, 1874-06-25

WALLACE ON BPIR1TUAL1sM.
Allusion haB already boen made in The Tn1B-
uNK to tho frat papor on " Modern Spiritual
ism" In tho Fortnig|ltly Revter0, by Alfred II.
Wallace, tho ointment English scientist and oo1-
league Of Darwin. Tho Juno number Of this
magazine contains tho second and concluding
papor; and ~ tho genoraIizatlons which Mr.
Wallace roaohoa arc tho results Of an investiga-
tion conducted upon scientific principles by
praoticed observer OF faots s,-ono who ouua-
monced rs Bkop.io and has evidently ondod a.
bolievor,-and as tho rcsultH OF bis inyeatiga-
tion will produce very decided Hennation iu
tho whole scientific world, o brief Bsato-
mont Of them will bo Of interest to
tho general render. Dir. Wallace CON-
monces bis second paper by citing Ito ht,n)
conclusive toat Of tho objective roallty Of spirit
forms aa furnished by spirit photography. In
establishing this test ho showa In humorous In
stancea that figures havo appeared upon tho
negative besides tho aittor; sometimes nero in
datnct forms aud somotlmos actual portraits
which havo becn recognized. To guard against
shans, teata have boon applied 80 as to prevent
imposittona, aud = successful result has boon &c.
cured. Among thoso tests Ao rootes tho follow
ing: /. The appearance Of second form whcro
poreon with knowledge Of photography has
performed tho process. q. Tho appearance Of
the likenoas Of doceased porHon unknown to
the photographer. 3. 4 figure draped In
white, partly bohind the dark body Of
tho stter, without showing through the
transparent dark parts Of tho negative. i. Tho
descriptions OF medium during tho sitting Of
figures which appear upon tho plato and corro-
spond with tho description. Mr. Wallace brings
forward numerous examples to ahow TINT oyery
ono OF these toBsa hayo boen repeatedly satis-
fod. But, it may he asked, if theHo things aro
no, why aro thoy confined to casos where either
tho photographer is spiritualist, or a spiritual
medium Is tho sitter. or tho partoH WHO apply
for pictures apply for spiritual picturos7 Why
ia 1t that those spiritual forms do not appear
upon some Of tho millions Of pictures takon
daily throughout the world, since tho proccss
In oaoh case iH precisely similar? To bring the
matter home, how ID 1t that h1r. Brand, or Mr..
Fasaett, for instance, In tho Thousands Of pic
turos thoy have taken havo noyor yet happened
to catch an image Of another form boaidoa tho
sitter, since they use tho aame procoas as tho
laoe asBorts: "The aotinio action Of tho spirit
forms Ia peculiar aud much moro rapid
than that Of the Light reflected from ordinary
material forms for the figures start out tho
moment the developing fluid touches thom.
whilo tho figure Of tho sitter appears much later'
Or. is thero some unknown chemistry at work
which can only operate whom either tho photog-
Eaphor Is q believer or tho aitter ia medium7
Passing from this branch Of his subject, Mr.
Wallace then catalogues tho physical and mon
tai phenomena Of Bpiritua1lsn, including in tho
former: simple physical pAeuomena like rap
pings, moving and altering tho weight Of bodles.
chemical effects, d,root writing and drawing, mu-
sical phenomena, spiritual forms, and spiritual
photographs; aud, in tho latter, automat-
10 writing, clairvoyance, and clairaudioncc,
tranco-speakins, impouonatlon, and healing.
These varying phenomona, he claims, havc been
confirmed over and over again BY men Of tho
highest rank In all countries, and arc proved as
thoroughly aa any facta In other sciences. Az
suming such to bo tho case, aa regards oyidouco
and proof OF facts, ho boldly decareB that tho
Spiritual theory is clearly egtablished, and pro-
ceoas to develop:
I. Tho historical teachings OF spiritualism, or
tho important phenomena OF history and Of
human nature, which eoionce cannot explain
but 8piritualism can.
II. Tho moral toachings Of spistuallsm AZ
explaining tho theory OF human nature.
Satisfied OF tho truth OF spiritualism, Mr.
Wallace finds himself in possession Of = con-
Veniont 1ey to whatevor has hitherto boen ro-
1octed ignored because It could not DO explain
cd. Ho eau now believe that tho oraclos Of au-
tlquity we're notallimpoatures, and that Boo.ates'
domon was An absolute existence and not
fancy Of tho great philosopher. To him,
the miracles OF tho Old aud New Tosta.
ments, like tho handwriting On tho wall
OF Belshaz2ar's palace and the changing Of VS.
tor into wine at tho Cana mArr1age-feast, arc
but manifestations Of power daily at work
among us, and the miracles OF the aalnts be-
long to tho hame category. Witchcraft alao ia
reality to him, and by spiritualHm he
ia enabled to separate facts from absurd
inforeucos. Second sight becomes reality
a!ao. Ho also runs full tilt against tho
prejudlces Of all religious scots by de-
clarlng that tho modern Roman Catholic
miracles become intelligiblo IN tho Light
Of spiritualism, because "spirits whoso afYeo-
and u$o r+~ t-&