Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-10
FRIENDS OF SPIRITS
Progress Of the Spiritualistic Faith
as Reported to the Convention.
las A CHRISTIAN DENOMINATION
The Aid Of the Spirits Invoked to
Raise Money.
TOD AVS PROCEEDINGS

At the morning session today Of the ma
tional spiritualists' convention at Masonic
Temple the attendance showed a cons!d-
cradle increase over yesterday morning and
very little time was lost in getting down
to actual work. The exercises were opened
with music and an invocation.
A number of reports were received from
| various local societies throughout the coun-
try. and the matter Of publishing the pro-
| ceedings Of this convention was then taken
up. After some little discussion it was de-
| cided to award the contract for printing
| the proceedings to Mr.. Stowell, the editor
Of the Light and Truth of Cincinnati.
Mr.. F. r. Phillips Of Cincinnati reported
that there were in that city 25,OOO spirit
| ualists, well organized and doing an ex-
| celent work in the dissemination Of the
truth" There are 10000 more in Covington
and a like number in Newport, just across
| the river SO that there are upward Of Co.
| 600 In this immediate neighborhood.
Mr. Colby Of Columbus spoke of the diff
| culties under which the spiritualist soci-
eties labored in that city. A number had
| been organized, and, after a brief career,
| had disbanded only to be followed by 9TH
| ers. The principal organization at present
| has lis contributing members, and is In
| a hourisbing condition. The sum OF $3,SO0
has already been pledged for the erection
| Of a permanent home for the society. and
| as soon as there is an Improvement in the
business conditions Of the country there
will be no difficulty In putting up a suit
| able temple in Columbus.
| Mr.. Colby spoke at some length OF the
! efforts that had been made in his city for
the purpose Of securing fun and formal
| recognition for the spiritualsts as full
| fedged Christian denomination. He him.
| self was ordained as a minister and upon
| application to the probate court was grant
| ed license to perform the marriage serv-
|
| Of the city, but 1t was decided that he was
not orthodox and his application was turn
| ed down. Shortly after that the pastors
union went before the legislature with a
| bill providing for the pay of chaplatns for
| the legislature at the rate Of 81 per day.
| The head Of the Spiritualists Church Of
| fered his services as chaplain without COM
| pensation. good many people were
| amused, Mr.. Colby stated. at the idea of
| spirituaiist praying for an Ohio legislature,
| and eventually his offer was declined but
| was engaged as chaplain. Mr.. Colby also
| told of the success that had crowned their
EFFORTS TO XIII a bill introduced into the
| legislature ostensibly for the punishment
| of fraudulent mediums" The bill on its
| face was plausible ard innocent enough,
but In reality it placed all spiritualists at
| the mercy of their enemies, and was In
| effect blow at freedom of speech and re-
ligious thought.
| Formerly a Catholic.
DR.. Maccaboy Of Louisville made a SIM
liar report of work for his city, which had
resulted In a remarkable increase In the
| number of those who professed the faith
| of the spiritualists. He said that Louis
| Vile had come first-rate talent in the me
dunn line especially a blind woman, who
| was raised Catholic. She used TO play the
| organ at the spirituaistS meeting, but
when the priest heard of it he forbade her
doing 1t: However, she was living with
| people who were spiritualists, and they had
| succeeded in making a medium Of her be-
| fore she realized it. Now she dresses in
| silks and satins and is doing splendidly
| from a financial standpoint, for she is now
making from $50 to $75 a week, as much
as all the other mediums put together
Mrs. Compton of Springfield. Ohio. spoke
briefly OF her own personal experiences. She
had been oStraciJed, and was cut on from
| home. family and from her only daughter
| for the sake of answering the call to be-
| come a medium. She felt more Than repaid
| for all the sacrifices sne had made. for the
spirits had won a great victory through
her, and she considered that the prospects
of the future were more encouraging than
| ever before in the history of spiritualism.
Mr.. l.. V. Moulton of Grand Rapids, an
| ex-member of the Michigan legislature,
addressed the convention at some length
on the needs of more complete organiZa-
ton among spiritualists, and he made a
number of suggestions as to methods that
should be follow I'd in forming local, state
and national bodies.
A number Of other reports from delegates
| were received and considered. together with
some new business of interest to the as,
sociation, and at l o'clock the morning ses-
sion adjourned Unfinished business was
the order for the afternoon, and this even
ing there will be addresses by Mrs. r. S.
Lille, w. j. Colville and others and a pub
lie test by +. Gordon White. Tomorrow
evening the convention will come to a
close with banquet in one Of the smaller
| halls of Masonic Temple.
With the Spirits Aid.
Tho rb oh
like other conventions at yesterday morn
| ing's session. developed some unique and
| original features at the sessions yesterday
afternoon and evening. The annual ad-
| dress of the president, Prof. Harrison ID.
Barrett, was begun but not completed be-
| fore the adjournment for luncheon, and
| later in the day it was taken up again for
consideration. According to his statements
| he Travelled last year upward of $4,000 miles
| and delivered 124 lectures in the interest of
the ASSOCIATION. For this he received prac-
tically no compensation, and this unfor-
tunate condition Of affairs was referred to
at some length.
| In an ordinary convention this matter
would be acted upon in regular and rou-
| tine manner. but the spiritualsts do these
things better. Mr.. j. h. Townsend of Lima,
| Ohio. was given the floor and he suggested
that the sum Of $1,000 be raised to pay the
expenses of the president for the past year.
DIR. o. G. w. Adams was then appointed
1
| the spirits as to the best way of raising
this sum, and he at once proceeded to enter
| into state of trance Then he told one
| of the delegates to the convention that the
| spirits had named him for 500, and that he
| must pay up or they would not like it at
all.
| Under such suasioH as this a true spir-
| itualist could do nothing else than comply
| with the request, and one-tenth of the de
sired sum WAS raised at the start Some
| of the brethren did not take kindly to this
| method of forced contribution, but as a
| rule they agreed without much hesitation
The first real objection that DIR. Adams
met with came from one of the sisters I'm
| the gathering, who seemed to think that
| the spirits were asking too much when they
named her for 500. She protested that
| they had overestimated her ability to nav
| and that she really could not afford so large
an amount.
| The spiritual agent, DIR. Adams was still
| in trance and SO did not comprehend the
nature of her remarks, SO he blandly re-
| piled that he could not hear what his sister
| said but presumed that she agreed to pay
| the hundred, and there was nothing more
| for her to say.
A Series of Tests.
The president and secretary's reports
were referred to special committees of SEVEN