The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-05-30

0Psraeuosneu ut the white HOOsc-~-4rhe
% "a New Religious Philosophy. t'sifg
We publish IN another column this morning
an account, which we presume to be true. OF
an interview which President Lincoln receptIv
held with the spirits of Knox, franklin, Napo-
leon and Douglas at the White House. Onr
readers will find the conversation between the
President and the spirits extremely curioux-
amusing and interesting. Honest Old Abe was
not at all dannted by the supernatural rcvela-
tions, but cracked his jokes with his usual sa,g-
froid, and beheld the miraculous and pictorial
prediction Of the fate of the pirate Alabama
with his customary compiacency. This spirit
ual seance at the White House will attract even
more general attention to the new system OF re-
ligious philosophy of which Judge Edmonda
appears to be the Newton or Bacon. II will re-
vive and excite popular interest In the subject
of spiritualism. and will give the "Lifs Of
Home" which Judge Edmonds has Just intro
duced to MS, and Howitt's s'History of the Su-
pernatural," which has just been published Z.
Philadelphia, a very wide and potential circA-
lajon. IS ~ e. o. isl.s SO sss
Homo is aspirituat medium, and his wonderful
book is made up Of incidents in bis life. He was
born in Scotland. and brought to this county
whena child. At an early age he was knownte
have inherited the gift Of second sight fron NJ
mother. At the age Of seventeen, while living
with his aunt In Connecticut, rapplngs begaats
be heard whore he was, and the furniture
danced pisyfully shout the room. His pious
aunt clapped the family Bible upon tsrpsicho-
rean table; but the table indulgsd In moes
Highland Aings and Donnybrook jigs than 49,
fbrc, and even the sacred volume tried . quiet
shake. Then the good woman haa seversi
ministers sent for to pray over poor Hoo.
Prayers, lectures and sermons availed notAiAg.
however, and the spiritual manifestations were
a. violent e ever. Finally Mr. Homes aant
turned him out Of doors, spirits and ali; ana,
after various adventures In this country, hs
started for Europe, where he has established
reputation as the greatest medium for physical
manifestations Of the spiritual power. He haa
cured the sick, predicted deaths, hoated In wid
air and developed al the ordinary phenomeas
Of spiritualism at wili-if his own account and
the narratives of his friends are to be believed.
Rappings, table tippings, the appearances Of tho
hands and arms of spirits, the ringing Of bells
and the writing by invisible correspondents arc
with him familiar wonders, and he details them
with remarkable circumstantiality, giving
names end dates in full, and supporting his
own story by the evidence Of apparently
disnterested observers. His book reads like o
fairy tale, and the biography, upon which these
spiritual incidents are threaded, is of itself very
romantic. We find Home, the young Scottish
lad, translated to the palace of Napoleon, unsv-
ing among the nobility of France, Italy ami
Russia, and marrying young lady Of rank 1aii
because Of spiritualism. The only blot upon
Homes book is his silly slur at the HERALp.
For that he alone is responsible. The spirits
would endorse no such mistaken opinion. ti.as
William Howitt's "History Of the supernatuL
raj, to which Home refers US a. 10 textboeE
of spiritualism, is work II quite another ordsr.
Mr.. Hewitt attacks ell the opponents Of spirit
ualism-as Grant attacked vieksburg and
Hooker attempted to attack Fredericksburg
by taking them in the rear. He endesvors -
show that all religions all magical and super
natural marvsls, al church miracles, are 10 be
explained by spiritualism, and cannot, there-
fore, contradict or oppose It. The prophsciss
and miracles Of the Old and New Tessamsntus
the oraclss, divinations and soothsayings Of IN
ancient Asyrians, Chaldsans, Persisns, Grsslnt
Romans and Egyptians; the dreamy mysticisns
of the Germans; the astrology, jugglsry and
magic Of the uAsiatic races, including ths
Chinese and Japansse ; the operations d
the medicine men among our Americas
Indians; the modern miracles Of the Roman
Catholic church--in short, all the develop
ments Of supernatural power in all ages and
countries of the world, from the time Of Adam
down to the debut Of the Twenty seventh street
ghost, Mr. Hewitt attributes to spiritualisn, and
thus leaves his enemies not leg to stand
upon. According to bis theory, Jesus Chris,
Abraham, Moses, all the prophets and apostles,
Mahomet, Confucius, Zorosstsr, the Quaker
Fox, John Bunyan, Whitfield and hundreds Of
other great saints and great men were merely
spiritual mediums. To support this new visw
Of religious philosophy Mr.. Hewitt has con-
piled an immense number Of remarkable facts
and traditions and those who doubt his con-
illusions can at least admire his industry, enter
prise and ability, and enjoy his very readable
book. Mr. Hewitt shows that all of Mr.. Homes
wonders are as old as the hills. Spirit rap
ping, table tipping, and even the use of tho
spiritual alphabet, he traces as far back as
A. d. 81, and he states that the prophets
Ezekiel, Enoch and Elijah were lifted up In
the air just as Mr.. Home is now. Enoch and
Elijah did not come down, however, and Mr..
Home may be missing in the same way SOM
time. If President Lincoln had read either
or both Of these books we do not wondsr e
bis feeling interest enough In the subject 10
hold a seance in his own house. No doubt his
example will DO followed by many anxious
inquirers, and for their benefit we shail recur
to this matter again, when the press Of WEI