are very admirable, indeed, and would be much more admirable if the
exhortation itself were more fair and honest--if you did not seem to
sprinkle the reproach of dishonesty over multitudes of honest people
more gifted than yourself, with the power to find and clasp the
holiest truths. If the inferior and less honorable class of mediums
are now before the public, why is it? It is due solely, dear lady, to
such people as yourself and your psychic society men, and "fellows of
a baser sort," who follow your lead--to those whose censorious and
sometimes scurrilous hostility against spiritual phenomena has driven
into retirement or kept in concealment the most beautiful and holy
phenomena that were ever known on earth. Angels do not confront the
hissing mob. But their visits to-day are neither few nor far between.
In every bower of perfect spiritual purity they come. Let but this
brutal opposition of men and fluent scorn of women cease, and the
universal air will be fragrant as the spiritual beauty now hidden
shall become a part of our social life, and even the fastidious Miss
Phelps will be satisfied and delighted.
[NOTE.--Miss Phelps, if she had due respect for her grandfather, the
Rev. Dr. Phelps of Stratford, Conn., ought to be an earnest champion
of spiritualism, for it was at his house that the most wonderful
phenomena were realized, when invisible spirits carried on their
pranks with the furniture like human beings. Dr. Phelps was a thorough
spiritualist, and introduced the spiritual doctrine into his sermons,
though exercising the worldly wisdom of not using the word
_spiritualism_.]
SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA.
ABRAM JAMES--MAN AND MEDIUM.
It was in the summer of 1863 that I first met this marvelous medium,
one of the very best in the way of intellectual development that I
ever saw. James was born in Pennsylvania, of Quaker parentage. He
inherited the simplicity, candor, and truthfulness of the sect. He had
absolutely no guile in his nature. He had had but six months' common
school education, but, possessing considerable natural ability, he had
to some degree remedied his deficiencies in this particular. He wrote
a fair hand, spelled well and conversed with some facility on ordinary
topics, but was absolutely ignorant of any language but his native
English, and had no knowledge whatever of scientific subjects; this I
know to be a fact. James was above the medium height, very thin and
spare, blonde complexion, light hair and blue eyes--a natural negative
organization. When I first made his acquaintance he was employed in
the yards of one of the railroad companies in Chicago, making up
trains, or some employment of that character.
Of James's original development as a medium I know nothing, as I first
knew him in his abnormal character, in which he was truly marvelous,
being perfectly familiar with all languages, living and dead, and with
all subjects--religion, science, philosophy, and ethics.
I have heard this man speak and deliver long discourses in German,
Spanish, Italian, French, Latin, Greek, and other tongues which I did
not know. I have taken scholarly linguists in his presence and to them
he demonstrated that he spoke in foreign tongues.
I have heard him deliver lectures on a great variety of scientific
subjects,--on political economy, theology, and natural philosophy. His
thought and method of treatment were of the very highest types of
intellectual ability. Of course James did not profess to do this of
himself; he was in fact, wholly unconscious of doing anything. When
entranced, the controlling spirit would say, for example: "The Baron
von Humboldt will address you this afternoon on the Cosmos." Then in a
discourse or lecture of an hour's duration he would give a condensed
history of the origin and development of the world. I remember on one
occasion he took up the nebular or La Place theory, adopted it as the
true one, and traced the rise and progress of the earth through the
evolution of matter to its present condition, in a most comprehensive
and masterly manner. At another time it was said: "John Quincy Adams
will speak to you to-day on the political condition of your country,"
and with all the grace, dignity, and eloquence of the famous old
Senator from Massachusetts when addressing the Senate of the United
States, this medium delivered a speech of which Adams himself would
not have been ashamed. It was in the war times, and fully embodied the
sentiments which we know were predominant in Mr. Adams's mind--the
permanency of the Union and liberty for the slave. It was before the
emancipation proclamation, but the speaker assured his hearers that
the day was close at hand when the oppressed and abused slave should
walk out in freedom before all the world.
