The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-04-19
For the ".Siar Of tie North."
SPIRITUAL MAGNETISM.
BY 3. ". WEAVER.

By b. ". WEAVER. Nr l-
II is great pity that every scientific in
vesiigaiion must be perverted by mounie-
banks and chicanery 10 base and ignoble
purpose. But i, has ever been so; and since
the discovery Of the magnetic needle was
sbused 10 serve superstition, quackery has
ever followed at The heels Of science. All
true philosophers feel how much there is
s,ill left for them 10 leain after they have
treasured up the fruits Of all past ages; and
only be who knows less than nothing thinks
he knows ali. Swedenborg was true men.
tai philosopher--perhaps little too enthu-
siastic,-but his modern imitators are Bar.
nuns Of the "woolly horse" species.
In no department Of knowledge are we
more deficient than in thar where there was
mos, to be learned-the science Of the mind
There are thousand mental phenomena
tha, no mortal philosopher cen explain, and
every new solution of mystery only shows
us more clearly how much there is yet IN.
explained. Some years ago Two scientific
men (Messrs Thilorier and Lafon,sine) con-
Quoted a series of experiments in which they
demonstrated that there exists in the human
nerves an impondersble fluid which may be
considered as Intermediate between the elec-
tric and magnetic. Like the latter, the in
terposi.ion Of glass does not prevent its trans.
mission, and like the former, it may be fell
at distance through the medium of copper
wire. Upon this fact instantly spraug up a
score of theories and q swarm of lecturers
La Roy Sunderland called bis science of life
Pslhe,ism. Dr. bod called his science Bi.
ology. Another lectured on Psychology
Some one else attended 10 the par insgiua'
,ion played in this jugelery, and went about
feeding people brandy, ,waler, wine and lem
onsde all out Of the same glass with nothing
at ell in it. And still sno,her Of these attend
ed to the clairvoyant deparment-took the
spirit on. o. The fesh, and led il of on I
journey Of discovery. This latter seems t.
be the toughest business, and its operation
sometimes run against very crooked custom
ers. One English Professor, to test the skill
of the clairvoyants, wrote out q line o
Shakespear aud locked it in q box, offering
large sum of money TO any cAirvoysn
who would read it there. 1t has not YET beer
taken. Since the world has become inter
ested in the fate OF Sir John Franklin many
clairvoyants have told distinctly where he is
but we may as we'll remark tha, no Two sgres
in their report of him.
But new philosophy arose in the wake
of all the old theories, and what ! would
prefer to call mental magnetism was per
verted into the business and art of calling up
the splits of the dead 10 rap out messages
like an electric telegraph, Or to lift about
tables and make chairs dance. Perhaps
can fufnsh you nothing more interesting
upon the subject than brief account of the
origen of spirit-.apping in this country.
In 1s46 there lived in a small house in the
town Of Arcadia, New York, the family Of
MIR. Michael Weekmah. One evening he
thought he heard rapping on the outside
door bu: upon opening it found no one there
The rapping was soon aite, repeated, bul
upon opening the door Instantly there wa.
no one visible. Mr.. Weekman said he could
feel the jar of the door very plainly when
the rapping was heard. II seems that Mr.
Weekman soon afler moved away from The
house and nothing more was heard of the
rapping or other manifestations ill il was
occupied by the family Of Mr. John D. Fox,
who have since become SO conspicuous with
the advent Of spirits. In March 1s4s they
for the first time heard the mysterious sounds
which seemed 10 be like slight knocking
in one of the bedrooms on the floor. II was
in the evening just after they had retired.--
AT that time the whole family occupied one
room and all distinctly heard The rapping.--
They arose and searched with light but
were unable TO find the cause Of the knock.
ing. II continued that night until they all
fell asleep, which was not until nearly OF
quite midnight. From this time the noise
continued 10 be heard every night. After
having been disturbed and broken Of theiI
res. for several nights, In vain attempt 10
discover from whence the sounds proceed.
ed, they resolved one evening that this night
they would not be disturbed by it whatever
it might be. But Mr.. Fox had not yet re-
tired when the usual signs commenced
The girls who occupied another bed in the
came room heard the sounds and endeavoied
TO initiate them by swapping their fingers
The attempt was made by tae youngest girl.
then about IL years old When she made the
noise with her fingers the sounds were re-
pea,ed Just as she made them. When she
stopped swapping her fingers the sounds
stopped for hhort time. One Of the Other
girls Then said ia spqs, (fot they were get.