Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-04-12
PHILOSOPHY OF wSPIRITISM ="



Acceptance of term does not reces~
sariIy imply belief in a theory. That
there are and always have been certain
phenomt ma not explainable on physical
grounds aone few thinking persons will
deny. That they are attributable to
the Influence Of departed spirits ia a
doctrine to which the rational student
Of mental philosophy is less liable to
give credence. Eminent physicians may
contend that Miss FsncheI, the Brook Ign
ecstatic," does not possess clarivOysnt
powers. She may and she may not. A
condition which is not impossible to 3
person in strong health should hardly be
denied to one in whom, in consequence
of long illness, mind must predo inate
over matter. A knowledge of anatomy
and drugs does not establish mans
claim to precedence in deciding matters
of this kind. One may have perfect
acquaintance with the physical structure
Of The brain, but be is no better qualified
,han any other reasoning observer to ex-
plain mental actions | am free to ad-
NIT that most mental effects are affected
| by physical causes, but sometimes We
find them going beyond. That there is
such a thing as Clarivoy auce, Cr mind
reading as some may term it, Sfi m
That true spintuallsm exists, am b,uDd
to deny, since every Fe sonal attempt TO
tathom the so,Called mystery hiss results
ed in nothing more than bafesAcad
fraud One incident OF many in a long
period OF investigation will serve TO II
lustrste my points,
In preface, let me say, what most
know, that the majority of professional
mediums claim to be controlled by
Indian spirits and ior the purpose Of
conveying theiriutormati0n in a moreim
pressiye manner. emf 10y q specits o
iargOn which is only more corrupt use
OF Language than person of ortinary in
telligence would adopt in everyday lie
As an assistance in creating impressions
the reception room is generally dArkened
- n fact they strive TO produce effect,
as uncanny as possible, thus preparing
the crodulous for unquestioning assent
to something very strange at least "
Some time ago, in company with g
friend, | visited famous clairvoyant il
one OF our largest cities. Sne lives in
elegance, talks huentIy, snd with heI
whole family claims to believe in spirit
ualism. This was our third visit, and
we were in different disguise every time
going bul once together. With aston
ishing accuracy she read my entire lie
in brief, told me the mental and physica
condition of absent friends, even what
some were doingst that very hour, nevel
once failing in the past or present, bu
she was hOpelessiy wrecked when sht
touched upon the future. The mali
facts she repeated after the first visit
giving just enough to prove that she has
worked me- ethodically if indeed lespon
sible, then dismissing the old with tht
remark that she had told me all tina
before She gave names OF friends living
and dead, with personal descriptions
aud further, described accurately SOM
whom had never known, and the cor
rectuess of those pictures ! atterwart
proved by applying to those who ha,
, known them. The leading item OF
which ! proposed to test ner she gave nj
perfectly at tho outset and good na
! turedIy referred TO my sbepticsr
Through it all she was but twice throw
off her guard, forgetting then her dislec
and answering me with very human irTl
tation rather than spiritual superiorit
and forbearance.
; During my friends interview wit
, her-I waiting meanwhile-a refined
, intellectual aud delicate woman wa
, shown into the back parlor. The medium
; not having gone under control, came ou
2 to say to her husband that she w0ul
! like him to attend the new conner. .
conversation followed, to which clnfe,
/ / listened | was there for intormatio
e and felt entitled to sll | might obtain j
e a public way. 1t proved that this lad,
t akeptic, having attended one Of II
e many yseances at this house, had becOn
a convinced of the truth OF the theory, an
= had for a week been seeing and conver
: ing with the spirits, and was now wilIir
r, to be developed. The husband bur
!. man weighing about 200, took her
charge snd from my corner l discoyerl