St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1866-07-26

... NJ. i.
scarce, the supply lasting but . fewfweeks.
Raspberries are very plentiful. We are.
now enjoying tomatoes, green apples, small
early peas, blackberries and limited guam
tity Of ofpeaches-price unlimited. 2g
The =s'season" atithose places of fashions.
able resort on the Sabbath, commonly
known as churches, has closed on the adj
vent of warm weather and I, as doubtless
many Others have been wandering lately
from the orthodox fold, and occasionally
getting into the wrong pew, where the
''droppings from the sanctuary were Of q /
different character from those have been
accustomed to. On 4th street there is d
heat little theatre capable Of holding some
six hundred persons, called the Academy )
of Music. During the week the burnt cork
opera administer doses of negro mjrth and
melody to the public. On Sundays so-
ciety called Spiritualists occupy the build
ing for religious purposes. happened in
this place few. weeks ago and it may
prove interesting to some if gi1e brief
sketch Of what saw at this place Of new
ideas and form Of worship differing mates
rally from the old orthodox style. Their
Sunday school or '.Ckildren's Progressive
Lyceum. meetsin the morning. Strangers
are requested by guards to 60 up in the
balcony, from which good view is had of
the parquette and stage which are used by
the school. The scene of the school in see-E
sion IS qnite animated and interesting
The children are formed into groups ac-
cording to their ages, and are designated
by names such as s'Fountain Group, four
years, Stream, River, Lake, Sea, Ocean,
Shore, Beacon, Banner, &c., FIVE, six, sew
en-, eight, nine, ten, eleven aid twelve
years respectively. Each group ie marked
I by banner Of a certain color with name
Of group and ege Of pupils designated
thereon, and each Of the leaders and their
pupils wear badges of the same color as
the banner. The order Of exercises consist
first IN singing . couple Of hymns, which
is followed by q series Of light gymnastics !
exercises called ewing movements, y execu-
ted with military precision TO- the sound Of
music. I noticed these movements, with
the arms only. were done easily and grace=
fully, no quick, jerking motions, which are
unnatural The effect was pleasing in the
extreme, and it was rather amusing to oh.
serve the little pupils endeavoring to keep
correct time. Then follows half hour
dev ted to the LESSON, which is some SUBJ
ject chosen by the group the previous Sab
bath, thought upon during the week, and
views given Of it untrammeled by word OF
suggestion from leaders,. The spititualists
make point of drawing out the ideas Of
children by allowing them to exercise their
own intuitive perceptions and ignore what
they call .sstnthng" the children's minds.
The lesson concluded, number of the bovs
and girls 60 on the stage and speak little
selections snd pieces they have learned.
The ,s'conductor'' of the lyceum then eath-
ers from the different groups such. eues.
tions and answers to them (all Originally as
have been written out by The pupils and
reads them, just as they are, aloud to the
lyceum., AS an example; q little boy of
eight years writes, ''How shall. / be good :?
Doing as father and mother tell me: beiua
kind to my sister and not getting mad At
the little boys I play with.'t MANY Of
these are quite 'tcute'' and amusing, while
those from the older ones show deeper
I thought and attention. . It seems to bes
quite q feature in the exercises. The whole
thing winds up with grand march to mu-s
SIC by the whole lyceum, each group csrry-
7 ing its banner and each one of the pupils
on american flag. They 60 thronsh va.
riety Of eyolutioas which will be very stir
|iring and impressive when they are: done
with the precision and regularity sthatprsc-
tice brings. The children. seem to enjoy
all Of the exercises with peculiar test,
and / must confess ! was very well enter-
tanned and instructed myself. The .bals
cony is filled every Sunday by strangers
witnessing the doings at the Sunday thea
! tre," as the orthodox seemed pleased to
designate it. f.l=; ~, -5ssiIag3,. ,ga .f.ss.
/ The regular religious exercises comnsnes
at II A. NJ. In form they are similar to
other churches. On this occasion the desk
4 was occupied. by o; Mrs Nellie Wiltsis,-s
trance speaking. medium lady quite
I young with pleasing, intellsctsal fsse,
forehead large, projecting and we'll devsl-.
oped.o sHermanEer9 when speaking is;eafs
nest: and forcible: her voice is clear,a lisa
ltinct and strong. She. is very eloquent aS;
times, and delivers her arguments With
such breyity and clearness that she 10 lis
ftened to With marked attention. Lnnaera
! stand the place is crammed, every. Sunday
4 to hear this lady. She chooses her own
'1'subjeets in the morning. In the evening
q committee, chosen by the audience, Sc
lee: subject for her pertaining directly
or indirectly to Spiiitualism or its phenom.
ena." 1t is claimed that she is controlled.
by the spirits who speak through her, and
is not conscious during the time she is un-
der the magnetic influence through which
the spirits control her organism; Be this
as it may, she is remarkable woman, and
as q speaker will compare favorably. With
any of those shining lights, Miss .Dicken-3
son, Lucy Stone, Miss Evans, it.the Cam.s
.bria orator, = and Emma Hardinge.. .f.sr 81,
AL the places of amusement have sue.
! cumbed to the whiting weather and are.
closed. The minstrels and low theater,
the Palace Varieties, alone being open.-.
Notwithstanding Old Sol raises the mer-
t curry up among the ssnineties,' the man.
agefs of Woods theatre have opened this
week to give the famous Adah Isaacs Mem
ken chance to do aMazeppa' for the
amusement Of the admires Of the s.Naked
Drama The shop windows, contain largo
Autographs Of her, rs she 10 ordinarily,
and as ''William," in Black Eyed Susan. J;
The streets have been placarded With hai,d.,
bills announcing her advent here Rather
extensively is pasted q large bill, some six
feet square, headed: .'.The AIenken gand /
her London critics on the Mazeppai eos
tune" followed by extracts from the.
London newspapers. These extracts arc /
| broad and rich, and doubtless lwillansxera !
their purpose, vis., excite curiosity and
cram the theatre. A s YsfEass.F II f.afsssss
Like Horace, (he Of the white coat I'm,
|"going off somewhere fishing, :, and will
not have An opportunity sstos Bee sAdah Id
= - Gf.E.-