilibrium will be restored. Then raise the top of the
+triangle, and a better spirit will be sent to the other life,
+better acts will flow from the brother or sister, and better
+consequences will return to both. It is simple, but it is true
+The greater the truth, and the grander the principle, the more
+simple is the action. All great things are simple, like the
+causes of all things in this portion of space inhabited by
+
+
+worlds and spheres ; those who have a knowledge of the
+causes know them to be simple as the simple fact I have given
+you this evening. I cannot at present show you the sustaining
+causes of this system of universes, for you are not yet prepared
+for it, and it would occupy too much time now. The causes
+of existence and of the sustaining power of existence in your
+worlds and spheres as described by your modern seer,* are
+capable of being analysed, in fact they have been analysed
+and found to be sound. One day you shall know the results
+of our researches; till then we must crave your patience.
+Time with you is measured by periods, and with us by events
+your time is unkuown to us. Another division of your time
+will soon be numbered with eternity. Truth such as I have
+told you, you have. Commence the new division with new
+efforts to get the truth from all mediums, and when you get
+the truth by careful investigation, hide it not, but give to thy
+brother lest he faint by the wayside for want of spiritual
+water. By patience you may dcvelope your physical mani-
+festations. It will require patience, but I will see that too
+much of your evening is not occupied by your patience. You
+have the means, and it rests with you whether they shall be
+used; you are each and every one to act as a free agent
+there is no compulsion. Farewell, peace be with you.
+
+
+ON Friday evening, January 7th, at the ordinary weekly
+séance, much of the time of those present was again wasted
+in witnessing a few feeble physical manifestations, and in
+receiving some inaccurate communications, through the
+mediumship of Master Selwood. He will be a capital
+medium in time, but the mistake on the part of the manage-
+ment of taking up the time of a large company in witnessing
+the unsatisfactory results of partly-developed mediumship, will
+assuredly lead to the breaking up of the weekly meetings, if
+the plan be persisted in.
+Next came some communications through Mr. J. J. Morse
+but the control was very weak. In answer to questions, his
+guardian spirit said that there is great difficulty in getting
+proper names through the brain and mouth of a trance
+medium. In the case of Mr. Morse probably one in three of
+the names and addresses are given with absolute freedom
+from error, but nearly all of them are sufficiently accurate to
+serve for the identification of the communicating spirit. He
+closed by controlling Mr. Morse as a writing medium, and by
+this method stated that he had been requested to say that the
+name Mary Willett given at a former séance, should have been
+Harriet Tillot, and that the name of the doctor who attended
+her was “Fulcher.“ He said that when the names given
+through his medium are not accurate, they will be found to
+much resemble the real ones in sound.
+Mr. J. M. Peebles, who was present, said that there are
+three ways of controlling mediums, namely, “mechanically,
+psychologically, and inspirationally;” the control of Mr.
+Morse seemed to be a mixture of the psychological and the
+inspirational, in which case it is difficult to give proper
+names. †
+
+
+BIBLE SPIRITUALISM.
+
+
+IN the last number of the Spiritual Magazine is a long
+article on Spiritualism and the Bible, from which we make the
+following extract:
+“ Our American brethren direct us also to the East, for a
+proof of the mere modern and mythic character of Christianity
+- that only religion in the world which possesses a clear and
+connected historic basis, unequivocal, positive, and predomi-
+nant over all myth and fable, running from the creation until
+now. Mr. Peebles, in his Seers of the Ages, tells us that the
+historic Jesus is copied from the Crishna of India, and that
+the close and almost perfect parallelisms between the Crishna
+of the Bhagavat Gita and the Christ of the Gospels is suffi-
+cient evidence that one was borrowed from the other, or that
+they were both copies from some older myth.'
+“Now certainly no man well acquainted with the ancient
+theology of the Hindoos could for a moment doubt which of
+these relations was borrowed from the other, if there were
+such a borrowing. In the one case we have in the Bible a
+plain, clear, uninterrupted history from the very earliest era
+of history down to the time of Christ, in which the founder of
+Christianity is most unequivocally and luminously heralded
+and graphically described, His person, His career and His doc-
+trine. This is done, not by one prophet, but by a score, all
+living in succession; and, therefore, incapable of together
+concocting such a story. These prophets prove their mission
+to be genuine by simultaneously prophecying the fates of all
+the nations surrounding them, and some of those nations then
+the most powerful in the world. Profane history has most
+absolutely shown the truth of these predictions; and that
+truth is every day in our own time being re-confirmed by the
+discoveries on the sites of those nations. Egypt, Nineveh.
+Babylon and Syria, have all yielded up to the researches of
+travellers and archaeologists the most amazing proofs of these
+prophetic announcements of from two to four thousand years
+ago. The Assyrian relics of art in the British Museum, the
+bricks and manuscripts of Babylon, the latter now in prepara-
+tion for publication ; the discoveries of the giant cities of
+Bashan, still existing, these and the condition of a thousand
+objects in Palestine, place the Hebrew history on such a basis
+of demonstrated truth as no other history of the ancient world
+possesses.
+“Turn from this solid and sunlit plane of history, stretching
+without a break from the very dawn of history, to the litera-
+ture of India—and we plunge at once into a region of dark-
+ness illuminated only by partial light, into a chaos of myths
+and legends. There is no such thing as a clear matter-of-fact
+continued history of national events, philosophy, or religion.
+We gather our scattered incidents from different, quite dis-
+tinct, and often most contradictory books, and all mingled
+with the wildest and most absurd fables. We have nothing to
+assure us of the dates of many of the half fact half saga state-
+ments, but such as we can draw from the antiquity of the lan-
+guage in which thcy occur. Some of the greatest authorities
+such as Max Müller, tell us that probably these mystical, rathei
+than historic productions, may be as old as the Hebrew
+history.
+“ Let us suppose them to be so old ; nay, let us suppose some
+of them to be as old as the early days of the human race, ere
+the different tribes had dispersed themselves into different
+and distant regions, what then? We come merely to that
+primal period in which the human race possessed, most pro0
+bably in common, the divine revelations of those leading
+truths which should become the ultimate springs of universal
+civilization and religion. Those truths have maintained them-
+
+
+* Who is he? Andrew Jackson Davis?—ED.
+† We will make inquiries into the accuracy of the names given through
+Mr. Morse’s mediumship. The views of Mr. Peebles, as to the methods of
+giving proper names through trance mediumship, are given more in detail
+in another column.—ED.
+
+
+36
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+JAN. 14, 1870.
+
+
+selves on a sound and palpable and unbroken highway of
+history, through the Hebrew, and through no other race what
+ever. In all others, Egyptian, Indian, Chinese, they have be-
+come swamped and swallowed up in the vast volumes of
+heathen darkness and sensualized fable.
+“ These gentlemen lay much stress on the assertion that some
+of the Indian resemblances to Christian facts are much prior
+to the Christian era. Suppose this to be actually so, the fact
+remains that the predictions of Christ, and of the incidents of
+His earth life, also stood fixed thousands of years in the Hebrew
+Scriptures before He Himself came ; and it is much more
+likely that in the intercourse known to have existed between
+the eastern nations for thousands of years before Christianity
+the Hindoos and others should have received, through then
+learned men, knowledge of these wonderful predictions, than
+that the Hebrews should have gleaned them from theirs so
+mixed with fantastic fable. The whole history of the Jews
+so proud of their superior knewledge, so exclusive in their
+character, is wholly opposed to the idea of such a borrowing
+and in the whole Hebrew history there is no trace of any such
+infusion from the far East. In fact the ancient and complete
+body of Jewish revelation had no need of it. It is far more
+likely that the fleets of Solomon conveyed copies of the
+Hebrew writings to India, which would be amazingly curious
+to the learned men of the Orient. Again, the Ten Tribes
+when carried away eastward, and absorbed in the Eastern
+nations, no doubt carried with them their prophets and pro-
+phetic knowledge ; and traces of these Ten Tribes are asserted
+to remain among the Afghans, and even in peoples more
+eastern.
+“It is further admitted by oriental scholars that the modern
+doctrines and rites of both Buddhism and Brahminism are
+very different from the ancient ones ; and it is far more legi-
+timate for us to suppose that St. Thomas, in his mission to
+India, immediately after the death of Christ, carried widely
+through India the new ideas and faith which led to these
+modifications. His Church, discovered in India in our time
+and described in the Christian Rescarches in Asia of the Rev.
+Claudius Buchanan, London, 1841, must through this long
+period have disseminated amongst the learned Hindoos man,
+Christian facts and ideas. Besides, who can doubt that the
+spirit of God’s wisdom and love, which is Christ, has in all
+ages and nations been stirring and moving in the minds and
+hearts of all mankind, and more or less revealing Himself
+there, according to the assurance of St. Paul that God had
+never left Himself, even amongst the heathen, without a
+witness?
+I observe that our friend, Mr. Peebles, in his Seers of the
+Ages, rests too much on the Anacalypsis of Godfrey Higgins
+a work in which there is the most eonstant straining to draw
+Christianity from the fragmentary passages of Hindoo mytho-
+logy rather than from the full and positive records of the Jews
+themselves. Mr. Peebles and the Americans of that school do
+injustice to their own intellectual acumen in relying on the
+interested patchwork of Higgins to produce a caricature of
+Christ rather than on the authentic annals of Christ’s own
+people. Besides, who on reading, himself, the story of Crishna
+in the Bhagavat Gita, a philosophic poem, or in the Vishnu
+Purano, can recognise the pretended identity of that god with
+Christ? He is but one of the ten Avatâras of Vishnu, and so
+far from being the gentle, loving, wise, self-sacrificing being
+which Christ was, he is in his youth an imp of mischief and
+practical tricks amongst the cowboys and shepherdesses of
+Vrindâvana. Is it in playing pranks with Indra—in mocking
+his elders—in lifting a mountain into the air, with all its cow-
+herds and cattle—in slaying a demon—in building a town
+with his own hands—in marrying sixteen thousand wives, and
+having a hundred and eighty thousand sons ; or in being
+killed himself by a hunter, that we recognise the likeness to
+Christ? These attempts, in truth, are as absurd as they are
+unhistorical. For what is the fact? Whatever may be the
+date or the character of the myths of India, Christ is no mythi-
+cal, but an absolute and altogether historical personage. His
+history stands in plainest terms in the book which is as much
+the history of the Jews as the history of England is of the
+English. It is not the fable of a fabled people. That people
+exists amongst us and the other modern nations to-day ; is
+exists in fulfilment of the same age-long chain of prophecies
+which foretold and attested Christ; on every page of that
+history, from its first to its last, stands the declarations of the
+coming of Christ, and when He did come it was in no obscure
+or mythical age, but in a comparatively modern period, amid
+the blaze of Greek and Roman civilization, which attest, in
+fullest evidence, His life, death, and eternal doctrines.
+“To attempt to reduce to a level with pagan writers or with
+easter mythical deities, this Divine Man, with whom all the
+prior ages are filled by anticipation, and all the subsequent
+ones by the light and life and civilisation springing from His
+Gospel, is a perversion of intellect, only to be accounted for
+by the influence of those lying spirits, who were announced as
+the dark deceivers of these latter times.
+
+
+THERE is a probability that the Gower-street conferences
+will begin again very shortly.
+ATMOSPHERICAL INFLUENCES ON MANIFESTATIONS.—A
+the meeting of Mrs. C. Berry’s circle, on Thursday, December
+30th, the spirits said that the weather was very bad indeed
+for physical manifestations ; it was scarcely possible for it to
+be worse. The sky was overcast with thin cloud, and a thaw
+had set in, with a light wind from the south-west. The dry-
+bulb thermometer on the 28th, stood at 25 degrees ; on the
+29th, at 31 degrees ; and on the 30th, at 37 degrees. The
+barometer on the same three days stood at 29.95, 30.22, and
+30.00 inches respectively.
+THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—On Tuesday evening
+January 4th, at the ordinary fortnightly meeting of the
+Anthropological Society, at 4, St. Martin’s-place, Trafalgar
+square, Dr. R. S. Charnock, F.S.A. presided. A paper by Mr
+L. O. Pike, M.A., was read in the absence of its author, by Dr.
+Carter Blake, upon “The Psychical Elements of Religion."
+The writer said that in his paper he intended to exclude all
+revelations from God from consideration, but to include all
+the other numerous religions, from fetishism upwards. He
+would not attempt to draw a line between religion and super-
+stition, because every man puts down his own as the true reli
+gion, and all others as superstitions. He said that every
+people who have handed down a literature have handed down
+a creed, and that these crceds all agree with one another, in
+that some angry being has to be propitiated, and that the God
+or gods are represented as having the passions and feelings of
+men ; the higher the race of men, the higher is the ideal
+standard which they call God. All tbe ancient religions
+therefore, agree by acting largely upon the fears of those who
+follow them. The Rev. Dunbar Heath, Mr. Dibley, Mr. W.
+Dendy, Mr. Charlesworth, Mr. Macrae Moir, Mr. Moncure
+D. Conway, and Dr. Carter Blake took part in the discussion.
+
+
+General News.
+
+
+The
+SPIRITUALISM is gaining ground in Australia.
+Melbourne Daily Telegraph of Oct. 12th last, reports that Mr.
+Nayler delivered a lecture on the subject at the Mechanics
+Institute, Melbourne, and that he asserted the King of Bavaria
+the Emperor Napoleon, and Queen Victoria, to be Spiri-
+tualists.
+SPEAKING IN UNKNOWN TONGUES.—It will be remembered
+how, several years ago, considerable excitement was caused in
+London, by the psychological phenomena of the speaking in
+unknown tongues, breaking out in one of the religious sects.
+The well-known mediumship of Mr. R. Cogman, 22, New-road
+Whitechapel-road, E., has recently undergone a change, and
+he is sometimes made to talk vigorously in some language
+which neither he, nor anybody else who has heard it, can
+understand, This apparently useless phase of mediumship, is
+not pleasant to Mr. Cogman himself, who says that the words
+seem to roll up from his stomach, and they hurt his throat as
+they come up. It is manifestly a language, and not gibberish
+which he is made to speak, and one linguist has expressed an
+opinion that it is probably a Polynesian language, as nearly if
+not all the words end in vowels. If the language can be
+identified, it will be capital proof that spiritual communica-
+tions are sometimes very foreign to the mind of the medium
+but in the meantime this form of mediumship is unpleasant
+enough to Mr. Cogman, and void of instruction to the hearers
+
+
+TABLE SIGNALS AND THE ALPHABET.—A few weeks ago
+we pointed out the saving in time that might be effected
+when receiving messages by means of raps or tilts, if the
+alphabet were written in the following way, and a particular
+method of signalling adopted:
+I
+O
+E
+A
+T
+1
+R
+D
+S
+N
+H
+2
+C
+M
+L
+U
+3
+G
+4
+B
+V
+P
+W
+K
+Q
+X
+J
+V
+5
+6
+Z
+
+
+A friend at Norwich has written to say that he places this
+alphabet on the table, and asks the spirits to tilt first the
+number of the horizontal line in which the letter is placed
+then to make a pause, and afterwards to tilt the number of
+the letter itself according to the position it occupies in the
+line. Thus the calling over of the alphabet by anybody
+present is rendered unnecessary. At some American circles
+the spirits have been taught to signal by means of the Morse
+alphabet, as follows :—
+
+
+A
+B
+C
+D
+E
+F
+G
+H
+I
+J
+K
+L
+M
+
+
+N
+O
+P
+Q
+R
+S
+T
+U
+V
+W
+X
+Y
+Z
+
+
+The above alphabet consists of long and short dashes. A
+short dash means a little tilt of the table, and a long dash a
+great tilt; a pause of longer duration must be made to sepa-
+rate the letters. This system is troublesome and requires
+patience to learn, but afterwards messages can be signalled
+with great rapidity by its aid.
+THE SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE.—The Spiritual Magazine is
+now ten years old, and is justly very elated by the fact. The
+: “The work goes bravely and
+editor says in the last number
+steadily on ; without hurry and without pause. It is true we
+have had our difficulties and discouragements; no work
+worth engaging in was ever without them ; but Time, which
+tries all things, has but deepened our convictions, and
+strengthened our resolves to persevere in the work in which
+we are engaged, and shown how impregnable are the founda-
+tions of our faith, and taught us more fully how great the need
+of its corrective lessons, and how wide, and ever widening an
+horizon it opens out before us. Our work is, and has even
+been purely a labour of love. and therefore one whose rewards
+though unsought, have been the most satisfying and ample
+far higher in kind than any of an external sort could pos-
+sibly be. Our contributors, too, one and all, have had and
+have sought no compensation other than arises from the satis-
+faction of bearing testimony to the truth. We thank them on
+our own behalf and on that of our readers for their disin-
+terested and efficient co-operation."
+PROPER NAMES AND TRANCE MEDIUMSHIP.—Last Friday
+Mr. J. M. Peebles, medium, and Consul at Trehizond to the
+Government of the United States, was present at the public
+séance at 15, Southampton-row, Holborn, when the subject of
+the difficulty of forcing proper names through trance media
+came up. He then said that he has noticed that there are
+three ways of controlling trance mediums—“ mechanically
+We have since asked
+psychologically, and inspirationally."
