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Whatever
SA T U R D A Y , JA N U A R Y 7, 1893.
CONTENTS.
Pauls Visit to the W itch of E n d o r..
Notes by th e W ay ............................... 1
Sradba Ceremony of the H in d u s___2
Black Magic..........................................0
Records of Private Seances . . . . . . . 8
Spirit Photography........................... 10
Dr. Parker on Spiritualism
Questions and Answers.....................10
........4
Spiritualism and Science.................... 5
Letters to the Editor ................. 10-12
The Outlook..........................................6
Society W ork......................................| |
NOTES BY T H E W AY.
Mr. Stead has not only brought upon the world the
shallow sophistications of Dr. Parker, but the small w it of
others. We have not always admired Mr. Steads methods^
but it would be foolish to deny th at he has the courage of
his opinions, and in this m atter of automatic writing has
done yeoman service. As a great part of the work of the
late Stainton Moses was of this automatic character, the
importance of independent testimony as to all the circum
stances connected with its production cannot be over
estimated. Dr. Parker has been treated of in another
column, but Mr. Stead has roused some other members
of the gallery, among them the Editor of the Morning
Leader. In an editorial of this paper, headed Inter-;
viewing a Spook, we get some of the old hilarity, but
in a subdued form. The writer, however, is quite correct in
his assertion th at when the spook told Mr. Stead th at the
departed can when they please assume their old bodies or
their spiritual counterparts as they can assume their old
clothes for purposes of identification, th at spook was
asserting something quite new to Spiritualism, and pos
sibly quite wrong. The central fact is that the writing
Mr. Stead asserts to have been done automatically.
L IG H T .
i ailnary p 1893.3
LIGHT,
LIGHT.
[January 7. iSfW.
mooting. I think an uncongenial visitor' lunl boon in tho houso Hither sound also came and played a duet with G. so near to my
and altoivd tho conditions. After this wo held two seances face that l could foci tho vibrations of t.lio air produced by the
with the manifestations of scent, lights, tnuaie, and raps. The sounds. Chords wore played with a running accompaniment.
Indian spirit brought a very largo light, diin, and much draped. By request the trombone played close round the circle. Iks
light was very beautiful, and also manifested round tho circle.
Ho brushed the drapery over our hands several times.
July 12th, This evening Mr. 1ereival again joined tho Much liquid scent was brought, and a quantity poured inton
circle. Our mooting room had been closed and prepared for claret glass by request. The scout appeared to fall from the
some time before we mot. As soon as we extinguished the coiling. Ghom and Kabbila brought a largo flat shaded light,
natural light wo saw masses of spirit-light floating all over tho not bright and flashing like H .s. Dr. S. asked if it had any
room, and rose perfume was wafted over the eirelo, The drapery round it, and, if so, would they brush it over his .
Thoy complied with his request several times. [
wilier spirit came and played very sweetly between me and ( hands.
Mr. 8. M. The notes were clear and resembled those made on Catharine then rapped close to mo and her brother. During a
a harp. At times it appeared as if two instruments were being these varied and powerful manifestations Mr. S. M. was in j
Ho had been withdrawn from the table, and I |
played, as we heard running treble notes accompanied by deep deep trance.
sounding chords. This'manifostation was very sweet, lasting a heard him making troubled peculiar sounds. Catharines raps |
long time. Questions were answered by the spirit through became very frequent, and she appeared excited. At last sho I
his instrument. When the medium became entranced, this , called for the alphabet and gave the message Take care of 1
spirit played over the table, bringing the sounds l>y request to the Medium." Yos, wo will, when he has come out of the 1
each of the sitters. G. also came when wo asked for him and trance. This did not pacify her, and as we had been told j
played on his spirit instrument, making deep, but very sweet never to sti'ike a light until the medium had come out of the |
At last she 1
and musical sounds. After playing for some time wet soent control wo could not understand her wishes.
was thrown over us and Mr. 8. M. awoke. We changed tho rapped out Light. Wo then discovered that the medium 1
room for a few minutes, and after returning more wet scent had fallen from his chair, and was in a very uncomfortable 1
was sprinkled over us. Raps were then made round Mr. position between the book-case and the table. Dr. S. lifted ]
S.M. and tho control was soon established by Imporator, who him up, and we bathed his face with cold water, letting fresh I
air into the room ; but it was some time before he recovered. |
spoke as follows :
HMay the blessing of the All-Wise be with you. We We were afterwards informed that too much power had been 1
desired to speak to you to-night, as we may not lmvo another used in the manifestations.
opportunity for some time, for the conditions are unfavourable
both as regards the atmosphere and the mediums health. A
DR. PARKER ON SPIRITUALISM.
year ago nothing could have been done under these conditions,
but. experience has taught us how to overcome obstacles, and
One is not greatly exercised to know the opinions of I
in this circle manifestations can be generally produced. Since
Dr.
Parker on any subject whatever, y et there are times I
we last spoke to you we have marked groat progress in the work
when
it is useful to note what a person of his intellectual 1
we have in hand : the time draws nigh when a great develop
capacity
has to say when in presence of a subject, he does 1
ment of power willshowitself and should not be hampered. Hence
we desire to enforce conditions which may seem stringent to you. not understand, but nevertheless about which he thinks it 1
You are the recipients in no ordinary degree of agreat develop proper and necessary to write.
Such an opportunity I
ment of spiritual power. The Spiritual sense is increasing occurs in the open letter to Mr. Stead published in the I
amongst men, and step by step the presence of spirit agency is M orning of December 31st, 1892. Mr. Stead had 1
manifested. Strange to say, we are as ignorant of the conditions sent Dr. Parker the Christinas N um ber of the Review of 1
on your earth as you are of our world. Wo stand on similar
Reviews. T he result is a pleasant study of words. Says |
bases, but continued intercourse has shown us how to overcome
Dr.
Parker :
and provide against bad conditions. Tho projection of thought
from intelligent minds acts on those around you and helps us in
our work.
| The wave of spirit influence now passing over your earth is
analagous to that which passed over the world during the life of
tho Christ. Happy for your race if the teaching now revealed
be not hereafter adulterated as was that which came through
Him. Those who now teach in His name often preach doctrine
quite unlike what He taught. The truth we are now bringing,
fresh from the Divine source, will meet with the fate that all
truth meets with at first. The time will come when men will
receive i t ; that time is drawing near; you have aidod and are
still aiding it,
We dread apathy more than opposition to our workdead,
cold, lifeless indifference, which cares not to question and has
not sufficient interest to doubt. New life is perpetually being
born into your worldanimal life which enshrines the soul.
Mind is no attribute of matter, but is a separate birth and
creation in each case. New creations of spirits are formed by
condensation of the atmosphere which is the connecting link
between us and you. You are surrounded by spirit life and are
never alonenever.
July 19th. Wo sat as usual. Much spirit-light, was visible
in tho room, and we had also wet scent and perfumed air and
musical sounds. Mentor rapped round the medium and con
trolled him. He said he had been with him and Dr. S. that
afternoon at the photographers, helping little Catharine to
manifest, and her likeness was on one of the plates and a friend
of the photographers on the other. She was now present,
but felt so delighted that her likeness had been taken that she
was not sufficiently passive to manifest her presence by rapping.
Mentor answered many questions, and said it was too hot to
prolong the seance ; but he would meet us at Shanklin, where
we wore soon going.
July 2th. This evening, as soon as the room was darkened,
wo saw masses of floating light, which remained with us until
the conclusion of tho seance. Mr. S. M, was controlled at
once. G, manifested quickly, and answered questions. Tho
I
am glad to be able to accept your statement without the 1
faintest shadow of reserve ns to its literal accuracy, because you I
have given me evidence which makes scepticism impossible.
Very good ; and then a few lines further down in the 1
open letter Dr. Parker goes o n :
Of what consequence is it that some ghostly presence has
drawn pictures, or some spectral influence has written letters
or made lines upon a slate, or given some other token and sign
of nearness and interest 1 Even if all this were literally true, in
my judgment it amounts to nothing unless we can carry the
matter very much further.
I
a
1
1
1
Even if all this were literally true ! and in a paragraph but separated from th is by a few lines this accurate
writer asserts th at he accepts Mr. Steads statem ents without the faintest shadow of reserve as to their literal
accuracy! Acceptance followed by semi-denial is not a
very secure basis for the kind of argument used by even
such personb as Dr. Parker.
1
I
J
j
|
|
A fter this one may expect anything, and it is not sur- <
prising to find Dr. Parker arguing in favour of his emigre- |
gation being about the best circle for investigation that 1
can be imagined :
For myBelf, I have no difficulty in believing that nil seances, i
all inquiries of the kind you indicate, all earnest endeavours to j
test tho reality of the spiritual, represent so much groping after ;
God Himself. God is a Spirit. If mon were to give them
selves, might and main, to an inquiry concerning God, I should
regard that inquiry as expressing the deepest interest in true
Spiritualism. Why be anxious to talk to the servant when wo
can get access to the Master Himself 'l Why talk to tho
sentry at the door when wo can advance into the very presence
chamber of tho Monarch 'I lb scorns to luo that a congregation,
properly regulated, ought to constitute the largest and most
i effective sdanoe possible. I do not look upon a congregation
January 7, 1893.]
LIGHT.
O F F I C E O F L I G H T ,"
ft, J J U K E S T B E E T ,
A D E L F U I , W.&.
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS.
T he A nim al S u b scrip tio n fov " L ig h t , post-free to any u lilif i is itto- JOil per
an n u m , fo rw ard ed to o u r office in advance.'
C heque# a n d P o stal Order# Khottld be m ade p ayable to Air, It. J). G odfrey, an d
sh o u ld in variably be crossed .... At Co.
A ll order# for p ap ers an d fo r advertisem ent#, and all rem ittance#, should no
ad d ressed to " The M a n a g e r a n d not to th e Kditor,
EDITE D
BY
Colum n, 2 2n.
P ag e, 4.
M. A .,
o u d
A red u ctio n
S A T U R D A Y , J A N U A R Y 7th , 1893.
T O C O X T J t l B C I O J i S ,C o m m u n i c a t i o n s i n t e n d e d to b e p r i n t e d
s h o u l d be a d d r e s s e d to th e E d i t o r , 'J, D u k e - s t r e e t , A d e l p h i . I t
tv ill m u c h f a c i l it a t e th e in s e r tio n o f s u ita b le a r tic le s i f th e y
a r e u n d e r ttv o c o l u m n s i n l e n g t h , L o n g c o m m u n i c a t i o n s a r e
a lw a y s in d a n g e r of b e in g d e la y e d , a n d a r e f r e q u e n tly
d e c lin e d o n a c c o u n t o f w a n t of s p a c e , th o u g h i n o th e r r e s p e c ts
g o o d a n d d e s i r a b l e . L e t te r s s h o u l d b e c o n f i n e d to th e s p a c e
o f h a l f a c o l u m n to e n s u r e i n s e r t i o n .
B u s i n e s s c o m m u n i c a t i o n s s h o u l d i n a l l c a s e s b e a d d r e s s e d to
H r . I t. I). G o d f r e y , '3, D u k e - s t r e e t , A d e l p h i , IV .C ., a n d n o t to
th e E d i t o r .
T H E OUTLOOK.
try to ignore the psychical reaction that has set in, hut a
is only an attempt, and a leader which appeared recently i
the T i m e s was an eloquent tribute to the spirituality whie|
is beginning to flood even our commercial civilisation. TL
old landmarks are being destroyed, and who shall set up
the new 1 There came through the long years mysterioZ
driftwood across the A tlan tic on to the shores of Europe
and at last the meaning of that driftwood was understood
The continent of Am erica was discovered. So has the drift
wood come across the boundaries from the unseen; and that
other country, n ot the small heaven of the orthodox, but a
state real,more real than this, has come with in our knowledge
Call it what you will, subliminal consciousness, the Beyond
four-dimensional space, or what not there has come into our
common consciousness something that but a short time
since was the possession of an isolated and esoteric few,
A whole continent lies before us, and its exploration is our
work, subject to all the dangers of travelling into the
unknown.
I t is easy to suppose that when Columbus first sighted
the W est Indian islands he, or, if not he, many of his
men, thought they had found all that was to be found. In
the golden groves of the summer isles they could not
imagine the icy shores of Labrador, the canons of the
Yosemite, or the roaring waters of Niagara ; yet these were
all eventually to be found. So the traveller into the region
of the unseen is but too apt to think his small experience
is the experience of every one else, his summer land of
luxurious peace comprises all the continent of an enfeebling
heaven.
The fight has any way to go on, not now so much with
this world, but with other and stronger adversaries, who
revel in making for us placid assurance that all is well.
For we, indeed, wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in
high places.
I;f< 11 IT.
. l u t n i t n y 71 IHUH \
inhit, wlr' i'v llm fmxt and final interypsw toek (ila'-e foty/4>,e,ri
'hem, Hmnly Maid mi(/lil, linve l#oon pardoned for Imping that
II A
I'KW H. I 11
a Moufourat (40 long dolnyed m (la fulf'duM.l, luol |i ( forgotten
or
rovokud. Me, w ,l!4 (;|( KU.g; f|,(, Ummoeiation of the
Til*' I i ii if,ir Hi'rmiioPiiiiuih nil mu 11lig lli<' #I*7U.I.li nl Himl an (he
(],iy following liifi vii! ffi llio Women nl'
liftVo hew. me'le prophet had m/fe driven him from tlm throne ; ho wouM void are
(|ti
nf mmmmmhln vvet'iiiogn, mi Ihe ftlttf of Hntmi of nm to try and i.i,-, him again hy tlm im.triiumnteldy of the womarr,
ami learn il lira f/u .m-r nio wa. rordly r/;momh-.rod againat him.
p u r t h d p n l h / n n in H p j r i t n i i l i n i
III>>n< fifthedox f r i i U M l u , a g a l u x t
'I'!"', paanagn m | |M. | ^ |
<'hrordole.-.j wayrt it v/aa for
flllOrMi, flaw III10 H l l p | M l f .il i o n l l i # 10 Mil# h o i t i i u ' i ^ i m o s h o w n, hy
o h#i in oji/iOitolion in i l l v l u o eai iyrng out thin project that he, paid th", penalty of hie life,
Lfi0 t o t #1 which h o f # d I h i ? K i o / . { , 1
l'ortm.Hte,|y we, ..art teat thirt ae.rterthm by tho very word -, of the
h / t w t #1 not iw n o t
The tmxt. on who d i H i m m l l l i p o M i t l m i
tut h |
prophet art the, whole converantion re recorded i
in 1hu (ft t a i l e d %&( o o o L g b / m i i o t h # } m n lii'ni r r e o r f l u , of
IIft
t o i l nil ii o n l o l # itlHOll 1 n l a f a .HIMill'
Ami Kamiiel aap| i,, Haul, Why haat thou dbopnetod m*'.
S h i i i ihK to j o * l o v , h i l l ir. I m O i i #
tn bring me up | And Haul atiaw'erml, I am wore, diehrearte'l
III*} v v l u d o n it t o n t w o l o l.ho
in llm Hook of ( ! h r o i t i r l < OH w I l M l ' O
mu fell#- 1/luli^tuMju fttaku !//>.Tr;//udbT /rM
*^ anO OoM l|
m l # ) I m i i i It i M vor-f!OH, T h i n nl h I,o
Ji h f of mm K imh i\H ( ; o O i j U T
I lo m nnn uinl iiimwr.n.Ui ,//*>
m o io f n o ilh o i hy fuophutn,
Uoi' liy tli'annw ; l,hfnj''/nf, I iutV0 culloM th^C that
i/iayuBt
IIM>ill; IMHh follow M
lufowu I// mi; vvlutt I whall Oo. 'IImu) waiM Hauiu^h
Sn Saul (lictl (.iv In : 1numgnwwiofi*
1 oommi'Moil
VVlicntlfiif} Uif'ii Mont thou
of nn^ w:i;iti'jf tho l/u'O ^
MfWiixUlm 1,01.1, V II Hernial. Il"i won I of | | | Lord, which
O u p fu |/U < l f r o m
u u U /}-, O u u m n u fJ iiiM j u t u a u y l
A n d th ^ j
11 | j not, ami iiIho I..1 nuking <oim ml of oim Unit, IumI
liMj'd hath fh/iH; (><;>|)jfn $$ Ji<- k j ; hy r/M
*, ; f o t ' i f w \*or*\ ha^li
,t laaiiiut r,oil it, 1 w<|tm. of H i himI oiimiirwl not. of f in
rout Umj kiot/floin out of f/luiio haridt ;u>fl '/ivoii it 1/; ihy
| ,iii 1 | Uienjforu li<- .' low linn, | | | | I'triii-il tho kingdom imfo
uui^lihoio\ uvojj 0, lui,vid { hufauT^/ thou 'vhoyT'd;',t uot tfe#
jjfovld Mill NOII of do*MO. (I f'lltoll. X. I<i, IT)
Vf/ifio pi tho hordj oor oxouutudttt IIif,
v/rath upon
Twit ttllugntioiiM HIT made Imre*
whiclMt.ro gencmlly
Ainalok, fJiorofo^o huXh Un: Isov<l dooo fJO^ \,hiti'/ nut/> ihoo
HM.j.tnl wiUiouf furl I|. r impliry,
hot.ll " f | || j | | K S J
thIH day, Moro<iv<;rt tho Lord will alno d<div<,r buaol with
thoo inf,o tho hand of Uio Phdi/vtiiMiH J and to morrow frh*dt
to bt>contwy lo foot; (l)T h t Haul hmt hi* life nun penally
t/hou
and t)iv ikmih ho with no?: tlu^ Lonl al>^> nhall dolivor
| | satktflg coiuiMoJof oi.o Dial, (lull I familiar apirif, ami (2; I,hot
Iho hoot (;f lor/to,l inf,(> thfj hand
tho I'lnJiotino.o (I Kano
In: ,||,t !|,r; m j.r.'fm nm to inquiring "f , h Lord, Wo propoao
xxviii* Hr H),)
to i , 11 y mir invodtigrttion Further Ihull in oiiafomary, ami will
Not a word, hint, or ai^n that tho doming <lo.th of H/*.ul w,
mulmvoiir to discover, if jmiwibie* g # I''"" H""Wer l.o two imduo to hio Hooking that intorviow. rriui OUly loforonoo rrovlo to
ix/rU/it uuu#tion#;
it by th#j propliot joif>Why hant th#u# dio'piiot.od 1/10 f/> h/in^
I II.nl Si in I * rnnmillul.lmi, w ith | | | m a n / Unitor a n y mo up |
Itut wh#*n tho oxphuiation vvag pjivon, Batnuol wao
t/nng hf tto on. Ih lu i ib o th '{
rjtfinli#}#!, au#l mor#:ly ann#;U7ioo#l tlio Hpoody fulfilmont of the
To oflOiin ii i;ov root ro|
long-dcdayod oonton#;o9 and MnhHtanti^/lly rop#;atod htn moowu/o
10
III
d o t to iOViual pa
#>f twonty4hreo youtw la>forto Uccau^o Haul r<;fu-/;#l t<> uttorly
k fttli f|f Haiiuod, TIm.s tii
d.oj|troy Amalok wan llio ^ thoroforo >f of hi*i #loathe wluoli W
iw donfh ix a iuohhw:mi give)
ann#>urjoo#l f<n#l/lio moirijw*
4
Khij ) wum
from
Inn j
^K,/ W^ u n ^
0,10
io mforuno'o to Haul
lorrilrly I,hinge had ohaugoh :
from, <t
LIGHT.
[January 7, 189.1.
much for the officers of the sanctuary to endure in silence, and me, a statement wliioh Avas Aerified to the letter, which gave
consequently they became as zealous, or more so, in persecuting the divine sanction to the interview. But whj* could not this
the prophets as in discharging their own priestly functions. information have been given by Urim, by prophet, or by dream ?
Samuel had no interest in maintaining the priestly authority; to It could have been easily done ; but the honour of the prophet
him, to obey was better than sacrifice hence we do not had to be maintained and Samuel was the first of his lineby
find him breathing any denunciation for Sauls visit to the their being brought face to face, a fact by whioh God taught a
woman. On the other hand the priests saw their institution great lesson to Israel and set His seal of approval on the line of
was in danger, and simply refer to Saul for the purpose of mediums by Avhom Samuel would be succeeded.
Another significant and parallel fact calls for our attention
declaring that he died for not inquiring of tire Lord, and daring
to consult God through one upon whom the hands of anointing here. While Saul Avas fruitlessly endeavouring to consult the
ordinary oracles at Gilboa, David, at Ziklag, had not the least
had not rested.
