The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-12-12
SPIRITUALISM.

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SpiritualistiC nonsense is again making a
great deal of talk. Newspapers are full of de
scrptions of spiritual shows and seances, male
and female mediums travel around the coun
try and by their tricks draw the money out of
the peoples pockets,-the most laughable of
all is that Spiritualism claims to be religion
One part of the press treats this humbug in a
real, sober and earnest manner, and proves by
this that it stands under the influence Of this
religious swndling. When such real spirit
uaist uses the press thus it can be held as
conclusive evidence that there is something
wrong in the upper story.
Spirituaists can be divided into two divi
sions swindlers and the swndled, the swind-
iers are the mediums, the swindled the gulled
but faithful believers, the people. There are
who can make snake out of any stick, the
same trick told of Moses in the bible. About
fifteen years ago French jugger and slight
of-hand performer came to Egypt and per-
formed every piece and trick as performed by
these so-called lively or sacred men but also
showed at the same time how it was done,
since then the Egyptians have lost confidence
in these holy men. 1t is matter of fact that
any ordinary jugger or slight or trick per-
former can accomplish more wonderful things
than the spirlualists.
A. few years ago Mr.. Slade, who was an OBJ
Iect of wonder in America, not the clumsey
bungler that was here in San Antonio, but his
father, gave show in Berlin, Prussia, but was
caught up with in his second piece and he was
exposed as an ordinary common juggler. Ia
Leipzig, at his cabinet performance an ordin-
airy mechanic stepped upon the stage and not
alone done the same trick but also told how it
was done. lhe whole of this exposure was
given at length in the "Leipziger Garten-
laube" Slade did not perform any more in
Germany Spiritualism has made grand fiasco
there.
Pious sisters, fond of coffee, some times
amuse themselves with 4 little table knocking,
but if tine table does not move some waG is
also in the company who used his knees.
Since SHADES exposure no medium dares 90
to Berlin or Leipzig, and he never fouriShed
in the United tates.
1t is sad commentary with the present
standing and condition of science that there is
so much superstition in the world. But where
there is light there is shndow. We had Just
barely succeeded in abolishng the belief in
spectres, ghosts and kindred apparitions
when some demented fellow discovered
whole world of spirit realms, creates theory
for their origin and existence. and 10 and be-
hold finds thousands of followers. Imagina-
ton is a big card in the game of spiritualists
1t is impossible to believe what senseless
trash and wishy-washy yarns this demented
class brings forward. There was an acade-
mically educated man in Germany by the
name of kerner, who imagined he saw and
heard spirits everywhere pebbles were thrown
against his window by unseen hands. His
friends, who were with him, neither saw nor
heard anything. He wrote a large book
about his experience among the spirit world.
lie was no cheat, but deceived or deluded by
his own Imagination.
Most spirtualists, who honestly imagine
they communicate with spirits, belong to that
class. A drunkard, suffering under an attack
of deIerium, cannot be convinced that he does |
not see snakes. bugs and other vermin. 1t is
Just as hard to convince an incarnate spirit |
ualist that his own imagination is playing !
trick ard deceiving him Travelling mediums |
are simple cheats and frauds, and an ntelli |
gent public should not take any notice of
them.
The above article displays an amount of
German egotism that is inexcusable in the
Freie Presse; a well-posted paper should not
be guilty of going all the way to Germany to
find an instance of exposure Of mediums. The
Ling has been done time and again, and more
in this country than in Europe.
But that does not prove there is nothing in
spritualism.