Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-25
PIERCING THE VEIL.
MEANS USED BY THE sUPERsTiTIOUs
i FOR READING THE FUTURE. q


with Cards the Ancients Solved the Secrets
of Fortune, and They Have Their Fol-
lowers Today-spiritualism, Ancient and
Modern-Deyotees of Diyination.
The origin Of cards, according to the
celebrated Etteilla, one of the most indie
fatigablc researchers into the mysteries OF
the ancients, attributes to the primitive
Egyptians the invention Of tarots, or of
the Book Of Thot. They were composed
Of rs thin plates Of gold, the purest and
finest known to antiquity, upon which
were traced hieroglyphs, or mysterious
characters, the explanation Of which was
daily made to each family by it's head as
embodying revelations of destiny. That
book was the only relic Of Egyptian lore
which escaped the wrath Of the Caliph
Omar when that Mohammedan zealot
caused the burning Of the celebrated libra
ny at Alexandria. The Alexandrian Jews
regarded the book only as secondary to
their mysterious Caballa. The Greeks next
obtained 1t, and the Arabs regarded the
original form Of the golden plates with
holy reverence When the Moors founded
brought with them the vestigcs of the
mystic work which had persisted In the
east and had been debarred entrance into
Europe during the continuance OF that
gloomy reign of persecution designated as
the dark ages.
From the Moors Europe received the
Book Of Thot, and that date is the true one
to assign the revival and expansion OF car
ha nj
century cards were popular amusement.
With tho Germans they formed an impor-
tant commerce, and France soon followed,
establishing factories for the production OF
cards at Lyons, Colmar and Belfort. But
they suppressed the sense Of the originals
by replacing the signs with others Of their
own invention. The Book of Thot was
composed Of 78 tarots, or emblematical
leaves while our modern pack of cards
has been reduced to 81, but the same ideas
are expressed in slightly altered symbol
ism. The changes were made evidently
the better to conform to the then existing
condition of society, to which the general
moral rules of Thot could be as well ap-
piled as to the primitive government of
Egypt and it Is in this revised state that
we now have them. So for ages the art of
divination by means of tarot5 has been
handed down with more or less degree of
superstition, and today there are people
who consider them as did tho Arabs of old
To unveil the secrets of the future is
desire that every mortal possesses, and
from the earliest ages of mankind has la
bored in vain to crafty it. AT the present
time many people consult some species of
oracle to ascertain that which is to happen
them. Yet those who affect to ridiculo this
general habit when speaking of it in pub
lie, arc in secret tho most rigidly devoted
to divination. Many persons never at
tempted an important matter without re-
sort to some form in prophetic consulta-
tion. Seeresses trumpet and slate me-
diums, seventh children of seventh children
and other claims to supernatural or I'M
common origin or power are sought after
eagerly, and, as they offer to read the fu-
ture of any one for dollar or so, they al
ways have plenty Of business to attend to.
Many patronize them from sincere Belief
In their claims; others from mere curios-
ity. The curiosity to learn of the future
will attract mankind to anything or any
body that promises to crafty it. Fortune
telling by cards Is one method which is
tried by young and old, and we hear peo-
pie say that the cards can foretell certain
affairs or happenings. Another method is
spiritualism. 1t Is not q modern subject
1t was known to tho ancients and for
countless ages it has been sought after
Dr. McLaury has set forth that the forma-
ton of religious creeds and dogmas of all
nations has had for its origin and founda-
ton tho belief in unsubstantial vagaries
Evidences of faith in the Christian re-
ligion largely rest upon Mary's vision and
.Joseph's dream. The Buddhist faith is
visionary. Phenomena identical with the
manifestations of modern spiritualism APP
pear in tho Delphic oracles, in the lives of
seers and clairvoyants, in the Camissard
marvels of France (16S6-1707), in the &C.
currences in the Wesley family Q716),
in Swodenborg's alleged communication
with tho spirit world and conversation
with angels moro than a century ago, in
the records Of mesmerism and somnam-
bulism, in family traditions and in in
Vulnerable accounts of remarkable dreams,
predictions and physical phenomena.
Spiritualism has advanced rapidly in
America the estimated number of spirit
ualists being from 5000, 600 to 10, 900, 600.
The periodicals devoted to the subject num-
Der about 1876. Many spiritualists advertise
In the local papers. They claim that the
spiritual world controls their powers, and
that they can receive from departed spirits
messages to their earthly relatives and
friends. BY slate writing, trumpet seances
and other mysterious ways they say these
messages can come. Persons have received
beautiful flowers said to be from the gar
dens Of paradise We are all human.
Some are gifted with greater physical or
mental power than Others, some capable
of attaining to positions of prominence
among men by acts of valor or skill in de-
veloping some wonderful discovery of
mechanism or great revelations of scien-
tiio nature, but can human beings solve
the mysteries of the hereafter That
there is life beyond this no one can doubt,
as all must admit that nothing can per-
ish absolutely, not even matter. The sub
stance Of tho body is not annihilated
How much less, then, mind OR soul!-
Cincinnati Enquirer.
IA.
A