Some persons will be anxious to ask whether it was not a difficulty in doing so. Finding on his return from the army that
very strange coincidence, which led Saul to visit the Woman of the town had been burned and his wives taken prisoners, he
Endor upon the last night of his life. We reply at once that commanded the ephod to be brought:
Ave do not think there was any coincidence in the case, but that
And David enquired at the Lord, saying. Shall 1 pursue
a careful following up of the chain of events from anotherand
after this troop ? shall I overtake them ? And he answered
him, Pursue ; for thou shalt surely overtake them and vrithout
generally unheededpoint of view, Avill reveal to us the fact
fail recover all. (1 Sam. xxx. 8.)
that that visit had more of a divine appointment about it [than
the committing of a forbidden sin. Let us folloAV this line of
What necessity was there for Saul to consult the oracle at
all ? If the methods usually resorted to were silent why need he
thought.
Sixteen years after Sauls rejection, and seven before his seek to consult others 1 I t does not require any Aary close study
death, David was anointed by Samuel to be King in Sauls of the Mosaic laAv to know that it Avas a distinct command that
stead. (1 Sam. xxi.) Throughout that sixteen years Israel had Israel was to go to battle and come in from battle by the
been at peace, hut no sooner had David been anointed than the direction of the oracle. The command was giA'en Avhen Joshua
Philistines marched against Saul, and Goliath defied the j was appointed leader in the place of Moses :
army of the Lord. The craven spirit of Saul Avas at once
And he shall stand before Eleazer the priest, who shall ask
manifest in his neglect to answer the challenge of the
counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord:
heathen champion. Had the spirit of the Lord been with
at his word shall they go out, and at his word shall they come
him then Goliath would not tAvice have defied them. But the | in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, eAren all
stripling David came to the rescue, achieved the welcome j the congregation.(Numb, xxvii., 21.)
victory, and was at once recognised as being the blessed of I
The Bible records more than one event where the Israelites
the Lord. Saul hath slain his thousands, but David his ten j Avere Avrong through not making the authorised consultation ; it
thousands, Avas the cry of the whole nation. This provoked was therefore a very important preparation for a battle to knoAV
the anger of Saul and led him to hunt David as a fugitive in the the will of the oracle. We have just seen that David asked such
wilderness in order that he might kill him. At length David counsel before pursuing the spoilers of Ziklag, and Saul had no
found a safe refuge Avitli Achish, the King of the Philistines, intention of drawing his sword until he had done the same and
where he dwelt for several years with his friends, until Achish received a reply. D id the silence mean wait ? But Avhilehe
gathered his army and marched against Saul to the fatal battle Avaited the Philistines were gaining ground. So the silence
of Gilboa. David called his followers together and marched drove him to the Woman of Endor, where the purposes of God
Avith Achish, and only through the lack of confidence shown in were fulfilledSaul and Samuel were brought again face to face,
him by the princes of Philistia, were he and his men sent and the King learned his fate.
back again. The only battle Israel had been engaged in since
Someone will tell us that Moses commanded all such as this
the rejection of Saul had been won by David ; a second Woman of Endor, together with diviners, necromancers, and
battle approaches and the Bethlehemite is with the eliemy soothsayers, to be put to death as an abomination to the Lord.
coming on to the engagement. In the interval between the We know he did, but for some reason or other we are constantly
battles Saul has added to his sins the charge of attempting to finding his orders at variance with recorded facts. For instance:
take the life of his anointed successor ; may we not then expect When Josephs brethren left Egypt the second time with
the battle to go against the forsaken King ?
corn, he had ordered their money to be put in the moutliB of
At such a moment Saul consults the oracle as to his prospects their sacks as before, but in Benjamins sack his own cup had
of success. Urim is unresponsive ; he asks that God will make been concealed in addition. They had scarcely left before we
known His will by dreams, but his sleep is dreamless ; then the hear Joseph saying to his steward
prophets are consulted, but there is no Thus saith the Lord.
Up, follow after the men, and when thou dost overtake
There is one other means of oracular consultation known to
them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye reAvarded evil for
him, a person that hath a familiar sp irit; to this he must resort
good 1 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and where
for he dare not go to battle until he has tried every available
by indeed he divineth? Ye have done evil in so doing. (Gen.
method 5therefore his determination.
xliv. 4, 5.)
All the facts of the case point to the one conclusion that
Now if Joseph was not a diviner, he could not have been
events were so ordered as to lead Saul to visit the woman for such a model of truth as he is said to have been of virtue.
a specific purpose, which could be only accomplished in her Again, when that mysterious hand Avrote upon the wall at |
cave. Saul and Samuel had to be brought face to face once Belshazzars Feast, the Queen of Babylon referred to Daniel
again, in order that the King might know from the lips of the thus
prophet that the sentence he had pronounced so long ago had
There is a man in thy kingdom in Avhom is the spirit of
hot been revoked of forgotten. This appearance of Samuel
the holy gods ; and in the days of thy father light and
could not satisfactorily take place through either of the usually
understanding and Avisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, Avas
adopted methods. Urim gave its reply by a flash or voice ; a
found in him; Avhom the King Nebuchadnezzar thy father,
the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians,
dteam might be considered by the King as uncertain ;; and the
astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. (Dan. v. 11.)
prophets answered by inspiration or trance ; only in the place
and the presence of a medium suitable for materialisation could
Daniel held this position In Babylon for more than thirty
the personal interview be afforded. That the visit was in full years, and AvaB assisted in his divinations by his three friends.
accord with the divine will (we use this term without prejudice Were these four men abominations to the Lord 1 According to
for the sake of the argument) is patent from the fact of the Moses they were, and should have died the death ; but instead
appearance of Samuel, who came as a messenger of God and of this the three were saved, by divine interposition from
established his claim as such according to the Mosaic t e s t:
death in the fiery furnace, and Daniel had an equally signal
When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the delivery from la deii of lions. The very practices which Moses
thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which denounced and commanded to be punished by death, became
the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it the legitimate practice of the prophets who came after him.
, presumptuously. Thou shalt not be afraid of him. (Deut.
There is evidence in the Bible, however, which comes much
Xviii. 22.)
nearer to the case of Saul and the Woman of Endor, than these
By the same authority if the thing colnes to pass that instances bring it. There are several cases recorded whore
prophet has spoken in the name of the Lord. Now Samuel heathen necromancers, such as Avas this woman of Endor,
told Saul that to-morrow thou and thy sons shall be with were specially used by God Avhen Iferaelitish prophets wove
.January 7, 1803.]
LlG H U
BLACK MAGIC.
The Tfmaophiat for December contains some more old
stories of Black Magic. Those now given are by Pietro
della Valle, an Italian traveller who visited Turkey,
Egypt, Syria, Persia, and India some time during the
seventeenth century, and by Abul Fagal, of about the
same period. I t goes without saying that a t the time
when our own Royal Society was discussing the qualities
of sympathetic powders, and so forth, the world at large
was a trifio credulous. A t the same time, there is a
curious uniformity in these old stories of witchcraft, and
one would like to know where and how they have their
counterpart now. Pietro della Valle says:
An Arabian woman, by name Meluk, was thrown in prison on
a charge of having bewitched, or as they call it, eaten the heart
of a young native of Ormuz, who had lately, from being a
Christian, turned Mahomedan. The cause of the offence was
that the young man, after keeping company some time with
one of her daughters, had forsaken her. He himself who was
In a pitiable condition, and in danger of his life, was one of
her accusers. This sort of witchcraft, which the Indians call
eating the heart, and which is what we call bewitching, as
;sorcerers do by their venomous and deadly looks, is not a new
thing nor unheard of elsewhere ; for many persons practised it
formerly in Sclavonia, and the country of the Triballes, as we
learn from Ortelius, who took the account from Pliny, who
upon the report of Isigones testifies that this species of
enchantment was much in use among these people, and many
others whom he mentions, as it is at present here, especially
among the Arabians, who inhabit the western coast of the Persian
Gulf, where this art is common. The way in which they do
it is only by the eyes and mouth, keeping the eyes fixed steadily
upon the person whose heart they design to eat, and pro
nouncing between It# * teeth, 1 know net what diabolical
words, by virtue of which and by the operation of the devil,
the person, how hale and strong so ever, falls immediately into
an unknown and inevitable disease, which makes him appear
phthisical, consumes him little by little, and at last destroys
him. And this takes place faster or slower as the heart is
eaten, as they say ; for these sorcerers can either eat the whole
or a.part only; that is, can consume it entirely and at once,
or bit by bit, as they please. The vulgar give it this name,
because they believe that the devil, acting upon the imagination
of the witch when she mutters her wicked words, represents
invisibly to her the heart and entrails of the patient, taken out
.of his. body and makes her devour them, in which these
wretches find so- delightful a task, that very often to satisfy
:their appetite, without any impulse of resentment or enmity,
they will destroy innocent persons, and even their nearest
relatives, as there is a report that our prisoner killed one of her
1own daughters in this manner.
This was confirmed to me by a similar story, which I heard
at Ispahan, from the mouth of' P. Schostian de Jesus, a
Portuguese Augustinian, a man to be believed, and of singular
virtue, who was prior of their convent when I departed. Ho
.assured, me, Ipi!*. one I the places dependent upon Portugal,
on the oomfin.es gpKArabm, Felix (Yemen), I know not whether
iit was at Muscate or at Ormuz, an Arab having been taken up
for a similar crime, and convicted of itfor he confessed the
factthe captain or governor of the place, who was a Portuguese,
that he might better understand the truth of these black and
devilish actions of which there is no doubt in this country,
ordered the sorcerer to be brought before him before he was
led to his punishment, and asked him if he could eat the inside
of a cucumber without opening it as well as the heart of a man.
The sorcerer said yes, and in order to prove it a cucumber was
brought. He looked at it, never touching it, steadily for the
time, with his usual enchantments, and then told the captain
lie had eaten the whole inside ; and accordingly when it Was
opened nothing was found but the rind. This is not impossible ;
for the devil of whom they make use in these operations, having
in the order of nature greater powers than all inferior creatures,
can, with Gods permission, produce these effects and others
more marvellous.
I
Abul Fagal tells this
! One of the wonders of this country is the Jiggerkhar11(oj?
liver-eater), flu of this class can steal away the liver of another
by looks and incantations, Other accounts say that by looking at
LIGHT.
10
a person lie deprives him of his senses, and then lie steals from
him something resembling the seed of | pomegranate, which lie
hides in the calf of his leg. The |j Jiggerkhar throws on the
tiro the grain before described, which spreads to the size of a
dish, and he distributes it amongst his follows, to bo eaten ;
which ceremony concludes the life of the fascinated person. A
v Jiggerkhar is able to communicate bis art to another, which
ho does by teaching him the incantations, and by making him
eat I bit of the liver cake. If any one cuts open tho calf of
the magicians leg, extracts the grain, and gives it to the
atilicted person to eat, he immediately recovers. These
" J ig g e rk h a rs a rc mostly women. It is said, moreover, that
they can bring intelligence from a great distance in a short space
of time : and if they are thrown into a river, with a stone tied
to them, they nevertheless will not sink.
T1ie people in authority had a pleasant way of punishing
this kind of thing :
In order to deprive any one of this wicked power, they
brand his temples, and every joint in his body, cram his eyes
with salt, suspend him for forty days in a subterraneous cavern,
and repeat over him certain incantations. In this state he is
called Detchereh." Although, after having undergone this
discipline, he is not able to destroy the liver of any one, yet
he retains the power of being able to discover another
Jiggerkhar, and is used for detecting those disturbers of
mankind. They can also cure many diseases, by administering
a potion, or by repeating an incantation. Many other mar
vellous stories are told of these people.
[January 7, 1M3.
SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY.
Re-Incarnation.
January % 1893.]
LIGHT.
11
commits suicide ; one works for humanity, another lives in an some kind that the Re-incarnationist has in mind. The mere
asylum ; one is strong and robust, another is handicapped by etymology of the word is possibly responsible for the last
wretched health ; and so on ad lib, No use to say, Oh, that assertion, which cannot be squared with Kardecs statement
is all compensated for in the spirit-world. Is it ? Certainly not. that it is only in the lower worlds that matter is so gross as
No injustice and such it then would bo can bo got rid of in here, that life becomes less material as we advance, until in the
that light manner. Again, one sox has boon subordinated to the highest worlds it is almost puro spirit. If I understood by re
other, and very sad has been the outcome. All this ignorance incarnation more re-birth into a world resembling this, I
demands enlightenment; all these inequalities neod adjust should repudiate the doctrine quite as heartily as you. But
ment. To imagine that they can be dealt with on a plane where no, tho Ro-mearnationisfc holds . as you do, that spirit is the
the physical ceases to exist is to stultify the laws of Nature and abiding reality and matter the phantasm. And if you admit
of orderly evolution. Men continually need experience in the that spirit undergoes one presentment in matter, why not
as easily two, ten, or fifty such presentments ? What is the
form of womanhood, and vice versa.
The loss of the body carries away with it the force of various length of even a long series of re-incarnations in comparison
emotions and feelings, and these can only be ovorcome with. Eternity ? In both cases tho result, the evolution of pure
and used (not abused) by the higher naturo iehe.ii it is and perfected spirit, is the same ; it is a matter of indifference
connected with the body.
This is the Christ - victory, whether that result is achieved under purely spiritual, or
and a Christ is not evolved in a day. I know many chiefly spiritual and partly material, conditions. Only in the
Spiritualists are Re-incarnationists, but in U.S.A., where the former case we do not see any clear reason for the existence of
mass of the Spiritualists are given to phenomena and per this enigmatical and almost apparently accidental world ; in
sonal matters, and the comforting assurance that they are the latter we do, and stfe that it is all part of an orderly and
all going to a summer-land of happiness (Pandemonium, I beautiful plan.
I consider it unfair to say that Spiritists takc a hypothesis
should say !if the folks are the same as they are here !), the
and then try.to find facts to fit it. The testimony comes from
philosophy which teaches anything deeper is absolutely hated.
Through seeing this, and also the wreckage made of so precisely the same source as yours, from the spirit world itself;
many lives over there by courting controls of all kinds, I the real difficulty is to understand why one spirit should assert
andmany friends who had been through the same experiences that Re-incarnation is a fact, and another should say nothing
turned our attention to Theosophy. I have ever since been about it or perhaps deny it. Argument on this point is likely
.
.
G. M. C.
gkd of it, and have found a great deal of light in its study. tb cut both ways. .
The Kingdom of Heaven is within us, and we can make
S ib ,I am glad to see the above named subject discussed in
no spiritual progress until we know ourselvesthe only
your journal, the belief in its truth having been to me of the
knowledge which gives a key to any external phenomena.
very highest value, because I seem now to understand the
I have read nearly all the leading literature of Spiritualism,
mystery of suffering and sorrow in a way I never did before,
but I.find more instruction as to the origin and evolution of
and am able to justify the ways of God to man to my own
man and the laws of Nature, in, for instance, Olds What is
satisfaction, and I think to that of others sometimes who
Theosophy ? a mere handbook of outlinethan in any of these
converse with me on the subject. The Apostle Paul declared
volumes, although there are many observations in them which
in the Epistle to the Romans that the whole creationgroaneth
are of value ; but these are all on a level with a keen human
and travaileth in pain ; he added until now, and surely
observation and brain. As I had been more than an inquirera
we-may say the same even at this date, and the fact of this
worker in behalf of Spiritualism, and one who honestly believed
being so has been used by some amongst us as an argument to
it could regenerate humanitythis contrast struck me very
disprove the teaching that God is loving and merciful, for .they
much.- I think any Spiritualists, however, who desire to pene
say no loving and omnipotent Father would allow his children
trate beyond the surface might accept and read with pleasure
to suffer as so many do during this earth-life. And it is not
Annie Besants shilling handbooks, which are wonderfully clear,
only these who think this, but many a tender child of grace
and give reasons for every item of information, &c.*
has at times thought so likewise ; once, however, let him grasp
I think Spiritualism has done and is doing an important work
the idea of Re-incarnation and all such doubts will vanish, for the
in many ways, and one which will eventually tend in the
sufferer will then feel that the sorrow he bears himself, and
Theosophical direction. I had thought of. sending a reply as to
sadly witnesses in others, is but the effect of wrong-doing
re-embodiment, but considered, after all, it would be of little
committed at some time or another of his existence, and is
use,' until experience showsas it will show in every life sooner
absolutely necessary in order to wipe out the stain incurred
or laterthat it is the first light which dawns upon us with
thereby. Every true Spiritualist believes that whatsoever a
regard to self-knowledge. So long as any feel a prejudice
man soweth that shall he also reap, and consequently that it is
against it, so long will it be useless to say anything ; the present
not God Who causeth us to suffer but our own evil actions,
feelings, ideas, loves, &c., are too positive, and bar the way.
although without the belief in a previous existence we shall be
We'have to suffer a good deal and give up much before we can
unable to- account for much that we see, and suffer also. These
accept truths which give light, but do not bend to our personal
are my views upon the subject after nearly seventy years of
desires and feelings. But as to the after-life, Theosophy presents
sojourn here on earth ; they may seem weak and childish to
a very beautiful picture of rest, which all souls' do indeed
some, but as I said before, I value them highly, and the thought
need after the crucial experiences of the physical life. We lose
may perhaps help to lighten the burden of some worn and
nothing at all linked with the higher nature, while the loss of
weary sister or brother who may read these words,
the body (with which are connected the selfish and lower
T. L, H enxy. principles) enables life to be a real dream of Heaven while it
[Does
our
correspondent
not
see
that
the
mere belief in
lasts ; and it lasts until we wear it out, and feel the need of
Re-incarnation
does
not
make
the
Re-incarnation
itself afact,
further bodily existence. Nothing very dreadful in this !
though it may be comforting to have such a belief ? More
E quality.
over previous existence and re-incarnation are not
convertible terms.-pEd. L ight .]
Sib,I have read with interest, and with due appreciation
of its vigour and ability, your article of December 24th, with
Australian Race Dream Prevision.
its adverse comments on my former letter. I should be glad to
see the subject discussed fully, and by abler pens than my own.
Sib , The paragraph at p. 620 of L i g h t , dated Decem
I hope I am neither bigoted on the subject, nor inclined to be ber 17th, 1892, has much interest for m e ; because, since
unduly aggressive. I have written in defence of what appears 1870, during ten years residence in Australia, I have, in
to me an eminently reasonable and logical explanation of the common with most Australians concerned in racing matters,
reason for the existence of the phenomenal universe. In been on the alert about dreams seeming to indicate winners of
endeavouring to avoid dogmatism, and in speaking of the horse races, especially of that greatest- of all the races of the
subject simply as a theory, I have to some extent anticipated Southern Hemisphere, the Melbourne Cup, of which it is not
your desire to see 'the matter brought forward as a hypothesis. too much to say that all Australasia cares for it more than for
Well, even from this point of view, I must entirely demur to anything else, save, perhaps, cash.
such sweeping and indeed astonishing assertions as that the
No doubt many Australian racing men deride the notion that
idea is essentially materialistic, that Spiritualism and Re-incarna- dreams are of use towards the discovery of winning horses. But,
tion are not convertible terms, and that it is always flesh of often as I have heard that question discussed, I have invariably
found the discussion including a remarkable case of dream pre* Do they ?E d.
12
LIGHT.
SOCIETY WORK.
58, T avistock-crescent, Westbourne P ark, W. (near
station).Mrs. Mason will give a stance on Saturday next, at
8 prompt, at the above address. Investigators will be heartily
welcome.J. H. B., Hon. Sec.
14, Orchard-road, Askew-road, S hepherd s Jp-irsa, W .
On Sunday, in the absence of our appointed speaker, Mrs. Mason
kindly gave us a special stance. Several spirit-friends (relatives)
of the sitters were present, and were all recognised, Sunday,
at 7 p.m., Mrs. Spring. Tuesday, at 8 p.m., seance, Mrs. Mason.
J . H. B.
18, Clarendon-road, W althamstow. Several controls by
the spirit band spoke through Mr. Brailey, the subjects being
Charity, Truth, A Years Retrospect, From Glory
to Glory. Several solos were also rendered. The dates were
unfortunately given wrong by me of the undermentioned
entertainments:18, Clarendon-road, Walthamstow, Mr.
Petersileas entertainments:January 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th,
February 2nd, 9th.B.
S outh-place I nstitute, S outh-place, F insbury, E.O.A
course of eight lectures on the Language, Literature, History,
and Religion of Ancient Egypt will be delivered by F. W.
Read (chairman of the London Spiritualist Federation) on
Tuesday evenings, at 8 oclock. The lectures will be of a
popular character, and fully illustrated by photographic views
exhibited by the limelight lantern. The first lecture will be
given on Tuesday, January 10th. Admission free.
