The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-23
Strange DOINGSA AT ONSET.
o Stiles Cabs UP SPIRITS, AND,
WHAT rs MORE, THET COME.
A Medipr, who see-s 90 Have The Use 90
eabrieT's Trunp-Huuor nroua the shore
Heyond-A R~eeord-Srenktng nay.

Heyond-A Reeora-Sreaktng hey.
ENo- N. 81. LOus GLOBE. Dr-ocrat.
ONSET, Mass. Sept. q" Gabriel won't nnd
much to do down this way hard headed old
Yankee spirituallst said. After . brief pause
he added:
"Joe stiles has raised half Of the FOLKS ont Of
the eraveyards from here 10 Caps Cod already
That for which women were prayerfully
hanged in old Salem is practised under encour.
aging conditions At Onset. The witches Of colo
NAL days were mediums. spiritualism then was
Of the evil one. and was repressed. To-day 10
fourishes nowhere In 90 many and such vigor-
Gus forms ~ in New England. Its mediums are
Of Puritan stock. Its upholders are descendants
of the Pilgrims. From Jonathan Edwards TO
James Freeman Clarke was q long step. The
progression " TO Minot J. Savage h almost as
great. A psychical research. self-appolnted
committee Of theoloelans and professors and
wise men generally haejust declared;
w find slate writing n fact.
1--WE find naturalization n fact
Whether produced by spirits. 90 called, We
are not prepared to say"
This committee took q medium from ner home
in q carriage to the house Of one of the members.
As soon rs sbe reached the floor. the medium
was conducted 10 q room by wives of members
OF the committee. She was stripped-that u the
word. Not ono Of the garments she wore into
the room went out with her. Che was dressed
in black throughout. She was placed in n cabi-
net constructed by the COMMITTEES. Two white
forms appeared. This Is what the spiritualists
at Onset tell.
Onset is where the seekers after the spiritual
60 to sec and hear new things. II IL . branch Of
Buzzard's Bay. When President Cleveland
walks down from Gray Gables TO the anchorage
OF the catboat Ruth he looks across scant two
miles Of water and rocks and secs the cottages,
the hotels, the outdoor auditorium. ard the tenn
pie Of the summer city of the New England
Spiritualists. giving bright color TO sombre pines
which heavily fringe the points and rlens Of
Onset.
To the Mecca Of Yankee spiritualism came
mediums by the hundreds this year. Tho resi-
dent population Of believers swelled 10 the thou
sands. On Sundays excursions brought curious
visitors by the ten thousand. And the strangest
Of the seasons phenomena were wrought by Joe
Stiles, the believers say.
The short. thick set, kindly-faced old gentle
man. with cropped gray beard. neat in attire. IL
not Mr.. Stiles. but Just Joe Stiles to everybody.
A smile turks in the corners OF his mouth, and
benevolence looks out Of his blue eyes. His voice
is as agreeablv modulated as tho tones of an or
gan. Two things Joe Stiles docs which makes
him eminent among mediums. He rhymes by
Inspiration, but not as other poets, who claim
Credlt Tor tnclr spOnuees. 200 stiles passes I'M
with eyes half closed he reels OF verse in vary
ing quantities and to suit all occasions. The
pretty good. The immediate and local illusions
Forbid much previous preparation. Yet with his
Joe Stiles recites c%ouplets or epics as fast as the
words can roll from his unctuous tongue.
class Joe stiles as a MEDIUM Of the arst mssni.
t tTde; orS Son1r9 ZIP poetry Ky i 2 little beyond oy%u inspire,
mRdinma- Tho 9nRrtaltv In which -InA Gf1aa
leads all mediums Is his power to cali back tho
departed IN groups and troops and toname them.
stances about them, relations, and Instances are
given. Joe Stiles rarely hesitates. His readi-
ness Is as wondsrful as his accuracy. Turning
.R : charles = ESQ II, Walter /. here"
Yes, ! knew him." she replied.
the way 4 is speiisdw.G.r-O-s-v-e-n-o,r."
II should say did.S, replied the lady. raising
Yes. He was a botanic physician. but he died
s%sn' 70 y %s. fo asH / .a ven the sS.P Yifs q sn %Sn me sh sfssa
he said she was going To de-"
tested their presence through Joe Stiles was one
Of those self-contained self-assertive New Eng
land ea wSm %I with q GIT s,6 for n doing g. the su right thing
amused her nightly that the three old doctors
whom sho had met at the bedsides OF their pa
tiObto Iuhh gNotp ti,l hiiOulh tuI |
face long sfter Joe stiles had directed his stten-
There Is a spirit here who says you will re-
member her" Joe Stiles said. addressing a
folded in her lap. The announcement prodaced
not the slightest impression on the firm. matter
She says her name Is Julia watson-no,
said the medium. instantly. correct
lng, himself. Dc You remember herr
'She died In Maine ~ suggested Joe Stiles in
she says " continued jog OPS Stiles, "tha, .he
Tas never never hitohed to any man In life. Is that
The old lady nodded. with q queer little smile.
And she Is quite content where she IL, but
rather regrets the manner of her death. which
For the nrst time tho old lady seemed to feel
IN interest In the revelation. She opened her
mouth for one OF those expressive but sllentNsw
DO you know what she means by thati ="
A quick nod and-"she hung herself"
mThsts J" said the medium and Diminishing
Does any one here know Ethan Perry3 He
,assed out At Hanover, and when In this life he
"Iknew him" said a bass voice In the rear
and hers arc old pay. Huston. old Deacon
Holden Borden. and Jim Sole"
knew every one OF them," said . lady.
.bo OVEN 2" s Ssss ssss the he's ns sSHiiiSans his mansion
II guess that's right" said the lady. for
le was a carpenter In New Bedford"
This 10 what Joe Stiles can do. He does Il day
Ifter day. The circles change. New spirits
ONE. He sits In a room with a dozen persons
nd calls the names OF twenty or thirty OF their
departed friends. He takes the platform before
thousand people, sitting on the long benches
which rise in tiers on the hillside. and he calls
oil OF the dead, which numbers n couple OF hum
red, Every New England community has its
Walking wonder whose mind runs 20 the local
neurology, and chronology. This
gifted person can, mentally. go up
ne street and down another telling who lived
ann ~ et tsnii ho use recalt,nE little circum-
When natives OF a New England town
ct together a thousand miles from home
here Is almost always some one who can
ntertain the others with this. strange fac
lty. for recalling names and characters and
peal history, Now, Joe Stiles does for scores OF
owns and villages what many New EnglAnders
an do Tor a single community, He does II with
he same puzzling ease and intense satisfaction.
oe stiles enjoys the exhibition OF this power,
he gives the spirits all the credit FOR IL
When he passes under control these names come
. him with great rapidity and Without any
mort. He feels ahADluIalN gnRa ~ a.. -.