Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-12-27
How to investigate Spiritualism.

the above caption, in which the writer
says: In the first place, we can find
no words wherewith to adequately
express our sense of the magnitude of
its fspiritism's) importance to science,
if it be true. Such words as profound,
vast, stupendous, would need to be
| strengthened thousand fold to be
fitted for such use. If true, twill be-
come the one grand event of the
worlds history; it will give an imper-
ishable lustre of glory to the nine
teenth century. Its discoverer will
have no rival in renown, and his
name will be written high above any
other. For spiritualism involves n
qualification of what are considered
the most certain and fundamental
conclusions, OF science. 1t denies the
conservation of matter and force; it
demands reconstruction of our
chemistry and physics and even our
mathematics. 1t processes, to create
matter and force out of nothing and
annihilate them when constructed.
| If the pretentions of spritualism
have rational foundation, no more
important work has been offered to
men of science than their verification.
Finally, say we, emphati-
cally, if there be truth in spiritism, in
whole or in part, let be Investigated.
These two theories, and these
only, are tenable regarding spiritual
manifestations: they are real and true
and honest, or they are a palpable
fraud. The mediums in these cases
are the most worship-worthy of NOR
tails, or they are cheats and liars"
The writer advises a programme for
investion, viz: A detective of acknowl-
edged sharpness, a boy with squirt
fjlled with printers ink, a Mexican
With a lasso; but intimates that q
shotgun might bring the investiga-
tors into trouble-better not use it.,
though our forefathers did resort to
the use of bullets in the detection of
witches. We like the old horse sense
OF the programme and hope the inves-
tigation will be made by competent
men. In the investigation of this
subject, it is we'll to understand what
modern spiritualists claim to have
discovered as new. They certainly dc
not claim to have discovered the ex.
istence of spirits, or their rnwn~ =
f6ie Co men IN I'll the iesh. If they max,
any such pretensions, we will refut'
such claims by calling up the testi
i mony of ABRAHAM, who received ant
feasted q spirit in his own house, ant
was delighted with his guest, and up
on LOT, whose life was saved by the
advice of spirit; also, upon ELIJAH
and SAMUEL, MANoA and JOHN,
PETER and JAMES, with a host OF
others too numerous to mention. All
of these have testified that spirits ex-
listed in their day and commu-
nicated with mankind. Since their
day there has hardly been
an age in which spiritual manifesto
tions have not been frequent. But
every age has had its Sadducees. Even
in the days of CHRIST when devils and
spirits were as common as the tiles on
the roof, there were those who denied
their existance, and SO obstinate was
this belief that CHRIST declared that
If one rose from the dead they would
not believe. The truth of this declara-
tion was verified at the grave of LAz-
ARUs. But if we understand this sub
Ject, all that can possibly be claimed
by the spiritist as new discovery is
the power or art of making spirits vis-
ible or manifest themselves to human
lty, at the will and pleasure of the
mediums. We protest that this is not
new. Over thirty centuries ago the
witch of Endor did this very thing in
the presence of King SAUL. But the
scientific American says they claim to
create material substance instanta-
neously and annihilate it at pleasure.
This is new and if they demonstrate it
they ought to have letters patent is
sued Immediately. We will take an
individual right at any price. TYN-
DALI, HUXLEY and DARWIN would
doubtless take an agency at least. We
want the investigation made by COM
petent men of every class-the sci
enlist from his laboratory; theSfexican
with his lasso; the boy with his squirt
full of ink-and if all these fail then
take the shotgun and fire at it. No
matter how we stain their dresses with
ink or cut them with shot, they are
easy made over. We may as well con-
fess that we are not satisfied with any
report we have seen from scientific
men who have commenced the inves-
tigation of this subject. Those wise
men of San Francisco who waited and
watched at the house of Mr.. CLARK of
Oakland are MUM. Mr.. CROOKS has
never divHlged anything he may have
discovered. And many others who
have tried to penetrate the mystery
suddenly drop it and are as silent as
the grave.l Why is this? Do they
discover things to deep for their phi
losophy and are ashamed to publish to
the world that they have found some
thing behind the screen beyond the
school mems philosophy? Or are they
made timid by what they have seen
| Il f.x- 4 Il. 4 q I