A defence of modern spiritualismWallace, Alfred Russel
Religion
A defence of modern spiritualism
Wallace, Alfred Russel
Spiritualism
Our next example is one of the most recent, but at the same time one of
the most useful, converts to the truths of Spiritualism. Dr. George
Sexton, M. D., M. A., L. L. D., was for many years the coadjutor of Mr.
Bradlaugh, and one of the most earnest and energetic of the secularist
teachers. The celebrated Robert Owen first called his attention to the
subject of Spiritualism about twenty years ago. He read books, he saw a
good deal of the ordinary physical manifestations, but he always
“suspected that the mediums played tricks, and that the whole affair was
nothing but clever conjuring by means of concealed machinery.” He gave
several lectures against Spiritualism in the usual style of
non-believers, dwelling much on the absurdity and triviality of the
phenomena, and ridiculing the idea that they were the work of spirits.
Then came another old friend and fellow-secularist, Mr. Turley, who,
after investigating the subject for the purpose of exposing it, became a
firm believer. Dr. Sexton laughed at this conversion, yet it made a deep
impression on his mind. Ten years passed away, and his next important
investigation was with the Davenport brothers; and it will be well for
those who sneer at these much-abused young men to take note of the
following account of Dr. Sexton’s proceedings with them, and especially
of the fact that they cheerfully submitted to every test the doctor
suggested. He tells us (in his lecture, “How I became a Spiritualist,”)
that he visited them again and again, trying in vain to find out the
trick. Then, he says—
“My partner—Dr. Barker—and I invited the Brothers to our houses, and,
in order to guard against anything like trickery, we requested them
not to bring any ropes, instruments, or other apparatus; all these we
ourselves had determined to supply. Moreover, as there were four of
them, viz., the two Brothers Davenport, Mr. Fay, and Dr. Ferguson, we
suspected that the two who were not tied might really do all that was
done. We therefore requested only two to come. They unhesitatingly
complied with all these requests.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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