The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-07-04
ABOUT SPIRIT MEDIUMS.
INsu York nmes.i


 tion will probably be effectively exposed by the spiritualists themselves, lt Is e. timated that there are in round numbers about 900 GOO proEeSsed spiEitnalists in this country. Of this number at least nine-teaths do not accept naturalization or claiI audience, and believe that their development and advocacy are injurious to the popular acceptation of their belief In spiritual iIspiE as:oz. Cas q shs sr::- itualistic papers published in Chicago boldly proclAims naturalization to be impersonation and cAarlasaayy. The spiritualises themselves propose .Aests which will surely completely demoralile and expose ;Ae fraud os material: .tson, It is proposed that the medium shall sit in a double og divided cabinet that a partition of some light stuff, no, sufficient to destroy the force, shall separate the medium and the materiaht a,ion, thus positively preventing impersonation. Or they would like to enclose the medium in a bag of mosquito netting, which would con6ne her while 1t would not counteraci or disturb the mysterious forces (f) enabling m naturalization through the peculiar mediumistic powers claimed by this class of mediums.
 Converts are S,altifed in their belief that even such bold expose as was made the other day in Kansas City by local editor, who identified Mott. the me dium, at a naturalization by spAttcring him with aniline ink carried by a syringe. does not shake their faith, but an expo sure by the xpiritualists themselves can not fail 10 have some effect on the be- nighted followers of and sufferers from the illusions of the impersonating mate l fueuce of the medium, there would seem to be no hope of the victim ever recover | ing his or her Self-contTol As rule the mediums arc commonplace and ignorant persons, and their influence is always selfish and injudicious, to say the least It is in the knowledge of the writer tha, separation and divorce were brought about between very worthy but slightly uncongenial couple, through the probably well meant, though very bad ana stupid advice of a materialized spirit, the me dium taking her cue from the presumed wishes and intentions of the victim, who, believing implicitly in the demonstration, faithfully accepted and acted on the advice received from the cabinet Another case which may be cited of the pernicious in- huence of the medium is that of a recent dissolution of partnership of two we'll known theatrical managers and artists, one of them having passed under the control of spiritual guidance, he having been converted by a well.known mater. ahzing medium. So many satisfactory tests can be offered by the mediums and their fanatical followers that even the skeptic is sometimes bothered in his in- vestigations but an honest, thorough and unprs judiced examination will alw1ys ex- plain these tests. as any other of the de- velopments of spiritualism. The many misses of the table communications are not mentioned only the hits arc remem- bered and bls ,ned forth to the world by tongue and press. As rule these tests do not amount to much, and would not convince any one excepting a Leslot, pre-. lous ]" when a calm, dispassionate inves- tigation would reveal nothing of the kind, but self-evidens imposition.
 Time and pains are necessary in the in- vestigation of one of these tests Of the game be considered worth the candle) For instance, some years ago Mrs. Victo- ria Woodruff posed in a Bond street mansion as clairaudient medium. One day a well known gentleman received a letter from her, saying that she would | give him some valuable inform ation in a trance in regard to lawsuit he was then prosecuting in a distant western state. The gentleman was not aware that any one he,e knew anything of this suit out side of his immediate circle of friends, and, 1t is needless to say, was much sur prised by the communication in question. Calling at the number given, he found that q seance would cost him ten dollars Leaving, he sought two gentlemen friends to whom he briefly told all he knew abou, the pen ding suit and with them retusne to Mrs. Woodruff, and bargained for a seance, on condition that she should not receive the ten dollars if she failed to i'm part any information (more than he knew himselO about the suit. the two men ac. companying him to officiate as judges Mrs Woodruff declined at first, but after a little discussion accepted the proposi- ton, and went into" a trance. In the presumed or claimed trance condition she but nothing that those present did not l A1VW a tGA1yt Aho WnGu buS tCtUfUEo kO a normal state, the two judges, much to her chagrin, and a sacrifice of their natu- ral chivalrous impulse, decided that she was not entitled the money, as she had given no information (and, indeed, had not said half on the subject that either of them could have said). Years rolled by, and the subject had almost passed from the memory of the gentleman engaged in the lawsuit, when a chance conversation one night with friend revealed the tact that the latter, once consulting the medium, had thoughtlessiy mentioned the legal proceedings, the name, etc and she with the aiacrity characteristic of the craft had communicated with the party-hence the interview-in which in the suppostitious trance condition she had only given such information on tbe subject as had been narrated Q he., ssd =A:ch, relying CT the creduiity and reverence generally inspired