DOCSLIB.ORG

A Guide to Mediumship and Psychical Unfoldment

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Guide to Mediumship and Psychical Unfoldment A GUIDE TO MEDIUMSHIP AND PSYCHICAL UNFOLDMENT BY E. W. AND M. H. WALLIS [Wallis, Edward Walter 1855-1914 Wallis, Minnie Harriot 1854-] ——— In Three Parts PART I.—MEDIUMSHIP EXPLAINED PART II.—HOW TO DEVELOP MEDIUMSHIP PART III.—PSYCHICAL POWERS: HOW TO CULTIVATE THEM —————————— 'I could as soon doubt the existence of the sun as doubt the fact of my holding communion with my darling daughter. I thank God daily for the privilege.' —REV. THOS. GREENBURT. CHICAGO, ILL. 1903 Courtesy of SpiritWritings.com Do we indeed desire the dead Should still be near us at our side? Is there no baseness we would hide? No inner vileness that we dread? Shall he for whose applause I strove, I had such reverence for his blame,— See with clear eye some hidden shame. And I be lessened in his love? I wrong the dead with fears untrue; Shall love be blamed for want of faith? There must be wisdom with great Death: The dead shall look me through and through. Be near us when we climb or fall; Ye watch, like God, the rolling hours With larger other eyes than ours, To make allowance for us all. —TENNYSON. PREFACE. Having been frequently asked, during the last twenty-five years, for information and advice concerning Mediumship and its Development, we have constantly felt the want of a suitable handbook which we could recommend to inquirers and to those who were developing their own mediumistic powers, or assisting in the development of others. As this need has grown more and more pressing with the increasing number of investigators into Spiritualism, we have endeavored to produce a clear, practical, and serviceable 'Guide,' embodying the most comprehensive explanations and the best counsel that we are able, to give, derived from our own experiences and inspirations, and from those of other writers, both English and American. We have found it advisable to divide this 'Guide' into three distinct parts, and, although this arrangement has compelled us to present matters from different points of view, we feel assured that our readers will recognize the advantages that have been gained by the separate consideration of the many problems involved. Commending this work to the kindly consideration of Spiritualists, and to the thoughtful study of inquirers, we send it forth to the world, with, we trust, the blessings of the angels, in the hope that it may prove helpful to many of our brothers and sisters who are seeking for 'Light, more Light.' E. W. AND M. H. Wallis. PART I. CONTENTS ——— CHAPTER PAGE I.—THE SACRED OFFICE OF MEDIUMSHIP 5 II.—WHAT IS MEDIUMSHIP? 10 III.—THE EFFECTS OF MEDIUMSHIP 26 IV.—THE PHENOMENA OF MEDIUMSHIP 32 V.—THE DIFFICULTIES AND DELIGHTS OF MEDIUMSHIP 87 VI.—THE DIFFERENT PHASES OF MEDIUMSHIP 49 VII.—PSYCHICAL SUSCEPTIBILITY AND MEDIUMSHIP 65 VIII.—BIBLICAL AND MODERN MEDIUMSHIP 77 PART I. ——— MEDIUMSHIP EXPLAINED. CHAPTER I. THE SACRED OFFICE OF MEDIUMSHIP. I do not know of any other subject on the face of the earth that can for one moment compare with it (psychical investigation) in importance. On the turning of this investigation depends the opinion which the intelligent world is to hold in the future as to the nature and destiny of man. —REV. MINOT J. SAVAGE. What if what we call death is only the passing out of a spirit-self to a more refined or in some way entirely different etheric movement?—in which case a spirit might be perfectly well able to pass through what we call solid Matter, and live its own free and glorious life, on its appropriate plane, rid of 'this muddy vesture of decay.' An inspiring thought! An enchanting hope! —J. PAGE HOPPS. Through the gateway of mediumship for upwards of fifty years the world has been catching glimpses of the glory of the land immortal, and visitants from that 'bourne' whence it was erroneously said that 'no traveler returns' have made their presence known beyond all doubt or denial, thus proving the continued conscious existence of human beings and the sequential character of the life hereafter. Though the messages from the unseen have at times been imperfect and fragmentary, still they have been messages. 