The Spiritualist newspaper > No.317, September 20th 1878

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THE SPIRITUALIST.
Sept. 20, 1878.
We think that they are bound to do so chiefly to the Dutch. We will
see whether they can find courage for it, and whether the English
brethren will invite them to do so.
We hope that .Rita and Williams still possess some self-esteem.
We should advise the one to become an honest shopkeeper, and the
other to remain an honest workman, both earning their bread with
honest hands. If they do so, as we hope they will, the time may
come when they will feel redeemed from the sin they have committed
against humanity, for after punishment there is forgiveness for all who
elevate themselves.
But truth above all; and we must obey the impulse of our hearts,
and publicly warn the friends. Spiritualism must be kept pure, and
there would be no excuse for keeping silence about such deeds ; yet
let us pity the men who have committed them. This, the Dutch think,
is really the line of conduct of a true Spiritualist, and all true English
brethren will reach out the hands and unite with us. We expect this.
Several Dutch Spiritualists and Investigators.
Such is the much-to-be-regretted information just received
from The Hague. For a long time past we have ceased to
print, editorially, in these pages any official reports of
cabinet seances, but have recorded only those materialisation
stances in which the mediums gave sittings off their own j
premises, and had their hands held on both sides by respon¬
sible witnesses, without being released for one moment.
Such sittings both Williams and Rita have given in great
number in the houses of good critical witnesses at the
West-end of London, and the powerful results thus obtained
are not vitiated by the character of the mediums or of the
spirits about them. Nevertheless, our stringency in record¬
ing only those results in which the character of the medium
had not to be considered as a factor involved us in much
unpopularity with enthusiasts ; so, also, has our oft-repeated
advice to give up cabinet seances, and to accept no unusual
phenomena obtainable only on the premises of the medium.
At genuine materialisation seances, while the medium is
in one place, one or more forms, the duplicates in appear¬
ance of himself (his clothes being also sometimes duplicated),
begin to form near him. As each materialised form in¬
creases in weight, the weight of the medium decreases;
these duplicates of the medium do very wonderful things,
and claim to be spirits. Dr. Wyld and Mr. Serjeant Cox
think them to be the spirits of the mediums; enthusiastic
Spiritualists, who have seen them in a bad light, recognise them
as their uncles, aunts, and cousins with surprising facility,
and see marvels witnessed by nobody else at the same seance.
Our opinion is that one or more independent spirits are at
work as well as the spirit of the medium, and that these
independent spirits, having no material body of their own,
communicate under such conditions that they are obliged to
take on the form of the body of the medium. The spirits
who produce physical manifestations are sometimes far from
being saints, and in some cases are not averse to aiding
and abetting their mediums in imposture. Indeed, when
genuine mediums swindle the general public by turning
“ exposers,” and showing real manifestations as imposture,
the spirits still help them; and so have some reputedly
respectable men in America who lent their names to the
public performances of such sharpers. Although such
‘‘exposing” mediums are needy people, they have never
been able to expose how that portion of their own perform¬
ance is done which is not conjuring; no reward can bring
forth such exposure, because the impostors and their abettors
do not know themselves how the results are brought about.
For a long time it has been a puzzle to discover where the
white drapery about the “doubles ” comes from, although it
has been found out to be common stuff. In the case of
Williams and Rita it was about their persons, and in those
numerous test seances in which these two mediums were held
by both hands, yet the forms seen floating over the tables, if
the drapery and lamps were taken from the persons of the
mediums, a curious species of spiritual and • mortal
masquerading must have been going on. And in America,
in connection with undoubtedly genuine mediums and mani¬
festations, such masquerading gear has been seized. In
London, Mr. Wedgwood, the magistrate (in his own house),
and Captain James, recently took off all the clothes of one
medium, giving him others with no white stuff in them, yet
afterwards out of the cabinet came either the medium or his
“ double ” fully robed in white drapery, carried into the
cabinet probably by spirits. What the mediums know and
flo not know at the time it is impossible to say ; they are
jl mesmeric sensitives, constantly falling into trances during
J | seances, and occasionally at other times.
( We have never seen evidence of spirit identity given by a
! living, flexible face at a materialisation seance; the phenomena
[I of haunted houses and of some descriptions of writing
I mediumship furnish, however, strong proof of the presence of
| identifiable departed human beings. The intellect and
II morality connected with certain physical manifestations are
| sometimes very low, as in the grievous case now under
notice ; yet in the higher phases of mediumship, trance, and
clairvoyance they are often high, as in the inspirational
i poems of Lizzie Doten.
