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Biography of William Stainton Moses
William Stainton Moses was born at the village of Donnington, in Lincolnshire,
on the fifth of November 1839. His father, William Moses, was the Head Master of
the Grammar School, and his mother the daughter of Thomas Stainton, of Alford,
Lincolnshire. His education was commenced at the school of which his father was
Principal, and was afterwards continued with a private tutor, who, impressed by
his great abilities, strongly urged Mr Moses to send his son to a public school.
His advice was acted upon, and in August , 1855, young Stainton Moses, then in
his 16th year, was placed at the Grammar School at Bedford. Here he remained for
nearly three years, winning golden opinions from all the masters on account not
only of his brilliant abilities but also of his conspicuous industry,
regularity, and general attention to all his duties. In one term alone he
carried off four prizes; and shortly before he left was elected to one of the
two exhibitions which had been founded in connection with the school. On
leaving, he received from the Head Master testimonials of the most flattering
nature, speaking in high terms of the very rapid progress he had made in all
departments of study, and also of the uniform excellence and correctness of his
school conduct.
From Bedford, Stainton Moses went to Exeter College, Oxford, which he entered
at the commencement of Michaelmas term, 1858. His college life was in every way
as successful as his school life had been, and great hopes were formed by all
connected with him that at the end of his Oxford career he would take the
highest honours open to him. This, however, was not to be--overwork gradually
told upon him, but he refused to rest or in any way relax his studies; and so,
sad to relate, on the very day before commencement of his last examination his
health gave way completely, and he broke down, absolutely worn out in mind and
body. For some time he was very ill, but on regaining convalescence he was
ordered abroad. He spent nearly a year travelling on the Continent with friends,
and, with a view to complete restoration, he visited many different scenes and
climates. St Petersburg was the farthest limit of his wanderings, and on his
return journey he lingered for six months at the old Greek Monastery of "Mount
Athos." Curiosity apparently guided him thither, and his strong desire for rest
and meditation doubtless impelled him to remain for so long a time in that
remote, old-world spot. Many years afterwards he learned from Imperator , his
controlling spirit, that he had been influenced even then by his unseen guides,
who had impressed him to go to "Mount Athos" as part of his spiritual training.
At the age of 23, Stainton Moses returned to England and took his degree,
leaving Oxford finally in the year 1863. Though much improved in health by his
foreign travel, he was not yet strong; so, acting on the advice of his doctor,
who insisted on a quiet rural life, he accepted a curacy at Maughold, near
Ramsey, Isle of Man. Here he remained for nearly five years, and succeeded
during that period in gaining the affection and esteem of all his parishioners.
The Rector, a very old and infirm man, was practically unable to render any
assistance in the work of the parish, so that the whole of the duties connected
with the church and the district devolved upon Stainton Moses. During his stay
at Maughold, a severe epidemic of small-pox broke out in the village and
surrounding neighbourhood; and it was then that the utter fearlessness of his
nature was strikingly manifested. There was no resident doctor in the district,
but having at different times acquired some little knowledge of medicine,
Stainton Moses was enabled to minister to a certain extent to the bodily
necessities of his parishioners, as well as to their spiritual needs. Day and
night he was in attendance at the bedside of some poor victim who was stricken
by the fell disease; and in one or two cases when, after an unsuccessful
struggle with the enemy, he had soothed the sufferers dying moments by his
ministrations, he was compelled to combine the offices of priest and
grave-digger, and conduct the interment with his own hands. Such was the panic,
inspired by the fear of infection, that it was sometimes found impossible to
induce men to dig graves for the dead bodies of the victims, or even to remove
the coffins containing them. But through all this terrible time Stainton Moses
never flinched, and, notwithstanding the threefold nature of the duties thus
compulsorily thrust upon him, he was fortunate in escaping the malady, and
though he steadily remained at his post single-handed, from the commencement to
the end of the outbreak, he was spared any uneasiness on the score of his own
health. It may be readily imagined how greatly he endeared himself to all those
