The Spiritualist newspaper > No.142, May 14th 1875

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THE SPIRITUALIST.
May 14, 1875.
hitherto reputed honest, and only offend because they are
endeavouring to illustrate that which hitherto the French
have had no capacity to understand. S. Chinnery.
London, 10th May, 1875.
Sir,—I see from The Spiritualist of this week that persecu¬
tion of spiritual mediums has already begun in France. These
things were all foreshadowed, as you are aware, in the speeches
at the Liverpool National Conference, which speeches gave rise
more than anything else to the establishing of the “ British
National Association of Spiritualists.” It is to be hoped that
the Council will give every aid to defend poor mediums who
probably cannot defend themselves against a merciless and
bigoted public. They ought to see that proper legal support
is secured, and every other possible aid should be afforded.
Our National Association extends its branches to all countries,
and in Paris, so close to London, nothing should be wanting on
our part to defend the right. It will be a satisfaction to all
true-hearted Spiritualists to know that the National Associa¬
tion will do good work for the alleviation of the sufferers for
Spiritualism. “ These are but the beginning of sorrows.” We
may expect sore persecution from the churches, and from the
world. But, by binding ourselves together in sympathy and
love, and with an Association like the British National, with
all its mind and strength, we have nothing to fear so long as
it is guided by true patriotism, carried out with zeal and
earnestness for the suffering, and for all. J. Chapman.
12, Dunkeld-street, Liverpool.
DUPLICATION' OP POEM.
Sir,—In these days of wonder-working, when every one has
his own theory to account for novel phenomena, I should like
to draw attention to some facts that I have lately observed,
which tend to show that the human double often plays a pro¬
minent part in spiritual manifestations.
A few days ago, in a dark circle here in Paris, where hands
were joined round a table, a gentleman present told me after¬
wards that his neighbour, Mrs. Fay, whose hand he was hold¬
ing, in the coolest manner possible, without in the least trying
to conceal what she was doing, put her other hand and arm
round his neck. He was so sure of what he asserted (the arm
being covered with the same stuff as her dress) that he con¬
sidered it an invitation for him to do the same to her. At the
same seance, notwithstanding that there were several persons
between that young lady and myself, I felt a hand with rings
on its fingers of the same size and temperature as hers, which,
upon my endeavouring to retain, was forcibly pulled out of my
grasp. Now, as it is impossible for any one who has the
pleasure of knowing Mrs. Fay to doubt that she was sitting
quietly in her seat, in happy unconsciousness of what her extra
hands were doing in so compromising a manner, may we not
conclude that it was her double operating ?
She sits for her photograph, and her duplicate as well as
herself appears upon the plate. She tells me that at times
she sees a third arm resting upon her lap.
I remember some two years ago, at a dark seance, a friend
of mine was taken right off his legs by a pair of strong arms.
I was touched in the face by one of his feet. He was convinced
that the medium herself had lifted him up, and when I sug¬
gested to him that it might have been done by a spirit, as they
had arms, he replied— “ Yes; but they have not silk dresses
and gold brooches.” Now, in the light of present knowledge,
this was an unwarrantable assumption on his part; and this
medium had the credit of committing an act of gross trickery.
In the cabinet seance of Maskelyne and Cook, a gentleman
on one occasion who entered the cabinet with them stated to
the audience that he had their four hands in charge all the
time, for his two feet were placed on their outside hands. So
they did not move, and yet he was touched by hands. I saw
similar ones to those of the conjurors thrust out of the aper¬
ture, and on the fingers there were rings exactly like those
worn by those gentlemen. The trick is explained if we have
discovered that they can get additional arms projected from
their bodies. Mr. Maskelyne invites any one to say how his
tricks are done. Whether my solution be the right one or not,
he is welcome to it..
As, however, the manifestations with such mediums as the
Eddys cannot be explained by the “ double” theory, it would be
interesting to know how Serjeant Cox accounts for the objec¬
tive appearance of recognised departed friends. *
J. H. Glepstanes.
Paris, April 23rd, 1875,
THE CASE OF ME. AND MES. COLES.