+him to define the ideas conveyed to his own mind by these
+three terms, since his large experience of spiritual phenomena
+in America, makes his testimony valuable. He says that
+sometimes the spirits have complete control of the body of the
+medium, moving fingers, arms, legs, muscles, and mouth with
+the greatest ease, without exercising much action, if any, upon
+the brain. This he calls mechanical control, and by it the
+spirits, he says, can bring out proper names with the greatest
+ease and accuracy. By psychological control, he means that
+wherein the medium speaks according to the will of the person
+or spirit controlling him. He (Mr. Peebles) has asked the
+spirits to leave a medium, and let him control the mediun
+himself by his will-power, and he has done so successfully
+but found that he must put his thoughts very clearly into
+words, to make the medium speak them. There is liability to
+error, in giving proper names by this method. By “ inspira-
+tional” mediumship he means mediumship wherein great
+ideas lie dormant in the mind of the medium, and a high
+spirit or band of spirits, direct a stream of the spiritual forces
+upon the brain of the medium, and raise his intellect to a
+high and abnormal state of activity ; acting in fact somewhat
+as a blast of pure oxygen gas would act upon a dull coal fire.
+It is very difficult, if not impossible, to get out proper names
+with accuracy by this kind of mediumship. He thinks the
+mediumship of Mr. J. J. Morse to be a mixture of the psycho-
+logical and the inspirational. The control of the physical
+frame of Mr. Morse is imperfect, for when he is made to write
+the lines run into each other, he has difficulty in folding tho
+paper when he tries to do so, and he has difficulty in carrying
+it to, and in seeing the person he wants to give it to.
+
+
+“THE REALITY OF A SPIRIT WORlD DEMONSTRATED."
+Under this title, Mr. R. F. Rippon, who has visited our town
+under the auspices of the Ryde Dialectical Society, delivered
+two lectures on Spiritualism, in the Town Hall, on Thursday
+and Friday last. He pointed out that the subject had of late
+years attracted a good deal of attention, in both the old and
+new worlds ; and that it had of late years been much written
+spoken, and he believed, even preached about ! The doctrine
+had made numerous disciples, and as some of its adherents
+were composed of men whose minds were of the highest calibre
+and who occupied good social positions—as it was not confined
+to the low and the ignorant (although that, in his opinion
+would not be a proof that the reverse was the case), it was evi-
+dent that there was some truth in Spiritualism and that it was
+worth investigation. He defined Spiritualism as embracing all
+spiritual or miraculous phenomena, both of ancient and modern
+days, and above all, what he considered as its highest mani-
+festation, as the power of addressing ourselves to Jehovah and
+holding close communion with Him. He gave many interest
+ing details of his experiences as a Spiritualist; and played
+several impromptu pieces, which, he said, were direct inspira-
+tions from the spirit world. He added that at times he could
+see the spirits of eminent composers standing by his side
+whilst he was playing, and that sometimes his hand was raised
+from the piano, whilst the keys were pressed by supernatural
+agency. His playing was of the most wonderful description
+we have ever heard, and at the same time there was an inex-
+pressible wcirdness in the sounds which cmanated from the
+instrument. Some of the audience declared that thcy could
+hear the tones of a human voice issuing from the pianoforte.
+He also exhibited some beautifully correct drawings and paint-
+ings of insects and other natural objects, which he had made,
+he said, by spiritual agency. He was not, naturally, he de
+clared, endued with any talent for drawing, and it was only
+after a drawing medium had laid his hand on his that he ac-
+quired the wonderful power he now possesses. Of the paint-
+ings exhibited by Mr. Rippon, it would be imposssible for a
+naturalist to speak too highly. His flowers stand out upon
+the background in all the transparent delicacy, richness of
+colouring, and charm of actual life. His insects are, if pos-
+sible, even still more wondrously perfect. Surely art never
+more successfully invaded the confines of nature than in the
+enchanting portraitures of Mr. Rippon’s. Those who have had
+the privilege of knowing this remarkably gifted man will join
+us in the wish that he may have a safe and successful return
+from the sunny lands of Arabia; and that he may be spared
+many years of life to depict with his marvellous fidelity those
+glorious objects which he so loves, and which now allure him
+from the studio and home to the wild regions of Algeria.—Isle
+of Wight Times.
+SPIRITUALISM IN THE ISLE OF WIGHT.—Mr. F. N.
+Broderick, of Ryde, in the course of a letter to the editor of
+the Isle of Wight Times, about the preceding paragraph, said
+““So far as I have been able to learn, all those persons who
+wcre present on the first of Mr. Rippon’s entertainments
+noticed the remarkable semblance to a human voice referred
+to in your report. The illusion was so perfect that I turned
+involuntarily to the gentleman sitting next to me, convinced
+that he was violating good taste by joining in the air, but I
+found that he was silently absorbed in the performance.
+During Mr. Rippon’s rendering of “Home, sweet Home,' the
+rich cadence of what seened unmistakably a human voice was
+particularly noticeable even above the full power of the bass
+notes. From subsequent observation, I was convinced that the
+sound emanated from the pianoforte, but the nature of the
+magical manipulation which produced it can best be solved by
+those who are familiar with that superb instrument. To satisfy
+some persons who wished to have an authoritative opinion or
+the real value of Mr. Rippon’s music, I wrote to a lady who
+was present on the second evening, and whose musical educa-
+tion and great experience I judged well qualified her to form
+a scientific estimate of the performances. As the lady is in
+no way associated with the spiritualistic movement, it may
+fairly be presumed that her critique will on that account be
+free from bias in Mr. Rippon’s favour. Subjoined is her
+courteous reply ; I must, however, ask you to omit name and
+address.— 'Sir.—I have much pleasure in giving you my
+opinion on the subject named in your letter. Mr. Rippon’s
+style of playing is perfectly artistic, combining great facility
+of execution with excellent expression, which latter quality
+was particularly noticeable in his treatment of “Ah, che la
+morte.” In fact, with the exception of a few instances of too
+great a preponderance of bass, his whole performance was not
+only faultless, but exceedingly beautiful."
+THe SPIRIT WORLD.—Mrs. De Morgan reeently furnished
+Daybreak with the following interesting spirit message:
+“The subject of the locality of the spirit land is, in truth
+beyond the power of the finite mind to comprehend. As I
+have told you many times, your earthly atmosphere teems
+with the spirits who are in sympathy with the lower order of
+development or spirit-life found there. But on your earth, in
+the body also, are many pure and aspiring spirits who are in
+closer communion with the far and higher regions than any of
+the undeveloped disembodied spirits who readily communicate
+their ignorance through their earthly mediums. The casting
+aside of the earthly frame does not exalt the spirit that is not
+exalted by its aspirations and longings to attain the higher
+God-spheres: spheres and localities beyond the ken of man-
+kind. Think not that any can solve the deep and high
+mysteries of the higher spirit-spheres, for only they who have
+attained thereto can form a conception of what they are, the
+spiritual sphere being not only localised, but a state far more
+than a locality.” “I would teach you that the teachings of
+the spirits are rcally true. Your earth in its objectiveness is
+the type of this sphere. You take from us, not we from you.
+All the varied descriptions must truly be in accordance with
+the medium’s own power of perception and reception, but to
+each medium comes the spirit most suited to his powers, and
+all is true in the description of our home. It is very real.
+We need, spiritually, in our early spirit-life, the same things
+that we long for on earth in a higher and fuller degree. Life
+is purer and truer, but it is as real, objectively and subjec-
+tively, as on your earth. We have all the adjuncts here, but
+as we advance they become purer and more ethereal."
+“ When we speak of curtains, we mean, literally, a light divi-
+sion between the parts of the room in the same way as you
+use such on earth. But we have such, as all else, in the most
+ethereal and beautiful material, formed from the essence of
+the flowers around. This is a very favourite material, to use
+your earthly words, with us. Our dresses are formed of it ;
+and as they float in the ether, they give out sweetness and
+harmony in accordance with all around. It is truly impos-
+sible so to impress our earthly medium as to give you an idea
+of the fulness of the beauty of our home ; but nothing can
+too fully assure you of the reality and substantiality of it.”-
+Given through F. J. T.
+
+
+JAN. 14, 1870.
+
+
+CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.
+1. Advertisements of Public Companies, Half-a-guinea per
+sixth of a columu, or every portion of sixth of a column.
+2. General Advertisements, Five Shillings per twelfth of a
+column, or portion of twelfth of a column.
+Note.—Advertisements ot the foregoing rates will be
+“displayed” so as to occupy the full space paid for, but
+advertisements at the following rates will be in closely set
+type.
+3. General Advertisements, Half-a-crown per first five
+lines or portion of five lines, and Fourpence for every line in
+addition.
+4. Situations Wanted, or Apartments to Let. One Shilling
+per first four lines, or portion of four lines; Threepence for
+every line in addition.
+Ten words are allowed to the line, and six figures or
+initial letters count as one word.
+When five or more insertions of the same advertisement
+are paid for, twenty per cent. reduction will be made in the
+above rates.
+The power is reserved of refusing to insert any advertise-
+ment.
+Advertisements and remiltances should be sent to the
+Publisher, Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Avc Maria-lane, St. Paul.
+Church-yard, London, E.C., or to Mr. J. BURNS, 15
+Southampton-row, High Holborn, London, W. C.
+
+
+To Correspondents.
+
+
+All letters should be brief and to the point, as the amount
+of space available for correspondence is at present small.
+Communications intended for the Editor should be by
+letter only, addressed to the care of the Publisher, Mr. E. W.
+ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, St. Pauls Church-yard, London.
+E.C. Until the Spiritual movement in England, together
+with this journal, have both grown considerably, time cannot
+be spared for personal interviews on subjects connected with
+the literary work of THE SPIRITUALIST, but all letters will
+meet with careful consideration.
+THE SPIRIRUALIST is a periodical intended to give great
+freedom of expression to all the different shades of opinion
+to be found among Spiritualists. There will therefore be
+very little uniformity in the ideas promulgated in this journal
+more especially in the correspondence columns. Under these
+circumstances every reader will find occasionally something
+in THE SPIRITUALIST which he or she does not like, but the
+right of reply remains. This freedom of thought given to
+others, the Editor claims for himself, and those who do not
+like the contents of leading articles, can write against them
+in the correspondence columns. This plan is thought better
+than that of reducing the contents of the journal to a
+pale weak mediocrity, by inserting only those contribution.
+The preceding remarks are not
+which please everybody.
+intended to imply that those who have crotchets which they
+cannot get printed anywhere else, can find an outlet for them
+here, for none but those letters which are considered worth
+publication will be inserted.
+Notices of Public Meetings in connection with Spiritualism
+should be sent to the office several days in advance.
+
+
+To Non-Spiritualists,
+
+
+A large amount of information is printed on the last two
+pages of this journal, clearly demonstrating that the facts of
+Spiritualism, highly improbable as they appear to be, are
+real, and deserve serious investigation by all thoughtful
+people. In other columns of evcry number of THE SPIRI-
+TUALIST will also be found plenty of additional evidence to
+the same effect.
+
+
+To Subscribers.
+
+
+The first twelve numbers of THE SPIRITUALIST will be
+forwarded regularly by penny post to subscribers, who remit
+four shillings in payment, to Mr. E. W. ALLEN, Publisher,
+Ave Maria-lane, St. Pauls-churchyard, E.C.
+
+
+The Spiritualist
+
+
+FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1870.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALiST will from and after this
+date be published monthly instead of fortnightly.
+It will be issued on the 15th day of every month,
+and the next number will come out on Tuesday
+the 15th of February.
+
+
+For a new paper THE SPIRITUALIST has been very
+favourably received, and it finds its way regularly to
+all parts of the three kingdoms.
+But the advertising
+public know comparatively little about Spiritualism,
+regarding it as a delusion or something worse, hence a
+journal on this subject stands on a worse commercial
+footing than ordinary newspapers do with the same
+circulation. Experience shows that it is unreasonable
+to continue this as a fortnightly journal at present, but
+THE SPIRIRUTALIST is progressing steadily, and we hope
+to again supply news at short intervals at no very
+distant date. Much mutual friendliness has sprung up
+between this journal and some of its leading sup-
+porters, and, as will be seen in a short article in an-
+
+
+other column, the systematic recording of facts in these
+pages has begun to bear practical fruit, by the elucida
+tion of some general principles incidental to trance-
+mediumship.
+With the Spiritual Magazine and the
+other periodicals issued at the beginning of each month,
+and this journal published in the middle of every month
+there will still be a fortnightly supply of news in con-
+nection with this noble movement.
+THE ACTION OF LIGHT UPON SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS.
+THERE are certain spiritual manifestations which can
+be obtained only in darkness, such, for instance, as the
+ordinary spirit voices; and subdued light is a favour-
+able condition for nearly all the phenomena, trance-
+What is this “ light ” which exer-
+speaking included.
+cises so much influence upon the manifestations
+According to modern philosophers it is the wave-motion
+of an infinitely elastic fluid known as the “ interstellar
+ether," which fills all space, stretches from star to star
+and bathes the vibrating atoms of all solid bodies. The
+vibrating atoms of luminous bodies ’throw the ether
+into waves, and these waves beat against the retina of
+the human eye, just as the waves of the ocean break
+upon the sea-shore. But the eye is so far an imperfect
+instrument that it is insensitive to the shortest of the
+ether waves, and cannot see them, neither can it see
+the longest waves. The longest waves emanating from
+the sun, which warm our backs and melt the mountain
+snows, are nearly all invisible to the eye. The invi-
+sible waves contain about cight times more heat than
+the visible waves. A few days ago, Professor Tyndal
+at the Royal Institution filtered away the visible waves
+from the electric light, by means of a glass vessel filled
+with a solution of iodine in bisulphide of carbon ; the
+invisible waves passed freely through this opaque liquid
+and were made to set fire to paper at a distance of
+several yards from the electric lamp. The red waves
+are the longest which can be seen by the eye, and the
+violet and blue waves are the shortest ; in fact, the
+sensation of colour is due simply to variations in wave
+length.
+The spirits who speak at Mrs. Mary Marshall’s
+séances, on being questioned upon the subject said that
+there was so much motion in light that it “ burnt up
+the atmospheres they used to produce the voices.” By
+“ atmospheres” they perhaps meant the emanation
+from the medium. Accordingly some experiments were
+once tried, by giving them a cool light, containing very
+much less wave motion than ordinary white light.
+It was produced by passing the rays from a paraffin
+flame, first through a glass trough filled with a solutior
+of alum, and, secondly, through another glass trough
+filled with a solution of ammonio-sulphate of copper.
+A cold blue light, of feeble intensity, was thus em-
+ployed to illuminate the room. It was a failure so far
+as seeing the tubes was concerned, as the voices could
+only be produced in those parts of the room where the
+darkness was too deep for the eyes of the witnesses to
+penetrate. There are other ways by which the diffi-
+culty may perhaps be overcome, and further experi-
+ments will be made.
+Mr. Mumler is as busy as ever producing spirit pho-
+tographs, and defying all the photographers in New
+York to detect imposture.
+As Judge Edmonds and
+Mr. Livermore, the banker, pronounce Mr. Mumler to
+have produced
+accurate portraits of their departed
+friends, we presume them to be right in considering it a
+case of genuine mediumship. Assuming the pictures
+to be genuine spirit photographs, the question arises
+How do the spirits produce them?
+Short waves of
+ether, too short to be visible to the eye, act upon pho-
+tographic films, it being therefore possible for photo-
+graphs to be taken very slowly indeed, in a peculiar
+kind of pitch darkness, which the philosopher knows
+how to produce. The editor of the British Journal of
+Photography once suggested that perhaps the bodies of
+spirits can be materialised sufficiently to reflect these
+short invisible waves, by which means a photograph
+could be taken. But the fact is that in Mr. Mumler's
+pictures, the spirit forms produce more photographic
+action on the plates than the human forms in the same
+space of time, whieh could not be the ease if the spirit
+bodies set up an action upon the sensitive film by means
+of the extra-violet rays, since these rays act very feebly.
+In short, the way in which these pictures are produeed,
+is as great a mystery as ever.
+
+
+Many modern philosophers think that in the vibra-
+ting atom and the ether-wave, they have reached the
+boundaries of creation, just as the Jews and their
+prophets believed that the earth was a flat plain, with a
+crystal vault confining the waters above the firmament,
+and that the sun and moon were small lights hung up
+for the benefit of the flat plain and the chosen people.
+That organised beings like spirits can be moving in the
+interstellar ether, complicates the theories of modern
+philosophers as much as the discovery of the rotation of
+the earth upset the astronomical notions of the Jews
+and their successors.
+In all directions in creation there
+is probably nothing but infinity, but man sets up tem
+porary boundaries of his own here and there, as fixed
+points on which to rest for a time his aching mind.
+
+
+A FEATURE OF TRANCE-MEDIUMSHIP.
+IN the philosophical examination of any new and
+perplexing phenomena, the only safe plan is to have no
+preconceived ideas at all, to note accurately all the
+facts, and then examine the collected facts in scarch of
+principles. This plan has been followed in this journal,
+and now we have one golden little bit of clear know
+ledge revealed in the mass of evidence.
+On Thursday, December 9th, Mr. Avery, a well-
+known American Spiritualist, now resident in London,
+made a speech at the St. John’s Association of Spiritua-
+lists, in Clerkenwell, and said that when his little
+daughter first came back to speak to him through a New
+York medium, the spirit and the medium both felt the
+pains of the sickness which afflicted the daughter on her
+death-bed. We called attention at the time to the circum-
+stance that Mrs. John Olive, trance medium, of 1, Gib-
+son-place, Warrington-crescent, W., also feels the pain-
+of those spirits who had not easy beds of “ death; in
+fact, if memory does not err, we think that on one
+occasion spots came temporarily out on her face, after a
+spirit had been speaking through her who died of small
+pox. Next, on the 17th December, Mr. Clegg, of
+York, who suffered from rheumatism in earth life, gave
+Mr. Morse, the medium, some bad symptoms of the
+complaint at a public séance at 15, Southampton-row.