The British National Association of Spiritualists might do
| good service in this case of Messrs. Williams and Rita by
| deciding what should be done in the matter, what steps taken
| to let the public know that Spiritualists as a body are in no
! way responsible for the conduct of professional mediums, and
I what ought to be done to put down, with a strong hand, all
I temptation to such to resort to imposture in the future.
La Razon is a paper •which is issued at Toluca (Mexico), every
| month, and comprises a very fair statement of the objects of the
| periodical, which is destined to propagate the principles of free thought
! in Spiritualism.
j Mr. Colville’s Farewell Meeting.—-Mr. W. J. Colville will hold his
I! farewell meeting in London, before his departure for America, in the
| Langham Hall, 43, Great Portland-street, W., this evening (Friday).
The proceedings commence punctually at eight o’clock. Mrs. Weldon
has kindly consented to preside and address the meeting. Mr. Colville
will deliver an inspirational discourse and poem, and reply to questions.
All Spiritualists and their friends who can make it convenient to attend
are invited to be present; admission free to all parts of the hall, except
reserved stalls. Doors open at 7.30 p.m.
Capt. R,. F. Burton, Her Majesty’s Consul at Trieste, honorary
J member of the British National Association of Spiritualists, is now in
! England, and will, during the month of December, read a paper at the
| fortnightly discussion meetings on “ Spiritualism in the East.” Capt.
I Burton’s name was some time ago, in the discussion on Theosophy,
alluded to as a probable assailant of the veracity of Madame Blavatsky
j with respect to the manners and complexion of the Todas. It appears,
I however, that he agrees in the main entirely with her statement of fact,
j Possibly some may desire to interrogate him on this subject.
Dr. Johnson’s Prayer.—The following prayer, clearly showing Dr.
! Johnson’s belief in Spiritualism, occurs amongst his Prayers and
| Meditations. It was written on the death of his wife in 1752:—“ Oh,
| Lord, Governor of heaven and earth, in whose hands are embodied and
j departed spirits, if Thou hast ordained the souls of the dead to minister
[ to the living, and appointed my departed wife to have care of me, grant
that I may enjoy the good effects of her attention and ministration,
whether exercised by appearance, impulses, dreams, or in any other
| manner agreeable to Thy government. Forgive my presumption,
i enlighten my ignorance, and, however meaner agents are employed,
grant me the blessed influences of Thy Holy Spirit, through Jesus
Christ, our Lord. Amen.” The Rev. George Strahan, D.D., Pre¬
bendary of Rochester and Yicar of Islington, in the advertisement to
the fourth edition of the Prayers and Meditations, inserts an elaborate
apology for the credibility of apparitions.—Oxford Edition of Johnson's
Works, Yol. ix., pp. 197 to 202.
A Spirit Foot.—Mr. H. D. Jencken, barrister-at-law, in the course
of a letter to us from Brighton, says:—“ On Saturday, the 21st August,
about half-past one p.m., we—that is Mrs. Berry, Mrs. Jencken, Miss
Barnsdale, myself, and my two little boys—were seated at luncheon in
the dining-room at Mrs. Berry’s house. The blinds were up, the three
windows open, and the sun shining into the room in all its lustre.
Suddenly loud raps spelt out, * Place the cardboard under the table.”
I was not aware that a cardboard had been prepared. . . . Miss Barns¬
dale immediately rose (wekeeping our seats), went into the next room,
returned with the card in her hand, showed us that the surface was
perfectly black, and at once placed it under the table, between Mrs.
Berry and Mrs. Jencken. We were then ordered by the alphabet—
spelt out by raps—to draw back our feet, and the ladies their dresses,
the prattle of the children continuing the whole time. In less than ten
minutes, during which time we went on with our luncheon, loud raps
came, spelling out, “ Take up the card.” Miss Barnsdale, who acted
as the intermediator between the unseen and visible guests, accordingly
took it up, when, to our great joy, in clear outline, every mould of the
planta visible, the print of a human foot was discovered to have been
impressed on the blackened card. This footprint, when examined by
a magnifying glass, was found to be perfect, every line visible—the
mould of the foot, the toes and the heel,- the very pores of the skin
clearly marked, such as may be seen on hard sand of the seashore when
the tide ebbs, and a barefooted child or woman happens to pass by.
The interest attaching to this incident became intensified on considering
the surrounding circumstances. What happened, happened in clear
daylight, without preparation or premeditation—the silent footprint
of the unheard and unknown visitor alone speaking, appealing to us,
and reminding us of the unseen world. It was unnecessary, as it is not
usual for ladies and gentlemen to sit at table without shoes and
stockinus, but every foot was held out for examination. I hear from
Mrs. Berry that she has had the foot photographed.”