Mr Ellis' Lecture.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 66, 19 February 1885, Page 2

Mr Ellis' Lecture.

: (TO THE EDITOR OF THE STANDARD.)! Sir, — In common with other wouldbe metaphysicians I went and' heard Mr Ellis, the. Auckland President' of ; the Psychological Society of; all New Zealand "speak a piece," on the subject of the mystic doctrince of Spiritualism, and I must say that his lecture did not tend to strengthen one's belief m that doctrine^ or emphasise the truths thereof.. 'The lecturer, vaunted spiritualism above orthodoxy and discoursed for an hour on th' e trite generalities of his subject,interspersed with facetious levities,* tall : stories, and Yankee twang. : ' To elucidate his subject he gave whatf h& called " the muscle test " by clairvoyance, affirming afterwards that it was only a trick which ." could . be practised Upon', ypiir mother-in-law," that is, I suppose, provided she were hying and jon~ were on good terms with her. The modus operandi of the trick comprised three endeavors to ascertain, blindfolded, the whereabouts of a pin which the lecturer gave to ; a lady to secrete. On finding, another pin which' tie Extracted from the waistcoat; ota gentleman (a most 'likely place to "find one) the lecturer raised it triumphantly and withdrew the babdage from his eyes ; but upon being told that ; it-was not the pin, he remarked with con- j sumtnate coolness, " that it was. very like the one he gave, the lady to Jride." There could be no doubt of that ! After a : go.od deal pf fumbh'hg/aboutf ancl assisted by the artless malleability of "'the lady and irresistible language, pfher eyes, the lecturer . found .the pin which was ; giveh.to a lawyer io hide, and ajfter leading him all round the room '^he"* iecturer was not able to find it, and remarked .'that no doubt his poweris were baffled owing to the natural callosity ot the | legal heart. . The lecturer next exemplified his powers of clairaudience by evolving from his inner consciousness names and descriptions of seven or eight spirits who, just then m Pbedience to his will*, were m spiritual commission with- him, and who were relatives or friends' of persons m Palnierston. However;; only, one " claimed kindred there, and had his . claims allowed.' ', The lecturer then proceeded to what he cabled t 'Tdogh6se " the 44 ills that flesh is heir to " of some of'lris^ audience. A few persons submitted themselves for examination and as then* ills were declared mainly to be affections of the'lieart or nervous systeuii of course' the lecturer's diagnosis was as infallible as jthe prognosis, particularly after his impressing upon all the T benefit to 'be derived from : a personal interview, with him at his private rooms, during his necessarily short stay, and stating on being asked what the fee would be that •• that would depend on the length, of the /poGJk.e.tk'' Speaking; of spiritualists the lecturer said that they were " what we m America call' cranks," yet later on, being asked what countryman he was heiclaiined to be a "Britisher." Altogether the lecture seemed a cheap way of advertising certain private^ stances desired by the president, not unconnected with the gauging of the before-mentioned pocket, and demonstrated that spiritualism far exceeded orthodoxy m its; being more "to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the^Greeks foolishness. — I am, &c. Bayley Hawkins.