The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-30
Dr. HaSIetrs lecture Heturo the Lin.
coin Nlnh.


The performances ut the Lincoln Club on
Saturday night were OF a very interesting
and instructive character. Indeed, we don't
know when we have listened to an entertain
Inent that was throughout Of more enjoya-
bic character, We were glad 10 sec 50 many
OF the members Of the Legislature present,
for as DR.. Logan, the President, well re.
marked: Although the Lincoln Club is a
political club, yet party lines are never
drawn among its members except on election
day. and all respectable citizens and stran-
gersare welcome toits assembly room to wit
ness its periodical public entertainments
Elsewhere the details OF the performance are
alluded to, and We propose in this reference
to speak only of the address on "supersti-
.tion,, by DR.. h. W. Hazlett.
The subject is naturally very fruitful, and
suggestive Of an extensive line Of thought
and illustration, but the doctors half hour
address was largely confined to a general re.
view Of the various superstitionS that had
characterized the nations OF antiquity and Of
modern times. He gave a very interesting
outline Of the history OF oracles and omsns
in Greece and Rome, and Of the various
superstitions Of the Dark and Middle ages on
the continent Of Europe and in England, and
still later in our own country. Upon the
whole he did not think that the superstitions
Of our day approached in dignity those Of
Greece and Rome. There was something
national, heroic aud sublime about the super
stitions of these two nations that was alto
gether lacking now. He took up spiritualism
al the most marked and prevalent Supcs
stition Of our day, and placed it in the
catalogue Of jugglery and legerdermain. In
with more zest than in any other portion OF
his address This was natural, iRasmuch US
the doctor has had considerable to do ut one
time and another in public and private way
in examining and exposing sO.Called spirit
manifestations. In point OF credulity on
imperfect evidence he placed 1t on u par
with the witchcraft Of New England in the
seventeenth century, and by the way he gave
In short compass one Of the most salisfac.
tory outlines Of that frenzy that we haye
ever heard. He read specimens OF the kind
OF evidence on which witchcraft rested, on
the strength OF which people were con.
demned TO death, citing particularly tho thee
logical reign Of terror that prevailed under
the auspices Of Cotton Malher. 1t seemed
impossible to realize that such cruel super.
stitiou could have ever prevailed in our land,
and so near our own day. Its victims were
TO be counted among the nine millions Of
the human race who in one nation and
another, and IN various ages, had persisted
by violence us victims Of superstition.
In discussing Spiriiualism he made the
statement that since 1t began it had never re.
ycaled fact worth knowing It had never
foretOld q public calamity; ii had never by
any credible evidence warned anybody OF
nn impending event, good or bad, and had
accomplished absolutely nothing that would
stand the test OF scientific Investigation.
This part Ot the Doctors lecture he had
intended to illustrate ina local way by re.
ferring to the lSTGLluENCER's $500 offer for
the production OF voice, or hand or face OF
any deceased person; known hercabouts, In
public hall. in daylight in this city, but he
overlooked Tin throwing together his notes.
He has no idea that that offer will ever be
accepted by any professional medium.
The lesson taught by tho Doctors address
was this: Thatit is tue province Of all true
progress TO beware OF blindly referring to The
supernatural, any phenomena, real or imac.
iinary, that may not ut once be readily ex-
planned by known laws. Nature has prOyid.
ed somewhere key, like the famous Rosetta
stone Of Egypt, by which the hieroglyphics
OF that wonderful land were at length trans
lated and made plain. Sooner or later we
will fluid this rosetta by the patient study OF
the great laws that control the existence OF
the world We inhahit. History teaches us |
that all superstition deals in the mysterious
and substitutes our fears or hopes for our
reason. Its natural tendency Is to ignore
and often 10 pervert reason And vet reason
Is the brightest jewel thut has been yuuch. |
tafed to man, and the only thing that greatly
eleyates him above the beasts that perish.
This short reference TO the Doctors address
scarcely does 1t justice, but 1t is not unlikely
that 1t will be published In full at nm early |
day. On the whole, we congratulate the man. |
ayers OF the Lincoln Club on the success Of
the occasional entertainments which they
are ai0rling the public Literary and mI. |
seal exercises are we'll blended in these en-.
tettainments, and we'll calculated to instruct
and elevate public sentiment The club is
certainly valuable social adjunct these win. |
ter nights