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

Sept. 20, 1878.
THE SPIRITUALIST.
1S9
part in question. We were all astonished at this unexpected j
manifestation of enormous mechanical force, and asked
Slade what it all meant; but he only shrugged his shoulders, I
saying that such phenomena occasionally, though somewhat |
rarely, occurred in his presence. As he spoke he placed,
while still standing, a piece of slate pencil on the polished I
surface of the table, laid over it a slate purchased and just I
cleaned by myself, and pressed the five spread fingers of j
his right hand on the upper surface of the slate, while his j
left hand rested on the centre of the table. Writing began j
on the inner surface of the slate, and when Slade turned it j
up the following sentence was written in English : “It was
not our intention to do harm ; forgive what has happened.”
We were the more surprised at the production of the writing !
under these circumstances, for we particularly observed that
both Slade’s hands remained quite motionless while the
writing was going on.
“ The above-mentioned phenomena, which we witnessed at
our first meeting with Slade, appeared to me and my friends
so extraordinary and so much at variance with all our former
conceptions, that William Weber and myself resolved to
give some of our colleagues the opportunity of testifying to
them. We therefore went the next day to Professor 0.
Ludwig and informed him of the facts. The interest which
he took in the subject encouraged me to invite two other
friends to come to my house the next day, Sunday, Nov.
18th, to judge for themselves in the presence of Slade. I
proposed my colleagues, Herr G-eheimrath Thiersch, surgeon,
and Herr Wundt, Professor of Philosophy, in which choice
Herr Ludwig fully concurred.
. “ On Sunday, the 18th November, at three o’clock in the
afternoon, these three gentlemen met at my house. I had
purchased the previous day a new walnut wood card-table
from a cabinetmaker in this town, named J. G. Ritter, and
had put it in the place of the table used at the former
sitting. The slates, single and folding, which we placed at
Slade’s disposal were bought by myself and my friends, and
were marked by us. There were present at the stance only
Herr Geheimrath Thiersch, C. Ludwig, and Prof. Wundt.
After half an hour’s sitting they left the room ; of the
phenomena observed by them I will only mention that related
to me by Herr Thiersch, viz., a successful experiment similar
to my own with my pocket-knife, and, in addition, that be¬
tween the folds of a double slate, which Slade held in his
right hand over the table in view of all, three sentences were
written in the English, French, and German languages, each
one in a different handwriting. The slate remains ^in my
possession, and affords opportunity for investigation with
regard to the question of previous preparation.
• “ It is to be understood that the present relation of facts in
no way presupposes a judgment in the minds of my colleagues
as regard the causes of the phenomena. I perfectly agree
with the Imperial Court conjuror, Herr Bellachini, whose
testimony concerning Slade begins with the following
words :—
I hereby declare it to be a rash act to form any conclusion with
regard to the objective mediumistic performances of the American,
Mr. Henry Slade, even with the minutest observation, after one sitting
only.
“ Slade returned the same afternoon about six o’clock to
Berlin. All that had been observed in his presence appeared
to me and my friends to be of so interesting a nature, and so
entirely worthy of further investigation, that we thankfully
and willingly accepted the offer of my friend, Mr. Oscar von
Hoffmann, to invite Slade to spend a longer time in Leipzig
as his guest, that he might be thus withdrawn from all
publicity, and placed entirely at our disposal for the purposes
of scientific research. In cousequence of this invitation,
Slade came a second time alone to Leipzig, on Monday, 10 th
December, 1877, and took up his appointed quarters in the
house of my friend.”
(To be continued.)
The Cambridge Express of September 14th has two letters in favour
of Spiritualism, occupying a column and a half, signed “ Veritas ” and
“ A Christian Spiritualist.’’
Ma. and Mrs. Fletcher are in Paris, and will return to London
about the 30th September. Mr. J. P. Turner, of Leamington, is also
on a visit to Paris.
ADDRESS BY MR. W. J. COLVILLE.
On Saturday afternoon, September 14th, Mr. W. J.
Colville gave a farewell address at 38, Great Russell-street,
to the members of the National Association of Spiritualists,
previous to his expected departure for the United States.
There was a good attendance of members and friends. Among
those present were Captain R. F. Burton, H.M. Consul at
Trieste, Mrs. Burton, Captain James, Mrs. Fitz-Gerald, Mr.
D. G. Fitz-Gerald, Mrs. D. G. Fitz-Gerald, Mr. J. F. Colling-
wood, F.G.S., Rev. W. W. Newbould, M.A., F.L.S., Rev.
C. Maurice Davies, D.D., Dr. Carter Blake, Mr. C. C.
Massey, Madame de Steiger, Mrs. Ellis, Mr. Luke Burke,
Mr. R. P. Thomas, Miss Mackay, and Mr. M. J. Walhouse.
The Secretary stated that a number of questions on
spiritual matters had lately been handed to her by a member
of the Council, which had been sent to him by a Hindoo
student of Spiritualism, with a request that they might be
publicly answered. It had been suggested that the present
was a favourable opportunity for obtaining information on
the subjects indicated, and, therefore, the permission of the
audience was requested that these questions should be put
seriatim to Mr. Colville’s guides. No one but the secretary
and gentleman mentioned had seen the questions.
(The answers, some of which were given at considerable
length, are here much abbreviated, the chief points only
being noted.)
QueSi 1.—Is it in the power of spirits who are said to keep
a constant watch over us, and to guide us, to improve the
temporal conditions of the man seeking their aid ?
Ans.—As to the question of the interference of spirits in
our temporal affairs, knowing as we do how temporal con¬
ditions affect either for good or evil the nature of every man,
it is natural to suppose that spirits will endeavour to rule
our lives in such a way as to develop most readily the
spiritual part of our nature. If you desire to attract high
and noble spirits, you must see that your physical life is
such as will conduce to your highest spiritual development;
that is, that all your surroundings are, as far as possible, in
accordance with natural law, and that the harmony of your
whole being is maintained. The lower spirits will then have
but little power, as they can only control persons through
the degraded side of their nature; they cannot touch a good
man, and the higher spirits will come to you as your life
grows pure and holy. Spirits have a much clearer vision
than mortals, and can more easily discern the workings of
the laws of cause and effect; they know what is before and
after better than you; consequently they can sometimes
give you valuable advice with regard to material matter. It
is well to listen to it without, of course, resigning your
common sense, treating it as you would do the counsel of a
dear friend, older and wiser than yourself.
Q. 2.—What is the state of the wicked persons who form
by far the bulk of the tenants of our globe in the spirit
world, and how are they treated and dealt with there ?
Must they suffer no punishment for their wicked actions
whilst in the flesh ?
A.—In the spirit world, as here, the laws of cause and
effect are always at work. Your earthly life will decide
what your heavenly life will be; according to the efforts
you have made to resist temptation and to live a pure inner
life, you will be rewarded or punished. You will not be
| judged by what man has thought to be your life, but by
what it has been in the eyes of the angels. Every hour
| you are preparing your future home—“ laying up for your¬
selves treasures in heaven.” Your destiny there will be the
| result of your life here. The wicked will then see clearly
the results of their evil acts, and their remorse will be their
| sufficient punishment.
Q. 3.—Are the mediums conscious of their own separate
identity while fully under the influence of spirits ?
A.—The degree of consciousness when in the trance state
differs with different mediums. In the case of our own
medium, for instance, sometimes he is quite unconscious,
sometimes only partially so, hearing his own speech as in a
dream. In deep trance, the spirit of the medium oc-
j casionally leaves the body and travels in spiritual realms of
| which he remembers nothing on his return. But we believe
that the soul is always active, and that consciousness is