The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-06-21
THE SPIRITS.
Revelations Of the Very King 81 III" Me-
diums, -. ID, Home All others
Mere Prctcnders lie lone
Is Truthful aud
Honest.

Honest.
Mr.. d. ID. Home, in his book on spirit.
ualsm, Just published, seems 10 regard
all other living mediums than himself AS
impostors. Somewhat inconsistency
with this position, however, he takes up
the history of miracle working divina-
ton, s0othsaying, etc, and proves that
the world as always been full of spirit,
nal mediums One Of the first stories Of
the marvellous which he tells il nara
tive of Swcdenborg, cited from u lctter
Of Kent, the philosopher
"Mme. IIartcvillc, the WIDOW OF Ihe
Dutch envoy in Stockholm, sometime
after the death Of her husband, received
n demand from the goldsmith Groom for
payment of silver service which her
husband had ordered from him. The
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 tins
trouble, and since the amount was CON
siderable, she begged Baron Swedenborg
TO give her call. After some
apologics 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.
Swedeuberg made no difficulty in meet
ing her wishes. Three days after this
the lady had company Of friends taking
coffee with her; Baron Swcdenborg
entered, and, in his mattcroi.iact-way,
informed her that he had spoken with
her husband and that the debt had been
discharged come months before his death,
and that tho receipt was in a certain
cabinet which she would find in IN
upper room. The lady replied that this
cabinet had been completely empticd,
and among the whole OF the papers this
receipt could not be found. Swedcnb@rg
said that her husband had described to
him that, if they drew forth a drawer on
the left side they would zee u board,
which, being pushed aside, they would
find concealed drawer in which was
kept his secret correspondence with lIol-
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, to the intense amazemenI OF all
present.
When we come to that portion OF the
l. -, 81, hn a
things within his own knowledge, ANA OF
the frauds and deusions OF modern spir-
itualism, we strike upon much that Is
interesting. In introducing it, he says;
"For years | have seen with yam
abuse after abuse attach itself to cause
in the service Of which my lie has been
passed and with which such ioulnossc'
have nothing in common. 80 wonder
fully have these paragraphs increased
and multiplied that, like pear cr''S,ed
with spots of dirt, the purity and beauty
of the original seem at present almost
hidden. An experience cX
ceedingIy varied, and extending over
period Of five and twenty years, give
me to my own mind and will give tC
the minds of the reasoning portion %
humanity, sufficient title to be heard,
In support of his view Of the subjrc
he adducea letters from Mr.. and Mrs
+. G. Hall, Katy Fox, now Mrs
.Jencken, and Hudson futile. On the
other hand, he finds himself opposed by
William Crookes and others, whose
names he suppresscs, who are of The
opinion that an exposure OF the tricks o.
the trade will do harm rather than good
Some OF those who take this side even e
40 far as TO threaten him with violence il
he persists in his purpose. But he de
clares that he il 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, Ret NJ
for inspired prophets, and gathered
around them a little band of disciples
whom they led to a place called Noun
tain Cove, Virginia and there attempted
to organize into community. The ex
pertinent failed, OF course, but not unit
the two leaders OF it had, according {,
Mr.. Home, exhausted in its behalf tn,
resources OF charlatanry and blasphe
NOUS assumption. A similar de
fusion found favor about the sam,
time in Geneva, Switzerland, and by it
worthy old couple were induced tospcn'
their entire fortune in supportinga rabbi
of enthusiasts whom the supposed spirit
gathered around. Next, Mr. llom
tells the story of Rev. John NJ. Spear
medicine for producing perpetual motion
and its lamcntablc failure. The varl0I
fancies of the French spiritualist, AlIal
Kardeck, are also iccounted. and tn
dongs of the New York Thcosophi
society are dwelt npon with ridicHle
The book OF the president of this latte
institution, People from the othe
World" comes in for especial denuncig
ton, and it is plainly said that its autho
il n fool
After this Mr.. Home enters at grca
length into n discussion of the Trucker
involved in the naturalization of spirits
the production of flowers, fruits an
similar articles, bysupposed spirit agency
and the photographing OF spirits, II
cites the testimony of Sergeant Cox, cor
corning naturalization
"But have learned how the trick i
done. | have seen the description of i
given by medium to another medium
who desired instructions. The letter wa
in her own handwriting, and the who'll
style OF it showed it to be genuine.
"She informs her friends that -h,
comes to the seanre prepared with a dres
that is easily taken off with it'll,
practice. She says it may be done in two
or three minutes. She wears two shift,
tprobably for warnth). She brings 4
muslin veil of thin material (she give.
its name, which forget). II is carried
in her drawersl 1t can be compressed in !
small space although when spread il cove r'
the whole person. A pocket handkercbiat
pinned round the head keeps back the hair
She states that she takes off all he,
clothes except the two shifts, and /;
covered nv the veil Tho noun, Z;