Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-05
The Cnu.e of spirItunIIsrn.

To the Editor of The Journal.
Perhaps no more patent truth was ever
uttered than by him who said:
Convince a man against his will.
He holds the same opinion still.
Especially is this the case when the man
is inclined TO he superSti-ious or over fond
of the marvellous. There is a morbid de-
velopment of the organ of marvelousnes
I Inherited no doubt from ancestry. but in
tensified by ancient and modern hccion.
The grand principles of nature-the beau
ties of the sciences and p~hiloSOphy-are I'M
appreciated by the soul thus diseased or
unbalanced. There is no relish for solid
facts.
As the stomach that has been abused by
stimulants, improper and eN-
cessive diet until wholesome food no longer
satisfies its cravings or sOothS the misery,
so the mind thus diseased is ever longing
for the unreal-the absurd-the Impossible.
This train of thought is called forth by
the talk of the defendants of the tmpostOr
Steward. l call him an impostor advised
ly. for it has been my lot to have much
experience with the class of men and woE-
en- with whom he is identified, and never
have | found, nor do | expect ever to find,
one of them possessing any superh'Inan
powers. BY this l do not mean that they
lack ability as gabolers. for in this they
undoubtedly excel; but there is a vide
gap between their bOastful claims and
their abilities to perform.
Tn best demonstration OF my modern
spirftualist can be duplicated and gener-
my NANNOulAAtu ~ A4lpS aAN NE
heather fakir; the main difference being
that the heather Is too honest to claim any
Superhtman aid. l have seen exhibitions
of heather jugglery in the broad light of
day that eXcelled the tricks of the most
accomplished s~piritualists under cover of
semi. or total, darkness.
| do not write. expecting to convert any
one who is so weak and credulous as TO
believe the sickly twaddle diShed out by
spiritual Orators, for that would be con-
vincinE them against their will, and their
OnipiOnS U1uld he nnCiD mod hnf ra-
gard ii as my duty TO caution, whether
people hear and profit, or forbear and suf-
fer loss.
The spiritual mediums who advertise and
act for pay, and the gold brick swindlers
are kindred-bOth seeking the same result,
but by different means. They will challenge
You to test their powers with apparent
confidence in their ability and when. they
utterly fail I have found them too stupid
to manifest chagrin, but they go on vaunt-
about their wonderful communications
at some other time and place.
After a discussion with one of them who
claimed to have located lost and stolen
property through spirit aid (which claim
l ridicule) he had the impudence-the mon
umental galf-to dare me to test him for
dollar. l accepted his challenge. not to
satisfy myself, but for the benefit of 9TH
ers: and l published an agreement in a
leading free thought paper stating that |
would give any spiritualist 5000 II he. she
and they could find in ten years 4 piece
of money l would mark before responsible |
and then hide. The ten years is
past, but l have never been called on for
the 5000 Perhaps the gifted and highly
Steward can find II for II IS VET
hid, and / renew the offer. Now call down
or up your spirits-let your witch fires
Dupn-make your tncantations reach the
heavens above or the pit below-go into
semi-somnambulistic writings and con- |
tortioLs-sho out aloud or move your lips in
sllent PRAYER and perhaps you will be able
10 confound your enemy.
l regard spiritualism as an evidence of |
weakness: or a mild form of insan- |
ny; deceivers being the leaders and gain
deceived and wondermongers the rank
and file and losers.
Suppose an occasional man or woman of
ioilty. like Judge Edmonds. Professor Dem
on or A. ]. Davis. does indorse spiritual
what does that amount to? MANY Cnce
Drlillant intelieCts are now in. asyIums for
insane. In fact, but few imbeciles ever
insane. but men and women of /
.alent often do; and that inordinate greed
gain that ~actuates itinerate mediums.
gho, IKE Gypsies and other fortune teilers.
for that which is worse taa6
lothing, Is sufficient evidence of n had
organization at least,
why DO you need a cabinet or darka1ad
DOM to operate in? WHY does the enirit
Corrlgan require 4 horn or trumpat 10
peak through? Truly. it is but a gtep
nost ridiculous character on the pro-
.ramme Is the gudSeOn who sits with omen
ana swallows-younG robin-Iike-
'nd proc a iakir SAYS and then goes out
"a HlIE III i
nat " Is impossible il could have been
ono otherwise than as the Snowman snid
l could repeat hundreds of cases whern
i9Ied mediums have been exposed. but
omit this does not logically prove that
nere Is not one, hid away who
; noI a fraud: still | give it as my nm
.uaIned opinion that all-at least ali wbo
Iactlce Tor ~:noney-are frauds, ami as
ave often done before | now cbalIenra
medium TO give a convincing TEST n
Is wonder working and materiaIizinr noy-
Is Detore me and Il fair minded con1r1jttca
l my selection: but I warn such meJinm
ieasant happen. III
4 am tired Of your foOlishness and will
" oIooh even an attempt at imDoSi,ion
I summing. No reflcctorS or other an
VIII pass unscrutinized ard i shau
overs. ~" uISpL@g your
VI course you will give me no test for
ou uare not: You know YOU are n 60, ~
npoSt0rs and do not intend to be exo3eeJ i
"a are reaping where you have not own
M M eatnering where you have not stroVn
hough this may sound harsh I care nat {
1 1 nave been made to suffer on aCrIunf I
|, your doings until forbearance is no {
'Kser a virtue. S. l. n. FOOTE. NJ. d.. I
hHhsas City. Mo, July 9, 1872. {