I remember one very remarkable occurrence. James was entranced by the
spirit of Michael Angelo, and a lady medium present was controlled by
Raphael, and these two, partly in Italian and partly in English,
discoursed upon art, painting, architecture, and sculpture in a manner
calculated to produce a lasting impression upon the minds of those who
were so fortunate as to be witnesses of the scene. The spirits were
evidently fearful of losing control of the medium, and in their hasty
desire to speak constantly interrupted each other, but they referred
to the great works in which they had been engaged while on the earth,
and the monuments they had left behind them. I remember Raphael
particularly speaking of his last great painting of the
Transfiguration, which he declared he had left in an unfinished
condition in Rome, and which he desired to complete if he only had the
opportunity. I regret that I am not able at this distant time to give
full details of these, their marvelous revelations. I had shorthand
notes taken which were afterwards written out, but unfortunately they
were all destroyed in the great Chicago fire, in 1871.
James was also a drawing medium, and as such he executed many fine
pictures. His method of work in this direction was quite beyond the
capacity of any human being. He operated with six pencils, three in
each hand, each pencil doing a separate part of the work at the same
time; the consequent rapidity of execution was something wonderful.
James once drew a colossal picture of Lincoln, which measured seven
and one half feet in length. The sheet of paper was laid upon the
floor, and upon it, without any outline or measurements, he first made
an eye, and then in its proper relative position a boot. When the
outlines were completed, these came into their proper places. The
picture was a fair likeness of Lincoln, and represented him in the act
of reading the emancipation proclamation. The pictorial heading of
your paper, with its name in the letters as they now stand,
RELIGIO-PHILOSOPHICAL JOURNAL, all finished and complete as it is, was
done by James in the manner above stated. The engraver who reproduced
it has not altered one line or mark; yet this man in his natural
condition could not draw the outline of a barn.
James located the first artesian well which was bored in Chicago. He
declared by his clairvoyant sight that a stream of water could be
found many hundreds of feet beneath the surface. The boring was done
and the water found, and this well was the originator of the numerous
other wells which now supply our parks and factories. James afterward
went to the oil regions of Pennsylvania, where he was successful in
locating productive oil wells. Since 1869, I have lost sight of him,
but wherever he may be he is a marvelous, intellectual medium, and as
honest and truthful as the sunlight.
GEO. A. SHUFELDT, _Religio-Philosophical Journal_.
MR. EGLINTON'S MEDIUMSHIP.--A correspondent of the _London Medium_
describes an interview with Mr. Eglinton, in which the following
occurred. They are not extraordinary to those familiar with spiritual
facts. I have held a slate in my own hand in the presence of a medium,
and received messages on the slate in which every letter was written
in double marks, as if written with two different colored pencils,
although _no pencil was furnished_ or seen.
"Three small pieces of writing-pencil--green, red, and
white--were put upon the perfectly clean school slate, and
placed under the table as before, with this difference: that
G.'s left hand held the slate with Mr. Eglinton, his left
being above the table. The slate was now thoroughly rolled
about so as to completely displace the pieces of pencil from
their previous relations. G. asked aloud that 200 might be put
down in _red_; I called for 69 in _green_; and Mr. Eglinton
requested that they be added up in _white_. Upon examining the
slate, this was found correctly executed. I then took a book
at random from a case containing perhaps 300 or 400 volumes.
G. wrote down upon the school slate the number of a page, a
line, and of a word, which she desired to be transcribed. The
slate was turned over, and I placed the book, which had not
been opened, across it, resting upon the frame. Under the book
I placed a morsel of pencil. The slate, with the book upon it,
was then passed under and pressed against the table-top as
before. No one but G. was cognizant of what she had written,
and, of course, as the book was never out of my possession
from the time I took it from its fellows in the case until it
was placed with the slate under the table-top, there was no
possibility of its pages being scanned. The sound of writing
soon occurred, and upon its ceasing we examined the slate,
when we found 'P. 7, L. 18, W. 6, Llanwrst.' The other side of
the slate contained 'P. 7, L. 18, W. 6,' as written by G. I
now and for the first time opened the book, which was 'The
Irish Educational Guide and Scholastic Directory,' for 1883
and 1884, published by John Mara, 17 Crow Street, Dublin; and
upon turning to page 7, line 18, and word 6, the word there
printed was 'Llanwrst.'"
