SPIRITUALISM.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1957, 13 August 1869, Page 3

SPIRITUALISM.

The following affidavit of Mr 0. F. Varley, Electrician of the Electric and International and Atlantic Telegraph Companies, on the phenomena now attracting attention, will be read with interest. It was made in the case of Lyon t. Home, which is no doubt fresh in our readers’ memories ; “I, Cromwell Fleetwood Varley, of Fleetwood House, Beckenham, in the County of Kent, Esquire, make oath, and say as follows ; “ I have been a student of electricity, chemistry, and natural philosophy, for 26 years, a telegraphic engineer by profession for 21 years, and I am the consulting electrician of the Atlantic Telegraphic Company, and of the Electric and International Company. “ About nine or ten years ago, having had my attention directed to the subject of Spiritualism by its spontaneous and unexpected development in my own family in the form of clairvoyant visions and communications, I determined to test the truth of the alleged physical phenomena to the best of my ability, and to ascertain, if possible, the nature of the force which produced them. “ Accordingly, about eight years ago, I called upon Mr Home, the defendant in this suit, and stated that I had not yet witnessed any of the physical phenomena, but that I was a scientific man and wished to investigate them carefully. “He immediately gave me every facility for the purpose, and desired me to satisfy myself in every possible way, and I have been with him on divers occasions when the phenomena have occurred. I have examined and tested them with him and with others, under conditions of my own choice, under a bright light, and have made the most jealous and searching scrutiny. I have been since then, for seven months, in America, where the subject attracts great attention and study, and where it is cultivated by some of the ablest men, and having experimented with, and compared the forces with electricity and magnetism, and alter having applied mechanical and mental tests, I entertain no doubt whatever that the manifestations which I have myself examined were not due to the operation of any of the recognised physical laws of nature, and that there has been present on the occasions above mentioned some intelligence other than that of the medium and observers. “ The subject, of course, offers many opportunities and inducements for fraud, and I only speak of what I have myself seen tested. Since my acquaintance with Mr Home began I have pursued the enquiry, and I have found engaged in it able, learned, and scientific men, who are convinced as I am that the physical manifestations are but the introduction to an extensive field of mental and physical knowledge which will in a great measure explain and reconcile the belief of all ages and nations. I know of several instances both in Europe and America in which this course of study has awakened the perception of the purest and loftiest truths and principles. There have been no doubt cases in which the intellect has been too feeble for the stimulus, and has been overpowered by it, just as frequently results from excessive application to religion and other exciting topics, but such cases have not come within my own observation. “ Mr Home, like several other nonprofessional mediums whose cases I have studied, was passive during the occurrence of the manifestations. Ho, like other mediums, is extremely susceptible to external influences, and has a mind better suited to receive impressions than to prosecute enquiries. I willingly testify my entire conviction of his truthfulness and honesty. “ C. F. Yakley.”