The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1877-06-22
THE SPIRITS.
Revelations of the Very King OF the me-
diums. ID. ID. HOme-AH others
Mere Prefenders-He Alone
is Truthful and
Honest.

IrutnIuA ana
Honest.
Mr.. D. d. Home, in his book on spirit
ualism, just published, seems to regard
all other living mediums than himself as
impostors. Somewhat inconsistency
with this position, however, he takes up
the history of miracle-working, divina-
tion, soothsaying, ETC., and proves that
the world las always been full of spirit
ual mediums. One of the first stories of
the marvellous which he tells is a nara
tive of Swedenberg, cited from a letter
of Kent, the philosopher:
"Mme. Harteville, the widow of the
Dutch envoy in Stockholm, sometime
after the death of her husband, received
a demand from the goldsmith Groom for
payment of a silver service which her
husband had ordered from him. Ehe
widow was confidently persuaded that
her husband had been much too orderly
to allow the debt TO remain unpaid; but
she could discover no receipt. In this
trouble, and since the amount was con-
siderable, she begged Baron Swedenborg
to give her a call. After some
apologies she ventured to say to
him that, if he had the ex-
traordinary gift, as all men affirmed, of
conversation with departed souls, she
hoped that he would have the goodness
to inquire of her husband how it stood
with the demand for the silver service
Swedenberg made no difficulty in meet
ing her wishes Three days after this
the lady had company of friends taking
coffee with her; Baron Swedenborg
entered, and, in his matter-of-fact-way,
informed her that he had spoken with
her husband and that the debt had been
discharged some months before his death,
and that the receipt was in a certain
cabinet which she would find in an
upper room. The lady replied that this
cabinet had been completely emptied,
and among the whole of the papers this
receipt could not be found. Swedenberg
said that her husband had described to
him that, if they drew forth drawer on
the left side, they would see a board.
which, being pushed aside, they would
find a concealed drawer in which was
kept his secret correspondence with Hol-
land, and there this receipt would be
found. On this representation the lady
betook herself, with all the company, to
the upper room. The cabinet was
opened; they found the secret drawer
described, of which she had hitherto
known nothing, and in it the required
paper, tn the intense amazement OF all
present"
When we come to that portion of the
book in which the author speaks of
things within his own knowledge, and of
the frauds and delusions of modern spir-
itualism, we strike upon much that is
In introducing it, he says:
For years 1 have seen with pain
abuse after abuse attach itself TO cause
in the service of which my life has been
passed, and with which such foulnesses
have nothing in common. So wonder
fully have these paragraphs increased
and multiplied that, like pearl crusted
with spots of dirt, the purity and beauty
of the original seem at present almost
hidden. \ An experience ex-
ceedingly varied, and extending over
period of five and twenty years. gives
me to my own mind, and will give to
the minds of the reasoning portion OF
humanity, sufficient title to be heard
In support of his view of the subject
he adduces letters from Mr.. and Mrs.
S. G. Hall, Katy Fox, now Mrs.
Jencken, and Hudson Tuttle. On the
other hand, he finds himself opposed by
William Crookes and Others, whose
names he suppresses, who are of the
opinion that an exposure of the tricks of
the trade will do harm rather than good.
Some OF those who take-this side even go
80 far as to threaten him with violence if
he persists in his purpose. But he de-
clares that he is not to be thus terrified,
and will tell the truth at whatever
hazard.
The first victims of Mr.. Homes pen
are Messrs. Scott and Harris, who, about
twenty-seven years ago, he says, set up
for inspired prophets, and gathered
around them a little band of disciples
whom they led to place called Noun
tain Cove, Virginia, and there attempted
to organize into community. The ex-
pertinent failed, of cotlrse, but not until
the two leaders of it had, according to
Mr.. Home, exhausted in its behalf the
resources of charlatanry and blasphe-
nous assumption. A similar de-
lusion found favor about the same
time in Geneva, Switzerland, and by it
worthy old couple were induced 10 spend
their entire fortune in supporting arabble
Of enthusiasts whom the supposed spirits
gathered around. Next, Mr., Home
tells the story Of Rev. John NJ. Spears
for producing perpetual motion,
and its lanaentable failure. The various
fancies of the French spiritualist, Allan
Kardeck, are also recounted. and the
ioings of the New York Theosophic
society are dwelt npon with ridicEle.
The book of the president of this latter
institution, "PeOple from the other
comes in for especial denuncia
ton, and it is plainly said that its author
is fool.
After this Mr.. Home enters at great
length into disctission of the trickery
in the naturalization of spirits,
the production of flowers, fruits and |
similar articles, bysupposed spiritagency, |
and the photOgraphing OF spirits. He
cites the testimony of Sergeant Cox, con-
cerning naturalization
"But have learned how the trick is |
done. / have seen the description of it |
yiven by a medium to another medium |
who desired instructions. The letter was |
IN her own handwriting, and the whole |
,tyle of it showed it to be genuine.
"She informs her friends that she |
comes to the seance prepared with dress
hat is easily taken off with a little |
practice. She says it may be done in two |
1r three minutes. She wears two shifts |
probably for warmth). She brings a |
muslin veil of thin material (she gives |
It's name, which 1 foTget). 1t is carried |
N her drawers 1t can be compressed in a |
small space, although Widespread it covers
,he whole person. A pocket handkerchief |
pinned round the head keeps back the hair. |
She states that she takes off all her |
,lothes except the two shifts, and is
covered by the veil. The gown is spread |
carefully upon the sofa over the pillows.
In this array she comes out. She makes
very merry with spiritualists whom she
.hus gulls, and her language about them
S anything but complimentary.
"This explains the whole business.
The question so often asked before was |
where the robe could be carried. 1t could |
not be contained in the bosom or sleeve. |
Nobody seems to have thought of the |
drawers.
Mr.. Heme describes the trick, as he
has witnessed it, thus:
"Noise is often caused during the pro-
,ess, and if heard might excite suspicion.
The audience are, therefore, requested to |
ing. The worse the voices of those pres
mt, the more readily and loudly they
comply. g Yes, we will gather at the
liver, makes the night hideous, and
kc hn biIifU IF /