< Remarkable Spiritual Manifestations in the House of the Rev. E. Phelps, D.D. (continued from page 7-265) >
those always depending on the presence of particular persons, as at the house in Stratford.
Another fact seems also to be proved by the above narration, namely, that persons may be powerful mediums at one time and afterwards lose the power, for neither of the media of Dr. Phelps’s family in Stratford have had any proof of mediumship for years.
Spiritualism in India
A correspondent writes from the Bengal Presidency, July 29th:—
“Natives in and around the Presidency towns are beginning to inquire into Spiritualism, especially the Bengalese about Calcutta. The men of Behar, North-West, and Central provinces will wait yet a while. Compared with the great size of the country, Europeans are here very much scattered, and, as a rule, unsettled. Their aim is to leave the country for good as soon as possible; there is, therefore, little care or time for anything but business. The Spiritual papers and periodicals which accumulate on my hands, usually during long railway journeys I tie in packets, and hand to the guards, drivers, and station-masters. Enclosed is a note from a medical friend, to whom I sent the last number of The Spiritualist, in which the weighing experiments performed by the British National Association of Spiritualists are contained. The Spiritualist seems to me to be well suited for intelligent people, there being little or nothing of the sectarian spirit in it. I call it spiritual sectarianism when men begin to publicly call each other ‘brothers’ over an idea which is peculiar to themselves. The sect sentiment appears to have taken a new and probably a decided hold on the minds of some Spiritualists, and the result is that the fundamental truth, however universal in itself, is reduced to the humble limits of private property.”
More About Phenomena at Dr. Phelps
In The Spiritualist of the 2nd inst. you ask for information as to where you can find accounts of the phenomena at Dr. Phelps’s house in America. You will find a brief account in my Planchette (pp. 49, 50), all the particulars of which, together with many others, were confirmed in a letter which Dr. Phelps wrote me in reply to one which I addressed to him, asking for information.
My friend Dr. J. R. Nichols, editor of the Boston Journal of Chemistry, writes:—a I once, for several hours, listened to the recital of what occurred in the dwelling of the Rev. Dr. Phelps, of Stratford, Connecticut, from the lips of the venerable man himself. I was reduced to the alternative of regarding him, his family, and a wide circle of intelligent friends, as the most egregiously duped circle of men and women, or the greatest liars and impostors—or of believing in the reality of phenomena which human reason and science were incompetent to explain. I felt compelled to adopt the latter alternative.”
The Rev. Dr. Eliakim Phelps was a well known and highly respected clergyman, whose reputation for strict veracity and good sense was above all question. The phenomena in his house began March 10th, 1850, and continued for seven months. They were of the most unaccountable character. In his letter to me Dr. Phelps wrote:—“I have seen things in motion above a thousand times; and in most cases where no visible power existed by which the motion could be produced. There have been broken from my windows more than seventy-one panes of glass, more than thirty of which I have seen broken before my own eyes.”
You will find quite a full account of the Phelps phenomena in Modern Spiritualism, by E. W. Capron, published in Boston in 1855. Probably some of your readers have called your attention to his account before this letter reaches you. My principal object is to assure you of the high character of Dr. Phelps, and to impart the fact that he wrote me a letter confirming the particulars in the newspapers of the day, and which are reproduced partly in Blanchette, but much more fully in Mr. Capron’s book. I published the letter in the Boston Transcript some time in 1851, I think.
The phenomena are so well authenticated, so various, and have been so fully corroborated by subsequent developments in Spiritualism, that the Stratford occurrences will always form a most interesting chapter in the history of the subject.
Boston, Massachusetts, August 12, 1878.
