deeply interested in the subject, and desire much to obtain spontaneous revelations, for these alone I consider come for a good purpose. I cannot set much store by the evocation of spirits merely for pastime, for though I admit the facts of the séances, they seem mostly too trivial for spirits of a high order to share in, and the communications of others I deem unprofitable. I remain, dear Sir, yours very truly,

M. A.

SPIRITUALISM IN SCOTLAND.

The second annual report of the Glasgow Association of Spiritualists has been published, in which it is stated that the cause has made great progress in Glasgow during the past year. In addition to private meetings, thirty public meetings have been held, and nineteen lectures have been delivered by members upon Spiritualism and kindred subjects. One of their members, a trance medium, to whom I have before alluded, has, it is stated, now painted thirty-three pictures, each of which shews much improvement upon the one preceding. It will be recollected · that this medium executes his pictures in the presence of many witnesses, whilst in a state of complete trance, with his eyes fast closed, and frequently in a dark room, by which the claim to their spiritual production is fairly established.

It is stated in this report that, notwithstanding the great ability, the depth of thought and breadth of argument displayed by the lecturers, there was still the cry, "However unanswerable your arguments, however sound your logic, away with your theory; give us facts to build upon; shew us a sign that we may believe."

"In this," they say, "we confess to have failed, and it is matter for much regret that there are so many in this city whom we brought to the very threshold of our faith, but who are still trembling in the balance, waiting for some grand fact to revolutionise their whole minds. In short the great want of the city is a good professional physical medium," &c.

This pamphlet also contains a full report of one of the addresses recently delivered under the auspices of the Association by Mrs. Emma Hardinge, and some very useful rules to be c served for the formation and conduct of spiritual circles, wri by that lady, and specially dedicated to the GLASGOW Asso TION OF SPIRITUALISTS.*

* To be had of JAMES BURNS, Wellington Road, Camberwell, price 6d,

ELEVATION OF THE BODY KNOWN IN GERMANY IN 1347, AND THE FORERUNNER OF OTHER MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SPIRIT.

PROFESSOR Schmidt, of Strasbourg, well-known for his learning and antiquarian research, published, in 1861, an interesting pamphlet relating to discoveries which he had lately made with reference to Rulmann Merswin, the founder of "the Home of St. John at Strasbourg," and one of the most distinguished members of the mysterious and holy association who termed themselves⚫riends of God." (Vide Spiritual Magazine, vol. III., pp. 203-350.) Amongst many instances of spiritual manifestations experienced by Rulmann Merswin, is one of the elevation of his body; indeed, this appears to have been his first experience of an unusual character.

About 1347, when Rulmann Merswin had attained the age of forty-eight, after he had enjoyed all that life could offer him in the directions of wealth, personal consideration, and married happiness, a great change came over him. Struck with horror at the abuses which he beheld in church and state, and overwhelmed with misery at the wickedness he recognized around him in the world, he abandoned all external objects, and turned with his whole soul towards God. "One evening," says the professor, "he was walking in his garden, meditating upon the instability of the things of this life. In the midst of his meditations, which awoke a lively repentance in his soul, he raised his eyes towards heaven, invoking Divine mercy, and renewing his promise to sacrifice all things to God, and to employ all things belonging to him for the service of God. Suddenly he believed himself surrounded by a brilliant light, and it seemed to him that an invisible hand raised him above the ground and bore him round his garden. He heard gentle voices singing the praises of the Lord. The extacy having terminated, he found himself upon his feet at the precise spot where it had commenced. Involuntary tears flowed from his eyes,-tears of joy, called forth by what Merswin regarded as the first grace which the Deity had vouchsafed to him."

Professor Schmidt clearly proves in his pamphlet that Merswin was the author of the "Book of the Nine Rocks," a work which is usually attributed to Heinrich Suso, a Swabian monk of the Dominican order, and which exercised a wide influence upon the mystical mind of the fourteenth century. "The Book of the Nine Rocks" is in the form of a dialogue between the Author and Truth Eternal. Its origin was a vision beheld by Merswin in Advent, 1351.

TRANSMISSION OF THOUGHT,

BY EMILE DESCHAMPS, IN LE MONDE MUSICAL," OF BRUSSELS.

If a man believed only what he could comprehend, he would believe neither in God, in himself, in the stars which roll above his head, nor in the herbage which is crushed beneath his feet. Miracles, prophecies, visions, phantoms, prognostics, presentiments, supernatural coincidences, &c., what are we to think of all these?

The strong spirits rid themselves of them with two words, lies or chance. Nothing can be more convenient. Superstitious souls rid themselves of them, or rather, they do not rid themselves of them. I prefer much these souls to those spirits.

In effect, it is necessary to have imagination before we can feel ourselves put out of sorts, but it is only necessary to subscribe to two or three industrial journals to know as much and to believe as little as Voltaire. But for my part, I like madness better than folly, and superstition than incredulity; but I prefer to both, the truth, light, reason; I seek after them with a living faith and a sincere heart: I examine everything, and I have made up my mind not to end in believing nothing.

