The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1853-01-11
POPULAR supERsr1r1oNs.

Not the least interesting or least instructive
subject for philosophic investigation are popu-
lar superstitious. Every age and race have
their own. Though not truths, they aie new
ertheless facts. They are real human phenom.
cna. and all phenomena must have n cause.
The gods and goddesses with which tho an.
clients peoplcd Hcaven-the innnmerable beau
tiful nymphs which, in their estimation, dwelt
upon the mountains, in the meadows and for
ests, and upon the waters--tho demon which
watched over the individual career of the
Crock, and the genius which performed sim
liar Office for the Roman-the internal beings
of the middle ages which stalked over the earth
on missions purely of human woe--the wicked
spirits which at later period amused them
selves by taking bodily possession of women
and transforming them into frightful witches
the horrid vampires and the more innocent
ffsterni.y of CHESTS, COLLINS and elyes--the de-
IliGhiful little fairies, and, finally. the spiritual
manifestations of our own age, IL not real per
sonal beings, are nevertheless facts in the actu
al living existence of which the most implicit
faith has been placed, and for which there
must be a cause.
In our opinion this cause will always be
found to lie exclusively within the human
min. All the gods and demi gods OF the an
cient world, ard all the popular supersttions.
second sights and spiritual manifestations OF
the modern, are but the expressions of the
sentiments, opinions and convictions of the
popular mind of the corresponding age, or OF
the idioyncracies of individual minds They
have their birth within the mind of man, and
it is Imagination that gives to them outward ex-
istence. In confirmation of this If we exam
inc the mythologies of various people we shall
SEQ that they strongly reflect the characteris-
tics of tho notions to which they belong. II
we note the times in which second sights,
ghosts and hobgoblns have been most common
IL which witches have flourished most abun-
d ntly, and horrid vampires have delighted in
tho greatest number Of victims. we shall per-
ceive that thoy were precisely when these su-
perstitions were the popular belief of the day.
The convictions of man are the suit of the
constitution and education Of his mind. And
unhappily the world without him is too apt 20
be to him little else than a reflection of the
world within him; an embodiment of his own
belief
The friends Of his own bosom people air,
With kindred friends that huut him to despair
Hates he his fellow menl Why, then he deems
'Tis hate for hate he each one seems
1t is the soul of man
(Which gives each outward circumstance its hue
And shapes all oiher acts and Thoughts inew,"
Faith is the indispensable ground of all pop
ular superstitios tho absolute, requisite to
all ghost seeing and other supernatural visions,
and to every description ofspiritual manifesto
tions. The eye the unheliever never sees.
nor does no hear the dwellers of the spirit
world. But to the believing they are prodgal
in their revelations Of themselves.
Excited imaginations, morbid states and pc
culiar constitutions Of tho nervous system and
remarkable individual idiosyncracies are also
fruitful sources of supernatural visions and
spiritual manifestations. The belatcd traveller
as he wcnds his solitarp way through forest
region celebrated for tho feats Of fhighwnymen.
deliberately deposits his purse upon the handle
of the pump standing bv his wayside, and
rides on, thanking God that his life has boon
spared The fond husband, father, brother, rs
he sits alone at midnight. absorbed in thoughts
of loved and departed one, is suddenly star
tied by the voice of her he mourns. or sees her
pale and emaciated form standing before him.
or fitting spirit-like, across the room. All
these are false creations, proceeding from the
hcat-oppressed brain" though they are "in
form as palpabie" as the vcricst realities.