, 1874-02-08


Tho title Of this volume Is repolant. There Is
m offensive odor of seusationnlism about it. So
much arrant imposture has cncumbered and de-
- .,,a ,ha,,on,a,a NJ ,nodern sn;r;tua1isn,
q =, ;-,at;,ot;1,a1,, for+;fo. ;tgol+
that the SOBER nlno 'nsttne1t'eis AoisH'c0 1escn
for all encounter with hunabuG Whenever the
subiec. is presented. The f1aahy binding, too,
win ita troon of gy,nbolica figures resplendent
- :-os,at, +io +oo1,,o ~ d;etaeta R,,t
III eli1 1nc1e&aee tno Aso"As ~ 040'1 D''
passing these matters oy as ~ ho "ppAec1ao2o
weight, VIC open the book With tho single deslro
~ ;scoxo,;n what it actually has TO- say that is
-, ,-,,;,o u 1aot
"oi1u "i. oo7 w.
ono who IL evidently no bigot, nofool, no knare,
and. il n dune sincerely honest one. He is
,,,t ~, a1nort nj matchmaking. nor I man Of L.
-.:"a ec1sso,,t 49,, oftsr r;,1,toa oood tosta
n1ce 1enoenseu'' "n9 .Ase4 '1>o +'see $50
and proprlcty by MS o1uhs manners anu la1ohtar
loqp2city. And yet We rnther Like him the
better for 1t. There is no disguise Of the real
a, , r, f,o1 +,,o mora coofident thar We
ln-", -nu ,r1,;,o Ii. 1;vev co1ooa1 co,,,-
ean .tas1 AAn' "AiAo u.' A'o' 4'N'
nluucations malttta1li tne interest," "ncle gfeaset
narration is exclusively OF the authors personal
experience in the investigation OF the phenomena
Of Splrltuahen- 1t LII aounohh1ly sapporeoo Dy
nndenlable authority anu Ii celtaAn1s eA1aoi-
o'na1S anu i.1p 1S'i n,s;o st,dor+ ~ ,,o3,c;ne
a. EhensI,nro n Dr. Wolfe's attention twss
called to the sudden occurrence of strange
manifestations in the house OF poor and litter
ate 1aImer. lucy coas:otga ~ ~ a4lu -
fnrn;I1,-o md WA nrodncei1 nv Sho unnccount
able influence Of q tirnid frightened child Of 13.
i good deal OF excitement WIS created, md the
disturbance "as populaf!y ascl1neu 10 "'lcG-
c1a,.. 7 1l9 pa5se9 auu en ~ H. .,poc1,o,-
~ ro1,'n;ncs', -acelfe it to tho Doctor's memory.
md tho similarity of this to tho earlier
phenomena struck him forciblv. His curiosity
was reused, and he began experiments at 1aoio-
llppn's, VII s.c .11 Observation-Disclosures 1nr1tinnd
ahont him he cayo time and careful thought to
their Investigation. Finally to pcttle the ques
ton of their genuiueness in his own
mind, he took up his residence
for several months with thu celebra Ted writing
medium Alr. j. Y. Mansfield, OF Chelsea, Mass.
Hore follows curious and apparently authentic
account OF series of wonderful manifestations
which ho there Witnessed They wcro 30 con-
yiucing in their nature Us to restore to DR..
Wolfe q faith iu tho Spiritual world which had
long been lost to him. This end reached, he
rave up all further interest in tile phenonaena
of SniriLualism. aud went about lis business
BIT. in 1869. he CHANGED to witness an exhib;-
tion Of the remarkable mediumistic endowment
old interest was revived. During tue ensuing
four years, ho expended unlimited pains md
means to test tho reality OF the communications
made through her powers and, to afford the
public the same opportunity, history OF this
experience fills the mnj portion OF his book
AB yo before hinted, it il diffuse- Many Of the
professed communications provoke ridicu,e; and
rct throyiur ont all that il ruerile, enough re-
Ina'ns to elicit wonder and respect Not belief.
Like DOUBLING T1ou1as, this age has no faith e1-
cent in its senses and We must eacl1 see,
aud hear. and handle for ourselves, in order to
tr11st.
The most striking feature OF the phenomena
described is the naturalization OF epir:.-5orins
and faces.-wc use tho curreut phrase for tie
sneclacle' Thcre nav be nothing new iu these
marTels to those familiar with the physical
demonstrations Of Spiritualiem, but they are
none tho less " "eta1t!ing facts" They have
been witnessed by too many sound aud sober
minds for their occurrence to be doubted. The
only question il: Are they terial or spiritual
inns fur it has been useless TO; Scieuce to prcs-
eruto the inn,,iry II in batilcd by the mystery,
md Tia eEo1,tical world asks: Cui bono? But
tI,ora arc multitudos Of Tearpins souls to whom
It would be us realization Of Heayon itself if
t,at there ia life beyond tho grave.
--
Fallen from Virtue.
HESTER MOELEYs PROMISE. By HEsRA 61REr-
TON. New York: D0ud Z Mead.