The Spiritualist newspaper > No.393, March 5th 1880

March 5, 1880.
THE SPIRITUALIST.
119
But, say some, this gross defect of moral
reverence is only a sin among the great un¬
washed, whose thoughtlessness is but an in¬
spiration of ignorance. Indeed ! The writer
of this fragment can testify differently. I
know a highly educated coroner, of superior
family and lineage, who says with a material¬
istic laugh, “More dead meat,” when speaking
of his solemn, responsible duties. This is
only a fair example of many, and much worse
cases of viewing life as a huge joke, and death
as an unimportant sleep after lunch, during
the perplexing heat of the dog-days. But
why this lament over the lower forms of
materialistic thought and experience ? The
better class of materialists were not, and are
not irreverent. Grand beings like Shelley,
were as reverent without creeds, as were
Wesley, Keble and Swedenborg, with a
multiplicity of visions, prayers, catechisms,
and melodies from the organ-loft. But after
all, the moral beauty, and the intense religious
fervour of Christ, and of the churches, are the
best safeguards against that deterioration of
manners and manliness, which unlettered
materialism gives to those minds predisposed
to sneer at things which history has held to
be sacred. If Spiritualism really substantiates
this holy faith and feeling, the argument for
religious reverence is complete.
Mr. Anderson, a young medium, occupied the
platform of the Glasgow Association nf Spiritualists
on Sunday evening, the 29th February, and lectured
on “True Greatness.” Short addresses were given
the same evening by Messrs. Coates, Walker, Robertson
and Mr. Wood, of Oldham.
The Countess of Caithness is at Nice and Mr. G. C.
Joad at Mentone ; many other Spiritualists are tem¬
porarily residing in various towns on the northern shore
of the Mediterranean until the close of the winter
season.
At the February Meeting of the Council of the
National Association of Spiritualists, one new member
was elected, namely, Major General Maclean. The
resignations were Mr. T. E. Partridge, Mrs. Burton
Burton, Mr. R. Catling, The Rev. G. White, Mrs. H.
Green, Mr. T. Weeks, Mrs. Weeks, Mrs. Wingfield,
Mrs. Parrock, and a gentleman who does not wish his
name to be published.
Mr. James Coates, Professor of Phrenology and
Mesmerism, has just delivered a course of three
Lectures in the Queen’s Park Rooms, Crosshill,
Glasgow. Subject:—1. How to read Character, or the
Faces we Meet; 2. Chastity, Physiologically and
Hygienically considered ; 3. Health Hints for All.
These Lectures were illustrated by anatomical figures,
busts and diagrams, and by the delineations of the
characters of persons selected by the audiences each
night. The lectures were well attended and well
received.
Rj CLAIRVOYANCE APPLIED TO ASTRONOMY.
|)| Astronomers have strong reasons for supposing that
!X| the planet Jupiter is red hot, and uninhabitable by
j)i organic beings. How far the information in the
jcj following letter is trustworthy it is impossible to say,
isl but if the same clairvoyant had the power of accurately
pi describing by the same means distant places upon this
Rj earth,' it would add weight to any revelations she
IS| might make about the planets :—
To the JEdittr of “ The Standard.”
K Sir,—In reference to your article of Tuesday last on
Pi the redness recently observed by astronomers in the
Ki planet Jupiter, the following may interest your readers,
pj In July, 1877, I took down from the mouth of a
Kj clairvoyante, of the accuracy of whose spiritual vision I
•;SI have had proofs innumerable, this account of Jupiter,
pi she being at the time deeply entranced, and engaged
Ki on an excursion through space. The soul was already
i) | far on its return towards the earth when she
j) | exclaimed:—
SI “ All the planets are inhabited. How innumerable
is the variety of forms! Here is Jupiter; it has nine
Ki moons! yes, nine—some are exceedingly small. And,
iSj oh, how red it is! It has so much iron. And what
P| enormous men and women! There is Evil there, too.
is| Evil is wherever are Matter and Limitation. But the
isi people on Jupiter are far better than we on Earth,
pj They know much more. They are much wiser. There
isi is less of Evil in their planet. Ah! they have another
pj sense, too. I cannot describe it, or tell what it is. It
Isj differs from all the others. We have nothing like it.”
K The ascription to Jupiter of redness was quite
|) I unknown to either of us, so that the perception was
isi independent of previous mental impression.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Paris, February 18th. Edward Maitland.
<*
isj Spiritualism in Glasgow.—The Glasgow Association
j>i of Spiritualists has returned to its old quarters, 164,
k| Trongate. The course of winter lectures at the
iS Trades Hall has been beneficial in more ways than
ii one. It has shown the Association the value and
I necessity of organisation ; it has knit the members
| together in greater harmony; it has gained some twenty
| new and intelligent members; placed fifty new volumes
i in the library, and given a course of fifteen lectures
i to the Glasgow public, in one"of the most central and
j respectable halls in the city. Organisation has also
greatly increased the enthusiasm, earnestness and
I liberality of the individual members of the Association,
i The following speakers occupied the platform during
j the course :—Mr. J. J. Morse, two lectures ; Mr.
Harper, of Birmingham, one; Mr. Wallis, of Notting-
j ham, two ; Mr. A. Duguid, of Kirkcaldy, one; Mr.
j Walker, late of Melbourne, three. The Secretary
| to the Association gave six, filling up the intervals
I between the professional speakers. The Committee of
i the Association, in order to carry out the above series,
| thought it advisable to raise a guarantee fund to cover
j at least the rent of the Hall, trusting to the collections
| to defray the lecturers’ fees and advertising; for this
I purpose £22 10s. were required, towards which £18
i have been contributed. With the experience and
| encouragement thus gained, the Association will make
a bolder effort to put Spiritualism before the Glasgow
i public next winter. An inner circle, with Mr. David
j Duguid, as medium, has been formed for the careful
j investigation of the phenomena. It is held every
j Friday at 8 p.m. in the Association’s seance room. At
j a future time, a limited number of Spiritualists will be
j admitted at each sitting.