SPIRIT WRITING.--The world is full of spiritual phenomena which are
suppressed or concealed in consequence of the prejudices instilled
into all minds by education and perpetuated by the dogmatism of the
college, the pulpit, the press, and the votaries of Mammon. The _St.
Louis Globe_ gives a recent example, as follows:
"I have known of a great many astonishing things that I can
account for in no other way than by supposing that they were
brought about by some influence outside of human agency [said
a believer in Spiritualism the other day to a St. Louis Globe
reporter]. I know a lady--a church member--who makes no
pretensions as a fortune teller, clairvoyant, or medium, and
who would indignantly resent being called a Spiritualist. This
lady takes a pencil in her hand and writes rapidly and
legibly, with her arm extended, without looking at the paper
or pencil, and gazing in an opposite direction from the work.
And this is done in a way that shows no control of her arms in
the operation. She writes answers to questions she could not
possibly have any knowledge of in a correct and thoroughly
truthful way. Even when she is separated from the questioner
by a closed door she readily writes out the correct answer to
a mental question with no effort of her own. This woman could
not be induced to do so for any compensation. I have seen all
the performances of the mediums in the way of musical
instruments floating around the room in the air, but these are
open to doubt. In the case of the lady I speak of, all is done
by daylight without any thought of compensation or notoriety.
It is a natural endowment, a spiritual control, an unseen
influence, and a power outside of our ability to account for."
MIND-READING AMUSEMENT.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TRANSCRIPT:
This amusement may possibly help to attract the indifferent public
toward the higher branches of science, which are so much neglected.
Probably not one in a thousand of those who are attracted to this
subject by curiosity has given any attention to that department of
science to which mind-reading belongs.
Americans are not distinguished for reverence. They often rush into
the consideration and discussion of subjects with which they have no
familiarity, without pausing to learn whether any investigations have
already been made. In matters of mechanical invention attempts are
continually making to achieve what investigation has proved
impossible, and a great deal of labor and money are wasted in finding
by costly experience what is already known, and might have been
learned by an hour's attention to recorded science.
The dabbler in science and invention often fancies himself a
discoverer, asserts his claims, and receives recognition from those
who are still more ignorant of the subject than himself. Under this
head come the performances of Mr. Bishop and other sciolists who are
exercising similar powers with similar success.
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing," said Pope; for the sciolist
is continually blundering in the false and superficial theories which
belong to the first stage of investigation, through which the patient
student of nature has made his way to a full understanding of the
subject.
The sympathetic transference of thought from one mind to another, and
the acquisition of knowledge of things either present or remote,
without the aid of the external senses, are phenomena known as far
back as history has any records. Such phenomena are wonderful and
mysterious, but not more so than the generation of animal life or the
appearance of a rainbow in the sky--subjects from which science has
removed much of the mystery.
Trans-corporeal or non-sensual perception has also been investigated,
its laws established, its anatomical and physiological foundation
explained, its range of power determined, its vast powers and
utilities illustrated, and its method of development and culture made
known. But of all this the mind-reading sciolists know nothing and
have not attempted to learn anything. They are attitudinizing on the
outer steps of the temple of science, before the gazing multitude,
instead of penetrating the interior of the temple, where the multitude
do not follow.
The exhibiting mind-readers start with the assumption that matter does
all, and that the ample literature in which the powers of the soul are
recorded, demonstrated, and explained is unworthy of notice. Thus they
place themselves in sympathy with the prevalent ignorance on such
subjects, and the dogmatism of a certain class of scientists.
The dogmatism of this hypothesis cannot be maintained by any careful
and conscientious inquirer, who knows how to conduct an investigation.
When the psychic faculties are well developed, as they certainly are
in Mr. Bishop, the inquirer cannot fail to realize that ideas are
developed by transference in the mind without the slightest
opportunity of being instructed by muscular movements. Hence Mr.
Bishop finally admits the direct transference of thought from mind to
mind; but instead of presenting it boldly as a positive and thousand
times demonstrated act, he still leans upon the letter of Dr.
