The Literary World, quoting from a book, by an "evidently able writer," furnishes the same answer to the question; but the "able writer" sees fit to add-"This theory hardly commends itself to the devout mind; but it may have some truth in it, as to the agency of angels in answering prayer.""

In the face of so many facts we are not prepared to say that prayer is never answered-prayer, the earnest desire of a man's heart, carried out in such a way as to exclude his own direct efforts. Is it possible that this "evidently able writer" has hit upon a correct theory to account for the phenomenon; a theory which, though "not calculated to commend itself to the devout mind," may yet take root amongst the more profane and bear astonishing fruit.

But why is any measure of truth incompatible with a devout mind? Is old-established error the fittest companion for devotion? Surely here lieth a mystery which is to the uninitiated incomprehensible.

Before his departure from this world, Oxtoby's spiritual powers seem so much to have increased that he often saw the spirits who surrounded him. The memoir says that "he seemed to be living in the suburbs, breathing the air, and having communication with the inhabitants of that better world. These celestial beings visited his apartments, bended in the tenderest sympathy over his bed of languishing, mutely waited by him, became visible to the eyes of his faith, displayed their lovely beauties and divine glories to his sight, furnished evidence of the pleasure which they felt by the smile which played upon their immortal countenances, and, as if anxious to have him added to their superior society, they beckoned him to come away. To his sister, in whose house he was, and who, according to her ability, administered to his necessities and increased his comforts, he said, 'O! what have I beheld? Such a sight as I cannot possibly describe. There were three shining forms standing beside me, whose garments were so bright, and whose countenances were so glorious, that I never saw anything to compare with them before. O, how sweetly they smiled upon me! And when they departed, they beckoned me to come away.'

"Healing the sick, clairvoyance, and visitation by visible spirits--is any one inclined to believe such miraculous stories ?" some readers may exclaim. Let them pause awhile, and ask themselves if these are the only miraculous stories which are believed. Is not the Gospel of Mark full of them? Why should belief in the one case be counted a virtue, while in the other it is shunned as a vice? All well-authenticated "miracles are but parts of a whole, and as a whole they stand or fall. "They

have fallen," is the reply. "All are gone; we will have none of them, and we laugh at the credulity which receives them.' Credulity is not shown by believing assertions, however inexplicable, if well supported by evidence. Credulity never asks for evidence, but leans on authority, and is too idle or careless to inquire. A man of candid disposition and unbiassed mind does not contemptuously reject what he cannot explain, but accepts a fact, however strange, and then seeks its cause. The false pride of half-knowledge alone refuses to admit what it cannot understand, and shuts its eyes to the unaccountable, lest it should be driven to confess that "there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in its philosophy."

SPIRITUALISM AMONG THE ZULUS OF NATAL.

From a Paper by the Rev. Canon CALLAWAY, read at the Anthropological Institute, May 15th, 1871.

"A NATIVE Kraal amongst the Amadunga on the Tukela, having had some quarrel with their people, came into the neighbourhood of the lower Umkomangi, and settled with a relative among the Amahlongwa. They lived with him as dependents in his village. Soon after settling there a young child was seized with convulsions, and at once alarmed, they determined to consult a woman, living at some distance, celebrated as one who divined correctly by the aid of familiar spirits. Some young men, cousins of the child, went to consult her. On entering her hut and saluting her, she merely responded, but said nothing for some time. But at length after taking some snuff, she yawned, stretched, and shuddered, as is the custom with diviners when about to be the subjects of inspiration. She then said, 'They who divine are not yet come,' that is—the spirits.

The

"They remained waiting a long time, until they almost forgot the object of their coming; at last a voice, as of a very little child, proceeding from the roof of the hut, saluted them. They started, and looked to see whence the voice came. spirits said, 'Why are you looking about? We merely salute you.' They replied 'We look about because we cannot see where you are. The spirits replied, 'Here we are, but you You will be helped, not by seeing, but by hearing

cannot see us.

what we say.'

"The case then proceeded exactly as in common divinations,

The Literary World, quoting from a book, by an "evidently able writer," furnishes the same answer to the question; but the "able writer" sees fit to add-" This theory hardly commends itself to the devout mind; but it may have some truth in it, as to the agency of angels in answering prayer.""

In the face of so many facts we are not prepared to say that prayer is never answered-prayer, the earnest desire of a man's heart, carried out in such a way as to exclude his own direct efforts. Is it possible that this "evidently able writer" has hit upon a correct theory to account for the phenomenon; a theory which, though "not calculated to commend itself to the devout mind," may yet take root amongst the more profane and bear astonishing fruit.

But why is any measure of truth incompatible with a devout mind? Is old-established error the fittest companion for devotion? Surely here lieth a mystery which is to the uninitiated incomprehensible.

