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thoughts and from my heart, as follies and fancies of a sick brain. I saw them all realized-common and familiar. No one was astonished at them; and I no more than the rest. At my call, the tigers and lions came and rubbed themselves against me, and offered themselves to carry me; but what need had I of them, for I flew myself like an eagle?

"There I re-found Madeleine-Madeleine who loved me, and explained that she had never been unfaithful to me; but, oh! happiness inexpressible! I know not what she said to me, nor what arguments she used. All that I know is that I believed her. And M. Muller! how he grasped my hand! How happy he was in our happiness! And my father-my father, for whom I had wept so he was not dead! He went with me into that fortunate land, where were re-united all those that I loved. He had still the same smiling and open countenance; and from his fingers flowed streams of harmony still.

"It seemed as if my life up to that moment had only been a dream and a nightmare, where, after difficult trials and an initiation, the phantoms which had terrified me were made to vanish from around me. I was rich, and I lavished on Madeleine all that women love all that one loves to give them. Over what magnificent precious stones, over what carpets, and what flowers she walked! What pearls were woven into the waves of hair which floated behind her as she walked! How beautiful she was! How adorned she was by all these riches, and how rich I was in her! The precious stones-the diamonds which surrounded her, or which glittered beneath her feet; they were not deemed worthy to shine upon her. I gave her stars to emblazon her hair. Mars, that red star-Venus, that cerulean one-that I had so long seen sparkling in the heavens, they were not, as we had been told, great planets; they were flowers of fire, which gave her a ravishing air.

"Then, as I examined her further, I discovered that she was at the same time all the women that in the whole course of my life I had loved or desired. Then, our regards encountering each other, the flame that flashed thence confounded itself, and confounded us both also. I was she, and she was I; I felt her blood in my veins. I then comprehended what love truly is—a flam divided into two, which strives to re-unite.

"Oh, my friend! that beautiful country! No one interf with us; no one envied our happiness; we thought of n else. And how blue was that heaven!

"This country, my friend, you may visit as I did. were here you might be there this evening; but take ca no stupid person comes to knock at your door in the m and wake you, as they did me; for it is a heavy fall fr

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smiling regions of dreams into this arid country which we call life. On sound reflection, however, who knows if, after what we call death, we shall not discover that what we named life was really a dream; and, what we took for dreams, were really excursions into the region of real life which our soul made, whilst our body-that prison of flesh-was asleep."

PASSING EVENTS.-THE SPREAD OF
SPIRITUALISM.

By BENJAMIN COLEMAN.

TAKING at the commencement of a New Year a view of the past, we naturally ask ourselves whether as teachers we have been instrumental in disseminating truth or error.

As one of the contributors to this Magazine I have accumulated and recorded a large number of strange facts which tend to uphold the doctrine of spirit-communion, and I ask myself whether I am conscious of having given currency to any important statement which I would now desire to modify or withdraw? and I am happy in being able to say-no, not one. The curious phenomena of which I have spoken from time to time have been either witnessed by myself, or have been described as having been seen by others equally trustworthy. None of these statements have been truthfully impugned, and thus an amount of evidence has been published in the pages of this Magazine which ought to be sufficient to establish beyond cavil that there are intelligent, invisible agencies in active operation around us, which under certain conditions, and in apparent contravention of all recognized natural laws, produce phenomena of a very surprising and, even to the most initiated,, very puzzling character. The Cui bono? and the possible evil consequences of encouraging these investigations are questions entitled to respectful consideration; but to deny the existence of the phenomena, and to assert that millions of men and women, in a'l parts of the world, are victims to a delusive epidemic, is a monstrous folly which no intelligent man will dare at this day to assert, unless he is himself nursing an idle delusion.

We need not therefore waste time to argue with that class of opponents, still less with those who can only meet the evidence by a foolish attempt to laugh the witnesses out of court. Let me then devote a few words to a consideration of one of those objections we are bound to answer, though I am conscious that I can add nothing new, nor say anything that has not been

better said by many others; and it must be understood that I am only addressing myself to new enquirers who I know are springing up about us every day. The question is constantly asked by believers in the Bible-" If Spiritualism be true, what is the use of it?" I reply, if you who are provided with the comforts of life, were to ask the hungry mendicant why he lingers at your door, his answer would be, "I want something that will satisfy my cravings, give it me!" One half the world want that faith which satisfies you. They cannot obtain it as you have done, will you deny them the means of securing it in any other way? The Book that gives you comfort commands no respect from the man who does not believe in it. The eloquent preacher whom you admire, and whose reasoning you think conclusive, has no influence upon the sceptic. He marvels at what he thinks your folly, but at the same time he is not quite satisfied with his own unsettled condition. He does not say there is not another state of existence, but he has no faith in it. He wants a revelation to satisfy his doubts, and Spiritualism and its phenomena furnish it. He finds, perhaps, in the manifestations which some think low and undignified, the evidence for which he has thirsted. Will you deny him that—and say, if he cannot obtain it in the inspired Word of God as you have found it, he must go without it? No, you dare not say that if you are a Christian! and this is, in part, my answer to your question of Cui bono? Don't carp at the nature of some of the manifestations;-at least, recollect that we who receive them as proof of spirit existence don't make them. We know from our better experiences that they are but the means to an end, and that when the sceptic is once convinced of their reality, he is prepared to advance and to realize the higher teachings which Spiritualism unfolds. No other "ism" has made such rapid strides in the history of the world. It is now well known that, in less than 20 years, millions of intelligent men and women, many of whom were materialists, have found a refuge and a consolation in Spiritualism for which they had previously sought in vain. What can it be then that gives such irresistible evidence and makes so many converts, despite the ridicule and opposition of the press, the bigots and the scientists, but a demonstrated and patent truth? You cannot demonstrate a falsehood, nor destroy a fact. There is, however, a right and a wrong path in every walk of life. We know when" fools rush in where angels fear to tread," that evil consequences will follow; I, therefore, warn the profligate and the heedless of the danger there may be in encouraging disorderly spirits, and of the folly of accepting all they are told by every spirit-pretender who may come into their