Carpenter, which represents him as learning the thoughts of others, by
"careful study of the indications unconsciously given by the subject."
He confesses that he once stood upon the strictly material hypothesis,
from which he has advanced to the psychic doctrine he now maintains,
and adds, "Where I am may be only a stopping, not an abiding, place."
Very true; the remark is honorable to his candor. He should advance a
great deal farther; but he would not have stopped at either position
if he had taken pains to learn what was already known and published a
quarter of a century, or even what was known several centuries, before
he began.
If he would even now read Professor Gregory's "Letters on Animal
Magnetism" and the "Manual of Psychometry," published in Boston, he
might make a new departure, might understand the vast extent of his
own powers, which he has not yet developed, and show to those whom he
has already astonished that there is much more in the mysteries of
earth and heaven than their mechanical philosophy has even suspected.
"Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring," was the suggestion of
Pope; and if Mr. Bishop or any of those who have been sipping at this
fountain of knowledge would call upon me (at 6 James Street, Franklin
Square) I would take pleasure in showing them the unsuspected extent
of their own powers, and showing how thoroughly the questions they are
interested in were investigated over forty years ago, to scatter the
mystery and bring the wonderful and almost incredible powers of the
mind into correlation with biology and anatomy.
I might show them, too, that mind-readers are not such extraordinary
persons as they are commonly supposed. There are many millions in the
world who can exercise the class of faculties to which mind-reading
belongs--a class of faculties long neglected by superficial
scientists, from the cultivation of which more may be expected for the
future intellectual progress of mankind than from anything else now
known to the universities.
I mean no disrespect in styling Mr. Bishop a sciolist (or undeveloped
scientist). That very sciolism brought him into sympathy with Dr.
Carpenter and other distinguished gentlemen who would not have
listened to him if he had come in any nobler manner, and enabled him
to open their eyes. Perhaps if he will take another step in advance he
can lead the majority of his pupils to a higher position, and thus
render a signal service to society. I hope he will have the candor and
courage to advance far beyond his present position.
JOS. RODES BUCHANAN.
Since Mr. Bishop's exhibitions have been so successful and profitable,
several others have repeated his performances of telling the number of
a bank note, finding hidden articles, and going through any
performance that was enacted during his absence from the hall. Mr.
Montague, an editor of the _Globe_, Mr. George, Mr. Wilder, and
several others have shown the same powers. A dispatch from St. John,
New Brunswick, to the _Herald_ describes a remarkable performance at
that place as follows:
"ST. JOHN, N. B., Jan. 17, 1887. In a 'mind reading'
performance Saturday night, after several examples indoors,
the 'reader,' a young man who belongs to this city, asked for
an outdoor test. The party separated, one remaining with the
reader, and hid a pin in the side of a little house used by
the switchman of the New Brunswick railway at Mill Street. In
their travels they went over the new railway trestle, a most
difficult journey. The reader was blindfolded, and one took
his wrist, but at the trestle hesitated, fearing to venture,
and was told by the reader to let go his wrist and place his
hand on his head. The subject did so, and the reader went upon
the trestle. Some of the party suggested that the bandage
should be removed, but he told them not to mind, and, the
subject again taking his wrist, he went on over the icy and
snow-covered sleepers. With a firm step he crossed to the long
wharf, went over as far as the mill gates, then quickly
turned, retraced his steps and went back to the corner of Mill
Street. Here he rested a moment, then again took the subject's
hand, and in less than five minutes afterward found the pin.
At the conclusion of the test, the reader inquired what the
matter had been when they first reached the trestle. It was
easily explained. The storm had covered the sleepers with
snow, and it was thought dangerous even for a man not
blindfolded to cross them. The subject felt anxious for the
reader's safety, and hesitated about going across. The tests
were most satisfactory."
* * * * *
TEMPERANCE.--"There has not been a liquor saloon in Hancock County, W.
Va., for forty years. This accounts for the fact that there is not a
prisoner in the county jail, and the grand jury failed to find a
single indictment."
MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.
