Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-09-14

were started; mediums. Through whom
the phenomena were presented, sprang
up ali over the land, and Spiritualism
grew to he the burning question OF the
hour. Since then the new philosophy has
been debated by the ablest minds In every
quarter of civilization. and II has un-
settled to an extraordinary degree the old
beliefs, rationalistic as well as orthodox,
Of the whole world.
Even before the spirit rappings In the
Fox family the societies OF Shakers at
New Lebanon, Watervliet, N. ", and
elsewhere had at the same time startling
psychical experiences, wherein certain
members Of the fraternity would lose
their proper consciousness. and the de-
parted spirits, as was maintained. OF per
sons of various nationalities would occu.
py their bodies and speak through them.
Almost simultaneously Andrew jackson
Davis, a shoemaker's apprentice at
Poughkeepsie. developed through mes
merism wonderful clairvoyant abilities.
Albeit uneducated, he was qualified, by
report, to speak freely and eloqucntly
on medical, spiritual and scientific top
ics
While I'm the mesmeric state he de-
c,ared he had intercourse with invisible
beings, and was instructed as to his
place and duties as teacher OF the new
tenets. He likewise dictated. under the
same conditions, hundreds and hundreds
of pages on q diversity Of supramundane
themes, an odd compound Of eloquence,
fustian and absurdity. These were af-
terwards published with the title. "The
Principles Of Nature; Her Divine Reve-
Iations and a Voice 10 Mankind" The
work had an immense sale and met with
the most contradictory criticism. Davis
thereafter wrote. in his normal mind,
many volumes Of similar character
they all denied the supernatural author
ity of the Scriptures), the Great Har.
monia" and his autobiography attracting
the most notice.
OF the innumerabe mediums that have
appeared here and abroad within the last
forty years. none has won such n repu.
tation as Home Daniel Douglas), ma
tive OF Scotland, who came to America
when only 0with an adopted aunt Spir.
its are reputed to have haunted him from
his earliest consciousness, and he remem.
bered seeing at 13 companion OF his
boyhood some years dead. AT II he be-
came a regular medium, and continued
to be such until his death. which oc-
CURED recently. He lived In New York
state and in New England up to 1855
he was then 2O--doing, beside the things
that general mediums do, many novel.
ties.
During the last thirty years Of his life
he made Europe his home. In Paris,
Rome, Berlin. Vienna and st. Peters
burg he created n great stir He was
presented to the emperor Of the French,
the car and the pope. and received
many superb gifts from crowned heads
and the nobility. Having joined the
Roman Catholic church, he was after
ward expelled from Rome when it was
the City Of the Soul, under the papal
dominion, for practicing spiritualism.
IIc was a big lion in London, where he
was secretary Of the Spiritual Atheneum,
an association formed for the propaga-
ton of Spiritualism. There he figured
as defendant in noted law suit, wo.
man of wealth having given him large
amount Of property and then sought to
recover it, which she finally did. Two
Russian women Of rank were successfully
his wives. one of them, who died in
southern France, leaving him a son. now
near 30 The most remarkable expert
ences and adventures were his in the Old
World capitals, reminding one of the
strange events of Cagliostro, st. German
and Eon de Beaumont in the last century.
Ms,liums generally have enjoyed a local
reputation, Hourished for a while, and
then disappeared from the public view.
Home, however, made noise in two
hemispheres, and drew the worlds eyes
70 the last, JUNIUs HENRI BROWNE.