presence.

An illustration of the fanatical conduct of some persons who rush into Spiritualism without any knowledge of the landmarks for their guidance, and rush out again after a few days' experience, convinced of its reality, but equally certain that it is all diabolism, has recently been given by a gentleman and his wife, who have published their experience.

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Mr. and Mrs. C attend a séance at which the spirit of a darling child" is manifestly present. They attend a second séance, and, through the same medium, they are confirmed in the conviction of the real presence of their child. Mr. C then finds that he is himself a medium, and, forthwith, he purchases a small table for the exercise of his power.

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His first experiment proves to him beyond a doubt that an intelligent being, though invisible, is with him; but he speedily begins to suspect that whatever the character may have been of the spirit which first manifested to him through another medium, this, which is now communicating through himself, is an evil spirit. On his "wishing it to walk to the dining room, it started at once." He was struck by its heavy tread, "so very unlike the footfalls of a young child," and he exclaimed, "This is not the spirit of my child, if so I want no other manifestation." Becoming more and more suspicious of the character of this particular visitant, he said, "If thou art not the spirit of my child, march out of the house." "The table did, indeed, march,' making a noise like the loud and well-measured footfalls of a heavy dragoonliterally shaking everything in the room.

This gentleman then adjured the spirit in a variety of forms, and asked if it was not a bad spirit? and it said, "Yes!" Then he said, "Accursed devil! by the living God I adjure thee to speak the truth! Has the spirit of my child ever been put in communication with myself or her mother through this or any other table?" The "accursed devil" said, "No, never!" Then, after similar assurances, Mr. C. made up his mind to believe the devil; and he closed his experiments with an auto da fé, by breaking up and burning the table! This illustration will serve to point a moral, inasmuch as it shews the need of acquiring some knowledge of the subject prior to entering on a course of practical investigation, and of exercising discrimination and patience, and a more Christian spirit, in conducting it. Such experiences are as little creditable to the intelligence of the actors as they are derogatory to Spiritualism. But even these support the truth of spirit intercourse, and the reality of the phenomena the main points to which my efforts are directed through the pages of this Magazine. The evidence of these is accumulating around us in many ways; and to some of which I desire now to draw attention.

SOME FURTHER FACTS OF SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS.

Referring the reader to the evidence I have given in former numbers of this Magazine of THE REALITY OF SPIRIT VOICES, and of the active intelligence displayed by the two spirits, known as John King and his companion Kate (names which may be taken as generic), through the mediumship of the Marshalls, I find that much interest is excited by the statements I have already made, and a desire to know more of the character of these manifestations, and of the conditions under which they are exhibited. Several of my friends who have attended these séances but once, are not satisfied with the slender evidence they obtain on special points, and think it important that the facts of this oral communion should be thoroughly sifted and freed from all taint of suspicion.

I have had many opportunities, it is true, of examining this case, but I am not competent to offer a solution of the scientific problem involved.

I have satisfied my own mind, and I think I have already given ample evidence to satisfy others, of the bona fides of this curious exhibition. I have conclusively proved that ventriloquism (the only suggestion made to explain the speaking), is entirely inadmissible. The mediums have talked and sung at the same moment that John and Kate were speaking or singing. Both spirits have spoken repeatedly to me (and others, in my presence), at the same time, one on each side, so close to my ears that their breaths were distinctly felt. Kate, in her low voice, has frequently spoken as if she were standing behind my chair, and I have been unable to catch all she said in consequence of the overpowering loudness of John's voice in conversation with another person at the opposite side of the table. Kate, who, I think, draws her power from Mrs. Marshall, sitting on my right hand, has, on several occasions, spoken through the tube (elevated horizontally to the height of my head) to the person sitting on my left hand; and, whilst this conversation was going on, the tube rested against my forehead, and I have felt every word vibrating as it passed from the invisible speaker. At the same time I have held Mrs. Marshall's hands in mine, and also, at the same time, John was heard in active conversation on the other side of the table nearest to Mr. Marshall. On one occasion, I asked John to let me hold one end of the tube whilst he held the other. "Take it," he said. I put out my hand, and tried to get hold, but it was not there. "Well, why don't you take it?" he tauntingly asked. This question came from the direction of the ceiling. I rose from my chair, and stretched out my arm, the voice still taunting me from a height out of my reach,

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