f this phase of
"mediumship" would be scarcely worth raising. But the existence of even
a small amount of evidence of such a kind raises the question into a
different position, to one which reasonably demands the searching
investigation of scientific men. I propose to give one illustration only
of this better class of evidence, but it is one in which common-sense
precautions against deception seem to have been carefully taken.

The following extracts are from a report made by Mr. J. Slater, and
published in _The Two Worlds_ of 15th February 1895:--

"IS MATERIALISATION A FACT? YES. SCIENTIFIC PROOF.

"After the recent suspicions and exposures of materialising
mediums, I determined to take the first opportunity of applying
further and more stringent tests, which should absolutely
preclude the possibility of deception. For this purpose I wrote
to the Middlesbro' materialising medium, asking for a test
sitting, and stating the conditions--which he readily
accepted....

"The conditions were that he should strip to the skin 'naked as
he was born,' and in the presence of witnesses dress in clothes
to be supplied by me....

"I made him understand that after he had dressed in the clothes
supplied by me, he must consider himself in my charge, and must
not attempt to do or touch anything, or go anywhere except to
the chair provided for him. He readily agreed to this, and
imposed upon himself a still further test, viz. that as soon as
the phenomena had ceased, he would instantly place himself in
our charge, to be held fast until the light was turned up, and
the company had retired to the next room, the same process of
undressing being gone through."

This was all carried out preliminary to a seance, and a final
examination of the room was made.

"The light was then lowered so that we could just see each other--the
company sang a hymn, a prayer was offered, and then came the crisis--to
be or not to be? In less than a minute a form of exceeding whiteness
appeared at the opening of the curtain; I should judge the height to be
three feet six inches or a little more. We could not distinguish the
face. The form appeared twice. Then a child form appeared, its raiment
white, luminous and very distinct. Then came the well-known and lively
black child, opening the curtain with her small arms and bowing
repeatedly to us. This child would be about two and