PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS

 

There remains a great variety of spiritual manifestations which naturally fall into a class by themselves as distinct from the purely psychic, which have been primarily discussed. For although classifications have been avoided as useless, or confusing, this division of the phenomena into psychic and physical is at once apparent. The wide difference which exists between the two forms of manifestations has been the Scylla and Charybdis of all theories which have sought to explain them, for if they made safe passage of one, they were sure to be wrecked on the other. Explanations applying to one phase of the phenomena do not to the other. After the theorizers have to their satisfaction demonstrated that the "sub­conscious mind" is the source, or that it is thought transference, and then comes the rap, or the moving of physical bodies without physical contact, to overturn their assumptions. It could not be logically granted that while all spiritual phenomena have one source, there are two methods of explanation, and it follows that those who promulgate these theories, relegate all manifestations not explained by them, to mistaken observation and fraud.

 

It is true that most of the "exposures" of Spiritualism have been of this class, for although deception may exist in the psychic division, its detection cannot be made so conspicuous and overwhelming. Nor can trance, clairvoyance, inspirational writing or speaking, or automatic writing be successfully simulated, while the skilled sleight-of-hand performer may succeed with the physical "tests" often better than the genuine. For while they depend on the most unstable conditions, and are prevented by the least unfavorable condition, the imitation is produced by exact training, with everything prepared for the act. The proportion of the fraudulent to the genuine has been placed as much the larger half by many Spiritualists, and the most conservative have no hesitation in saving that it is deplorably large, and the cry is raised: How can the cause be purified from their corrupting presence? And this will remain as long as charlatans are granted the conditions they demand, which are the conditions which allow of fraud, and are demanded for its purpose.

 

There has been a great deal said and written pro and con on the rights of mediums to make strenuous demands for certain conditions which they have been taught by experience to be essential to success, but the investigator who employs them, has also a right to require such tests as are known not to antagonize any spiritual force or process, and such as will prevent deception. Tile true medium should be the first to make this demand, and consent to hold seances in no other manner. Because this is not insisted on, and the medium refused support unless he complies, is the prolific cause of the frauds which have been most detrimental to the cause.

 

Why should feats of legerdemain be accepted as evidence of spirit presence, even admitting that they are performed by spirits? All the religious systems of the world are supported by the same. The wonder-worker was divine. The inexplicable was without question received as superhuman. Why should the subversion of the known laws of nature be a proof of spirit power? Spiritual beings are governed by spiritual laws, which they must obey, and they cannot overrule the physical. They must work in accordance, the same as when in the earthly form. Whenever a manifestation exceeds this limitation, it bears on its face that it is not spiritual. Take for instance the "paraffine casts," made it was claimed by "materialized spirit hands" being dipped in melted paraffine, which was placed under the table, over which a cloth was thrown, falling to the floor. Paraffine melts at a low temperature, and forms a thin coat over any substance dipped into it and quickly withdrawn. When the "medium" sat by a table thus prepared, moulds of "spirit hands" were made, and the most wonderful thing about them, which was considered an absolute test, was that they were perfect like a glove, and it would be impossible for a human hand to be withdrawn from the fragile material, hence the "materialized" hand "dematerialized" and thus left the shell of wax. It escaped attention that a rubber hand inflated with air could be withdrawn by allowing the air to escape. For a time there was great furor over this wonder, and vigorous contention, but at last it was proven a bungling deception, and has never again re-appeared.

 

It is not a counterfeit, for in the nature of things, it does not admit of a genuine.

