The evening times., 1896-08-26
THE SPIRITS
Charles Augustus Other Name
Is Shellrack.
BAPTIZED WITH A TUBERoSE
Simple Hut Interesting Ceremony of
the Baptism of a Spiritualist's In
by the Medium Which Were Not
Recognized by Those Present.

Baltimore, Md, Aug 26.-'.Shellrack,"
or Charles Augustus Bissel, as he
is to be known throughout his earth
life, was baptized last nirhr aocoraing u
Lhe forms Of spiritualism. The ceremony
was performed by Mrs. Mary Grail III i
hall regularly used for spiritunlisic meet
ings at TO7 West Lexington street. About
sixty people We're in attendance, mostly
women.
The paptismal service itself WAS dmpie,
brief and beautiful. After "A singing of the
hymn. Nearer, Ny God, to Thee" by the
assemblage, the child was put into the
arms OF Mrs. Grail. She stated that The
company was gathered I" give the child
the name he was TO bear through his earthly
life, To tell his parents Ia instruc. him in
the ways of the right, and to put HIM III
the hands OF his angel guardian.
WITH A TENDER BLOSSOM.
Then, taking Il tuberose blossom from
small glass dish OF water. Mrs. Gran
drew the wet flower gently across the in
rant's brow, and, in tender tones, said:
with this flower, an emblem of love,
hereby give thee the name OF Charles
Augustus Bissel. and this shall be thy
earth name, and thy spirit naine shall he
Shellrack have known thee III the past,
and shall know thee in the future. May
thy parents teach thee the truth and guide
thee from superstition. Take now my
benetiiction OF love. and may thy portion
be knowledge
SpriL,ialistic ceremonies follow no set
ritual, and perhaps gain III heauty by the
naturalness attending thcis improvisa-
III tat.x g..
It's baptismal service and that Of the
established churches are In the appii-
cation of the water with a flower, and
the consignment OF the child to its spirit
guardians. Belief in such guardianship,
along with rigid predestina,ion, is one of
the foundation stones of the spiritualistic
faith.
After returning the child 10 its parents
Mrs. Grail proceeded to a few spiritual
istic demonstrations The first spirit pre-
senting itself TO her vision she described
as badly disfigured man who had appar-
emily been blown up in an explosion.
No one present acknowledged the unfor-
tunate spirit as an acquaintance until
half an hour after his visitation.
Then the father of the newiy-baptized
''Shellrack'' unexpectedly interrupted the
proceedings with the statement that he had
been acquainted with the spirit while the
latter had been an engineer in a srclter a t
Pueblo, Cal. Other spirits described by
Mrs Grail found reader recognition by meni-
bers Of the audience.
ONE OF PAPA'S TESTS.
Mr.. Bissel, both rs father OF the child and
proprietor OF a remarkable head OF hair,
was considerably important figure OF the
occasion. He made a few attempts at dem
onstration at the opening Of the meeting.
But somehow he didn't seem TO have much
! luck. "a fact, his audience were so far from
being Impressed that their mirth at times
became quite audible.
One of Mr.. Bissels tests" was with O.
| toy magnet OF the kind used by children, 10
draw miniature tin shDs across the fur
tiveiy-nlled bathtub. Now, sister," SAID
| he. this magnet was given you by a child,
| wasn't it-a little che-yi!d?" Strangely
enough, he was right. II knew it, he
said, triumphantly. Il don't know why.
but the spirit Just told me TO say it, Again,
after lingering red silk handkerchie
for moment. he made the assertion that
there was in the audience some one who was
afflicted. Doubtless every person there
| agreed to that statement.
| Mr.. Bissel finally located the bandker-
chiefs owner. aud synipatheticany told
her that he knew OF her trouble through
life. With the look of profound self -ity
peculiar to the gentler sex. she acknowI-
edged the truth OF the remark She was
not understood by those about her Quite
true ~" Troubled with swellings on the
limbs" This was denied with some little
Indignation. "well. then, you will be-.
prophesied the speaker, confdeutT.
But the certainty in his tone was not
sufficient to outweigh the sense of hunior
In his audience. They laughed.