Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-08-04
Sniritnalism alias JugglerY.

Splrltuallsm allas JuSBloIy'
Our neighbors Of the Watchman and depository
have given their readers some accounts OF exhibit
tons, given 10 this village at private residences, at
which persons claiming to be possessed with splr-
its, and by the aid Of other spirits claimed to Dc
present, did several somewhat difficult feats, such
as ringing bells, playing on strnged Instruments
rapping people on the he'd, tying and untylng
the performer, &C., &c. 1t was our fortune, also,
to witness these pretended spiritual perform
ances, and we were so thoroughly convinced that
the performers in each instance were arrant
cheats, and their performances, so far as any
agency outside OF themselves was concerned, an
imposture and trick, that we have hardly under
stood how our contemporaries could speak OF
them in any way except as patent humbugs II
there were nothing more serious involved IN these
exhibitions than the mystery, il thee "splrltual-
lists did not assume to have control over, or be
controlled by, dsembodied spirits, and if no per-
sons were making these exhibitions the argument
upon which they build heresies subversive not on
y Of the Christian religion, but Of Christian NOR
ais, we should be content to let them pass with
out any more serious notice than We would give
to the tricks Of other jugglers. AS 1t is we can
but express our opinion Of the almost transparent
nposture, and say to such as are disposed to
credit the lingo Of spirituasm, that it is all q
wicked imposture, cheat and trick.
Take, for instance, the trick Of one Mr.. Fay,
who in room made intensely dark by the exclu-
sion Of every possibility Of light ties himself, or
as he says, is tied by +" spirits" with his hands
apparently securely fastened behind him. While
in this condition, with the room still dark, bells
are rung, stringed instruments thrummed, &c
But this Mr.. Fay refuses to do these things in
the light, and be also refuses to let any one take
hold Of his hands while they are donei and he
can do them all himself on the supposltion that
no can quickly slip bis hands through rope tied
tightly round his wrist But he utterly refuses
to let any one touch bis hands-thus, Of course
securing himself from detection in this part OIL
the trick. This performer will also unite himself
however securely be may be tied by any person
in the room and the spiritualists quote him
and his tricks as quite convincing evidence Of the
presence Of "spirits at these I" sesnces'"
But just upon the heel Of this spiritual
lugglery,a juggler, who makes no pretence Of be-
ing in league with any disembodied spirits, has
given some exhibitions at Village Hal, in which
among other jugglery, he set himself free from
any amount Of rope, however securely tied, in
two or three minutes, doing the whole Of it before
the audience and in the light. The trick consists
simply in his ability to draw bis hands through
anything tied about bis wrists and arms and this i
all there is Of the spritualist trick. 1t ia for
tunate, perhaps, that so ea'y to demonstrate tina
this "spiritualism is an mposturs, and W
ought to thank the honest jugglers for doing it
1t has, however, seemed to US perfectly amazin,
that persons Of intelligence should be ready, ant
apparently willing, to be cheated by the bali
tricks Of travelling spirituasts, and should ALLOW
the ridiculous mummery Of some pretended
spiritual Patrick" or the senseess lingo Of an in
visible " little Indian Girl" to pass muster will
them, as voices from the World Of Spirits, o
should permit the cheap tricks which have beef
performed thousands Of times by protested jug
glers, to be imposed upon then as the wondrou
workings Of an invisible presence from beyon'
the grave. II has been said
" Doubtless the pleasure Is as great
OF being cheated as to cheat"
and it may DO there is certain kind Of peasur
in allowing ones self to be deluded. But "
cannot help thinking Mr.. Fay, Miss Chsmberlil
and others Of these spiritual" jugglers, mus
chuckle among themselves at the easy credulit
which allows them, through their cheap and
jugglers not difficult tricks, to pass themselves 0
as persons who can not only call to their aid spirit
from the Vastly deep and elsewhere, but max
them come. We suppose, while the worl
stands, there will be impostors, and also thos
who will suffer themselves to be imposed upon an
we can hardly expect until the millennium tina
every lie will be exposed, or that the most rdicu
lOus impos,ure will not find Credulity sutficieu
for it. We shall be satisfied Il we can al
somewhat, however, in exposing the particula
phase Of this spiritual humbug that has Ell
hibited itself here, and it is for this purpose thr
we visited these d" seances aud have written tn
notice OF them.