The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-07-01

matter imparlially, will be able or vii.
ling to controvert. We affirm that all
the mediums who pretend to carry on
what may be designated as the uctive
operations Of the craft---such as rappng
under tables tipping tables. dancing pi.
amos with stout men sitting on them.
throwing furniture about darkened rooms
touching ladies' shoul1e with spiritual
lards which shoot eff into space in a
blazing stream of light, calling up the
ghosts Of departed friends and making
them answer questions-we say that the
mediums who pretend to exhibit these
results, and who claim that they are
brought Abvut by spiritual agencies are
lmposters, and ought to he steruly dealt
with as such, We readily admit tho
honesty Of many who believe they have
n'orcd tables, without the application of
AN adequate physical force. We have
seen it done to often to doubt it but
we never saw it done without seeing
precisely where the mechanical force
necessary to produce the result was ac.
tually applied. Some of the writing
mediums doubtless honestly believe that
the pen or pencil held in their hands is
guided by an unseen spirit to write
words and sentences, unknown to them
until they read them after they are writ.
ten The fact doubtless may be so.
We mean, that when the writing is fin
lshed the person holding the pen may
not be aware of what be has written.
But the true explanation is, not that the
spirits bavo written, but that the writer
has forgotten what he has just done
that Is, The separate voitions IF bis own
mind, which alone guided the pen in
forming the letters aud the words, have
left no trace behind 10 :he memory.
This is al intellectual phenomenon which
takes place whenever performer on the
piano passes his fingers rapidly over the
keys
lie has not, a moment afterwards the
slightest recolltciio Of the several vo.
llllons by which each note was most
ecr'aiuly produced, aud yet it is fact
which excitcs 10 wonder. A slight
knowledge Of metaphysics, aud hltle
practice III apply ing principle universal
y achno~lrdg,d in one set Of cases to
another set OF analogous cases. would
save many houest people from deludipg
others and themselves.
There is no doubt the malady is wide.
spread, aud that it works desolatiug ef
fects Ii is uuhuging the intslIec and
ctowdlug The mad house with lunatics.
Ii is breaking up religious societies, aud
substituting III their places " spiritual
circles" lostead of ministers of the
gospel we have men and women. called
trauce meilums, holding forth to crowd
ed audiences. in crazy rhapsodies, be.
lleved to come from dis,mboded spirits
or from divine inspiration. in the
place OF the oldflshionud fortune tellers
We have consulting mediums, occupying
rooms or Offices in towns, aud cities
which are the daily resort Of thousands
of believers. We have travelling medi.
ums, like travelling lecturers, who ar.
range and publish beforehand their jour.
neys so that believers from all the coun.
try round may know when and where to
6ud ,hcm. We have men, too. who pro.
fess to procure answers f:om any inLabi-
taut of the spiritual world, to whom we
may choose to address the lotter-pro.
c,led a/,cayS zee Ieare tie letter nith
them for u day or tacO and their place
of bu'ness the post'uflice of the spirit
ual world has as much custom as tho
post-ofiices Of this wicked mundane
sphere.