Introductory.
Since my supervision of the Question
and Answer Department in The Progressive Thinker began, over five years
ago, I have been in constant receipt of letters from those interested in
the investigation of Spiritualism and kindred fields of thought,
desiring personal lessons, often offering the exorbitant price which has become the
usage of the advertising class of occultists, healers "divine" or
otherwise, Christian scientists, etc.
To all these I have replied that I
could furnish nothing beyond the books I have published on the subject, and the weekly lessons in spiritual
facts and philosophy in the Department.
As for myself, I furnish the best my
inspiring teachers give me, by way of published answers or private
letters, and for this there is no price.
The results of my life-long
mediumistic writing are contained in my publications, and all of these
cost no more than has been asked by some teachers for an hour's lesson.
If anyone is unable to purchase and desires to read them, I have invariably sent
copies, as a loan or gift.
I do not give private lessons,
because I have nothing to give that I have not freely given to the
public, and whatever I learn from day to day, as freely and publicly
goes into this department.
Let it be once for all and forever
effaced from the mind that there is an inner court, a holy of holies, in
spiritual knowledge, which a few elect are permitted to enter, and
thereby acquire wisdom which they may dispense to those less fortunate,
at so much per head. Spiritual wisdom cannot be placed in the balance
against gold. He who truly has it will not fix a price on it. The
possession inflames the speech for its utterance, and history shows
Dr. Cyriax, an ardent and aggressive
Spiritualist, was secretary of the Cleveland Turn Verein, and to him was
assigned the care of the lecturer. The Doctor had been exiled because of
his activity in the revolution of '48, and like most agitators was at
the time materialistic. He had become a Spiritualist by means of his own
mediumship, and in after years returned to the Fatherland, and published
a delightful spiritual journal until he passed over the border.
When Dr. Buechner found that he was
to visit Cleveland, he wrote Dr. Cyriax, saying that he had learned that
I resided there, and that he wanted to meet and become acquainted with
one who had given him so much assistance.
Dr. Cyriax invited me to a banquet given in honor of the lecturer and the exiles of '48, and perhaps
twenty-five responded.
After the introduction, Dr. Cyriax
said in substance: "My dear doctor, you have spoken in highest praise of the 'Arcana of Nature,' you have
said it was far in advance of
the profoundest scientist of the day; you have quoted it largely and followed its lead. Now, do you know who wrote it?"
"I suppose this young gentleman, though I confess disappointment in his
years, and I had taken him for
a professor in your college."
"No," replied Dr. Cyriax, "he did not write
it. He was a boy at the time,
uneducated, working hard on a farm, and when weary from labor, at night, the power I call spirits, and
you scoff at, came and wrote it through him. He had no library, no books even, nor
access to any."
With, a great "ha! ha!" Buechner said
that was "too good a joke!"
"Oh, no!" said Mr. Teime, editor of
the German paper, "it is every word true, and you must tell us how it
is." Teime was a man of remarkable character, a materialist because
circumstances held him there, but kindly to Spiritualism.
Dr. Buechner made no attempt at
explanation, for he evidently preferred to think it a joke, but, during the
dinner he turned to me and said: "If
spirits do all this, what is spirit?"
I replied: "You claim matter is the
foundation of everything and has within itself all its possibilities,
hence you should first tell us what matter is, then will I define spirit."
As no one can define matter, as its
ultimate component atoms exist by hypothesis, utterly unrecognized and unrecognizable by any of the
senses, the listeners at once
appreciated the dilemma of the doctor and a broad German laugh followed by
which he was greatly disconcerted. At the close of the banquet, he came behind my chair, and began a phrenological examination of my head; he
claimed to be an adept in the school of phrenology. He closed by curtly
saying, "It is all here, right in his head, and there is no occasion for calling in the spirits."
It would be difficult to attract a man
like Dr. Buechner to Spiritualism. He was of materialistic temperament,
strong, vital, and earthly in his inclinations. Tenacious of his opinions, and combative, his aim and
desire was to extend his own
views, rather than gain a knowledge of the absolute truth.
It is this profound and interesting
question of spirit—the existence of our loved ones after death, and the
means by which communications may be received from them, which engages
our attention.
If there is one statement made more
clear than another by Spiritualism, it is that there is no secret kept too
holy or sacred for the most humble seeker after truth; that there is no
high priesthood of mediums to stand between the spirit world and the
hungry hearts of humanity. All may not become conspicuous for their
sensitiveness to impressions, or phenomena they are able to have in their
presence, but all have mediumship in a degree worthy of cultivation, and
until they make the test they cannot know what their capabilities are.
The field is new; its threshold has
scarcely been crossed, and it may le truthfully said, all is yet to learn.
Yet the pathway for advance is well defined and the fundamental principles
are sufficiently established to guide our steps.
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