Evening star., 1896-10-21
THE SPIRITUAEISTS
Points Covered in President Barrett's
Report.
10 BUILD A TEMPLE IN THIS CITY
Some Tests Presented at Last
Nights Session.
D 2 l. E q A TES ESEN T
D z L &c ATES ESEN T

After The Stars report Of the proceedings
of the fourth annual convention of the
National Spiritualists' Association closed.
late yesterday afternoon, the presidents
report was read to the convention.
President Barrett's report was a vigorous
protest against fraudulent mediums, and
contained numerous recommendations for
reforms OF various kinds. He said that In
forty-two states laws had been adopted
which make 1t unlawful to practice spir-
1tualistic healing, and last winter Congress
adopted such a law for the District of CO.
lumbia, but, SO far as he knew, there had
been no protest against the enactment of
these laws. He thought vigorous protest
should be made against these laws.
The president painted 4 striking picture
OF various frauds practiced by mediums,
some Of which he said were so loathsome
that he could not name them in words.
Many of these frauds, he said, wero prac-
Iced On the over-credulouS, and he urged
SplrlluaIStS to discriminate between gen.
uine and fraudulent mediums. He said that
many spiritualists who would laugh at the
story of Jonah and the whale would ac-
cept the most absurd fraudulent shows as
a truth. He denounced those genuine me-
diums who. after establishing reputa ations
by good work, would resort to all sorts of
tricks in order to make money. He recon-
mended that central association be es-
tablished for the purpose of giving informa-
ton about fraudulent mediums. AS a
means of Investigating spirtuaistic phe-
nGmena he recommended that home circles
be resorted to rather than public mediums.
who cater to the incredulous. BY investi-
eating through the home circles the inves-
tigators could depend upon the honesty of
those who take part in the work. This
would do away with the lust for the mar
Velous, and would result in beneficial and
instructive investiga ton. Then, too, schools
for the study of psychic phenomena should
be established. SO that spiritualists could
give their children an education upon such
phenomena.
Some Mediums Condemned.
The president condemned in strong terms
the manner in which some genuine me-
diun1 exercise their power for their own
degradation and to the injury of spiritual
ism generally. In the most matter-of-fact
way the speaker continued:
"A certain medium in southern state
went into a restaurant and speaking to
his control said:
Jim, bring me glass of whisky
Then the medium had his control bring
him glass after glass of whisky until he
left the place in a drunken condition. Ii
that Is spirituallsm don't want any of it.
But | know you all condemn such ac-
tions."
To the spiritualists present this story was
received In as matter-of-fact way as were
any statements of well-known facts, only
the skeptical looking d little askance as
it was being told.
Mr.. Barrett said in his travels about the
country during the year he had found
many societies very weak, and in some
places where large societies had formerly
hourished they had been abandoned and
the members had gone into "so-called
liberal churches" still believers in spirit
ualism, though not prominently known as
such Poor music, badly ventilated and
dingy halls had In some cases made the
meetings unpopular. He recommended the
purchase by spiritualist societies of build
ings for their use instead of paying large
sums for the hire of halls.
The president did not believe in ordina-
tion by spiritualist societies, and he
thought the law permitting all ordained
ministers the right to perform marriage
ceremonies should be repealed and the
marriage service should be relegated to the
civil authorities, where it rightly be-
lorgs."
Reduced rates for ministers on the rail-
roads was the subject of part of the re-
port. He said that mediums secured half
rates on thirty-nine railroads He con-
demned the practice of giving special privil-
eyes of this kind to any class of men, Snd
wanted to see the whole system of special
rates abolished. ,.i -... .-=,
To Build Temple Here.
He then outlined a plan for the building
of a temple for spiritualists in this city ss
the headquarters of the national associa-
ton. Such a temple, he said, could be built,
as there were many people ready to sub
scribe to such a specific purpose, notwith-
standing the hard times. and a start in.
that direction, he said, had been made. He
recommended the appointment of a commit
tee to take charge of such contributions
and TO build the temple.
Children's lyCeums also received attention.
He said many spiritualists were sending
their children to orthodox Sunday schools
simply because there were few lyceums for
children, and he recommended the forma
ton of such means for teaching children.
The annual receipts of the association to
September 30. 1885. aggregated $500, and
there was S1.O33 more money needed, as the
work of the secretary of the association re-
quired assistant, and missionary work
was needed. He recommended that the
trustees arrange for holding two mass
meetings every month in the great cities CT
the country during the next six months.
Action to be taken against the Uni
vers.ty of Pennsylvania for not complying
with the will of Mr.. Seibert, who had left
that institution money to be applied to
testing spiritualistic phenomena
The semi-centennial of spiritualism would
take place March 81, 1898 and 1t should be
celebrated at Rochester, the scene of the
first spiritudiistic knockngs, and ne recon-
mended that committee be appointed to
make arrangements for that celebration on
4 grand scale.
Secretary Francis B. Woodbury. rendered
his report on the work of year, IN which
he told of the efforts made to prevent legiS-
lation for the enactment of Sunday laws.
He wanted no blue laws.
Tine Evening Session.
The third session was opened by the rem
dition of a piano solo by Miss Geyser, the
attendance being larger than during the
day.
S. P. Putnam, fraternal delegate from the
National Free Thought Federation and Sec
uiar Union, was the first speaker at the
evening session. Mr.. Putnam said ne real
lied that all people were working to one
end. Speaking of Immortality, he said:
If there is an immortality it is law
of nature and doesn't depend upon any
creed. If there is immortal life we are in
it now. We agree that the only way to
prepare for another is to prepare for this
life. Ii is not the quantity of life it is the
quality of life. We want a free life first of
all. and if there is a despCtism beyond the
grave we want to fight deSpotism there.
Anna Shaw said she would rather be 4 free
woman in he'll than slave in heaven And
SO would L. for If We were free in hell we
could get out of it.
We are for the Declaration of Indepen-
dence. First of all we want reunion of
church and state Every man and woman
must decide what religion they must ac-
cept or no religion at all.
Il think will all oap hot