Magic & Occult in Holland
Holland : For early
matter see Teutons).
Spiritualism.—Since the introduction of spiritualism into
Holland, in 1857-8, no small part of its history has been
enacted in that country, notwithstanding that the
phlegmatic and by no means impressionable temperament of
the Dutchman would seem to make but an indifferent medium
of him. The first Dutch spiritualist of whom we have
record is one J. N. T. Marthese, who, after studying
psychic phenomena in foreign countries, finally returned
to his native Holland, bringing with him the American
medium Home. The latter held seances at the Hague, before
several learned societies, and by command of Queen Sophia,
a stance was given in her presence. The medium himself, in
an account of the performance, tells us that the royal
lady was obliged to sit out seven seances, on consecutive
evenings, before any results were obtained. These results,
however, were apparently satisfactory, for the Queen was
thereafter a staunch supporter of the movement. During
Home's visit, spiritualism gained a considerable hold on
the people of Holland, and the practice of giving small
private seances became fairly wide-spread. Spirit voices
were heard at these gatherings, the touch of spirit hands
was felt, and musical instruments were played upon by
invisible performers. Particularly were these seances
appreciated which were held at the house of Mr. T. D. Van
Herwerden, in the Hague, and which were attended by many
enthusiastic students of spiritualistic phenomena. His
medium was, as a rule, a Japanese boy of his household,
about fourteen years old, and very ignorant. The
manifestations ranged from spirit rapping and table
turning in the earlier seances to form materialisation in
those of a later date. One of the principal spirits
purported to be a monk, Paurellus, who had been
assassinated some three hundred years previously in that
city. Afterwards Mr. Van Herwerden was induced by his
friends to publish his diary, under the title of
Experiences and Communications on a still Mysterious
Territory. For a time, as has been said, spiritualistic
seances were only conducted in family circles, and were of
a quite private nature. But as the attention of the
intellectuals became more and more directed to the new
science, societies were formed to promote research, and to
throw light upon that which was obscure and perplexing.
The first of these was the society called the " Oromase,"
or Ormuzd, which was founded by Major J. Revius, a friend
of Marthese, in 1859, and which included among its numbers
many people of high repute. They met at the Hague, and the
records of their transactions were carefully preserved.
Major Revius was president and continued to act in that
capacity till 1871, the year of his death. The society's
secretary, A. J. Rita, was also a prominent worker in "
the cause." The " Oromase" library contained a fine
collection of works on spiritualism, mesmerism, and
kindred subjects, and included American, French, German
and English books. Another society, the " Veritas," was
founded in Amsterdam in 1869. The studies of this latter
association were conducted in a somewhat less searching
and scientific spirit than those of the " Oromase." Its
mediums specialized in trance utterances and written
communications from the spirits, and its members inclined
to a belief in re-incarnation, which was at variance with
the opinions of the older society. Rotterdam had, for a
time, a society with similar objects known as the "
Research after Truth," but it soon came to an end, though
its members continued to devote themselves privately to
the investigation of spirit phenomena. Other equally
short-lived societies were formed in Haarlem and other
towns. In all of these, however, there was a dearth of
mediums able to produce form materializations, and to
supply the want a number of foreign mediums hastened to
Holland. Hitherto the comparatively private nature ot the
seances, and the high standing of those who took part in
them, had prevented the periodicals from making any but
the most cautious comments on the seances. But the advent
of professional mediums on the scene swept away the
barrier and let loose a flood of journalistic ridicule and
criticism. This in turn provoked the supporters of
spiritualism to retort, and soon a lively battle was in
progress between the spiritualists and the sceptics. The
consequence was, that " the cause " was boomed as much by
the articles which derided it as by those which were in
favour of it. Such mediums as Mrs. Margaret Fox Kane, the
Davenport brothers, Rita,' Home, Miss Cook, and Henry
Slade, came over to Holland. Writers arose who were
prepared to devote their abilities to the defence of
spiritualism. Such an one was Madame Elise van Calcar, who
not only wrote a novel expounding spiritualistic
principles, but also conducted a monthly journal " On the
Boundaries of Two Worlds," and held a sort of
spiritualistic salon, where enthusiasts could meet and
discuss their favourite subject. Dr. H. de Grood, Dr. J.
Van Velzen, Dr. Van der Loef, Herr Schimmel, are among the
other prominent Dutch authors who wielded their pens in
defence of the same opinions. The writings of Professors
Varley, Crookes, and Wallace were translated into the
Dutch language, and lecturers helped to spread the belief
in communication with the Other World. A mesmerist, Signer
Donata, carried on the practice of " Animal Magnetism " in
Holland, and endeavoured to identify the magnetic force
emanating from the •operator with the substance of which
disembodied spirits are composed. Many exposures were made
of unscrupulous mediums, and these, naturally, cast
discredit upon the entire movement. But on the whole the
mediums, professional or otherwise, were well received.
Such phases of psychic phenomena as haunted houses and
poltergeists are also very common, but are so similar to
these manifestations in other countries that they require
no separate treatment.
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