Sir,—I have just come from visiting Mr. and Mrs. Coles.
The small sum I was able to give them through the kindness
of a few friends was soon more than exhausted, and they are
literally at death’s door from starvation. Whatever error
they may have committed in coming to England with in¬
sufficient means, in the hope of finding work to do for Spirit¬
ualism, I cannot but think we should be greatly neglecting our
duty to let them perish for want of the common necessaries of
life.
If a little fund could be raised to pay their debts (they owe
a few weeks’ rent, and have been forced to pawn almost all
they possess), and some employment could be found for Mr.
Coles, either as an assistant in a shop or warehouse, or a light
porter, they might be able to maintain themselves creditably;
but at present their state of health, from sheer destitution,
renders them unfit for any kind of remunerative labour.
I sincerely trust that this appeal to assist our suffering
brethren may not be made in vain. Emily Kislingbury.
38, Great Bussell-street, Bloomsbury, W.C.
THE EDUCATION OF THE CHILDEEN OF SPIRITUALISTS.
Sir,—Having failed up to this moment in finding effective
sympathisers with my plan for establishing a college for chil¬
dren of Spiritualists, may I take advantage of your valuable
paper to recommend the Grammar School at Dalton-in-Fur-
ness. Mr. Percy Ross Harrison, B.A., the head-master, is a
Spiritualist, and the pupils or boarders reside at Mr. Harri¬
son’s house, and receive a liberal treatment and education I
think his establishment is highly fit for children of Spiritual¬
ists. His terms are forty guineas per annum.
J. N. T. Mabtheze.
20, Palmeira-square, Brighton.
SPIRITUALISM IN' BIRMINGHAM.
Sir,—Some year and a half ago the subject of Spiritualism
was brought before large audiences in the Athemeum Hall in
this town, by Mr. John Collier, who is now in the United
States. A spirit of inquiry was awakened : the people wanted
to witness some of the phenomena which had been so much
spoken of by Mr. Collier and others. They were told to form
circles for investigation in their own homes, with their fami¬
lies , and this advice has been acted upon to a large extent
throughout the town, so that at this day many private circles
are held in various homes, but, Nicodemean-like, the members
of them dread publicity, so that little can be learned of their
success.
The public meeting room of the Birmingham Spiritualists
was given up some five months since, and at the present time
we are a disorganised body in this town, lacking faith in and
harmonious feeling towards each other, the large debt being
the principal cause. That has been cleared off, excepting a
balance of six or seven pounds, which will shortly be subscribed
by friends of the cause. Mrs. Groom, although not a public
medium, has done much to help to clear off the debt, without fee
or reward for her labours. Prior to the closing of our institute,
a person of the name of “Reddalls” presented himself for
admission to the circle, Mrs. Groom being the medium. The
superintendent, Mr. Franklin, refused to admit ibim, stating
the reason why, it being generally believed that he did not
come with good intentions. What was the consequence ? A
few weeks afterwards this same person Reddalls, along with
his friend Russell, got up sham seances to deceive Spiritualists.
To their shame, be it said, some Spiritualists flocked to see the
wonderful phenomena produced by the ” Infidel mediums ”
as they were called, and actually wrote to the press of this
town relating some of the astonishing things they had seen and
heard ? This same Mr. Reddalls has had the audacity to write
to Mr. Crookes, sending that gentleman a challenge that he
would produce all the phenomena Mrs. Fay did, and under the
same conditions; but doubtless Mr. Crookes has treated such
a person as he deserves. Instead of Reddalls causing an
influx to the ranks of secularists, his acts have had quite a
contrary effect, for numbers of secularists are now deep
investigators of Spiritualism. One of their number a Mr.
Mahoney, has taken his stand as a Spiritualist, and has
delivered two public lectures upon the subject to crowded
audiences in the Public Hall in Smith-street, St. George’s,
ably supported by Mr. R. Harper and others. Mr. Mahoney
is a young man of good intelligence, a good speaker,
and he appears to be thoroughly in earnest upon the
subject of Spiritualism, He has secured the co-operation of