 

During the past half century of Spiritualism, numberless impostors have claimed to be mediums, and after a time been detected. They flourished not so much on the credulity of their patrons as the false delicacy which forbid the latter from demanding the rigid test conditions of scientific inquiry. If any change was suggested, these charlatans at once claimed that the "conditions were disturbed thereby." The only conditions they allowed were those of fraud, and unless these were granted there were no "manifestations." In almost every instance the exposures have been made by Spiritualists, who have thereby atoned for their too ready acceptance of the claims of impostors. The most conspicuous example is that of Robert Dale Owen who gained admission to the exclusive Atlantic Monthly for an article describing the wonderful materializations through the Holmses. He trusted to their honesty more than the test conditions he imposed, and accepted as genuine a series of wonders, pledging his own reputation for their veracity. It was a severe shock to Spiritualism, and Air. Owen was severely censured for at once repudiating all he had written when these lauded, "mediums" were shown to be arrant frauds, yet an honest seeker after truth could not do otherwise. Spiritualists said the cause would be injured by such outspoken denunciation. If the cause has to be supported by such villainous trickery, it were best that it perish with the impostors. The truth can never be harmed by the exposure of error, nor its interests furthered by fraud. It is able to care for itself. They who have the fearlessness of honesty are its real champions.

 

Manifestations are of value as evidence, only so far as they are surrounded by rigid test conditions, maintained in every instance. When mediums refuse such conditions they confess their character. If investigators unwarily accept manifestations unguaranteed by tests, the spiritual journals should absolutely refuse their publication.

 

What tests are crucial? Such as shall make fraud impossible. Honest mediums should gladly accept, and insist on such conditions, for when such startling phenomena are presented, they must expect suspicion and should gladly do everything possible to place themselves above even the appearance of deception, and if the purpose of the spirits is to convince skeptics of their existence they must feel the necessity of mutual support.

 

We never hear of mediums like D. D. Home complaining of "conditions." The most startling manifestations on record have occurred in his presence, in a light sufficient to make objects plainly visible.

 

Mr. Crookes placed the accordion in a wire cage into which Air. Home passed his hand, holding the instrument by its base. It then played exquisite tunes in sight of the circle without visible hands touching the keys. He then withdrew his hand and it continued to play, suspended in the cage. We learn by this well attested fact that a wire cage is no obstruction to the passage of spirit force, and hence a cage adjusted over a medium cannot in any way impair the "conditions."

 

"You would impose conditions on the spirits?" it is sneeringly said. Yes, such as are clearly not opposed to the laws of their manifestation. Spirits, themselves, desire such. I would not consent to the demands made by charlatans, which granted, the investigator is bound hand and foot, and utterly incapable of making correct observations.

 

It should be held in mind that Spiritualism does not depend on these "materializations" for support. The psychic phenomena have ever been its cardinal evidence. Of course Spiritualists gladly receive every additional proof of spirit communion, yet they well know that their cause is weakened by questionable manifestations, and consequently held in abeyance such as are not demonstrated by crucial tests to be truthful.

 

The words of the inspired A. J. Davis are of unmistakable meaning: "I have long entertained the conviction that many manifestations, such as tying and untying ropes, taking off vests without removing the coats, removing a knife out of a gentleman's pocket and mysteriously putting it in a lady's lap, etc., are essentially nothing but ingenious and nefarious deeds of sleight-of-hand; no matter whether such tricks be done by some skillful legerdemain performer living in New York or in another world."

 

There are statements which no amount of individual evidence can prove. The testimony of a thousand persons that they saw water burn, or a solid mass of iron float on its surface, would be of no value. They may be honest in their convictions, but we know by some means they were deceived. We should be cautious in pronouncing anything impossible, but we are advised when we say that the removal of the vest from beneath the coat, the removal of the coat when the hands are tied with cords, the taking of an iron ring from the arm when the hands are clasped, the placing of a ring on the neck smaller than the head, by fair and honest means are impossibilities, and of "materializations," from which investigators clip curls of real hair, or yards of lace which they preserve as souvenirs are sad evidences of human credulity, rather than the return of departed friends.

 

Here we fully endorse what the Sage Davis further says of the investigator on this plane of wonder works: He "is entitled to receive from seventy-five to eighty per cent of psychological and willful deception." If on this plane there is small chance of sifting out the moiety of truth from the mountains of error. He continues: "I affirm, what from long observation, I am familiar with, that a large proportion of repulsive, discordant, and false experiences in Spiritualism, is to be explained by admitting into your hypothesis, a fact, namely, that the Diakka (low and undeveloped spirits) are continually victimizing sensitive persons, making sport of them and having a jolly time at the expense of really honest and sincere people, including mediums whom they especially take delight in psychologizing and dispossessing of their will. There is no kind of alleged obsession, no species of alleged witchcraft, no phase of religious insanity where such psychology is not possible."

