, 1873-09-14
SPlRITUALiSM.
Talk With Joseph Gales Fors-
ter, O Noted Spirit
ualist.
The Origin, Literature, Exponents,
and Influence Of the
Faith.
J1alm That It Has Nino Million Be-
levers in the United States.

Vlllm lTlL IL HuH NluD M!ulUu De-
levers in the United States,
From Our 0pn Correspondent.
OAKLAND, nll,, Sept. 4, 1879.
man anywlloro, who knows anything or
thiuAs lo lnowb it, Is food for tho woodpecker.
At orr mountain hotel Bufforor from the
hay-foyer and other ills, iB
JosEru naI1:g FORSTER,
ono OF the plouccr champions Of modern Spirit
unlism. 1Io is worry tall and imposing old man,-
old to tho oyo. although but 81 yoaia old, hts hend
being nearly bald, and Ills board, which il heavy
and tnn, being very white, ua is affablo, we'll
drossod and, have no doubt, wholly honest and
earnest in his work. lIis carly life was advent
urous and romantic. Born In South Carollna
and rcared nt Raleigh, N. O., ho joined Houston's
army In Toxne, and formed no high estimate Of
TINT victor Of San Jacinto, who, ho says, was
neither tlcccnt nor sobcr, Of bad example to tue
young mon OF the Southwest, profano. and OF
doubtful courage. I inquired especially into tho
reasonB for
HOUSTON
leaving his young wife in Tennessee 10 soon
after hls marriage. Forster Eaid that it was bo-
lioycd by those best informed to bo tho result Of
a savago iealousy. THO young lady had boon
engaged to man nearly Of her own age, who
had gono to Europe, and, unconscious Of her
marriage to Houston, addressed hor lottor.
Sho placed it undor hor pillow, with tho inton-
tlon Of showing 1t to hor husband; but he
acarchod for It on suspicion, found it, and by
his abuse added to tho 'reproaoh and abhorronco
she felt for man whom HEe mover would have
married except under family-prossure. nous-
toms lifo Immediately succeeding the separation,
ntldod Mr.. Forster, showed that ho had not tho
dignity of q fine spirit wounded. Ho became d
Cherokee squaw's partner, and went In the
Nation by tho namo Of "Hoap-Drunk."
.D1oanAruY.
Iu 1851, JoBeph Gallon Forster, who ia q
nephew Of Joseph Gales, Of tho old National I1,-
teitigence,, saw tho celebrated Fox S|sters, from
Rochester, N. Y, and becamo \ convert to tho
religious belief thon forming around tho Knock
ings. Uo was at tho time newapapor-mnn, %
ho had been for several years. Previously no
had not beon public speaker; but. under the
new influence, received the gift Of spooch, or, in
othor words, became ia philosophical medium, !"
as contrastod with physical or tolographing
medium. I heard him speak fourteen years ago
aud ho WAS then fluent. forcible, dictionary
h,irling orator, either possessed With = great
faculty or .great spirit. Rocontly he hns
mnrricd Carrio A. Grimes. OF Baltimore
who is . plcasing writer On apiritual
topics. and . convert from the Episcopal Church.
I luferrod that hr. Forster waB regular Spirit
ualist preachor by ayocation, called to congrega-
~ Z, ahont to - tn ornco ''9 1a,v - roo,n,;t
his ho,th rh, efo'Ios;,o nar.rra5s ~ ROM ~,
cnnvoraot;on heid Win linz wi, 81 W vo,, Mi That
you probably care to know shout tho most myB-
'ao " o'1 e''A' Tnr ~ ~ " s''e '
of rno5ern gn;ritna1;nm'
ut began March 81, 1848, at tho Fox dwelling,
1ara in ia oa,, raar ihn ~. drraiIn1 ~ h. q
boon made tue subject Of a painting by ono Of
our % suiritunIistio Vi lists md chromos o. Of II il
1auntod houne. III. inmaten warn
MethoIiat noonie' and Tho dnuehtera nart,onlnr.
" woman nf iii Tfnrtitrie ani1ioent 10 fnid their
ground against superstition. The youngest slrl,
Enosy anvtnr rnn as mnnv t;n,oa IA I tn%' Eho
+hon cjnsad hnr ianls tnrcthar withont aounJ .
nu,nhcr of timns: Tho an;rita knockod rosno1,-
siyeiv eyory ti1n1o. .9oodnessI mother o1-
lnnaed tho c;rl thav nan sae na woli ns henr,
T. mna lhen intinatad to tic sprita that ali com
mu,.ications siIouid be- by raua. thus: three rapa
for Yes, o1,e Tor 40, and two Tor / don't inoio. i
This continues to be the elementary alphabet Of
our l;eupse: Geu you to,, mo
WILT uAs prcomE OF THE FOX o1n1s7
Arc tl,oy ali doadl"
"No. Thoy arc ali alive Kate, tho youngest,
London another is Mrs, Kane. tic suthenti.
rated widow Of Elisha Rent Kane. tho Arctic
EXPLORER tho Oldest. Mrs. Uuiorwood has retired
from nublio life. and il tho wife OF = buginass.
mau OF Now York CITY"
And nov tol1 ms Mr. Forater
now MANY sp1R1ruA1asIs ARE THERE
In America ~ N ~'~eNN0-9 'N'@''
"WelI. tho Catholic Church had a Counci1 At
Baltimore three yoars ago or more. aud ths
Council reported that thoro we're il. .0oO. 600 OF
spiritualIsts in ihe United states, Judge Ed.
munds thiukg this figure not oYerstated. !
tniuk that 5000 900 would bo The urudont state-
mnut,"
Pshaw Afr. Forster that would be nearly
MI tho adults in lilo U1litcd Hkatos. And ths
Catholic Council merely deuiguod to brand
ali protestantB with Hpiritualism, in order to
drive timid people to their own spider's nest"
"Wol," said nfr. Forster, 'sa all who believe
that spirits can communicate with the world arc
Included in my estimate. There nre probably