5 6 A Guide to Mediumship If but telegraphic despatches, so to speak instead of voluminous letters; or like telephonic snatches of conversation rather than face-to-face outpourings of thought and feeling, still they have been greetings and comforting assurances of undying affection from the people living in the land 'beyond the veil.' Although many a sorrowing soul has longed for further revelation, and regretted the inability of the spirits to comply with the requests for fuller information, still, the gates have been ajar, and sometimes it has truly seemed as though they had been flung wide open—so clear and consoling were the messages from the loved ones on the other side of death's valley of shadow. The manifestations of the presence of spirits and the evidences of their identity, which have been accumulating during all these years, have solved the 'great secret,' and we know that death is not a cul-de-sac, but a thoroughfare. The dread of death disappeared altogether with the mists of ignorance, as, through the gateway of mediumship, the shining presence of ministering spirits, 'our very own dear departed,' illumined the pathway which we must all tread to our great promotion. THE STONE ROLLED AWAY. 'Immortality demonstrated through mediumship' should be inscribed upon the banner of Spiritualism, for the fact of life beyond the incident of death has been proved beyond all peradventure to millions of intelligent and enlightened people since the new spiritual era was inaugurated. To mediums—the modern mediators therefore, belong the office and the honor of rolling back the stone from the tomb and establishing faith upon the firm basis of the knowledge (scientifically ascertained and proven) of the continued intelligent existence in the spiritual realm of those who went forth through the death change into light and liberty 'over there.' Mediums, as intermediaries, have enabled spirit people to comfort the sad and encourage the weak; to relieve the doubter and console the bereaved; to confirm the old-world A Guide to Mediumship 7 traditions regarding bygone spirit intervention and revelation, and supplement our hopes and intuitions with proof palpable. Present-day experiences of inspiration and spirit manifestation make credible and acceptable many things in ancient records which must otherwise have been discarded as superstitious and false. Spiritualism redeems the so-called 'supernatural' and 'miraculous' occurrences of the Bible, by explaining them and proving their naturalness. The capability claimed for old-time seers and prophets to see angels and hear voices is now known to be a natural faculty, which, in certain people, is perfectly normal, while it can be induced in others by the influence of operators in or out of the body. It can also be cultivated to some degree by most people who care to study the subject and provide the necessary conditions for its development and exercise. The famine, 'not of bread, nor of water, but of hearing words from the Lord,' and the loss of the 'open vision' of the spirit, which afflicted Christendom for so many years (because of the blind intolerance of zealots who, in their adherence to the 'letter,' crushed out the sensitives through whom the 'spirit' might have been revealed), that famine is rapidly passing away, and we are being fed with the living bread of spiritual inspiration, and are growing strong enough to welcome the messengers who come to us through the gateway of mediumship from their afterdeath home. THE JOY OF KNOWLEDGE. The intense joy which results from the complete realization of the actual presence and identity of the so-called dead; of their independent activity; of their unchanged nature and affection—that they are truly alive, thinking, remembering, loving, and happy—that they are just themselves—must be experienced to be understood. Let idealists, intuitionalists, and transcendentalists talk as they may about the superiority of those whose inner consciousness or philosophical attainments enable them to believe 8 A Guide to Mediumship without such evidences, yet even they themselves are thrilled and delighted when they receive actual and satisfactory demonstrations of the personal survival of