PIGMIES.--A while ago, says the _Sun_, Mr. Grenfell of the Congo
Mission encountered on the Bosari River, south of the Congo, the Batwa
dwarfs whom Stanley mentions in "The Dark Continent," though Stanley
did not see them. Grenfell says these little people exist over a large
extent of country, their villages being scattered here and there among
other tribes. Wissmann and Pogge also met them a few years ago in
their journey to Nyangwe.
It was long supposed that the story of Herodotus about the pigmies of
Africa was mythical, but within the past twenty years abundant
evidence has accumulated of the existence of a number of tribes of
curious little folks in equatorial Africa. The chief among these
tribes are the Akka, whom Schweinfurth found northwest of Albert
Nyassa; the Obongo, discovered by DuChaillu in west Africa, southwest
of Gaboon; and the Batwa, south of Congo.
These little people range in height from 4 feet 2 inches to about 4
feet 8 inches. They are intellectually as well as physically inferior
to the other tribes of Africa. They are perhaps nearer the brute
kingdom than any other human beings. The Obongo, for instance, wear no
semblance of clothing: make no huts except to bend over and fasten to
the ground the tops of three or four young trees, which they cover
with leaves; possess no arts except the making of bows and arrows, and
do not till the soil. They live on the smaller game of the forest and
on nuts and berries. They regard the leopard, which now and then makes
a meal of one of them, as their deadliest enemy. They live only a few
days or weeks in one place.
When Schweinfurth first met the Akka dwarfs he found himself
surrounded by what he supposed was a crowd of impudent boys. There
were several hundred of them, and he soon found that they were
veritable dwarfs, and that their tribe probably numbered several
thousand souls. One of these dwarfs was taken to Italy a few years
ago, was taught to read, and excited much interest among scientific
men. There are other tribes of dwarfs in Abyssinia and also in
Somaliland.
It is believed that all these people, including the Bushmen of South
Africa, are the remains of an aboriginal population that is now
becoming extinct. In the migrations and subjugations that have been in
progress for many centuries among powerful tribes, the dwarf tribe of
Africa has been scattered, and its isolated fragments are still found
in widely separated parts of the continent.
A HUMAN PHENOMENON.--M. de Quatrefages, the naturalist, has examined a
real phenomenon, a Provencal of thirty, named Simeon Aiguier, who had
been presented by Dr. Trenes. Aiguier, thanks to his peculiar system
of muscles and nerves, can transform himself in most wondrous fashion.
He has very properly dubbed himself "L'Homme-Protee." At one moment,
assuming the rigidity of a statue, his body may be struck sharply, the
blows falling as on a block of stone. At another he moves his
intestines from above and below and right to left into the form of a
large football, and projects it forward, which gives him the
appearance of a colossally stout personage. He then withdraws it into
the thorax opening like a cage, and the hollow look of his body
immediately reminds one of a skeleton. Aiguier successfully imitates a
man subjected to the tortures of the rack, as also a man hanging
himself, and assumes a strikingly cadaveric look. What most astonished
M. de Quatrefages was the stoppage of the circulation of the blood,
now on the left and now on the right side, which was effected by
muscular contraction.--_Boston Transcript_.
SURVIVING SUPERSTITIONS.--The once flourishing and wealthy colony of
German Rappites, or Harmonists, who sold out New Harmony, Indiana, to
old Robert Owen sixty years ago, (where Owen's grand fiasco occurred,)
and removed to Economy, Pa., held their annual festival on the 15th of
February in the usual solemn manner. Father Rapp is dead long ago, and
of the thousand energetic religious and industrious enthusiasts who
have been so prosperous in worldly matters, scarcely fifty remain as
feeble old men, and their pastor, Father Henrici, is over 83 years
old; but the honest and worthy old enthusiasts are still waiting for
the personal coming of Christ, who, they believe, is to come before
their society dies out, establish his kingdom with his throne on Mount
Sinai, and judge and rule the world. They believe that their beloved
Father Henrici will never die, but will lead them to the presence of
their Divine Master on Mount Sinai; and he proposes to lead them to
Palestine, when they have signs of the Lord's approach, that they may
be ready to meet him.