+Lastly, in this number of the SPIRITUALIST is a narra-
+tive showing how the spirit of William Young, on the
+8th November last, caused Mrs. Conant, the medium
+of Boston, U. S., to feel his death pains. Or rather
+the spirits feel the pains while in the mediums, and the
+latter feel them temporarily when they wake up after
+the manifestations are over.
+All these various instances, collected from widely
+separated sources, have unexpectedly come together
+among the facts in these pages, so that it is now pretty
+clearly established that one feature running through the
+whole range of trance-mediumship, is the fact that the
+media very commonly feel symptoms of the death pains
+of the communicating spirits. Also, that the spirits
+feel these pains while en rapport with each medium, so
+are not themselves quite in their normal state whilst
+delivering their messages.
+Daylight also is beginning to shine upon another
+feature of trance-mediumship, namely, the difficulty
+of getting proper names accurately through the me-
+diums, and before long it is hoped that sufficient evidence
+will be collected to disrobe this branch of the subject of
+all its present mystery.
+There are those who do not like the publication of
+the details of séances, on the ground that non-Spiritua-
+lists will leamn much of the difficulties of the subject.
+and how great are the cobwebs of ignorance at present
+enshrouding the nature of spiritual manifestations. The
+systematic search after truth is not to be fettered by any
+sensitiveness to the sayings and doings of uninformed
+outsiders, nor by deference to publie opinion, which in
+the present state of national education is worth little
+and is often manufactured by keen heads for the pur-
+pose of duping the populace.
+
+
+“JOHN KING."
+
+
+BY THE EDITOR.
+
+
+AT different times some of the periodicals devoted to
+Spiritualism, have expressed doubts as to the genuine
+character of the voices obtained through the medium-
+ship of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall. A very intelligent
+Spiritualist one evening attended a dark séance at 13
+Bristol-gardens, Paddington, W., and afterwards printed
+in Daybreak a statement to the effect that the voice
+purporting to belong to the spirit “ John King,” was
+Mr. Marshall’s voice, which statement, as I shall now
+prove, was not true. Also, there are three or four
+Spiritualists, who often relate in the most circumstantial
+way, how they detected Mr. and Mrs. Marshall “ doing
+the voices,” but who have not published their detection
+of the imposture, therefore have made themselves ac-
+complices if imposture it be, by sitting down quietly
+with the belief that scores of people are constantly
+being duped, who would not be duped did the detec-
+tives put in print what they assert in private.
+Soon after I first witnesed Spiritual manifestations,
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+37
+
+
+38
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+JAN. 14, 1870.
+
+
+about two years ago, I was taken to see the phenomena
+which occur under the mediumship of Mrs. Mary
+Marshall, who then resided at 13, Bristol-gardens, but
+now at 2, Bennett-strect, St. James’s. Tables and
+chairs moved about in daylight, and sometimes rose
+from the ground, whilst at the dark séances voices were
+heard, and luminous manifestations seen; all these
+things purported to come from spirits. I therefore re-
+solved to be a constant visitor at the séances, and to
+stick at the work till I either discovered the assertions
+to be true, or detected the imposture with sufficient
+aecuraey and certainty to expose it in the presence of
+witnesses, and to be able to publish the facts with com-
+plete sectional drawings of the apparatus used.
+The voice calling itself “ John King” is backed by
+an intelligence apparently entirely different in kind
+from that of Mr. or Mrs. Marshall. However, I pri-
+vately assumed that Mr. Marshall did the voice, and by
+attending a few séances found that it was a common
+thing for Mr. Marshall and John King to speak at the
+same time, so I was obliged to throw over that theory.
+Next I assumed that Mrs. Marshall did it, till one
+evening I sat next her; she was on my right hand-
+side, I had hold of her hand and arm, and John King
+came and talked into my left ear, Mrs. Marshall being
+perfectly motionless all the time, so over went the other
+Next, I assumed that a confederate, among
+theory.
+the visitors to the circle did John King’s voice, so had
+a séance with Mr. and Mrs. Marshall alone; John was
+there, and talked for an hour. Lastly, I assumed that
+a concealed confederate did the voice, so attended two
+séances where Mrs. Marshall was present among strangers
+to her, in a strange house, and again John King was as
+lively as ever. Finally, on Thursday evening, Decem-
+ber 30th, 1869, John King came and talked to eleven
+persons at Mrs. C. Berry’s circle, in the absence of Mr
+and Mrs. Marshall, the medium being Mrs. Perrin.
+I only certify to the genuine character of such of the
+manifestations as I have tested, and no more, but trust
+that these facts will clear away some of the doubts in
+cautiously thrown over Mrs. Mary Marshall’s medium-
+ship by Daybreak and the Spiritual Magazine.
+
+
+Poetry.
+
+
+THE LAST SCENE OF LIFE
+THE blush that made her beautiful
+Came back—but faint and weak,
+For seventy summers had gone by
+Since first it bloom'd her cheek;
+The light that used to make her eye
+Shed heaven about her brow,
+Returned to gleam a little while
+In timid lustre now.
+
+
+They placed her, at her soft request
+Beside a cabinet:
+They saw the fringes of her eyes
+With quiet tears were wet;
+They saw her all-transparent hand
+Move tremblingly to lift
+A little locket from a drawer-
+Perhaps ’twas love's first gift.
+They stood—Who stood? Alas, a few
+Who knew her but of late;
+For time had taken one by one
+Each friend of earlier date;
+And nothing but her heart—her mind,
+Which death alone could blast,
+Kept these kind spirits round her then
+To watch her to the last.
+
+
+“Behold," she cried, “this temple, where
+My heart's hoard long hath slept;
+Here, all that love, fame, friendship gave,
+With gratitude l’ve kept.
+No line that left a loving hand
+I ever have effaced;
+But fondly, in its fitting place,
+With tears the token placed.
+Praise that onee made my young heart glad,
+And vows which made it warm,
+Have lain within this cabinet,
+A hoard, my heart to balm.
+Now, cast them for me on the fire,
+And let me see the flame!
+First, here are all the offerings
+Whieh fed my hopes of fame:
+Among them notes from fleeting friends,
+The shooting stars that threw
+A passing light upon my path -
+Unfixed, but not untrue.
+I will not leave it to the world,
+To mock with dull disdain
+These little meteors of the minds
+That flash and fade again.
+
+
+“Here, here are words of holier weight,
+From friends most fond they came!
+Oh, they make balm about the room!
+Behold how bright their flame!
+
+
+"Your hands, kind friends, for I would rise,
+Oh, not thus felt each limb,
+When first the pulses of my heart
+Awakened unto him."
+
+
+She had a packet in her hand;
+She slowly reached the fire;
+She strewed it on the rising flame;
+She saw it blaze—expire
+
+
+“Tis over," then she murmured low,
+“This locket, on my breast,
+When in the coffin lies my clay,
+Consent to let it rest.
+My bones and that will long defy
+The demons of decay:
+My spirit, and my love’s, my friends-
+Great Power
+," she passed away.
+And soon the greensward covered her,
+And memory, pity, fame,
+Preserved alone, of all the past,
+A little while—a name.
+
+
+Correspondence.
+
+
+[Great freedom is given to correspondents, who sometimes express opinion.
+diametrically opposed to those of this journal and its readers].
+
+
+was between twenty-seven and twenty-eight ycars old when I
+diid. I have not been gone quite a year yet—it will be a
+year in January. I have left a wife and two children. My
+wife is sick—in the last stages of consumption. She is most
+twenty-five years old, as nigh as I can reckon it. My chil-
+dren, two girls, Emma and Mary—one five years old and the
+other three, and, as nigh as I can reckon it, they have been
+about a month in the Somerset County workhouse, in England.
+I have communicated by spelling out what I wanted, and
+with three or four on our side to help me, to a curate in our
+country, and I have asked him to take my children, and he
+said if I could find out where they were he would. I could not
+tell him then. I did not know—could only tell him that they
+were in Axcbridge, but could not get any further. I had
+several good kind spirits, who have been teaching me since I
+died, to aid me—they are some friends of his—have been very
+kind to me, and they have come here with me—one of them,
+Mr. Hacker, is going to write to this curate, Mr. Young. [Dr.
+Young ?]
+Yes; do you know him? [I think so—a Unitarian
+minister?]
+Yes. Well, Mr. Hacker has written for me there,
+at Mr. Young’s house, in Swindon, several times, and others
+have, too. But I never could tell them, because I never could
+go there to see where my children were. I knew where I left
+them—could tell that pretty well—but, you know, where it is
+sifted down through four or five sources, it is apt to be very
+weak before it gets to its destination. Now I come first-
+handed. I am ignorant. I never had any education here-
+could read a little, but not much—was a carpenter by trade.
+I have told you, as nigh as I can make out, they are in
+Somerset County workhouse, been there about a month, and
+their mother is just about gone with consumption. Her
+name is Mary. My name is William Young, but I am no
+relation, as I know of, to the curate. He asked me, when I
+communicated in England, if I was, but I couldn’t tell him.
+I don’t know, but I don’t think I am. I’ve looked it up, and
+don’t think I am. I don’t ask him to take my children for
+money, or because I think they will have better position, but
+I want them to be taught good spiritual truths, and they will
+get it there—a kind, good man, and a blessing to his parish.
+It is no wonder, is it? I have tried hard to get my poor little
+ones under his wing, because I know their mother is going to
+leave them, and a workhouse life is a terrible life. It hardens
+the heart, and makes you what you wouldn’t be if you was out
+of it. English workhouses are terrible places—terrible places
+I came to this medium last night, and I learned how I should
+proceed of some of her attendants—how I should proceed to
+find my children, and I did this forenoon, and got all rcad,
+and come here this afternoon. Mr. Hacker is going to write
+to Mr. Young. He will probably get his written message
+before he gets mine, but no matter—and he can write to the
+workhouse and find out, if it’s too much trouble for him to go.
+And I want to tell Daisy—she is a medium out there in
+England—that I will bless her as long as I live for helping
+me as she las.
+[The one through whom you made raps?]
+No, I wrote through some kind of a thing. [Planchette?]
+I don’t know. They called it an indicator, or something.
+But, you know, I told you I couldn’t come first-handed. I
+think there were five nearer the earth than I was; but I am
+right here myself to-day. I am weak. I died—some of the
+doctors here tell me—of marasmus, induced by poor living
+a kind of consumption all over. [You can come next time
+with more strength.]
+Oh, I have got along right well to-day.
+Now, you know, you are to send, don’t you? [Yes Dr.
+Young takes the paper.]
+Oh yes—well. Mr. Hacker will
+write him. They told me the message would be delayed
+about a month, and Mr. Hacker will write him, so he
+will get word from here.. [Through some medium?]
+Here,
+this one
+that gentleman, Mr.
+what do you call him ?
+a curate here, or something. I don’t know what he was -
+preacher, was he? that comes to her [Mr. Parker?]
+Yes;
+he said as soon as it was right that I should have a fair and
+square opportunity to do just what I had to do. He told Mr.
+Hacker that he should write just as soon as a fair opportunity
+presented itself, and that it would be very quick.
+[Your
+name will be announced next week.]
+Oh yes; then it will
+be known that I have been here. I thank you, I thank you."
+
+
+THE CURE OF M. LEON FAVRE.—The Revne Spiri-
+tualiste of September last contains an account written by M.
+Leon Favre, Consul-General of France, narrating how he was
+cured of a complaint of 42 years standing, by a spirit. He says
+— "I was in 1826 at Livorno. I was there poisoned by eating of
+a large sort of lobster, probably cooked in a copper vessel in bad
+condition. I was saved by medical energy, but the poison
+left the most terrible effects on my stomach; the most singular
+symptoms seized me. I had a gastric complaint which lasted
+seven years, and which was succeeded by nervous maladies
+strange lethargies, and morbid effects which defied ever
+scientific remedy. The crises were marked by the most
+frightful circumstances. Sometimes my eyes were convulsed
+the pallor of death, overspread my features which were dis¬
+torted by the most painful contractions ; my cheeks instantly
+sunk, all my limbs became rigid ; my body was stretched out
+like a corpse, I often fell with my head against the wall, and
+I lay in this state of catalepsy. Sometimes the attack seemed
+to come down on me like a bird of prey ; my intestines
+stomach and chest seemed wrenched and twisted violently.
+The paroxysm lasted for an hour at most, but it left a fearful
+havoc in the system. Frequently it produced aberrations of
+vision which caused me te see every object triple, always fol-
+lowed by a prostration and temporary exhaustion of all my
+He then narrates how in the course of years this cruel
+forces.
+malady increased in virulence, and the attacks succeeded each
+other at shorter intervals. Medical skill failed to remove the
+disease. At last a spirit, acting through the mediumship of a
+young schoolmistress of the name of Catarina, prescribed for
+M. Leon Favre. The spirit "declared his name to be Giacomco
+Giaferro; that he was born at Venice in 1418, and died in
+1510, at the age of 92, at Verona, where he practised medic-
+cine. Generally, medical healers proceed on the system of
+the somnambules. They inspect the patient and prescribe
+their remedies without the subject being required to give an
+explanation. Giaferro acted like a living doctor. The patient
+gave the history of his complaints without omitting the
+smallest detail. Giaferro listened scrupulously to the present
+diagnosis, but he rarely foresaw that which might unexpectedly
+arise. I assembled often with me three or four physicians to
+act as a check upon him. I have heard them dispute with
+him, make fresh consultation of the patient according to his
+indications, find that they were wrong, and that he (Giaferro)
+the invisible, was right ! His appreciations were marked by
+an exactness remarkable, and nearly always I have seen the
+doctors adopt his opinion in the treatment of the case. It
+was under the direction of this invisible doctor, at first watched
+by my friend Cogevina, that I placed myself, as I have said
+on the 5th of March, 1868. Reversing the method of Mans-
+dorf, he placed the silver on my stomach, and the zinc under
+the soles of my feet, commencing by an application of ten
+minutes, which augmented every day by as much additional
+time, arrived finally at nine hours. During three months
+examining me every week, oftener twice than once, at first
+with the concurrence of Dr. Cogevina, then by himself alone
+he alternated the poles, placing on the stomach sometimes the
+positive, sometimes the negative, varying the duration of the
+applications, suspending them occasionally for some days, and
+taking as the principal basis of his internal treatment bismuth,
+caleined magnesia, and the codeine of Berthé. At the end of
+three months he declared that I was cured of my cramps, and
+that they could never return. He continued, however, till
+December, the use of the apparatus, increasing progressively
+the intervals between the applications. He ended by sus-
+pending them altogether. In fact, I was well. Cured by an
+invisible hand after having suffered 42 years, and having
+exhausted all known medieal remedies ! It is impossible to
+retrace here the minnte cares, the extreme tenderness, the
+expression of love which accompanied this prolonged treat-
+ment. The soul of this man seemed to follow me everywhere,
+to watch over me, and, let the sceptics smile, to knit up with
+my own a holy and fraternal relation which my gratitude has
+sealed for eternity.” M. Leon Favre’s narrative is published
+in full in the December number of the Spiritual Magazine.
+
+
+WAS SARAH JACOBS STARVED TO DEATH
+SIR,—On New Year’s-eve, for the second time my wife saw a
+spirit purporting to be that of Sarah Jacobs. She appeared to
+be between ten and eleven years old, and was dressed as she
+used to be when on earth—viz., in a brown stuff frock, with low
+neck and short-puffed slecves. She said she was not starved
+to death ; that she had on several occasions gone some weeks
+without the slightest particle of food or nourishment, and
+accounted for her living so long a time without the usual
+necessaries of life, through being incessantly mesmerised by
+spirits, of which there were half-a-dozen, who relieved each
+other when exhausted.
+What is there improbable in the above cxplanation
+coupled with the evidence given at the inquest, showing that
+the body did not present all the usual signs of death being
+caused throngh starvation? Is it not a fact that a band of
+or even one powerful mesmerist, could keep a sensitive
+some considerable time without food and without causing in
+the slightest degree any of the usual tokens of starvation?
+Again, is it not a fact well-known to every medical practi-
+tioner that numbers of persons on beds of sickness, have lived
+out not the starvation period of eight days, but twiee, three
+times, and I believe in some cases, four times that period, with
+a supply of nourishment that would starve a rat in a quarter
+of the time? In such cases as these, when worn-down with
+disease, will our infallible medical savans inform us what
+keeps them alive? Whether it is the stimulants we moisten
+their lips with? Is the elixir of life in the medical com-
+pounds we force down their throats ? Or are their lives really
+kept and nourished by the divine, powerful, and unseen help
+of our ever present guardian spirits, till the period arrives to
+leave this world for a purer and holier one above?
+12, Forrest-road, Dalston.
+G. B.
+
+
+THE “BANNER OF LIGHT” CIRCLE.