their own loved ones; and we know of no means whereby such evidences can be obtained save through mediumship. When once the conviction has been driven home, and the truth of spirit ministry has been realized, nothing can destroy it. The Spiritualist stands upon firm ground—the impregnable rock of ascertained fact. He knows that intercourse between the two worlds is real, continuous; therefore he is proof against all speculations, denunciations, and adverse theories. Dogmatic condemnations, 'bogey' cries, charges of fraud against mediums, fail to move or frighten him. He can 'speak what he knows and testify to what he has seen'; his positive and affirmative experience and testimony outweigh all the opposition of 'doubting Thomases' who do not know. PATIENCE AND PERSERVERANCE REWARDED. Through the gateway of mediumship the spirits make themselves known in a variety of ways. There are many phases of mediumistic phenomena, and the student will find that he must be patient, painstaking, and persevering if he would make sure of his facts. Careful investigation, possibly prolonged research, under many difficulties and with many discouragements, will be required; but 'success is certain if energy fail not,' and the results will adequately recompense him for all sacrifice and struggle! For in the light of the demonstrated fact of continued conscious existence after death, it is clear that man is even now 'a spirit served by organs'—that consequently the basis of all religious experience and affirmation is the spiritual consciousness of mankind.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The History Spiritualism
    THE HISTORY of SPIRITUALISM by ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE, M.D., LL.D. former President d'Honneur de la Fédération Spirite Internationale, President of the London Spiritualist Alliance, and President of the British College of Psychic Science Volume One With Seven Plates PSYCHIC PRESS LTD First edition 1926 To SIR OLIVER LODGE, M.S. A great leader both in physical and in psychic science In token of respect This work is dedicated PREFACE This work has grown from small disconnected chapters into a narrative which covers in a way the whole history of the Spiritualistic movement. This genesis needs some little explanation. I had written certain studies with no particular ulterior object save to gain myself, and to pass on to others, a clear view of what seemed to me to be important episodes in the modern spiritual development of the human race. These included the chapters on Swedenborg, on Irving, on A. J. Davis, on the Hydesville incident, on the history of the Fox sisters, on the Eddys and on the life of D. D. Home. These were all done before it was suggested to my mind that I had already gone some distance in doing a fuller history of the Spiritualistic movement than had hitherto seen the light - a history which would have the advantage of being written from the inside and with intimate personal knowledge of those factors which are characteristic of this modern development. It is indeed curious that this movement, which many of us regard as the most important in the history of the world since the Christ episode, has never had a historian from those who were within it, and who had large personal experience of its development.
    [Show full text]
  • Hellish Love: an Exhibition of Objects from the Swedenborg Collection
    FROM THE SWEDENBORG COLLECTION Hellish Love: an exhibition of objects from the swedenborg collection STEPHANIE BROWN | LOUISE CAMU MOLLY COLDICOTT | GREER DALE-FOULKES | MENGYANG FAN GERTRUDE GIBBONS | LYDIA GRANGER | MALVINA JANASIK SARAH KHAN | WESLEY KNOWLER | CHENYUAN LIANG BINYAO LIU | YUZU ONO | SICILY SCARLET MAXIMILIAN SCHUCH | HARALD SMART | JOHN VAUGHAN 19-23 OCTOBER 2020 Swedenborg House | Free Admission The Swedenborg Society Swedenborg House 20-21 Bloomsbury Way London WC1A 2TH in association with the Royal College of Art School of Arts & Humanities, Writing MA programme 2019/20 2020 1 HELLISH LOVE: AN EXHIBITION OF OBJECTS 2 FROM THE SWEDENBORG COLLECTION Table of Contents Introduction Sally O’Reilly..........................................................................................5 FRAGMENT OF BARK 