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3. It is no fixed fact, has no punctum stans, but is a punctum fluens; not a finality, but opens a vista for the future. present condition is no finality.

Its

4. It admits all the truths of religion and morality in all the world-sects."-Life and Correspondence of Theodore Parker.

HAS LITERATURE GAINED BY REPUDIATING THE
SUPERNATURAL?

The Academia, a Journal for the Universities, Schools, and Colleges of Great Britain, in its issue of June 6, has the following sensible remarks. We hope the Professors in the Universities, Schools, and Colleges of Great Britain, for whom this Journal is designed, will take to heart the important queries here propounded for their consideration.

"Whether English literature has gained or lost by the total repudiation of the 'supernatural,' is not a question to be determined hastily, even by those who have the greatest contempt for things unseen. What amount of purifying influence may exist in the constantly pervading influence of a lively faith in the supernatural; how far such an influence may tend to purity, to morality, to the caring more for things to come and less for things that pass away, are questions not to be rejected with the summary flippancy of complacent minds. We are discussing the point in a philosophical rather than in a religious spirit (for religion does not immediately enter into the purpose of our journal), and every thinking person must regret the materialistic tendency of our times to ignore the value of everything which does not present some tangible advantage to the holder, or which does not propose an increase of creature comfort or of worldly honour as the highest feature of its merit. Now, philosophically speaking, such a spirit is a gross mistake; for discontent, and restlessness, and emulation, and, therefore, crime and misery, follow in its wake."

DIVINING THE THOUGHTS AND MOTIVES OF OTHERS.-WANTED: "AN INTERMEDIATE PLATFORM."

"PSYCHOLOGIST" in Notes and Queries, June 6th, calls attention to this "special power of perception possessed by some individuals," which he regards as "an exceptional faculty," which may be allied to clairvoyance, and may be perfectly "reconcilable with known mental processes." It is little observed or commented on, "probably for the reason that persons so endowed conceal the questionable mental' gift,'" and he invites the readers of "Notes and Queries," to assist a most interesting

inquiry by contributing any trustworthy facts within their own experience bearing upon the subject."

Turning his attention for a moment to Spiritualism, "Psychologist" queries whether it is not possible for the Scientists and the Spiritualists to "establish an intermediate platform, which might bridge over differences, and, become a stand-point from which both sides could be impartially reconnoitred? The present controversy and investigation with regard to the merits of Spiritualism will not be in vain if the result be to extend our knowledge of those wonders which are only termed 'phenomena' because unfamiliar to our everyday experience. We comprehend little at present of the mutuality or reciprocation of mental and material forces-the correlations of consciousness and organization, and the connection between physical and psychological conditions in the production of so-called phenomena, which are now arbitrarily accounted for according to the mental bias of the persons who are cognizant of them, or who venture to give an opinion regarding them."

This is all very well, and we would only add, that such an "intermediate platform" already exists, and we cannot even conceive of the possibility of any other. This platform is that of the facts themselves apart from any notions or theories about them. These facts carefully observed and classified may be regarded as the several planks composing it; it is a free platform open to all fair unprejudiced investigators of whatever school, and forms the only "stand-point from which both sides can be impartially reconnoitred," and, which is of more consequence, it is the only stand-point from which any school of thinkers can get to the roots of the question, and arrive at the truth concerning it.

THE ZOUAVE JACOB.

We hear from a friend living in Paris that the Zouave Jacob is again in full and free work as a healing medium. His persecution lasted so long as he was under regimental orders, stimulated by the priests and doctors. Still, new difficulties arose when he endeavoured to obtain a place to dispense in. His convalescent friends, full of promises before, deserted him. The Count de Chateau Villard, who, with his wife, had been cured of long-standing illness, and who had sounded loud trumpets for Jacob in the papers, in which he asserted himself ready to sacrifice his hotel in Paris to the curative practice of the Zouave, afterwards thought it convenient not to allow the permission. This man had positively offered a life lease to Jacob: so soon does gratitude even for the greatest benefits cool.

The Zouave was bandied about from one place to another, until at last he and his father took a maisonette, at 10, Rue Descamps, Passy, where daily vast numbers of people congregate, and many are cured. With all his powers, adds our friend, this man is a most intractable, disagreeable fellow, with a sort of conceit about him which must much impede his work. He will not allow his father to accept a single shilling, when he might get his living out of gifts from those well able to make them, as Dr. Newton, of America, does, who with the money of the wealthy assists the poor, as well as cures them by his delegated power. When reasoned with on the subject, he replies, that if he cannot pay the tradesmen and his rent, he will go to prison. There is besides a needless rudeness and discourtesy about him on many occasions, which are greatly to be regretted. So it is, no man or work on earth is perfect. We admire the independent, disinterested feeling of the Zouave, but we lament that he does not see, by accepting gifts from the wealthy in return for health and comfort, he could essentially extend the benefits of his noble endowment. Can none of his real friends convince him of this?

