St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-12-11
VOLUME 3S--NUMBER 1850.


attention i'll the performances of this
Vermont family, and all that they care
to have light thrown upon is the mate
rializatiom. 50 we do not deem the dark
Scancc of much consequence; it WAS if
possible il more brutal, stupid and
transparent bit of attempted deception
than the 'matcrialization" IIoratio is
tied III Il chair. On the table near him
are Il cheap variety of musical instrlI-
mcntS. The light is then cNtinguished
and the room is perfectly dark. As in
the light circle the musical instruments
are then played, Il large number of them
simultaneously. The spirit of .George
Din. VIII" WAS Il cheerful pirate in this
life. and of" "Maytlower." IN Italian girl.
converse freely with amy person in the
audience.
The sound of DiN's voice and that of
MaNtlowcr are enough to convince any
one hut those iuS;incly credulous that
il Is nothing but II wIctched attempt ut
vcmtIil"quiSm. that nine men ont of ten
can initiate. ''Naytnwcr" has been de
ScrIhcd 10y Dlc0tt us ''Swcet- voiced"
and hcautii,l musician on the con
ccrtIna. Her voice is husky. gasp
ng. asthmatic imitation of IL yirlish
voice her music what any tyro that
played the c"mccrtina can produce.
Geo. Dix organized Il spirit orchestra,
which played Il concerted piece called
The Storm ut Sea-" George WAS then
asked 10y Olr"tt to pick up something
aS Il test but Nou could not fool
''Gcur%r that way : for he hoarscly
cNadcd the request. The pirate who
could pick up 81 much in the way of
musical Instruments. i'll tuin, could pick
up nothing else. Maytlowcr comes to
the circle. and puts her foot on that of
one "i the ''tanily circle" and re-
tires. suddenly the Shril!eSt blast was
blown "n 4 WatchmanS whistle, bells
began to ring. and DiN beloved fire
tiIc, fire in the most tremendous tones.
II Was Il pcirct pandrmomium for Il few
minutes. when all quictcd down.
This was the dark ~cluce. 1t WAS IL
cheat and lau. liable fraud tu us, but of
rour>" To those who SAW features, etc,
where We three SIM nothing. it was
very crafty ing hr;iwl.
This i the whole performance. 1t
W;I> admitted hl ali the faithful to he
one of the most brilliant and successful
meetings that had been held for months:
and ''"ld EroNn" thanked us all cordi-
ally from the matcralism kennel of
William Eddy and this is the sort of
rustic .iugglrlN thai has been 81 success
fully written up 10y Olcott and Case.
~aid the Springfield Republican, on the
appearance of Boards article :"UnlesS
the dnctcI'> charge i> true. and Col. Oh
r"tt lies 10y the wholesale. DIR. Boards
cNp">,Irr is absurd"
Dr. Beard told the Truth, and Col.
ulcott i either Il sincere spiritualist who
can 81" anything or believe anything
like those | have mentioned. or else he
has 'h"hrmianIzed" the whole affair
rnpn>elN l." sell to the Graphic.
He i> evidently an able man. and has
loo strong Il head and face To he delud-
ID hN such II bald cheat aS this mate
Utilization. we should sooner think him
:,u a>tutc New York journalist at work
tor the Graphic.
CIc'luliN. however. Is an amiable
/ weakness which i often the intirmity
nt many noble and humane minds
/ illness bl. Johnson. Horace Greely,
;nd many uthcI> We might name. No
/ scientific eve. however. is needed for
these iugglcrS their protection is not
| their skill. which is rude and common,
/ Hut in the internal superstition of their
] audience that calmly consents to see
/ every natural means of test stopped by
i ''cumditinn' 81 called of spiritual in
/ tricouI>c. ANY person of IL sound
nind. and sincere >ceptlcIsm will be
satisfied of the poverty of this imposi-
/ zion within five minutes after Honto's
appearance. but if instead of work ing
mp Ia belief through careful investiga
ION you start with Il higotcd belief
and attempt To play the Investigator
lnu only end 10y proving the utter
uurtllcS~ue>S of mere honesty and ev
'm intelligence :iS witnesses. for persons
uoth honest and intelligent in mere
/ practical life had eyes for what nci
thrr nor my friends could see at all
In the discussion of this fraud we in
tcmd no expression of offence to or
lists. The belief that our departed
friends are able to communicate with
lis. and that they do :" is entertained
hN many excellent people and
while we believe that the weight of the
best human testimony and experience
j. against the reality of spirit commit
ui".itiom> with mortalS in any material
i>tic WAY. nevertheless we do not make
the circle OF "ur own experience the
limit of the po>>iblc; we only wish To
insist that before any honest man can
accept, 50 tremendous IL fact ;is the ma
tciiali>Iir manifestation to and com
muniratiun with mortal>. 10y the spirits
a.! the dead. that he iS bound to ask
something more satisfy ing than the
most common place and silly jug
@lvIN.
When Heller. Hermann. lIoudin,
lllItZ, and the mranc>t of his pupils
clu in day light. under our close inspcc-
tiun. immct>IlTiblN out Ro any of the
50 called 'mHtrrialiZltion' miracles
wrought 10y these fellows in the dark, it
AT insult Ia human intelligence to dig
MI these deeds of darkness 10y the
I:.,tnr of proofs or intimations of I'M
mortal life. which in their brutality
maze Huxley say that hr didn't care
+" prove the truth of what at best is
hul another argument against suicide.
Surely Il man had better bc content to
search his own soul fnr immortal hope.
than pretend tu hear the music of the
SPHERES. the divine harmony of the souls
"t me blessed. in such stupid kettle
drurn racket and Indian medicine man
iu..lclN ~ the 50 called miracles of the
Eddy Family.
The Graphic owes it t. the world
tnIi Col. OlcuttS'S brilliant and pictur-
c-gur novel of spirit Vale" should be-
un longer palmcd off on the public as
th.. result OF The observations of a truth
iul and >ccpliral investigator Tor eve
r. t..Ing he dr>crlhcd a> mysterious and
m,N plicahlc j. absolutely invisible to
ils. eyes of any body who does not start
fu Spirit Vale Il sincere believer in the