Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-07-23
NfaQIcianS and Magic.
J.. 4. NORTH.


No.
MYSTIC TOOLS.
We can none OF us pretend to work
without tool, neither can the coniurer.
The old tales of witchery, magic spells
and so ON are but the commencemen nj
to the tedious tiresome preparation that
n ma2ician's tools were obliged to IN
dergo before he could be said to have
provided himself with really efficient
means for work. The magicians of old
had mainly dealings with the evil one,
but like many and many a class of
hummeriei unnecessarIes were trying
To convince others that they were en-
gagged in furtherIrg everything heaven
ly- This affords some explanation for
the lengthy inc ant atoms and blasphem-
Gus prayers that were deemed the kew
to past occult science. 1t hits little
hard wien We are forced to confess that
mysticism as always fiourished better
unler mask of religion than when
presented as pure mysticism.
The three instruments that made the
magician's chamber complete were the
white knife" the fearsome wand and
the magic mirror of steel or crystal
Others he m ght have if he so chose,
such as the sword with the cross hilt,
sickle or the SIN III lance; but the fl st
three mentioned We're alone absolutely
necessary.
The magic wand was fashioned with
an absolutely unused knife made of the
finest steel wit handle of ivory. This
Hisst be made on Wednesday between
mldnlg ht AMI three in the IL, rning with
I. e moon at Its fall aud the murmur o
thee low chanted III IS .s falling on the
eIr Of the smith who made IL. Alter
TIA the ivory handle must have certain
h:er"glyphIcs inscribed on II with u
specially prepared instrument.
The wand itself wus of three varied
forms each fitted to IA certain purpose.
One with a fnrked hazel twig mt the
end wns regarded the holiest and best
esteemed. This special fork must be
hunted the night before it wGs used.
must be found of al exact length and
the tree from which il is taken must be
one VIII ch h Is never budded. lie mere
ly hunts this in the nj. ..ht but dare not
cut 1t till Just before sunrise, as all the
virtue depar from the twig unless 1t
he cut just the instant the sun peeps
above the horizon.
The properties of the knife are in
creased by using il to cut the throat of
Il hiu DelDIc lne l"lB Is lOunu- Inc
knife is then taken TO tn smith again
who works it into two steel ferrules
These the magician fixes one on each
TIP of the twig and magnet Zcs them
W tia warm loadstone 50 that they NAV
attract all metalliferous treasures. Th,s
instrument 5 now ready for action.
he preparation of the magic mirror
occupied forty eight days at a certain
period OF the moons growth. 1 he steel
WAS highly polished and inscribed with
mystic names in the blood of a white
dove and put away in linen. During
the sanctiticution fires Of laurel wood
and deyout Latin prayers We're kept up,
and at the end of the forty-eight days
the mirror WAS breIthed upon and a
dread adluratiun uddr, ssed to the an
gel Anael 10y whore agency man Is some
time permitted to see into futurity.
Another prayer and the sign of the
cross made over the magician and the
mirror aud the ceremony is concluded.
Anael appears in the semblance of a
lovely child.
Anael saluted the magician and COM
manded his companions TO obey him,
after which the owner of the mirror
could see persons and things destined
to coHvulse the world. When Anael's
presence WIS again needed a short IN
vocation sufficed to bring hun. With
out the angel the mirror WAS but dead
blank of polished steel
Those who have real La COnltesse de
Chdrny viii recognize the importance
of the magic mirror as Dumas invites
and concentrates the Imagination on il.
Who ever will or can forget the power
fol scene where, by the medium of Gag
hostro Marie Antoinette is permitted to
see the events of the future-her dread
future-through a magic mirror such
as We have described.
A merciful Providence has drawn q
veil over our future. The most we can
do is to study the past, the wisest, to
stand firm in the present, and for the
rest catch what glimpses We may of
things to come