Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-05

ing aInuitles WITH, II not ldentlcai Win,
Magnetism and Electricity. Reichenbach,
indeed. concluded that the human body
was magnet built up of magnets, and
that other animals, plants, minerals, and
in fact all organized matter, had definite
and special forms of magnetism. His ex-
periments, and those of Baron Du Potet,
Puysegur, Elliotson and Ashburner, with
rock-crystals, metals and plants, upon
sensitives, went far toward establishing
the truth, or at least the probability, of
this hypothesis. Aud in the meantime
other dark recesses of nature were being
explored by the Spiritualists. 1t
is neither necessary nor desirable
to recapitulate the well-known facts
in regard to the genesis of this latter
movement. Suffice it to say that while
the Spiritualists gathered a great deal of
evidence in support of certain phenomena,
they obtained comparatively little salts
factory demonstration of the theory that
these phenomena were produced by disem-
bodied human spirits. Their experiments
really developed that perplexing aspect of
Clairvoyanee in which the sensitive ap.
peared to come into contact with intelli-
gent but intangible agencies. Bat the
more conservative among the students of
Mesmerism, as the more conservative
among the students of Spiritualism, re-
fused to accept the undemonstrated as
sumptions of the majority, and preserved a
tentative and expectant attitude. 1t
seemed to them that the dawn was ap-
preaching, but they could not accept the
rosy reflection of the still distant sun upon
the clouds which hung on the horizon, for
the clear effnlgence of the great luminary
himself
The doctrine that the Hour always brings
the Man, is in one point of view only a
recognition of the truth that every import
ant advance is the result of complex and
gradual preparations. And there are often
many failures before success is attained.
The charlatans, impostors, Missionaries, of
one age, become discoveries and prophets
under the instructed vision of subse.
quert generation. From Pythagoras to
Paracelsus. and from Paracelsus to this
day, men have been striving in vain to
teach reconcile truths to communities in
sufficiently advanced to receive them, and
the course of scientific research is strewn
with the bones of such martyrs. A point
had now been reached at which progress
seemed stopped. Experiment could pene-
trate no further into the nature of the
occult force whose manifestations, under
the title of Animal Magnetism, were so
potent. In Spiritualism all was confusion.
The seance-room was the scene of the most
grotesque as well as the most astonishing
phenomena. Alleged spirits furnished COM
munications, the pervading imbecility of
which suggested the most discouraging
views as to the intellectual consequences
of emancipation from the body. The
world was asked to accept the dimly seen
manifestations and possible receptions of
the clark cabinet as proof positive of
the Immortality of the soul. "Material.
ization" had become so common that
many bold impostors initiated it
successfully. Science, ever reluctant to
recognize phenomena which transcend
ordinary experience, founed in the absurdi-
ties of Spiritualism a plausible excuse for
refusing to investigate its genuine phe-
nomena. But though the scientific
Popes," Tyndall and Huxley and Faraday,
would have nothing to do with the phe-
nomena, it would be unjust and inaccurate
to say that all scientific men held the same
contemptuous and repellant attitude to-
wards them. Professor Crookes. chemist
of high reputation Mr.. A. R. Wallace, a
naturalist of celebrity; Professor Challis,
an astronomer Professors Gregory and
Hare, chemists Professor Mayo and DIR.
Elliotson, psychologists Mr.. Rutter, chem.
ist, and many continental scientific men.
undertook to investigate the subject with
out prejudice, and under scientific condi.
tions. The results of most of these iu-
quiries have already been made public.
Professor Crookes, as is well known, testi.
fed to series of very remarkable phe-
nomena in the line of naturalization"
and he obtained these manifestations under
the most complete test conditions. He de.
electrical instruments, and employed them
in such way that fraud of any kind was
rendered absolutely impossible. Heobtained
Photographic portraits of the alleged ma.
terialized spirit by the magnesium light.
He tested the phenomena in every con.
ceivable way, and they withstood all his
tests. Thus, then, another step was made,
though indeed the solution seemed no
nearer. 1t was demonstrated that sensi-
tive or medium being the only human be-
ing in room or cabinet at particular
time, second form, possessing the closest
resemblance to humanity, and appearing to
be intelligent, might appear and that this
second form, which manifested itself only
while the medium was in state OF trance
or deep sleep, could dissolve and disappear,
leaving no trace. This was demonstrated
as scientifically as Professor Tyndall has
demonstrated the physical basis of life, to
say the least. In fact, there remained but
one avenue of escape for those who could
not accept the new light, and that was
through some such convenient, if unphilo-
sophical. theory as that of unconscious
cerebration or hallucination. The OBJ
servations and experiments of Professor
Crookes could not be answered seriously,
and in fact they have not been answered
at all.