The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-24
Tll SP.RiTUALlSTs.
Picnic at Elm Park-The Common Sense
People Erjoy ThemseIves-The SpooLr

Picnic at Elm Park-The Common Sense
People Erjoy ThemseIves-The Sp0oks
Make Fools of Themselves.
Yesterday the Society OF Progressive Spirituasts
Of New York, held their annual picnic at Elm Park
corner OF Eighth avenue and Ninetysec street,
and In addition to the usual rational en]oyments and
pastimes OF picnlckan occasionsathe few outsiders
present were edited or mystlned by numerous at
tempts at tabie-hoisting. stool.bewitchng, spook.
wrestling and spirit manifestations. In fact
1t was an entertainment where there were pre-
sented IN immediate contrast the two sides Of the
spirtualistic theory-the moderate and the fanati.
cal, or conservative ana radical. The attendance
numbered about 800 persons, and OF those present
all but perhaps twenty or thirty were professed be.
iieVers and followers Of the doctrines OF spiritual.
is1n. About q dozen male and female members. It
Is reasonable to suppose, have got spirituasm on
the brain, at least they have got IL badly and these
were the persons who INDUCED themselves by tempt.
ing gnous or other invsibties to stalk abroad over
the lawns, protrude themselves by their mysterious
workings into the midst Of little coteres OF old men
and women aud young girls and youths, ana take
sundry liberties, to the detriment Of the Park pro-
pretors lager beer tables In course of time these
spirits who had been thus conJured up began 10
make themselves exceedingly familiar, aud in one
particular Instance the betting was even as to
whether an exasperated immortal would or would
not succeed in tossing an ugly woman off bench.
he, or II. backed down, however, when the ancient
dame was just about TO throw up the sponge and
she was In consequence victor OF chance.
But, TO define, the picnic was announced to com.
mance at nine O'Clock A. Nj. No material interest
was awakened until noon, in consequence Of the
lmlred attendance and at two O'Clock the bali was
fairy opened by the audience assembling on the
dancing platform to listen to addresses and vocal
music.
Mrs. Adams medium.szed dark connie xioned
and rather attenuated lady, was first Introduced
and sang spiri;uai5tic hymn with certainly very
frnru1 ryrina
compass and power
DR.. HALLo6K. chubby, jolly.looking customer,
ceeded to compare the enioyments OF other creed,
with those OF the Spirtualists. He argued that It
was inconsistent m MethodIsts, presbyterlans and
followers OF other denominations to engage IN snch
enJoymeLts as picnics and dancing, for the reason
that Their doctrines, the whole teachings of their
iaih, were such az enjolned mirth and amusement
OF this nature. But here were people whose creed
dd not forbid, but rather encouraged every species
so long as confined within the bounds Of de.
v %sTs w and p1ropIet Even he children
thought Would be Ds sstya a1 Create, he
numbers OF juveniles were led to attend them as II
ess e, nen more pnate with the subject ana
a. seeing the consistency Of IL rriucibles.
,d Balos aas PERSON 81 refined add iaayke
address =. ss'1i s1 sss Sa Sss iSs
On the bes .a 81 ,Se spirituaistic doctrine, and
army eaaiscSSsad the 'felieion reyes,yu., HN'
remarks were characterized BY 80. go. uuencv
a clear enunciation and good eIor ,tioS A"eneS'
The intellectual program. e was brought ia a close
Adams; WIN tpe resignation Of martyr and the
emphasize rae lines;-
They may chase US with heunds
o; And pursue ps. u: w.th oeagies,
And our desh to the eagleu,
but no one present manifested the slightest desire
,nYa4 anft. III
would have been, under the circumstances quite
Improper, aud would have seriously marred the
subsequent pleasures Of the day.
The floor was then cleared for dancing, and to che
strains oil music evoked from violin. cornet and o
harp The ethereal company "trod the measuresn
with but slignt intermission until ten O'Clock az
| night While these were dancing, those whose
Drains were affected az above stated wandered or TO
the tables and benches under the trees and naugu-
rated series OF manifestations, invoca,lons ana
| powWows whicn were far from successful IN demon
belief. Hands were laid on table, ana tables were
expected 70 turn; but they didn't although
nnar some Of nson them creaked outrageousy
| 10 bear. There were TWO or three persons present.
VINO, u was said possessed the ability TO make a
| table Jump two feet, by the subtle influence alone,
but they Teckoned without their hostn These tab es
nave mad 'spiriis" On them many time and OFF,
ana meyer went down or jumped up but on the con-
trary the parties who have surrounded these tabea
have oitener succumbed TO the spirits dagger occa-
sionaiyl and have been known both to Jump up and
Of blissu nothingness for tie best part OF some
time. Nobody, never, was under any such influence
yesterday and Ia fact bartenders were Ia state of
achrymose disgust ut the lack Of patronage-whtch,
however, was by no means 10 the discredit of the
pcnickians All the spirits seemed OF sorts yes.
terday. They were invoked 70 write answers to
questions propounded by m0rtals but they I'm most
cases, answered Incorrectly, or else In the vague
manner Of the oracles OF Delphos-the reply being
adaptable to either possible result. Circles were
formed but the spirits were again unoongenal and
no development followed, and taking the picnic as
a whole 1t demonstrated nothing further than thar
tue great majority OF the company very social.
sober and Intelligent and that the few fanatics who
try 10 DO miracles fall In their attempts evoke all
the ridicue which IL hecped upon the sect, aud will
In all probability, "run " into the Rround.b