S piritual H all, 86, H igh -street, M arylebone. On
Sunday Mr. Isaac Hunt spoke on the subject announced, giving
an account of private stances recently attended, &c. January
9fch, Dr. F. R. Young, -The Dream of Pilates Wife. January
15th, Mr. H. J . Bowen, Trance Address. January 22nd, Mr.
C. Petersilea on The Fallacy of Re-incarnation preceded by,
Why I am a Spiritualist. January 29th, Mr. Anderson,
from America, Public stances discontinued.0. H.
[January 7, 1893.
33, H igh -street, On Sunday morning an interesting discussion was opened by Dr. Bass on the Solar System. In
the evening Mr. Butcher kindly gave an address in n hicli he
dwelt mainly on the work of the society during the past year,
and gave encouragement to continue our efforts to bring the
truth of Spiritualism before H people. I have another letter
inserted in both the | South London Mail and the South
London Press" in reply to Frank M. Smiths attack on
Spiritualists. Sunday next, at 11 and 7, M. Voifcoh.J. T,
Audy.
T he Stratford Society op Spiritualists, W orkmans
H all, W est H asi-lane, Strateord,,
service each
Goethe.
Whatever
CONTENTS.
Notes by the Way ...............
The New Spiritualism ,..
Wilting In a Locked D, sk .. ___ 14
Ancient Egyptian and Modern
The New Mesmerism............
Religious Reliefs.........
A Story of Swedenborg........
Questions and Answers... ............. 20
Two Ghost Stories................. .......17
Letters to the Editor ... ........ 21-24
Curious Will Case ...............
Society Work ..........
P rice T wopence.
14
LIGHT.
WRITING IN A LOCKED DESK.
top of the pile to the bottom, bringing them in contact with the
wooden and outside part of the desk. In turning over the
papers our eyes fell at once upon the writing. There was
no pencil in the desk, and no other sign of disturbance of any
kind. The message will be seen to be a lengthy and coherent
communication, signed and dated in a manner that would go to
explain some of the attendant phenomena described.
We were, of course, highly gratified at the success of this
deeply interesting experiment. The circumstances under which
the writing was obtained were shortly stated by us on the other
half of the sheet of note-paper, and this document was signed by
all the seven persons present. The test, to those acquainted with
the circumstances, and with Mr. Everitt and his family, is an
absolutely perfect one. I have received direct writing, under
test conditions, on various other occasions, and have not a
shadow of doubt in my mind as to the origin of this message.
I t will, no doubt, be read with much interest and perfect confidence
by m any of th e subscribers to L ight . With the outside
public, of course, it will have little weight, Men cannot easily
W e p rin t below the fne-simile of some direct spiritw riting, given under circumstances described in the follow
ing narrative which has been supplied, a t our request, by a
respected clergyman of the Church of England with whom
we have the pleasure of being personally acquainted :
On December 17th I paid a visit to the house of my esteemed
friends, Mr. and Mrs. Everitt, from whom I have, for several
years past, received the mast valuable aid and counsel in my
study of the interesting but difficult and complex phenomena of
Spiritualism. I was, on this occasion, accompanied by three
ladies who are members of my own family, and who are also
acquainted with the truths of spirit-intercourse. We had spent
some time m oonv,'ersation relative to this all-important subject,
and I was giving Mr. Everitt some details in connection with
my own experiments in the attempt to obtain direct writing
under strictly test conditions, when Mr. Everitt requested his
daughter to open her desk and to show me a copy of a direct be convinced against th eir will.
message which she had received under peculiar circumstances
some time since. The message was from a young man who had
been drowned while bathing, and whose death had caused un
speakable p tin and grief to his parents. The message, so far
as I remember, was one of comfort and consolation, with a
warm expression of regret at the trouble and sorrow thus
unhappily and unwillingly caused. I was deeply interested to
learn that intelligence of the message thus conveyed was given
to Mrs. Everitt (Miss Everitt being the medium on this occasion)
when she was many miles away from her own house, where the
message was afterwards found in the place and under the
circumstances indicated.
Someone present suggested that I should place a sheet of
note paper in the same desk with a view of receiving, perhaps,
a similar interesting and valuable communication. Miss Everitt
very kindly put her desk at my disposal, and gave me three or
four sheets of ordinary note paper, which I initialed and dated
on the outside half-page, and placed them, in the presence of six
witnesses, on the top of Miss Everitts papers, closing the flap of
the divided desk, and carefully locking the desk itself. As no
shadow of doubt respecting the trustworthiness of the family
entered into my mind, I proposed to leave the key in Miss
E veritts possession. Mr. Everitt, however, very kindly suggested
that, with a view of making the test (to those at least concerned
jt=3
in the matter) more perfect, I should retain possession of the
m
key and return to the house to open the desk in the event of
any communication being received. I therefore put the key
gi
into my purse. I t was ascertained th at no other key in the
house fitted the desk.
The latter was placed in its usual
1
W
placeMiss E veritts bedroom. There was no pencil inside the
m
desk, but there were three ordinary lead pencils in the dressingtable drawer.
$
1
On the evening of December 20th I received aI note from Miss
1q i
tv
Vs
Everitt informing me th at a communication had been made to
them a t breakfast that morning, to the effect that some writing
m
N
had been given in the desk, and asking me to come over with
the key. In company with two of the three ladies who had
The message, having been w ritten in pencil, was too faint in
been present on the previous occasion described, I at once places to be easily photographed, and some lines are therefore a
proceeded to the house, where another gentleman had arranged little indistinct in the reproduction ; but it can, nevertheless, be
to meet us in order to witness the opening of the desk, the key read without difficulty as follows :
of which, I need hardly say, had not for a moment passed out
31y dear friend and fellow worker we are glad to be able to
of my possession.
help and influence you in your work on the earth plane your
Upon our arrival, and before the opening of the desk, Mr.
mind is open to truth in whatever form you fin d it hence the
Everitt told me th at Miss Everitt, after retiring about twelve
facility
with which we can impress you do not think you are
oclock on the 19th of December, and while in a semi-conscious
not
free
ice do not compel only influence and guide you and
state, suddenly felt the bed shaking and herself trembling.
lead
you
to
see fo r yourself the truthfulness and importana of a
Concluding that the writing was going on she tried to fix the
knowledge
that
there isa life beyond the plane on which humanity
time in her mind, and thought it would be a little before one
exists
to
make
known
to your fellowman the certainty of again
oclock. On rising in the morning she discovered th at the hands
meeting
with
the
loved
and dear ones gone on before rest assured
of the clock had been stopped at a quarter to one. A friend of the
we
will
help
and
guide
you all ice can
,
family, who occupied a bedroom in the house during the same
ever
your
friend
night, confessed at breakfast in the morning th at he had ex
12 month 20 day 1 hour
John Watt
perienced similar physical disturbances about the same hour of
the night, these independent testimonies leading Mr. Everitt
to think tliat they had been produced with a definite aim, and
A great poet declares that we needs must love the highest
th at we should probably find some evidence th at the writing had when we see it ; but he has omitted to add the unflattering
been accomplished about the time the clock had been stopped.
postscript, that evep while both seeing and loving it, either
I now proceeded to unlock the desk in the presence of six through defect of nature or instability of will the ordinary
witnesses. I found upon raising the flap that the papers had mortal soon finds the highest a little exhausting, and, as a rule,
been disturbed. The sheets of note-paper which I had placed takes very good care not to spend any great length of time in
on the top of Miss E v eritts papers had been removed from the its near neighbourhood.Lvc.ys Malkt,
fauumy M, 1893.]
LIGHT.
15
hi
light.
OF SWEDENBORG,
JjTC M
stops they scrambled ill pursuit, but Appearance there was none.
Thoso men told their story: the woman's hat, the silver
Tho National Observer gives these ghost stories ns faco, tho look of unearthly woo, and all the r e s t; and they,
loiug legendary hi St. Andrews
also, were laughed at for their pains. They affected (collectively)
A liailo from St. Andrews is a certain country house, now to bo persuaded. But (individually) they kept their' opinion.
tiio [iroporty of an ominently respectable person (not a literary And the question remains : how if not thus would a Scots
character), once the Palace of Archbishop Sharp. Hither ho mason qualify a Cardinals hat?
yffig driving that afternoon, when they slow him on Magus Muir
before his daughters eyesBalfour of Burleigh and the rost :
SUSTENTATION FUND.
while Hackston of Rathillot put his cloak about his mouth,
ami to tho old mans Ton are a gentleman, Rathillot, and will
We gratefully acknowledge tho following contributions, and
protect me, responded simply, I will never lay a hand on hope that our friends will all give what they can, whether much
you," and let the bloody work go on. W ell: long afterward, or little. Remittances should ho sent to the Treasurer, Mr, H.
ami during tho tenancy of Mr. Brooks (of Sheffield: that W ltf p , Gravel Lane, Southwark, London, S.E. :
s. d.
eminent publisher), a certain member of the Royal and Ancient
E, H. Rental!
...
50 0 0
went out. to dine and stay the night. Going to bod, he know no
. ,,
A Lady ...
. .
...
20 0 0
more till he was awakened suddenly by hearing someone in his
1 ###
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M........................
*
1
...
10 10 0
room. Ho sat up, and through tho curtains at his feet ho sa w a
Mrs. S. E. Coates ...
...
10
0 0
figure passing softly to and fro. Now, ho had particularly
...
Mrs. (Stanhope (Speer
...
5 5 0
desired to bo called at 7 a.in. ; and, as the month was June
M,
Hen. Percy Wyndham
5 0 0
ami tho morning brilliant, a strong light flooded the room and
...
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Mrs. F. A. Moulton
5 0 0
mado tho hour a problem ; so he called out to the servantas
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Thomas Grant
he supposed In good time, I hope? and turned to look at
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Mrs. C. H. Swanston
his watch. It was not yot five oclock ; and at that moment tho
m
2 2 0
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man went silently by the bed into a closet in the chamber wall ;
...
2 0 0
Mrs. A. J . Penny ...
and ns lie passed, that golfer saw his faco, and marked it in his
Mrs. Mackinnon
2 0 0
mind. Then ho leaped out of bed and ran after ; but the closet
E, J . Baillie ...
1 1 0
stood empty. Thereupon he slept no more ; but at seven the
Mrs. Sainsbury
1 1 0
real servant cam in, and was told. A confidential man, he
1 1 0
Hon. Mrs, Carleton
begged tho seer to say nothing about it to his master. No more
Miss Boswell-Stone ...
1 1 0
was said, accordingly ; and years went by ; and Mr. Brooks had
Mr. and Mrs. Senior
...
1 1 0
passed away from East Fife : and this Royal and Ancient one
1 1 0
Mrs. Morgan Payler
was again a guest in a country house. This time his host was a
1 1 0
W. O. ...
great collector of old prints, and was wont to drag his guests
...
1 1 0
Mrs. F. A. Ross
through chamber after chamber filled with antique portraits.
...
1 1 0
.
R. G. Bennett
One morning the Royal and Ancient, being moro or less
**
1 0 0
Mrs. Wigharn Richardson ...
desperate in the Scots mist of his entertainers information, saw
1 0 0
Mrs. 0. J . Burton ...
something that brought his heart to his mouth. There, in a
1 0 0
E. T. Luson ...
little old dirty print, but unmistakable, identical, was the face
1 0 0
Mrs. Glanville
of the man who had waked him in his room that summer
...
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Edward Maitland
morning years ago. Breathless he asked the name. 11Hackston
...
0 10 0
The Misses Taunton
of Rathillet!
...
0 10 0
T. Powers
...............
Not Sharp, however, is the doyen of St. Andrews dead ; nor
John Knox; nor any but David Beatoun, about whose name
CURIOUS WILL CASE.
tradition iB still green, and whose memory is terrible. W hat
wonder if he must revisit the glimpses of the moon and the
A curious will caso was tried in the P robate Court, Sydney,
scenes of a tremendous life ? So, whenever the tide is fu ll on the a month ago. The facts were as follow s: In May last Mrs.
Sod Sands between midnight and the first hour of morninghe Hannah Cowell, a wealthy widow, residing a t Gladesville,
drives down by the old Abbey Wall into the sea. They are dropped dead. A t the time it was supposed she died intestate,
many that have seen his white face pleading at the coach- and the curator of intestate estates took possession of her effects
window : he cannot speakmutely lie must implore your with a view to protecting her estate. J u s t after he received his
prayers ; for the devil sits with him and holds him by the arm. rder to administer, a will dated January, 1891, purporting to
His outriders are skeletons, his coachman is headless, and thus he made by Mrs. Cowell, was produced, and it was alleged th at
he drives to his doom : whenever the tide is full on the East Sands it had been found stuffed in the lining of an easy chair. It,
between midnight and the first how of morning. And one evening however, bore the signature of only one witness, and was th e re
twas the overling of the longest daynot many years syne, fore treated as invalid. The curator of intestate estates was
three masons were smoking on his ruined banquoting-room, about to dispose of the personal estate of th e deceased, when a
tliat gives on where the draw-bridge over-spanned the moat of will dated October, 1886, was produced. I t bore th e signatures
Rfc, Andrews Castle. Stone steps, like all else, open to the air, of two witnesses, Jam es M artin and W alter Lam bert, and this
lead up to it from tho Entrance Hall on either hand ; and gravel will was contested on the ground th a t at th e tim e it was
floors tho passages once laid with marble. I t was a favourite executed tho attesting witnesses were not present, T he pecu
howlF of these masons; and to-night they looked for the liarity of the case arises from th e fact th a t it was alleged th a t
coining of a friend. Presently they heard his steps approaching Alioe Maidment, a girl who had lived w ith th e deceased as a
but deliberately. Jocks takin his time the nicht, said servant and companion for about nine years, stated th a t a few
one. And the steps came slowly nearer, passed to the foot of days after th e curator of intestate estates took possession Bhe
the stairs, and began climbing them one by one. I ll go and had a dream, in which an angel appeared to h e r and to ld h e r
meet him, said the man who had spoken; and he started forw ard; th at an escritoire belonging to her late m istress contained a
but his feet recoiled, and he stood with the rest. And turning secret drawer, and th a t she was to look in it. T h is was done,
to greet their friend, now on the last step of tho staircase, they and the will dated 1886 was found duly attested. Tho p ro perty
Haw it was not he but a woman, for who but a woman would under the will was shown to be w orth from 14,000 to 16,000,
wear that trailing gown, that big red hut ? She came at them, and amongst th e bequests was one of 400 to tlie m aidservant.
and behold 1 it was no woman, but a man dressed up as for a The girl was examined a t length as to h er dream , and adm itted
masquerade. They would have laid hands on him, but some- th a t she had one resulting in th e finding of th e will, b u t could
bow they were stricken stony, and could move no hand nor foot.| remember nothing about it or the angel. U ltim ately th e
Court found in favour of the will th u s cuiTously propounded.
Tbc Appearance said no word, but went straight by them. I t
seemed unconscious of their presence: ho aye lookit out to
DiU'rn not only beautifies our bodies w hen th e soul has le d ,
sen, said one of them afterwards. Tho faco of it was ghastly
waa sot in a look of dreadful sadness : so th at one man burst b u t even in life th e thought of death gives new beauty to our
lineam ents, and new strength to th e heart, as rosem ary both
into a (it of sobbing. I t was now on the opposite staircase : winds as a garland around tho dead and revives tho fainting
slowly it went down. Then one and all were free. Down the J spirit by its cordial essence.J ean P aui . R iciiteb .
18
LIGHT.
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EDITED
BY
M. A . ,
A reduction
B o n d ."
T H E N E W S P IR IT U A L IS M .
As we have got the n e w Mesmerism, so i t seems to
some people th a t we have also arrived a t the new
Spiritualism.
A t any rate, the open letter of Dr.
P ark er to Mr. Stead, published in the M orning and
to which L ight has already referred, has given rise to a
considerable am ount of correspondence in th a t journal.
The interview has also been freely worked. T hat Mr.
Frederic H arrison and Mr. Maskelyne reproduce th e old
jau n ty contempt goes without saying, and we therefore pass
them by. Much more interest attaches to w hat Mr. Stead
and his medium, Mrs. Davies, say about the m atter. Mr.
Stead is reported to have said, when replying to a question
by the interview er as to how the autom atic w riting
began
I t came about in this way. One of my friends had been
accustomed for some time to do automatic writing, and when I
was watching the process a message was written to me to the
effect that a certain deceased lady wished to use my hand. I
said I should be very glad, but it was absolutely impossible
for my hand to write except consciously, and that, as far as I
knew, I had not a particle of medium!stic power. My own
phrase was that I was blind, deaf, and dumb in all psychical
matters, and I could neither do automatic handwriting, go into
a trance, see ghosts, or do anything whatever in that line. The
automatic handwriting went on to say that I was mistaken ;
that if I would put my hand at her disposal for five minutes she
would write with it. I said, By all means try, but as my
hand remained motionless for five minutes, I said it was , no
go. Then came the message * I had not given her time enough.
I said I would give her another five minutes, which I did, with
the same result, whereupon I said I would not go on fooling
round any longer, as it was quite evident that I had not the capa
city, and that if there was any message to be delivered it must
be given to me through some person who was more gifted in
that respect than myself. About a month afterwards the same
person, who was doing the automatic handwriting before, wrote
another message to the effect that the person who had wished to
communicate with me was present,' and was in great distress be
cause she wished to speak to me, and I would not give her a
chance. I said I had given her two chances, and that I could
not afford to sit for ever waiting until my hand moved. The
message came Will you give me nine minutes to-morrow
morning before you begin your w ork? I said yes, and I
did, and to my immense surprise my hand slowly, and with
great difficulty, wrote out an almost illegible message, to which
was appended the name of the person who had alleged she
wished to communicate with me. Thivt was the beginning of it.
LIG
we
___________________________ m
*20
LIG H T,
ami thus Mi. P etrie is justified in stating th at it is the ohlost in forcing an entrance for tho sake of stealing tho gold and
known perfect building in tho world. * Thin temple and its use jewels in tho sarcophagus. By a strange ejnsode in human
form my starting p o in t; for, being a temple, it is tho ouboomo history, a number of Royal mummified bodies have been dis
of religious thought.
covered, and are now exposed to view about throe thousand years
The temple is an adjunct of the pyramid which wn> built as after death. Bub whore is tho K a the spiritual form that was
a tomb for King Senefuru, the tomb itself being a chamber to come and claim tho natural body ? Echo answers Where?
Tho K a chamber in all the principal tombs was open for
below the centre of the pyramid, deep down in tho nick. This,
however, has he.en rifled in bygone ages, and nothing now visitants and worshippers, who laid th eir pious offerings on the
remains eit her of the sarcophagus or of the body of tho King. altar. Into tin's chamber the K a was supposed to enter at will,
The t emple adjoins the east face of the pyramid, but is not built partaking of tho ossencos of tho fruits, provisions, wine, and so
into it, and thus forms an independent structure, which is small, forth. Moreover, it was one of the chief prayei's of the deceased
being about twenty foot square on plan. I t consists of an to the presiding Genii in the various states through which the
entrance passage, t hen a chamber, which is counoctod by an spirit, or K a, had to pass ere it arrived iix the presence of the
opening into a courtyard a t the hack. In this courtyard arc groat God Osiris,, that he might be gifted with power to go and
two upright stoics with a stone altar between them, and a spout come to tho body in the tomb, so th at he might bo made perfect.
corroded by pouring out drink offerings of sour wine or boor. By this wo see th at they could not conceive of a perfect fonn
There are no original sculptures, bub a num ber of graffiti, most without an external ox-gaxxism or physical body.
In tho wall of the outer chanibei', or temple, there was an
of them written during the eighteenth dynasty, about one
thousand five hundred years after tho erection of the pyramid imitation doorway, yet of solid stonework, and it was by means
and temple. Festivals in honour of the deceased King and of this that the K a made its entry and exit. Thus they thought
worship connected therewith were regularly kept up to the time that m atter could offer no impediment to the spirit, or Ka.