+THE following communication from a spirit who gave the
+name of William Young, was received through the medium
+ship of Mrs. J. H. Conant, at 158, Washington-street, Boston,
+U.S., on Nov. 8th last. It was published in the Banner of
+Light of the first of this month:
+“Taking full possession of the body and of the senses of a
+medium is quite different from spelling out what you wish to
+say through two or three, perhaps four or five mediums on our
+side. We then get clear of feeling any of the bad feelings
+which we are very apt to have, they say, on taking full con-
+trol. We are very apt to think of how we felt just before we
+died, and that makes us feel just about the same. I didn’t
+know anything about it till after I had got into what they told
+me was rapport with this medium. I began to feel sick, and
+said so, and then they told me that I should experience pro-
+bably all the bad feelings I had just before I died. Sure
+enough, here I am feeling pretty bad. But I have got a work
+to do, and must do it. I have come here, where I am not at
+all acquainted—away from all the circumstances of life that I
+am familiar with, that I may accomplish what I believe in the
+end will be a great good. I am from Axebridge, England. I
+
+
+THE EDUCATION OF THE YOUNG.
+"Now, close your book, Bob,” said the mother soon after I
+was seated, “and Alice, give me yours. Put your hands
+down, turn from the fire, and look up at me, dears. What is
+the capital of Russia?"
+“The Birman Empire,” said Alice with unhesitating con-
+fidence.
+"The Baltic Sea,” said Bob, emulous and ardent.
+“ Wait—not so fast; let me see, my dears, which of you is
+right."
+Mrs. Thompson appealed immediately to her book, after a
+long and private communication with which she emphatically
+pronounced both wrong.
+“ Give us a chance, mother,” said Bob in a wheedling tone
+(Bob knew his mother’s weaknesses); “Them’s such hard
+words. I don’t know how it is, but somehow I never can
+remember ’em. Just tell us the first syllable—oh, do now
+please."
+“Oh! I know now!
+cried Alice, “ Its something with a
+'G' in it."
+“ Think of the apostles, dears. What are the names of the
+apostles?”
+“Why, there’s Moses.” began Bob, counting on his fingers ;
+“ and there’s Sammywell, and there’s Aaron, and Noah’s
+Ark - "
+“ Stop, my dear,” said Mrs. Thompson, who was very busy
+with her manual, and contriving a method of rendering a
+solution of her question easy ; “Just begin again. I said
+who was Peter ?—no, not that—who was an apostle ?”
+“Oh! I know now!” cried Alice again (Alice was the
+sharp boy of the family); “It’s Peter. Peter’s the capital of
+Russia."
+“ No, not quite, my dear. You are very warm—very warm
+indeed, but not quite hot. Try again."
+“Paul,” half murmured Robert, with a reckless hope of
+proving right.
+“No. Peter’s right, but there’s something else. What has
+your father been taking down the beds for?"
+There was a solemn silence, and the three industrious sisters
+blushed the faintest possible blush that could be raised upon a
+maiden’s cheek.
+“ To rub that stuff upon the walls,” said the ready Alice.
+“ Yes, but what was it to kill? ” continued the instructress.
+“ The fleas," said Bob.
+“Worse than that, my dear."
+“Oh, I know now!” shrieked Alice for the third time
+“ Petersbug’s the capital of Russia."
+Mrs. Thompson looked at me with pardonable vanity and
+triumph.— Blackwood's Magazine.
+
+
+JAN. 14, 1870.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST
+
+
+39
+
+
+FACTS FOR NON-SPIRITUALISTS.
+As this Journal will necessarily often come
+under the observation of those who are not
+Spiritualists, it has been thought judicious to
+reprint regularly on this and the next page
+the following condensed evidence that spiri-
+tualism deserves serious investigation. The
+phenomena witnessed in spiritual circles are
+so extraordinary, and so unlike those coming
+within the ordinary range of human experi-
+ence, that it is quite right not to accept them
+on the testimony of others. Each individual
+should witness and test them personally, and
+believe nothing until the absolute knowledge
+is gained that denial is impossible.
+
+
+EVIDENCE THAT SPIRITUALISM DESERVES INVES-
+TIGATION
+The testimony of reliable and respectable wit-
+nesses that the phenomena of Spiritualism are
+actual facts, and not imposture or delusion, has of
+late years so accumulated as to possess very great
+weight. Iu the case of Lyon v. Home, Mr. Robert
+Chambers, Mr. C. F. Varley, Dr. Gully, Mr. and
+Mrs. S. C. Hall, and others, all made affidavits
+strongly in favour of Mr. Home. The following
+was the affidavit of Mr. C. F. Varley, C.E.,
+F.R.G.S., M.R.I.:
+
+
+“I, Cromwell Fleetwood Varley, of Fleetwood House
+Beckenham, in the County of Kent, Esquire, make oath
+and say as follows:
+“I have been a student of electricity, chemistry, and
+natural philosophy for twenty-six years, and a tele-
+graphic engineer by profession for twenty-one years,
+and I am the consulting electrician of the Atlantic Tele-
+graph Company, and of the Electric and International
+Company.
+“About nine or ten years ago, having had my atten-
+tion directed to the subject of Spiritualism by its spon-
+taneous and unexpected development in my own family
+in the form of clairvoyant visions and communications,
+I determined to test the truth of the alleged physical
+phenomena to the best of my ability, and to ascertain
+if possible, the nature of the force which produced them.
+“Accordingly, about eight years ago, I called on Mr.
+Home, the defendant in this suit, and stated that I had
+not yet witnessed any of the physical phenomena, but
+that I was a scientific man and wished to investigate
+them carefully.
+“He immediately gave me every facility for the pur-
+pose, and desired me to satisfy myself in every possible
+way, and I have been with him on divers occasions
+when the phenomena have occurred. I have examined
+and tested them with him and with others, under con-
+ditions of my own choice, under a bright light, and have
+made the most jealous and searching scrutiny. I have
+been, since then, for seven months in America, where
+the subject attracts great attention and study, and where
+it is cultivated by some of the ablest men, and having
+experimented with and compared the forces with elec-
+tricity and magnetism, and after having applied me-
+chanical and mental tests, I entertain no doubt whatever
+that the manifestations which I have myself examined
+were not due to the operation of any of the recognised
+physical laws of nature, and that there has been present
+on the occasions above-mentioned some intelligence
+other than that of the medium and observers.
+“The subject of course offers many opportunities and
+inducements for fraud, and I only speak of what I have
+myself seen and tested. Since my acquaintance with
+Mr. Home began I have pursued the enquiry, and I have
+found engaged in it able, learned, and scientific men
+who are convinced as I am, that the physical manifeste
+tions are but the introduction to an extensive fleld of
+mental and physical knowledge which will in a great
+measure explain and reconcile the beliefs of all ages and
+nations. I know of several instances both in Europe
+and America in which this course of study has awak-
+ened the perception of the purest and loftiest truths and
+principles. There have been no doubt cases in which
+the intellect has been too feeble for the stimulus, and
+has been overpowered by it, just as frequently results
+from excessive application to religion and other exciting
+topies, but such cases have not come within my own
+observation.
+“Mr. Home, like several other non-professional me-
+diums whose cases I have studied, was passive during
+the occurrence of the manifestations. He, like the
+other mediums, is extremely susceptible to external in-
+fluences, and has a mind better suited to receive impres
+sions than to prosecute enquiries. I willingly testify my
+entire conviction of his truthfulness and honesty.
+“C. F. VARLEY."
+
+
+It also came out in the evidence given at the
+trial, that Mr. Home had been the invited and un-
+paid guest of the Emperor and the Empress of the
+French, the Emperor, Empress, and the late Em-
+press Dowager of Russia, the Grand Duke Con-
+stantine, the King of Prussia, the late King of
+Bavaria, the late King of Wurtemburg, and the
+Queen of Holland. Mr. Home says that all his
+life he has never taken a farthing of pay for his
+séances. In March, 1869, the Spiritual Magazine
+gave the names of the following gentlemen a
+those who have long been investigating the sub
+ject:
+Cromwell F. Varley, Esq., Fleetwood-house, Becken-
+ham; Alfred R. Wallace, Esq., 9, St. Mark’s-crescent,
+N.W.; Professor De Morgan, 91, Adelaide-road, N.W.
+Captain Drayson, R.A., Woolwich; Dr. J. M. Gully,
+The Priory, Great Malvern: Dr. J. J. G. Wilkinson, 4
+St. John’s-wood-villas, N.W.; Dr. Dixon, 8, Grcat Or
+mond-street, W.C.: S. C. Hall, Esq., 15, Ashley-place,
+Victoria-street, S.W.; Newton Crosland, Esq.; William
+Howitt, Esq., The Orchard, Hare-green, Esher, Surrey;
+Robert Chambers, Esq., St. Andrew’s, Edinburgh; H.
+D. Jencken, Esq., Kilmorey-house, Norwood; J. G.
+Crawford, Esq., 52, Gloucester-crescent, N.W.; W. M.
+Wilkinson, Esq., Oakfield, Kilburn; Lord Adare, 5,
+Buckingham-gate; The Master of Lindsay, Grosvenor-
+square.
+
+
+said Mr. Home many curious occurrences, which I an
+unable to explain, in the way of singular phenomena,
+such as displacement of objects without physical con-
+tact. &c., and from my personal and careful investiga-
+tions (which Mr. Home himself ever urges) I am positive
+that it is not in consequence of any trick or device that
+such phenomena occur. I have even been witness to
+singular phenomena when the said Mr. Home was not in
+the same room, and also when he has been asleep.
+have never known the said Mr. Home receive money for
+what is termed a 'séance,' but I have known him re-
+peatedly refuse offers of as much as twenty guineas for
+“J. M. GULLY, M.D."
+a single séance.
+
+
+Dr. Hooker, in his opening address, as President
+of the British Association at Norwich in 1868
+spoke very highly of the scientific attainments of
+Mr. Alfred R. Wallace, F.L.S. Mr. Wallace is an
+avowed Spiritualist. Professor Hare, of Phila-
+delphia, the inventor of the Hare's Galvanic Bat-
+tery, once refused to witness spiritual phenomena,
+alleging that Faraday's “unconscious muscular
+action" theory explained all the facts. A friend
+wrote to him detailing things he had seen which
+were inexplicable by that theory. Hare at once,
+like a sensible man, went to see for himself. The
+result was that he came into communication with
+some of his own departed relatives. He then
+made mechanical telegraphic machines, which
+were intelligently worked by spirits while the
+apparatus was screened from the sight of the
+medium, and he wrote a book recording all these
+facts. That book is now in the British Museun
+Library. Judge Edmonds, of New York, is another
+very eminent American Spiritualist, who has also
+written interesting books on the subject. Recently
+in England, Viscount Adare has written a book
+bearing testimony to the truth of Spiritualism, and
+it has a preface by Lord Dunraven. This book is
+printed for private circulation only, which is an
+error in judgment. Valuable evidence in favour
+of Spiritualism is given by John Wesley and his
+family; for spirit rapping and movements of
+wooden materials by invisible agency occurred in
+their own house. Documentary evidence of what
+they witnessed was drawn up and signed on the
+spot, and is published in Southey's Life of Wesley.
+The Spiritual Magazine for October, 1869, gives
+the following names of friends of Spiritualisun
+who have now and then contributed to its pages:
+“Viscount Adare; John Ashburner, M.D., Translator
+of Reichenbach, author of Philosophy of Animal Mag-
+netism and Spiritualism; T. B. Barkas, author of Outline.
+of Ten Years Investigation into the Phenomena of Modern
+Spiritualism; George Barth; Richard Beamish, F.R.S,
+author of The Life of Brunel; Rev. S. E. Bengough,
+M.A.; Edward L. Blanchard; Edward Brotherton; Cap-
+tain Richard F. Burton (the African traveller;) William
+Carpenter, author of Political Letters, The English Bible;
+Captain Edward Henry Chawner; Honry T. Child,
+M.D. (Philadelphia, U.S.A.); Benjamin Coleman, author
+of Spiritualism in America; Robert Collyer, M.D., F.C.S.
+Christopher Cook; Robert Cooper, author of Spiritual
+Experiences; Mrs. De Morgan, author of Matter to
+Spirit; Jacob Dixon, L.R.C.P., author of Clairvoyance
+Hygienic, and Medical; Hugh Doherty, M.D, author of
+Organic Philosophy; Captain Drayson, R.A.; Judge
+Edmonds (New York); Captain H. A Fawcett, R.N.;
+John M. Gully, M.D.; Professor W. D. Gunning (Boston
+U.S.A.); Samuel Carter Hall, F.S.A.; Emma Hardinge
+George Harris, M.A., F.S.A., President of the Manches-
+ter Anthropological Society; W. E. Hickson, late editor
+of the Westminster Foreign Quarterly Review; Rev. A.
+W. Hobson, M.A.; Baron C. Dirckinck Holmfeld; Daniel
+Dunglass Home; Rev. J. Page Hopps, editor of The
+Truthseeker; Mary Howitt; William Howitt; Henry D
+Jencken, M.R.I., F.G.S.; John Jones, author of Man:
+Physical, Apparitional, and Spiritual; Rev. William
+Ker, M.A.: Seymour Kirkup (Florence); Andrew Leigh-
+ton; Robert Leighton; Kenneth R. P. Mackenzie, F.S.A.;
+Rev. William Mountford (Boston, U.S.A.); A. E. New
+ton (Boston, U.S.A.) author of The Ministry of Angel
+Realised; Mary S. Gove Nichols; J. H. Powell: Baron
+Reichenbach, author of Researches on the Dynamics
+Magnetism; Elihu Rich, author of several articles in the
+Encyclopædia Metropolitana; J. Lockhart Robertson
+M.R.C.P.: Mary C. Hume Rothery; Rev. W Hume
+Rothery, M.A.; Epes Sargent, author of The Planchette;
+Thomas Shorter; Rev. W. R. Tomlinson, M.A.; Crom-
+well F. Varley, F.R.G.S.; C. Staniland Wake, author of
+Chapters on Man; Alfred R. Wallace; A. M. H. Watts;
+William White, author of Emanuel Swedenborg: His
+Life and Writings; W. M. Wilkinson, author of Spirit
+Drawings; James J. Garth Wilkinson, M.D., author of
+The Human Body, and its Connection with Man; Rev. F.
+
+
+“Awaiting a reply to this letter, and to the challenge
+with which it concludes, I am, gentlemen; your obedient
+servant
+G. DAMIANI
+“Clifton, Oct. 1, 1868
+“P.S.—Letters addressed Sigr. Damiani, care of
+Manager of West of England and South Wales District
+Bank, Corn-street, Bristol,' will always reach the writer."
+In addition to the above evidence, there is the
+testimony of numbers that the modern spiritual
+manifestations are realities. Mr. Hepworth Dixon
+in his New America estimates the number of Spiri-
+tualists in the United States at rather less than
+three millions, and this is about the lowest estimate
+that anybody has made. There are no accurate sta-
+tistics, and different authorities vary in their esti-
+mates from three to eleven millions.
+
+
+All these facts, together with those which
+follow, prove that Spiritualism deserves serious
+investigation. Not a few learned men have pri-
+vately been examining the phenomena in order to
+“explode the imposture,” but these extinguishiers
+soon catch fire themselves. In short, in the
+minds of most of the English public, Spiritualism
+has to pass through the following five stages :
+
+
+1. The manifestations do not take place.
+2. Spiritualism is a gross imposture.
+3. It is a delusion.
+4. It is the work of the Devil.
+5. It is a great blessing, and we always said so.
+
+
+Experience shows that the feebler the intellect
+and the lower the standard of energy and educa-
+tion, the sooner does the investigator break down
+at one of the first four out of the above five steps
+in the ladder of progress.
+
+
+MR. HOME'S AFFIDAVIT
+In the Chancery suit of Lyon v. Home, for the
+recovery of certain monies given by Mrs. Lyon
+to Mr. Home against the advice of her lawyer
+and her friends, Mr. Home made an affidavit, from
+which the following is an extract:
+“I Daniel Dunglass Home, of 22, Sloane-street, in
+the County of Middlesex, one of the above-named de-
+fendants, make oath and say as follows:
+“I was born in Scotland on the 20th of March, 1839,
+and from my childhood have been subject to the occa-
+sional happening of singular physical phenomena in my
+presence, which are most certainly not produced by me
+or by any other person in connection with me. I have
+no control over them whatever: they occur irregularly
+and even when I am asleep. Sometimes I am many
+months, and once I have been a year without them
+They will not happen when I wish, and my will has
+nothing to do with them. I cannot account for them
+further than by supposing them to be effected by intelli-
+gent beings or spirits. Similar phenomena occur to
+many other persons. ... These phenomena occurring in
+my presence have been witnessed by thousands of
+intelligent and respectable persons, including men of
+business, science, and literature, under circumstances
+which would have rendered, even if I desired it, all
+trickery impossible. They have been witnessed repeat-
+edly and in their own private apartments, when an
+contrivance of mine must have been detected, by their
+Majesties the Emperor and the Empress of the French
+their Majesties the Emperor, Empress and late Empress
+Dowager of Russia, their Imperial Highnesses the Grand
+Duke and Dnchess Constantine of Russia and the mem
+bers of their august family, their Majesties the King of
+Prussia, the late King of Bavaria, the present and late
+King of Würtemberg, the Queen of Holland, and the
+members of the Royal Family of Holland; and many
+of these august personages have honoured, and I be-
+lieve still honour, me with their esteem and goodwill, a
+I have resided in some of their palaces as a gentleman
+and their guest, and not as a paid or professional per-
+son. They have had ample opportunities, which the
+have used, of investigating these phenomena, and of
+inquiring into my character. I have resided in America,
+England, France, Italy, Germany, and Russia, and in
+every country I have been received as a guest and
+friend by persons in the highest position in society, who
+were quite competent to discover and expose, as the
+ought to have done, anything like contrivance on my
+part to produce these phenomena. I do not seek, and
+never have sought, the acquaintance of any of these
+exalted personages. They have sought me, and I have
+thus had a certain notoriety thrust upon me. I do not
+take money, and never have taken it, although it has
+been repeatedly offered me for or in respect of these
+phenomena, or the communications which appear to be
+made by them. I am not in the habit of receiving those
+who are strangers to me, and I never force the subject
+of Spiritualism on any one’s attention. ... Some of the
+phenomena in question are noble and elevated, others
+appear to be grotesque and undignified. For this I am
+not responsible, any more than I am for the many
+grotesque and undignified things which are undoubtedly
+permitted to exist in the material world. I solemnly
+swear that I do not produce the phenomena aforesaid,
+or in any way whatever aid in producing them," &c.
