Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-02-19
SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALISM.

In view of the apparent tendency of
modern religious controversy to narrow
down to a contest between Materialism
and Spiritualism, the following abstract
of a remarkable article which has Just
appeared In the LsndOn Quarterly
Journal of Science, will, no doubt. be
interesting to readers of every shade of
opinion. The Article is from the pen of the
editor of the Quarterly Journal of
Science, Mr.. VIM Crookes, chemist
and physician of high repute in Lon
don. He has devoted several years to
careful scientific investigation of the
so-called phenomena of Spiritualism,
as presented by the Spiritualist, David
ID. Home, of London, and Miss Kate
Fox, another English medium" 1t
may be remembered that, several years
ago, Mr.. Crookes gave an account of
certain experiments which he had made
upon the so-called spiritual manifesto
tions, as developed in the presence of
Mr.. Home, and the futter into which
the scientific community was thrown by
the statements presented by this gen.
tleman, in view of the fact that he is
chemist of high reputation, and a sci
enlist of acknowledged position, edit
ing not only the Quarterly Jcun1l of
Science, but also )e Chemical Ne,0s,
the leading chemical publication of
Great Britain. In one of the issues of
ScYibner's Monthly of last year, very
interesting illustrated sketch of these
Investigations was given. In the pres
ent instance Mr.. Crookes assures us
most positively that "the statements
he presents in this paper constitute a
record of actual occurrences which have
taken place in his own house, and in the
presence of witnesses, and under as
strict test conditions as he could de-
wise and that every fact is, moreover,
corroborated by the records OF indie
pendent observers at other times and
places" Although these facts are of
the most astounding character, and seem
utterly irreconcilable with all known
theories of modern science, NJ Crookes
saws he has satisfied himself of their
truth, and thinks it would be moral
cowardice to withhold his testimony be-
cause his previous publications were
ridiculed by critics and others who
knew nothing whatever of the subject,
and who were too prejudiced to see and
Judge for themselves whether or not
: there was truth In the phenomena. He
proposes to state simply what he has
seen and proved by repeated expert
ment and test, and has yet to learn that
it is irrational to endeavor to discover
the causes of unexplained phenomena.
In classifying the various phenomena
that have presented themselves to him
In the course of his inquiries, Mr..
Cro0kes refers, first, to the movement
of heavy bodies, with contact but with
out medical exertion. This, he states,
to be enc Of the simplest forms of the
phenomena observed, varying In de-
. grees from quivering or vibration OF
the room and Its contents to the actual
rising in the air of heavy body when
the hand of the medium is placed upon
it. These movements, and indeed most
g of the phenomena, are preceded by q
peculiar cold air, sometimes amounting
to q decided wind, sufficient tc blow
sheets of paper about the room, and tc
cause a lowering of the thermometer by
several degrees.
- The second class manifested them.
selves as persuasive and other allied
sounds sometimes as delicate ticks
sometimes q cascade of sharp sounds,
as from an induction coil in full work
detonations in the air, sounds like
scratching, twittering as of bird, etc.
These sounds were most prominently
developea In the presence of Miss Kate
Fox, and manifested themselves In all