Let us see! Well! the material and visible world is covered with impenetrable mysteries, inexplicable phenomena, and would we not wish that the intellectual world, that the life of the soul, which itself is a miracle, should also have their mysteries! Why should not such fine thought, such fervent prayer, and such other desires have the power to produce or to call forth certain events, blessings or catastrophes? Why should there not exist moral as there exist physical causes, of which we can give no explanation? And why should not the germs of all these things be deposited and fecundated in the soil of the heart and the soul, to develope themselves later in the palpable form of facts? And when God, on rare occasions, or for some of his children, has deigned to lift a corner of the eternal veil, and to cast on their countenance a fleeting ray of the flambeau of prescience, let us take heed not to cry absurd! and to blaspheme thus the light and the truth itself!

Here is a reflection that has frequently occurred to me. It has been given to birds and to certain animals to foresee and to announce storms, inundations and earthquakes. Every day the barometer tells us what weather it will be to-morrow: and shall not man be able by a dream, a vision, or some sign of providence, sometimes to become conscious beforehand of some event which concerns his soul, his life, his eternity? Has not the spirit its

atmosphere, of which it is able to perceive the variations? In short, whatever may be the marvellous light of this present too positive age, there might be a charm and a use derived from it, if all those who reflected upon it were to carry all their divergent rays to one common centre; if every one, after having conscientiously interrogated his memory, should set down with good faith, and deposit in some archives the proces-verbal and circumstantial of that which he has experienced; of that which has happened to him of supernatural and miraculous. Perhaps some one would be found at the present day, who, analysing these symptoms and these events, would be able in part to recover a lost science. At all events, he would compose a book which would be worth a great many others!

As for me, I am apparently what is called a subject, for I have had all my life, otherwise so obscure, such things, and I am now ready to lay down my contribution, persuaded that this interior view has always a certain interest. All the more or less marvellous incidents which I shall relate to you, my readers, have been verified in my actual life; ever since I could read I have committed to paper whatever of supernatural has happened to me: and these are memoirs of a singular kind.

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In the month of February, 1846, I travelled in France. I arrived in a rich and great city; and I took a walk in front of the beautiful shops which abound in it. The rain began to fall; I entered an elegant gallery. All at once I stood motionless; I could not withdraw my eyes from the figure of a lovely young woman who was all alone behind an array of articles of ornament for sale. This young woman was very handsome; but it was not at all her beauty which enchained me. I know not what mysterious interest, what inexplicable bond held and mastered my whole being. It was a sympathy subtle and profound, free from any sensual alloy, but of irresistible force, as the unknown is in all things. I was pushed forward into the shop by a supernatural power. I purchased several little things, and as I paid for them, said, "Thank you, Mademoiselle Sara." The young girl looked at me with an air of surprise. "It astonishes you," I continued, "that a stranger knows your name, and one of your baptismal names; but, if you will think for a moment of all your names, I will repeat them all to you. Do you think of them?" "Yes, monsieur," she replied half smiling and half trembling. "Very well," I added, looking fixedly in her face, "You are called Sara Adele Benjamine N." "It is true," she replied; and after some minutes of surprise she began all at once to laugh; and I saw that she though that I had obtained this information in the neighbour

hood, in order to amuse myself with it. But I knew very well that I had not till this moment known a word of it, and I was terrified at my own instantaneous divination.

The next and the next day I hastened to the handsome shop; my divination was renewed at every instant, I begged of Sara to think of something without letting me know what it was; and immediately I read on her countenance her thought not yet expressed. I requested her to write with a pencil some words which she should keep carefully concealed from me, and after having looked at her for a minute, I on my part, wrote down the same words in the same order. I had her thoughts as in an open book, but she could not in the slightest degree read mine; such was my superiority; but at the same time she imposed on me her ideas and her emotions. Let her think seriously on any subject, or let her repeat in her own mind the words of any writing, and instantly I was aware of the whole. The mystery lay betwixt her brain and mine, not betwixt my faculties of intuition and things material. Whatever it might be, there existed a rapport between us as intimate as it was pure.

One night I heard in my ear a loud voice crying to me, "Sara is very ill, very ill!" I hastened to her: a medical man was watching over her and expecting a crisis. That evening Sara had entered her lodgings in a burning fever; she continued in delirium all night; the doctor took me aside, and told me that he feared the worst result. From that apartment I saw the countenance of Sara clearly, and my intuition rising above my distress, I said in a low voice, "Doctor, do you know with what images her fevered sleep is occupied ? She believes that she is at this moment at the grand opera at Paris, where she indeed, has never been, and a danseuse gathers amongst other buds, some hemlock, and throwing it to her, cries, "That is for you."

The physician thought I was delirious too; but some minutes afterwards the patient awoke heavily, and her first words were, "Oh! how beautiful is the opera! but why did that handsome girl throw to me that hemlock?" The doctor was stupefied with astonishment. A medicine containing hemlock was administered, and in some days Sara was well."

We learn that Mr. SAMUEL WILKS, of Worcester, and formerly of London, has just passed into the spirit-world. Mr. WILKS was for many years an earnest, devoted, consistent Christian Spiritualist, ever ready to aid the cause of Spiritualism by tongue, pen, and purse; while his genial nature and cheerful disposition endeared him to the hearts of all who knew him.