+“I have been subjected to much persecution through¬
+out my life, because of my conscientious belief as to the
+meaning and great purpose of spiritual phenomena
+taken as a whole. That belief I have not, like the
+plaintiff, foresworn. I have always courted the strictest
+investigation, although I have not condescended to
+notice all the attacks and anonymous slanders that have
+been circulated respecting me. The book shown to me
+at the time of swearing this affidavit, marked H 8, con-
+tains a correct list of upwards of 1,300 letters, with the
+writers' names, which I still retain (after having de-
+stroyed about 10,000), written to me by persons of ever,
+rank and class, including persons of the highest social,
+political, literary, and scientific position, who have in-
+vestigated these phenomena, and corresponded with me
+about them. After the fullest opportunitics of examina-
+tion, they have formed different opinions as to their
+origin and meaning; but I believe that all are
+thoroughly satisfied of my entire honesty in the matter
+and lately, while the plaintiff’s basc and unfounded
+charges of fraud and imposition have been hangin,
+over me, and during the months of January and
+February, 1868, these phenomena have been thoroughl
+tested by another scientific man, named Mr. Hawkins
+Simpson, the inventor of electrical apparatus, including
+one for printing at a distance by the telegraph—a
+drawing and description of which were, as I am in
+formed and believe, given in the Engineer newspaper of
+the 15th November, 1867."
+
+
+WHAT IS THE USE OF SPIRITUALISM?
+Strange to say there are people who can ask
+what is the use of communication with friends
+and relatives, who have passed the great barrier
+of the grave. One use of Spiritualism is, that all
+Spiritualists who lead moderately good lives, are
+fonnd to gradually lose the fear of death. Spirits
+through the agency of suitable media hiave much
+power in the healing of diseases, and the removal
+of deformities, though such power is far from
+absolute. The following is a narrative, published
+in Daybreak, of some of the powers exercised
+through Mr. Newton, the best healing medium in
+the United States; he is expected to visit England
+in the course of the year 1870. The following ex-
+ample from a very boundless field of choice, is
+enough for the present on the subject of the uses
+of Spiritualism:
+'Friday. May 22, of the present year (1868) will for
+ever remain one of the most memorable days of my life.
+It was on that day, when the sun was shining brightly
+and bathing the world with its light and heat, that I
+arrived at Newport, Rhode Island, and first came under
+the healing powers of Dr. J. A. Newton. I had heard
+of him through The Spiritual Magazine, Mr. William
+Howitt, and Mr. Coleman, and was assured that if I
+placed myself in his hands I should be speedily and
+radically cured of the neuralgic affection in my liead
+for which I had been suffering for eleven years. It was
+not until I had become a little more familiar with some
+of the facts and phenomena of modern Spiritualism
+that I felt a quiet faith in the power of Dr. Newton to
+remove my disease. Having once attained to that state
+of mind, and becoming satisfied that it was my duty to
+cross the Atlantic in search of health, I made arrange-
+ments for doing so, and left Liverpool for New York on
+Saturday, May 9, arriving at the latter place on Tuesday
+evening, the 19th.
+The moment Dr. New-
+ton and I met, I found in his face and simple kindly
+manner a human image of the outside sunshine, and
+but few words had been spoken when I was convinced
+that the errand upon which I had come would be ful-
+filled. I was about to give him the history in detail of
+my affliction when he stopped me by saying, That
+after I had been cured he would be very glad to listen
+to anything I might wish to say, but that the cure itself
+was the first matter to be attended to.' He then poured
+a large quantity of very hot water upon my head while
+I was leaning it over a basin into which the water fell
+After my head had been dried with a coarse towel, I
+was made to sit upon a moveable seat, similar to a
+music-stool, the doctor standing behind me, and placing
+my head against his chest with his hands crossed upon
+my forehead. He then moved my head in various
+directions until all at once a clicking noise was heard at
+the top of my spine. The doctor immediately cried out
+That noise is the sign that you will be cured; the dis-
+turbance of the nerve current has been removed. He
+then faced me, and lifting both his hands towards
+heaven, he looked me hard in the face, saying, 'Look at
+me. In the name of God our Heavenly Father, and of
+the Lord Jesus Christ the Great Healer, I bid this
+disease depart from this dear suffering brother and
+never more afflict him. It is gone—it is gone—it is
+gone for ever, my brother; you are cured; rise up on
+your feet and be cured.' At that instant I felt a strong
+current of new life flowing into and through every part
+of my body, and I was conscious that I had entered
+upon an altogether new phase of existence. From that
+day to the present hour, July 13, I have been entirely
+free from my pain, and have felt as well, I should think
+as it is possible for any human being to feel. Physically
+speaking, I am a new creature; old things have passed
+away and all things have become new. Of course it is
+not for me to say absolutely that the cure will be per-
+manent, but, if I may judge from my present expe-
+rience, I see no reason why it should not be so.
+Wonderful as my case is, it is only one of thousands, so
+far as Dr. Newton is concerned. He has cured almost
+every form of disease, and removed almost every kind
+of suffering. In fact, lie appears to have done every
+thing but raise the dead. And yet even he does not
+cure all cases, and this failure enables him to keep alive
+the consciousness that it is not he who cures, but God
+who works in and through him. He tells me that he
+has cured something like a quarter of a million of
+people.'
+Most of his cures are done without
+fee or reward. In my own case he steadily refused to
+take a single dollar, and I saw him act in like manner
+towards several others. During my stay I witnessed
+several instances of his heallng power; some of then
+being so manifest as to defy all attempts at explaining
+them away. On the very morning that my own cure
+was effected, I witnessed his cure of a paralytic who for
+three years had been unable to walk without the aid of
+crutches, and even then, only in a partial degree. This
+woman was brought by her parents to Newport, and, in
+less than flve minutes from the time when she came
+under Dr. Newton's hands, she got up from the couch
+on which she had been laid, and walked away up the
+street and back again, a full mile, and afterwards
+walked and ran and jumped and danced, as so many
+signs that her cure was a complete one. I also saw him
+cure a young man who had a withered hand. Indeed, I
+might have seen day by day, and hour by hour, ex-
+amples of this healing power had I chosen to have done
+so. Every now and again, there are trains from Boston
+and Providence freighted with the lame, the halt, the
+blind, and the diseased, sometimes to the number of
+500 or 600. These come to Newport, and a large majo-
+rity of them are sent away perfectly cured. In one part
+of Dr. Newton’s house there is a room of considerable
+size, full of crutches, sticks, spectacles, eye-shades,
+bandages, and other memorials of disease and sickness
+which have been left behind by patients as so many
+signs and trophies of their cure.
+
+
+Mrs. De Morgan has written a book, entitled
+From Matter to Spirit (Longmans), where she
+gives many interesting particulars, the result of
+ten vears' experience in Spiritualism. Professor
+De Morgan, President of the Mathematical Society
+of London, in his preface to the book, says:
+“I am perfectly convinced that I have both seen and
+heard, in a manner which should make unbelief impos-
+sible, things called spiritual, which cannot be taken by
+a rational being to be capable of explanation by impos
+ture, coincidence, or mistake. So far I feel the ground
+firm under me."
+The following is an extract from another
+affidavit, made in the suit of Lyon v. Home:
+“I, James Manby Gully, of The Priory, Great Malvern,
+in the County of Worcester, doctor of medicine, make
+oath and say as follows:
+“I have known the above-named defendant, Daniel
+Dunglass Home, for seven years and upwards, last past
+and have during that period been in the habit of attend-
+ing him professionally, and also of receiving him in my
+house as a personal friend, and I have never had the
+smallest reason to doubt his character as a man of
+honour and proper moral feeling.
+“I have during the past seven years witnessed both
+in my own house, and elsewhere, in the presence of the
+
+
+Signor G. Damiani, a Sicilian gentleman living
+at Clifton, has written a pamphlet, still in print
+in which he severely censures Professor Tyndall
+Mr. G. H. Lewes, and others like them, for refus-
+ing to investigate the subject. He further offers a
+reward of 1,000 guineas to any respectable, scien-
+tific or educated men, who will investigate the
+subject and prove it to be an imposture. The
+following are his words:
+“I now offer you two challenges.
+“First, I challenge you, or either of you, or any of
+the public who, like you, disbelieve in the genuine cha-
+racter of spiritualistic phenomena, to deposit in the
+hands of any well-known London banker whom you or
+they may name, the sum of flve hundred guineas; and
+I pledge myself to immediately deposit in the same bank
+a like amount,—the ownership of such sum of one thou-
+sand guineas to depend upon my proving by evidence
+sufficient to establish any fact in history or in a criminal
+or civil court of justice.
+First—That intelligent communications and answers
+to questions put, proceed from dead and inert matter in
+a manner inexplicable by any generally recognised law
+of nature.
+"Secondly—That dead and inert matter does move
+without the aid of any mechanical or known chemical
+agency, and in deflance of all the admitted laws of gravi-
+tation.
+"Thirdly—That voices appertaining to no onc in the
+flesh are heard to speak and hold rational converse with
+men.
+“A jury of twenty-four gentlemen, twelve to be chosen
+by each party (such jury to consist exclusively of mem-
+bers of the learned professions and literary men), to
+decide whether or not the facts contained in the above
+propositions are conclusively proved per testes—i.e, by
+witnesses of established character. A majority of
+the twenty-four to decide. If the verdict be that these
+facts have not been established, the thousand guineas
+are to belong to the party accepting this challenge; if
+the verdict be that these facts are established, the thou-
+sand guineas to be mine.
+"Secondly—Immediately after the above wager being
+decided, either way, I offer a like challenge of five hun-
+dred guineas (to be met on the other side in like manner
+as above)—the ownership of the second sum of one
+thousand guineas to depend upon the establishment of
+the facts contained in the propositions already given, by
+experiments conducted in the actual presence of the twenty
+four gentlemen who have decided the previous wager
+the verdict of the majority to decide in this case likewise.'
+“In either case, the séances are to be conducted in an
+public or private building which the jury may select,
+and which may be available for the purpose.
+“The result of these challenges (if accepted and de-
+cided) to be advertised by the victorious party, at the
+expense of the defeated party, in all the London daily
+papers.
+“I hope this is plain English.
+
+
+Omitting the remainder of Mr. Home's affidavit,
+the following evidence given by him before the
+Dialectical Society, is of interest:
+“He had seen a pencil lifted by a spirit hand write on
+paper in the presence of the Emperor Napoleon. This
+took place in a large room, the Salon Louis Quinze. The
+Empress was also present. The hand, after writing,
+went to the Emperor, who kissed it ; it then went to the
+Empress; she withdrew from the touch, and the hand
+followed her. The Emperor said, Do not be fright
+ened, kiss it!' She then kissed it, and it shortly after-
+wards disappeared. The writing was an autograph
+of the Emperor Napoleon I. The Emperor of Russia
+had also seen and handled spirit hands, which after-
+wards seemed to melt away into thin air.
+The Emperor Napoleon has been at a great
+many of Mr. Home's séances, and Mr. Home was
+asked by members of the Dialectical Society te
+state other things which had been observed on
+those occasions. Mr. Home said that he did not
+feel at liberty to state any more than the Emperor
+was in the habit of telling himself.
+
+
+“FREDERICK ROWLAND YOUNG,
+“Minister of the Free Christian Church, Swindon.
+There are very many healing mediums in the
+United States, who can do good only in certain
+diseases, or whose powers are so feeble that suc-
+cessful results may with more probability of accu-
+racy be put down to the imagination of the
+patient.
+A great use of Spiritualism is that it demon-
+strates the immortality of the soul. But why
+ask, “ Of what use is Spiritualism?” for here the
+thing is in our midst as much a part of nature as
+the trees, the clouds, and the flowers, and as it
+cannot be abolished there is no alternative but te
+subject it to investigation, or to look on in igno-
+rance.
+
+
+HOW TO FORM SPIRIT CIRCLES
+An experimental trial at home, among family
+friends and relatives, often gives the most satis-
+factory evidence of the reality of spiritual pheno-
+mena. At the same time, as no fully developed
+medium is present among those who have never
+obtained manifestations before, the probability is
+that there will be no results. Nevertheless, it is
+a very common thing for striking manifestations
+to be obtained in this way at the first sitting of a
+family circle; perhaps for every one suecessful
+new circle thus started without a medium, there
+are six or seven failures, but no accurate statistics
+on this point have yet been colleeted. When
+once manifestations have been obtained they will
+gradually increase in power and reliability at suc-
+cessive sittings. The following is a good plan of
+action :
+1. Let the room be of a comfortable temperature, but
+cool rather than warm—let arrangements be made that
+
+
+40
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+JAN. 14, 1870.
+
+
+nobody shall enter it, and that there shall be no inter-
+ruption for one hour during the sitting of the circle.
+Wet, damp, and foggy weather is bad for the production
+of physical phenomena.
+2. Let the circle consist of four, five, or six individuals
+about the same number of each sex. Sit round an un-
+covered wooden table, with all the palms of the hands
+in contact with its top surfaee. Whether the hands
+touch each other or not is usually of no importance.
+Any table will do, just large enough to conveniently
+accommodate the sitters. The removal of a hand from
+the table for a few seconds does no harm, but when one
+of the sitters breaks tho eircle by leaving the table it
+sometimes, but not always, very considerably delays the
+manifestations.
+3. Before the sitting begins, place some pointed lead-
+pencils and some sheets of clean writing paper on the
+table, to write down any communications that may be
+obtained.
+4. People whio do not like each other should not sit in
+the same circle, for such a want of harmony tends to
+prevent manifestations, except with well-developed
+physical mediums; it is not yet known why. Belief or
+unbelief has no influence on the manifestations, but an
+acrid feeling against them is a weakening influence.
+5. Defore the manifestations begin, it is well to engage
+in general conversation or in singing, and it is best that
+noither should be of a frivolous nature. A prayerful,
+earnest feeling among the members of the circle is likely
+to attract a higher and more pleasing class of spirits.
+6. The first symptom of the invisible power at work is
+often a fecling like a cool wind sweeping over the hands.
+The first manifestations will probably be table tiltings or
+raps.
+7. When motions of thie table or sounds are produced
+freely, to avoid confusion, let one person only speak
+and talk to the table as to an intelligent being.
+Let him toll the table that three tilts or raps mean
+"Yes," one means “No," and two mean “Doubtful"
+and ask whetlier the arrangement is understood. If
+three signals be given in answer, then say, “If I speak
+the letters of the alphabet slowly, will you signal ever
+time I come to the letter you want, and spell us out
+message?" Should three signals be given, set to work
+on the plan proposed, and from this time an intelligent
+system of communication is established.
+5. Afterwards the question should be put, “Are we
+sitting in the right order to get the best manifestations
+Probably some members of the circle will then be told
+to change scats with each other, and the signals will be
+afterwards strengthened. Next ask, “ Who is the
+When spirits come asserting themselves to
+medium?"
+be related or known to anybody present, well-chosen
+questions should be put to test the accuraey of the
+statements, as spirits out of the body have all the virtues
+and all the failings of spirits in the body.
+
+
+sible to comply with his demand. Faraday also
+required an answer to the following questions
+anong others, before attending:
+“Would he (Mr. Home) be glad if their (the manifesta-
+tion's) delusive character were ostablished and exposed,
+and would he gladly help to expose it, or would he be
+annoyed and personally offended? (The italics in this
+“Does he consider the effects natural or supernatural?
+sentence are not in the original.)
+If natural, what are the laws which govern them? or
+does he think that they are not subject to laws? If
+supernatural, does he suppose them to be miracles, or
+the work of spirits? If the work of spirits, would an
+insult to the spirits be considered as an insult to
+himself?"
+Mr. Home took no notice of the above insults,
+and, it is believed, never wrote Faraday in the
+first instance, or took any notice of him whatever.
+He never even saw his letters.
+
+
+Dr. John Tyndall, F.R.S., in a note dated May
+8, 1868, commenting upon Faraday's letter just
+mentioned, wrote:
+"I hold myself in readiness to witness and investigate,
+in the spirit of the foregoing letter (of Faraday's), such
+phenomena as Mr Home may wish to reveal to me
+during the month of June."
+A few days previously Mr. Home had written
+in the Pall Mall Gazette:
+“It will give me pleasure to meet Professor Tyndall,
+and any two gentlemen he shall designate. On my side
+I shall have at least two gentlemen whose names and
+position place them above the suspicion of aiding or
+abetting a fraud. I will meet Professor Tyndall and
+these gentlemen when and where they please, and
+under such circumstances as they may decide on.
+must only crave their patience if nothing should occur
+at the first, or even the second, séance."
+
+
+From that day to this Dr. Tyndall has not
+accepted the above invitation.
