The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-05
ABOUT SPIRITUALISM
AN INTERESTING TALK CONCERNING
MODERN PHENOMENA.
Premonition, C1arivoyance, Appari-
lions and Clairaudience Discussed
by Woman Who Ii I'm Doubt.

London Light.
A conversations of members and friends
of the London spiritualist Alliance was held
in the banqueting hall. St James's Hall.
on the evening of Thursday. Oct "a. when
Miss X. of Borderland, gave an address on
the question. Where Shall We Draw the
Liner" There was large attendance.
Mr.. E. Dawson Rogers. the president. in
introducing Miss X. alluded to the repute
which she had gained as facile writer and
clear succinct and forcible speaker. Miss
~, he said, was not a Spiritualist-not yet
She was however. a lady of open and un-
biased mind, who had given her attention
carefully and honestly to the questions
which interested them as Spiritualists.
Miss X, who was received with applause,
then addressed the assembly. She was
there to express her sympathy with them
TO very great extent. sympathy which
she trusted might become yet larger and
more lasting. AS to their differences, the
president had told them there were some
points on which she (the lecturer) did not
agree with them, but while one was grant
ing the whole it was surely not necessary
to emphasize the differences in the parts.
In her view, their differences were not diff
ferences of aim, but differences OF method.
The questions which they were investigaz-
ing were questions which had been a long
time before the public. They had many
hypothesis and much evidence to deal with.
The Society for fPsychicai Research Ito
which she had the honor to belong) were
always insisting that the evidence was In
sufficient. but at least much has been done
OF late years to add to its abundance.
1t was upon one particular point-this re-
lation between hypothesis and fact that she
desired to speak that evening" few years
ago, the only theory which they had to
handle In the investigation of psychical
mysteries was the spiritual one. Since then,
men OF science, thought and experience had
established others; the theory of thought
transference, the subconscious revival of
memory, the action of the sublimnal self
and another with which only small body
or inquiries concerned themselves, viz.
the multiplicity of consciousness, and the
alternating action of those consciousness
Many OF these hypothesis (of which
she had only mentioned few
were comparatively new. Was il not
natural 10 suppose that there might
be other theories yet to be discov
cred, and with this idea in their minds.
would they not be justified in postponing
stantly occurring. to which even these were
| inadequate? 1t seemed to her that they were
In waiting attitude; ii, might not yet be
n netessdry TO resort to the extreme hy-
not yet have exhausted all the possbili-
ties or explanations; and what they had to
40 during their period of waiting was to
use every means In their power to advance
the time when that waiting should be over
OF all possible hypothesis. undoubtedly the
very Simplest On so far as 1t was the most
inciuslVe) was the one known as the spir-
itual. In the sense that she was a church
woman, she, too, was a spiritualst; she
be,ied In the , communion of saints; she
fectly willing to accept the theory of
spiritual Intervention wher the facts to be
explained exp. seemed to be in harmony with
| her opinion, involved such tremendous is
sues, such a possible lowering of the stand
ara Oh our reverence, such a dangerous at
| OF the real, to express the conception of the
INFINITE In terms of the finite, as to render
| !. wholly disproportionate. in very many
cases, to the purpose to which it is ap-
| piled.
In Illustration of her contentious (said
MIS-; MISS A.) she would cite some examples from
| ner own experience.
PREMONITION.
They were all very familiar with the
phenomenon of premonition. Personally, it
was to her especially familiar just now, as
she had lately been investigating the phe-
nomenon Of second sight in the Highlands
where she had encountered as many seers
In one day as she might meet with in Lon
| don in a whole year. Many of them were
persons whose honesty and simple faith
were beyond doubt. and In whom she had
| entire confidence. The phenomenon of pre-
monition was one which continually sug-
| 1ine?" She would offer for their considera-
| ton in this connection pair of stories
alike SO far as concerned the phenomena
I. when quite child I was returning
home from the classes l attended and by
| some accident was alone. On arriving at a
certain point in my walk, very strong i'm
preston seized me that must not return
directions, / turned into a very inferior
street. which was the more unpleasant to
to habit, alone / heard on the following
morning that at the hour Of my return
man had committed suicide by throwing
himself under the steam roller, and that,
had / passed along my usual route, must
| cidAnt."
That was a simple story. but unless 1t
were dismissed as mere coincidence it in
volved an important problem. Had she
witnessed the horrible incident referred to.
| 1T would undoubtedly have been a source
| OF great pain and distress. from which
| the warning thus timely given had operated
| to save her. 1t was conceivable that the
monition came from some invisible friend
some guardian angel. let them sayi for.
| self bound to believe that God had '.con-
| stituted the services of angels and men in
a wonderful order" She would compare
with that another story OF quite different
| character:
About three weeks ago she was visiting
| an island 10 the northwest Of Scotland 1t
| was a bright. fine October morning: she had
| risen early to accompany to the boat
| friend who was going on to the mainland,
| and the beauty of the sunrise decided her
taking "a mountain walk. She had Wandered "a
/ some eight miles from home before Il 0c-
ourrsd to her to notice the time. and that