Evening star., 1896-10-20
SPIRITUALISTS MEET
The National Association in Session
Here.
OPENING PROCEEDINGS TO
TODAY
Mr.. Bacon Makes an Address of
Welcome.
DELEGATES WHO ARE HERE

morning at Masonic Temple where meet
ings Will be held during three days. The
hail had been tastefully decorated for the
reception Of the delegates, the stage
banked with palms, a bust of Thomas
Payne having a place before the reading
desk. by each side of which were great
bunckes of white flowers and handsome
American flags.
The audience consisted chiefly of dele
gates from all parts OF the country, among
whom were the following: Samuel Putnam,
president Of the Free Thought Federation
and Secular Union of America; L. V. Moul-
ton, JoEn Eggleston, Frank Walker, Z. W.
Sprague, E. E. Poucher, New York; Chas.
Scherin, Baltimore; Mrs. Lou F. Prior,
missionary-at-large of the national asso-
eiation, of Denver. Col; T. ]. Preston,
Stansbury, Mo-; NJ. A. Warren, Hudson
Mass; E. w. Bond, L. C. Hutchinson Ohio:
Col. Jas Freeman, Illinois; John Hutchin-
son, jackson, Mich; Mrs. Ella Royl Will
liams, Salem, Greg. Dr. S. n. AspinwaII
and wife, Minneapolis, Mimi; Judge A G.
Dunn, Minnesota; DIR. G. c. b. EweIl Dem
yer; Col, Prof. j: S. Loveland. Thomas
q. Newman, San Francisco; Mr.. and Mrs,
J.: j. Whitney, w. ]. Colville, Mrs Maggie
Waftt DR.. j. NJ. PEBBLES, San Francisco:
Mr. n and Mrs. Conant, Millwood. w. Va;
and wife, Boston, Mass; John Wheeler and
wlfe, Orange. Mass; Hebron Libby, Bos-
ton; f. r. Whiting Hartford Conn AR
ana H MRS Joseph storrs, Hartford, Conn;
Helen Wood, Onsett Mass; Miss Mary
hatch. South Window, Conn F. Compton.
Toronto Canada; VIM. Nye. New Bedford.
Mass; z. b. Buttrick of the Buttrick PAT.
tein Company, Sterling, Mass.
Opening the Convention.
The hall was about half filled when the
exercises We're opened, about half of the
delegates being ladies' President Harrison
d. Barrett of Lily Dale, N Y, presided.
! and announced the following officers who
were to assist in the meeting: Vice presi-
dent, Mrs. Cora l.. V. Richmond Chicago.
ILL.,; secretary, Francis b. Woodbury.: treas
urer, Theodore J. Mayer of this city: SER
geaht-at-arms, Geo. w. Shook; musical
director, j. II. Altemus: reading clerk John
| Eggleston; assistant secretary, VIM Rich
| mond; stenosrapher. L. c. l. Evans: door
| keeper, Henry Stenberg
After the sing ing of a hynn an ..invo
cation to our guide was announced and
Mrs. Cora l.. V. Richmond, vice president.
| was called on to deliver it. President Bar
rett delivered a short address llpon the
| opening of the Convention, and said one Of
| the chief purposes of the meeting was that
splritualsts might take united action 10
prevent legislation hostile TO the spread of
thelr opinions throughout the states and.
Ia view of the spirit shown toward Them
| by those hostile 10 their views
An Address of Welcome.
The address of welcome was delivered Inv
George A. Bacon of this city, his words
frequently calling forth applause.
The question that presses In upon us at
this time" said Mr.. Bacon, more tha,
that Of any other is, how TO better eo;;ip
anu put IN sun more successfully running
ordef. the necessary machinery by which
the greatest amount of spiritual tIlurnipa-
uon synonym for light and truth NAV he
senerated among mankind; how best pre-
pare 10 receive and transmit the spiritual
| messages OF the fathers of the republic: 10
! carry out, as far as practicable, the suy-
! geStions OF the spiritual congress, IN short
| 10 determine among ourselves what l.e;s-
| iatlon IN behalf Of organization is neces-
| sary, on the part Of this national associa-
| tlon, that shall best serve the spirit world
| or spiritual forces. now working through
such human instrumentalities as are here
4 ana elsewhere found available"
| The speaker condemned the lukeyarn
! spirit that dominated. he said, many of The
! people who believe in the manifesto lions
| OF spritualism.
we are the only body representing a con-
! stituency that claim to practically know of
the power that links this world to that
| of the spirit: the only body that publicly
| proclaims the Truth OF open highway
| between the so-called mortal and immortal
| states; that through human instrumentali-
! ties, u ose OF our friends, our relatives.
| members Of our own families, We have
| been made to know and realize somewhat
| of our relationship to eternal realities.
| What body of men and women with such
| knowledge, such light, such truth, have
| greater reason fer being recognized by the
| thinking world? What body of men and
women have greater cause to make known.
| to spread abroad, their knowledge, light
| and truth?
| Interest I'm the Work.
| 1--WE interpret the sense of this gathering
| to be an expression of the fact that you
| have come to this convention because of
| your interest in the work which this ma
tional association represents, because Of
1 your desire to aid in perfecting it's plan
| for practical worR; that this work shall
be mole effective, far reaching and uplift-
| ing; that it shall not only be worthy of
/ but receive the spiritual and material aid
| of the great body of spirits throughout
( the entire country; that its work shall be
more fundamental and comprehensive; that
| il shall more and more clearly show the
| relation between its phenomena and its
| philosophy; between its multtudinous
| facts. their proper classification and scien-
| tific deduction. In short, by your presence
| and your active, practical sympathy you
| are here to do what you can to aid in the
further extension of its beneficent aim and
ends"
| Mrs. RfchmOnd's Reply.
In response to the address of welcome.
Mrs Cora L. V. Richmond, vice president
of the association, delivered an eloquent re-
| ply, which called forth frequent outbursts
of applause. Mrs. Richmond is the pastor
of the Church of the Soul of Chicago. where
| her eloauence attracts large audiences to
| her church. She opened her remarks by
| fattering reference to the beauties OF the
| capital city, and said:
| "If it were the city of incorruptible legis-
| latior. it would be the most beautiful place
| on earth. The people hope ii will be, one
| day, the fair white temple representing
| liberty, justice, equality and all the world,
| and every member of this convention hopes
| that some day there viii be such a body of
! people here representing our cause at the
| headquarters of national association Will
| fulfill the hopes and expectations of the
spiritualists of the world over.
| 1T is true that o;:r mission is not a phys
! ical one, but if there were no physical
| necessities there would be need for the
existence of the national association. Our
| mission is the forgetfuiness of self i'm the
| Interest of the wh6 ie. and II this cannot