The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-09-24
Report on Spiritual Manifestations.

OulO. IcpOIG Wdo oooAiSeS1 ~ .
committee appointed last year to con
slider the subject of spiritual Phe-
nomena. The Cleveland Herald says
the report fell on the Convention like
a thunder clap from clear sky, and 1t
was only accepted after a stormy de-
bate, in which its enemies alleged the
paper Slapped the very foundation OF
spiritualism. ,-s 77.ir4-a
The committee claimed it was the
work of honest conviction; the spirit
ualists could not expect to climb to
heaven on false steps. The majority
would not consent to have the report
printed at the expense of the Conven-
ton, in the regular proceedings, but
voted to have it lie on the table one
year. Subsequently it was voted, on
motion of Andrew jackson Davis,
that their purpose in refusing to print
the reports was ito prevent misunder-
standing of the value and reliability of
physical tests, through mediums, on
both sides of the Atlantic, and not to
stife free and discriminating inves-
tigation of the different phases Of
mediumistic demonstrations. The
report, among other matters relating
to spiritual manifestations, speaks of
the phenomena, the most commonly
represented in public. as follows:
f'Concerning physical manifesto
tons, we beg leave to say we have
sought for and embraced every oppor-
tunity to investigate and inform our
selves concerning them during the
past year. Some opportunities have
been cheerfully afforded us, others
were refused, Aside from. this, we
have severally, for a period varying
from ten to seventeen years. made
this matter a subject of observation
and inquiry, and during thattime have
met with much that commends itself
to reason, and demonstrated itself in
telligently to be the manifestation of
disembodied spirits, but a far greater
proportion of what has been repre-
sented as such has been proven to be
the deceptive tricks of impostors,
palmed off upon the community as
genuine spirit manifestations. These
remarks are mainly applicable to the
dark circle impostors, who pretend to
do physical impossibilities, claiming
that spirits do them, while they give
no proof of what they assert After
a diligent and careful Investigation of
the subject, we are irtesistibIy forced
to the conclusion that darkness is not
a necessary condition for physical
manifestations, but that it is con-
dition assumed and insisted upon by
tricksters, having no other use than
to. afford opportunities for deception.
We therefore recommend that all
spiritualists. and others discounte.
nance dark circles; for under any cir
cumstances they afford no reliable
proof of spirit existence, presence or
and must even if they
were genuine, be of such doubtful
character as to be of no practical
value, while there are thousands Of
incontestable proofs that admit of no
doubt or other solution than the one
to which they are referred.
We believe that dismembered
spirits can do all that is possible for
embodied spirits to do; that they can
and do rap, move ponderable bodies,
and thereby communicate, proving
their identity by intelligent references,
but we do not know or believe that
they can do that which transcends
human possibility. We have no proof
that they can create and dissolve, in
simultaneously, bodies and clothing, a
fac s,miIe of those they used on the
earth, that they can create or dissolve
as is claimed, flowers, iron rings, hair,
ropes, &C., or put twenty seven hands
at one time through an opening of six
or seven inches in diameter. sufficient
only to admit the passage of five or
six; in a word. that they can do phys
ical impossibilities. These are the
claims of the persons we have named,
and the allegation of those whom they
have deceived, but for which they give
no proofs. But proofs OF their tricks
and receptions are bounded and in
They have been detected
and exposed IN their jugglery so often
and so thoroughly that it would seern
to be superfuous to refer to them or
attempt to prove that what they are
palming off upon the credulous az
spirit manifestations are not spirit |
manifestations at all. What evidence
do the Davenports offer that the |
hands they show through the opening
in their cabinet are not their own
hands? 1t all turns on this point:
they are tried. as they say, so they can
not unite themselves, which is not
true, for we have demonstrated hum
dreds of times that it is impossible to
tie them so that they can not uatil
themselves when tied with anything
that they will allow themselves to be
tied with. Concerning these things
we thank Godan the angels that the |
sun of reason is rising, and with its
rays melting away these |
dark decisions, and that ere long we
shall have-a clear sky, and sniritu II |
ism with her garments purified OF all