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vol. title: vol. period: 1879-1880 pages in vol.: 577 |
Extraordinary Manifestations Among Savages
I send an extract from The Australian Abroad, Second Series. By James Hingston, (J. H. of the Melbourne Argus), London: Sampson Low and Co. Lately published.
“My conversion, like to that of Bishop Colenso by the pensive and enquiring Zulu, was accomplished by three nearly naked Hindoos, who, I am convinced, were nothing but human beings. One of them threw up in the air numbered balls, which I was allowed first to handle and to mark. I am prepared to swear that I saw these balls go up and get smaller to the sight as they ascended, making an apotheosis, as it were, and so going out of sight. They remained thus until a spectator specified which number he wanted back. In response to the Hindoo’s call, No. 7 came bouncing down to his feet with but little delay, and No. 5 also when I asked for it. At a seance of any Spiritualist such a performance would have stamped out scepticism, and crushed all scoffers. Who can question that the viewless spirits of the air assisted in this little swindle, leaving for a time their recognised occupation of rapping tables, and writing meaningless messages in execrable English.
“Following upon this exhibition came another, which knocked away the last frail support of materialism, and would have converted the densest dunderhead of an unbeliever, even if German or French. One of the trio called to me for a coin, and got a good English halfcrown, which I afterwards desired him to keep to avoid giving him ten times the amount, which he richly deserved. The coin was handed around for show, in conjuror fashion, and then offered to anyone to hold, which a Frenchman at my side kindly consented to do. Before he closed his hand upon it I saw that it was my half-crown. Doubt there could be none.
“Hankee Pankee then asked me, in broken English, into what other country’s coin I would like the half-crown to be changed. I mentioned Hindoostan, upon which the Frenchman was asked to open his hand, and there lay a rupee and no English half-crown! The Frenchman declared that he had felt no invisible fingers at work, and that nothing to his knowledge had gone through his skin. I had seen a scarce coin in Ceylon made of copper, and having an elephant stamped on one side, and the head of the third of the Georges upon the other, already described as a ‘stiver.’ I requested the dusky supernaturalist to change the rupee into that coin when the Frenchman had again closed his hand upon it. On his again opening it at the conjuror’s command, the change had been made, and from that it was again changed to the half-crown, now offered to me. It was free from all smell of brimstone, but it was such a ‘kittle’ of uncanny coin that I bade Hankee to keep it as a reward.”
Ghosts are getting too common by half for the equanimity of the Press. If they go on like this we shall soon have such an eating of dirt among the latter as never before was idealised. There are no less than three ghost stories, “all of a heap,” in the Daily Telegraph of to-day, September 25th, given, of course, very grudgingly and begarbled, but there they are, I send them to you, though, as they are, they are not worthy of your columns.
Also, by the same paper, I see that Madame Enault is at Hull. There she is with her “brigands” as well as with her “gilded car, drawn by the three jet black horses which were so greatly admired when in Sheffield.” She seems to be taking a rest, for “she has not yet commenced her teeth-extracting and wen-removing operations.”
A Memorial to the Secretary of States
At a Council meeting of the National Association of Spiritualists, held September 14th, the following memorial was ordered to be circulated. It was only sent so as to reach us last Tuesday afternoon, hence the delay in publication:—
Memorial of the British National Association of Spiritualists and others, relative to the State of the Law affecting Persons known as “Spirit Mediums” and “Clairvoyants.”
This Memorial respectfully represents:—
1. That your Memorialists are interested in, and for the most part engaged in, the investigation of certain physical and psychical phenomena which manifest themselves in the presence of individuals variously described as “Spirit Mediums,” “Psychics,” and “Clairvoyants.”
2. That an Act was passed in the year 1824, known as “The Vagrant Act,” 5 Geo. IV., c. 83, “to make further provision for the suppression of Vagrancy, and for the punishment of idle and disorderly persons, rogues, and vagabonds, and incorrigible rogues in England.”
3. That by the 4th Section of the said Act the following, among other persons, are to be deemed rogues and vagabonds within the intent and meaning of the Act, and are made liable, on conviction before any Justice of the Peace, to be committed to the House of Correction, and there to be kept to hard labour for any term not exceeding three calendar months—that is to say, “Every person pretending or professing to tell fortunes, or using any subtle craft, means, or device, by palmistry or otherwise, to deceive or impose on any of His Majesty’s subjects.”
4. Your Memorialists complain that, by recent judicial decisions and the practice of Justices of the Peace, the above last-cited words of the 4th Section of the said Act have received an application never intended or contemplated by the Legislature, and that thereby not only has injustice been inflicted on individuals whom your Memorialists believe to have been innocent of any intentional deception, but, moreover, prosecutions are encouraged which have for their purpose and effect the discrediting, prejudicing, and obstructing legitimate investigation and enquiry <... continues on page 10-484 >
Editor's notes
Sources
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London Spiritualist, No. 423, October 1, 1880, p. 163