Jonnob/the-spiritualist-enriched huggingface dataset:
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
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
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.
"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
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,
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
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 ... 12 Value of Reason.—An Eccentric Wil LEADER:—The Philosophy of Spiritual Manifesta ... 13 tions The Psychology of Children’s Books... POETRY:—On Injudicious Attempts to make Prose 13 ... 14 lytes—Birdie's Song 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.
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.
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 :
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.
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.
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.