The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-09


of the astronomical genius of the age.
Those Ghosts.
For the last twenty years or SO that curious
anomaly which is called Spiritualism has
resembled a sick volcano, remaining quiescsnt
for while, and then belching forth its thun-
ders and cinders until half the world looked
on with awe and the other half with disgust
In the next century it will be looked upon and
written about as one Of those social curl
osities which Mackay and Disraeli have dis
coursed so charmingly. In its power of at
tracing public attention and of gaining
adherents it is to be put into the same cata-
logue with other sublime humbugs which
have fascinated whole generations and then
died q natural death. The columns Of the
HERALD, which are always open to the free
and honest discussion of any subject, political
or ecclesiastical, which engages the mind of
the public, have of late contained the most
formidable statements of both parties. That
those who allege and those who deny are
equally honest is patent to the most casual
reader that the afirmations of both parties
are equally true will hardly be admitted by
any critic Nothing is more evident than that
some people are egregiously gulled or that
some others are determined not to be con-
Nnced on any grounds. AS Stephen Black
pool sagely remarks, ''It's aw muddle.'
There are scores on scores of small fry who
exercise their mediumistic powers undis-
turbed, and pocket their regular fee for pro-
ducing the phenomena of unhappy tables and
chairs which waltz about the room with
somewhat uncertain gait. The three bright
particular stars in the dusky armament of
Spiritualism, however, have lately undergone
q scrutiny which will have ON appalling effect
on their cash receipts If they are humbugs
no fate is too bad for them, and the sooner
they are exposed the better. Let them be
visited with the unspeakable contempt of
community which will not tolerate trifing
with the fundamental facts of religion and
which visits a condign punishment upon the
charlatan who produces counterfeit present.
ment of our ancestors ct the ridiculously
small price of five dollars per head. If, on
the other hand these gentlemen are possessed
of an ability, or control force, not yet calcu-
lated or catalogued by science, let them SUBJ
NIT to such honest tests as will at once
disabuse the public mind Of a suspicion
of collision and trickery. These ghostly
visitors who walk the earth both when we
wake and when we sleep seem to be acting
too much on the sly, and are so coy and hard
to please that they are apt to impose condi-
tons which ordinary science knows nothing
about but which are suspiciously favorable to
an escape from detection.
Can it, oh, can it be true, that Mansfield
finds it impossible to answer question which
we put to the misjudged and misrepresented
spirit of our mother-in-law unless he is facing
the strong light and unless the question is
written on very thin paper? Good profess
sors of the occult science in which the Witch
of Endor was proficient, can't even the
dead Indian, who seems to be the special
prot<g< of Spiritualism, see that thicker paper
would be more satisfactory to the pale face?
Try commercial note for once, SO thick that
trate its mysteries and. while it rests in your
magnetic hands and your little finger thrums
its Geographic tune sit with your back to the
light and tell us what the red man says in an
swer to our query.
And is it true of Foster that, with his deft
digits, he can unroll our paper messages be-
fore our very eyes, and then-and only then
give us an answer. Can he give us the date of
some ones death after We have written it on
slip and placed it in little bundle of other
slips, which are almost like it, but not quite?
1t seems too good to be true. 1t is too much
for ordinary comprehension. And when you
think of the spiritual good that results from
these delicate attentions on the part of those
who take long journey either up or down to
communicate such facts, our bowels of COM
passion increase to such an extent that the
paltry five dollars seem as nothing.
And is it possible-this time our inquiry is
impelled by horror-that our ancestors do
really resemble the phosphorescent and india
rubber hatnesses which Mr.. Slade produces?
How doubly precious this life becomes after
one has looked upon the dead as they reappear
ct the Doctors sednces! What dreadful
thing it must be to go to any summer
land when the climate so disagrees with us
that our complexion is actually spoiled I!
Better put up with the sings and arrows Of
outrageous fortune for thousand years than
to look like that Alas, poor Yorick Our
advice to the dead is to stay dead and not
attempt the present imperfect processes of
naturalization. Woit patiently until some
new methods are devised, for anything more
CHASTITY than face composed of gutta percha
and phosphorus cannot be conceived. Even
Darwin, with his long list Of graduative exist
ences, reaching from the tadpole to Minerva,
would despair of finding suitable niche for
such productions.
comes form Of religion We must be in