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SPIRITUALISTIC LECTURERS IN MELBOURNE.

Mr J. M. Peebles and his friend Dr Dunn, who have journeyed from America to enlighten Australians on the phenomena and teaching of Spiritualism, were welcomed to Melbourne by the Association of Progressive Spiritualists. The Aye describes Mr Peebles as having delivered a brief offhand address, touching on the causes that had induced him to visit the antipodes, his conversion to Spiritualism, his deep faith in its truth, and his determination to devote his life and strength to the pi operation of its teachings. He stat' d when his attention was iirst called to table rappings and other phenomena some thirty years ago, he was an orthodox clergyman, and as such felt bound to set his face against all such unwholly innovations 'i he converts in his congregation, however, became so numerous that he could no longer afford to laugh the thing to scorn, and was

compelled to investigate its merits in order to denounce and demolish it from the pulpit. His investigations led him to the very opposite result. Instead of enabling him to expose it as a piece of chicanery and fraud, the phenomena he witnessed compelled him to be ievc against his will ; ho became not only a com ort, but in time a medium; and he bye-and-byo awoke to the fact—or “grand truth”—that the spirits of the loved ones who had gone were still around him as a wall of tire, giving him life, light, and joy. He embraced the new revelation with all the warmth of an earnest and enthusiastic nature, and thenceforth dedicated his whole energy to preaching this fresh gospel to the world. At first he had thirsted with a very natural curiosity—for actual manifestations of Spiritualism, such as men floating in the air and spirits proclaiming themselves by divers audible and tangible signs ; but he soon saw so many phenomena that he had no desire for further proof, and what charmed him now was the beautiful teaching of the spiritist religion. One fact he mentioned as a confirmation of the truth of the Bible story of Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego walking unainged through the burning fiery furnace heated seven times by Nebpchadnezzar. He and his friend Dr Dunn, who accompanies him on his visit to Australia, were one night communing with the spirits, and the fjre difficulty suggesting itself, the spirits were requested to solve it. At their request a kerosene lamp was procured, and Dr Dunn, who was at the time in the necessary medium trance, thrust his hand into the flame and hold it there for about five minutes. When withdrawn it was c vered with soot, but this was easily removed by the application of a handkerchief, and no injury of any sort was observable. On recovering from the trance, Dr Dunn simply inquired what bis friend and the spirits had been doing with him, as he had a severe pain in his head. The two mortals then interviewed the spirits for the purpose of discovering the recipe by which the miracle had been worked, and after a good deal of cross-questioning elicited that it had been accomplished by enc rcling the hand with a fireproof shield of ether, which could with equal ease be extended over the whole body. In concluding his remarks Mr Peebles dwelt feelingly on the sympathetic bond uniting the believers in Spiritualism—a far stronger bond than that of any creed; and said that he did not come here as a leader or dictator, but as a fellow worker who had resolved to devote himself body and soul to the promotion of the cause until the angels called him home. In appearance Mr Peebles is a tall handsome man, rather over middle age, with a long flowing grey beard, and an earnest thoughtful 'face. In speech he is easy, graceful, eloquent, and winning—just such a man as can fascinate an audience, especially on a subject that has a strong flavor of the mysterious or supernatural. He was followed by Dr Dunn, who, it is to be hoped, is better as a medium than as a speaker, this gentleman, whose accent and manner reminds one unpleasantly of the boards of a provincial theatre, assured the company that lie had grasped the warm hands extended to him by spirits of loved ones long since dead, had heard their angel voices, and so forth. He also predicted spi itualism would ere long be the religion of the united world', and said he would do his best to spread its glorious truths.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18721114.2.16

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Evening Star, Issue 3039, 14 November 1872, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
757

SPIRITUALISTIC LECTURERS IN MELBOURNE. Evening Star, Issue 3039, 14 November 1872, Page 4

SPIRITUALISTIC LECTURERS IN MELBOURNE. Evening Star, Issue 3039, 14 November 1872, Page 4

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