Apropos of this door, or doorway, read what is said to have
of the eighteenth dynasty, as is proved by the graffiti. One of
these was written by a scribe named Aakheperkara in tho been claimed by Jesus (see Jo h n x. 7, 8, 9), and in the light of
forty-first year of the reign of Thothmos TIL, who tells us, what is now given the allegory is quite intelligible, and shows
**he came here to see the beautiful temple of the Horns where and whence it was derived. S u b stitu te principles for a
(King) Senefuru, and found it like heaven within when the personality and the nxeaning is clear, although some knowledge 1
Sun-God is rising in it. May the King give an offering, and of psychical law and spiritual action w ithin the human organism
may Osiris, the great deity (and other gods named), grant a is required to appreciate the force and beauty of the allegory.
thousand (each) of loaves of bread, beer, oxen, fowls, provisions,
(To be continued.)
bundles of linen, and a thousand of every good and pure thing
th at heaven gives, that the earth produces, that the Nile brings
QUESTIO NS AND A NSW ERS.
from its sources, to the K a of the Horus King Senefuru, who
has made good his claim before his father Osiris, the great lord Under this heading we propose, a t the request of several sub- j
of the sacred land. Another scribe, Mai, says, lie came to
sciibors, to give from time to time such questions as may I
see the very great pyramid of Horus, the Soul (?) of King
reach usprovided we deem them of a profitable character I
Senefuru.
with a View to their being answered, not necessarily by I
Many of the great nobles had sumptuous tombs, and their
the Editor, but preferably by our readers. Both questions I
retainers and descendants brought offerings and deposited them
and answers should be stated clearly axxd succinctly, and in I
in the K a cham ber; but Worship was only paid to defunct Kings,
the replies the questions should be indicated by the number. I
whose pyramid temples were used by the officiating priests
appointed for the purpose ; and this because they claimed
Q uestions A nsw ered .
what seems to have been fully endorsed by the nationto be
The following replies have been received to the questions I
not- only representatives of deity, but to be begotten by some given in last weeks L ig h t . The answers to questions 1 and 2 I
god, and that they were the outcomes of an immaculate concep have been kindly supplied, a t our request, by our esteemed I
tion ; thus the term god is so frequently used in the laudatory correspondent, C.C.M . :
inscriptions of so many of the Kings down to the extinction of
1. W hy is an Astral Body so called, and what connection I
the kingdom.
has
it with the stars ?-^A. C. M.
The Kings had three names : one the family name, one the
The
tenxx astral (or siderial) b o d y originated, I believe, with I
regal, or throne, name, and the third the Horus, or K a name.
Paracelsus.
The perisprit, or fluidic body (which is a 1
The two first are shown in Cartouchesi.e., in oVals ; but the
specialisation of the universal element, etliei', or prima I
third, or Ka name, was inscribed on what was supposed to be
materia, the vital interm ediary of Nature, and the first I
a banner, which Mr. Petrie has shown not to have been a
recipient of foi-ma) is conceived as microcosmically quali- I
fled by all the influences of the spirit of Nature prevailing I
banner, but the representation of a doorway. The sign, or
at generation. These influences proceed from their foci, I
symbol, which refers to the K a is, in coiiiiiion use, shown bjTa
the planets and stars, their combined character at any given I
Bhort horizontal line with two uprights, one at each end ; but in
moment being astrologically ascertained by the figure of I
the case of Kings it is
much more elaborate,
the heavens a t such time. F or further information, and ft I
and shows the original uj
| | to be formed by two
general view of the whole subject, refer to Eliphas Levis I
arms, joined together M
)[ and straight out to the
**Dogme et R ituel de la H aute Magie (of which a transla- I
tion by Colonel Olcott has lately been published), to The
t
elbows, then the other (|j----1 J J parts with the hands
Astral Light, by Nizida, and to the late Dr. Anna K ^
are raised vertically,
holding a design repre
Kingsfords edition of the Astrology Theologized of
senting a door with the royal K a name inscribed thereon. I t
Valentine Weigelius. Also to Dr. Franz Hartmann's
,
is this that throws a flood of light on the ancient Egyptian
Paracelsus. --C . C. M.
religion, and enables us to gain the knowledge as to what
2. Why, iir astrological lore, is Saturn considered an unlucky
*
formed the basis of the most powerful religious system in
planet, wlxile his reign on earth is called the Golden Age,
ancient times. The basic articles of belief werethe resurrec
to designate the happiest of all periods ?A. C. M.
tion of the body ; the emerging of the spiritual body called the
is no inconsistency, though mundane axxd genethliacal
j
K a at death ; and the ultimate junction of the spiritual with There
astrology is not respoxxsible for the tradition of the Goldexx
,
the physical body after the lapse of three thousand years ; and
Age. That, as the reign of Chrorxos (or Saturn), is refem'd
finally, after this junction, the glorification of the dual form,
to by Plato in the Laws, Book IV . This God who
^
and its unity with the great God Osirisi.e., transformed into
rules over wise men is there represented as having es- V if
tablished a sox-t of theocracy, a govenixxxexxt of the world by
fcj
his likeness ; hence comes our phrase God-likeness.
deixxi-gods, who ordered all thiixgs X'ightly. The primitive
y.
We can now well Understand why the Kings and liobles
Goldexx Age was also placed under the rule of Saturn
expended such Vast sums on their sepulchres, and made them as
because that planet was supposed to be the highest and the ,
secure os the best skill of their architects could devise, so that
oldest. And he represents tire seventh day, or Sabbath of 9
their mortal remains, being mummified, should be hermetically
Nature. And so, hr astrology, he puts a pex-iod to the active th
terrestrial life, axxd appeals as hostile to its success, health,
be
sealed against outside intrusion. None but those especially
and sensuous joy. All the planets are considered in ro
appointed were ever allowed to enter the Royal tombs, alid then
a double aspect. Thus Mai's represents courage, but jl(j
it was to see that the bodies were safe. This only came to pass
cru elty ; Venus, the most amiable disposition, but
in later times, on account of tomb violators, who often succeeded
also sensuality ; Mercin-y is clevei', but also dishonest > >
Jupiter gives magnaminity, but also pride. They havs j
1 fo r full details, drawings, &c., see Medum, by W. M. F un debs
the faults of their qualities. Satuni ns a ruler, well of
F etbik, 1892. {London! David Nutt, 270, Strand, W.C.)
l ig h t
21
22
LIGHT,
within the Arctic circle, and the dwellers in Pompeii were especially for the principle of anthorHy. Rebellion against such
exposed to a danger which, perhaps, never threatened the principle, as a friend (a distinguished occultist) writes me,
must mean tendency to anarchy, and that anarchy is chaos
inhabitants of Britain.
Strange that (even enlightened) man
The cruellest wrongs in human life form merely an extension and of the devil.
of this law of inequality, and the theory of Re-incarnation is, cannot see that it is by his limitation, not his liberty, that man
is distinguished from the beast. Honour, honesty, self-re
after all, but an imperfect solution of the difficulty.
Several of the expressions in the letter signed Equality straint, virtue, religion itself are all limitations, the savage lias
are suggestive of the reason why Theosophy has found a place few of themthe higher animals fewer, the lower animals
in so many minds. He speaks of its literature as giving more perhaps none at allyet, are the lower animals therefore the
instruction as to the origin and evolution of man and the laws of noblest ?
Limitation means, therefore, an awakening to a higher law,
nature, than is found in that of Spiritualism. Exactly s o :
Spiritualists have formed conclusions only to the extent of the involving higher faculties, which see for themselves that in
evidence before them. As a body they are, perhaps, to blame for fringement of law brings certain penalties which the reasoning
dwelling too much on facts and phenomena, and neglecting the man wittingly avoids. This is why authority per se is valuable,
philosophy of the subject; but this is better than the construct- and obedience to authority an indirect gain to the obedient
When that obedient person becomes enlightened j
in*', on a very slight foundation, of an intellectual Tower of person.
Babel, which can end only in confusion. Equality refers to to the extent of understanding the causes underlying law he i
the Theosophical conception of the after-life as a very receives double his reward. This, then, roughly is the value
of authority per se. People must learn to distinguish between j
beautiful picture of rest, and a real dream of Heaven.
The beauty of the picture, however (which is a matter of the authority of a principle and personal authority, and their I
opinion), is scarcely sufficient ground for accepting it as a reality. own knowledge and consciences will be their safe guide.
Had the principle of authority been duly observed from I
It is difficult to imagine why these centuries of rest or dream
should be necessary for sp irit; or why (since time is said to be early times, doubtless the demoralised shadow of it, the mere |
an illusion of the senses) such long periods should be wasted personal authority, would not have so usurped its place, that I
in I subjective state where no new knowledge can be gained. in many cases it has forced conscientious refusal to obedience |
Might not a single hour of that condition be made to represent and hence less conscientious refusals have resulted in sheer 1
disobedience, anarchy, and chaos.
a thousand years l
In Devachan, it is said, everything we wish for, and everyone
My arguments, therefore, for the value of authority, and
whose presence we desire, will seem to be with usas in a respect to ancient doctrines and dogmas, is to urge the conces- 1
dream ; there will be no reality or substantiality; and this state sion, of at least the possibility, of the value of the principle 1
of continued hallucination lasts for many centuries. A similar of authority. That being gained by being conceded, the student 1
picture may be seen in our asylums, where some poor maniac will next find, by easy transit, that he steps within the realm of I
imagines himself an emperor, while the keepers form his order, and forthwith comes a much wider horizon of mental I
imperial court.
The subject of this hallucination may be thought, thought that enlightens itself, with an ever extending I
supremely' happy, yet we are accustomed to regard him with realm of form and lawthis end of the clue well in hand.
profound pity. Is he not already in Devachan ?
This may appear very abstract and wide of the mark, hut I I
The Heaven of those simple souls who expect to play the do not think it is so in reality, and it will assure the reader I
harp for ever has at least this advantage over the other : it is a th at yielding to the principle of authority is not necessarily an I
state of realities, where some new experience might be acquired, intellectually backward step.
were it only a knowledge of music.
G.A.K.
The question, of course, will arise : but what and whose I
authority ? Do I mean the leaders of occult thought popularly 1
The True Church of Christ.
called the Mahatmas, or the Pope, or the Bishops, or the I
Sib , With reference to my letter in your issue of December Reverend So-and-So, or the Scientists ? &c., &c., Ac.
10th, and your Editorial comments, I should like to say in reply
To this I will not answer except by saying, Render unto 9
what I ought to have said in the first instance, that it was Caesar the things that are Caesars. Everyone recognises- his M
entirely by an omission of my [ien that I did not put F. T. S. own Caesarlet him obey h im ; but he must respect the 1
after my name. I have never left the Theosophical Society as a principle of authority, and allow his neighbour his Caesar, or 9
body, only as I do not now reside in London I cannot so easily else he is a mere devotee to the person of one Caesar, and will 1
belong to the London Lodge, I have therefore the honour of wage war with his neighbour for not bowing down also, The I
being a member of the Liverpool Lodge, where I am now result of this obedience and forbearance will be this, all the 9
living. I should like to take this opportunity of stating that various Caesars will be unveiled in due time, as the neophyte I
because one is a member of the Theosophical Society it is an becomes the Initiate, and it will be seen that all the Ccesars are I
error to suppose one must necessarily be a follower of the but One ! ! under various aspects.
[
Buddhistic doctrines in extenso, or in any way to have
But to no one except the faithful and obedient servant will I
abandoned Christian teaching. Any person inquiring into the this wonder be really vouchsafed; though the other less faithful I *
conditions of the Theosophical Society will find this is the case servants may know it from hearsay, they will not learn it 1
without my having to go into further particulars, which would absolutely for and through and ioithin themselves in any other B *
only burden your pages with unnecessary matter.
way than by the law of obedience.
This much I may add, that Theosophia, hence Theosophy,
To speak personally, I may venture to say that the Church f 11
literally tends more towards the elucidation of Western secret Anglican is my outer Ceesar. I t may not be so with many of 9 d
doctrine rather than Eastern ; however, I must with all willing most of your readers, and I would deprecate anything that I
ness and gratitude admit that it was through the teachings of the would seem on iny part to raise my Caesar on to any highef ; a
Eastern doctrine first that I was led to see the sublime meaning pedestal than the other Caesars surrounding me.
underlying common or orthodox Christianity; Isis Unveiled
I simply find sufficient reason to assure myself that there is
0
first, and then The Perfect Way has been my road.
good ground for the authority of Church doctrines, therefore I
0
I fancy there are many who will agree in this, for it does am willing to render the reasonable dues required of me. I find
not mean placing either of these revelations in opposition and in the order and ritual of the Church valuable and enlightening. | sc
antagonism to each other ; though a partial study might lead to Others may not. I have no taste for propagandism or dogmatis- \ U1
this hasty conclusion. But I should like again to correct a ing myself, and I have a great dislike to attempt to knock down ;S ai
hasty pen, lest it seem, because I object to partial study, that I anyone elses Caesar; neither would I be very much concerned
*i
have made an exhaustive study, this being simply ridiculous. I with the person of mine, provided the principle were not
am referring only to the still more partial information upon attacked.
which many persons trade their opinions.
Because one respects the [lowers that b e (this, by the I ai
With regard to the tendency our respected Editor seems to way, has a much deeper and more supermundane meaning than ; lil
trace in me towards undue leaning on authority, I think I mere temporal authority, the reflex of that which is super' I
may be at fault in my expressions. I, of course, referred in my mundane, whether good or evil), it is no reason at all that one is **
somewhat discursive and abstract reference to the Church of to close ones mind, stifle the reason, and shroud ones intellect.
the present day, to mered authority, not inferring that minds Surely any intelligent person must see this. Because I feel: au
should in any Way voluntarily put themselves into the fetters there is high authority for Church doctrine, it is no reason fo> I
from which they consider they have emancipated themselves, as me to lefuse to read in or write in L ight," study occult p
long as they feel that they are fettersy but I was arguing more philosophy and the psychio powers in man, and so forth.
LIGHT.
23
The Cnasar I rospoot, because I have' sufficient authority who uses his ten talents knows their value ; K who hides his one
for knowing that he was onoe deckel in true Imperial welding talent forgets it and does not even recognise it when ho sees it
* garments, has, doubtless, these same garments torn and in ,: cherished i*n others.
H n holes, even hanging in shreds, and his poor form bespattered 11 It is perfectly true one may find more real godliness and
with mud, from crowds who reader their own dues, but who try true religion among wayfaring men and women of the world,
to destroy the lights of all others. The poor form needs repair though fools in regard to occult matters, than amongst any other
alj
and restoration, but the worshippers at its shrine are often too j<class of persons. This is quite possible, and we know our Lord
;L
ignorant of its original1glory, and so they say, Lot bo, our spoke sternly to the Pharisees and lovingly to the children
Orosars image is just as it should be ; it wants nothing but and the multitude. Nevertheless, we do not always find
more people to come and kneel. ** More people is the cry that all true religion is only with fools, and as a rule
i^1
at all the shrines. This must be tho test of the reality of our such fools do notin the present day crowd the thoroughfares.
shrine. But it is not, of course, the only one ; perhaps we Wo are even inclined to prefer any one to those few, judging
i from the way in which people treat those who act up uncondiC
ay include increase of population and many other reasons.
Nevertheless, though I see Church Christianity now de- jI tionally to their religious tenets.
Also people do not like being taught by fools, and these
,
graded, it was once decked in Imperial garments, and J
do not see that the other Ctesars have ever been so people mentioned by Mr. Henly are generally only known not to
decked ; still, I would respect them, became^ though they are :| be fools really by other eyes than the worlds. Therefore,
phantoms, they represent the tme Ocesar. This, therefore, is ! the teacher, if he hopes to have pupils, must, at least, have tho
my attitude of mind, and I sihcerely hope, with this course of appearance of wisdom. And I am arguing that though in reality
'
action as regards the principles of authority and of obedience, godliness is simple, like the simplicity of saying eternity is a
that the world of order, hence of law, hence of source of laws, circle, it requires something more than a fool to expound to
| its primeval lucidity why eternity is symbolised by a circle, and
>i!1
may be more and more fully revealed.
I aji| convinced that the doctrine of reverence and respect to it requires someone more than a fool to understand i t ! To
one another is one of the keys for unlocking the mystery of the explain the simplicity of godliness, in that he is expounding the
e> human mindfirst, respect to ones own Self, and that mystery of man being made in the image of God, requires also
6r
reverence and respect (bear in mind, I never mean reverence a man mot to be a fool. A fool may feel it, but only a wise man
that would entail the loss of ones self-respect) to outer forms as can expound it so as to be understanded of the people.
I sabel de Steiger, F.T.S.
n
symbols, beginning at the religious ordinances which a Karmic
slaw placed one in at ones birth, pave the way to order in life,
P.S.I feel that Mr. Henly may still misunderstand,
h
and, for intellectually gifted and developed brains, for still so I say far be it from me to underrate what is called simple
nt
greater achievements in those realms.
piety. Moral and spiritual improvement are the first steps to
of
This is, as shortly as I can put it,, what I mean by awthority|| the godliness of which the Apostle speaks. Occultism
al
Is it a retrograde step ?
especially points out the deadly danger of knowledge without
ig
With regard to the subjugation of the will," I can see but goodness, or the head full and the heart empty. The
one supreme object there, and that is the old prayer that our m ystery of godliness is the unravelling of the secret of the
I wills should be subject to the will of the Father in Heaven. In real regeneration, not, as I said, the regeneration meant by
jr other words, to say we pray that the magnificent and glorious an improved attitude of thought. I t is this knowledge that is
in day may come when we, as gods on earth, say our wills are one achieved by the wise man consciously, and it is this that I main
with that of Heaven, Heaven and earth being then One.
' j tain is not the simple easy matter imagined by modern Christi
sc
To attain this end,, the work of: the individual is that his anity, dating from a confused glimpse gained of it and taught by
[y mind may become so illuminated that his will cannot work in the Evangelical school, a distinct echo of the true doctrine taught
any disorderly fashion, only in agreement with the Eternal by occultists and mystics, East and West, for each other only.
Law, the true Law of Christ underlying its shadowthat is, the
The achievement of the great work being in the power of
i0 human law; this is the only subjugation of will to which I but few, the Master Christ tells all the weak ones (and most are
jj aspire, for this covers everything by means of which the will is weak) to fear not, He will help them until such time as they
e no longer an obstacle, but a bridge.
are able to stand alone. Trusting in Jesus is no figment of the
ir
My letter is already too long to reply to the valuable and imagination, but a very real help in the next plane of existence.
H excellent one of my friend Mr. Maitland. At some future time The salvation offered in the Gospels is the saving from being
e 1 hope to do so in another shape, for I am not sure that your lo st in the astral realms of disorder and chaos, as well as
6 columns quite care to be charged with what some of your from sin and evil in this world. The travelled man knows
e readers may consider irrelevant matter. I confess I would per- the value of a friend in a strange country, the ignorant man takes
, sonally prefer as matters of discussion the profound and intricate the offer of assistance in faith, and the help is given without fa il;
ones opened up in Mrs. Pennys remarkable article on The the rod and staff are at hand.
As all occultists teach, knowledge, being but partial, does not
j Image, of your issue of December 24th, leaving all such quesI tions as authority, Church ritual, &c., to be settled individually bring happiness, for it brings responsibility, loneliness; and selfI and quietly. We learn by discussing (not by arguing or con- support, so apt to fail, seems weak and poor when a man fairly
, tradicting) such subjects, by the friction of mind evolving takes himself in hand; so in pity for the weakness of the many,
image after image from other minds. To the orderly mind, that the Master, Jesus, redeemed His people from the necessity of
I is, the mind working under understood law, from all suoh the well-nigh impossible work to most Westerns of achieving
their own salvation, until such time as they are able, when they
discussion lcnowlege is reaped and placed.
However, I must end with a few words to the champion of aspire to be servants no longer but Brothers.I. be S m F.T.S.
another Oeesar, Mr. Henly. He somewhat wrongs me in
The Dual Church of Christ.
saying I wish to enforce magic. I certainly have too high an
opinion of the value of authority and obedience to wish to enforce
Sir , Would you allow me to suggest a few thoughts in reply
obedience where I have no authority !
to the letters headed The True Church of Christ ? Progress"
Mr. Henly is right, I believe, in stating that magic vulgarly is Gods law, and as suoh let us handle it reverently; for one
so called underlies the Bible, and as soon as anyone thoroughly day in His sight is as a thousand years. In these days of rapid
understands what that magic is, can himself be a 1 magician, thought and eager action we are in great danger of losing sight
and I maintainand here I speak with no hesitating voice of signs which are among useven at our doors.
until he is, he has but a partial understanding of the Bible !
