The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-05-13

rays rejecting from these bodies. so as to
make no impression upon the common
sense; and yet at the same time by the re-
fraction of the rays gliding along the
fitted side of the volatile couch in which
Satan transports them, and thereby meet
ing and coming to the eye as ii there were
nothing interjacent, the wall or chair be-
hind the same bodies may be seen, etc
Think of such a mass of nothingness;
how could it be contained, or, rather, en-
tertained by one mind? But with such
men as judges, Jurors and lawyers, how
could reason find an impartial hearing,
let alone the supposed, on whom the
whole world casts an eye of vengeance.
All the horrors of religious persecution in
England were far transcribed by the hor-
rors of the witch mania.
King James / of England is princip-
ally famous for leading crusade against
the witches. He is sometimes called the
DemOnologist, from his writing a book or
treatise on "Demonology." He says two
good helps may be used for the detection
of witches: THE one is the finding of
their marks, and trying the unsensibleness
thereof; the other is their floating on the
water; for as in a secret murthur, If the
dead carcass be at any time thereafter
handled by the murthurer, il will gush
heaven for revenge of the murtherer God
having appointed that secret supernatural
sign for the trial of that secret unnatural
crime)." And most horrible were
the cruelties practiced in obedience
to the dictates of this sage
monarch. The test recommended
OF swimming was universally adopted.
The hands and feet OF the suspected were
tied crosswise together, the thumb of the
right hand to the toe of the left foot and
vice versa they were then wrapped up in
large sheet or blanket and laid upon their
backs in a pond or river. Ii they sunk
they were innocent and If they floated
they were pronounced a witch and lost
their lives. DR.. Grey informs us that he
perused list OF 1000 witches who were
executed in the time of the long parlia-
ment alone 1t is estimated that during
the first eighty years of the seventeenth
century the number executed were 500
annually, making the solemn total of
10000. This disease, for such il really is,
was not confined in any particular
boundaries but we might say represented
the four points of a compass. In Ger
many, Norway, Sweden. Denmark,
Russia, and in fact, almost every
country in someway or other, inn
personated the evil principle. The
fairies OF Germany and France, the mon
sters of Russia, the gods of Norway and
the myths of Mexico are but modified
names of this superstition. One, upon
reading Moore's utopia" or Bulwer's
'The Coming Race" would wonder at
person possessing such a vivid magma
ton, but when We consider that it is nat
ural for mans mind to wander in the field
of fancy and pluck wreaths and gariands
fbn ~ nj
all surprised. So much for witchcraft.
Let us look at another superstition of
more modern character, that OF spiritual
ism. This, as is claimed by its strongest
advocates, is nothing more than the re-
turn of ones spirit who is dead. This,
understand, is not definition, but a mere
statement of facts relative to the case.
Now, we believe in spiritualism in it's
broadcast sense, but not as it is generally
accepted. Spirit is everywhere-omipo-
tent. Let us see. Commencing at the
lowest form of creation, protoplasm. and
ascending through the different develop
ments of life, we notice that the lower
forms are dependent upon the higher, and
that the lower is governed to great ex-
tent by the higher forms of creation. But
man, who is the climax of all creation,
governs all beneath him in the scale of
life. That is TO say, he is most powerful
of all animal creation.
So it is with the different strata of oil
matter that occupies space. The earth
which is below all is least powerful but is
the foundation on which all other exist
ence and matter rests. But hold on my
essay is already too lengthy and for fear
that L make you all tired l will close with
this statement: that each preceding
strata of matter. earth, air, light, heat,
ether, electricity and finally at the top,
spirit, is more powerful and permeates all
the strata below.
Let us hear from you all. Success to H.
L. c., and who will speak kind word for
Valparaiso. Ind, May g.. "ZANoNI?''
Box 6l0.