+A demand fora programme where no programme
+can be given, and the writing of supercilious
+letters in reply to civil invitations, amounts prac-
+tically to a refusal to observe facts. Dr. Tyndall
+and men who act like him, are recommended to
+bear in mind the following words of Galileo:
+“Oh, my dear Kepler, how I wish that we could have
+our hearty laugh together. Here, at Padua, is the prin-
+cipal professor of philosophy, whom I have repeatedly
+and urgently requested to look at the moon and planets
+through my glass, which he pertinaciously refuses to do.
+Why are you not here? What shouts of laughter we
+should have at the glorious folly; to hear the Professor
+of Philosophy at Pisa, labouring before the Grand Duke
+with logical arguments, as if with magical incantations
+to charm the planets out of the sky!"
+A little society known as the Dialectical Society
+is now investigating Spiritualism. It numbers
+among its members many shrewd and intelligent
+men, belonging chiefly to the legal and medical
+professions. Spiritualists watch its proceeding
+with a moderate amount of interest; nothing that
+any man or body of men may say or do can alter
+the established phenomena and laws of nature
+
+
+inquirers; the sittings exhaust their vitality like a
+hard days’ work, and they have to put up with
+much abuse when uneducated roughs unaccus-
+tomed to investigation persecute them by attend
+ing. The inquirer should mention to the medium,
+civilly and kindly, his doubts respecting the
+phenomena he may witness; the invisible beings
+around will at once, ou the spot, do their best to
+remove those donbts, or an explanation will be
+obtained from the medium. When there is real
+foundation for suspicion, the best plan is to go
+often to the medium, accompanied by witnesses,
+detect the imposture, and prosecute the medium
+for obtaining money under false pretences.
+Genuine manifestations are not under the control
+of the medium, so that a paid medium who does
+not get manifestations, is under a great temptation
+to try to make them. T’his fact makes it difficult
+for Spiritualists to speak absolutely as to the relia-
+bility of any paid mediuns, however genuine the
+majority of the manifestations may be which occur
+in their presence. After getting thoroughly inte-
+rested in Spiritual phenomena, the inquirer should
+take his friends to see them, and afterwards get my
+a private circle in his own house. Manifestations
+will most likely not be obtained at the first sitting
+but after very few or very many sittings they will
+come; gradually the great barrier of the grave
+which now separates friends will be broken down.
+and after the experience of a year or two the
+dread of the beautiful natural process, called
+“death,” will be destroyed, as it is destroyed in
+the minds of all experienced Spiritualists, except
+those who during life have done harm to their
+fellow creatures. Very high spirits and their
+homes are perfectly invisible to very low spirits ;
+this, coupled with the fact that there is no more
+uniformity in the next world than there is here
+accounts for the endless contradietions about spirit
+life given in Spiritual communications.
+An investigator of a logical aud scientific turn of
+mind may possibly have to closely follow up the
+subject for some weeks before gaining the absolute
+knowledge that the manifestations come from
+spirits. Unlike Mr. Home and a few other excep-
+tional individuals, most mediums are developed
+for one or two special purposes only. Thus, vio-
+lent physical manifestations, inexplicable by an
+of the recoguised laws of matter, may be seen in
+the presence of one medium, but mental tests and
+questions may bring forth a majority of inaccurate
+and unreliable answers. Where good mental tests
+are obtainable through a medium, the physical
+manifestations may be altogether absent.
+There are so few public or semi-publie spirit
+circles at work in London, aud the pressure for
+admission is so great where the manifestations are
+good, that the best plan for noviees is usually to
+try to get mauifestations at home among their own
+friends.
+
+
+On the first of every month
+"THE TRUTHSEEKER, a Review.
+devoted to the advocacy of reverent free
+thought in matters pertaining to Religion.” Edited by
+the Rev. J. PAGE HOPPS. Price Threepence.
+London: Trübner and Co., 60, Paternoster-row. Man-
+chester: Johnson and Rawson, and John Heywood; and
+through all booksellers and agents.
+
+
+"THE NEWSPAPER PRESS"—THE PRESS ORGAN
+THIS JOURNAL is the adopted and re-
+cognised Representative of the Newspaper in-
+terests, and the medium of interecommunication between
+Proprietors, Editors, Reporters, Correspondents, Pub-
+lishers, Printers, and all parties associated with News
+papers.
+“We hail with satisfaction the addition of the News-
+paper Press to the journalism of the United Kingdom.'
+Saunders' News Letter.
+“Information of a kind peeuliarly valuable to cver
+one connected with newspapers.—Dublin Freeman's
+Journal.
+“We feel it our duty especially to commend it to all
+newspaper men."—Brighton Gazette.
+Subscriptions, 4s. per annum, post free, payable in ad-
+vance.
+Loudon: E. W. ALLEN, Publisher, 11, Ave Maria-lane
+
+
+The only Cheap Weekly Horticultural Journal.
+2d. Weekly; and in Monthly Parts, 10d.
+THE GARDENER'S MAGAZINE for
+Amateur Cultivators, Collectors, and Exhibitors
+of Plants, Flowers and Fruits, for Gentlemen's Gar-
+deners, Florists, Nurserymen, and Seedsmen; for Na-
+turalists, Botanists, Bee-keepers, and Lovers of the
+Country. Conducted by SHIRLEY HIBBERD, Esq.
+F.R.H.S.
+London: E. W. ALLEN, 11, Ave Maria-lane, E.C.
+And by Order of all Booksellers and Newsagents in
+Town and Country.
+
+
+FEMALE MEDICAL SOCIETY.
+Vice-Patrons:
+His Grace the Duke of Argyll, K.T
+Her Graee the Duchess of Argyll.
+The Baroness de Rothschild.
+The Countess de Noailles.
+
+
+President:
+The Right Honourable the Earl of Shaftesbury, K.G.
+Treasurer:
+Henry Charles Stephens, Esq., 171 Aldersgate-street, E.C
+Honorary Secretary:
+James Edmunds, Esq., M.D
+Lady Secretary:
+Mrs. Blangy
+Bankers:
+The Londou aud County Bank, 441, Oxford-street.
+
+
+Possibly at the first sitting of a eircle symptoms
+of othier forms of mediumship than tilts or raps
+may make their appearance. Information respect
+ing the many kinds of medinmship will be found
+in Mrs. Professor De Morgan's book, From Matte
+to Spirit, published by Longmans; and this is a
+good book to read before trying to start a nev
+circle. It usually takes several years for au¬
+medium to attain full power, and it is not an
+uncommon although not an everyday thing, for
+chairs and other articles to move about in the
+presenceofagoodwell-developed physieal mediun
+withont anybody touching the articles at all. Thi¬
+fact effectually disposes of Faraday's “unconscious
+muscular action” tlicory. Some have suggested
+that the phenomena are all mental, since mental
+conditions influence their production, and that
+those present all believe they sec and hear thiugs
+which they do not in reality see and hear. The
+answer is that there is sometimes such a noise
+with improperly powerful manifestations that the
+sounds are heard all over the house by persons
+not in the room ; the furniture sometimes gets
+broken by movements of too violeut a character
+and the broken portions remain as evidence that
+tlie phenomena were not of a mental character.
+The upholsterers' bills which result also serve to
+convince that the occurrences are faets. The
+higher spirits scem to have little power over
+common matter, and tlie highest communications
+are not usually obtained through physical mani
+festations.
+There are in England several very interestin,
+cireles for physical manifestations, where the
+spirits speak with audible voices, but, unfortu¬
+nately, total darkness is a necessary condition.
+Non-spiritualists who are inquiring into the sub
+ject should have nothing to do with dark séances,
+which should be held only by those who knov
+cach other, since they offer so many facilities for
+fraud. When any circle regularly obtains power
+ful physical manifestations, they may desire to si
+for the voices. The very slightest glimmer of
+light must be excluded from the room, while the
+members of the cirele sit round the table in the
+ordinary way. One or two paper tubes, each
+twelve or eighteen inches long, with an orifice
+about an inch-and-a-half in diameter, should be
+placed on the table. They may be readily made
+by rolling up a piece of musie and tying a fev
+pieces of cotton round the rough tube thus formed.
+In the early stages of a voice-cirele these tubes
+are necessary for the use of the spirits, but after
+wards tlicy may be dispensed with except when
+the weather and other conditious are unfavour
+able. Wheu first trying to obtain the voices the
+spirits may not be able to lift the tubes from the
+table, afterwards they often get them up in the
+air a foot or two and let tliem drop again. When
+they get full control over them they cau carr,
+them about up to the ceiling and to all parts of
+the room, and they talk to the members of the
+cirele often while floating abont above their heads.
+Very beautiful luminous phenomena are some¬
+times shown by the spirits at dark circles. While
+sitting for the voices, the spirits will tell by the
+ordinary table signals how they are progressing in
+their work of getting control of the tubes
+Every human being is surrounded by an atmo¬
+sphere which to the spirits is luminous and mate¬
+rial, and this atmosphere is largely used by the
+spirits in the production of the physical manifes¬
+tations. Baron Reichenbach, while he knew
+nothing of Spiritualism, discovered by experiment
+the presence of unknown forces emanating from
+human bodies, and published the results in hi¬
+Rescarches on Animal Magnetism. All the pheno
+mena of Spiritualism draw temporarily upon the
+vital powers of those composing the circle, but
+the medium is the chief source of energy.
+A still atmosphere and subdued light in the
+room are favourable couditions for tlie physieal
+manifestations.
+
+
+THE LITERATURE OF SPIRITUALISM.
+The literature of Spiritualism now consists of
+several hundreds of volumes, good, bad, and indif-
+ferent, and almost entirely of American origin.
+Among the best volumes on the subject are Mrs
+De Morgan's From Matter to Spirit (Longmans)
+with a preface by Professor De Morgan, President
+of the Mathematical Society of London; The
+Planchette, by Epes Sargent; Spiritualism (2 vols.)
+by Judge Edmonds and G. T. Dexter, of New
+York; a History of Spiritualism, by Emma Hard
+inge; and The Autobiography of Andrew Jackson
+Davis. An interesting book, consisting simply of
+narrations of facts witnessed at remarkable seances,
+is Incidents of My Life (Longmans), by D. D.
+Home. The Soul of Things, by Denton, is a curious
+book indirectly connected with Spiritualism, and
+worth reading. Those unacquainted with Spiri-
+tualism are recommended to read these books in
+the order in whieh they have just been mentioned.
+The only large lending library of Spiritual books
+in Great Britain is that belonging to Mr. J. Burns
+15, Southampton-row, High Holborn, London,
+W.C. The English periodicals on the subject
+are, The Spiritual Magazine, Human Nature, Day-
+break, and The Spiritualist.
+
+
+ADVICE TO INQUIRERS.
+Those who know no intelligent Spiritualists,
+and nothing about Spiritualism, yet who want to
+investigate, are recommended to begin by reading
+the first two books mentioned in the preceding
+paragraph. Then they should call upon the chief
+publisher of Spiritual books in Londou, Mr. J.
+Burns, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn (where they
+are sure to be treated with attention and courtesy),
+and ask for the names and addresses of say four
+good professional or non-professional mediums,
+accessible to the public, and “ recognised by Spiri-
+tualists as reliable for powerful physical manifes
+tations.” There are plenty of mediums or of people
+who fancy themselves mediums, who can rarely show
+anything satisfactory, and with whom an inquirer
+might waste much time. He should then get say
+two sittings by daylight in his own house with
+each of the four mediums, because the power
+varies in strength at times with every medium;
+at the end of the eight sittings he is sure to be
+thoroughly interested in Spiritualism, and to have
+thrown overboard the imposture theory, which is
+the clumsiest and most superficial one of all.
+Many of the publie have vague ideas that electri-
+city can do all kinds of unaccountable things, but
+A GENUINE MEDIUM NEVER HAS ANY HESITATION
+IN SITTING WITH A CIRCLE IN A HOUSE AND AMONG
+FURNITURE WHICH HE OR SHE HAS NEVER SEEN IN
+HIS OR HER LIFE BEFORE. Even with a good
+medium it is best, if time be valuable, not to
+investigate at crowded public circles, because,
+assuming imposture to be at work, there is no
+telling who may not be aiding, among the
+numerous spectators. Besides, where so many
+people want to ask questions of the spirits, the
+investigator has not time to put many himself.
+Investigators are recommended to be thus careful
+in the selection of mediums, because as public
+attention is gradually more rivetted upon Spiri-
+tualism, impostors are sure to spring up, and even
+to advertise in Spiritual periodicals, for the editors
+manifestly cannot investigate the claims of ever
+professing medium. At present (November, 1869)
+there is very little imposture mixed up with the
+Spiritual movement in Great Britain, and there are
+only four or five paid mediums in all London.
+Good paid mediums deserve high praise rather
+than that censure whieh is thrown upon them even
+by Spiritualists ; they find house-room; they are
+ready to receive straugers at stated times when
+private circles could not sit for the convenience of
+
+
+JOSEPH BARKER'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
+Now ready, neatly bound in cloth, price 2s. Gd
+TEACHINGS OF EXPERIENCE; or,
+Lessons I have Leamned on my Way through
+Life.
+London: JAMES BEVERIDGE, 9, 10, 11, Fullwood's-rents
+Holborn, W.C.
+
+
+HUMAN NATURE, a Monthly Record
+of Zoistic Seience, Intelligence, and Popular
+Authropology. Recent numbers give full details of the
+extraordinary Manifestations through the celebrated
+Medium, D. D. Home, Esq., with philosophical reason-
+ings as to the nature and cause of the phenomena: a
+new series of lessons on Phrenology and the Tempera-
+ments is being given, containing some new instructions
+of great value to the student; first-class Portraits of
+eminent men and women, with Biographies and Phreno-
+logical delineations are frequently introduced; a serial
+Tale of great power and beauty; articles on Physiology,
+Diet, Temperance, and Health; translations from Con-
+tinental Works and Periodicals; treatises on Mesmerism
+Clairvoyance, Spiritualism; reviews of Books; report-
+of Lectures, Meetings, and Societies, renders this the
+cheapest, most varied, aud instructive Periodical of the
+kind in the world. The fact that this Periodical is en-
+tirely unbiased and devoted to the truth respecting all
+the topies on which it treats, is a point not to be over
+looked by all earnest investigators, whatever their
+opinions may be. Post free, 7s. per annum, or Gd. per
+month from the Booksellers. JAMES BURNS, Progres-
+sive Library, 15, Southampton-row, Bloomsbury-square
+Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+THE PROGRESSIVE LIBRARY and
+SPIRITUALIST DEPOSITORY has been re-
+moved from Camberwell to No. 15, Southampton-row,
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, W.C.
+There is a Publishing Office and Shop for the sale of
+Books; a Circulating Library of all Works on Spiritualism
+&c.; a Reading-Room supplied with the Spiritual and
+Progressive Publications of the World; a Drawing
+Room for the special use of Ladies and Subscribers
+Private Rooms for Séances, Committees, Meetings, &c.
+and where all information respecting the Cause and the
+Progress of events may be obtained.
+The Subscription, entitling to all the privileges of the
+Establishment, includiug the use of two Books at a
+time from the Library for home perusal, is 21s. per annum
+A well-assorted Stock of Stationery, Periodicals, cur-
+rent Progressive Literature, Standard Works, Cheap
+Books and Tracts, Planchettes, Materials for Writing
+and Drawing Mediums; also Works and Appliances on
+Phrenology, Physiology, Health, and Dietetic Reform
+Temperance, Hydropathy, Gymnastics, Mesmerism,
+Clairvoyance, Anthropology, &c., will be kept on sale.
+As the responsibilities incurred in establishing this
+“Home for Spiritualism" and the Science of Man are
+very heavy, the Proprietor earnestly solicits the kind
+co-operation and support of all who sympathise with
+the enterprise. Strangers in London should at once
+call at the Progressive Library, where they may hear of
+Lodgings and get other useful information.
+J. BURNS, Progressive Library, 15, Southampton-row,
+Bloomsbury-square, Holborn, London, W.C.
+
+
+THE SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE, pub-
+lished Monthly, contains all the news of Spiri-
+tualism, and psychological articles by writers of ability.
+Publisher, JAMES BURNS, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn,
+W.C.
+
+
+THE BANNER OF LIGHT, the Chief
+Weekly Newspaper on Spiritualism in the United
+States, may be ordered through Mr. JAMES BURNS, 15
+Southampton-row, Holborn, W.C.
+
+
+The Female Medical Society is established for the
+following objects:
+1.—To promote the employment of properly educated
+women in the practice of Midwifery, and the treatment
+of the Diseases of Women and Children.
+2.—To provide educated women with proper facilities
+for learning the theory and praetice of Midwifery, and
+the accessory brauches of Medical Science.
+Midwifery and the accessory branches of medicine
+offer a wide field of honourable and lucrative employ-
+ment for educated women; also a meaus of intellectual
+culture and social usefulness to ladies who may not be
+dependent upon their own exertions. For want of
+properly qualified ladies the best portion of the practice
+of midwifery has drifted into the hands of gentlemen
+though female practitioners still attend the bulk of the
+population. But any person may undertake the duties
+of a midwife. Proper means of study have never been
+provided for women, and there has never been an
+public examination, by which women when well qualified
+might be distinguished from those who are illiterate and
+unqualifled.
+The Society has carried on for five years the Ladies'
+Medical College, whieh has taught the theory and prac-
+tice of Midwifery and the accessory branches of medi-
+cine. Eighty-two ladies have already availed themselves
+of its advantages, and many of these ladies are settled
+in practice, and suceceding admirably.
