The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-30
oHosrs or rnr arpT1nra
Procession Led Out Of n Glass Jar by =
Syrian Mystic.

ANoOshhtoh Lou Ouy Ot ~ SANah SbN "
Syrian Mystic.
when we OF the Western Hemisphere un-
dertake TO explore the region OF the occult we
have things to learn OF the orientals at every
step Of tho way" said a New York man who
has a fondness for psychological study and the
Investigation OF phenomena in spiritism. This
fact was brought impreseively TO me last sum
mer In a demonstration given by an educated
Syrian with whom / was brought into contact
for some weeks during my stay in the coun-
try. His religion / never learned. He may
have been a fire worshipper or 0lympian. for
any real hint he gave TO the contrary. He
called himself a Christian. which was his way,
30 1 fancied. OF saying that he was not a Mo-
hammedan or a Buddhist, But talking with
him one day on the subject Of spiritism l got
an ofhand expression OF opinion from him
that l had not anticipated.
why do you In EnRland:and America who
call yourselves Spiritualists restrict your be-
lief and seek manifestations only OF departed
human souls2 he said. 'The weakness OF your
faith lie In denying-in ignoring, at any rate
the spirit In other forms OF animate life. Thus
you would assert for your son what you prob
ably would deny Of the living creature he is
tormenting.'
We were in nv garden. and we were look
ing. as he spoke. at a striped garter snake that
hf ''teiO ~ iOuhu III was pay lux Will
II pretend to know nothing that can be
spoken OF the powers and continuance OF the
incorporeal spirit the Syrian continued. Yet
II you will provide tho simple means for an
experiment that will take some little time and
trouble l Will give YOU a manifestation OF that
creeping thing beyond its body-a visible,
moving representetive-as positive as any
thing you have affirmed Of materialized forms
in your spirit circles, l will drop this basket
over the snake-so-and detain him alive. Now
for your part. Please fetch me a jar Of olive oil
large enough to hold him.
Invent into the house, to the kitchen. and
got from the cook a two-quart.Rlass preserving
jar and a bottle of olive oil. 1 poured the oil
into the jar and the Syrian dropped the snake
into the oil.
I'VE need not stop with this he said. Let
us find others-snakes. lizards. -~worms-any-
thing that creeps and crawls. I shall show
| you that they shall all manifest themselves as
INCORPORATE forms
My boy by this time was highly interested.
and the three OF us started in on o round. up of
the,gardens and adjoining field. A small.Rreen
snake. two lizards. a centipede. three cater
pillars. a butterfly and half a dozen ANGLE
worms was our bag OF an hours hunting. All
were captured alive and unhurt. for that they
should go into the Jar in this condition, the
Syrian said. was essential to the success Of
the demonstration. They were DIR opped into
the oil. which then completely filled the jar.
and the cover was screwed on. Then by d.
rection Of the Syrian the jar was placed where
1t could be in the direct rays ofthe sun all daV
long. The place selected was the roof Of q
lean-to. on the south side Of the stable. which
could. be reached only by ladder-and he di-
rected that the jar should remain undisturbod
for tYenty;one days.
| sfrptton thatAaban aatDnieh Won he eaid Won
nesdS;a, crucIbie, alcohol. and Shutters that
In the afternoon Of the twenty first day
from this time the, Syrian came over to the
jar on the root. It had been:undisturbed and
in the OIL now slightly turbid. the reptiles and
took the jar TO my LABORATORY, a room Where in
cations in chemistry'and mineraIloeI. Into a
ing two-thirds Of a quart. the Syrian turned a
small portion Of oil from the Jar and upon this
shutters and lowering: the heavy. green cur
tains the room was darkened to the blackness
one end of the room. and. with a friend whom
had invited, to witness the experiment.
th9q Sihos si St fba hin 69b no hint hint of W If PPa t mstd ! tq }ps
Syrian set on fire the alcohol. The flame sent
a pale light from the crucible to the ceiling
psrhars-this was all 1 saw. Then my friend
What K Kind OF delirium remenss show are
you giving, anyway he demanded. Its life
Why. what is it you've foundP' I asked. for
l could see nothing that called for his remark.
got EN- in the head TSI he exc Exclaimed Anne VI Snakes aHGe :
and bugs and all manner OF creepy. squirminR
things-all.go SIX, ward out Of your old fire.
Then through some enlargement Of vision
or perception [ saw what before had been in
visible to nv sight, the forms that fOatp1 I'M
ward IN the shaft Of light from the flame in the
f sTssiS iafntly E0 Sa9iiG of TR ia ths p li1HFd 5iiu TG1m Fish at
became more distinct and liielike as looked.
until every tint and marking and motion was
with a smooth motion which. turned and
flame beneath. Among the floating forms /
marked the figure of the butterfly. with brill
the ceiling. where the procession seemed not
to stop bTt to vanish; lust beyond the direct
nGasn the 10y syrian ian s toeIi;;I IKE Re a IN hticS Sfadn shad ~
looking at us through the d Darkness 1iesa't to MARI MARI;
the effect Of his experiment.
the snakes and butterfly, aud It was with
where l had been all the time; There was a
s %aTpt2f nasssd 3etw is9m mt th and sy ths lIeS ss
1t was my friend. his head held forward In an
attitude of rnpt attention. adva1cinR as II
| W 80 "a. 20 VIZ. V"lN Nlu SI V
BILE. I caught him round the body with both
arms; the Syrian. STOPPING, covered the cruci-
BILE with the stone slab which served as lid. ex-
tinguishing the fame, and my friend was
s snf gSI5s a and dn Representatives, pongbIy apou In TIE rein imc s 2
let ne out of this he exclaimed. coming
any way that's the quickest
All! that's better, he said. with a sigh OF
the shutters open aud raised a window. You
grabbed me Just in time. II I'd been left to
myself Id have Joined the procession up
through the ceiling and been / don't know
whers by this time. | think I'll take a drink
II you've got the stuff handy. Then I'll know
I'm on earth again
II had promised my wife and a young lady.
our guest. that the experiment. II successful.
should be repeated for their benefit. My wife
pleased me by backing out after hearing my
account of the performance.
" Its too creepy for me- she said. I can
be made uncomfortable enough without going
to quite SO much trouble
But our visitor. who had been graduated
my promise. and the Syrian came over in the
evening and started the procession again with