Before his departure from this world, Oxtoby's spiritual powers seem so much to have increased that he often saw the spirits who surrounded him. The memoir says that "he seemed to be living in the suburbs, breathing the air, and having communication with the inhabitants of that better world. These celestial beings visited his apartments, bended in the tenderest sympathy over his bed of languishing, mutely waited by him, became visible to the eyes of his faith, displayed their lovely beauties and divine glories to his sight, furnished evidence of the pleasure which they felt by the smile which played upon their immortal countenances, and, as if anxious to have him added to their superior society, they beckoned him to come away. To his sister, in whose house he was, and who, according to her ability, administered to his necessities and increased his comforts, he said, 'O! what have I beheld? Such a sight as I cannot possibly describe. There were three shining forms standing beside me, whose garments were so bright, and whose countenances were so glorious, that I never saw anything to compare with them before. O, how sweetly they smiled upon me! And when they departed, they beckoned me to come away.'

66

Healing the sick, clairvoyance, and visitation by visible spirits--is any one inclined to believe such miraculous stories ?" some readers may exclaim. Let them pause awhile, and ask themselves if these are the only miraculous stories which are believed. Is not the Gospel of Mark full of them? Why should belief in the one case be counted a virtue, while in the other it is shunned as a vice? All well-authenticated "miracles are but parts of a whole, and as a whole they stand or fall. "They

have fallen," is the reply. "All are gone; we will have none of them, and we laugh at the credulity which receives them." Credulity is not shown by believing assertions, however inexplicable, if well supported by evidence. Credulity never asks for evidence, but leans on authority, and is too idle or careless to inquire. A man of candid disposition and unbiassed mind does not contemptuously reject what he cannot explain, but accepts a fact, however strange, and then seeks its cause. The false pride of half-knowledge alone refuses to admit what it cannot understand, and shuts its eyes to the unaccountable, lest it should be driven to confess that "there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in its philosophy."

SPIRITUALISM AMONG THE ZULUS OF NATAL.

From a Paper by the Rev. Canon CALLAWAY, read at the Anthropological Institute, May 15th, 1871.

"A NATIVE Kraal amongst the Amadunga on the Tukela, having had some quarrel with their people, came into the neighbourhood of the lower Umkomangi, and settled with a relative among the Amahlongwa. They lived with him as dependents in his village. Soon after settling there a young child was seized with convulsions, and at once alarmed, they determined to consult a woman, living at some distance, celebrated as one who divined correctly by the aid of familiar spirits. Some young men, cousins of the child, went to consult her. On entering her hut and saluting her, she merely responded, but said nothing for some time. But at length after taking some snuff, she yawned, stretched, and shuddered, as is the custom with diviners when about to be the subjects of inspiration. She then said, 'They who divine are not yet come,' that is—the spirits.

The

"They remained waiting a long time, until they almost forgot the object of their coming; at last a voice, as of a very little child, proceeding from the roof of the hut, saluted them. They started, and looked to see whence the voice came. spirits said, 'Why are you looking about? We merely salute you.' They replied 'We look about because we cannot see where you are. The spirits replied, 'Here we are, but you You will be helped, not by seeing, but by hearing

cannot see us.

what we say.'

"The case then proceeded exactly as in common divinations,

excepting only that the woman was apparently passive, and the conversation was carried on by the voices, the revelations being made by them.

"The spirits began by saying-'You have come to inquire about something.' They were silent, and the woman said, 'Tell them. They say you come to enquire about something.' They smote the ground in token of assent. The spirits continued That about which you come is a matter of great importance. An omen has appeared in some one.' Again they smote the ground assenting, and asked, "How big is the person in whom the omen has appeared?' The spirits replied, It is a young person.' They smote the ground vehemently here, because as they said, 'They saw she had hit the mark.'

"The spirits then went on to say that the omen was bodily, that the person affected was a boy, that he was still youngtoo young to go out to herd. All this being assented to in like manner, the spirits went on feeling their way, as it were, to these things. They said, Strike the ground that we may see what it is that has occurred to the body of this little boy, There he is. We see him. It is as if he had convulsions." This was assented to with a most earnest smiting of the ground. The spirits said, 'What kind of convulsions are they? Ask of us.' The enquirers told the spirits they were going the right way, and required no assistance of them. The spirits replied,' We told you to ask, because perhaps we are going wrong.' They then went on to detail in a most minute and correct manner the time when the first convulsions took place, and the character of the attack, and what was done and said by the mother of the child and others. All this having been assented to the spirits continued 'The disease resembles convulsions, You have come to ask us the cause? They replied,Yes, truly, spirits, we wish to hear from you the disease and its cause; and also the remedy.' The spirits promised to inform them, but first told them other particulars. The boy was the only child of his father. He was their brother, but not really their brother but their cousin. He was their brother because their fathers were brothers. They then went on to ( say, Smite the ground that I may see which is the older of the two. We say, boys, your own father is dead. Smite the ground that we may see where he died. There he is, we see him. He died, boys, in the open country. He was stabbed with an assagai. By what tribe was he stabbed? He was stabbed by the Amazulu on this side the Tukela. That is where your father died, boys.'

They then told them that the disease was not, properly speaking, convulsions, but was occasioned by the ancestral spirits