1 A Piece of Swedenborg’s Poplar Tree Bark Gertrude Gibbons...............................9 2 Ward and Ballast Wesley Knowler..........................................................................12 3 Found Harald Smart........................................................................................15 SPIRIT PHOTOS 4 A Little Imagination Louise Camu.........................................................................17 5 Spirit Cards Molly Coldicott.................................................................................20 6 Lady Divinity Sarah Roselle Khan........................................................................22 7 When the Veil is Lifted, No One Shall Giggle in Front of the Spirit
    [Show full text]
  • PUBLISHED for the PROPRIETORS, at 110, St
    Journal of Psychical, Occult, and Mystical Research, “ Light! More light '."—Goethe. “Whatever doth make manifest is light.”—Pa rtf. tlol. —January to Jcccmbcr, 1900. ONDON: PUBLISHED FOR THE PROPRIETORS, At 110, St. Martin’s Lane, W.C. LONDON : THE FRIARS PRINTING ASSOCIATION, LIMITED, 2(>A, TUDOR STREET, E.U. Digitized by Google INDEX. Invisible Interlopers, 112 fter-Death States. By ‘Quaestor ,Vita* ’31), 70,S3 Toaster, The Meaning of, 209 After-Death States. By Thomas Atwood, Ego,’Some Experiences of the. By Charles Inward Light, 237 A 175,196, 221 Dawbarn, 332, 344 ' Agnostic Journal,’ 613 Ego, The Nature and Possibilities of the, 393 unior Spiritualists’ Club Conversaziones, 168, 592 American Contemporaries, Our, 130 Egypt: Recent Discoveries, 480, 489 American Spiritualists’ Convention, 534 Electronic, 2 Eminent Experimenters’ Opinion on Mediumship, AndnS, Fate of. A Clairvoyant Vision, 462 J^aradja, Princess, Experiences of, 379, 513 Animals and Immortality, 321, 359 405 Animals, Clairvoyant Powers of, 46, 347 Episodes, Recent. By ‘ An Old Correspondent,’ 353, 367, 382, 493, 498, 530 Animism and Sir William Crookes, 62, 95, 223 Everitt, Mr. and Mi’s., Tour in the North, 479, 554 Animism or Spiritualism ? 346, 413 eading Articles— Evil, The Mission of, 338, 374, 388, 421 Advent-tide, 574 Animistic Theory, 82, 123,124, 322 Experiences of Joseph Barker, 394 LAnother Good Confession, Rev. S. E. Cooney, Answers to Questions, by the Controls of Madame M.A., 538 Montague, 135 Experiences of Rev. Arthur Chambers, 547 A Solemn Hour, 620 Answers to Questions, by the Controls of Mrs. E. W. Experiences of Princess Karadja, 379 Bible Spiritualism.
    [Show full text]
  • Ehb Unseen Universe V1 I6.Pdf
    PROSPECTU-S OF THE FIJllE IVEUI' lIfONTHLY MAGAZINE, DEVOTED ro SPIRITISM, OCCULTIS'f, Ancient Magic, Modern Mediumship, and every sub­ ject that pertains to the WHENCE, WHAT, r.Dd WITHERWARD of Humanity. Entitled, i'THE UNSEE Under the sole tharge and conduct of MRS. EMMA HARDINGE BRITTEN, AIDED EY t.\NY ABLE AND TALEl'iTED CONTRIBUTORS. THIS Magazine h15 been e-tablished in response to a widespread demand for a journal that shatl treat of the aLove-named vast theme without fear, favour, or limitation, yet with sufficient literary ability to meet the demands of the humblest as well as the most highly cultured classes of thinkers-a journal that will not trencH upon the ground already occupied by the London Spiritual papers, yet wIll supplement matter that cannot be included in their columns. • General S}?nopBis of the SubNcts treate~ of: ,Brief EnC)d;JfiCl!dic S.tJlltM.lries of Hit/arical and BtiJ.,!{raphical Spiritism, Past and Prese,,!, if/. Great BritttiJl, .;"d manv otller lands. BY SPEC!.\L DESIRE: .si:cOlld Volume oj" GHOST LA.lYD," in serial parts. By the Author of ,t Art Magic" (by permission. revi<ed, translated, and prepared FOR THIS JOURNAL O"'LY. by EMMI\ H. BRITl'El'i. ESfQVS on PhilosdpJy, Spirillul Science, (wd Reform. •Su!IllJldry of the Presmt Spiritual !::,",:tuatiOlt. '=- -= = -- -- =~~=== \refillS of Subscriptton : (To be p;;.id rvari;lbly in advance). So d. FOR ONE YEAR •.••• .... "." ••••••••••• _ ............... " ...... ".. 6 6 ~IX .10 '~IlS ............................................... " ....... 3 6 !:iISGI.E COPIES, POST FREE....... ....... ................................... 0 7 Acdre:ss-Dr. or Mrs. BRITTEN, The Lindens, Humphrey Street, Cheetham Hill, MANCHESTER.