As yet the feminine manifestations are still wrapped up in
There is, however, nothing to prevent anyone from fully the mysteries and symbols of the Church of our landfor
maintaining his or her complete comprehension of the Bible j may we not have been under the third dispensation, symbolised
and all its doctrines and stories. People may say what they under the vision of the creature with the face of a man
like, and contradiction is useless and effete. Magic or super (Rev. iv. 7), but are now entering the fourth like a flying
mundane knowledge is at the root of all authority; in this Mr. eagle testifying to the soaring spirit the intuitional heart o
Henly is perfectly right.
woman ? The Holy Saviour Himself shook hands with the Old
Into the question who has the right to assume theological Dispensation of God the Father whilst bringing on earth the
authority, whether the Pope, tho Freemasons, the Jesuits, the Newer Light of God the Son. He came not to destroy, but to
Church Anglican, Church Protestant, Church of variety, or fulfil and the disciple must not be above the Master. Let
anyone else, it is not now my province to enter into, nor to inquire us, while sharing in and looking forward to the newest Light of
into, neither is it in my power to decide. Suffice it to say, he only Grod the Spirit, clasp lovingly both the hands, and thus assist
24
LIGHT.
(Jmmry 14, i
fe porfect Lho Mystic JI<ily Three, instead of trying to break tins j Wiuifi(sd-von/l, Tucnday, a t 7 .W) ji.ui., iinjuirorfs
wondrous chain of spirit symbolisms Mid manifestations given $f|tf first Huiiduy in oach month, fit 7 J i n q u i r e r # jflfditi
hy a jgoviug Father, in different forum in His earthly children so
N nw Y kakh B all, PoKTMAlf R ooms, L aker-strek//,
....
i
it
ili
i
i
ii
i i ' im .
i ..< i .
Thii
u 1 to keen alive m their midst tho Divine lufliix,
* 1 ' second meeting of tho huh oh , committee
m i
,, took tilm
T
. ,
,,, . 1 m
, r ,
ng
, Thursday afternoon, January nth, a t Woburn Howie, Vi, f
I t is i "tund on the Watch lower of Life with the Sword vVoburn-place.W.C., when the M arrangements B
of p i Spirit," which is the II'out Oif God for woman's flayn are ;U)(j i:,.fjViad,orily settled. Tins tickets are being /#<; <//,
hero ami is there not | prophecy f/eeli. i. $|) He stood ,,f) u),d those who propose ts> attend would do well toinakiJ
os. each, and can he had i
whom" the myrtle trees in the .shady place," to he fulfilled |
In j application. The tickets are bs.
there not a Woman to he Redeemed (liev. xii. 13, 14)?*- 9 per- Mr:;, Everitt, f.ilian Villa, Hendon; Miss Rowan Vincent.
Honal Bride to he chosen ?as well an a universal Church, a (lower-place, VV,C. ; and .VIr, A. J. Sutton, Hon, .Sec., W<>|
House, 12, I."ppor Wo hum-place, W.C. ; and also of Mr, /;
Now Jerusalem," to ho formed? Of the Incruuus of Ilia Godfrey, Office of L im it , 2, Duke-street, Adelphi, The
Government there shall ho no end." (Iaa. ix. 7.) Soon lie will
ill he lield on Monday evening, January With. TMvtfhio
come, as // was seen to go hy the chosen few and in a cloud, I commence punctually a t 0 oclock, and carnages may be onjj
thu symbolical repreaentation of the Shcchiiiali or /''eiuiiiino for <1,40a.IQ. The entrance is in Dorset-street, Baker-Stre^
Nature. But for tho now manifestation of this our eyes will special programme hai; been arranged, and by way of variation
those who do not join in the dancing, an Impromptu prognnJ
ho hidden, and to Hie voice of Another crying in the wilder
n e ss our ears will he deaf, unless wo both patiently watch I of song and recitation, between the dances, J/as been artut^
A .J.8.
cj
mid pray.
____________________________ R b a -oo-MBL,
T he N ew Y e a r 's B all , Miss Rowan Vincent writs#.
I May I call the attention of your many readers to the New W
SOCIETY WORK.
Ball, which will he held at the Portman Rooms on the 23;v]
S piritual H all, 86; H ioh -street, MAnyr.Kno.vK.
On this month, when think a most enjoyable evening n/ay -
Sunday last in tho absence of Dr. Young, Mr. W. Cooper gave spent? The real purpose for which wo have promoted the p
a reading. January 15th, at II a.m., mooting of friend* ; at is to raise a fund to provide a superior class of lecturers for n
7 p.m., Mr. if. J. Bowen, Trance Address. Tuesday 17th, platform of the little society of Spiritualists held at 86', If;,'/'
street, Marylebone, of which I have the honour to he a
Mr. Petersilea, at 8 p.m. Admission Is., (id,, 3d.0. H unt .
mittec member. We all recognise the necessity of having
l'K C K lU M S o u l KT Y OK S H HIT UA LISTS, W IN C H E S T E R H a I.I,,
speakers to present the subject of Spiritualism to the pulju.]
H iuh S treet . On Sunday evening Mr. Ycitehs address especially at a time like the present, when a desire to birP
was listened to with apparent interest. Certainly the Spiritualist something about it is becoming so w idely spread. Some of
ideas upon tho subject of hell were more acceptable than friends may think the idea of a Ball a frivolous way to
the views generally entertained. Sunday next Inspirational funds for so serious a cause, but I have yet to learn thutinrus^l
address at 7 p.m. Morning 11.30, Mr, Edwards on The amusement will injure the purity of any movement. So I f<;(j
Works of Thomas Paine.J no. T. A uoy.
justified in asking for support in our enterprise.
14, O rchard - road, A skkw - roao, S heph erd 's B ush , VV.
On Sunday last Mr. Mason delivered an impressive discourse
upon The Rise and Progress of Spiritualism, urging all
NO DEATH.
present to help to make known our glorious truths. Mrs.
Mason gave descriptions of spirit friends, which were all
Stand neath the stars, and listen to the gladness,
recognised. Sunday, at 7 p.m., Mr. Pursey, Spirit Writings.
The music of the many-throated spheres,
Tuesdays, at 8 p.m., seance, Mrs. Mason, January 22nd, Mr,
Which Bing to-night, methinks, with wondrous clearness
J. T. Dales.J. H. B.
The hymn which drieth all our human tears.
T he Stratford S ociety of S piritualists , W orkman s
Hash ! Peace ! I hear her fluttering thro those heavens
H all, W est H am-lank, Stkatforo , E.Spiritual service each
Which, when weve climbed enough, we shall attain.
Sunday at 7 p.m. Speaker for next Sunday, Mr. J. Yeitch, on
And Joythe distant torrent of whose rivers
Hell, Some New Ideas. On Saturday, January 21st, at
Poureth sweet waters on the sea of pain.
7.30 p.m., Mr, J. Bums will give a lecture on Spiritualism,
And Life I feel, quick-pulsing thro the starlight
its Facts and Phenomena, with one hundred oxy-hydrogen
Life deep, abundant as prophetic rain.
limelight illustrations in the above hall. Tickets, front seats,
It seems as though the skies afresh were opened
Is, ; second, 6d. ; obtainable at the hall, or from Mr. J,
As oncesupremely oncethey were to Man.
R ainbow, Hon. Sec., 1, Winifred-road, Manor Park, E.
Tell me not, mourner, that thy tears are flowing
To fill the desert of an em pty place !
L ondon S piritualist F ederation , F ederation H all,
For lo !I hear the voice of thy Beloved,
309, E doware-road, W.Last Sunday evening, Mr. Thos.
Ringing in choral gratitude and grace j
Shorter was unfortunately absent; but Mr. Percy Smyth gave
Tell me not any Glory is departed,
| good address upon A Scientific View of .Spiritualism,
That Earth can slay the Possible, the True !
which was much appreciated. Next Sunday, at | p.m., Mrs.I
That Time lies dead to-night, with buried treasure,
Stanley Inspirational Address. On the 27th a meeting
We may not find upon to-morrows dew.
will lie held to consider the practicability of forming a Philan
There is no death j for Love, and Truth, and Beauty
thropic Fund for Aged Spiritualists and mediums when in
They change their faces, but their hearts are one.
distress. Suggestions invited. A. F. T indall , A.T.C.L.,
The Everlasting Birth of the Eternal ;
Secretary.
The Myriad Rays of an Immortal Sun.
S outh L ondon S piritualist S ociety, 311, C amberwell
Kingswood.
E. H. H.
N ew -road, S.E.Sunday, at 11.30 a.m., circle; at 3 p.m.,
Lyceum ; at 7 p.m., spiritual service ; Wednesday, circle.
NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.
Strangers welcome. Our New Years soiree and supper were
well supported, and the friends thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
On Sunday, January 29th, tho anniversary services will be held,! T. W.Letter is under consideration,
when many prominent speakers and mediums will take part.I 0. P awley .See L ight , February 14th, 1891.
IHRsttAISiAA
Ml A A Fund.
m fI>)/1
.1/1 members
riV.uil.AWi and
nn/1 friendsl
/\vi /I / I . .
,- , ,
_
.
.
.
#
19*
Collection tVI
in 01/1
aid /if
of Piano
AllAllold
L eo. Tlianks ; but too late for this week s issue.
welcome. Tea and social festival on Tuesday, January 31st, at
7 p.m. ; tickets 6d. each, to bo had of the Hon. Sec., W. G. T homas D abbs is thanked for his communication. The evident
of identity on which he depends does not exist, however. I
CoOTE.
T he S itrituallsts I nternational Corresponding S ociety. CommUNiCATiONB have also been received from G. G. S., Y. Z.,1
G. G. Sloane, A. E. Tomebohm, J. S. Hyde, T, H, Henly, |
^Information and assistance given to inquirers into Spiritualism.
and Equality.
Literature on the subject and list of members will be sent on
receipt of stamped envelope by any of the following International
Committee :America, Mrs. M. Palmer, 3101, North BroadOur ignorance is great enough, and yet the fact most surprising^
street, Philadelphia ; Australia, Mr. Webster, 5, Peckville- is not our ignorance, but the aversion of men to knowledge-1
street North, Melbourne ; Canada, Mr. Woodcock, Water- That which, one would say, would unite all minds, and join alljj
niche, Brookville ; France, P. G. Leyinarie, 1, Rue CliabanaisJ handsthe ambition to push, as far as fate would permit, thaj
Paris; Germany, E. Schloshaur, 65, Koniggratzer Str., Berlin, planted garden of man, on every hand, into the kingdom om
S. W. ; Holland, F. W. H. Van Straaten, Apeldoorn, nightreally fires the heart of few and solitary men. Tell nienJj
Middcllaan, 682 ; India, Mr. Thomas Hatton, Ahmedabad ; to study themselves, and, for the most part, they find nothing i
New Zealand, Mr. Graham, Huntley, Waikato ; Sweden, B. less interesting. Whilst we walk, environed before and behind;!
Fortenson, Ado, Christiania ; England, J. Allen, Hon. Sec., 14, with Will, Fate, Hope, Fear, Love, and Death, these phantoms J
Berkley-terraee, White Post-lane, Manor Park, Essex ; or or angels, whom wo catch at but cannot embrace, it is droll tom
W. C. Robson, French Correspondent, 166, Rye Hill, see the contentment and incuriosity of man. All take (orm
Ncweastlo-on-Tync. The Manor Park branch will hold the grantedthe learned as well as the unlearnedthat a great deal. 9
following meetings at 14, Berkley-terraee, White Post-lane : nay, almost all, is known and for ever settled. But, in truth. | |
Sunday, at 11 a.m., students meeting ; and the last Sunday in all is now to be begun, and every new mind ought to take the
each month, at 7 p.m., inquirersmeeting. Friday, at 7-30 p-m.,H attitude of Columbus, launch out from the gaping loiterers vl*
for Spiritualists only, 1 The Study of Spiritualism. And at 1, the shore, and sail west for a new world.R, W, E merson,
,ear8a]
CONTENTS.
Notes by the Way.......................... 25
The Beginnings of Prosperity........ SO
Mr. Haweis on Spiritualism............. 20
The New Mesmerism......................SI
Mrs. Besant and Theosophical
The Faith Cure................................S2
Claims........................................26
A Prophetic Vision......................... 33
Questions and Answers.....................Si
Paul,
26
LIGHT.
says all iuou uro born equal, the difference is only because in this matterone by Christ, By their fruits ye shall kno I
of their environm ent; yet somehow we have by this t hem ; tho other by St. John, Try the spirits. But to I
education made the environment more nearly uniform, acquire knowledge is just what wo are sent hero for, nor coul<) 1
and the result is, as Lord Justice Howen says, that we any have been acquired had men listened to tho parrot cries of I
Cni bomf and Non licet ! To ascend into the air, to control tho I
write long biographies of Nobody, and we celebrate the
lightning, to govorn steam, to imprison sunlight, to conserve tho 1
centenaries of Nothing." Tho spirit and the spirits shadow very voice of tho dead, even to deaden pain by amestheticsI
once more are not the same.
one and all have been denounced as invasions of tho Divine I
prerogative and flying in the face of God, a parleying with tho I
devil, or a diving into unlawful secrets ; and had the idler" |
MR. HAWEIS ON SPIRITUALISM.
and tho timidities and, I will add, the persecutors been!
Tt is not a little remarkable that in the same month as hooded in tho past, we should never have had the balloon, the 1
that in which an article appears in the New Review steam-engine, tho photograph, the phonograph, the telephone,
on the Faith Cure, one on Ghosts should be published in the tho telegraph, or even chloroform. Thun history, that I
Fortnightly Review. The latter is by Mr. Haweis and irresistible cynic, repeats herself. All great discoveries have at i
first boon derided as ridiculous and then denounced as impious, 1
has been already referred to in Linin', in a short tran
and lastly adopted as a matter of course. Let us, then, as we H
script from the Daily Graphic. That, transcript refers have to learn to labour and to wait, stand firm for the expansion p
only to the photos of ghosts, as Mr. Haweis calls them. of human faculty, increase of human growth, accession to I
Mr. Haweis, however, has much to say on the general human knowledge, and welcome as it comes to us all in the I
days work, even the silent apparition or the gibbering ghost. ]
question. He says ;
It is a busy world, and you may fairly ask, Why should I
Mr. ITaweis naturally theorises somewhat, and he has 1
attend to ghosts or, for the matter of that, any of these bogey evolved the thought body, the astral body presumably ?
phenomena, which I am told on excellent authority can be of the Theosophist, the double of the Psychical!
accounted for by fraud, credulity, hallucination, or misunder
Research Society, and other people. Of the existence of
standing | I will answer that question first.
this
thought body he gives the following illustrations :'i
We must attend to occult phenomena (were there no other
reason) because of their obstinate persistency. That is Herbert
The late Lady Sandhurst assured me that whilst she was at an |
Spencers test of reality. The broad backs of thoso much evening party, her thoughts being anxiously set on a sick person, j
belaboured but patient beasts of burden called Fraud, Credulity, that sick person beheld her thought-body enter the room. A |
Hallucination, and Misunderstanding, have at last refused to similar case happened to a friend of mine at Rome, whose little 1
bear any more loading. Whos to carry what is left ? for this boy saw the thought-body of a dear friend then in England I
obstinate residuum it seems cannot be destroyed. Comparative standing behind his mother in Rome, at a time when the absent!
studies in these days are all the fashion. Will no one give us a friend was afterwards found to have been intently thinking ofI
comparative study of ghosts ? will no one even provide us with the boys mother in London.
an introductory and concise study of occult phenomena in and ;
The double gives Mr. Haweis an opportunity for 1
out of the Bible, in historyancient and modern, sacred and
speculation
profane ? Lastly, in a word, will no one, after loading the four
For aught we know, railway stations, streets, churches, and 1
beasts as heavily as possible, produce the fifth beast whose name
is Truth, and who will bear without hesitation or fatigue that all public assemblies may be frequented to an incalculable ex-1
puzzling residuum of indisputable but unintelligible phenomena ? tent by doubles. Nor can it be safely said of anyone at any I
Is it not strange that the occult, or wliafc we commonly call moment, known or unknown, that he may not be the double,!
the miraculous, weathers age after age of scepticism 1 True, instead of the normal man. Very odd cases of mistaken!
that at this very moment we are living in an age of scientific identity and supposed false swearing might be explained onl
ostriches, who mumble, with their heads in the sand, that no this hypothesis, and an element of confusion introduced into!
one now believes in miracles ; that ghosts never appear; that life which it would be very difficult to cope with.
second-sight, and premonitions, and dreams that come true, and
W e also get the stereotyped ghost story of the!
prophecies that are verified, have all vanished before the light of uninitiated ; Mr. Haweis says :
knowledge and the scrutiny of science. True also it is that
I am at this moment staying in the house of a Government 1
never were there a greater number of intelligent people con
vinced of the reality and importance of these occult phenomena. official, high up in her Majestys service, who commenced hisj
This persistency of the occult is at any rate a fact, and a stubborn narrative, as people usually do their little bogey stories, with!
one. From age to age the same unexplained phenomena occur. Of course I dont believe in ghosts, but (sic) a strange thing I
In Spiritualism more than in anything else history repeats itself. happened to me some years ago. I woke up, and found an I
From age to age a number of supposed supernaturalisms are elderly man standing by my bed, and, as he leaned over me, I
exposed or explained ; from age to age a residuum cannot be raised my head and struck at him ; my hand seemed to pass I
exposed or explained : no, not by Crookes, or Wallace, or through him, and he disappeared; but tho odd thing was that I
Lodge, or Flammarion, or the Berlin conjurer, Bellachini, or my brother, who was sleeping in another room, complained in I
the French conjurer, Houdin, or the English conjurers, Maske- the morning that he, too, had been disturbed by the strangest!
lyne and Cook ; or Sidgwick and the Psychical Society, or any noises in his room, but had seen nothing. Of course, I dont!
other society, or anybody else. This gives to reflect, as the believe in ghosts generally, only I cant help believing in that!
onebecause I saw i t !
French say.
One of the few things ia which the splendid teaching of!
Mr. Haweis treats the persistent and obstinate un
De M organ was perhaps a little wrong was where he incul
believer with scant courtesy :
With those hyper-scrupulous inquirers who declare that, as cated the worthlessness of popular science. The thing may |
regards all that class of phenomena commonly called miraculous be carried too far nevertheless the populariser is always]
or supernatural, no conceivable amount of evidence would valuable, and we thank M r. H aweis accordingly.
weigh with them, I am not now concerned. In a free country
people may hold opinions, however absurd, and ^blurt out
THE TWO SPIRITS.
denials, however preposterous, and still be tolerated, but they
need not be reasoned with.
I dreamed two spirits cameone dusk as night.
Mortals miscall me Life, he sadly saith ;
W ith the truth seekers he is quite in accord, but of
The other, with a smile like morning light,
those whom he calls the non licet timidities | he speaks
Flashed his strong wings, and spake, 1 Men name me Death.
freely :
J ames B. K enyon , in the Century.
Is it lawful ? To this there is but one answer. Phenomena
in themselves are neither good nor had. Morals can alone be
T he Spiritualists of Barrow-in-Furness appeal for help fof:
decided by tendencies ; and the tendencies of ghosts and of their local societies. As-Barrow is very much isolated, this
occult things generally are clearly of all sortsgood, bad, and appeal will commend itself.Address, M rs , H ewitson, %
p&diSbrent, Therefore there are but two counsels of perfection Creeian-st^ ebT) B arrow-in -F urness,
L IG H T
27_
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN AND MODERN
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
B y W illiam Oxley.
No. II.
Mrs. Annie Besant | lectures, given in this city recently,
In my former paper I showed the close parallel there is
jtfiikeut'il considerable interest among those interested in occult
subjects. She came here and spoke under the auspices of the between the basic doctrines of the most ancient Egyptian and
Thcisoi>hieal Society, and the lectures were an effort to establish Christian religious systems, meaning thereby the Greek, Roman
till-claims of Theosophy upon the impregnable basis of science. Catholic, and Protestant Churches. Anyone who has visited
The lecturer presented some of the latest results of scientific Egypt, and has been surrounded by tlic remains in numberless
investigation and some of the speculations of able thinkers and monuments,sculptures, papyri, &c., showing the religious
endeavoured to show their correspondence with tho views of the thought and action of a people whose history is therein re
ancient- teachers of Theosophy. She emphasised the claim that corded, can see, by unmistakable evidence, the origin of
the teachings of men like Crookes are identical with those of Christianity. Even the habits and customs of the natives of
goger Bacon and with those earlier taught by tho Theosophical to-day show characteristics from which many of our Scripture
anchors of antiquity. Undoubtedly there was a great deal of incidents and allegories are derived.