+A life subscription of ten guineas, or an annual sub-
+scription of one guinea, constitutes a member of the
+Society, but stamps or other small contributions will be
+gladly received
+Lady subseribers of not less than one guinca are
+invited to visit any Lectures in which they are likely to
+be interested.
+The addresses of skilled Lady Midwives, Prospectuses
+of the College, and all particulars as to the operations of
+the Society, may be obtained of the Lady Secretary.
+Temporary Offices—4 Fitzroy-square, W
+Cheques to be crossed London and County Bank.
+
+
+NO. 1 of THE SPIRITUALIST is from be-
+ginning to end a compact mass of good evidence
+that the facts of Spiritualism are true. It contains a
+summary of the evidence given before the Dialectical
+Society by twenty wituesses of eminence and ability; in
+also gives the testimony of respectable non-Spiritualists:
+therefore it is a valuable publication to place in the
+hands of non-Spiritualists, and should be seleeted for
+that purpose rather than later numbers of the same
+journal, as the later numbers will run out of print first
+and should be ordered while they are still obtainable by
+those who wish to preserve them for binding. A few
+copies of No. 1 should be kept on hand for the benefit of
+non-Spiritualists, but later numbers should be retained in
+the possession of the early friends of the movement
+before they become scarce and unobtainable. Cover-
+with stringed backs, to keep copies clean till required
+for binding, 3s. each.
+London: E. W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, E.C.; or J.
+BURNS, 15, Southampton-row, Holborn, W.C.
+
+
+Contents.
+
+
+The Human “ Double
+33
+Spirit-rapping in John Wesley's Family. Part IV. 33
+Lecture by Mrs. Hardinge
+... 34
+REPORTS OF MEETINGS:—Séances at the Spiritual
+Library. - Crushed to Death—The consequences o
+Crime—Remorse in the Spirit World—Restitution
+and Repentance—The Equilibrium of the Mental
+Faculties—Proper Names in Trance-Mediuship. 3
+... 35
+Bible Spiritualism
+GENERAL NEWS:—Speaking in Unknown Tongues
+Table Signals and the Alphabet—Proper Names
+and Trance-Mediumship—The Spiritual Magazie
+“The Reality of a Spirit World Demonstrated"
+—Spiritualism in the Isle of Wight—The Spirit
+World
+... 36
+LEADER:—The Action of Light upon Spiritual Mani-
+... 37
+festations..
+37
+A Feature of Tranee-Mediumship
+... "
+“John King"
+.. 37
+POETRY:—The last Scene of Life
+... 38
+CORRESPONDENCE:—Was Sarah Jacobs Starved to
+... 38
+Death
+The “ Banner of Light" Circle...
+... 38
+... 38
+The Education of the Young
+PARAGRAPHS:—Atmospherical Influences on Mani-
+festations, 36; The Anthropological Society, 36
+The Cure of M. Leon Favre, 38.
+
+
+SPIRITUALISM AND MEN OF SCIENCE
+Sir J. Emerson Tennent once invited Faraday
+to a séance at which Mr. Home was to be the
+medium. Faraday wrote and asked for a pro-
+gramme of the manifestations, and as nobody
+knows beforehand what will take place at a circle
+any more than the details of an expected star-
+shower can be given in advance, it was not pos-
+
+
+R. J. L. OLIVE, Professor of Modern
+Spiritual Science, 1, Gibson-place, Warrington¬
+crescent, Maida Vale, W. Mr. Olive is prepared to afforc
+information relative to Spiritualism, the Development o¬
+Mediumistic power, &c., with facilities for investigation
+of Phenomena. Reliable advice based on large medical
+xperience, and aided by beneficent Spirit Intelligences,
+may also be obtained for the relief of ailments of Body
+or Mind. Consultation Fee, One Shilling.
+
+
+Printed for the Proprietor by JAMES BEVERIDGE, at the
+Holborn Printing Works, Fullwood’s Rents, High
+Holborn, in the Parish of St. Andrew-above-Bar and
+St. George the Martyr, London, and published by E.
+W. ALLEN, Ave Maria-lane, London, E.C.
+
+
+The Spiritualist.
+
+
+A RECORD OF THE PROGRESS OF THE SCIENCE AND ETHICS OF SPIRITUALISM.
+
+
+VOL. I
+No. 6.
+
+
+LORD BROUCHAN ON SPRTUALISM.
+
+
+A WORK entitled The Book of Nature,* by Mr. Charles
+O. Groom Napier, F.C.S., was published last month, and
+has a preface by the late Henry Lord Brougham and
+Vaux, which preface closes with the following sentence:
+“There is but one question I would ask the author, is
+the Spiritualism of this work foreign to our material -
+istic, manufacturing age?—No; for amidst the varieties
+of mind which divers circumstances produce, are found
+those who cultivate man’s highest faculties ;—to these
+the author addresses himself. But even in the most
+cloudless skies of scepticism I see a rain-cloud,—if it be
+no bigger than a man’s hand; it is Modern Spiritualism."
+Many were the noble acts and deeds of Lord
+Brougham, but the foregoing outspoken statement,
+shows, how even in his later days, he was in advance
+of many of our younger and more energetic philosophers
+and statesmen, both in knowledge of facts, and in fear-
+lessly and honestly publishing that knowledge.
+
+
+THE ROYAL INSTITUTION
+THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE HUMAN BODY
+
+
+PROFESSOR HUMPHRY, M.D., F.R.S., of Cambridge
+University, is now giving a course of six Tuesday morn-
+ing lectures on the Architecture of the Human Body,
+and the fourth lecture of the series was delivered last
+Tuesday. He said that the several bones forming the
+spinal column or “ backbone,” are joined together at
+their outer edges by tough fibres, but the inner portion
+of the space between the bones is pulpy and not fibrous,
+so that the vertebrae are to all practical intents and
+purposes balanced upon fluid balls, tough outside and
+soft in the centre. These fluid balls prevent bad effects
+from jars. By pressure and by work, some of the in-
+ternal fluid is squeezed out of the balls during the day,
+but the fibrous substance having a great attraction for
+moisture, the loss is soon replaced. So tightly are the
+bones joined together, that when the spinal column is
+broken, some of the bones themselves are almost sure to
+be broken also. All mammals, with a very few excep-
+tions, have the same number of bones in the neck, and
+there are no more bones in the neck of the giraffe than
+in the neck of a man. The ribs are attached to the
+spinal column, and proceed from it in a curve ; they are
+inclined in a slightly downward direction, but in old
+people they become more horizontal. The points of the
+ribs are not directly joined to the breast-bone, but are
+connected with it by ligaments which slant slightly up-
+wards, so that the downward slant of the ribs, and the
+upward slant of the ligaments, permit respiration to go
+on more easily than would otherwise be the case. The
+position of the heart, which is somewhat to the left of
+the centre of the chest, seems to give it a tendency to
+drive more blood to the right side, and to the right arm
+so may have something to do with right-handedness.
+Babies have very large skulls in proportion to the size
+of the rest of the body, and this is curious, because for
+many years the large brain enclosed in the skull has
+very little work to do. The lower jaw is moved by a
+very large and powerful muscle, which spreads upward
+and outwards like a fan, so as to reach to the temples
+and to cover a very large portion of the side of the
+skull; it is the presence of this muscle which makes it
+unpleasant to eat a hard biscuit while a tight hat is upon
+the head. The thigh-bone is the longest bone in the body
+it has a very shallow socket, so that it is kept in its place
+principally by atmospheric pressure, and moves to and
+fro, depending from the shallow socket, something like
+a pendulum. The knee is one of the most complicated
+joints in the whole body, and when it gets out of order
+does not readily get right again. The pelvis is an inch
+wider in woman than in man, therefore tends to make
+women walk with a waddle, but this defect is not seen
+unless they strive to keep pace with man; although
+women have this disadvantage, they have graces which
+man has not. After the age of twenty-five is past, exa-
+mination of the bones will give very little clue to the
+age at death of the individual who owned them. Madder
+will colour growing bone a red colour, so that pigs fed
+on madder for a time, and then killed, will be found to
+have portions of their bones stained red. Anatomist
+have availed themselves of this plan of colouring bone
+to learn more of the method of growth of the substance.
+
+
+*London: John Camden Hotten. 1870.
+
+
+Bone is light in weight, yet it will bear twice the strain
+of oak, and is much more elastic, so it is the very best
+substance which could have been chosen for the frame -
+work supporting the rest of the human body.
+
+
+THE ATMOSPHERIC SOURCE OF VEGETABLE NUTRITION.
+Dr. William Odling, F.R.S., in the first of twelve lec-
+tures on “ The Chemistry of Vegetable Products,” said
+that from an acre of meadow land some 4,000 pounds
+weight of hay is usually removed, as the product of a
+few months’ growth; and this great quantity of matter
+has to be traced back to its source. All vegetable pro-
+ducts, when subjected to a moderate heat, out of contact
+with air, give a considerable quantity of charcoal or
+carbon, retaining very nearly the outward form of the
+original substance. In this way evidence is obtained of
+the presence of carbon in vegetable products of all
+kinds. The proportion of carbon in wood, corn, wheat,
+and diffcrent vegetable substances varies, but it averages
+about 45 or 50 per eent. of the whole weight.
+When
+such an enormous weight of carbon is removed from
+cultivated land every year, the question arises, “ Where
+does it come from originally?"
+Up to about forty
+years ago, the prevailing idea was that it came from
+decaying and dead vegetable matter in the soil, in the
+form of a brown substance called “humus."
+The
+vegetable mould of forest land contains about 70
+per cent. of carbon ; in grass and arable land there
+is also much humus rich in carbon, and to this
+substance the origin of vegetable tissue was as-
+scribed. This view was adopted both by Sir Hum-
+phrey Davy and Berzelius, and it was not over-
+thrown till Liebig, in 1840, brought the question
+under the notice of the British Association; he then
+heaped proof upon proof that humus was not the
+source of the carbon in question, and he brought out
+what is known as “the mineral theory of vegetable
+nutrition."
+Before humus can enter a plant it must be
+dissolved; and Liebig showed that humus is very in-
+soluble in water; also that, if the whole of the rainfall
+upon an acre of land dissolved all the humus it could
+take up, and the whole of this humus was carried into
+the plant during the period of its growth, it would only
+account for a very small percentage of the carbon in
+the full-grown vegetable. Humus is, however, more
+soluble in alkaline liquids, and Liebig proved that if al
+the alkali contained in plants had been employed to aid
+the rain water in dissolving humus, still it would not
+account for a tithe of the carbon found in the plants.
+Where, then, does the carbon come from? It must
+come from water, earth, or air; and as water contains,
+no carbon, attention was drawn to air. Common air
+contains carbonic acid gas in small proportion, there
+being about four volumes of the gas to every 10,000
+volumes of air. It was found by experiment that peas
+could be grown in soil consisting only of powdered
+burnt brick, quite free from organie matter : also
+in Chili, Peru, and other countries, vegetation is
+sometimes very rich upon sandy soils, containing
+little or no carbon.
+The palm trees of the West
+Coast of Africa, which grow upon a sandy soil,
+yielded between the years 1821 and 1830 no
+less than 107,000,000lbs of oil, containing 32,000
+tons of carbon. Where did all the carbon come from ?
+Although there are only, on an average, four volumes
+of carbonic acid gas in 10,000 volumes of air, yet that
+would give a volume of the gas in the theatre of the
+Royal Institution half as large as the lecture table, and
+a volume of solid charcoal as big as a brick ; so that
+when the enormous volume of the atmosphere of the
+earth is considered, there is plenty of charcoal in it.
+On every square foot of the surface of the earth there
+is a column of air pressing with a force of 2,000lbs.;
+and this column contains about half a pound of charcoal ;
+calculation, therefore, shows that the atmosphere of the
+whole earth contains 3,000 billions of pounds of carbon,
+or more eharcoal than is contained in the whole of the
+vegetable and animal kingdoms, and in all the coal
+deposits below the surface of the earth. Dr. Odling
+closed his lecture by describing how it was proved by
+experiment over and over again, that the leaves of
+growing plants absorb carbonic acid gas from the atmo-
+sphere, and appropriate the carbon contained therein.
+It is, therefore, demonstrated that most of the carbon
+helping to form trees, plants, grass, and corn comes
+from the atmosphere, and not from Mother Earth.
+
+
+THE following is a portion of a letter by Mr. D. A
+Eddy, of Cleveland, Ohio, published on the 29th Jan.
+1870, in The Banner of Light, the chief newspaper on
+Spiritualism in the United States :—“ You are already
+no doubt, somewhat familiar with the name of our
+medium, Mrs. Harriet Thackerberry, who visited New
+York, recently, on an invitation from a gentleman whe
+saw the manifestations here, and desired to present
+them to the New York Spiritualists. It is now only
+two years since the spirits succeeded in attracting
+attention, and making themselves known through this
+medium, since which time the manifestations have gra-
+dually assumed a more positive and decided character
+but, till quite recently, have been mostly confined to
+prescribing for invalids, and conversing freely and
+audibly with any one in the audience that desired to
+enter into eonversation with them. They seem to tak-
+much pleasure in exhibiting their vocal powers in sing-
+ing, and this constitutes one of the remarkable feature
+connected with the manifestations. There are one
+male and three female spirits always in attendance.
+They have a great variety of songs at hand, and always
+seem pleased when called on to render any particulari
+one, with the time or air to which it is adapted.
+The
+female voices, so far as the music is concerned, wil
+compare with the most celebrated singers now before
+the public.
+“ The presiding or controlling spirit, Benjamin Thac-
+kerberry, was the husband of the medium; and was lost
+on Lake Ontario nine years ago last November. By dint
+of perseverance he succeeded in coming back and learn-
+ing the laws of control. He was an unlettered, unedu-
+cated sailor, but possessed a noble, and generous, and
+enterprising spirit. His grammar was quite defective
+before leaving the form—which still shows itself in
+conversation—but a more accommodating or generous
+spirit I have never met, in or out of the form. He was
+attracted to his wife, and first succeeded in making him
+self known through her. She has passed through great
+trials while being developed, but through the assistance
+of one kind friend, at least, has been able to outlive the
+discouraging and embarrassing influences with which
+she has been beset and surrounded.
+“ It is now only a little over two weeks since the
+manifestations that have called out this statement were
+exhibited, and which took us as much by surprise as did
+those which preceded them. That your readers may the
+better understand, I will briefly state the conditions
+preceding the manifestations in question. In order to
+give satisfactory tests to sceptics and investigators
+small light frame, about 3 x 2 1/2 feet square, covered
+with black oil cloth, forming a cabinet, is used; the
+door forming the front having an opening or aperture
+say 14 x 16 inches square, covered with a drop-cur-
+tain, tucked in at the top, making the inside dark, ex-
+cept what little light finds its way through the imper-
+fection of the framework and covering
+“ When tests are to be given, the medium’s mouth is
+filled with a wet sponge; her lips compressed together
+and sealed securely with several pieces—one over the
+other—of adhesive plaster. Her hands are then
+securely tied behind, when she takes a seat in the
+cabinet, and immediately passes into deep trance of
+unconscious state. In from one to two minutes after
+the door is closed, talking by the presiding spirit
+familiarly known as 'Ben,' commences. He salutes
+each one in turn in the audience with whom he is ac-
+quainted, and likes to be introduced to all strangers.
+These proceedings over, he solicits questions, if no one
+commences without. The three female spirits, who are
+always in attendance, will also converse freely when
+called out by the audience. Singing, conversing, play-
+ing upon instruments and writing inside the cabinet
+constituted, as we supposed, the ultimatum of these
+manifestations. Judge of our surprise, when suddenly
+and without any previous warning, several faces ap-
+peared at the opening in the door above referred to.
+On inquiry, we were informed by the presiding spirit
+that hereafter these exhibitions would constitute the
+leading phase and most important feature in the mani-
+festations, and well has he kept his word.
+“ At the time these last-named manifestations ap-
+peared, the medium was under an engagement to go to
+New York, where she is at this time of writing. We
+
+
+THE APPEARANCE OF SPIRITS AT PUBLIC
+MEETINGS
+
+
+LONDON: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1870
+
+
+Published on the 15th of every
+Month; Price Threepence
+
+
+42
+
+
+THE SPIRITUALIST.
+
+
+FEB. 15, 1870.
+
+
+succeeded in prolonging her stay some ten days, in
+order to have this new development fairly and satisfac-
+The result was that some fifty spirits
+torily tested.
+presented themselves, a large number of whom were
+recognised by parties in the audience.
+“ The only conditions required on these occasion-
+were music, if convenient; the circle to sit from six to
+eight feet from the cabinet ; the lights placed so as to
+shine with full force directly on the opening in the
+door when the faces presented themselves—conversa-
+tion amongst the audience and with the presiding spirit
+in the cabinet allowed, same as when we had only
+singing and musical manifestations. The only change
+in the condition of the medium was—in addition to
+those above described—a veil was placed over her face
+after her hands were securely tied behind. In most
+cases, the spirits presenting themselves appeared to have a
+light gauze or piece of white cloth over their foreheads
+and sometimes over the neck and chin, but, in most
+cases, exhibiting the face sufficiently to be recognised.
+They informed us that the light was so severe upon
+them that this precaution was necessary to enable
+them to hold on, while a fair and distinct view of their
+features could be seen by the audience.