    [Show full text]
  • Newspaper, Spiritualism, and British Society, 1881 - 1920
    Clemson University TigerPrints All Theses Theses 12-2009 'Light, More Light': The 'Light' Newspaper, Spiritualism, and British Society, 1881 - 1920. Brian Glenney Clemson University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses Part of the European History Commons Recommended Citation Glenney, Brian, "'Light, More Light': The 'Light' Newspaper, Spiritualism, and British Society, 1881 - 1920." (2009). All Theses. 668. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/668 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Theses by an authorized administrator of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact [email protected]. "LIGHT, MORE LIGHT”: The “Light” Newspaper, Spiritualism and British Society, 1881-1920. A Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of Clemson University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Masters in History by Brian Edmund Glenney December, 2009 Accepted by: Dr. Michael Silvestri, Committee Chair Dr. Alan Grubb Dr. Megan Taylor Shockley i ABSTRACT This thesis looks at the spiritualist weekly Light through Late Victorian, Edwardian, and World War I Britain. Light has never received any extended coverage or historical treatment yet it was one of the major spiritualist newspapers during this part of British history. This thesis diagrams the lives of Light ’s first four major editors from 1881 till the end of World War I and their views on the growth of science, God, Christ, evolution, and morality. By focusing on one major spiritualist newspaper from 1881 till 1920, this thesis attempts to bridge the gap in spiritualist historiography that marks World War I as a stopping or starting point.
    [Show full text]
  • Spiritualism
    HISTORY, PHENOMENA, PHILOSOPHY, AND TEACHINGS OP SPIRITUALISM. [ b EGISTEEED AS A NEW8PAPEB FOB TBANSMXSSION IN THB UNITED KINGDOM AND ABBOAD.] N o. 268.— 'Vol. V I.] LONDON, MAY 21, 1875. [D o u b l e S h e e t —P s ic e l| d . MALCOLM TAYLOR (Vignette). 'j HABBY BASTIAN (Vignette). 322 THJ5 MEDIUM AND DAYBREAK. M ay 21, 1»75. who departed this life at Paris shat very morning at one THE CONCLUDING SEANCES OP MESSRS. BASTIAN o’clock. Be lad been described by Mr. .Taylor in the dark AND TAYLOR. seance, but was the first to manifest at the aperture in material We give this weak a form of pictorial illustration which will form, and was promptly recognised by his brother, the origi­ be new to Qttr readers, . Jt ttjpresents occurrences connected nator of the “ Ronalds’s circle.” Thus, in less than twenty-four with the closing Messrs. Bastian and Taylor. hours this spirit appeared again in palpable form, after having On Tuesday evening, May 4th, Mr. P. Wilson was present, on thrown off the physical body. Other phenomena took place of our behalf, to make a sketoh for the Medium. On that occa­ an equally interesting nature; but respecting these, and the sion “ Mrs. Potts,” wife of a gentleman whose name has appeared manifestations of Mr. Ronaldos brother, Mrs. Woodforde has ■ as a member of Mr. Ronalds’s cirole, manifested as Bhe had promised us a more detailed account, whioh We hope to place done on previous occasions. The white figure in the drawing is before our readers next week.