Although the authorship of the Gospelsand it may be the
gill thought in the lectures. Mrs. Besants careful study of
science through a number of years, when she was a mate other books as wellis unknown, and for ever likely to remain
rialist. are of valuable service to her now in ingeniously and so, there is little doubt that the real authors were members of a
plausibly supporting Theosophical claims and harmonising them more or less secret order, whose headquarters were at Alex
with the latest utterances of scientific men, but it must be andria during the earliest centuries of the Christian era, and
said that for the most part, her lecture would have been just who were well versed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. It
as strong, tier thought just as valuable, her utterances just as was the knowledge of what that ancient system contained in
eloquent, if the thought advanced had been labelled Spirit its mystical sense that enabled them to reproduce in an im
ualism, instead of Theosophy. In proof of the special dis proved form the beliefs and main doctrines of the ancient
tinguishing doctrines of Theosophy she advanced nothing worthy Egyptian system, by substituting other names for those used by
to be called proof. Indeed, the weakest point of her lecture was the Egyptians. Most of the alleged incidents recorded in the
the effort she made to answer the question, often propounded, Gospel narratives are the same as had been known for some
as to why experts in Theosophical science do not make known to three thousand years at least to the worshippers and votaries of
the world the great powers they possess, such as that of com the older system.
The ancient Egyptians were pre-eminently a religious
municating at great distances by means of letters, chelas, and
people,
and they had no notion of being savedor justified
other unusual methods. She said that such knowledge, if
possessed commonly, was very liable to be abused, and that evil as they termed itby faith in their doctrinal or dogmatic
irould come from the exercise of it. She instanced the evil teachings or beliefs; but they lived so that after death they
effects of knowledge of electricity as shown in the power to use could pass the ordeal of the Judgm ent in the Hall of Two
it to further gambling, and thereby to cause loss and ruin to Truths, and be pronounced justified by the great God Osiris,
thousands. The occult knowledge, if possessed by many, who was the supreme Judge of the dead. This hope, which
would be used to the detriment of mankind. She apparently underlay all their actions in secular, as well as religious life,
did not realise that her arguments were against the value and was their motor in life and sustainer in death. Good morals
application of the use of electricity, which in fact has been one and righteous livingaccording to their standardwas the
o? the greatest civilisers of the modem world, bringing nations outcome, which made them a religious people. The raids of
closely together, practically annihilating space and thereby their kings into the neighbouring States for booty and slaves, as
increasing the common interests and the brotherhood of men to well as for the lust of conquest, may be thought a set-off against
an extent that lias been done in the same space of time by no their morality; but the history of Christianity is not free from
other agency which can be named. Even if it is true that the this foul blot; and even in our own highly favoured country
occult power would be wrongly applied by certain persons, think how many centuries have elapsed since it was thought no crime
of the vast amount of good that would be accomplished by such to steal a man, while sheep stealing was a crime the penalty of
means of communication, as are said to be possible to the which was death t Then, as now, wealth and position were
adepts in occult science! and the very commonness of the powerful factors in dealing with the memorials of the defunct
knowledge possessed would, in 1 short time, measurably diminish and with the K a of the departed man or woman. Instead of
the amount of resulting evil, the same as to-day the general prayers for the soulas used by the Roman Catholics in the
exercise of mans intellectual powers and the extension of their Christian systemthe Egyptians presented offerings of the best
influence by numerous arts and devices prevent a few securing that the votary could give for the use of the Ka, or liberated
spirit, who claimed to be devoted to Osiris. Another form
their advantage at the expense of the many.
If Theosophy is to have any future among discriminating was the Osirian, as applied to the deceased, who was sup
thinkers it must submit its claims to the process of verification. posed to have been made like unto Osiris; and in one form or
It will not do for a few individuals to assert the existence of other this was the prevailing custom down to the end of the
wonderful powers known only to themselves; they must prove Osirian religion. Even the powerful hierarchy of Thebes,
their claims, and they must prove them before those who are supported by Royalty, wliioh formed the priesthood of Amun
competent to judge as to the value of the proof. Mrs. Besant Rathe king of the gods, according to their claimcould
is a lady whose past life and whose intellectual abilities com not eradicate this deep-seated affection for the worship of, and
mand for her great respect, and secure for her a hearing, which reverence towards, the supreme god, Osiris, which had been
she otherwise could not obtain. She is vastly superior to perpetual from, to them, ancient times. This is proved by the
the great mass of those who are identified with Theosophy, that vast number of funereal cones, containing prayers and offerings,
is, in the capacity of teachers and leaders. Since she has herself which have been found in great abundance in the neighbour
been an advocate of science and of investigation, according to hood of Thebes. Mr. Petrie gives copies of the inscriptions
the scientific method, she knows the importance of putting what on one hundred and seven of these, with interpretations by Mr.
The opening formula in most common use is
she presents for public acceptance upon a scientific basis and Griffith.
sustaining it by evidences and arguments which will bear the devoted to Osiris, and then follows the prayer or offering,
closest scrutiny. It is due to her many friends and admirers, giving the name, occupation, and position of the votary, either
who know of her past work and methods, that she should give his, her own, or that of the deceased. I give a few as illustra
them something more than mere assertion, if she wishes them tion :
Royal offering to Osiris, Lord of the West, may he give
to accept the statements which she makes in regard to the
the
sweet breath of the north windfor the Ka of the Scribe
extraordinary performances and achievements of the adepts of
Roma.
Theosophy.
----- says, I am devoted to thee, Osiris, I am devoted
to thee. Anpu. (Name of defunct.) Royal offering to
We are still troubled a good deal with poetry. Would
Osiris, Lord of eternity by----- chief of police.
that our correspondents would realise that not only is the poet
Frequently the prayer, &c., is omittedbut taken as under horn and not made, but that when he is boffn, his fines
should scan.E d, L ight.
'Stood--anci only the name and title of the devotee, o r defunct,
:s
LIGHT
ho oould return and visit bis body, into which ho could re-emtot I
permanently at the appointed time. On a papyrus in tin, I
Louvre (Paris) is given tho experience of flic K a of a docoasucl I
lady called Isioor. It is illustrated by drawings showing tho I
Tin
hrm /it justitioil (true voiiiud) in peace
l\u. hovering over the mummified body, and finishes with tho S
All tlu'so, mill very many more, wo tlio equivalents of our prayer to tho groat (Sod Osiris, May I accomplish all my ft
moilorii i;i\ ivi' stouos, but. are inuro expressive of tlioir pious transformations, and power ho given mo by which 1 may go
tioliofa in tlio iiotiml state of tlioir ilooottsoil relatives in tlio wheresoever l will, and all my substance ho transformed into
oir
thy glorious likeness. Such instances may ho multiplied, hut
future world wid lift'. Commoting tlioso with tlioir noiv well
us>
known chwiiotoristios, wo limy not. regard tlioni ns empty those are sufficient, to tlioso who can road between tho linns,
SCO
compliments, hut as tho expression of tlioir deep-seated religious to show that Spirit Communion, in several forms, was not f;
unknown to tlio votaries of this ancient religious system.
beliefs, hopes, slid inspirations.
on1
Tho doctrine of future rewards and punishment for domls
Wo have dulinoatod tho beliefs on which tho Osiriun 1 tl
done in tho body is a cardinal one, and formed the incentive religion was based, and wo have now some historical evidence | ivc
to a life of morality and rectitude. Many of tho monumental as to the outcome of such beliefs. Throe thousand years were 1 m
i
inscriptions hoar testimony to this ; and the life deeds of the to elapse between death and resurrection of the body; and
o
o
king, priest, or noble, as tho case may ho, are enumerated as a within the last few years several royal and priestly bodies I no
reminder to tho god or gods, whose offspring they wore claimed have been discovered, some of them pertaining to the kings of 1 gt
to he. that service rendered to them in earthly life should ho the groat eighteenth anil nineteenth dynasties, whose bodies
b<
rewarded by a rapid transit through tho intervening states in wore embalmed over 3,000 years ago, but the Ka or spirit which
it
the under world, specified under the term hours of tho night; was projected from the bodies has not returned to claim and
11
ami a speedy entrance into tho presence of Osiris, by whom they re-enter them. And this belief which formed the most im
anticipated being received with royal honours, and made like portant part of their articles of faith-has been demonstrated
unto himself. If the generally accepted belief of ecclesiastical beyond question to have been baseless. Of the others, we
Christians, not excepting 1 evangelical ones, is noton tho same cannot, of course, pronounce so decidedly, but from what can
or similar lines, then the modern professions of belief are be gathered from the narratives of some who have entered the
meaningless. In all, wnl through all, the exaltation of tho future life and testified of what they saw and experienced we
personality was the paramount thought and desire, and their shall be justified in saying that they also must go by the
notions of future happiness were grounded on the continuation board, and be pronounced equally without foundation.
of tho good things of this life. Servitude by retainers, domestics,
If this be true in regard to the parent system, what of its
and slaves was to bo the lot of the base born there as here ; offspringtho Christian system of thought and beliefs 1 Are
and thus, instead of hoping to become ministering angels to the the God Jehovah and His Son Jesus any more actual than the
requirements of others, they were to be the ministered unto ; God Osiris and his son Horus ? And have any Christian Kas
and so the Kit's of their servants and subjectsif they were ever returned to tell of the actuality of their heaven and hell l 1
allowed to have anywere considered beneath notice, their Until scientific proof can be afforded, the probabilityI 1
only value consisted in their sendees rendered. This explains I would venture to say the certaintyis, that the articles of
the Ka chamber and its use in the temples attached to the faith | on which Christianity is based have no more real nor
pyramids ; and why the real or supposed Ka of the deceased substantial foundation than Osirianity, which for more than four !
king became the object of worship. Possessed of despotic power thousand years supplied comfort and religion to the millions of
they were so inflated by vanity, that they were given over to people who composed the ancient Egyptian nation.
believe a lie," and as a god made manifest in flesh, they exalted
The awakening process has begun, amongst the Protestant
themselves at the expense of the debasement of others by whom sections especially; and unless the hands of time can be turned
they were surrounded, and demanded their recognition and back, and the spiritual evolution in human mentality and in
worship as a god. But the chief point of interest is to know
tellectuality be strangled and stamped out, it must go on till the
how they gained the knowledge of the spiritual body, or Ka, as
struggle for liberty and truth, versus (ecclesiastical) bondage and
they termed it. We know that the ancient Egyptians wore not
speculative beliefs, so deeply involved with personal vested
ignorant of psychology, their monuments and writings abound interests, ends in the emancipation of the human mind from
with testimony to this fa c t ; for when the ecclesiastical system ignorance by the acquirement of true knowledge concerning the
was formulated, what are termed magical usages and incanta
here and hereafter. All who value the assertion of the human
tions in connection with the present and future life were
birthright will join inSpeed the tim e!
inseparable from their rites and ceremonials in the act of
( T o be c o n t i n u e d .)
worship. Astrologers also were as essential as the priesthood,
for in all state and religious processions the horoscoper
occupied a prominent position. The immense number of
SOME MAGAZINES AND BOOKS.
am ulets, worn as charms in life to ward off danger from enemies,
Been and unseen, and deposited with the mortal remains after
The Mew Review f is very good. That Charcot, Ibsen, I
lljkijih.' gave employment to a large number of artificers, whose Roden Noel, and Archibald Forbes should be found side by side 1
trade interests were as dear to them as to the silversmiths, who means much. Of Charcots article we have treated elsewhere.
fabricated the offerings at the shrine of the Ephesian Diana,
The Fortnightly has a variety of articles on various I
Thus we see how personal11vested interests i were associated subjects, from Michelangelo by way of the South Meath eleotion |
with ecclesiastical requirements. Then as now, these vested to Ghosts and their Photos.
interests were opposed to the liberation of the human mind from
The Id ler is perhaps a little less the Idler than usual. |
$&. thraldom of king-craft and priestcraft; and then as now
There is an amusing story of a double, inspired apparently by 1
in strictly Catholic countriesthe Church and State were
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and a most gruesome and horrible I
irreparable ; for priest and king are the governing power, that
picture of lifeGod save the markin the Chinese quarter of
will brook no opposition nor resistance to their claims, and for
New York.
the laity to draw a distinction between the secular and
We have also the Picture Magazine, a new venture of |
spiritual is tabooed as heresy deserving severe punishment.
George
Newnes, and last but not least, a charming Birthday book, !:
It were hard to credit tho beliefs of the ancient Egyptians
in reference to tho Ka and its future destiny, ns speculativ where the language of flowers is tho key-note, the verses for j
only ; for we have evidence, if truthfully reoorded, of the every day being by Emily Reader, and tho illustrations by :
/; appearance of so-called spirits of the deceased to those who Ada Br'ooko.
Of Books and Pamphlets, as distinct from Magazines, AV0
Were in mortal conditions. For instance, in The Instructions
of King Amenemha I. to his son Uscrteeon I. (12th Dyn. have received many ; a compact edition of Mr. Roden Noels
2700 B.c.) the deceased king gave advice as to government, poems among others. Janet Smith, by Saladin, is a vigorous j
and tells his son how he had met liis death by assassination ; attack on some of the shams of the day. Yorkshire Ghost j
and finishes his discourse by saying I am a spirit. (See Stories are good, but are by no means ghost stories.
Records of the Past, Vol. II., p. 11.) An inscription on
FromFranoe comes an announcement of La Haute Science,
the coffin of Monei-teb-tep (in British Museum) states that the Ka whioh is to bo a Review of Esoteric Tradition. Tho Bovin"'
of the deceased, a priest of Osiris, had passed the ordeal of the will begin with a French translation of the Zohar, and of tlm
Judgment scene, and was now in the Elysian fields, from whenoe Bl'ihacUranyaka-Upanished.
lviof of lllo priest*
is, itailliul, snob ss : " Devoted to Osiris
"f Amon, .I>-/.-rut i n f . "
" For tlio Kit i>f the chief prophet of Villi, ne/ rri t i t /l ,
widow, tlio I'liiinttoss of Amon,
justified ; in peace.
LIGHT.
t a k e n a t t h e t im e o f e a c h s it t i n g .
No. XXXVII.
F rom
the
R ecords or M rs. S.
29
SUSTENTATION FUND.
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hope that our friends will all give what they can, whether much
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NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.
J. J. B ell is thanked.
F. B. D oveton. Not suitable.
Vox.The project is impracticable.
P. H eathcote-S n APE.We do not quite Understand.
Y. Z.We fear your letter too nearly approaches the boundaries
of religious controversy for its publication in Light.
36
LIGHT.
O F F IC E O F 'L IG H T ,"
S, D U K E STR EE T,
A D B L V H I , W.C.
LIGHT
31
32
L IG H T .
flittmiary j, i8i)3.
Mesmerism, his concluding remarks are. but too serioas> turge of the Pharaohs. At the bottom of the shrine stands I
the miraolo-working statue. Among the servitors of the temple I
and, we fear, but too truly founded :
There is a still more painful, Roeial, and moral side to this
matter, to which I can here only distantly allude, but which
confirms me in the belief that the question is at least as much
one of police as of science, and from that point of view deserves
the attention of the lay authorities of the Paris hospitals and
of the correctional tribunals.
are the doctor-priests, who are charged with noting aiw aiclnj/ 1
the curesthat is to say, the Medical Board, which the shrines 1
of to-day never fail to maintain if they are of sufficient ito- 1
portanoe.
Again, we find beneath the porticoes of the Asclepeion a I
very curious class of personsnamely, the intercessorswhose 1
business it is to approach the healing god in various towns, and I
implore his protection for their clients vicariously.
All through Poitou there exists a class of old women, whose I
ordinary business it is to go in like manner and intercede at the I
miraculous tomb of St. Radigunde for those who, although 1
believers in the faith-cure, either will not or cannot go f
themselves.
We may leave these intermediaries, and consider simply the 1
suppliants who come in person. From every deme of Greece a
those who believed in the faith-cure journeyed to the shrine to 1
obtain relief from their ills. On their arrival they placed rich 1
presents on the altar of the god, and plunged into the healing j
spring which bubbled up before the temple of riSsculapius.
By Zeus, exclaims the worthy woman to whom Charion 1
the servant, in Aristophanes comedy, tells the allegorical 9
adventures of Ploutos, its a queer kind of kindness to dip an |
old man into cold water f Centuries have passed, but the 1
sacred stream flows on still.
uam .
A PROPHETIC VISION.
In his editorial notes Mr. B. O. Flower, the Editor of
the Arena, asks the question,; Are wo on the threshold
of ,a new world of T ru th ? and as^lustrative.of an affirma
tive answer gives several psyohfeal: xperfewees, Otoe of
these, which may be considered as a prophetic vision, is tine
narrative of Mr. David Van Etten, #n attorney of Omaha,
enjoying a very large and lucrative practice in the Supreme
Court of Nebraska. In a personal letter to the Editor of
the Arena Mr. Van E tten says
I am willing to make an unqualified affidavit of the entire
and simple truth of every statement I have made in the following
recital, which is only one experience of many quite as marvellous
which I might relate. I have never spoken of them to others,
as people would be apt to regard me as superstitious or
Spiritualistically inclined. I am prejudiced against Spiritualism.
I have not prepared this recital for publication, and have
therefore penned facts exactly as they occurred to me, without
any effort at literary embellishment or the employment of
technical or psychical expressions. I however have no objection
to your publishing the article if you desire.
In 1867 I left the home of my nativity, Kingston-on-theHudson, and have never returned. In 1889 I settled in
Nebraska, removing to the Republican Yalley, in that State, in
1870-71, where I remained until October, 1875, when I removed
to the city of Omaha, and where I have ever since resided and
still reside. During all the time I have been in Nebraska, until
1884, I have not heard of, or from, any person in or from my
native home, or directly or indirectly of, from, or concerning the
person I herein refer to, or of, or from, any person related to
her, or who had the slightest acquaintance with her, or who
ever knew of the existence of such a person. She was my
cousin, several years my senior, good, honest, faithful, unpre
tentious, and an industrious farmers wife, respectably married,
with a pleasant and affectionate family, consisting of her husband
and two girls, about six and ten years of age. In fact, I had
only seen her a few times in my life, except in the summer of
H p l whil&il
few days of my summer vacation at her
home,
flshfng in the streams of the
f00t-'Mwbf'^^M!^"ki|FMo.^|^iii^PaTi;'hfver so much as once
HiDit a conversation
a. few minutes duration, and
then always w-ith am^d in fh<q presence of her family. I am-thus
minute
shdwtha't there couMmo.tet possibly have been any
'psychologyil affinities befiv^^Mfp^sleed,, she h#d always.,fee,
very much as a stranger to me. This was the state of affairs,
when, one nigliMnl the qMjflLer of 1*87$,,} m a dreammany ;
call-, if a ;deani>lyiwi on my bed'as far as I know, asleep
in my hotpgj,
away
jf|liigkt of her for
years, she appeared 'presenfrhvvbli me. It seems I went into her
room as if exiled
fSofatfei uitijy
pillows, in great distress, seemingly appealing f me, as if C
might save her from her terrib || agony of pain Her left breast
appeared almost, in fact entirely, eaten away, torn, raw, andf
flayed, It almost sickens me now as I recall nfet-A^dne, so vivid,
and real was this terrible condition presented to me, and yet B
did not see it, for she was fifteen hundred miles away, and it had
not yet occurred. Remember, this was in 1873. Of course,
when I awoke, my dream, i f it were a dream, deeply impressed
itself upon me. I can see the whole scene yet, seemingly as I
did that night. To see a woman in such terrible condition,
such frightful agony, an acquaintance, a relativeI could
scarcely sleep any more that night, and yet I regarded it then
as merely a dream. I did not learn until 1884 that my cousin
was dead, died of a cancer in her left breast; her left breast all
eaten away, raw and flayed," and died in terrible pain and
suffering, and only on August 3rd, 1892, learned she so died on
the morning of July 19th, 1878, five years after my dream,
i f it were a dream, and precisely as I dreamed it five years before.
34
LIGHT,
Under this heading we propose, ai the request of several sub The Editor is not responsible fo r opinions expressed by eorrespondenu I
and sometimes publishes what he does not agree with fo r the purpose I
scribers, to give from time to time such questions as may
o f presenting views that may elicit discussion. 1
reach us-provided wo deem them of a profitable character
A Dream.
with a view to their being answered, not necessarily by
the Editor, but preferably by our readers. Both questions
liRpteOn the night of December 11th I dreamt that
and answers should be stated clearly and succinctly, and in happened t have a serious accident. . I don t knowhow, but my I
the replies the questions should be indicated by the number. limbs were nearly severed from my body, and I sank down, I
while the blood gushed through my muslin gown. So intense were 1
Questions.
my sensations, that I awoke and shuddered ; furthermore, I had I
5. Will some one explain the meaning of the word dimen the conviction that my dream was omhioU and pTOffiltetic. In I
sion which is often used by correspondents in Lmiht, the morning I told my husband, who, if he doesnt as yt quite I
especially in connection with the expression fourth dimension ? believe in, is however sympathetic towards his wifes abnormal 1
The dictionaries are of no use.K.
idiosyncrasies. It happened, notwithstanding the nights I
(i. What is the difference in meaning between tlih terms i experience, that I was particularly well and lively that day. 1
soul and spirit ? They are betlSsed, apywently with nevertheless the dream would recur, and each time I wondered I
different significations, in 1 These, v. 23, and Hebrews iv. 12, i What
it.be 2 When -I nearly cut my hand in halving I
But it seems to mo that they are employed by many writers a. Ilpe,. anljMte usual shudder went through me, I thought Was 1
as interchangeable terms.It. S.
it h ^ lJ^ ih is ? Later,, when the horsekeeper was thrown while I
exercising my mare, I asked myself the same, ibfflt knew I
Answers.
immediately it wa's neiiJalflof these. When my husband came I
The following additional replies have been received to
jllr'went wjtliW/w^lirtlo fox-terrier, Hello (ray companion
questions 1 and 2.
and pet), for a Walls'5 Mount Lavinia, and, as it grew dark, I |
1.
