The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-14
THE SPIR|TUALISTS'
FRIENDLY HAND,
It Is Freely Extended at
Their Latest Gath
ering.
First Spiritual Union Of that
City Unites With the State
Body.
Meetings Soon to Be Held in Stockton
and Santa Cruz to Initiate
Local Unions.

The splritualists have been having a
great time down in the Garden City. 1t
was the occasion of the First Spiritual
Union of San Jose joining the State Asso-
citation, being the first spiritualistic body
in the State to do SO.
San Jose was well represented at the
State Convention recently held in this
City for the purpose OF organization, as
twelve of her delegates were on hand to
greet Harrison D. Barrett, the National
president, ana wish him godspeed in his
work of bringing the disorganized bodies
into harmony and correlation.
Early Sunday morning the State organ
izer, Mrs. Elizabeth Sloper, accompanied
by Mrs. julia Schlessinger, Mrs. May Dry
nan, Mrs. D. N. Place, Mrs. Ella Stewart,
Mrs. Clara Mayo Steers and W. f.
Jones, took the train for the Garden City,
where they were met at the depot by State
Vice-P President w. D. J. Hambly and es-
corted to Native Sons Hall.
The hall had been beautifully decorated
for the occasion with flowers, festoons of
bunting and the stars and stripes. As the
meeting had been determined on only at a
late moment, the news of it had not been
heralded abroad, but there were present at
least $50 people, very respectable gather
ing in view of the many drawbacks.
During this session addresses and
speeches of greeting were made, to which
the San Francisco delegation made cordial
response.
Between the morning and afternoon ses
sions sumptuous repast had been pre-
pared in the banquet hall. at which about
seyenty-fve of the elect participated.
The afternoon session was devoted to a
discussion of the gospel OF spiritualism.
immediately afterward another feast was
held in the Danquet-hall.
AS regards importance the evening ses-
sion took priority. Then the subject OF
the advisability of all spiritualistic bodies
joining the State Association came up.
Interesting speeches on the benefits to
be derived from unity were made by Mrs.
Carrie Downer Stone and Mrs. Ella Stew
art. The speeches of the ladies were
terse, to the point and abounded in witty
illusions.
The event of the evening was the ad-
dress of the State organizer, Mrs. Eliza
beth Sloper. AS result the First Spirit
ual Union decided TO join the State asso-
citation by unanimous vote.
1.-The main idea in organization" said
Mrs. Sloper, lis to secure the manifold
advantages which accrue from unity, and
to protect the public from the tricksters
hull of ship.
''No other movement has made so rapid
an advance in the last forty eight years as
the prom ulgation of the doctrines of spir-
itualism. Nearly every movement in its
inception is scoffed at by the Pharisees
and thos e,of uncouth presence and mind.
So were we, but it is not so now.
"Climb the heights of Parnassus and
gaze broadcast over the great world.
Wherever you look-to the north, east,
south, west-there you see proselytes to
this wonderful belief.
"Rich and poor alike, the lame, halt
and blind, the man of mighty intellect and
the laborer who earns his bread by the
sweat of his brow-they all have come in
tial world, to drink from the water OF life
that flows by Spiritualism's shrine"
After an eloquent plea for the vario US
spiritualistic bodies to enter the State As
ISOLATION and gain the benefits that she
said would come therefrom, the speaker
made reference to the late convention held
in this City.
'Our progress and our strength" she
declared, 'are fully exemplifed in the
attitude of the great dailies toward us on
that important occasion. They sent COM
petent reporters and, 1 am told, gave them
explicit instructions to report our doings
faithfully and without any covert insinua-
| tions.
I'm particular, I wish to direct your
attention to the manner in which our ses-
sion was reported in the San Francisco
CALL"
Here the speaker was interrupted by
| loud cheers and various other manifesto
tions of applause.
ut never gave us less than two
columns" continued Mrs. Sloper, land in
many cases three. The remarks of all
the principal speeches were printed very
| fully, ana in one instance-when Presl-
dent Barrett delivered his great speech ex-
temporaneously-it was taken steno-
graphically and given as spoken.
II deem it the duty of every freethinker,
every spiritualist and every Eberaiist to
stand by The GALL and support it, for it
has truly demonstrated the truth of its
motto that it speaks for ALL -
| The conclusion of the State organizer s
speech was greeted with great applause.
Mrs. Schlessinger followed with speech
in similar strain and received the vocif-
erous approval of the immense audience.
D. II. Owens followed with a short and
vigorous speech.
Monday about twenty-five of the leading
lights took trip to Alum Rock and en-
loved an old-fashioned basket picnic. In
the evening of the same day about fifty
gathered in the parlors of Mrs. Carrie
Downer Stone, where test circle was
held.
Yesterday the party returned to this
City. Next Sunday they will 20 to Stock
ton and the following Sunday to Santa
Cruz, for the purpose of initiating local
49, ,Aoi int hn tot q