Jonnob/the-spiritualist-enriched huggingface dataset:
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 20 Clerkenwell.—The Anthropological Society LEADER:—Economy of Time in Spiritual Research 21 Wanted a Ghost 21 An Address from a Spirit 21 POETRY:— "Quid Verum."- Belshazzar.—The Child's 22 Questions NEWSPAPER CRITICISM:—The Glasgow Herald on 22 Spiritualism The Glories of the Heavens 22 PARAGRAPHS:—THE SPIRITUALIST, 22.— Will-Power 22.—A Spirit on “Space," 22.—Mrs. Hardinge's Lectures, 22.
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,
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,]