Jonnob/the-spiritualist-enriched huggingface dataset:
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.
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? 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 She to promise that you will do so, if God gives you power." 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.
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. 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.
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
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.
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.
* “ 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.
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.
“ 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.
"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
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
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.
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.