Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-04-09
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Spiritualisrn,

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The Saturday Review thus discusses
the subject of Spiritualism
I'm the first place, if there is any
thing in Spiritualism, nothing can be
easier than to demonstrate its truth.
Why do we believe, it is asked, In the
revelations of the electric telegraph 7
Because we submit them to crucial ex-
periments every day and every hour OF
the day. Why don't we believe in the
revelations of mediums? Because they
always evade crucial experiment. Take
simple case. President Lincoln's as
sassination was known throughout Amer
lea within an hour or two after it hap
pened. Subsequent evidence OF course
confirmed the truth of the report. 1t a
Spiritualist had announced the event 10
England before it hao come to US by any
ordinary means, (he submarine tele-
graph was not then laid DOWN we should
have been convinced simultaneously
that Spiritualists possessed some mysterl-
GUS power. If, in fact, they possess the
means Of knowing what is happening at
distant times and places, they can place
the reality of their claims beyond all
conceivable cavil. They can prove their
power fifty times day. But any one
proof would be sufficient. If single
revelation were made such as that OF
Lincoln's assassination, it would be
enough. Why has no such proof ever
been given9 For the simple reason that
the power does not exist. All the al
legged wonders of this kind depend upon
what A said to B and what B repeated
to G, and so on. If single witness has
lied or made mistake, they are value
less. A man claims power of commu-
nicating with disembodied spirits if he
has it, opportunities for demonstrating it
in the most public manner are open to
him every day and all day long; and
yet it is never done. And for this rea-
son we recommend ordinary inquirers to
wait. If the alleged power exists it will
prove itself. If it does not, they had
better not waste time in examining into
it. Mr.. Home, indeed, suggests reply,
and wonderful reply it is. The spirits,
it seems, are capricious. 1t may be so,
but philosopher is bound to accept the
simplest explanation consistent with the
facts. Perhaps, when watch is missing
from my pocket, and is transferred to
that of notorious thief by no visible
agency, a spirit may have done the trick,
but it is safer to assume that the thief
managed to do it without my seeing it.
The same argument applies to Mr..
Homes spirits. So long as their caprice
leads them always to shrink from a cru
cial test, it is simpler to assume that they
don't exist. Give us phenomenon 9TH
erwise insoluble and we will accept your
explanation but so long as you give
nothing which may not be explained by
assuming a certain quantity of roguery,
irabecility, or, it may be, morbid action
of the brain, we shall not go out of our
way to assume the existence Of spirits.
The Spiritualists prove great dea-
too much if tenth part of what they
say is true, they have the means of pub
licly demonstrating their supernatural
powers. They never do. What is tn,
obvious inferenceP If it were declared
that the heir to an estate who had beer
lost, really existed if he might recove
his property by simply showing himsel
in Westminster Hall; if he obstinatel,
refused to come but offered to produce
number of afidavts from people VIII
had met him in dark rooms, or talke,
with him a minute in his attorney
office, what should we think Of him ? "