The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED "The Evening News," "The Morning News," and "The Echo." SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1877.

Auckland Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2241, 12 May 1877, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED "The Evening News," "The Morning News," and "The Echo."

SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1877.

For the cruise that ticks auv.st-.:i::e, I'm the wrona that iiced^iesiitanc l;or the future in tho clLsunee, And the i,'ou J that »c can Jo

So^'t: unknown correspondent—whether a believer or a scoffer, Aye knoAv not-—has dropped into our letter-box a series of articles from the " Family Herald of 1854, describing the early developments of spiritualism. The account is Avritten by no unfriendly hand, and its severity on Sir David Brewster's anti-spiritist papers in the " North British Review," makes it manifest that the Avriter had not remained unmoved by the onward SAvecping tide of delusion. When the youth Walker, or his " control," compl»iiis that spiritualism had been approached in a spirit of carping rather than with a desire for fair investigation, he makes a statement assuredly not borne out by the rhapsodic story of the spiritual awakening described in the "Herald," and composed Avhen the fever was at its height. Tho phenomena of table-rapping had long "been toyed Avith by our unsuspecting fathers as a harmless experiment in magnetism. It remained for a Yankee—a Quaker, Aye believe—to make the discovery that these lappings were long-misunderstood efforts of spiritual existences to communicate Arith mortals. The birth of spiritualism, as a belief, may be dated back to the formulation of the spirit alphabet by this simple member of the Society of Friends. We are noAV speaking of the period immediately preceding the time at which our nameless contributor's story begins. No doctrine could have had better ground to work on. The universal belief in the immortality of the soul, the Christian's faith in " ministering spirits," the growing difficulty of combatting materialism Avith proofs offered to the* senses, had all contributed their quota towards the preparation of the soil. Then folloAred the furore graphically described in the " Family Herald." Circumstantial accounts of Avonders surpassing the most astounding stories of the Arabian Nights Entertainment were freely circulated and eagerly devoured throughout the United States. Tables, and human bodies, it was averred on all kinds of authority, floated through the air like feathers, bePs Avere rung by invisible and visible hands, guitars twanged, and instruments discoursed sweet music; mysterious AYri ting was as common as green pea's,diseasesAverehealed,future events foretold, the past revealed, door keys of distant rooms removed and laid on tables at the Avill of tho wondering circles, \v*men advertised as of naturally retiring disposition, came out into public and delivered floAvery "trance" orations with eyes shut, and the golden stream rolled into the overfloAving coffers of publishers of spiritist wonders. All these marvels, it must be observed, had taken place at small circles of the faithful, to which only the privileged Arcre admitted. The "Family Herald" gives a startling account of the phenomena exhibited at a seance of fifteen, reported in the " Spiritual Telegraph " of the 2nd December, 1554, at which Ben Johnson, Shakospeare's contemporary, appeared, and other marvels were said to liave been developed. A Shakespearian spirit play was announced for production on the New York stage, and spirit music, spirit poems and essays, were among the inflated twaddle that poured in an uninterrupted stream from the " circles." At this early period.the Avhole Avorld avus to be revolutionised by the direct operation of unseen "intelligences," speaking through table-legs, nervous women, or more scheming men, Avho cunning].' turned the wave intoa golden stream, swelling their owntrea-

surics. So far from receiving ;.'.' news carpi'.igly, Americans of every grade, i. weaicto

mouthed. Ministers were reported as leaving their pulpits to preach the new dispensation, doctors and lawyers their practice, and, in 1854, the Spiritualist festival in Ohio was attended by 10,000 persons. The folloAving advertisements are quoted from the Spiritualist organs of 1854, as a sample of the means employed to trade on the creduity of the people :— " ' SriEIT-HEALINTt — They shall lay their hands on the sick a;:a' they shall be healed, — Bible.—The subscriber having been developed as a Healing medium, by spiritagency, offers his services to the afflicted as a medium through Avhom highly and progressed spirits Avill endeavour to restore harmony aud health to the diseased and suffering of earth. As the present selfish orguni-

sation of society would not appreciate or be beneiited by the free and unrewarded labour of any medium, [ am directed to charge for my services in advance, to be graduated by the means of the patient and the nature of the disease. 'Aho:-tzo Willmot.' "Then Aye have Mr ami Mrs Mettler, psycho-magnetic physicians, and clairvoyant examinators, Avith syrups and other medicines advertised for sale. And Mrs French, a medium, has nerve-soothing vital fluids prepared entirely through spirit direction. After advertising the vital fluids, Mrs French says she ' continues to make clairvoyant examinations. Examination and prescription, Avhen the parties are present, l'iA"e dollars; Avhen absent, ten dollars. No charge avlicu parties have not the means to pay.' This latter peculiarity is a redeeming feature in these advertisements. Hoav it was practically carried out avc have no means of knowing. Some advertised the name only, as W. T. Peterschen, healing medium (giving address)."

Iri England, the movement Avas watched Avith perfect amazement, and people marvelled more at the extent to which a proverbially shrewd nation had gone mad than the Americans did at the marvellous stories presented for their mental digestion. The wave Avas not long in making itself felt on the other side of the Atlantic. Mr Home was the chosen missionary commissioned to convince the Old World of the new dispensation. Undertaking to float about in the dim uncertain li^ht of a darkened room in confirmation of his personal "experiences," besides knocking chairs, tables, and other articles of furniture about in the most reckless manner, he soon created a furore in London. It Wiis about this time (1862-3), that Mr Robert Dale Owen and Mr HoAvitt came forward a,s the champions of the doctrine Avith a collection of till the stories of apparitions that had ever astonished goube-mouches, from the time of the Delphic oracles to the Cock-lane ghost, and beyond into our own sceptical

age. Mr Owen's former character as a, materialist gave; greater Aveight to his conversion and utterances, aud in some measure, perhaps, through bis inliuence, Mr Home had no reason to complain of a " too carping" reception in London. His seances Arero woll attended by literary and scientific men, and gentlemen of wealth, rank, and superior attainments. In IS(>3, he published an account of his own experiences, which met a sale that must have satisfied both himself and his publisher, Longman ; and Aye (hire say a fair number of tho credulous accepted his story— from the mysterious rocking of his cradle in childhood, to the spirit bird that Avarbled its lay for several hours over his infant son at St. Petersburg, while " v bright star-like light Avhieh Avas clearly visible in the partial darkness of the room" reproducing a blasphemous parody on the story of the angels that sang, and tho star that shone over another cradle in Bethlehem eighteen hundred and sixty years before. It is impossible in one article of reasonable length, to deal at all fairly Avith tin's subject, and having traced the progress of spiritualism upwards to the highest stage of its popularity, Aye shall on Monday slicav some of its subsequent history—a chequered story of imposture exposed, of lying, jugglery, cheating, unfulfilled promises of glorious developments (always in the immediate future), contradictory ami confused beliefs, and childish twaddle—until such palpable frauds as Thomas Walker, with a stock of empty well-learned phrases had the impudence to ask intelligent people to disbelieve the evidence of their senses, of common judgment, of all established knowledge," of the Bible and the Christian faith—on tho simple assurance that tliev were inspired !