Why is an Astral Body so called, and what connection
said with a sigh)^^M*{^:The: day isfvgieatk^:over, and nothing |
has it with the stars ?A. 0. M.
bad has. happened, '~ptramge, such dreams with me are always 1
An astral body is so called because of its starry or self- true. After turning homewards, we heard the Colombo train I
luminous appearance sometimes when seen by clairvoyants. approaching, and as usual called Hello. Galloping in answer, 1
Its connection with the stars will be seen when it is re the little dog got in the rays of light from* the engine, and, I
membered that the astral body is really the formative part
of man. It antedates the formation of the physical feody,i apparent! bewMefed.Ja'l t pdlMgl he ramlk-, right -in front oil the 1
which is built; up around it in the womb
<ici|f!as! a i train. Too late ! I fell ':tn^MOk.itfcisenaailions. just as in uiy m
vehicle for conveying to the body the influence of the life dream, and with a cry sank on to the grass. It was as though I
energy, and of the emotions, thoughts, and desires. It is nay lia8' Were severed from my body, ^Jmh'.bayqhands instthf- I
therefore the pivot on: Wtdeh iufms][Sl sonicIPmeaMmefna'c lively fel|ip0wat;my dress, though, of course, there was actually I
whole nature of man while he remains'upon thislbwer plane.
It is more especially the centre of mans lower nature or no blood on me. Mypittle Hello was killed, mangled before 1
personality. It gellects into a:
r on f the gfefiry ST'ea p
astral and physical jdanes, all the influences of this * . Dehiwala, Ceylon.
Caroline CoRner-Ohlmes.
nature, just as the moon focuses and reflects fight on to the
earth which she receives
^w e;
ir/.ilbib! Substance of Existence.
remember that these influences of the lower nature which
the astral body receives and transmits
Sir , The issues involved in Question 4 are so vast, a correct
(microcosmic) correspondences of forces which in the universe definition is so indispensable to a sound system of thought, and
(macrocosm) are exactly represented and counterparted by the solution contained in Clothed with the Sun (Part IL,
the attractions, motions, positions, and aspects of the
planets, we can easily see what an important part the astral V., vii., viii., ix.) is so complete, as to make me confident that
body must play in occult astrology. Every planetary and the following account of that solution will make for the more
other influence must pass through the astral body as a philosophically minded of youn .readers a welcome addition to
vehicle before it can become potent upon the physical the reply formulated by Alpha.
plane^rLeo.
The unity of original being follows necessarily from the seib
2. Why, in astrological lore, is Saturn considered an unlucky evident impossibility of conceiving of the table of numbers as
planet, while his reign on earth is called the Golden Age, beginning with a two. But while all things must spring from
an original unity, it is no less necessary that there be also an
to designate the happiest of all periods ?A.C.M.
A similar question might be put as to the reason for the original duality. This is because creation, which is manifestation,
astrological influence of each one of the planets ; and I think occurs necessarily by generation, and generation is not of one,
A.C.M. will have to dive somewhat deeply into occultism but of twain.
to get a complete answer. According to the Greek myth,
The duality, however, subsists in the unity, and consists in
Saturn was the supreme god ; his sons rebelled against him
. and cast him out of heaven on to the earth, where he those two .indispensable constituents of every entity, force and
inaugurated the Golden Age. Anything that is thrown out substance, which last is not matter, but that which substands
of heaven or out of the spirit, evidently is of a material matter, and of which matter is the appearance or phenomenon,
oduced by i@ operation of force upon? substance,
nature. In astrology Saturn is an earthy planet, and,
when well placed in a horoscope, gives success in dealing
regarding force and- substance aa E^lpf^itw 'first
with land, houses, farming, building, mining, and operations
iff
**Ifc # N tjr entity, whftn E eliflhemselvp.s
closely connected with the earth ; he is prudent, cautious UTurli mifest, and
as theA|wd principle or
and miserly in his native, aind therefore (when in a good
by, .aj|d through Which they beeofi||| manifest, we
humour) can give material advancement and prosperity.
Sidefeas
Hermetic axioms, every
He is said to be the planet of the Jewish race, which is
y, that is. manifest is manifest by the evolution of
significant in this connection. Some very suggestive
thoughts on Saturn will be found in Dr. Anna Kingsfords its trinity and these three, force, substance, and phenomenon,
Secret of Satan, in The Perfect Way and Clothed are not three entities, but one entity.
with the Sun. There is more than one: interpretation pf
Being in themselves unmanifest, force and substance are
the myth. Prom one point of view it refers to the world
spiritual,
are spirit. And, as the two modes under which spirit
wide legend of the Fall of the Angels. Conscious
intelligence is bestowed upon mortal beings at a certain :^tiss*?jSley constitute
' And
stage in evolutionary development; and this intelligence iaaSiH, as foroe is that whieli acts and substance is that
which they gain is said allegorically to fall from and be shut which is acted upon or in, of which action the result is matter
out of heaven, as it certainly is for the space of earth life. or phenomenon, force is that which makes manifest, substance
This intelligence is given to man in order that he may reign
' over and control the passions and emotions of his lower is that which is made manifest, and their resultant phenomenon
nature, and so inaugurate a Golden Age on earth. L eo. is that which is manifest. And since substance is spirit, matter
is definable as spirit projected by force of the Divine Will into
conditions and limitations, and made exteriorly cognisable.
S P E C IA L
W O T IQ 1 . '
But more than this. Being spirit, matter is capable of revert
We beg to remind those Subscribers to Light and the
ing
to the condition of spirit, ceasing to be as matter. Or,
London Spiritualist Alliance who have not already re
newed their Subscriptions for 1893, that they should precisely stated, substance is capable of reverting from its acci
forward remittances at once to Mr. B. D. Godfrey, 2, dental, secondary, material condition to its essential, primary,)
spiritual condition. But equally through the operation of force,
LIGHT.
dw ard
a it l a n d .
Reincarnation.
Sir,I fully agree with you that the mere belief in Re
incarnation does not make the Re-incarnation itself a fact, but
neither does it do this in regard to the sun giving light to
the earth, and I purposely used the words the idea of Re
incarnation, which, whether true or false, is a comforting
belief, as you suggest, to me, and may be so perhaps
to others. Previous existence and Re-incarnation may
not be convertible terms, as you point out, but if the latter
k true, the former must be so likewise, as I look at it, for what
is it that is re-incarnated but the Spirit of the Man within ? I
believe that Jesus was teaching this when He said toNicodemus:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again he
cannot see the Kingdom of God. We gather from his reply
that Nicodemus thought he meant this earthly body should be
bom again, and, in spite of all explanation on the part of Jesus,
he ends by saying How can these things be ? to which Jesus
replied: Artthou a Master of Israel, and knowest not these
things ? That which is bom of the flesh is flesh and that which is
bom of the spirit is spirit; and to me it seems an absolute
necessity that the Spirit that is in every human being should be
bom again and again into this life, in order to fit it for that
higher life which every true Spiritualist looks forward to attain
ing to, and which Jesus speaks of as The Kingdom of God.
>
T. L. H enly.
Sir,Will you kindly allow me to comment on your brief
Notes and Queries on my last letter ? First, the only key
which meets every problem presented by human existence is
certainly re-embodiment. I have never seen any real attempt,
made to deal with such in any other way, from all points of
view. For this there is the same kind of evidence as that
which the astronomer accepts in postulating the existence of an
unseen planet by the significant movements of adjacent bodies.
Second and third, immortality which preserves the individuality
of the higfor self is something which we earn by our own efforts.
Hence pre-existence must involve consciousness, and that
consciousness is slowly evolved by contact with matter through
prolonged periods until true knowledge dawns upon the Ego. A
ray of the Divine Spirit suddenly incarnated in the human form
would violate all the laws of evolution; there would be no
antecedent cause for such a sudden manifestation, neither
would the consequence be such as would justify it. The reason
why man needs a prolonged acquaintance with the plane of life
created by the possession of the body is surely obvious, A
35
LIGHT
ob
of
MY LITTLE MAIDEN.
Theres a fair little maiden that loves me so well,
And I know that her heart is true,
With heavens light gilding her flowing hair,
And leaping in eyes of blue,
And heavens truth shining in her sweet face,
With a radiance so bright and rare,
That when she greets me with fond embrace,
I feel I am wafted there.
Oh, a doubt may darken a deep true love,
And shadow oer sunshine fling ;
But no doubt can come when the heart is pure,
As the songs that the angels sing.
And this maiden I love with the holiest love
That a mortal heart can hold ;
For she nestles close to a fathers breast,
And shes seven bright summers old.
Oh, the sunshine that floats from this fairy maid,
And streams all the household oer !
Oh, the music sweet of the pattering feet
That hurry to open the door !
Oh, the rippling laughter upon her lip,
And the talk of her dainty tongue !
They fill my soul with a melting bliss
That can never be said or sung.
And if heaven may list to a sinners cry,
And answer a sinners prayer,
How free shall this maiden bo from pain !
And how glad will I take her share !
But I teach her to pray with her own rod lips,
And when her sweet voice floats above,
Then heaven will answer my little maid,
If there bo a God of Lovo.
D ovglas B .
H art.
atj * AXii-i
YTTT lnte*i<re<l
J SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 1893.
No. G29.- - VVUI
NowHiuipor
CONTENTS.
An Id ea of Researoh .........................42
.87
.88 Mr. Morel! T h e o b a ld ........................ 48
.80 Visual Sensitiveness in M ediums . .48
40 L etters to th e E d ito r.................46-48
Society W ork....................................... 48
.41
NOTES BY T H E W A Y.
As the Morning took up the running anent the
New Spiritualism, after Mr. Stead had started it, it is
only fair to state what the conclusions of th a t journal are
in respect of the matter. One thing the Morning is
assured of, and th at is th a t Spiritualism is the most
widely spread superstition of the age. Moreover, there
is no deceptionat the same time there are no spirits !
[RNeXi.oTft] P r ic e T w o p e n c e .
The paid medium is now all but extinct. The most striking
characteristic of the New Spiritualism is that it may be
described as the Spiritualism of the home circle. Perfectly
honest persons have discovered that they can see forms and hear
voices. Among their relatives and friends, with perhaps a
W e shall look forward to this, and meanwhile suggest
stranger admitted as a special favour, they produce the sights
and sounds once almost the monopoly of professional mediums. th a t the new E ditor of the Pall Mall might profitably
There is no imposture in the matter. Their bonafldes is beyond investigate the date of the original draft of the article.
question.
W e seem to know it so well.
But it is in attributing these sense-hallucinations to the
Surely Mr. H erbert Burrows has misunderstood. H e
spirits of the dead th at self-deception comes in ! And
says in Lucifer, acting as locum tenens for Mrs. Besant:
how delightful is the superficiality <f the following :
I have before me the last number of L ight , which con
Psychologists are perfectly familiar with it all, are they?
tains some of the records of private stances held by its late
It is in attributing these sense-hallucinations to the spirits of Editor, Mr. Stainton Moses, with a medium who was supposed
the dead that self-deception comes in. The New Spiritualists to be controlled by a spirit of a very high order. There is in
are not satisfied to describe the sensations they experience. them not one single new idea, nothing which is anything more
They profess to explain them. And it is in wrongly assuming than the outside husk of Eastern and Western Occultism.
that the only possible explanation is one dependent upon extranatural causes that the error of Spiritualism lies. Psychologists,
Now, if this refers to the records of Mrs. S., the
particularly those who make a study of what may be termed
abnormal brain workings, are perfectly familiar with the cerebral medium was Mr. Stainton Moses him self; and if the refer
states in which the seeing and hearing of spirits is a common ence is to any stances described in the letters, then the
experience.
control was not said to be of a very high order. There
And so :
is a suggestive w ant of accuracy in this kind of pronounce
The explanation is perfectly natural, or, it may be better to ment. A fter this we can readily believe Mr. Burrows
say, physical. It would be an undoubted benefit to the com when he says :
munity if the teachings of psychology were more generally
I have investigated Spiritualism, for many years I have read
known. Hasty assumptions as to the supernatural would not its literature, I have listened to trance orations, and have done
then be so prevalent. We feel that no apology is needed for my best to gain light, but so far as regards the real philosophy
the prominence we have given this subject. The extent of the of being I have never yet met with anything which was not
belief in Spiritualism at the present day is in the nature of a already in this-world thought. I never get any forwarder.
revelation. Like other forms of credulity this would be merely
curious but for the fact that indulgence in morbid habits of mind
Mr. Burrows gives some cases of natural clairvoy
is apt to destroy the equilibrium of the mental faculties. The
ance, one of which we reproduce. H e uses the word
appetite grows by what it feeds on.
natural as meaning untrained and not consciously
developed.
The clairvoyante was a woman :
But what a godsend have the New Mesmerism and the
New Spiritualism been to some of the journals. To print
A gentleman in the North went out for a walk one morning,
columns of letters upon the subject letters rarely good, some distance over grassy ground. When he reached home he
often bad, and mostly indifferentis an excellent way of found he had lost the diamond from his ring. His wife told him
filling up a journal, and it costs so little. The Pall Mall that lie should go and look for it, but he refused, as he thought
it was useless. Thereupon she went herself, he following her
Gazette, however, has begun a series of papers beaded
at a short distance. She took exactly the route that he had
Spirits and their W ays, and the first paper is, appro takenalthough he had not told her of itand on reaching the
priately enough, by S tuart Cumberland, who gives all the grassy place she suddenly stopped, turned aside a long tuft, and
old worn tales about the dark stance. The following there was the diamond. On another occasion she pointed out
i funny to the last degree. W here has Mr. S tuart to him a gentleman who was a perfect stranger to them both,
L IG H T
38
Db Q u i n c e y .
W rite it on your heart that every day is the last day in the
year. No man has learned anything rightly until he knows that
every day is doomsday.E merson,
LIGHT.
40
f ' h i n t/'ir y 2 k
L IG H T ,
.,
9
R E C O R D S O F P R IV A T E S E A N C E S
FROM NOTES T A K E S AT T H E f J M I OF EACH KlTT lSc
N o, X X X V i l l ,
Vyj)\i THr> Rr/;oKOS o r M > H.
fannary 28,1303-3
LIGHT.
41
with tlio groatcsl. rapidity, and copied notch Dr. H. made with
his voice. After Mr. N. M. was entranced the music became
louder and Hounded like brilliant playing on a piano. There
was no instrument in that room. The sound we called the seven
stringed instrument became coherent for the first time this
overling, and answered questions through the alphabet with this
instrument instead of rapping on the table. The spirit told us
he was an Kgypl.ian, his name was Roophat, he had been a
priest in Urn Temple of Osiris, and a friend of Hade and Chom.
The scent was most abundant, and was thrown all over the table
and. circle. It had been brought for us to save, but as we had
forgotten to place a glass on the table, they threw it over us in
large quantities. We bad mentioned before commencing the
stance that we should like more scent to add to what had already
been obtained and bottled.
During our visit toSlianklin so many different musical sounds
were developed that 1 propose now placing them on record.
G., who had manifested so long in the circle, and whose
sounds resemble a harp, tambourine, and double-bass.
The Welsh Harper, who always played apparently on a very
small harp, making high notes, on very tight strings.
Chom and Hade played on instruments which consist of three
or four strings.
Roophat on a seven-stringed instrument. This was like a
very sweet harp playing in the air.
Wo had also Kabbilas drum sound, and the one, for want
of a better name, we called the plate sound, as it resembled a
sound that could be made on a china plate turned upside down
and struck with a small hammer.
1st.G., Double bass, tambourine, and harp.
2nd.Roophat, seven-stringed instrument.
3rd.Sade, three and four-stringed instrument.
4th.Chom, three and four-stringed instrument.
5th.Kabbila, drum.
6th.Welsh Harper, small harp.
7th.Plate sound, operator unknown.
8th.Fairy bells. Introduced when Benjamin Franklin
first manifested in our circle. We had always associated
these sounds with him, and the spirits who came with him.
I t was an exquisite manifestation, something like a musical box,
but more ethereal, and the notes sweeter. We used to hear
it playing about us very often at this time, especially when
out in the garden late at night. I t was our habit to open the
casement window and step on to the lawn after our stance
was concluded, and I have often heard these fairy b ells
playing at midnight among the trees, the effect being very
beautiful and unearthly.
PORTENDED IN A DREAM.
A lady, whose husband recently lost his life on board a
certain ill-fated vessel, received, some time after his death, a
letter written by him a few days before the catastrophe occurred.
In this letter he related how, on the night previous to writing
it, he had had a most strange and unpleasant dream. I
dreamt, he wrote, that I was lying half-asleep in my cabin,
when suddenly I heard a most extraordinary grating noise,
which seemed to come from underneath the ship. Leaping
from my berththis was my dreamI hastily slipped on some
clothing and rushed up the hatchway, to discover what was the
matter. W hat was my horror to find the hatch down ! and
hammer at it as hard as I would, no answer came, nor did the
hatch show the least signs of giving way. Suddenly, the ship
seemed to give a heave, and was thrown violently down. Pick
ing myself up, bruised and half-dazed, I made another attempt
to burst open the hatch, but again without success. Heavens !
the ship must have struck suddenly upon a rock. She was
going down, and, as I thought of it, a cold sweat came over me,
and every action of my life seemed to flash through my mind.
Again I recommenced my efforts to escape with renewed energy
and at last the hatch gave way, and I . . . fell with a
thud on the floor of my cabin. Thank heaven it was only a
dream after a l l ! but it was pretty vivid, I can assure you. My
head was aching, adds the writer of the letter, my pulse
throbbing as if my heart would burst, and my whole frame
trembled like an aspen leaf. Now mark the sequel: Three
days later the unfortunate mans dream came true, and many of
us now have to mourn the loss of those near and dear to us who
perished with the ill-fated ship. Sword and Chatelaine.
O F F I V K Ob' l # A f l # T , M
PWMM HTHKHT,
A O N t<P I f f t W.V*
A ' f,
, ,
4> u i l l H TO
IV' THK
( I I I / PUBLIC.
l ' I'MM/,
NOTiOK
obtained f r o m I.. W. AI.1.KN, I, A v o
M aria l a n e ,
London,
J ig lit:
K D 1 T K I>
B V
M . A .,
L o s i>. m
A N J D K A O P R E S E A 11 0 11.
I n a n o th e r c o lu m n o f Light th e r e w ill he fo u n d an
a r tic le o n th e in te r e s tin g r e se a r c h e s o f D r. P u r d o n , a s to
c e r ta in o p tic a l in d ic a tio n s observed in s e n s itiv e s . O f th e
v a lu e o f th e se resea r ch es it is n o t in te n d e d to s a y m u ch
h ere
th o u g h th e y a p p ea r to b o v ery im p o r ta n t it is r a th e r
th e p u rp o se to m a k e Dr. P u r d o n s p a p e r a t e x t , o n w h ic h
c e r ta in o th e r o b s e r v a tio n s m a y b e h u n g .
