< Telegrams From the Stars (continued from page 3-172) >
scientific brethren on astronomical and other kindred subjects, the lecturer next alluded to the nebulæ and the theories connected with them, showing the different conclusions at which the students of these wonderful phenomena had arrived, and elucidating his points by means of interesting diagrams on the walls.
Mr. Linton next alluded to the inter-stellar spaces, showing that certain scientific men had announced that these spaces are fitted for spiritual existence. And such indeed are the teachings of our own beautiful spiritual philosophy ; for are we not constantly told, that the spirit-world is ever around us, and that its beloved and beautiful inhabitants are constant visitors at our hearths and homes ?
The Coming Pope
In a recent lecture in the Twenty-Fifth Street United Presbyterian Church, New York City, the Rev. Oscar Hugo said that when Pope Pius dies, there will be two Popes—one an infallible, or God Pope, and the other a fallible, or man Pope. The latter, he said, would undoubtedly be Cardinal McCloskey, and he would make his residence in this country and endeavor to rule the people as a sovereign. Within two years, the lecturer said, the College of Cardinals will be established in this country. Archbisop McCloskey had been made a Cardinal so that the American people could become accustomed to the ruling of a prince before being obliged to submit to that of a sovereign.
<Untitled> (An exchange says a family)
An exchange says a family in Montgomery Street, Jersey City, has received ghostly visitations, and some of the inmates have abandoned the house. A short time ago, while the gentleman, who is at the head of the family, was on the lounge reading, he was beaten so violently that his head was swollen and sore. A lady visitor met in all parts of the house an old lady in a puffed dress and cap of the style of three quarters of a century ago. A young man saw the same phenomenon, and, while reading, it snatched the book front his hand. The same Old lady has appeared to other members of the family, some of whom have attempted to lay hands on her, only to see her vanish. The ghost bears an appearance closely resembling that of the mother of the husband of the family, whom he has not seen for many years, and who died about a year ago in Ireland.
A Cry from India
Cold gods of fretted stone ! John T. Marklby 3, Crawthorn-street, Peterborough. |
Dreams
Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes ; |
We pretend not, in these few remarks, to account for or explain these mental phenomena. Even Dryden himself, in those masterly lines of his above quoted, takes good care to eschew everything like philosophical conjecture in his description of dreams—employing, on the contrary, in his description that very “fancy” which the poet and the dreamer alike have recourse to when ratiocination refuses to afford its aid in the solution of a problem so mysterious. That “monarch reason s eep” uninterruptedly during our hours of sleep, we hold to be a proposition altogether unsupported by evidence ; every rational creature that sleeps being, in our opinion, conscious that his or her reasoning faculty not unfrequently (during the hours of sleep) exerts its legitimate vocation. It maybe urged and perhaps with some force, that, in our slumbers—especially when they are unusually sound—that “ medley of disjointed things ” Dryden mentions is apt to be confounded somewhat by the notorious “ mimic ” (Fancy), and it is in admirable keeping, therefore, with her character that she should, in her quaking mood, associate courts with cobblers and mobs with kings. To represent this same “ mimic,” however, as exercising exclusive control over the mind in our hours of sleep, is to represent a state of things which every rational individua finds oneself abundantly able to contradict and refute. That the powers of ratiocination, are wholly suspended during sleep, becomes a monstrous supposition in presence of the fact that thousands of individuals (intelligent individuals) are to be met with who, could their evidence be conveniently secured, would promptly testify to the fact (in their own case) that “ dreams ” are not always “ interludes which Fancy makes.” The writer’s own experience, as regards this matter, is decidedly opposed to Dryden’s highly poetical notion that “ Monarch Reason ” (who in many cases, it is true, just does nothing all the day) is very apt soundly to sleep the night away. On the contrary, he (the writer) many a time and oft is apt to find his own slumbers shaken by the remonstrances of this same “ Monarch Reason,” whom he ever finds just about as vigilant by night as by day. And, as a very proper conclusion to these remarks, the writer is prepared to add— and to state as a fact—that, in quite a number of attempts at prose and rhyme on his part, during sleep, the intellectual monarch has exercised far more of control than he ever did in similar attempts during the writer’s waking hours. Would that we could recover the things from the “ vasty deep ” of oblivion.
A Ghost Story by Wilky Collins
By a letter from Benjamin Coleman, of England, we learn that “ The World.” a weekly newspaper of London, established little more than a year ago, has begun the publication of a new serial story by Wilkie Collins. Mr. Coleman, writes:
“The World, is one of the cleverest of our public journals. It is edited by Edmund Yates whose father was a comedian. Edmund was brought up in the post office here ; to this occupation he added journalism, and within a few years he has become a writer of novels. The World has attained a very large circulation. It is most fearless in denouncing religious shams and follies ; but strange to say it has never attacked Spiritualism. The number before me of this day (Aug. 4th) has the first part of a new story by Wilkie Collins, entitled ‘ The Clergyman’s Confession.’ The clergyman, confiding his story to a brother, whom he has not seen for many years, remarks: ‘ I know I can trust you. But do you believe that the spirits of the dead can return to earth and show themselves to the living?’ The brother answered him cautiously, replying in the words of a great English writer touching the subject of ghosts : ‘ You ask me a question which after five thousand years is yet undecided ; for that reason alone it is a question not to be trifled with.’
Queen Victoria and the Spiritual Phenomena
The London Examiner contains a communication, from which it appears that Major-General C. S. Showers, lately political agent at the Courts of Oodeypore and Gwalior, and brother of General St. George D. Showers, whose career in India is a matter of history, wrote in 1873 to Queen Victoria, concerning the mediumship of his daughter. He spoke of some very extraordinary spiritualistic manifestations through her power, and suggested that it might interest Her Majesty to witness them. Sir Thomas Biddulph acknowledged the receipt of it by directions of the Queen. Subsequently Prince Albert of Solms Braunfell, a cousin of Her Majesty, testified that on entering the cabinet where Miss Showers was lying unconscious, he, in company with other guests, saw and felt two spirits by her side.
Editor's notes
- ↑ The Coming Pope by unknown author
- ↑ An exchange says a family by unknown author
- ↑ A Cry from India by Markley, John T.
- ↑ Dreams by unknown author, Spiritual Scientist, Boston, Mass., December 14, 1876, Vol. V., No. 15, p. 164
- ↑ John Dryden
- ↑ A Ghost Story by Wilky Collins by unknown author
- ↑ Queen Victoria and the Spiritual Phenomena by unknown author