66
A SOMERSETSHIRE GHOST" STORY.

The haunted house at Muchelney is one of those extraordinary cases which puzzle the scientific, furnish food to the superstitious, and excite the sneers of the supercilious and wouldbe knowing. The farm-house, an old substantial one, stands alone at the entrance to the village of Muchelney, about three miles from Langport. Its only occupants are Mr. Travis, his housekeeper, and a young servant girl. Soon after Christmas last a slight shock of an earthquake, as supposed, was felt in the neighbourhood, and since then the farm-house has been the scene from time to time, of noises and "manifestations." The most common form is noises resembling at first the running of fingers over a hollow partition, or as if passing rapidly upstairs, and always ending abruptly with a kind of discharge as loud as that of a rifle, but with no reverberation whatever-merely a dead thud-often followed successively, kept up at intervals for days together, and then becoming silent for weeks. For some time the tin cover of a copper in the kitchen was wont to be thrown violently off upon the floor, and the bells about the house to be set ringing. But these are at present quiet, and the newest manifestation is in one of the passages where a clock stands, with a table near against the wall, and over it some bridle bits hung upon nails. About a fortnight since, during Mr. Travis's absence in the hay-field, the housekeeper and

servants were terribly alarmed by the table being suddenly turned violently upside down, and the bits thrown off the nails upon which they were hung. The females immediately summoned Mr. Travis, who came in, and expressing his determination to judge for himself, took a seat near the table and watched. He had not been seated five minutes ere the table was again suddenly dragged, as it were, along the floor, and dashed down. We plainly saw the breakage which resulted, and heard the story from Mr. Travis's own mouth. It was only one of several stories of an equally startling nature. The mysterious part is that the walls are entirely unshaken, and the floors undisturbed.-Pulman's Weekly News.

WITNESSES TO THE ELONGATION OF THE BODY.

Mr. John F. Morgan, Secretary and Lecturer of the Manchester and Salford Temperance Union, in a lecture on Spiritualism at the Temperance Hall, Hyde, fully reported in the North Cheshire Herald, for July 11th, read a letter on the above subject from Mr. Home, from which the following is an

extract:

"The Viscount Adare; the Master of Lindsay; J. Hawkins Simpson, Esq. (a scientific gentleman); H. D. Jencken, Esq. (barrister-at-law); J. C. Luxmore, Esq.; Mrs. Jencken; Mrs. Hennings; Mrs. Scott Russell; Mrs. Hardinge; Mrs. Floyd. These my dear Mr. Morgan, are the principal witnesses to my elongation.

"July 4th, 1868."

"Yours for the truth,

"D. D. HOME.

[We may add that the above statement has been personally corroborated to us by four of the witnesses above named.-ED.]

SWEDENBORG'S BIOGRAPHER AND SPIRITUALISM.

"A letter appears in the New Church Monthly, from Mr. White, of London, defining his position on Spiritualism. It has the true metallic ring of an independent English New Churchman, who, of course, is unpopular with the "hierarchy." Here is a specimen brick from his letter. He says:

'I have never had any very lively interest in Spiritualism. John_Bright has a charm for me with which no ghost can compete. In saying so, I do not flatter myself, but only confess to a certain incompetency. The wider a man's sympathy the greater the man. It would be well if I cared more for ghosts. Sympathy means life to the extent of the sympathy; apathy means death to the extent of the apathy. Yet we constantly find people taking credit for their apathy, as if don't care' was something to be proud of. I have

no superstitious aversion to Spiritualism. On the contrary. I should be glad to converse with spirits, if I could do so on Swedenborg's terms. What I complain

of is, that while no 'medium,' I should suffer all the odium of 'mediumship.' It is hard to have the reputation of a wizard without a wizard's faculties. Only the other day, I could scarcely persuade a lady that I was not as familiar with the other world as with this. Thus you see I have been branded 'Spiritist' to some purpose. Certain lies have a currency which truth might envy.'"Independent, U. S. A.

ANSWERING SEALED LETTERS.

The Boston Investigator (the organ of the American Secularists), in its issue of January 15th, contains a letter signed "Wm. P. Lippincott," detailing certain experiences with Mr. J. V. Mansfield, the well-known medium of that City. Mr. Lippincott, says:

"On the 20th of May last, I wrote the following: 'My dear wife, Almira F. Lippincott:-If you still have a conscious existence, you probably know how anxious I am to know it, and to know that you are happy; and, to test it, I will send this to some medium, after keeping it awhile, and I wish you to tell me, through that medium, who Rachel Cary was, and in what way you protected her and her children, years ago, in Philadelphia, in time of danger.' .

“ This, with a few other unimportant words, was written on a piece of yellowish-brown paper, five by six inches square, and folded into a square of one and a half inches, which made it twelve folds thick, and four half-folds besides. This was then folded in the same kind of paper, and glued all over-not pasted, but glued with such glue as cabinet makers use. Then another covering of paper was put on the fresh, soft glue, and then another, and another, until the written note was within seven thicknesses of paper, all compactly glued together. When the fourth course was on, it was sewed all round the edge with a needle and black thread, and on each stitch what sailors call a 'marlin hitch' was taken; this was likewise all glued over, and the number of stitches counted and noted. Then, when thus finished, it was submitted to the inspection of another and ink and made crosses over and he took person, pen the finishing lapping edges of the paper. The package was then two inches by two and a quarter inches square, and about three-eighths of an inch thick.

"On the 5th of September, this glued note was mailed to J. V. Mansfield. In the course of a few weeks it was returned, without having been opened. That it had not been opened, Í I am as certain as that I am now writing to you. The man was sent for to whom it was submitted before being sent off; he found his crosses all right, and was satisfied it had not been opened. And then, in his presence and that of my family, it

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