It is to b e n o te d t h a t D r. P u r d o n , w it h o u t p o s itin g
th e S p ir itu a lis tic o r a n y o th e r h y p o th e s is , a llo w s t h a t t h e
a b n o rm a l s ta te s in w h ic h th e u a c h r o m a to p sia o c c u r r e d
w e re rea l sta te s, a n d i t is th is fa c t, th a t th e p h e n o m e n a
th e m se lv e s a r e n o t a lw a y s d e n ie d a s th e y u s e d t o b e, t h a t
m a rk s th e g r e a t d is ta n c e w h ic h h a s been tr a v e lle d d u r in g
th e la s t tw e n ty y e a rs. H o w e v e r t h e y m a y be in te r p r e te d ,
th e fa c ts th e m se lv e s a r e n o t n o w so fr e q u e n tly la u g h e d a t, or
a ttr ib u te d to fr a u d , a s th e y w e r e w o n t to be. T h a t k in d o f
th in g is m a in ly in d u lg e d in n o w b y t h e p r o fe ssio n a l a n tiS p ir itu a list, w h o lo g in s to iin d h is o c c u p a tio n g o n e a s th e
sc ie n tific c e r ta in ty th a t gjth ere is so m e th in g in i t a fte r a ll
b e c o m es m ore, a n d m o re e v id e n t. T h is b e in g so . w h a t
sh o u ld b e t h e a ttitu d e o f b e lie v e r s in th e u n s e e n w ith
reg a rd to t h e sc ie n tific a d v a n c e o f t h e a g e ? T h e a n s w e r
se e m s to b e t h a t it sh o u ld b e w a tc h e d m o s t a t t e n t iv e ly a n d
^ r x x ip a th e tic a lly , fo r th a t in i t a r e issu e s o f th e g r e a te s t
im p o r ta n c e .
T h e a tt it u d e o f th e s c ie n tific p e o p le o f tw e n t y a n d
m o r e y e a r s a g o w a s o n e g e n e r a lly o f e x tr e m e h o s tility ,
f f f p l f e t a n y sc ie n tific m a n o f t h a t p e r io d w a s m a d e
Sjjll su ffer, w h e n h e to o k a n y in te llig e n t in t e r e s t in t h e
f u t u r e o f t h e u n se en , m a y n e v e r p o s s ib ly b e r e a lise d ,
ixjjhltf} co u ra g e, in d e e d , w a s t h a t o f D e M o r g a n , w h e n
h e p u b lish e d th e p r e fa c e to h is w ife s b o o k , F r o m M a tte r
! W h a t in tr e p id ity h a s b e e n t h a t o f R u s s e l
^ w B p il rrr 1 A n d w h a t fa it h f u l ste a d fa s tn e s s t h a t o f C ro o k es !
|||K o-day, h o w ev e r, th in g s h a v e c h a n g e d c o n sid e r a b ly , a n d
t o reck o n w ith a n e w o r d e r o f th in g s , a n d th is
b e se r io u sly ta k e n to h e a r t b y S p ir itu a lis ts . T h e
w o rk s d o u b tin g ly n o w , w h e r e h e w o r k e d w ith
I"|PBartainty b efo re 1 a n d h e is b e g in n in g , v e r y o fte n , n o t o n ly to
^ l^ e ir tio n th e v a lid ity o f so m e o f h is e a r lie r c o n c lu sio n s, b u t
to w o n d e r w h ere h e w ill e v e n tu a lly g e t to . T h e r e is
in d e e d n o th in g to g u id e h im . N o w , if S p ir itu a lism he
H w l|||l th a t is, if th e e x is te n c e o f in d e p e n d e n t in te llig e n c e
b e a c c e p te d a s a c e r ta in ty , th e c o n d itio n s a re c h a n g e d a t
W h e n a sea rch p a r ty s e ts o u t fo r t h e sa lv a tio n o f
^ f t in e r s e n to m b e d a liv e a fte r a c o llie r y a c c id e n t, th e p a r ty
a r e g u id ed o n ly b y th e n o rm a l c o n sid e r a tio n s w h ic h
o u r c o n s c io u s n e s s c a n b e m e a n in g le s s , a n d s o t h e treatise*
w r itte n o n m o d e r n m a t h e m a t ic s , t o t a k e a n in stan ce
m u s t have'' s ig n ific a n c e s o m e w h e r e .
A t p r e s e n t th e re
s e a r c h e s a p p e a r t o e n d in t h e m s e lv e s , a s fa r a s th e y ant
t h e m s e lv e s c o n c e r n e d , w h ile t h e ir a u t h o r s g e t in to the
R o y a l S o c ie t y . R u t w h e n i t is r e m e m b e r e d t h a t certain
b r a n c h e s o f m a th e m a tic a l s t u d y o c c u p ie d m e n s m inds
w it h o u t a n y a p p a r e n t u se, u n t il N e w t o n a p p lie d the
r e s u lts to t h e w o r k in g o u t o f h is p la n e t a r y th e o r y , the
d e v e lo p m e n ts h in t e d a t w ill n o t a p p e a r to b e so fa r-fetch ed
and vagu e.
1 lo w t h e s e m a t h e m a t ic a l d e v e lo p m e n ts
a ffe c te d s u c h a g e n iu s a s C liffo r d , m a t e r ia lis t th o u g h he
th o u g h t h im s e lf to b e , w ill b e r e m e m b e r e d b y m a n y . The
m a s s e s o f th is k in d o f in v e s t ig a t io n , a p p a r e n tly le a d in g to
n o w h e r e , c a n n o t, s u r e ly , b o w it h o u t s o m e k in d o f m ean
in g . P o s s ib ly t h e ir a p p lic a t io n m a y e v e n t u a lly b e found
in so m e o f t h o s e o u t p o s t s o f p h y s ic a l r e se a r c h w h e r e m a tter
is a lr e a d y s e e n t o b e r e s o lv in g in t o s p ir it.
T h is a t t e n t io n t o s c ie n t if ic w o r k s e e m s t o b e em p h a sised
b y t h e p u b lic a t io n o f t h e r e c o r d s o f s e a n c e s w h ic h have
b e e n p u b lis h e d in L ig h t fo r so lo n g , w h e r e t h e la te Mr.
S t a in t o n M o se s w a s th e m e d iu m . U n le s s w e c a n su pp ose
t h a t fo r so m e u n k n o w n a n d p r o fitle s s p u r p o se fo u r o r five
p e o p le o f r e c o g n ise d p o s itio n w e n t o u t o f th e ir w a y t o a ssert
t h e s e t ilin g s , w e a r e b o u n d t o a c c e p t t h e a c c o u n ts , a s of
c o u r se w e d o . A n d t h e s e a c c o u n ts a r e fu ll o f t h e m o st
a m a z in g p h y s ic a l m a n if e s t a t io n s w h e r e t h e a g e n c y w a s the
in t e llig e n t o p e r a to r o n t h e o th e r s id e . T h e p r o d u c tio n of
m a t e r ia l s c e n t, o f a ir v ib r a tio n s r e s u lt in g in m u sica l
so u n d s, o f h e a v y b lo w s o n s o lid ta b le s , a ll p o in t to th e im
p o r ta n c e o f t h e k in d o f in v e s t ig a t io n w h ic h is su g g e ste d .
A n d w e a r e su r e t h a t w e sh a ll b e m e t, a t least- h a lf-w a y to
t h e so lu tio n .
LONDON SPIRITUALIST ALLIANCE.
A m eetin g o f th e in em bers an d frien d s o f th e A llia n ce will
b e h eld a t 7 .3 0 p .m . on T u esd a y n e x t, a t 2, D u k e-street,
A d elp h i, w h en M r. W . P a ice w ill g iv e a n a d d ress on The
S piritual M eanin g o f M a tter .
W o h o p e to s e e a large
attendance.
B e f o r e an y on e can b egin to rea lise w h a t a g h o s t or sp ir it
I is, h e m u st g e t a good grip o f th e fa c t th a t m a tter is n o t
: n ecessarily lik e lead , or m ud, or pork, or a 5 n o te. H e m u st
know it as a com m on-place th a t o x y g en is as tru ly m a tter as
S gran ite, and th a t th e su b tile vap ou r w hich can p a ss th rou gh a
j ste e l cy lin d er is as tru ly m a tter as th e hard m etal through
which it p asses.
l i e m u st a lso accustom h im self to the
v ita l fact th a t w hat w e call m in d is th e m a ster o f th e b o d y , that
th e hand k n ow s n o th in g ab ou t th e w ritin g , an d th a t the
ton gu e and teeth k now n o th in g a b o u t th e sp eak in g. The
m aster o f th e h o u se alon e k now s. T h ey are o n ly instru m en ts.
T h en , fe elin g h is w ay on, h e m ay p erchan ce com e up w ith the
sp len d id truth th a t i f a b ein g could p o sse ss a body w liich , for
su b tilty and fineness, w ou ld equal th e su b tile fin en ess of
th ou gh t, such a b ein g m ig h t b e in v isib le and in ta n g ib le, and
J y et be capable of m ovem en ts and far-reach in g com binations
a lto g eth er beyond th e ordinary clu m sy creatu re w hose body
and m ind arc, a t p resent, so ill-m atch ed and so little agree.
W hat w ould such a b ein g be b u t a sp irit ? A nd th a t is as
scien tifically con ceivab le as th e e x iste n c e o f th e eth e r of space*
P a g e H o f f s in th e C om ing D a y .
L lG ttT
44
ILIG HT.
Before the stance this distance was the same for both eyes, as
I bad noticed aftor careful observation,
i'<!*ur.
I)r. Purilon also found th a t every m em ber of thus family,
May 'Jml. Mihm K.
could see only one image through Urn Including tho mother, three daughters, and one son,
double imago nvuiiii In-Id In (lm lufl eye, Wlion Unit eye was
were more or less subjects of abnorm al colour sensibility,
Hniiiilicd vvii.li It |||S
inch m im i.i glass silo hiuv bot.ll linages
The conclusions to which Dr. P urdon comes are so very
quite wall. An experiment was llioii niiidi< with plates of
selenite between two Nicols prisms. The colour of the purple im portant th at they are given in full :
and areeniah yellow selenite worn called Mno and yellow, Imt
lst.Nervous states, with a tendency to hysteria, may be
wlion Iho I cno Mno ami yellow solenilo was placed between the accompanied by a derangement of accommodation, in one or
two N tool's prisma the colours worn not. recognized at. nil. TIiiih both eyes, which is indicative of a more general defect of
if appears tied led and green, which worn components of the attention on the part of the automatic centres of the brain,
pui plo and greenish -yellow, w-oco unperoeivod in the. first pair I whereby the elements of sensation are generally combined into
uf colours, while the hluo and yellow, the it\fen'&d perception I higher psychical complexes. Observation with the ophthalmoscope
a l t e r Much ali d taoiion, were not porceivnd when directly pre and otherwise led me to the belief that functional inactivity
sented in tin- .second pair of selenite colours, After the sdanoe, depends rather upon a deficient supply of blood than upon
which iva a very good one, the medium could nol. sou with flic direct inhibition. I found that forced attention restored the
hi! w o ; l he coitcH ing concave glass, which was useful before visual function in one of the sisters when I used a distorting
t|,c si meo, having, after it was over, no cllbct in restoring her instrument, Stokes lens, to excite her curiosity when looking
M -iu, The circulation, judging from the radial pulse, was at small type.
weaker on the left side than on the right aftor the sriinco, and
2nd.The existence of this state is a predisposing cause in
neither ring could be seen through the double image prism.
tho manifesting of psychic phenomena, such as are usually shown
Mi .1 E. C. was examined before the seance with the double by respectable mediums under test conditions, at least in the
imago prism and a l s o with the selenite plates. Hho saw the
t w o images correctly, and also the colours, but afterwards,
t h o u g h she could see the two images through hho prism, she
had lost all. .sensibility tor colour on the affected side. Both the
young ladies were examined with the coloured wools after the
seance ; they had lost all power of distinction.
M a y title
Miss K. C. was examined in good light before the
scaneo. She had remarked while out walking with me that red
and yellow tulips appeared to herns grey. Examined with
the coloured wools -red, dark red, blue, dark blue, light blue,
yellow and blue-green were all called grey. A seven-inch
m in u s glass corrected the achromatopsia completely. W hen
using the double image prism she saw but one ring with the
left eye, but with the minus glass added she saw both rings.
When a beam of polarized light from a Ni cols prism was passed
through plates of selenite and the double image prism added to
complete the combination, she saw the double beam in comple
mentary colours with the right eye, its normal appearance, but
to the left eye it showed as a single colourless beam. This was
true for the blue-yellow selenite, and also for the red-green,
or, more properly, blue-red and yellow-green ; a single colourless
image was in all cases perceived. When, however, the left eye
was armed with the seven-inch minus or concave glass, the
vision of the left eye was exactly the same as the right. After
the seance (and I may remark that all the stances here referred
to were satisfactory in the way of manifestations of extraordinary
activity), she could not Bee at all with the loft eye ; neither
colour nor ray vision remained. The glass so marked before in
its effect did not, restore the colour of the wools, which were all
described as greys.
A check experiment was then tried. On overlapping one of
the images of a piece of green glass, looked at through the double
image prism, on one of those of a piece of rod glass placed near
it, both being held up against the light, she did not perceive the
change that under ordinary circumstances is duo to the super
position of lights of different colours, she simply experienced the
sensation of redness, the green being entirely absent from her
apperception. The images of bluo and yellow glass overlapped
a grey " without any change being noticed. The eye was then
reinforced by a strong convex glass, and she saw all the ooloured
objects when brought to a distance of four inches from the eye
the green required to lie brought, nearest. Outside of that
distance the red alone was seen as a diffused light rod. When
tried with the selenite plates she saw the red-violet and
yellowish-green os violet ^nd yellow, using her sound loft eye,
lmt with the right eye, that which was the peculiar one, shosaw
only the red or red-purple shade, the yellowish-green comple
mentary being entirely absent.
Thin young lady was examined after the stance, during which
she was fora short time entranced. It was found that she
had lost, all colour sensation on the left side. The double image
prism showed double images without colour, tho wools wereall grey | to the left eye. She remarked that the double
images of a pencil mark ring as seen by the loft eye appeared
much larger than those seen by tho right eye. They had to be
brought much nearer to the eye before their ciroumferenoes
touched than in tho case of those seen l>y the right eye I say
about five inches in the former case, and ten in the latter.
LIGHT,
SUSTENTATION FUND.
We gratefully acknowledge the following contributions, and
hope that our friends will all give what they can, whether much
or little. Remittances should be sent to the Treasurer, Mr. H
Withall, Gravel Lane, Southwark, London, S.E. :
s. d.
E. H. Bentall
..................................... 50 0 0
30 0 0
K.................................................. *..............
20 0 0
A L a d y " ................................................
10 10 i
C. 0. M.
...
.......................................
10 0 0
Mrs. S. E. Coates ...
F. G, S.
................................................ 10 0 0
10 0 0
N. Fabyan Dawe
5 5 0
Mrs. Stanhope Speer
5 5
H.H ..................................... 1
5 0
Hon. Percy Wyndham
..............
5 0 0
Mrs. F. A. Moulton
...
..............
5 0 0
Thomas Grant
5 0 0
J. J. Torre ...
...
...
..............
3 3 0
Mrs. C. H. Swanston
.........................
3 3 0
G. Pearce-Serocold ...
3
Geo. Wyld, M.D, ...
'4 '.'
2 2 0
P. H. N i n d ..............
2 0 1
Mrs. A. J. Penny ...
...
..............
2
Mrs. Mackiimon
0
2 0 0
Sir Charles Nicholson, Bart.
t-M 1 0
E. J. Baillie ...
...
... '
i i #'
Mrs. Sainsbury
...
;.& i 4 '
Hon. Mrs. Carleton .
VM i 0
Miss Boswell-Stone ...
Mr. and Mrs. Senior
VI: i S-/..
Mrs. Morgan Payler
..............
i
. I l
W. 0 ....
...
Mrs. F. A. Ross
...
...
...
... :. 1- |. 0;
1 i i
R. G. Bennett
...
...
...
...
G. A. K.
.....................
...
... : '1 1 .
Mrs. Wigham Richardson
*.
... . . I 0 jpf*
Mrs. C. J. Burton ...
w 0 0
1 : .#4
E. T. Luson ...
......
Mrs. Glanville
...
...
...
'".1 ; . *
Edward Maitland ...
...
1. 0 %
1
Rev. B. T. Sale
..............
&
0.
I
J. f . K.
41f
..
... w
.,4
1 : o '.
H. M. H. (Dresden)...
...
. ||
0 10 0
R. Wortley ..<
...
... .(s j,.,
....
The Misses Taunton
...
0 10
T. Powers ........................:W,0 10 0
Miss Collingwood
o. 10
E .S.W . ................
0 10 0
QUESTIONS AND ANSW ERS,
45
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
Astral Influences.
Sir ,One feels grateful to O.C.M. for his answers to
questions 1 and 2, as, in fact,for all he writes in L ight ; and,
if not trespassing on his time and good nature, one would like
to ask him if he can suggest an explanation as to the reason
why, astrologioally, the place of birth so materially affects the
character and destiny of a child.
In answering question I, 0. C. M. says: The perisprit or
fluidic body is conceived as microcosmically qualified by all the
influences of the spirit of Nature prevailing at generation. These
influences proceed from their foci, the planets and stars, their
combined character at any given moment being astrologioally
ascertained by the figure of the heavens at such time.
To minds not experimentally acquainted with astrology
these remarks may imply that the differences in the nature and
Lig h t .
46
[Jiumary 2s,
4
\
\j
LIGHT.
47
48
L IG H T .
them to have tv IUtlf proof of the truth of whul they talk about
ho earnestly,
SOCIETY WORK.
C o rresp o n d en ts who sendusnotic.es of the work of the Societies with which
th e y a re asso cia ted will oblige bp writing as distinctly as possible
a n d bp a p p e n d in g their signatures to their communications. Inat
te n tio n to these requirements often compels us to refect their contri
b u tio n s. N o notice received later than the first post on Tuesday is
su re o f a d m iss io n .]
H alt.,
|
I
1
k
I
)
I
I
|
J
|
1
;
j
I
j
a
1
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I
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:
I
I
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1
j
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1
F
I
,
g
359, E dgwaue- road, W. N ext Sunday, at V p.m., Mr. Dover
Summers will lecture on Spiritualism. On Sunday, February
5th, at 11 a.m., Mr. A. M. Rodger will commence a series of
Sunday morning stances. Those who wish to join will please
NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.
write to nve at the hall.A. F . T indall , A.T.O.L., Hon. Sec.
14, Orchard- road, Askbw -uoad, S hepherd s B ush, W .
On Sunday last, Mr. J . T. Dales, of Dulwich, delivered a very I nquirer . Please send name and addressin strict, oonlidcnoo. .
instructive discourse upon Planetary Influences, a Key to the J . M aokay.If tho *'publisher of the book by .Hut,ter on 1
" Human Electricity is sent, wo may be able to maku I
Mysteries of tho Bible, with diagrams. Sunday next at 7 p.m.
inquiries. Wo know of no other work on Human Electricity.
Mr. Wyndhoe. Tuesday at 8 p.m., Stance, Mrs. Mason.
W ith tho present knowledge of the science, such works j
February 5th, Mr. II. Towns.J. H. B., Hon Sec.
would probably be useless.
* S outh L ondon S piritualist S ociety, 311, C ameerwell
N ew -road, S.E .Next Sunday anniversary stances and service G lasgow. Wo beg to assure tho friend who writes us 1
anonymously from Glasgow, that wo have no knowledge
at 11,30 a.m. ; stance, Mr. G. D. Wyndhoe, at 3 p.m. ; seance,
whatever of the matter to which he refers. No loallots art; ;
Mrs. Bliss, of Forest Hill, at 7 p.m. On Tuesday, January
over inserted in copies of " L i g h t with our sanction, and1
31st, tea and social meeting at 7 p.m. Tickets 6d. oaeb. A
in the oases to which ho alludes, the act is no doubt 1
hearty invitation to Spiritualists to participate in tho days
attributable to a newsagent through whoso hands tho 1
exercises.W. E. L ong, Conductor.
journal passed.
S piritual H all, 8(5, H igh -street, M arvledone . This
hall was well tilled on Sunday to hear Mr. Carlyle Petersiloa on
To preach morals without mercy, ethics without atonement,
"T h e Fallacy of Re-incarnation, and "W h y I am a Spirit
ualist. Tho former was a reading from liis own works, written progress without pardonthis is to eroato a dreamland out of
automatically. Miss Evoritt kindly gave a solo, "T h o Gate of present day fancies.R ev. S( P earson, M.A.
T he w ill of tho weak man is not froo ; hut tho will of tho
Life. Wo were pleased to see Mr. and Mrs. Sadler, from
Cardifl', and Mr. J . Robertson, of Glasgow, present. Sunday strong man, tho man who has got tho habit of preferring hoiiho
next, at 1.1 a.m., Mr. H. Towns, stance; 7 p.m., Mr. J. to nonsense and virtue to vice, is a freed will, which one might, t
Robertson, of Glasgow, or Mr. Cooper. February 5th, local vory w ell spend all ones energies in achieving. W. Dean
H owells.
speakers.C. J . H unt.
T
S P H O IA L
TTO T IO H .