around him by his courageous devotion and strong sense of duty during such an
anxious and critical period; but the feelings which he inspired in his
parishioners, and everyone with whom he came in contact at Maughold, will be
best appreciated by a perusal of the address presented to him on relinquishing
his curacy there. It reads as follow:--
"Rev. And Dear Sir,--We, the undersigned parishioners of Maughold, are much
concerned to learn that it is your intention shortly to resign the position
which you have for some years past so usefully and honourably occupied amongst
us. We beg to assure you that your labours have been greatly appreciated in the
parish. The longer we have known you, and the more we have seen of your work,
the greater has our regard for you increased. The congregations at both the
churches under your charge are very different in numbers to what they were some
time ago. The schools have been better looked after; the aged and infirm have
been visited and comforted; and the poor have been cheered and helped by your
kindness and liberality. By your courteous demeanour, by your friendly
intercourse, and by your attention to the duties of the parish generally, you
have greatly endeared yourself to us all; and not least to our respected and
venerable Vicar, whose hands we are well satisfied you have done all you
possibly could to strengthen. We cannot but feel that your loss will be a very
serious one to the parish, and we should be glad if you could see your way to
remaining some time longer with us. By reconsidering your determination and
consenting to remain, you would place us under a deep debt of gratitude and
obligation."
Here follow the signatures of the Rector and Churchwardens, also of
fifty-four of the principal inhabitants of the district. Such a document,
spontaneously presented, speaks for itself. However, in spite of the unanimous
wish of the inhabitants that he should remain, Stainton Moses found that the
work of looking after two parishes, practically single-handed, made too great
demands upon his health, and so in the spring of 1868 he reluctantly
relinquished his charge at Maughold, and accepted the curacy of St George's,
Douglas, Isle of Man. Here he first met Dr and Mrs Stanhope Speer, and the
acquaintance thus commenced soon ripened into an intimacy which was destined to
exercise a very important influence upon the future of the three persons
concerned. Very soon after taking up his duties at St George's, Stainton Moses
was laid up with a sharp attack of congestion of the liver, which confined him
to his bed for some little time. Dr Speer attended him through this illness
(although he had retired from active practice for some years), and was
successful in effecting a complete cure. In September of 1869 Stainton Moses
left Douglas, where he had made a great impression by his preaching and
ministrations among the poor of the parish, and took up the post of locum
tenens at Langton Maltravers, in Dorsetshire. Here he remained for two
months, when he was transferred to a curacy in the diocese of Salisbury, the
last ecclesiastical appointment he held.
At this time he was troubled by an affection of the throat, which rapidly
became worse, and necessitated a complete rest, and the relinquishing of all
public speaking and preaching. Acting, therefore, upon medical advice, Stainton
Moses gave up his curacy, and came to London with the intention of turning his
attention to tuition. This practically severed his connection with the Church.
Had his health permitted him to follow his original career, he would no doubt
have attained a distinguished position, as he was a powerful and original
preacher, a successful organiser, and an earnest and efficient worker among the
poor.
On coming to London, Stainton Moses stayed with Dr and Mrs Speer for nearly a
year, during which time he superintended privately the education of their son,
the present writer. About the close of 1870 or the beginning of 1871, he
obtained the appointment of English Master in University College School, which
position he held until 1889. Little need be said of his work there, further than
that as long as his health permitted it was always done well. As one of the
English masters in a great school, his opportunities of influencing the boys
under his charge, in respect of literary taste and style, were considerable; and
of those opportunities he made good use. Many will remember his excellent
suggestions, and kindly criticisms of their essays. A portion of his work
consisted of preparing a class for the Matriculation of the University of
London. The peculiarly crabbed philological and historical knowledge required
for that examination was uncongenial to Stainton Moses's mind, as in literature
he liked to have a free hand; yet the work was done, and done well, and during
the years he spent at the school he embodied in a manuscript volume a vast
number of valuable notes bearing upon this subject.
Even more striking than his success as a master was the personal influence
exercised by him over his pupils. One of the peculiar institutions at University
College School is that by which a certain number of boys are especially attached
to certain senior masters, with whom they can take counsel and from whom they
can seek advice in all matters pertaining to their well-being--moral,
intellectual, and physical. Over the boys thus placed under his immediate care
the strong personality of Stainton Moses had an enormous influence, often
extending over a period long subsequent to their leaving school. Many a time in
after life his advice has been sought by old pupils on important matters, and
whenever he felt he could help them it was always a real pleasure to him to do
so to the best of his ability. His geniality, his knowledge of the world and of
men, his invariable straightforwardness and kindness, all combined to strengthen
the affectionate regard in which he was held by those boys who had the good
fortune to be under his special supervision. On resigning his post through
ill-health the Council of University College passed a resolution conveying to
Stainton Moses their best thanks for his long and valuable service to the
school, and a special letter of affectionate regret was also sent to him signed
by twenty-eight of his colleagues. Of his capacity for imparting his ideas to
other I can speak from a personal experience extending over seven years, during
which period our relations as master and pupil were continuous and unbroken.
Nothing could have been kinder or more convincing than his method of imparting
knowledge and information; nothing clearer or more helpful than his manner of
explaining all difficulties; and no trouble was too great for him to take in
smoothing away all obstacles to a clear understanding of the matter in hand.
It was during Stainton Moses's visit to Dr Speer in 1870 that the subject of
Spiritualism was first brought prominently before him. For some time he and Dr
Speer had been in the habit of discussing various topics bearing upon religious
belief. Both were gradually drifting into an unorthodox, almost agnostic, frame
of mind, and both were becoming more and more dissatisfied with existing
doctrines, and longing for absolute truth as regards the future life, and for
some demonstration of the certainty of immortality. To obtain any proof of such
immortality founded upon a strictly scientific basis seemed impossible, and Dr
Speer was rapidly becoming a materialist of the most hard-and- fast nature. A
note received by him from Stainton Moses, together with a copy of W.R. Greg's
Enigmas of Life, may prove interesting to those who would fain have some
inkling of the inner working of these two friends' minds, at a time when the old
faith had lost its hold upon them, and they were standing upon the brink of a
newer Revelation :--
"My Dear Friend,--You and I have tackled some 'Enigmas of Life' together, and
if we have not always solved them, we have generally agreed in our opinion
respecting them. I offer you the opinions of a great thinker, which will be, in
their outcome, very similar to what we have thought out for ourselves. And if
the half century, during which your life here has lasted, leaves much unknown,
and much that even another such period will not unravel, I hope at least that
during such part of it as we are here together we may continue to talk and
speculate together.--Your sincere friend, W.S.M."
It will be interesting to note the circumstances under which, during this
visit to Dr Speer, the subject of Spiritualism pressed itself upon Stainton
Moses's attention. Mrs Speer had been confined to her room by illness for three
weeks, during which period she had occupied herself in reading Dale Owen's
The Debatable Land. It interested her much, and on being able to rejoin the
family circle she asked Stainton Moses to read the book, and endeavour to
discover whether there was any truth in the experiences therein narrated. Though
at that time he took no interest in Spiritualism, regarding it merely as
trickery and fraud, yet he promised Mrs Speer to go into the matter with the
view of ascertaining whether there might be some germs of truth underlying the
mass of jugglery and imposture; and so began those astounding experiences of
his, which, commencing at the time, extended over a period of more than twenty
years. In those days, although dissatisfied with the cut-and-dried doctrines of
the Church, and with the manner in which its teachings were expounded from the
pulpit and elsewhere, Stainton Moses was, nevertheless, immensely interested in
all religious subjects, and his reading of everything that bore upon them was
enormous. No book, pamphlet, or magazine likely to throw any light upon the
questions which perplexed him was overlooked, and even after intercourse with
the unseen world had commenced he did not entirely give up his faith in the
Church without an arduous and prolonged struggle. The reality of the struggle
may be clearly discerned in the pages of Spirit Teachings, and in his
other automatic writings; but when he had fully satisfied himself of the reality
of those "Teachings," and of the truthfulness and integrity of his spirit-
guides, his faith never faltered, and his zeal in the prosecution of the work
entrusted to him never flagged. Previous to his own development as a medium,
Stainton Moses had been present at various sittings with other mediums. Mrs
Speer having been so immensely impressed by her perusal of the Debatable
Land, he determined to read it for himself, and in consequence became almost
as anxious as she was for fuller information. This was the more curious as, only
a month before, he had tried in vain to read Lord Adare's record of private
seances with D.D. Home, but, as he said himself, it had absolutely no interest
for him. His first noteworthy experiences were with Lottie Fowler, in the spring
of 1872; and soon afterwards Dr Speer--although at that time regarding the whole
subject of Spiritualism as "stuff and nonsense"--was persuaded to join him in a
visit to the medium Williams. They went several times, and were soon convinced
that there was some force outside the medium at work--in which conviction
they were much strengthened by a remarkable seance held shortly afterwards in Dr
Speer's house, when Williams was again the medium.
About this time Stainton Moses's own mediumistic powers began to be
developed. It is unnecessary to give a detailed description of that development,
as a full and exhaustive account may be found in Mrs Speer's "Records," which
have lately appeared in Light; but I think that some of my own
recollections of the seances, at which I had the privilege of being present
during the last two years of Stainton's Moses's active mediumship, may be of
some interest. At any rate they will place on record the impressions of another
witness, and may possibly be of service as bearing additional testimony to the
wonderful powers of the medium, and the absolute reality of the phenomena given
through him.
It is important to note that at these seances no less than ten different
kinds of manifestations took place, with more or less frequency. On occasions
when there were fewer varieties we were usually told that the conditions were
not good. When they were favourable the manifestations were more numerous, the
raps more distinct, the lights brighter, and the musical sounds clearer. The
various occurrences may be briefly enumerated as follows:--
1. The great variety of raps, often given simultaneously, and ranging
in force from the tapping of a finger-nail to the tread of a foot sufficiently
heavy to shake the room. Each spirit always had its own distinctive rap,
many of them peculiar as to be immediately recognisable; and these sounds often
took place in sufficient light for the sitters to see each other's features,
and--I suppose more important--hands. Raps also were frequently heard on the
door, sideboard, and wall, all some distance removed from the table at which we
sat; these raps could not possibly have been produced by any human agency; of
that I satisfied myself in every conceivable way.
2. Raps which answered questions coherently and with the greatest
distinctness, and also gave messages, sometimes of considerable length, through
the medium of the alphabet. At these times all the raps ceased except the one
identified with the communicating spirit, and perfect quiet prevailed until the
message had been delivered. We could almost always tell immediately with which
spirit we were talking, owing to the perfectly distinct individuality of each
different rap. Some of the higher spirits never manifested by raps at all, after
the first few seances, but announced their presence by a note of music, or the
flash of a light; but among those who did manifest in the usual way it would be
difficult to forget Rector's heavy and ponderous tread, which shook the whole
room with its weight, while it appeared to move slowly round the circle.
3. Numerous lights were generally visible to all the sitters. These
lights were of two different kinds--objective and subjective. The former usually
resembled small illuminated globes, which shone brightly and steadily, often
moved rapidly about the room, and were visible to all the sitters. A curious
fact in connection with these lights always struck me, viz. that looking on to
the top of the table one could see a light slowly ascending from the floor, and
to all appearance passing out through the top of the table--the table
itself apparently not affording any obstacle to one's view of the light. It is a
little difficult to explain my meaning exactly, but had the top of the table
been composed of plain glass, the effect of the ascending light, as it appealed
to one's organs of vision, would have been pretty much the same as it was, seen
through the solid mahogany. Even then, to make the parallel complete, it would
be necessary to have a hole in the glass top of the table, through which the
light could emerge. The subjective lights were described as being large masses
of luminous vapour floating round the room and assuming a variety of shapes. Dr
Speer and myself, being of entirely unmediumistic temperaments, were only able
to see the objective lights, but Mr Stainton Moses, Mrs Speer, and other
occasional sitters frequently saw and described those which were merely
subjective. Another curious point in relation to the objective lights was that,
however brightly they might shine, they never, unlike an ordinary lamp, threw
any radiance around them, or illuminated the smallest portion of the surrounding
darkness--when it was dark--in the slightest degree.
4. Scents of various descriptions were always brought to the
circle--the most common being musk, verbena, new-mown hay, and one unfamiliar
odour, which we were told was called spirit-scent. Sometimes breezes heavy with
perfume swept round the circle; at other times quantities of liquid musk, etc.,
would be poured on to the hands of the sitters, and also, by request, on to our
handkerchiefs. At the close of a seance, scent was nearly always found to be
oozing out of the medium's head, and the more frequently it was wiped away the
stronger and more plentiful it became.
5. The musical sounds, which were many and varied, formed a very
important item in the list of phenomena which occurred in our presence. Having
myself had a thorough musical education, I was able to estimate at its proper
value the importance of these particular manifestations, and was also more or
less in a position to judge of the possibility or impossibility of their being
produced by natural means, or through human agency. These sounds may, roughly
speaking, be divided into two classes--those which obviously proceeded from an
instrument--a harmonium--in a room, whilst the hands of all the sitters were
joined round the table; and those which were produced in a room in which there
was no instrument of any kind whatever. These latter were of course, by far the
most wonderful. As regards the musical sounds produced in the room in which
there was no instrument, they were about four in number. First, there were what
we called "The Fairy Bells." These resembled the tones produced by striking
musical glasses with a small hammer. The sounds given forth were clear, crisp,
and melodious. No definite tune was ever played, but the sounds were always
harmonious, and at the request of myself, or any other member of the circle, the
"bells" would always run up or down a scale in perfect tune. It was difficult to
judge where the sound of these "fairy bells" came from, but I often applied my
ear to the top of the table, and the music seemed to be somehow in the
wood--not underneath it, as on listening under the table the music would
appear to be above. Next we had quite a different sound--that of a stringed
instrument, more nearly akin to a violoncello than anything else I have ever
heard. It was, however, more powerful and sonorous, and might perhaps be
produced by placing a 'cello on the top of a drum, or anything else likely to
increase the vibration. This instrument was only heard in single notes, and was
used only by one spirit, who employed it usually for answering questions--in the
same way that others did by raps. The third sound was an exact imitation of an
ordinary handbell, which would be rung sharply by way of indicating the presence
of the particular spirit with whom it was associated. We naturally took care to
ascertain that there was no bell of any kind in the room at the time.
Even if there had been, it would have been a matter of some difficulty to ring
it all round the walls and even up to the ceiling, and this particular sound
proceeded indifferently from all parts of the room. Lastly, we had a sound of
which it is exceedingly difficult to offer an adequate description. The best
idea of it I can give is to ask the reader to imagine the soft tone of a
clarionet gradually increasing in intensity until it rivalled the sound of a
trumpet, and then, by degrees, diminishing to the original subdued note of the
clarionet until it eventually died away in a long drawn-out melancholy wail.
This is a very inefficient description of this really extraordinary sound, but
as I have in the whole course of my experience never heard anything else at all
like it, it is impossible to give to those who have
not heard it a more accurate idea of what it was like. As was the case
with the two previous sounds I have described, it was always associated with one
spirit. It is a noteworthy fact that in no case did the controlling agencies
produce more than single notes or at best isolated passages. This they accounted
for as due to the peculiarly unmusical organisation of the medium. At any rate,
the production of these sounds was wonderful enough in itself, as I over and
over again satisfied myself fully that there were no materials in the room which
could in any way assist in the making of any kind of musical tones; and the
clarionet and trumpet sound was one that I should be utterly at a loss to give
at all an adequate imitation of, whatever materials might be at my disposal.
Before I joined the circle several other musical sounds were frequently heard,
and all were given with greater variety, both of manipulation and tone; but as I
am now only giving a brief epitome of what actually happened under my own
observation, I refrain from alluding to occurrences which took place when I was
not present.
6. Direct writing was often given, sometimes on a sheet of paper
placed in the centre of the table, and equi-distant from all the sitters; at
other times one of us would place his hands on a piece of paper previously dated
and initialled, and usually a message was found written upon it at the
conclusion of the seance. We usually placed a pencil upon the paper, but
sometimes we only provided a small piece of lead--the results being the same in
both cases. Usually, the writing took the form of answering questions which we
had asked, but sometimes short, independent communications were given, and also
messages of greeting.
7. Movements of heavy bodies, such as tables and chairs were by no
means infrequent. Sometimes the table would be tilted up at a considerable
angle; at other times the chairs of one or more of the sitters would be pushed
more or less forcibly away from the table, until they touched the wall behind;
or the table would move away from the sitters on one side, and be propelled
irresistibly against those on the other, compelling them to shift their chairs
in order to avoid the advance of so heavy a piece of furniture. The table in
question, at which we usually sat, was an extremely weighty dining-table made of
solid Honduras mahogany, but at times it was moved with much greater ease than
the combined efforts of all the sitters could accomplish; and these combined
efforts were powerless to prevent it moving in a certain direction, if the
unseen force willed it to do so. We frequently tested the strength of this force
by trying to check the onward movement of the table, but without success.
8. The passage of matter through matter was sometimes strikingly
demonstrated by the bringing of various articles from other rooms, though the
doors were closed and bolted. Photographs, picture- frames, books and other
objects were frequently so brought, both from rooms on the same floor and from
those above. How they came through the closed doors I cannot say, except by some
process of de-materialisation, but come they certainly did, apparently none the
worse for the process, whatever it might have been.
9. The direct spirit voice, as opposed to the voice of a spirit
speaking through the medium while in a state of trance, was very seldom heard,
and never with any clearness or distinctness. But occasionally it was attempted,
and by listening carefully we could distinguish one or two broken sentences
which were hissed out in a sort of husky whisper. These sounds generally seemed
to be in the air above us, but they were produced with evident difficulty, and
there being so many other methods of communication, the direct voice was essayed
but seldom.
10. The inspirational addresses given by various spirits through
Stainton Moses when in an entranced condition have been so thoroughly dealt with
by Mrs Speer in her "Records" that I can add nothing as regards the matter
thus expounded. Touching the manner of these addresses (one or more of
which we had at almost every seance) I can only say that they were delivered in
a dignified, temperate, clear, and convincing tone, and that though the voice
proceeded from the medium, it was always immediately apparent that the
personality addressing us was not that of the medium. The voice was
different, and the ideas were often not in accordance with those held at the
time by the medium. An important fact, too, was that although many spirits
exercised this power of control, the voice which spoke was always different; and
in the case of those spirits which controlled regularly we came to know
perfectly well which intelligence was communicating, by the tone of the voice
and the method of enunciation.
So far, in this enumeration of the various phenomena, I have spoken
generally of the manifestations which usually occurred at most of our
sittings, but in conclusion I will give two particular instances, one of direct
writing, and one of identity, both of which I think are interesting, and which
certainly impressed me considerably. On one occasion we were told to cease for a
time and resume the seance later on. I asked the communicating intelligences if
they would during the interval give me a sample of direct writing under test
conditions. Having received an affirmative reply, I procured a piece of my own
note- paper, and, unknown to the other members of the circle, I dated and
initialled it, and also put a private mark in a corner of the sheet. The others
having retired from the dining to the drawing room, I placed my piece of paper
with a pencil under a table in the study, and having thoroughly searched the
room, I barred the shutters, bolted and locked the door, and put the key in my
pocket. I did not lose sight of the door until I re-entered, when to my great
satisfaction I found a message clearly written on the paper. As we had not been
sitting in the study, and as I can positively aver that no one entered the room
after I had left it until I myself unlocked the door, I have always considered
this particular instance of direct spirit writing as a most satisfactory and
conclusive test. The other occurrence which I consider specially worthy of
mention took place as follows. We were sitting one night as usual, and I had in
front of me, with my hand resting upon it, a piece of note-paper, with a pencil
close by. Suddenly Stainton Moses, who was sitting exactly opposite me,
exclaimed, "There is a very bright column of light behind you." Soon afterwards
he said that the column of light had developed into a spirit-form. I asked him
if the face was familiar to him, and he replied in the negative, at the same
time describing the head and features. When the seance was concluded I examined
my sheet of paper, which my hand had never left, and found written on it a
message and signature. The name was that of a distinguished musician who died in
the early part of the present century. I purposely refrain from specifying him,
as the use of great names very frequently leads to results quite different from
those intended. However, now comes the most extraordinary part of the affair. I
asked Stainton Moses--without, of course, showing him the written
message--whether he thought he could recognise the spirit he saw behind my chair
if he saw a portrait of him. He said he thought he could, so I gave him several
albums, containing likenesses of friends dead and alive, and also portraits of
various celebrities. On coming to the photograph of the composer in question he
at once said, without hesitation, "That is the face of the spirit I saw behind
you." Then, for the first time, I showed him the message and signature. I
regarded the whole incident as a very fair proof of spirit-identity, and I think
that most people would, at any rate, consider the occurrence one of interest.
During the time of Stainton Moses's active mediumship, he was often busily
engaged in assisting in the formation of various societies, whose primary object
was the investigation of Spiritualism and other occult, though kindred,
subjects. He took part in the establishment of the British National Association
of Spiritualists in 1873. He was also connected with the Psychological Society
of Great Britain, which was inaugurated in April 1875, and of the Council of
that Society he was one of the original members. In 1882 Stainton Moses took an
active interest in the formation of the Society for Psychical Research; and in
1884 he established "The London Spiritualist Alliance," and became its first
President, which post he filled up to the time of his death. For the last few
years of his life, he added to his other duties the editorship of Light,
and though his active mediumship, as regards physical phenomena, had then almost
entirely ceased, yet his power of automatic writing remained with him to the
end. For the last three or four years of his life he suffered from failing
health, and many successive attacks of influenza gradually undermined a
constitution which had never been conspicuously robust. Though he gradually
became worse, he was never supposed to be in any real danger, and when the end
came, on September 5th, 1892, it was a terrible shock to all those who knew him,
and who realised what a loss to themselves personally, and to the cause of
Spiritualism generally, his death would prove.
Far more interesting to those who knew him intimately was Stainton Moses's
personality than his life. The latter, as all who read this brief sketch will
readily see for themselves, was, with the exception of the wonderful spiritual
experiences so indissolubly linked with it, unmomentous and uneventful. But his
individuality and force of character were immense; his ability was quite out of
the common; and more than all, the versatility of his talents was perhaps one of
his most striking features. No study was too dry or uninteresting for him to
master, no subject so apparently unimportant and unworthy his attention but he
would easily acquire an intelligent conception of its details. And this applies
equally to the whole range of more or less trivial matters which make up the sum
total of nineteenth-century every- day life, as well as to those deeper and more
serious subjects which, being akin to his own especial one, naturally engrossed
most of his attention. From the time that he first began to realise of what vast
importance it was to establish the possibility of communion with the world of
the future, to the end of his life, his zeal in proving the truth of his
teachings never failed. In spite of the demands made upon his time by school and
press work, he contrived to bestow an immense amount of energy upon his
Spiritualistic researches; his enormous correspondence with thousands of
inquiries all over the world affording quite sufficient material to occupy the
life of any ordinary man. But in this as in everything else he was conscientious
to the last degree, and never considered time wasted that was expended in
answering the queries and solving, to the best of his ability, the doubts of
earnest seekers after truth. A certain proportion of his time was devoted to
visiting many of the most important people in the country--important both
socially and politically--and also those who were distinguished for their
eminence in the scientific, literary, and artistic world. During the lifetime of
such people their names cannot be divulged, but it is not too much to say that
Stainton Moses had interviews, more or less frequently, with most of the
illustrious personages of his day; and all who took any interest in the
phenomena of Spiritualism, whatever their position or attainments, were alike
anxious to hear his opinions and experiences of that subject, on which none were
so well qualified to speak as himself.
Apart from Spiritualism, Stainton Moses possessed in his own character a rare
combination of remarkable qualities, not often met with in the same individual.
He had the keenest sense of justice and equity, his judgment was invariably
sound and discreet, and in addition to all this, no man ever possessed a kinder
heart or livelier sympathies, or was more ready to assist with counsel or advice
those who came to him for either. Notwithstanding his varied spiritual
experiences, unique in themselves, he was never puffed up by them in the
smallest degree, and though impatient of mere frivolous or ignorant opposition,
he would never refuse to join issue in friendly argument with any
opponent--however much beneath his attention. In these various encounters,
Stainton Moses's clear understanding and extremely logical habits of mind
enabled him to score heavily and with decisive effect off those antagonists who
sometimes had the temerity to attack him with very little reason and still less
knowledge. His crushing rejoinder to Dr Carpenter, who some eighteen or twenty
years ago lectured at the London Institution on the "Fallacies of Modern
Spiritualism," will probably be still remembered by a good many people as a
striking instance of logical reasoning and effective sarcasm, which,
significantly enough, was never answered. Considering the then unpopular nature
of the subject which he had unmistakably made his own, and of the conclusions
which he deduced from a close and systematic study of the same, it is a matter
to be wondered at that he was not more often attacked by narrow-minded religious
bigots, pseudo- scientists, and superficial penny-a-liners. But however this may
be, the fact remains that with a few insignificant exceptions he was not
so attacked; when he was, his power of showing up the weakness of his opponent's
case and ignorance of the matters on which he presumed to dogmatise was only
equalled by the polite ridicule and quiet satire which he was always ready to
bring to bear upon the author of any unprovoked piece of aggressive meddling.
It was a noteworthy feature about Stainton Moses, that in spite of his being
compulsorily drawn in many ways into a conspicuously public position, no man
ever hated publicity more than he did. Retiring and modest by nature, he
detested the making of speeches, delivering of addresses, presiding over
meetings, and other similar functions for which the singularity of his own
powers and the extent of his knowledge naturally marked him out as being
eminently fitted. Though richly endowed with gifts sufficient to stamp him in
any age as a leader of men, his own inclinations would, had he been untrammelled
by force of circumstances, have led him to prefer a life of studious ease and
unostentatious retirement. But this was not to be; so he trod his allotted path
with zeal, courage, and discretion; did his duty with an utter abnegation of
self; and died at his post in the prime of manhood, carrying with him to the
grave the affectionate regard and esteem of hundreds who will cherish the memory
of his friendship as one of their most precious legacies.
It is quite impossible within the limits of a short biography like the
present to do more than present a brief sketch of the character of Stainton
Moses; but I should like to once more insist upon the entirely admirable
ingredients of which that character was composed, and I might fill volumes in
dilating upon his utter absence of pride, fanaticism, arrogance, or conceit;
upon his love of truth, purity, and integrity; and upon his absolute
fearlessness, generous large-heartedness, and wholly sympathetic friendship. But
to what avail? He has crossed the bar, and gone from out mortal vision
for ever. And whatever I could say in his praise would not heighten the
affection and esteem of those who knew him; and those who did not would gain but
a poor idea of his worth and talents from any paltry efforts of mine. So let us
gain what benefit we can from the words of those inspirational teachings which
he has left behind, and to which this short memoir is intended to serve as a
humble introduction, and then, for a time at any rate, let us re-echo the old
formula, Requiescat in Pace.
CHARLTON TEMPLEMAN SPEER
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