Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-01

loved one he so lately held, and VINO Is
reaching out into the darkness into which
that loved one has disappeared-reaching
out with longing and an agony that re-
fuses to be comforted, and often invisible
hands seem to touch the outstretched, i'm
ploring hand with consolatory reality.
The results of investigation in such
frame of mind mean nothing, and do not
address themselves with force to those
who would know the truth by irrefutable
evidences. Such results, attained in such
mental state, may be taken as a
measure of grief. In state OF
bereavment, reason is partially dethroned,
and the tender regard of man for man IN
such state, ia not wholly sympathetic,
but arises largely out of the universal con-
viction of the partial responsibility of
the sorely afflicted. Hope and desire in
such states control the conclusions of the
mind. Sitting calmly by, the passive, I'M
der these circumstances, have witnessed
manifestations so crude, so transparent,
so bald as tricks, that it would appear none
could be deceived by them; yet the same
witnesses have seen the bereaved victims
accept these manifestations, for the time,
as the most convincing evidences of spirit
communication.
But men should measure revelations by
| Iba;- voI,a nc contributions ~ 9ha sum nj
human happiness and humsn intelligence.
We venture to say that modern Spiritual
ism has in this respect been so small g con-
tributor, that its measure is not worthy to
be taken. If we would judge the tree by
its fruits, we cannot say of this one that it
yields sweets to the taste. We estimate
in large sense great truths by the agen.
cies through which they are manifested, and
the experience of most men is that SO far
as modern Spiritualism is concerned, its
prophets and its priests are of an exceed.
ingly unrepresentative character of intelli-
gence and culture, of social, mental and
physical worth, and the spirits that operate
through them illiterate, ignorant and i'll
bred as rule. From this sweeping de-
nuncistion we are perfectly willing
and glad to except a few high
minded and sincere people but these DO
not make manifestations source OF gain
nor their faith matter of barter and ex-
change. Nor do they, in response to the
greedy demand of human nature for more
and more of the incomprehensible, supple.
ment their magnetic, clairvoyant, or we
may say their "mediumistic powers by
the tricks of the necromancer and the hol-
! low shams of the street magician, or the
thimble, rigger of the alley. 1t must be ad-
mitted, however, that because some-in
this case the majority as we believe-enter
upon courses of fraud, the truth should not
be rebuked, nor would we reproach it
merely for its unfortunate associations, but
rather commiserate it for its inability to
protect itself against such common inpos-
ture.
In the present case it is charged openly
thst the witness now before the public was
deceived by trick. playing woman, whose
business it is to indulge in such practices !;
that she has hired persons to personate
spirits that the child can be produced
who, in this instance, played the part of
the materialized form of the daughter for
whom two recently bereaved hearts are
still aching. We have in possession letters
from reputable witnesses, who say they can
produce those who have thus aided this
medium in duping her victims. We
have other letters explaining how other
mediums deceive by means of most cum
ningly devised skin.like and intiatable cub
stances by concealment defying search,
and by manipulation thai will deceive the
most practiced eye as to mystical appear
auces and unaccountable disappearances.
We are assured by eye-witnesses
that the medium in question has
put her arts to such gross uses as to
materialize the very vegetables of the field,
and also that she has by her skill, or the
"control that operates through her-it
is Indifferent what it is called-produced
locks of hair from spiritual heads material
lied into forms of reality to serve as me-
mentoes for bereaved ones and it is verify
that these powers were so intense that
even that loathsome parasite which testi.
fes to personal neglect Of the body, was
reproduced in the hair also. From this
the conclusion is drawn, on the basis of the
truth Of naturalization, that does no vio-
lence TO logic, that in the other world
there are those less neat than we should
suppose spiritual requirements to demand,
and who so live as to make their intimate
| acquaintance, even by mortals, very unde-
airable. II we are justified in any judg-
ment at all we shall certainly be warranted
in applying to such a case, when these
allegations of deceit are established, the
well,known maxim of the law which puts
| the seal of unworthiness on that which is
found false in one thing, flLsus in uno,
.taisas in omnibus, for we are dealing
with human witness and must apply
human tests.
But if there is conflict of testimony
which may command suspension of judi.
cial Judgment, there is nothing to bar a
judgment by comparison and work. The
evidences are that Spirituslism is not
teaching doctrine. II it is eaid that it es-
tablishes the fact CT the immortality of the
soul, it does nothing for the Christian who
arrives at the same conclusion by
other testimonies. Nor does it add to
the conviction of all the other millions who
hold to the same belief upon natural evi.
dences and internal aspirations and
convictions. James Freeman Clarke
well says that belief in
disembodied spirits is the lowest form in
which religion manitests itself that the
belisf in ghosts among the savage tribes
comes to them from the instructive con-
seriousness that the soul within is independ.