SPIRITUALISM AND MESMERISM.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1532, 15 July 1886, Page 2

SPIRITUALISM AND MESMERISM.

The Rev, E. D. Cecil delivered a lecture in the Volunteer Hall, Temuka, last Tuesday evening, the proceeds of which were in aid of the Presbyterian Church Sunday School, There was not a very large attendance, which is to be regretted, as the lecture was most interesting as well as being an intellectual treat. The Rev. Mr Thomas occupied the chair, and opened the proceedings with prayer, after which a glee was very well sung by a few members of the choir, name'y: Misses McNair and Russell, and Messrs Goltman, McCaskill, and Storey (2), with Miss Biytb presiding at the piano. The Rev. Chairman then introduced the lecturer. He regretted that the trend of popular opinion was not in favor of lectures in New Zealand, as shown by the fact that the audience was so small considering the importance of the subject. He had, however, seen much smaller audiences ; in fact it appeared no one cared to go to a lecture. He then spoke of spiritualism, and said he could not believe that disembodied spirits would come down to answer i mpertinent and trivial questions. As regarded mesmerism, he took it to be injurious to health, judging by what he had seen of if.

The Rev, Mr Cecil, who was received with applause, spoke for over an hour. o«, the subject of spiritualism, and over half an hour on mesmerism. The following i$ an outline of the lecture:—Modern sprituaiism (the lecturer said lie preferred

to call it “ spiritism ”) originated in the year 1848, in consequence of noises heard in the house of the Fox family in a village of New York State. The family then living at home consisted of the father, the mother, and two daughters—Margaret and Kate. They attempted for some months to find natural causes to explain the knocks continually heard, but failed to detect any, and in the end of March they were compelled to admit there was something more mysterious about these sounds, for they answered Kate when she addressed them ; they replied correctly to Mrs Fox as to the ages of tho children, and they answered similar questions put by neighbors who flocked into the house. The answer to the question “Are you a spirit V' was the affirmative treble knock. As there seemed to be some relation between Kate Fox >md the rapping she was sent away to Rochester, but there the manifestations broke out with fresh vigour, and that in several houses, and the affair became better known. At first the only signals were: “Yes” 3 raps, “ No ” 1 rap, and “ Cannot say ” 2 raps ; but some one.having suggested calling over (he alphabet, that method soon became the approved one, nud the first sentence thus-given was “ We are all your dear frieads and relatives.” The history of all attempts to expose the trick by which spirit-rapping was thought to be produced iVone-of absolute failure, and in most cases, ns the lecturer showed, those who began investigal ing as sceptics ended in • -believing thoroughly in spiritualism. The various phases of spiritualist phenomena were described, being divided into (1), raps upon solid objects ; (2), manipulation of such objects, euclvas lifting a chair or playing a tambourine; (3), making use of the limbs and organs of a medium ; (4), developing a visible form by independent materialisation. Instances were given of these various phenomena, and of the lecturer’s own experience as an investigator, and the attempts made to convert him to spiritualism. Spirit pictures, spirit photographs, spirit orations, and spirit learning to piny the piano were all dealt with, and,- strangest thing of all, the materialisation of a spirit presence, was described. As to tho explanation, the lecturer maintained that neither imposture, nor imagination, nor animal magnetism would account for the phenomena of spiritulisnq but that we were bound to admit that'they are produced by invisible beings, which he gave reasons for supposing to jbe evil spirits, who at certain epochs in human history seemed to make special and, determined efforts to obtain a habitation In human forms and homage from human wills. The outbreak of spiritualism, the lecturer held, seems to be related to other manifestations of i renewed activity in “ the powers of darkness,” such ,as a partial revival of astrology, and the rise of the Theosophists, who protend to exercise occult powers handed down by the Buddhist priests, etc. Apart from the dangers attending spiritualism, the lecturer quoted from Scripture to show that it is a thing wholly and distinctly forbidden by God in all ages of the world, and there are inexhaustible fields of knowledge and research lawfully open to up, “ For the secret things belong unto the Lord our God ; but those things which ate revealed belong to us and to our children for ever.”

The plan of tho second part of the lecture, dealing with mesmerism, was similar to the first, being divided into a sketbh of the history, an account of the various phenomena, and conclusions and lessons, drawn therefiom. Mesmer published in 1775 the results of his experiments in the phenomena of what he termed “ animal magnetism,” and three years later he established himself in Paris as a Professor of the new science. He, however, brought disrepute upon hia system by employing a number of magnetic appliances, which were proved by the enquiries of a Pmyal Commission to have no connection with the results produced on his patients. During recent years all apparatus have been discarded, but mesmerism has -not received that serious attention from medical men and psychologists.’ that it deserves, and has often been scouted as imposture instead of being fairly investigated. The mesmeric phenomena were divided by the , lecturer into four stages, which more correctly agreed with his own experiences than the six .which have sometimes been enumerated. .These four are—(l), mesmeric, sleep and,quiescence ; (2), control of tho personality of the subject by the mesmerist; (3),, clairvoyance, or the mesmeric perception taking the place of the ordinary senses ; and (4), illumination, absurdly but frequently called “ universal,” when the subject is able to follow with his observation some particular person, and within a certain distance know all which that person does and says. Illustrations ;of these several stages were given, chiefly from the lecturer’s own investigations; and passing on to the consideration of the theory by which mesmerism may be accounted for, he rejected both that of animal magnetism, and the rationalistic-theory of expectant attention by which Dr Carpenter and other scientific men account.,for a whole array of mysteries, from": the. ancient oracles to somnambulism. He then propounded a theory of his own, for which we have not sufficient space to do it justice. Ho showed the points of connection between spiritualism and mesmerism, and concluded by pointing out that they both contained one important element danger, viz , the surrender of our personality and freedom of will to other beings, either spiritual or human. To tamper with this individuality we have no right ; it is the summit and crown of our manhood, and perhaps it may even be that likeness or image of the Creator, which we have defiled hut not utterly defaced. The pursuit of pure truth must and ought to lead us ever nearer to Him, Who is “ (lie Truth,” “ for of Him, and through Him, and to Him arc ail things.

Tlio lecturer was listened from beginning to end with rapt attention, and the greatest interest was evinced by those present. It was indeed highly interesting. The language was very choice ; the mode of delivery was excellent, and the w.iy in which • the two subjects were Heated proved tiro lecturer to be a deep thinker and a soiled reasoner, as well as a in m of much culture and research. The lecture- was a very able one, and those who were not present missed a great treat. During the interval between the first and second parts of the lecture Miss Mackintosh sang “Corning flame ” in a rnannqr tlmt elicited an encore, and she responded by singing ll The March of the

Cameron Men,"to her own accompaniment; She sang very nicely, and was greatly applauded. Mrs Rout was of course as successful as usual in singing the song “Between Two Stools,” and as an encore “ Within a Mile of Edinboro* Town," Both were sung delightfully, and tho applause was most enthusiastic. At the close of (lie lecture, tho Choir having rendered another glee, the Chairman proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer, which was seconded by Mr Russell, and carried amidst great applause, Mr Bryars proposed a vote of thanks to the choir and ladies who had contributed songs, and it was carried by acclamation. The Rev. Mr Cecil proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman,- which, on being carried, brought the proceedings to a close.