DR CROOKES on SPIRITUALISM.

Evening Star, Issue 3598, 3 September 1874, Page 3

DR CROOKES on SPIRITUALISM.

In these days of failing faith and growing scepticism the robust capacity of belief of our friends the spiritualists would be almost enviable were it not exhibited in so uncommonly queer a manner. Extraordinary evidence of their gx-eat capacity fer swallowing the marvellous is afforded by the number of the ‘Harbinger of Light’ which has just made its appearance. We there find an instance calculated to convince the most incredulous of a spiritual message which was conveyed in Greek, and which, when translated in the vernacular, assumes the following sibylline form : “A meteorologist casts far from him the frivolities of the table or banquet. The tongue pours forth its dreams and aims at random, having no share in common concerning things invisible.” It is curious to reflect that there are human minds which can draw spiritual nutriment and comfort from such communications as this. Next we read a pleasing account of “ the materialisation of spirits,” contributed by the “ chairman of the energetic circle, Sandhurst.” From this we learn that spirit materialisation is progressing most happily; “ The spirits are now enabled to materialise themselves in full form, so as to enable us all to touch them from head to foot. They are clothed—both male and female—in robes of white muslin or gauze, which we are allowed to feel, and which seem of very ample dimensions. It is really very wonderful how or where they obtain so much of this texture, how they manage to get it into the room, and what becomes of it when they have done with it.” The latter subject is one which, though merely of an economic nature, is suggestive of fertile reflections. The chairman adds an account of an interview with the übiquitous “Katie n g»” who “ wore a turban on her head just as she appears in the * London Spiritualist.’ ” Katie made herself quite at home with the circle, and made use of pleasing but perfectly harmless familiarities towards some of its members, “ What,” asks the chairman, “ say our opponents to such a manifestation 1” What, indeed ? “ Alas, toe troo !” ejaculates Artexnus Ward on a similar occasion. We have also a “ month’s news of spiritualism from England,” coutrihuted by “W. L. R./’ which shows that “ Katie ” is as lively and active at the sittings in London as at Sandhurst. There is an artice on “ Spirit Forms ” attributed to Dr Crookes, which is devoted to the account of doings of a Miss Gook and the spiritual Katie. Dr Crookes writes that he has “absolute proof” that Katie and Miss Cook were two separate material beings, a circumstance that illustrates the progress of the doctor in the strange career of selfillusion on which he has entered, Mr Matthew Arnold writes of people “who speak of God as a man in the next street,” and Dr Crookes speakes of these spiritual beings as ordinary members qf his toil/ clihle*‘oa MttVhli 1 % during

v Seanoe here, after Katie had been walking amongst us and talking for some time, she retreated behind the curtain which separated my laboratory, where the company was sitting, from *ny library, which did temporary duty us a cabiir t. In a minute she came to the curtain and called me to her, saying, ‘ Come into the room and lift my mtdium’s head up, she has slipped down.’ Katie was then standing be fore me, clothed in her usual white robes and turban head-dress. T immediately walked into the library up to Miss Cook, Katie stepping aside to allow me to pass,” &c. In another place this kind of thing is spoken of as “ scientific investigations.” But it is hardly likely that the scientific woi’ld will pay much attention to the authority of Dr Crookes on any subject after such exhibitions as these. - ‘ Australasian.’