New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-07

a the wholly worldly ana tne WoiiuN ho'S' :,
he was now on the verge OF great cnanso' "
was al this time that an extraordinary man-eN,
traordinary whether impostor or noe-naineu
Thomas Lake Harris, came into MS nue. ~ IA
encnce il nightly. Mrs. Oliphant evidently mas
Not bcen able quite to make up her mind about
Harris land the fact is not surprising Perhaps
he was self-deceved and by degrees fell into coll
sc;ons imposture tempted and demoralized by sue
cess Certainly the founder Of Brocton ana Vi
the Santa Rosa settlements was not common
malefactor and the sketch of him given here Is
on the whole far. .,
Laurence Oiphant had found rest In none OF
the creeds Christ and His doctrine he beneVeu
in. but he could not see that the churches hau
led the world of Christendom In the footsteps oi
the Master Now Harris held that there was ouV
one course for true Christians, and that was 10
live the life"; and this, no matter at what coSo
or sacrifice To this end the little colony ~
Rrocton had come together. No proselytsm was
attempted. Admission on any terms was dli'cu,C.
Harris possessed marvellous penetration. lie could
read the thoughts of men, nay, 1t Is posltVeiy
stated that he could recapitulate the past OF
total strangers as the Swiss philosopher Zschokke
is said N have done At all events Harris eXer-
csed an amazing influence over his small COM
munitv. and over most people who came In con-
tact with him. So deeply did his discourse ahect
Laurence Ohphant that he resolved TO resign
everything. the charms of society, the hopes of
nreferment. the destinations of travel and ad-
venture the attractions of literature, all that had
made life worth living, In short, and retie 10
the obscure corner of Pennsylvania, where hand
full of cranlxs" had drawn together to LEAD an
ascetic and oyless life. This resolution was "ar-
ried out faithfully. The brilliant society 1aVor-
ite, the promising diplomat, the talented cor
IL A4~se4 I'd dnrln
wears the life of a common aboring mana farm
servant, in fact, but under discipline as rigid
and wel-ngh as unsociabe as that of La Irappe
The most pathetic part of the story, however, is
vet to be told Lady Oliphant his mother, had
also fallen under the spell of Harris, and this
delicate woman declining in years, in feeble health,
cast in her lot with the Brocton people, and de-
livered herself up to mental labor, privation, and
the bitterest notifications
Mother and son were parted. They were not
permitted to speak with one another. The discl-
pline of Harris was severe, harsh, even cruel,
but the victims bore it with absolute Submissive
hess. They surrendered their wills wholly,
though to the world they declared that this was
not the case Mrs Ophant shows that q more
comprehensive and abject remuneration OF voll-
ton could not have been. But perhaps the most
extraordinary fact Of all Laurence ELEPHANTS
return to open life and the society he knew so
well, after these years of seclusion and suffer
ing Notwithstanding so tremendous an expert
ence he seemed unchanged. He was the same
witty, light-hearted entertaining companion as OF
old. He was interested in the same things. He
sought the same enjoyments. Nor had be been
forgotten, even by royalty The Prince of Wales
was his fast friend The Queen took a deep in
terest in him for years Never was there man
IN, nj
to dwell together in such strange accord. The
famous mystics of history often began their re-
ligious careers upon arriving at satiatiOn with
mundane pleasures; having once withdrawn, they
remained secluded, and never ventured to test the
strength Of their resolution by returning TO the
carish light of day. But here was man, who,
during the second half of his life, alternated be-
tween society and solitude; who could be mystic
and man of affairs by turns who spent some of
his time in society and the rest in religious ecstacy.
1t is case without parallel.
Sent on the continent by The Tines as special
correspondent when the Franco German war broke
out in 1870, Ohphant met his fate in Paris in
the person of Alice lie Strange, a girl Of beauti-
full and noble character, who was to become not
only his wife, but his spiritual companion and the
sharer Of all his singular religious beliefs. She,
too fell under the spell of Harris-whom, after
romance Masollam" O modern magician. She,
too, joined the life at Brocton. All her property
was sunk in the community. Her husbands had
gone before, and when the waking occurred and
the spell would work no more, it with great
difficulty that fragment was saved from the
wreck. The story of this part of the joint lives
is pitiful The interferences of Harris in the
most private concerns of the married couple were
inconceivable, but they were 6eekly submitted to.
Olipt ant sent to Europe and Alice dispatched
to California-apparenty for other purpose
than to keep the width Of TIE world between
them. So it went on until proofs of financial
crookedness were thrust upon them that they
were compelled to and then came cnfTanchise-
ment The shock of course severe, hut Laurence
Oliphant had learned little from his bitter
perience After season of recreation in Europe
he took up the colonization of Palestine scheme
and worked hard upon it, but to little purpose
Then he and his wife established themselves at
Haifa on the Palestine coast, and here, together,
they produced that strange book Sympneumata,"
which Mrs Oliphant valiantly confesses her total
inability to understand. There may be people
who have read and comprehended "Sympneumata"
but assuredy their name is not legion; neither
| can it be said Of the complementary work Sclen-
tifc Religion that it is adapted to the purposes
| of a textbook.
Laurence Oliphant always said he not
spiritualist: yet he certainly believed after his
| wifes death that he received communications from
her; that her spirit helped him 10 write that she
impressed him physically and palpaby; and that
| he recognized her presence in his vicinity. He
said also that he did not believe in spiritualism.
| yet all his theories rest upon that belief newt
| ably. The whole hypothesis underlying "Symp-
| neumata" is that of a cultivated adaptability 10
inspiration This also was at the bottom of the
| Harris doctrines. But in truth there is no CO.
herence cOnsistence in the mystic views and it is
painfully evident throughout that his imperfect
and ill-ordered education untitled him for the in
vestigaton Of these subjects which nevertheless
he devoted his main energies to the pursuit Of His
| object was the highest human nature can attach
itself to- and his devotion almost unparalleled ;