Theories, Opinions and Spirit ualism is regarded from four different view points by as many classes of observers. First, are those who are easily convinced of the reality of the communications with the so-called dead, who consider practically all mediums honest, to whom the philosophy has become a religion, and who derive a great deal of com fort from attending seances and meetings and getting messages mostly to the effect that their loved ones are well and happy. These are open and avowed Spiritualists, who resent any imputation as to the accuracy of the phenomena. Second, come those who believe the phenomena are produced wholly by trickery, legerdemain and magic, and constitute a great psychic fraud on the public. As a sub-class to these are a few who believe that °if there is anything in it, it must be the work of the devil or his subordi nates." Third, are those who admit the genuine ness of the phenomena (when not faked), but who contend that such communications only put sitters in touch with the lowest and least desirable class of spirits, with the ignorant, immoral and undeveloped spirits, this being why so many American Indian spirits appear. Em blematic of this class is Ruskin, who is quoted as saying that °Having learned through Spir itualism that there is another life, I have no farther use for it." Fourth, comes those who hold that the phenomena so widely exhibited is sometimes produced by trickery and sometimes by telepathic suggestion, by clairvoyance, telepathy and natural powers not wholly understood. Some of this class, like Sir Oliver Lodge (q.v.), have come out openly and admit their conviction of the absolute proof of intelligent communication with disembodied spirits; and others, like the late William James (q.v.), are inclined to think that the phenomena, which they admit, may be largely the reflex action of their own minds or the minds of others on the earth plane. It is this fourth class who largely constitute the members and followers of the Society for Psy chical Research. That deep thinker and ex plainer of Darwin's theories of Evolution, Alfred , Russel Wallace, said in Chambers' Encycloirtiedia, "Spiritualism has grown and spread continually till, in spite of ridicule, mis representation and persecution, it has gained converts in every civilized portion of the globe." Sir Oliver Lodge has written: "I tell you with all the strength and conviction I can utter that we do persist, that people over there still take an interest in what is going on here; that they still help us and know far more about things than we do and are able from time to time to communicate with us.° The conclusions of the higher intelligences who have expressed them selves as being convinced of the reality of Spiritualism may be summed up as follows: Through mediumship is proved the continuity of life beyond the grave; it is no longer a religious dogma but a living fact. Spiritual in telligences are as anxious to communicate with us as we with them, but the lower and grosser intelligence seem to be the nearest to us, and most likely to be heard from in communication, and they like to impersonate great individuals and personal deceased friends of those present. This is held to account for much of the °infor mation° that comes through, and is valueless. For many years the Banner of Light, published in Boston, was the leading organ of this cult.
In common with other Spiritualist papers it has disappeared. They have apparently given way to Psychological publications and New Thought periodicals. While the great public includes a vast number who are viritually Spiritualists, they are less and less known by that name, but are affiliated with New Thought, Mental Science, Theosophy, Oriental cults, Psychical Research and other modern movements.
Spiritualistic teaching is largely in accord with the writings in the Bible. The °familiar spirits" were very much like some modern ones that come to.mediums; the witch of Endor, the ghost seen by Balaam, the experiences of many of the prophets and saints are paralleled in Spiritualism. Seers of all ages have testified to various things about the future life that are in accord with what comes to us through the séance room. Emmanuel Swedenborg (q.v.), one of the most modern seers, has told in many volumes of his experiences in the heaven world, which he was able to see and visit without a medium. And this seems to be the distinction between a seer and a medium: the former sees clairvoyantly with his own eyes; the latter goes to sleep and takes the word of some intelligence on the spiritual plane, which may or may not represent truth.
National Spiritualists' This was organized 28 Sept. 1893 and incorporated in the following November at Washington, D. C. It comprises about 1,000 active working socie ties and 22 State associations; there are also 32 camp meeting associations and perhaps 900 irregular unorganized local societies and meet ings of Spiritualists. They maintain an acad emy equivalent to a seminary and include 200 churches with a membership of 600,000. There are believed to be about 1,500,000 others attend ant on their gatherings or sympathetic with their work. Their secretary states that there are about 1,500 public mediums in the country, and a much larger number of private mediums. They have 500 ordained ministers and $7,500,000 worth of church property. Their headquarters are at 600 Pennsylvania avenue,--Washington,.. D. C. ' Bibliography.— Consult the writings of Swedenborg, of Andrew Jackson Davis, Owen, Robert Dale, The Debatable Land' (1865), and Hudson Tuttle; Crookes, Wm. Force and Modern Spiritualism' (New York 1871) ; id., (Researches into the Phenomena of Spiritualism' (1874) ; Wallace, A. R., (Miracles and Modern Spiritualism' (1881) ; Peebles, J. M., of the Ages,' and (Who Are These Spiritualists?' ; Home, D. D., 'Lights and Shadows of Spiritualism' (1890) ; Moses, 'Spirit Identity' (1879) ; Babbitt, E. D.. as Revealed by the Material and Spiritual Uni verse' (1895) ; Hull, of Biblical Spiritualism' ; Flammarion, M., (L'Inconni0 ; Huntley, F., Great Psychological Crime' (1902) ; Hyslop, J. H., of the Future Life' and Research and Survival' ; Carrington, H., (Physical Phenomena of Spir itualism' (Boston 1907) ; Lombroso, C., (Hyp notism et Spiritisme' (Paris 1910) ; Sinnett, A. P., (In the Next World> (1914) ; Barrett, Sir Wm., 'On the Threshold of the Unseen' (Lon don 1917) ; Lodge, Oliver, or Life or Death> (1917) ; Randall, E. C., (The Dead Have Never Died' (1917) ; Doyle, A. Conan, Sir Oliver Lodge Right? My Conversion to Spiritualism' (London 1918) and the Pro ceedings of the Psychical Research Society. See HYPNOTISM ; MAGIC; PSYCHICAL RESEARCH; PSYCHOLOGY.