 

Science is the classification of accurately observed facts. Spiritualism claims to rank as a science, and the task of its adherents is to make good its claims. This can be accomplished only by making every observation of phenomena under strictly test conditions. After this has been done many times, those not tested have significance and value, depending, however, not on themselves, but on those of like character which have been established.

 

Every seance rests on its own merit, and as evidence every manifestation must be given under test conditions, yet the evidence must at last center in the character of communications or manifestations, and be cumulative; that is each observation adding to the strength of the preceding.

 

MATERIALIZATIONS.

It is a fact that spirits "materialize," that is, so clothe themselves that they become apparent, as objects reflecting light. That they materialize to the extent of the formation of bones, muscle, etc., is in its very nature impossible. If they could do so, there would be no need of their "dematerializing," and they might remain in the body they had created or gathered around them. That such body, weighing 150 pounds or more, can be dematerialized, in a moment, is untrue. The term is misleading, because there can be no such action as dematerializing, which means the destruction of the material, any more than there can be creation of material, or matter, implied by "materialization." Etherealization, as has been suggested, is preferable. All that can be, is the drawing of certain elements to the spirit, sufficient to make it luminous. If that spirit takes on 150 pounds of material, when this matter is resolved back to the atmosphere, if composed of real flesh and bone, it would instantly suffocate every person in the room where it took place.

 

The sooner Spiritualists come to a recognition of the limitation of the power to appear, that spirits possess, the sooner will they free themselves from the practices of fraud and deception.

 

Cabinets are not necessary for spiritual phenomena. That greatest of mediums, D. D. Home, who gave seances to the most distinguished courts of Europe, never used a cabinet and opposed its use as a ready means of practicing fraud. He also strongly opposed dark circles, for the same reason, holding that a subdued light was no obstruction to the manifestations, and proving this true by the most marvelous phenomena ever given by any medium. He always held his seances in the light, and materializations which appeared, levitation and other manifestations were unquestionably among the best ever given. It is thus proven that darkness is not essential. It was in bright moonlight that he was taken out of one window of a lofty tower and brought into the one on the next side by unseen hands, as witnessed by Lord Dunraven and a large circle of distinguished personages. At other times it was in the approaching twilight or in drawing-rooms with lights barely softened, but always in light making everything distinctly visible.

 

At the most a simple curtain drawn across, to darken a space wherein the light may not disturb, is all that is necessary, even in the incipiency of the manifestations, and this ought to be dispensed with after they have become established.

 

There are a great variety of manifestations which come in the light, against which no objection can be urged. It must be remembered that the burden of proof rests with the Spiritualist, and that one incontestable fact strengthens the cause, while phenomena indistinctly observed, detract and weaken.

 

A bright light may antagonize the spiritual forces, but it is not essential to have the absolute darkness which is demanded in materializing and other circles, and investigators should hold this in mind, and demand sufficient light to make objects clearly visible. No law or condition of the phenomena is violated by such demand, and had it been rigidly enforced, there would have been no opportunity for the exposures which have brought contumely on the cause.

 

The physical manifestations have many phases which have a great variety of names, almost every medium having a different form varying with the peculiarities of their organization, on which they depend. Sounds, moving of physical objects, speaking through the trumpet, material appearance, are some of the leading forms. The rappings were the introductory phase which first called attention to the subject, and served as telegraphic signals by which intelligent communications were received. The little girl who requested the invisible disturber of the Fox cottage to answer yes or no by raps, discovered the means whereby the cable which spans the gulf of Death was made available and angel messages transmitted to friends on earth.

 

Genuine physical manifestations, by their direct appeal to the senses, have been relied on as demonstrative, and this phase of mediumship has been most sought for.