YESTERDAY’S NEWS.

Evening Star, Issue 3109, 5 February 1873, Page 3

YESTERDAY’S NEWS.

THE REV. J. M. PEEBLES ON “MEDIUMS AND CIRCLES.”

Yesterday evening, in the Lower Hall of the Athemeum, Mr Peebles delivered a lecture on “ The Spiritual—the real. How do spirits control me j iums, how to form circles, and what he has seen iu them. ” The attendance was not so large as on the previous occasion. Mr Redmayne occupied the chair.

Dr Dunn commenced the proceedings by reading a poem alleged to have come from tlit spirit of Edgar Allan Poe, and written after the style of the “ Haven.”

Mr Peebles then proceeded to show that map, created in the image and likeness of God, was elevated above all creation, and rested on the apex of earth’s organic pyramid. “God breathed into man the breath of life, and he became a living soul.” His mind was the ever living, ruling power lasting throughout eternity. All nature was constantly changing so far as exterior appearances were poucerned, but ttye spiritual, though unseen, was all powerful, and did not change. Physical science had failed to see tin's force, yet the fact remained that mind moved and controlled all things. It was an idea ema . uating from the mind of 1 uther that stirred, convulsed, and made the Homan Catholic Church tremble to its foundation. That liable, by p few blows from a hammer, would become so many pieces of wood, then by the application of lire thpy would become ashes, and then by the use or action of chemicals they would be in turn changed into invisible pas. Ask the rough ploughman to find hardest and most lasting material within his knowledge, and he will present you with a piece of granite rock. Bpt that rpek by the application of heat may be transformed into li juid, and then into gas, and pass away unseen. Some time ago, during the great tire at Chicago, a vast amount of valuable property and many lives were destroyed, but the mind power still remained, It was clear, therefore, that everything we see around us is unreal, and that the spiritual only is real. Death severs the copartnership between the body and the spirit, and while the former (fecays and ceases to exist, the latter lives, progresses, and, by enforcement, becomes an angel holding communion with this earth, It was taught by certain sects that angels were a distinct creation from spirits, butthcic was no logical p, oof f this existing, while at the same time there was ample proof, by analogy and otherwise, that the ang p ls were first mortals, then spirits, then angels, and then arch-ang>ds, and thus they wont on progressing throughout eternity. That these angelsi held communion with this earth can scarcely be doubted. In proof, he would refer to the story of the appearing of an angel to A braham, and then to two prominent passages of scripture, one in the Old and one in tho New Testament. The first was to be found in I Samuel, chap. 28, verses 25. In this passage we have an account of the woman of Endor—not the witch of Endor. as priests and bigots term her, but the woman of Endor, as the Bible calls her. The story shows that Samuel had died and was buried at I*amah, and that this woopo bad communed

with the spirit of Samuel. Was the spirit of Samuel present? As to testimony of the fact —it was the belief of Bul himself, a Hebrew piophet that Samuel was there. The writer of the book of Samuel says this without 'be shghtest hesitation. r l he historian declares wthout note or comment that Samuel conversed with Saul. These are the weds, “ And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disqni ted mo to bring me up?” I bis excellent, woman of Endor—who fulfilled the command of Christ, “Feed the hungry ”• -believed and knew he was there. The Jewish nation, to whom were committed the oracles of Cod, believed that Samuel was present. Josephus, the historian, affirms that Samuel was theie, and that the woman saw him (Antiij of the Jews, chap. 14). Dr Adam Clarke the biblical commentator, says, “ I believe there is a supernatural and spiritual world in which human spiiits, both good and bad, live in a state of consciousness. I beii. ve Samuel did actually appear to Saul, and that he was sent by the special mercy of Cod to warn this infatuated king of his approaching death. Here we have the testimony of the ' ible writer, of Saul, of the woman, of Josephus, of Dr Clarke, and the other biblical expositors, to lessen the force of the spiritual manifesta ions recorded in Samuel, the more narrow-minded of the clergy have ever souuht to stir and create a prejudice against this Endor medium -the noble woman who fed her pers, or •'-'aul. But Josephus bravely and honoi.-.Jy came to her defence. He said. “It is but just to recommend the generosity of this woman. It would he well to imitate her example, and do kindness to all such as are in want, ami to think that nothing is better or more becoming mankind than this general beneficence, nor what will sooner render God favorable and ready to bestow good thin_s upon us.” The other passage of Scripture would be found in the 17th chapter of Mattlvw. where the transfiguration of Christ was describ' d. It was shown that whiie he talked with the spirits of Moses and Klias in the presence of Peter, .Tame-, and John, his very garments were changed, .and did shine as the light. Now, either the spirits in all the three cases mentioned appeared in accordance with the will of God's laws, or they did not. Those we.o believe that they did are Spiritualists. He then, at considerable length, described Ids own experiences, stating the case of a youth who lectured by the inspiration of spirits, and of a young woman who wrote with both hands at the same t roc on different subjects, while she conversed on another, and all by spiritual influence. He also alluded to a lady clairvoyant who, while in a trance, a spirit spoke through her, saying, “I was killed this morning on the Detroit railway, and my name is John Morgan.” On the following morning news of the accident was received, and among the bst of killed was the name John Morgan. There was another case of a young Greek who came to America to see the country, ami while in New York visited Judge Kdrounds, with the view of learning something of Spiritualism. One Thursday, while be was priv-ent, the judge’s daughter became tranced. During the trance she sp ke nine different languages, but one of them seemed strange to- all present. After a while, tears came to the youth’s eyes, and he cried oir, “My mother, "hj ! my mother,” It was the spirit of his departed mother that was speaking through the girl in his own native tongue. He had often been at the stances of the celebrated medium Dr Henry Slarten, and, while there, had seen spirit forms hovering about, and bodies sailing through the air, with no hands to hold them up. These events were witnessed, not only by believers, but also by sceptics. On one occasion he saw as it were, a misty cloud moving, with arms pr trudiug from it. It disappeared, and then reappeared, with the full form of the doctor’s wife in it. When these facts were corroborated by the experience of such men as Judge F(l* rounds, Hewitt, Owen, and many other credible witnesses they could scarcely he doubted. At any r; to they wore as apparently credible as the st ry of woman having been made from the rib of a man ; the narrative of the shower of quails in the wilderness, which was said to have b f, en two feet thick ; the statement of the sun aaid moon standing still ; and many other like absurdities recorded in the Bible. But as to h'nv the sprits controlled and entranced mortals, no one could explain more clearly than it could be shown how the stone was removed from Christ’s tomb, how Peter’s chains were removed, or how John was enabled to look up into heaven. proceeded to show how circles were formed, remarking that there wore twenty-four forms of mediumship. Circles were to he formed on strict scientific principles. First, the number of members must be fixed on, and then the n'ghls on which the stances are to be held. When assembled, the door should be shut, and, if possible, the same table and chairs should be constantly used. When seated, the members should proceed t > invoke the Deity, and sing a spiritual song ; then harmoniously and calmly communicate with their sainted fariier, mother, or friend. Then there were the dark circles, but he did not know why the*e should be, and he had an antipathy for them. They were sometimes abused, but all good things were abused. If these conditions were complied with, the members would receive the living Gospel of angels—a Gospel free from creeds as was the Gospel of Jesus. Bgt ft was necessary that they should be enthusiastic, for without enthusiasm, in this as in everything else, success could scarcely be expected. _____