Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-08-17

Does anybody want to know what a ''mcdi-
um" is?-l spiritual medium, that is to saw
A curious book published in London pretends
to give a complete definition -
"A medium is IA thinking being, who holds
conversation with another being, which has
been eliminated from her body, but which is
totally distinct from her body-as distinct as
the child at the breast is from the mother
and exists, just as the child, on condition of
the supply OF nutriment being kept up; and
this being is composed Of nothing else but the
vapors which have enanated from the medi-
umS body; and this beng can tell the medi.
um things which her own taculti eS are une-
quail to-
The book from which this lucid definition is
taken, has for its title -
''Mary Jane; or Spiritualism Chemically
Explained, with Spirit drawings. Also, Es-
says and Ideas (perhaps erroneous), by Il
Child at School,
MARY Jane, it seems, was "a being COM
posed OF nothing but vaporS"-or, to be more
precise, it was "an intelligent vapor, chiefly
composed OF phOsphoric elements and called
Mary Jane by the author Of the book. for lack
of better name. Here is an account of the
creature =
''rhis matter had to be investigated chemi-
cally, and this new being hadto be ch.istened
for, as did not wish to make single false
step, even in nomenclature; and as | had no
proof whatever OF its being spirit in the
sense usually attributed to that word-that is,
the soul OF departed person-and, as | had
already one clear cause for the movements of
the table, i'll the same emanations from the
human body which produce mesmeric sleep
and the (probable) sleep of the sensitive plant,
did not choose to embarrass myself with two
causes, even by the adoption of name, until
intimate scientific conviction should oblige
me to. STILL an intelligent being, to be talked
to, must have name, and the house was full
of children from school, and country servants.
How it was | don't know-having no relative
nor knowing any lady of that name-but
christened the newcomer Mary jane and
it answered to Mary Jane, and from that time
forward Mary Jane has been with us at any
time we choose to talk with her, and has even
repeatedly called for the alphabet and given
us a very sensible opinion on the subject we
were discussing, when we did not think Of
appealing to her. You may be sure that, on
finding a third party SO Unexpectedly domi-
ciled with US, we asked it every possible ques-
ton, and we received replies the sense and
accuracy Of which pleased and startled us, as
clearly proving distinct and partially super
human intelligence"
Here are some further particulars OF this
famliar-or intelligent vapor - which the
reader must take on the authority Of the
''Chid at School,
Mary Jane dies Gro tempo,e) when the
medium sleeps; is weak when the medium is
hungry; grows stronger when the medium has
e"'ei' ana mad wine, and-we suppose from
Ii'e lhSlhct OF -preservatiun-ver much
ooJects TO the mediums going to bed because
that is temporary death tor Mary Jane
Mary Jane also dislikes an eye upon her op.
eratlons, indeed frequently stops when the
guitar, on which she plays, is looked at, wheel
is due, it seems, not to feminine modesty, but
= as the author thinks, to magnetic raw which
the eye sends forth, counteractive of the odvl
lie emanation. When the medium was ill will
light Inflammation of the lungs (when phospho.
rus is deficient, since it is the medicine gIver
to cure it) no manifestations could be got ou
of her. There was not sufficient phosphoru: