On Miracles and Modern Spiritualism: Three Essays |
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absolutely adduced admitted Animal Magnetism appeared argument believe body C. F. Varley clairvoyance communications confirmed convinced declared delusion described discovered doctrine E. B. Tylor evidence examination existence experiments explain facts favour figure force friends G. H. Lewes George Müller give given Guppy hand heard human ignorant impossible imposture impute inquiry intelligences investigation invisible Judge Edmonds knowledge laws of nature letter Magnetism MALAY ARCHIPELAGO manifestations matter medium mediumship mental ments mesmeric mind miracles Miss Cook modern Spiritualism moral never objective observers opinion Owen patient persons pheno philosophical photographer phrenology physical possible present produced Professor proof proved question reality recognised remarkable Robert Dale Owen satisfied sceptics scientific séances seen sense sitting Spiritual Magazine spiritual theory spiritualists supernatural supposed table-turning taps teachings testimony thing tion trance truth visible whole witchcraft witnessed writing
Popular passages
Page 8 - A miracle may be accurately defined, a transgression of a law of nature by a particular volition of the Deity, or by the interposition of some invisible agent.
Page 12 - For first, there is not to be found, in all history, any miracle attested by a sufficient number of men, of such unquestioned good-sense, education, and learning, as to secure us against all delusion in themselves; of such undoubted integrity, as to place them beyond all suspicion of any design to deceive others; of such credit and reputation in the eyes of mankind, as to have a great deal to lose in case of their being detected...
Page 12 - There surely never was a greater number of miracles ascribed to one person, than those, which were lately said to have been wrought in France upon the tomb of Abb£ Paris, the famous Jansenist, with whose sanctity the people were so long deluded. The curing of the sick, giving hearing to the deaf, and sight to the blind, were every where talked of as the usual effects of that holy sepulchre.
Page 218 - But supposing the phenomena to be genuine — they do not interest me. If anybody would endow me with the faculty of listening to the chatter of old women and curates in the nearest cathedral town, I should decline the privilege, having better things to do.
Page 12 - ... attesting facts performed in such a public manner and in so celebrated a part of the world as to render the detection unavoidable— all which circumstances are requisite to give us a full assurance in the testimony of men.
Page 54 - Before we proceed to consider any question involving physical principles, we should set out with clear ideas of the naturally possible and impossible.
Page 9 - A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature ; and as a firm and unalterable experience has established these laws, the proof against a miracle, from the very nature of the fact, is as entire as any argument from experience can possibly be imagined.
Page 10 - ... that these events are found agreeable to the laws of nature, and there is required a violation of these laws, or in other words, a miracle to prevent them? Nothing is esteemed a miracle, if it ever happen in the common course of nature. It is no miracle that a man, seemingly in good health, should die on a sudden: because such a kind of death, though more unusual than any other, has yet been frequently observed to happen. But it is a miracle, that a dead man should come to lite; because that...
Page 12 - But what is more extraordinary; many of the miracles were immediately proved upon the spot, before judges of unquestioned integrity, attested by witnesses of credit and distinction, in a learned age, and on the most eminent theatre that is now in the world.
Page 172 - I have known a mahogany chair thrown on its side and moved swiftly back and forth on the floor, no one touching it, through a room where there were at least a dozen people sitting, yet no one was touched, and it was repeatedly stopped within a few inches of me, when it was coming with a violence which, if not arrested, must have broken my legs.