PRACTICAL SPIRITUALISM

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1539, 14 September 1905, Page 4

PRACTICAL SPIRITUALISM

Gins I'UOM THE UNSEEN. MELBOURNE, Si-pt. 13. An extraordinary story is told by Thomas Welton Stanford, of Melbourne brother of the late Mrs Inland Stanford/ founder of the Stanford University in California, regarding a collection of valuable antiques which were recently forwarded to that University, and which he declared were collected from ancient tombs in Egypt on his behalf by the Astral body of spiritualistic mediums. According to latest files of San hrancisco newspapers, Dr. -Jordan, President of the University, is unable to adopt i Stanford's explanation of the manner of obtaining the collection, and, despit© their great value, he has been compelled to decline the offered gifts. The story surrounding the arrival in Melbourne of these treasures is remarkable. Stanford is a spiritualist and so was his brother, Senator Stanford, of the United States, and Mrs Lcland Stanford, whose death occurred in sensational circumstances a | few months ago at Honolulu. Short- j ly after her departure from Adelaide, ajjout four years ago, Stanford discovered Charles Bailey at South Yarra a laundrvman by occupation in the daytime, and a communer with the inhabitants of the Astral world at night. Seances were held and extraordinary manifestations were obtained. Tt is allcgrd that jungle sparrows from India sitting in their nests and chirruping excitedly were sometimes plump* ed down upon the circle. Coins of great antiquity and rarity were instantly produced. At one sitting Stanford asked that a live ibis should be brought from Egypt, and it was on the table in ten seconds. Another member asked that Bailey should bring fish from the sea. As soon as the lights were turned on those present saw a shovel-nosed shark a foot and a-half long entangled in seaweed, from which the salt water was still dripping. The most interesting ar"tieles- that arrived, supposedly from Egypt, at a minute's notice, were rare coins of the Bactrian dynasty of the reign of Ptolemy and of the day of old Rainesefc ; octagonal clay tablets covered with eunieform inscriptions, which were written in the dawn of history ; and parchments and papyrus containing hieroglyphics of early EgyjjJians und Jews.