Spiritualism in Paris
Sir,—Since my arrival here, over a month ago, I found that some healthy and promising changes have taken place among the followers of the harmonial philosophy. I scarcely believed in the near proximity of those changes when I left Paris in December last. The “Spirites” and “Spiritualists,” so antagonistic toward one another, have to some extent clasped hands, and, what seems more extraordinary to me, is that the leading disciples of Kardec should have made the forward step in the matter of conciliation, and adopted such practical ways and means as to leave no loopholes for dissentients to hide in. At great expense the Societe Spirite and Revue Spirite have established their new quarters in a more convenient place, at the north-east end of the Palais Royal, No 5, Rue Neuve des Petits Champs, where comfort and elegance are combined for the benefit of members and visitors. The hall, or meeting-room, is of good size, well-lighted, and contains the Spiritualistic publications of all countries. Alongside is a neat library room, where the shelves are loaded with books and pamphlets. As an earnest endeavour to be up and doing, the reorganised society lately requested me to write to Boston, to the publishing house of Rich and Colby, for a large number of works to increase this library, and make it attractive to English readers, residents or visitors. The not defunct but transformed Societe Spirite, which had a rather too defined personal character—“for the diffusion of the doctrines of Allen Kardec”—is now styled “The Scientific Society for the Study of Psychology.”
I am aware that The Spiritualist has already published the substance of the above information, and furthermore made known the constitution and regulations under which the referred-to society acts; but I dare say the repetition, with additional points, will not be considered superfluous.
Mr. Leymarie presides as chairman at the meetings of the Psychological Society on Tuesday and Friday evenings, and acquits himself well of that function, which, under the new circumstances, becomes at times difficult to fill, as the combative faculties of sections, not fully married in tight bonds as yet, are apt to kindle and blaze to some extent, Some of the opposers of the doctrines of Kardec frequent these meetings and take part in the discussions; they also at times deliver lectures. As a rule, the hall is made lively and agreeable by the presence of many attentive listeners, ladies and gentlemen; and at every meeting foreigners from different countries are to be seen, even from Australia. Mr. Edward Maitland, author of The Soul, and How it Found Me, accompanied by a lady relative, attended lately one of the mesmeric stances held in the hall. Tuesday evenings are devoted to mesmeric experiments and discourses, Mr. Hippolyte and a confrere acting as principal operators. There are in Paris several mesmeric societies; one, established 1860, at No. 20, Ruedes Neuve Petits Champs, where I found a large company of ladies and gentlemen, members principally. The subjects that we saw did not show any signs of clairvoyance, and I understood that they had but few sensitives of that description. Mr. Dangerville, residing on the premises, is the president of the society, whose members, as a rule, are opposed to our doctrines. I saw there a Mr. Donato, of Liege, France, who has a celebrated sensitive and clairvoyant, whose powers have been tested, I am told, before large assemblies here and elsewhere. I find that the cause is somewhat impeded here by divers circumstances. The Government regulations render it difficult to step forward and to assert its claims, and the people, as a rule, are averse to paying mediums for services rendered. At the Psychological Society I met an ex-abbe, le pere Marshal, author of L’Esprit Consolateur, and Memoires d'un Missionaire, two works which have attracted much notice and praise. Mr. Marshal is a fluent and elegant speaker. He, with Father Hyacinthe, founded the New Church at Geneva.
Among the literati here are found many warm friends of the cause, also in the ranks of artistes. La Religion Loique, edited by Mr. Fauvety, a celebrated writer, devotes (monthly) several pages to Spiritualism. Mr. De Bonnemere contributes able articles on the subject in that paper. I find, however, that most book writers take the high flights of the doctrine; go too much into the scholastic style—abstruse sense; and do not generally attach themselves to experimental phases and demonstrations.
Paris, August 20th, 1878.
Editor's notes
- ↑ Spiritualism in India by unknown author, London Spiritualist, No. 314, August 30, 1878, p. 102
- ↑ More About Phenomena at Dr. Phelps by Sargent, Epes, London Spiritualist, No. 314, August 30, 1878, p. 102
- ↑ Photographing Under Difficulties by unknown author
- ↑ Spiritualism in Paris by Lacroix, Henry, London Spiritualist, No. 314, August 30, 1878, p. 106
Sources
London Spiritualist, No. 314, August 30, 1878, p. 102
London Spiritualist, No. 314, August 30, 1878, p. 106