    [Show full text]
  • Arthur Conan Doyle
    2 – Arthur Conan Doyle A HISTÓRIA DO ESPIRITUALISMO Arthur Conan Doyle Tradução do original: The History of Spiritualism (1926) Tradução: Louis Neilmoris Versão digitalizada abril, 2017 3 – A HISTÓRIA DO ESPIRITUALISMO Arthur Conan Doyle A HISTÓRIA DO ESPIRITUALISMO Tradução: Louis Neilmoris 4 – Arthur Conan Doyle Índice Apresentação desta tradução, por Louis Neilmoris – pag.6 Prefácio – pag.10 1. A História de Swedenborg – pag.13 2. Edward Irving: os “shakers” – pag. 23 3. O Profeta da Nova Revelação – pag. 35 4. O Episódio de Hydesville – pag. 47 5. A Carreira das Irmãs Fox – pag. 65 6. Primeiras manifestações na América – pag. 85 7. A Aurora na Inglaterra – pag. 103 8. Progressos contínuos na Inglaterra – pag. 117 9. A Carreira de D. D. Home – pag. 128 10. Os Irmãos Davenport – pag. 144 11. As pesquisas de Sir William Crookes (de 1870 a 1874) – pag. 156 12. Os Irmãos Eddy e os Holmes – pag. 171 13. Henry Slade e o Doutor Monck – pag. 189 14. Investigações Coletivas sobre o Espiritualismo – pag. 206 15. A Carreira de Eusapia Palladino – pag. 221 16. Grandes Médiuns de 1870 a 1900: Charles H. Foster, Madame d’Esperamce, William Eglinton, Stainton Moses – pag. 233 17. A Sociedade de Pesquisas Psíquicas – pag. 254 18. Ectoplasma – pag. 275 19. Fotografia Espiritual – pag. 296 20. Vozes mediúnicas e moldagens – pag. 312 21. Espiritualismo francês, alemão e italiano – pag. 324 22. Grandes médiuns modernos – pag. 340 23. O Espiritualismo e a Guerra – pag. 357 24. Aspecto religioso do Espiritualismo – pag. 370 25. O pós-morte visto pelos espiritualistas – pag. 390 APÊNDICE 1 – Notas ao capítulo 4 – pag.
    [Show full text]
  • Or, SPIRITUALISM Tickets Sold at the Doors, Also at Chappell’S Or Ollivier’S, Bond-Street, Or EXPLAINED
    AND JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE, [KEGISTEKED POE TRANSMISSION ABEOAD.] No. 80.—(VOL. IV.—No. 10.) LONDON: MARCH 6, 1874. Published Weekly; Price Threepence IVTRS. CORA L. V. TAPPAN’S SUNDAY EVENING OTontenta. i-fJL INSPIEATIONAL DISCOUESES. National Organisation 109 NEW COURSE. The Eoyal Institution... 110 AT CLEVELAND HALL, CLEVELAND-STEEET, OXFOED-STEEET. The Council of the National Association 111 The Spiritual Sunday Meetings 112 Committee:— Spiritualism in Australia 112 Dr. Gully, M.D., Hill Side, Streatham, Chairman. A Strange Story ... 113 N. F. Dawe, Esq., Portman Chambers, Portman-square, W. Hauntings hy a Murderer and his Victim 113 J. T. Hoskins, Esq., 5, Connaught-square, W. The Prospectus of the National Association., 114 T. H. Noyes, jun., Esq., “United University Club,” Suffolk-street The Address to Judge Edmonds 114 Pall-mall, S.W. The Clairvoyance of the Blind 115 Thomas Slater, Esq., 130, Euston-road, N.W. What Work should a National Organisation Undertake ? 115 Mrs. Honywood, 52, Warwick-square, S.W., Treasurer. The National Association of Spiritualists ... 118 Webster1 Glynes, Esq., 4, Gray’s-inn-square, W.C., Hon. Secretary. Correspondence—Misstatements Corrected; Where the Carcase is, &o., &c.; Sorrow for the Departed; A Seance at Birmingham; At an influential meeting, recently held, the above-mentioned persons The Eeception of Netv Truths ... 119 were appointed a working Committee, with power to add to their number, Lunacy Law Eeform ... ... 120 for inaugurating a further course of 12 Discourses by Mrs. Tappan, on Gerald Massey and his Dog “Pip”... 120 Sunday evenings. Paragraphs—Seance at Mrs. Makdougall Gregory’s, 118; Liverpool The lectures commenced on the 18th January, and they will be con- Psychological Society ..
