Psychical Research.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 17, 3 May 1895, Page 5

Psychical Research.

A PAPER ON SPIRITISM. OUT-OF-THE-WAY STATEMENTST* A* the weekly meeting of the Gote Debating Society on Wednesday evening, Mr Theo. King related his experiences in Psychical Research. After a lengthy exordium, in the coune of which b« referred to the knowledge et ourselves as " tbe science of sciences; the esaenos of religion," the etftaylst went on to say that what he would toll them were holy facto, which had come nnder nil own experience during the pa»t three years, in tbe course of the more active pttrault of a belief which he had held for fifteen years or more. He bad been brought . np in orthodox fashion, but had early in his reasoning career been led to tbe conclusion that tbe Bible was a fairy tale, and bad resolved that he would be nn Atheist; and a Materialist until he could fiod proof satisfactory to himself of a hereafter. A boat the time Charles Bright was lecturing in Dun* edin, he (Mr King) found that he, too, could conmuoicate with the spirits of tbe deceased —and he was an Atbeiat aod a Materialist no longer. ' He let it rest at that for twelve yeaw, bat three years ago, alone with several friend*, he, determined to go further in the matter, and had now proved that, given favorable conditions, he could commnnioate with the spirits of tbe departed as easily bb bft could speak to tboae present ; and he thought it wrong to icstrict tbe disseminß* (km of Bocb knowledge. It was advisable and important, in leoniiog good remits, that those interested should be of clean habits •nd good moral character. Like attracted like in regard to spirits as in other cases. Bad people, who investigated, and happy-go-lucky individuals, brought to their seances n» devils, aot coated, gave the pursuit np, and we Spiritism a bad name. Good people, of above tbe average intelligence and earnest is their research, on the otber band, found on investigating that there were angels hovering ronnd. The vile selfishness of many who thought ot nothing but money, and hoped to ntilise the spirits to further their aoneymakiog ends, was not encou- . tased, and tbe bad babits of smokers, beer drinkerr, and those with gross animal piMions, prevented their rising above the eartn'a plane. The higher lights, too, with. drew their support from those who wished to trade en Spiritism, who, being unprincipled, drew their like from the spirits, and Consequently eventually went to the wall. The same thing happened in spirit photo* giftphy. The photographer was too often a wag, and for the take of the dollars often made a double exposure j but, nevertheless, nnder proper conditions spirit photography had been over and ever again proved poasi. ble. The essayist went on to speak of tranoe«mediumahip, explaining that, as in the case of mesmerism, the magnetism of a Circle was centred in the medium, though 4*4 condition was absolutely necessary that the oaedjniu bo willing and agreeable. , A band of spirit workers tben held the key, and saw that only those spirits who could do Of say something of benefit to the circle should appear. Some years ago, such statements as he bad made would have been leceived with incredulity, but the pabUo Amd was becoming advanced so aa to be educated np to the scienoe, in a measure through tha fiction of recent years ; and the palp, far-distant heaven, and the lurid hell, and eternal damnation, as depicted in the churches 60 years ago, found few supporters in these litter days : it was rightly held that the mercy of God was ever extended to tbe sinner, Mr King went on to explain that the cirole was visited by all sorts aad eondi* tions of men—from kings, queens, and princes downwards, including many whom those present knew ; but he bad no permis* sion to give names. The spirits would not glfe them any information which would give the members of the circle a worldly advantage over their neighbors : they could, they said, make their fortunes, but sneb a course of action wonld be bad indeed. They told tie membeis that they should strive after goodness,, which was its own reward. All hsd spirit guide?, who constantly strove to help them to overcome their animalism and selfishness, for en " crossing over " they wonld still retain such desirea a» smoking Mid drinking, without the power of satisfy. ing them, and wonld continue to have them nhtil proper atonement was made. Until then, tbeir conscience would be their hell, Their spirit guides saw every evil notion with a pang. The Pay of Judgment was the day they " crossed the border." The person who led a good life continued to progress ; the drunkard, wife-beater, murderer, thief, back-biter, and hypoorite were chained to the earth-bound spheres, 3ha clergyman, who told them all he knew, urged them to , be Christ-like, and they thould be guided by him : he was trying to help them from a Biblical point of vie* ; tbe ppeaker from the scientific standpoint. The unbeliever had an equal chanoa of baaven, however, and the oojeot of his paper was to teach them to be good for goodness' sake, and not for tbe fesr of hell : honesty for policy's sake was not honesty. Tbe doctor who visited them had done much good to suffering humanity | the geologists told them that tbe Mataura Valley had once been a lake stretching to the Alps, and that wonderful discoveries might be made by investigators ; and Procter was still aa keen »t figures as ever, aod said the greatest fault of astronomers was that they wonld not tell all they koew, as, (or instance, that the other planets wen inhabited. Gordon, of Khartoum, constantly visited them, and on Sunday evening last gave an address, and he had obtained permission to use his name in ! connection with the speech, which the essayist proceeded to read. Artie explorers, aotpng them Sir John Franklin, and scientist', such as Mainwaring Brown, also Tisited and addressed them. Bobert Barns told them he had atoned for his misdeeds, and Mr King read a rather lengthy piece of poetry, purporting to have been composed recently by Bumr, Mary Queen of Scots also came to thsm, ana said she had forgiven all who wronged her. The theory or doctrine ot re-incarnation was more than a theory : we must; be bom •gain. We had all been living for ages, j drafted from where evil was unknown. VFe had no knowledge of our previous lives, nor woald we have till we progressed and reached the brighter spheres. Our lives were planned from start to fioisb, before we oame into existence, again and again, but the better we tried to be tbe fewer times wonld we have to return to this earth till eventually we were transferred, while in the event of recalcitrancy this mucb«to«be*de* sired event might be delayed for thousands of years, Our planet was knows to the spirits as " Sorrowing Star," and our Etato •s tbe sleep of forgetfulness, because we had no knowledge of our previous lives here. In conclusion, he urged his hearera to make for goodness, and reiterated that thsse state* scents were not 'his opinions, but bis aotual experiences. : The discussion that followed was of rather in inconsequent nature, members complain* in( that they could not discuss the paper withont transgressing the Society's role regarding theological debate ; bat what little diicuiiion there was was of an adverse character. The only point of interest in tbe essayist's reply was that Mars was inhabited by a race in advance of oar own. The paper eccupied an hour in delivery. There was nothing of especial note in either General Gordon's address or Burns's poem, the only remarkable thing about them being the sonrce from whence they came. The «pyist was accorded a vote of thanks, j'