Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-07-10
Science and spIrItuaIIanr.

Whatever one may think of Spiritualism
az it has heretofore manifested itself, it can
not but be gratifying to see trained scien-
tifc men calmly investigating this subject
az they would any other. 1t is true, we
may think that they could be better EN-
plOycd, and that the results are not likely
to repay the labor Of investigation, st.ll, il
is far botter that The inquiry should bo In
such hands, Instead of being given over to
tho credulouS, tho ignorant aud the merce-
nary. Some time ago, accounts appeared
in the press Of the studies in splrltualistic
phenomena OF Mr.. Crooks, the editor OF an
English scientific organ Of high rank. Now
Mr.. Alfred II. Wallace, standing next TO
Darwin, as an elucidstor OF the doctrine of
evolution, and otherwise enjoying an OK
cellent reputation az a scientific author, has
contributed two papers to the Fortnightly
Review on the question of "Modern Spirit
ualism," which have boen received with
general interest from the fact that he began
his Investigations as a skeptic and ended
as a believer to q certain extent.
1t is not worth while to follow Mr.. Wal
lace through the various data and concu-
sions he has reached respecting the phe-
nonena under consideration. lie main
tanned al length the genuneness Of an OBJ
jective reality of spirit forms as furnished
by spirit photography, and he cites four
dloreut Lnsts of the manifestations which
have proved convincing to him. OF the
| other phenomena which be has verified
there are, OF physical character, rappiugs,
moving, and altering the weight Of bodies,
chemical effects, writing, drawing and mu
sicalAsonnds; while the mental manifesta-
tions embrace automatic writing, clarvoy-
ance, what he calls clairaudience, trance
speaking. impersoustion and healing.
Aside from the weight Of Mr.. wallsce's
testimo ony, we do not see that there Is any
thing peculiarly interesting in his expert
ments that requires mention. We prefer
to let him sum up his conclusions in his
own werds, as follows:
! 81. Man Is a duality, consisting OF an
organized spiritual form, evolved coinei-
IDENTIFY with and permeating the physical
body, and having corresponding organs
and developments.
2. Death is the separation Of the duality
and effects no change in the spirit, morally
or intellectually.
8. Progressive evolution Of the ntol-
lectua and moral nature is the destiny OF
individuals; the knowledge, attainmeuts
and experience of earth life forming the
basis of spirit life.
4. Spirits can communicate with prop
erly endowed mediums. They are attract
ed to those they love or sympathize with,
:. and strive TO warn, protect and influence
them for good by mental impression when
they cannot effect any more direct commu-
nication but, as follows from Clause 2,
their communications will he fallible, and
must be judged and tosted just as we do
our fellow-men."
Mr.. Wallace will probably continue bis
researches, and according to a recent list
We have seen published OF scientific be-
lisvers in spiritualsm on both sides of the
water, be will have co-laborers enough to
enable him TO get at the truth at last. Sc
far, however, as he has yet made progress
we think the general impression will be
that, to use the homely expression, the
game Is hardly worth the candle. Th,
spirits, according to Mr.. Wallace, are fslli
BILE, and as unreliable as they were OF
earth, il they ever were here. They have
no new truth to tell us, and If they lad We
should never know for a certainty wher
they were instrucling or deceiying us
while, as matter of fact, more dreary anC
utterly worthless twaddle than that gen
orally derived from alleged spiritualist
sources was never showered upon poor hu
manity. True Mr.. Wallace is too / ght
man not to have an answer for this obviou
consideration he says that as the grea
majority of those who depart this life ar
= addicted to twaddle, we arc to expect in tn
other life no great change, according to tn
second law specified above, whereas W
have a new motive TO elevate and improv
as much as possible the earthly live
) around us. Nevertheless, let Mr.. Wallac
and his scientific colleagues do the bes
0 they can 10 clear up the facts of this sub
: ject, and then the conclusions and conse
: quences may he left to take care of them
@ selves. Boston Journal.