The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-09-14
SPlRlTUAllSM.
[Cuntlnued from last week. !

NoW III TINS explanation upplle> 10 DlluS |
and animals, how do we know that seers |
or clalrvoyants do not see human spirits |
in the same way--as mind images or
thought phantoms? Randolph further
says: "Whcn seers behold appe RANGES
of well-known beasts, they may st as
sured that they are bchoding phasmas
and We're they to look well about them,
they would see the person from whose
mind they Were projected" Continuing
he declares 1t wel-known fact that we
are often subject to spectral Illusions,
and refers to a person who was haunted
by a large yellow dog; which was the re.
suit of some complicated disarrapgemcnt
of the organs of love. memory and imagi-
nation operating through n diseased
retina. The same disease in another
form he asserts is the creating cause of
rats, mice, snakes and devils of delirium
tremens. So here we have some cXpla-
nations dependent on material causes,
that solve certain mysteries. and may be
made to include larger number Speak
ing OF seership, or the faculty to behold
the invisible Randolph says 1t was born
with him, and bitterly did he regret the
possession of such faculty, for it had
caused him an existence characterized as
lonely and dreadful, for it untitled him
for the practical affairs in this world.
And judge that it did for he kept up an
incessant search with this faculty for
God, claiming that he saw him on several
occasions the last time on Jan. 10, 1868,
until reason was finally dethroned, and
his life brought to an end by his own
hand. Spiritualism and clairvoyance are
closely connected and yet some clairvoy-
ants are not Spiritualsts, as is the case
with "Sleeping Lucy" noted clairvoy-
ant from this state, at present think a
resident of Boston. Why such people
doubt the truths of Spiritualism when
possessing powers that help convince
others of its truth, has puzzled me for
years, and still they do in more cases
than one. While Spiritualism is a most
attractive belief to some people it inspires
fierce hatred in others, and some ma
terialists jump ontoit with an earnest de-
sire to crush it entirely out. But this
fact will forever confront us, if Spiritu-
alism is true, we must live on whether
another life is desirable or not, and in
the faculty to think, as Randolph said,
will man forever find his heaven and his
| hell. | find one class of people who don't
| desire another life because this one has
been sucha failure and so unsatisfactory
while another class desire to live again
for that very reason, Hear these words
| from one of the latter: sThank God fol
DEATH and thank him for the life be-
You'd the gloomy sea Because there is
rest for the weary-for even tired me
If the agony protracted called life, that
most of us who think, and, thinking feel
endure on earth was all, then, indeed, ex
istence were an awful tragedy, and terri
BILE beyond all bearing, the universe {
| graveyard, and the ruling God a mos
bitter and malignant fiend." But to ust
the words embodied in the favorite con
undrum of my friend, DR.. Clark, how
does he know considering the failure thai
| God made here, that he will or can dc
any better in another world? Hope, that
inyeterate and persistent liar, is his only
authority for greater joys and less sor
row in the life to come, and after all the
dreamless sleep of the "cold materialist'
might hit his case if he wants rest, bet
ter than an eternity of endless thinking
which must forever attend consciousness
| However, as previously remarked. If
another life is fact in nature, neither
sentimental longings or personal desires
will play any part in deciding our fate,
we shall live on because nature has SO
| ordained. Now l wish to state some
| thing regarding the change which has en-
tered my mind in relation to Spiritualism,
| and how feel in the matter. Ten years
| ago my belief in Spiritualism was firm
and mistaken, and drank in much that
came from mediumistic sources. Ispent
money freely to investigate and have dis
| posed of several hundred dollars in pri-
vateiand public seances. Today find my
self swimming in a sea of doubt, Spirit
ualism has lost its interest and for medi-
ums have no use. The struggle for ex-
istence and the unsatisfactory conditions
| of life through which have passed, have
produced feeling of indifference regard
| ing the future, and ideal conditions which
one must die to realize, have no particu-
lar charm. This life is sternly practical
and sentimental things are like moon
shine or other elusive entities, and Spir.
1 itualism of late runs to just such non
sense, while mediums prate about cult
waiting spirituality and rising above the
material plane. As we cannot rise above
our Surroundings, and no one knows ex.
actly what is meant by culivating spirit
uality, such talk is a waste of wind and
produces no good or beneficial result.
Investigator.
Burlington, Aug. 1894.
| Jesus Paid 1t All.