+“ By direction of the presiding spirit, we took the
+cabinet to Mr. Beckwith’s photograph-rooms, West Side,
+where five different negatives were taken in daylight
+in less than an hour, three copies of which I sent you
+last Saturday, 8th inst. This was the first and only
+sitting the medium gave for photographs while here,
+prior to leaving for New York. Most of the faces seen
+at the circles, especially the select or private circles
+were plainer than those I sent you, and we are assured
+that after a little practice they will be able to present
+themselves as plainly and distinctly for photographs as
+any one could in the form.
+“It may, perhaps, be well to state that the voices
+which proceed from the cabinet are not produced by the
+medium’s organism, but by the spirits themselves, who
+possess the faculty of forming lungs and all the appa-
+ratus necessary for distinct articulation. Many suppose
+the talking and singing proceed, in some way, from the
+medium’s organism. But this is not the case ; the con-
+ditions are such that it is utterly impossible for her to
+articulate. The spirits, when talking, are in the imme-
+diate vicinity of the medium, but usually from one to
+two feet from her, and frequently change their position."
+
+
+Dr. NEWTON, the healing medium, will arrive in Eng-
+land in May next.
+MEDIUMISTIC DIET.— Within the past month we have met
+with five mediums in London, who have been forbidden by
+spirits to eat pork, on pain of having their mediumship taken
+away. Mr. Peebles says that in the United States the same
+objection to pork is almost universally expressed by the
+spirits.
+SUNDAY evening lectures are now being delivered by Dr.
+Carpenter, V.P.R.S., Professor Huxley, Mr. J. Norman Lock-
+yer. and others, at St. George’s Hall, Langham-place, Regent
+street.
+LECTURE BY MR. S. C. HALL.—Last Thursday evening
+Mr. S. C. Hall, F.S.A., gave a Lecture on the Fairy Legends
+of Ireland, at the Literary Institute, Newington Causeway, in
+connection with “ Dunn’s Tailors’ Labour Agency.” The hall
+was full to overflowing, many being unable to obtain seats
+Mr. Hall began by speaking of the universality of the belief in
+fairies in Ireland, and he told all about the superstitions relating
+to the phooka, the banshee, the cleuricaune, the dullahaun, and
+many other varieties of the “bogle” tribe. He told how St.
+Kevin got rid of the last of the “sarpints” in Ireland. St.
+Patrick had previously cleared out all serpents but one, whe
+was too clever for him. St. Kevin then tried to annihilate the
+reptile by prayer, but St. Kevin was a young man; of course
+his prayers had not the full strength of an older saint, so he
+failed. Then he spoke fair words to the sarpint, and one day as
+they were walking arm in arm through a wood, they came to
+a great trunk, and began to dispute as to its size. The ser-
+pent bet the saint a gallon of spirits that the trunk would not
+hold his (the serpent’s) body so a trial was made; St. Kevin
+whipped down the lid of the box, and dropped the trunk and
+its contents into the sea, the serpent crying out all the time,
+“St. Kevin, let me out, let me out, and l’Il pay you the gallon of
+sperrits like a gintleman !” Other tales did Mr. Hall relate,
+one a very rich one told him by the late Master of the Rolls,
+and the interest of the audicnce was well sustained through
+out. At the close a vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. W.
+E. Church, seconded by Mr. W. Dunn, and carried by acclama-
+tion.
+THE MEETINGS AT THE CAVENDISH ROOMS.—Four Sun
+days ago, the first of a series of Sunday evening meetings,
+partaking somewhat of the character of a religious service,
+began to be held at the Cavendish-rooms, Mortimer-street
+Langham-place, under the management of Mr. J. M. Peebles.
+Full particulars respecting one of these meetings will be found
+in another column. Already the attendance is large enough
+to quite fill the hall. Steps are being taken by some leading
+friends of Spiritualism to make the step a permanent one, and
+an organ is shortly to be purchased, that the vocal may be
+aided by instrumental music. The singing on the first two
+evenings was of a doleful character, consequently a choir was
+formed, and a marked improvement in this part of the service
+is the result. Arrangements will also shortly be made, to de-
+corate the lecture-table with flowers. A great fault connected
+with ordinary religious meetings is that the preacher has it all
+his own way, and listeners who are sometimes more intelli
+gent than the teacher, are obliged to accept all he says in
+silence. Would it, or would it not, be a good plan to an
+nounce at the close of every Sunday evening lecture, that
+those present may put any questions they please to the speaker
+upon the platform? During the absence at Norwich of Mr.
+Peebles last Sunday evening, Mr. Burns officiated in his place.
+On each evening plenty of rappings were heard near seats
+occupied by media, but not loud enough to interfere with the
+proceedings.
+
+
+Reports of Meetings.
+
+
+[When reports of the speeches of spirits are printed in this Journal, non-
+Spiritualists should understand that spirits out of the body are wise or
+foolish, truthful or untruthful, just the same as spirits in the body. More
+over, they are but individuals, so do not know everything. The statements of
+a spirit are but the assertions of an individual; but by comparing the state-
+ments of many spirits, it may in time be possible to discover in what point
+they agree, and to sift out the unreliable communications. Many spirits
+cannot see each other, any more than we can see them, and as some of them
+are thus in different states of life, it does not follow that contradictory
+messages are therefore untruthful. Spirits are of different religions, conse
+sequently their teachings do not altogether agree; there is no more uniformity
+in the next world than in this one. It is the business of this journal to report
+facts, so we are in no way responsible for the religious, scientific, or any other
+teachings given by individual spirits.]
+
+
+A SUNDAY EVENING MEETING OF
+SPIRITUALISTS.
+REASON, AND THE RIGHT OF PRIVATE JUDGMENT—THE DOCTRINE OF ENDLESS
+TORMENTS—THE PSYCHOLOGY OF “REVIVALS"—TRANCE MEDIUMSHIP
+POWERFUL PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS—MATERIAL OBJECTS MOVED WITH-
+OUT CONTACT WITH HUMAN BEINGS—THE HAPPINESS CONFERRED BY
+SPIRITUALISM—HEALING MEDIUMSHIP—CURES RECENTLY EFFECTED BY
+DERVISHES AT SOUTARI IN THE PRESENCE OF PRINCE FREDERICK WILLIAN
+OF PRUSSIA—CARRIAGE OF NEWS FROM EUROPE TO AMERICA BY SPIRITS
+-TESTIMONY OF THE DYING IN FAVOUR OF SPIRITUALISM
+
+
+ON Sunday, January 30th, Mr. J. M. Peebles, American
+Consul at Trebizond, delivered a lecture on Spiritualism, at
+the Cavendish Rooms, Mortimer-street, Langham-place
+Regent-street. These meetings will be held regularly every
+Sunday evening, and the proceedings begin at seven o’clock
+Mr. PEEBLES, according to a system he has long carried out
+in the United States, preceded his lecture with a short reli-
+gious service, and he began by giving out a hymn, which was
+sung by the large number of Spiritualists and others present.
+He then offered up a short prayer to the Almighty, giving
+thanks to Him for the blessing of direct communication with
+departed friends, and for having planted within every human
+being the seeds of endless growth, and eternal progression.
+Mr. PEEBLES then said that in one of the epistles of Paul
+there is language something like this :—“ Be ready to give to
+every man a reason for the hope that lieth in the-
+Reason,
+he said, is a Divine gift, one of the greatest characteristics of
+true manhood, and as God has been pleased to make us
+reasonable beings, we ought to exercise these reasoning
+We should sanction no
+powers to the best advantage.
+theology, no moral teaching, and no deduction of science, till
+we have brought the subject to the test of reason. Wherever
+there is an effect there must have been a cause : wherever
+there is motion there must have been something to produce
+it, and wherever there is a house there must have been a
+builder ; so, where we see millions upon millions of bright
+and glorious worlds circling in their orbits, there must be
+some intelligence guiding them by grand and immutable
+laws.
+All the conceptions of man being finite he can never fathom
+the infinite ; he will always be a progressive being, and how
+ever high he may ascend in the scale of creation, he wil
+always find universes before him to explore. We may with
+Plato call God the “ life essence,” or with A. J. Davis, “the
+great positive mind of the universe”; we may accept the
+teaching of the Apostle John that “God is love,” or what is
+better we may say with Jesus that “ God is a Spirit ”—the
+Infinite Spirit of the universe. There is imparted to every
+man a portion of that Infinite Spirit. The spiritual body of
+man moves the earthly body, but what moves the spirit
+body? It is moved by the power of the Infinite Spirit ; God
+is a living fountain, acting continually upon this innermost
+spirit—the spirit of man. Mind is unseen, it is the great
+motive power of the universe, yet the scales cannot weigh it
+nor can it be analysed by the blowpipe, but an idea often
+exerts great force. Martin Luther once said that “ every
+man had the right of private judgment,” and that idea had
+sufficient inherent power to shake the church of Rome to it
+foundations. That idea has since grown till all are much
+agreed that no man, or bishop, or pope, has any right to ster
+in between a man and his private judgment, and to dictate
+what he shall think or do.
+He would tell his listeners some of his own experiences in
+the matter of Spiritualism. He was born in one of the Nev
+England States, and his parents were Calvinistic Baptists
+His early schooling was all coloured by the strict dogmas of
+that sect, and on Sundays he listened to long sermons, and
+fearful hymns ; one of these hymns he remembered contained
+the following verse:
+
+
+Eternal chains and heavy plagues
+Tormenting rocks and fiery coals,
+And darts to inflict immortal pains
+Dipped in the blood of damned souls.
+
+
+Another hymn closed thus
+The sinner must be born again,
+Or sink to endless woe
+He was taught in his Sunday-school that he was a sinner by
+nature, that he had sinned in Adam, “our federal head,"
+before he was born, and that he lived under the curse of God
+This teaching had such an effect, that when he was ten or
+twelve years old, he was afraid to go to sleep, lest he should
+die in the night, and wake up in the flames of hell. When
+he was about fifteen years of age, a revival clergyman visited
+the village of Chenango, where he then lived. Numbers or
+the people went to the revivalist to “ get religion,” and some
+of them wanted him to go and get religion too. The revival
+preacher was, by nature, a keen psychologist, well able to in-
+fluence more negative minds than his own, and he preached a
+powerful discourse from the text—“ When the Lord Jesus
+shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance
+on them that know not the Gospel."
+It was a fearful sermon about the torments of hell, and
+worked strongly upon his youthful mind. Soon after it was
+over, the preacher took him by the hand—just what a mes-
+merist would do when influencing his subject—and told him
+that he was a sinner, but that if he believed in Jesus, all
+would be well. The minister added, “ Say you believe."
+“Well, I believe,” was the reply. “Another soul saved,"
+exclaimed he. The psychological effect of this was that he
+felt relieved in mind (he knew why now), and he began to go
+about with his precious Bible in his pocket, striving to con-
+vert others, while less than sixteen years of age himself.
+Some little time afterwards, the same Elder Bush, revivalist
+preacher, left his wife and children, and went to parts un
+known with his servant girl. This fact had a great effect
+upon his (Mr. Peeble’s) mind; he thought that the teaching
+of such a man could not be influenced by the Spirit of God
+and he threw over all his teachings as nothing but priestcraft
+and delusion. Then came a dreamless night, with no ray of
+hope, and he became a student of the works of Voltaire and
+Tom Paine. About two years afterwards a “ Universalist"
+
+
+clergyman came to his village ; the Universalists are a reli-
+gious sect in the United States, who teach the universal sal-
+vation of all men through Jesus Christ. He was a tall
+solemn, dark-haired man ; in his sermons he preached that
+God loves all, and that His tender mercies are over all His
+works; he referred to the love displayed in the works of
+nature, and he showed that there is harmony between the
+works of God and the Bible. This loving teaching was very
+attractive to him (Mr. Peebles), so he prepared himself to
+become a minister of this church, and for twelve years from
+that time he was a Universalist clergyman.
+One afternoon, about sixteen years ago, he was walking
+with a member of the New York Legislative, the Honourable
+V. Kenyon, who told him that hc had been to witness some
+of the “spirit-rappings,” which had then only just begun to
+attract public attention. He replied that he was astonished
+that his friend should go to witness such tricks. Mr. Kenyon
+said that he was very much surprised at the communications
+and the manifestations, and asked him to come and witness
+them also. He (Mr. Peebles) consented, but requested that
+the appoiutment should be fixed for some evening, as he
+should not like to be seen going by daylight to a rapping
+medium. (Laughter). When he got there he saw the lady
+her husband, and child, put their nands upon the table ; he
+heard raps, and, of course, thought that they made them
+He asked to be permitted to examine the table, and he did
+so, but found nothing. Then he said, “If you are spirits,
+please rap somewhere else ;” then he heard the noises upon
+the wall, and all round the room. Next the raps and tremu
+lous movements came upon his coat-collar, and as he knew
+that no machinery was concealed there, he was startled ; but
+he thought it due to some unknown force playing round the
+room, and making noises. Then the raps told him the name
+of a cousin of his who had died, together with her age, and
+the text chosen for her funeral sermon. He ascribed this to
+thought-reading. The name and address of the medium was
+Mrs. Tomlin, ot Auburn, New York.
+The second time he attended a séance he saw furniture
+moving about with nobody touching it. Soon afterwards a
+trance medium, a lad about fourteen or fifteen years of age
+came to Elmira, New York, with a gentleman, and they
+asked for the use of his church for the public exhibition of
+the spirit power. He made no objection ; in fact, he had an
+itching curiosity about the subject, and he wished to expose
+the delusion. The beardless vouth took his seat upon the
+rostrum, and the gentleman, who accompanied him, asked the
+audience to appoint a committee to select a subject for the
+medium to speak upon while in the trance state. He (Mr.
+Peebles) was made chairman of the committee, and was
+allowed to choose the subject, so he thought “That’s good !
+l’ve got him now!”. The subject given was, “ What is the
+philosophical influence of the nations of antiquity upon the
+civilisation and science of modern Europe and America?"
+The boy at once stepped forward and commenced, and, for
+one hour and three-quarters, one continual stream of history
+and philosophy fell from his lips ; the beauty of the language
+was astonishing, and the names of well-known and little-
+known sages of antiquity fell glibly from his lips. He began
+by speaking of the old Aryan race, and he spoke as if he had
+the whole history of India, Egypt, Greece, and Rome at his
+fingers' ends. He (Mr. Peebles) knew the work necessary to
+get up sermons before they are preached, and he was perfectly
+astonished at the address given by the boy, and he went home
+thinking that there must be some power at the root of
+Spiritualism.
+About six months later Dr. Redman, a very celebrated
+American test-medium, visited the city. He (Mr. Peebles)
+called upon him, like Nicodemus, by night, and saw a table
+moving about with much force whilst nobody was near it ; he
+also heard rappings. Then Dr. Redman took a pencil and
+wrote swiftly, backwards and bottom upwards. The message
+was from James Kenyon, a good old Quaker preacher in earth-
+life, and it told things which nobody but their two selves
+knew. Yet he (Mr. Peebles) could not say that even then he
+was quite a believer. Soon after two of the members of his
+church became Spiritualists. Others of his church became
+media, and gave him test upon test, yet he could hardly say
+that he was a believer.
+About twelve years ago he chanced to pay a visit to Mr.
+and Mrs. Odell, in Cleveland, Ohio, at a time that the Daven
+port brothers were stopping in the house. A public séance
+was held in the afternoon, and the manifestations were ver
+powerful ; he thought that some years ago the manifestations
+through the Davonport boys, were more powerful than they
+have been since. Whilst the audience were holding hands
+and the Davenports were tied, with flour in their hands, and
+chalk-marks round their feet, there was just light enough to
+see the musical instruments flying about the room, and they
+could be heard playing tunes. The spirits requested the
+witnesses to keep passive, and said that they would try and
+materialise themselves sufficiently to be seen. A faintly
+luminous cloud was then seen to form near the ceiling; it
+gradually shaped itself into a human figure with hands
+upraised, and then it vanished. Everybody in the room saw
+it. He (Mr. Peebles), at the close of the séance, said, “We
+read that spirits once rolled away a stone from Christ’s sepul-
+chre, and unlocked prison doors ; if you be spirits, I defy you
+to do the same.” That evening, at the house of Mr. Odell
+while the room was brilliantly lighted with gas, and the
+Davenports were tied, he and all the company saw peacocks
+plumes floating about the room, and a book walked across
+the floor with nobody touching it. Some unseen power then
+laid hold of his ankles, and jerked him out of his chair, so
+that he came to the ground in a very undignified way, and
+hurt his arm. That night the two Davenports slept in a bed
+at one end of a very large room, and he and Mr. J. K. Brown.
+of Buffalo, New York, slept in the other. The light of the
+moon made objects in the room pretty clearly visible. Three
+loud raps came upon the door, so he said, “ Come in,” as he
+thought it was Mr. Odell. The door opened and shut, but
+nobody came in. Next he felt one great blow on his fore-
+head, and a second on the pit of his stomach. “The spirits :
+said the media, and immediately there was a tremor of the
+whole house ! His bed was then upraised, and began to rock
+in the air with such vigour, that some of the castors dropped
+off the bedposts. Brown said, “ For God’s sake, Peebles, get
+a light ;” he jumped out of bed to do so ; just as he reached
+the door a great big hand hit him on the back, and he jumped
+back into bed again, being frightened. Afterwards the spirits
+told him that they manifested so violently not to do him any
+harm, but because he had dared them to do their worst or
+their best.
+At last he became a medium himself, he knew these pheno-
+mena to be the work of spirits, and then came the greatest
+ordeal of his life. He knew that departed loved ones could
+still converse with their friends, and the question was “ Shall
+
+
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