The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-06-06
SPlRlTUALlSM.
Mediums, saints ana Jnggiers.

From the ST. Louis Globe Democrats
interesting review of "SpiritualisIn and
allied causes and conditions of nervous
arrangement" by ex-Surgeon General of
the United States Army Hammond, We
extract the following
PHYSICAL MEDIUMS.
Among mediums, both honest and dis
honest. there are persons who cause
others to believe that they can perform
to well-knOwn laws Of nature, such as in
ereasing or diminishing the stature, sus-
pension in the air, or deviation, and in
creasing the weight Of the human body
or objects, so that they can not be lifted
without the application Of far more than
the ordinary force. In connection with
this subject. the well-known leYitations
Of Mr.. Home arc mentioned, as well as
his feat or floating in the air, as narrated
by two eyewitness. These are fresh
in the minds of every reader, and de-
tailed account OF them is. therefore.
unnecessary. But taking the evidence
OF the case solely Oh its own
merits. DIR. Hammond finds that il is in
sufficient TO obtain credence-ior the as
sumed fact. 1t we were TO receive the
air floating Of. Home with the evidence Oh
which it rests, we would have to receive
also tue hundreds Of instances narrated
on much better authority OF the levlta-
tons OF the saints, by angelic power, and
Of witches by satanic agency, the truth
OF which no person IN his senses will be
ready 10 admit. Home Is said to have
elongated his body more than foot by
supernatural means, but it has been
proved that any person can add an inch
or two T. h's stature by peculiar rigid
ity of the joints, and 1t il certain that the
inaginations OF Homes beholders did
the rest.
"But the saints did far more astound-
Ing things with their bodies than Mr..
Home with all his spiritual aid has ever
been able TO attempt CORES states that
the blessed Ida OF Louvain, who lived in
the convent Of ROsenthal, was SO filled
with the desire 10 render herself accepta-
bic to the Lord that one night, as she oc-
cupied bed with very devout nun, her
intense longing so filled her soul, tina,
very soon all the members OF her body
| began TO swell and quickly assumed
| monstrous proportions. The skin of one
| OF her legs burst, and she ever aiterward.
| had the cicatrix. The poor nun, heI
bed.fellow. did not know what to thinl
OF this enormous application OF tn,
sanity Ida, and her situation was rem
dered in addition physically uncomforta
BILE, tor the swelling Ida went on enlarp
ing, till she occupied all but a very mar
row strip OF the bed. Suddenly, how
ever, things changed. Ida's BODY dimin
ished little by little, till at last ii wa
reduced TO an extremely minute size
This phenomenon was reproduced AZ sh,
was returning from church with he
friend. Here we have the testimony O
devout women in support OF the al
] legged miraculous event, and the eyidenc
is as good as any adduced in favor Of Mr.
Homes elongatlon."
In regard to feats OF leyitation. IL /,
we'll known that the Brahmins OF Indis
do far more wonderful tricks by leger
dermaln than any performed by Home
"A few years ago saw Col. Stodard
VINO had resided in India, and was ex
hiblting his skill In magic at Eyyptia
: Hall, London, cause female confederat
TO remain In the air after a table O,
which she had been reclining WAS re
moved. Long wands were passe
through the air above and below hel
without any support being detache,
other than slender cane which she hel
in one hand, and which rested on Ia
: floor. The trick is quite common on
:, among the Brahmins, who seem to thin
!. light OF 1t, but is often quoted by spirit
r ualistic writer's to establish the possibi
n ity OF leyitatioI."
deviation among the saints
quite common. Calmet gives list I
saints lifted up by unseen power, anon