    [Show full text]
  • History of Spiritualism
    The History of Spiritualism ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE, M.D., LL.D. President d'Honneur de la. Ftdtration Spirite Internationale, President of th London Spiritualist Alliance, and President of the British College of Psychic Science With Eight Plates CASSELL AND COMPANY, LTD London, New York, Toronto and Melbourne First published 1926 Printed in Great Britain So SIR OLIVER LODGE, F.R.S, A great leader both in physical and in psychic science In token of respect This work is dedicated PREFACE. work has grown from small disconnected chapters into a narrative which covers in a way THISthe whole of the history Spiritualistic movement. This needs little genesis some explanation. I had written certain studies with ulterior no particular save to and to to object gain myself, pass on others, a clear view of what seemed to me to be important in the modern of the episodes spiritual development human race. These included the chapters on Sweden- on on A. on the borg, Irving, J. Davis, Hydesville the incident, on history of the Fox sisters, on the Eddys and on the life of D. D. Home. These were all done before it was suggested to my mind that I had already gone some distance in doing a fuller of the than history Spiritualistic movement had seen a hitherto the light history which would have the advantage of being written from the inside and with intimate personal knowledge of those factors which are characteristic of this modern development. It is indeed curious that this movement, which many of us regard as the most important in the of the world since the history Christ episode, has a never had historian from those who were within it, and who had large personal experience of its develop- ment.
    [Show full text]
  • Psychography
    PSYCHOGRAPHY: A TREATISE ON ONE OF THE OBJECTIVE FORMS OF PSYCHIC OR SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA. [Slate-writing experiments] By "M.A. (OXON.)" [Rev. William Stainton Moses 1840-1892] The text has not been professionally proofed and experience shows that works of this vintage are likely to have more than a few errors compared to recent works. Courtesy of SpiritWritings.com 1878 London: A testimony is sufficient when it rests on 1. A great number of sensible witnesses, who agree on having seen clearly. 2. Who are sane, bodily and mentally. 3. Who are impartial and disinterested. 4. Who unanimously agree. 5. Who solemnly certify to the fact. VOLTAIRE, (Philosophical Dictionary). "Never utter these words: 'I do not know this; therefore it is false.'" "One must study to know, know to understand, understand to judge." NARADA, (Hindu Philosopher). PREFACE. THE following pages are concerned with what has been variously called Independent, Direct, or Spirit Writing. I have ventured to call it PSYCHOGRAPHY, a term intelligible in itself, moulded on already existing words, and expressive of what clumsy periphrases have hitherto vaguely conveyed. I was under the impression, when I first applied the term, that it was as new to the subject as it certainly was to me. I find, however, that I am using a word which has been before applied; and I am not sorry that I am only giving extended use to a term which is obviously applicable and convenient. My object has been to present within convenient space a record of facts bearing on one form only of Psychic Phenomena.
    [Show full text]
  • Second Sight in Victorian Culture, 1830-1910
    EXTRAORDINARY POWERS OF PERCEPTION: SECOND SIGHT IN VICTORIAN CULTURE, 1830-1910 ELSA RICHARDSON SCHOOL OF HISTORY QUEEN MARY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON PhD September 2013 1 DECLARATION I declare that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Signed by Elsa Catherine Richardson (30, September, 2013) …………………………………………………………. 2 ABSTRACT OF THESIS EXTRAORDINARY POWERS OF PERCEPTION: SCOTTISH SECOND SIGHT IN VICTORIAN CULTURE 1840-1910 In the mid-1890s the London based Society for Psychical Research dispatched researchers to the Scottish Highlands and Islands to investigate an extraordinary power of prophecy said to be peculiar to the residents of these remote regions. Described in Gaelic as the An-da-shealladh or ‘the two sights’, and given in English as ‘second sight’, the phenomenon was most commonly associated with the vision of future events: the death of neighbour, the arrival of strangers into the community, the success or failure of a fishing trip and so forth. The SPR were not the first to take an interest in this pre-visionary faculty, rather they joined a legion of scientists, travel writers, antiquarians, poets and artists who had made enquires into the topic from the end of the seventeenth century. This thesis examines the remarkably prominent position enjoyed by Scottish second sight in the Victorian popular imagination. In seeking to appreciate why a strange visionary ability was able to make claims upon the attention of the whole nation where other folk motifs were consigned to the realms of specialist interest only, this project charts its migration through a series of nineteenth-century cultural sites: mesmerism and phrenology, modern spiritualism and anthropology, romance literature and folklorism, and finally psychical research and Celtic mysticism.
    [Show full text]